Curriculum

Children will blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words. For example, when given the word "cat," they will identify the onset /k/ and the rime /at/, allowing them to blend the sounds together to say "cat.

Children will count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words. For example, they might clap their hands for each syllable in a word like "elephant" (three claps) or say, "Let's say the word 'butterfly' together: but-ter-fly." They can also blend syllables together by sounding out the syllables separately and then combining them to form the complete word.

Children will demonstrate an understanding of rhyming words by identifying and producing words that rhyme. For example, they might recognize that "cat," "hat," and "mat" all end with the same sound.

Children will demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes). For example, they might clap their hands for each syllable in their name, saying "Sam-my" for two claps, or they could identify the beginning sound in words like "bat" and "cat," recognizing that both start with the /b/ and /k/ sounds, respectively.

Children will recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet. For example, during a classroom activity, they might sing the alphabet song, point to letters on a chart, or play games where they match upper- and lowercase letters, such as finding and pairing "A" with "a."

Children will understand that words are separated by spaces in print. For example, during a reading activity, they will learn to identify where one word ends and another begins by pointing out spaces between words. They might practice this by reading simple sentences and saying, "I see spaces here, which means these are different words!" This helps them recognize the structure of written language and improves their reading comprehension.

Children will recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters. For example, they will understand that the word "cat" is made up of the letters C, A, and T. They will develop the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds in words through activities like saying the sounds aloud or using phonemic games, such as blending sounds together to form words, like /k/ /a/ /t/ to say "cat." This foundational skill supports their reading and writing development.

Children will follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page. They will understand the basic directionality of print by practicing with books, learning that text flows in these specific directions. For example, as they read a picture book, they might point to the words and say, "I read this line first, then the next line." This helps reinforce their understanding of how print is organized on the page.

Children will demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print. They will learn concepts such as reading from left to right, recognizing the front and back covers of a book, and identifying the title and author. For example, they might point out the title of a story and explain that it's what the book is called. This helps them develop early literacy skills, providing a strong foundation for future reading and writing success.

Children will produce complete sentences when appropriate to the task and situation. For example, during a show-and-tell, a child might say, "I brought my favorite book because I love the story," rather than just saying, "My book." This encourages clear communication and helps them express their thoughts more effectively.