Kindergarten

Reading Standards and Literature

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Reading Standards: Foundational Skills

Writing Standards

Speaking and Listening Standards

Language Standards

Key Ideas and Details

Craft and Structure 

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity  

Key Ideas and Details

Craft and Structure

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity 

Print Concepts 

Phonological Awareness

Phonics and Word Recognition 

Fluency

Text Types and Purposes  

Production and Distribution of Writing 

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

Range of Writing

Comprehension and Collaboration

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

Conventions of Standard English

Knowledge of Language

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use 

With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.

With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.

Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.

Recognize common types of texts (e.g., storybooks, poems).

With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.

With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).

Not applicable to literature

With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.

Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding. Activate prior knowledge and draw on previous experiences in order to make text-to-self or text-to-text connections and comparisons.

With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.

With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.

With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.

Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book.

Identify the front cover and back cover of an informational text.

Name the author and illustrator of a text and define the role of each in presenting the ideas or information in a text.

With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear (e.g., what person, place, thing, or idea in the text an illustration depicts).

With prompting and support, identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text. 

With prompting and support, identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).

Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print. a. Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page. b. Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters. c. Understand that words are separated by spaces in print. d. Recognize and name all upper-case and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and phonemes (sounds). a. Recognize and produce rhyming words. b. Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words. c. Blend and segment onsets of rhymes of single-syllable spoken words. d. Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final phonemes (sounds) in three-phoneme (consonantvowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.) e. Add or substitute individual phonemes (sounds) in simple, one-syllable words to make new words.

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. a. Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one grapheme (letter)-sound correspondences by producing the primary sound or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant. b. Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings for the five major vowels. c. Read common highfrequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does). d. Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Read emergent reader texts with purpose and understanding.

Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is...)

Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/ explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrative a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.

(Begins in grade 3)

With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed.

With guidance and support from adults, explore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author and express opinions about them).

With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

(Begins in grade 4)

(Begins in grade 3)

Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. a.Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion). b.Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges.

Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented in various media and other formats (e.g., orally) by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.

Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.

Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.

Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.

Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when a. writing or speaking. b. Print many upper-and lowercase letters. c. Use frequently occurring nouns and verbs. d. Form regular plural nouns orally by adding /s/ or / es/ (e.g., dog, dogs; wish, wishes).e. Understand and use interrogatives (question words) (e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how). f. Use the most frequently occurring prepositions (e.g., to, from, in, out, on, off, for, of, by, with). g. Produce and expand complete sentences in shared language activities.

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, a. and spelling when writing. b. Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I. c. Recognize and name end punctuation. d. Write a letter or letters for most consonant and shortvowel phonemes (sounds). e. Spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships.

(Begins in grade 2) 

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content. a. Identify new meanings for familiar words and apply them accurately (e.g., knowing duck is a bird and learning the verb to duck). b. Use the most frequently occurring inflections and affixes (e.g., -ed, -s, re-, un-, pre-, -ful, -less) as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word.

With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings. a. Sort common objects into categories (e.g., shapes, foods) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent. b. Demonstrate understanding of frequently occurring verbs and adjectives by relating them to their antonyms (opposites). c. Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., note places at school that are colorful). d. Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs describing the same general action (e.g., walk, march, strut, prance) by acting out the meanings.

Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts.

Select an object or image aligned to who/characters, when/time, what/action, where/setting related to shared text details. 

Select an object or image related to shared text.

identify questions words (who, what, where, when, why, how)

take note of details as the text is shared - note with objects, pictures, words, symbols, etc.

when given the prompt “who” learner selects details to a question about characters

when given the prompt “where” learner selects details to a question about location or setting

when given the prompt “what” learner selects details to a question about plot or actions

Actively engage with shared text.

Actively engage with someone who is asking a question. 

With a visual or tactile prompt, Retell or sequence two events from a familiar story

Match object or image to key detail from the beginning of the story.

Match object or image to key detail from the end of the story.

as a familiar story is read, select an object, picture, symbol or word to represent key detail from beginning, middle and/or end of story

as a familiar story is read, select an object, picture, symbol or word to represent key detail from every page

Actively engage when a familiar story is introduced.

Actively engage during the sharing of a familiar story.

Actively engage when a familiar book is shown visually.

Actively engage with a book using one or more senses.

Recognize characters, settings or events in a story.

Recognize settings in a story.

Recognize characters in a story.

characters = who (people, animals)

settings = where (places, locations) 

events = what (actions, happenings)

With prompting and support, select a question to ask about an unknown word.

(i.e. What are the sounds in this word? How is it pronounced What does this word mean?) 

Identify unknown words in a text (story, poem or song).

Identify words in a story, poem or song.

Identify a word vs. a picture, letter or number.

explore known vs. unknown words

explore strategies to decode new words

Explore what to do when an unknown word is encountered

Actively engage in word study and vocabulary activities

Identify poetry book or poem.

Identify a variety of common text types (cookbook/recipe, newspaper, magazine, email, text, advertisement, labels, etc.)

Identify a storybook. 

identify and name common texts found in home 

identify and name common texts found in school

identify and name common text found in the community

explore new text types from a variety of environments

Actively engage with printed text materials.

Indicate the part of book that the author created. 

Indicate the part of book that the illustrator created.

Point to the name or picture of the author.

Point to the name or picture of the illustrator of a given text.

Match both authors and illustrators as professionals who create books

practice selecting or drawing pictures as an illustrator

practice writing text as the author

meet an author or illustrator

identify that books have author and illustrator names in print

select author names to search for books

explore books from a common author or illustrator

sort books by a common author or illustrator

Actively engage as, or with, an author or illustrator.

Indicate when a detail heard in a shared story matches a detail seen or felt in the illustration.

Indicate one or more detail in a given illustration from a story.

Indicate the illustrations in a shared text.

identify illustrations as pictures from a story

as a class point to illustrations to show details as the story is read

match illustrations to text where keywords from the picture are present

use tools (sticky flags, wikki stix, highlighter tape, etc.) to color match text read and picture details (e.g. Once upon a time there were three pigs (circle the picture of the 3 pigs in blue). They lived at home (circle the picture of their home in green) with their mother (circle the picture of their mother in orange).

Actively engage when a book is shown visually.

Actively engage as a book is read aloud. 

Identify two or more experiences/adventures linked to two different characters in a familiar story.

Identify two or more experiences/adventures linked to a character in a familiar story..

Identify at least one character in a familiar story.

identify characters as people or animals in a text

define compare 

define similarity

define difference

define contrast

share about a personal adventure, experience or event

Actively engage during the sharing of two versions of a familiar story.

Actively engage using assistive technology supports to share about a personal adventure, experience or event.

Select two texts with a similar topic, character or setting to demonstrate text-to-text comparison/connection.

With support, compare details from two texts using visual/tactile organizer to determine similarities and/or differences.

While participating in group reading activity identify and communicate details from the text (characters, setting, topic) to be recorded.

Actively engage in group reading activities that activate text-to-text comparisons, and connections. 

Actively engage in group reading activities that activate text-to-self connections.

Select texts related to prior experiences.

Communicate about prior experiences.

Actively engage in group reading activities that activate prior knowledge related to previous life experiences.

Actively participate in grade-level/age-appropriate literature activities using adapted materials as needed.

Actively engage in grade-level/age-appropriate literature materials.

Communicate about prior experiences 

Actively engage in language play (play with sounds)

Actively engage in group reading activities.

Select two texts with a similar topic, character or setting to demonstrate text-to-text comparison/connection.

With support, compare details from two texts using visual/tactile organizer to determine similarities and/or differences.  

While participating in group reading activity identify and communicate details from the text (characters, setting, topic) to be recorded.

Actively engage in group reading activities that activate text-to-text comparisons, and connections. 

Actively engage in group reading activities that activate text-to-self connections.

Select texts related to prior experiences. 

Communicate about prior experiences.

Identify an element from a story that connects to a personal experience.

Actively engage in group reading activities that activate prior knowledge related to previous life experiences.

Actively participate in grade-level/age-appropriate literature activities using adapted materials as needed.

Actively engage in grade-level/age-appropriate literature materials.

Actively engage in group reading activities.

Select given objects, images or keywords that match key details from a shared informational text.

Select a question from an array (two or more choices) that would match the topic from a shared informational text.

Select an object or photograph from an array (two or more choices) that matches the topic from a shared informational text. 

associate who questions with people

associate where questions with geographic location

associate when questions with time

associate what questions with topic and details

take note of details as the text is shared - note with objects, pictures, words, symbols, etc. 

Actively engage with shared informational text.

Actively engage with someone who is asking a question.

Retell key details of a text by selecting objects, pictures or words.

Sequencing is not part of this standard.

With scaffolding and support, point to or otherwise indicate a key detail about the main topic in a shared informational text.

With scaffolding and support, point to or otherwise indicate a main topic (who or what the text is about) on one or more pages of an informational text.

Actively engage with shared informational text.

Actively engage to indicate a choice.

Describe connections between two individuals in a text.

Identify something in common between two texts.

Communicate thoughts about text.

communicate thoughts

identify individuals in text as people

identify things that are the same in the environment

Actively engage with shared informational text.

Actively engage to indicate a choice.

Match unknown words to visual/sensory representations of (e.g., objects, tactile graphics, signs, smells, braille, etc. relating to) those words. 

Identify an unknown word in shared text.

Ask a question about shared text. 

Ask questions

Answer orally presented questions 

select associations to everyday life that help develop meaning in unknown words or phrases

use word study strategies from several brain processors (phonological awareness semantics and syntax) to develop word meaning in auditorily presented text (break word into onset and rime, break word into syllables, break word into phonemes, sight words, root words, simple parts of speech, etc.) 

Actively engage during Q & A about informational text vocabulary

Actively engage with objects, tactile graphics or other sensory experiences related to better understand the meaning of words in a text.

hold the book upright

hold the book front facing

turn pages in a book moving from front to back

identify the pictures in a book 

identify the pictures in a book

indicate the title of the book

indicate the author of a book

Actively engage in the handling of a book

Indicate the cover of the book.

Identify the pages in a book.

Match the author and illustrator to his/her part of the book (given sample pictures/diagrams or text).  

Indicate the illustrator’s name or picture on/in a given text. 

Indicate the author’s name or picture on/in a given text.  

participate in class writing as an author

participate in class writing as an illustrator

share ideas for text or illustrations

with scaffolding and support create own writings by capturing shared thoughts or ideas in print

identify self as author and illustrator in individual or group writings

Actively engage in shared informational text by a favorite author or illustrator

Select an illustration from the book to person, place, thing or idea shared during text read aloud. (e.g. The police officer helps people stay safe. - matched to an illustration of how officers help the community)

Point out matching keywords in both text and illustrations.

Listen for, and indicate when, information that matches a given illustration from a text.

Communicate thoughts about a text

Listen during shared informational text

Indicate when text matches visual supports in text 

Actively engage in shared informational text that contains illustrations.

Match one of the author’s topics to one or more supporting detail from the text.

Identify one or more topics the author writes about in a text.

Indicate the author who wrote a given text. 

Indicate the author’s name or picture on/in a given text.

Actively engage in shared informational text that contains a topic of interest.

Identify two texts that have the same or similar topics. 

Identify differences as not alike.

Identify similarities as being the same or alike, but not identical.  

Topic refers to a subject or focus of a text.

Illustrations refers to the pictures, drawings, or visual aids that provide a visual representation of some part of the text. 

Descriptions refers to an account that includes all the relevant features or characteristics.

Procedures refers to a series of steps that build on one another and lead to an outcome. 

Actively engage during the sharing of two informational texts on the same topic.

While participating in group reading activity make associations with the text and communicate thoughts or ask questions. 

Actively engage in group reading activities that activate prior knowledge related to previous life experiences.

Actively engage in grade-level/age-appropriate text. 

Communicate about prior experiences related to the topic

Actively engage in group reading activities.

Demonstrate engagement.

Track words from left to right, top to bottom, and note correct page orientation.

Identify that spaces separate words to help the reader know where a word begins and ends.

Attend to a story read aloud, recognizing that spoken words are associated with text.

Words refers to specific combinations of written letters that represent a spoken word.

Alphabet refers to a system of letters in a fixed order that represents the sounds of the language.

Uppercase letters refers to the capital letters in the alphabet.

Lowercase letters refers to the smaller form of the letters in the alphabet.

Most letter names are closely related to their corresponding sound.

Identify that spaces separate words to help the reader know where a word begins and ends.

Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page.

Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters.

Show that words are separated by spaces in print.

Identify all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet. 

Name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Print carries a message.

Print is organized in a specific format to convey meaning.

Letters are written symbols that represent the sounds of language.

In print, spaces separate words to help the reader know where a word begins and ends.

Knowing the letter names can support recalling the sound of the letter (e.g., b, d, z).

With scaffolding and support practice chunking spoken or augmentative speech sounds into parts of words (sounds within words).

Actively participate in rhyming and syllable activities. (patterns and parts of words)

With scaffolding and support, practice chunking spoken or augmentative speech sounds into parts of sentences (words within a sentence).

Sounds refers to the basic units of speech.  

A spoken word refers to individual sounds in a specific sequence.

Rhyming words refers to two or more words that sound the same in the middle and at the end.

Syllables refers to at least a vowel sound and may include a consonant sound(s) before and/or after the vowel.

Words consist of one or more syllables. 

Pronounce refers to saying the sound correctly.

Blend refers to saying individual sounds together.

Segment refers to separating words into syllables and/or individual sounds.

In single-syllable words, onset refers to the initial sound(s) before the vowel sound.

In single-syllable words, rime refers to the first vowel sound and consonant sound(s) that follow.

Rhyming words have different onsets but the same phonetic rime.

Isolate refers to identifying and examining sounds separately. 

In a CVC word, the initial sound refers to the first consonant sound.

In a CVC word, the medial vowel sound refers to the vowel sound between the initial and final consonant sounds.

In a CVC word, the final sound refers to the last consonant sound. 

Substitute refers to putting one sound in place of another.

Break whole word apart into phonemes.

Stretch spoken words by individual sounds then state or select the whole word.

Actively engage or participate in alliteration and/or rhyming activities.

Actively participate in supported grade-level/age-appropriate, adapted texts.

Participate in supported grade- level/age-appropriate shared reading.

Actively engage in supported grade-level/age-appropriate shared reading

Lowercase Manuscript first

Uppercase next

Cursive grades 2, 3

Reference table 2.1 (33-35) for letter sequences 

Use lined paper with labels for top, middle, bottom 

Check posture, grip

Includes name of letter

Use language to describe strokes

Air write.

Communicate a personal preference about a topic or book.

Actively participate in communication opportunities (using individualized modes, methods and tools).

Actively engage in communication opportunities (using individualized modes and methods).

Choose an object that represents a writing topic.

Communicate on a topic of own choosing.

Indicate preferences through active engagement.

Sequence events from a personal experience.

Tell about two or more details from a selected event.

Select an event from personal experience to describe.

(Begins in grade 3)

Communicate multiple points on one topic.

Elaborate on a communicated message following a question.

Actively participate in a group discussion by adding a comment or detail on the topic at hand.

With guidance and support, explore digital tools to produce and publish writing.

With guidance and support, explore and use digital tools used to communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas, etc.

Actively engage in errorless communication opportunities.

Identify one or more details about a topic that were learned during shared research.

Select books that are aligned to a shared research topic.

Actively engage during shared research or shared writing project. 

Use personal experiences to support answer a question in a shared writing experiences.

Demonstrate knowledge that a question requires a response.

Actively engage with others when a question is asked. 

(Begins in grade 4)

(Begins in grade 3)

Participate in group discussions about Kindergarten appropriate topics and text.

Follow agreed upon rules (e.g., gaining attention, listening to others, turn-taking

Ask questions for clarification.

Actively participate in supported conversations about Kindergarten appropriate topics and text.

Follow agreed upon rules (e.g., gaining attention, listening to others, turn-taking

Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges.

Actively participate in conversation about Kindergarten appropriate topics or text.

Actively listen to others.

Identify the key idea from text read aloud or information presented orally.

Ask a question or otherwise inquire about text read aloud. 

Actively engage during text read aloud in various formats.

Ask a question to seek information or better understand.

Ask or answer questions about a familiar topic. 

Communicate to request help or information.

establish a mode of communication that is understood by others

establish a mode of communication that flexibly includes age-appropriate topics and skills

seek opportunities for purposeful interactions with others

repeat communication attempt until understood

communicate with others

ask for assistance

answer questions about needs

Actively engage with others to get attention when in need.

Communicate information about a familiar person, place, thing or event.

Actively participate in selection of familiar people, things, events places with which to interact. 

Actively engage with familiar people in familiar places, with familiar things and/or during familiar events. 

participate in interest inventories/surveys about preferences 

create a circles graph referencing people who are personal friends or family members and others who are acquaintances or strangers

share personal experiences in a journal or share time

share about familiar things during show and tell

participate in autobiography (All About Me) activities

Actively participate in events with familiar people, places, things.

Select or draw details in pictures to add meaning to a story or experience 

Select one or more picture(s) that represents a story or experience.

Identify a familiar story or experience to share.

Communicate appropriately to express feelings or ideas.

Communicate with others to express thoughts or feelings. 

Express communication that is understood by others.

Actively engage with others to get listener attention.

Actively engage with communication partner

express motor movements, facial expressions, or other communicative expression

isolate motor movements for communication access

use assistive technology as needed for communication

increase volume to be heard

improve clarity of communicated message as needed

Actively engage with communication partner.

Say and stretch the sound the letter makes as the letter is being created.

Identify and/or use the parts of letters to construct each upper and lower-case letter (e.g. capital E = three short sticks and one long stick) 

Name all 26 letters in the alphabet.

pair phoneme awareness of letter sounds with fine and gross motor experiences creating letters (e.g. say and stretch the sound the letter makes as the letter is being created)

identify the parts of letter to construct each upper and lower-case letter (e.g. capital E = three short sticks and one long stick)

participate in oral language experiences using nouns, verbs, prepositions and question words 

participate in oral language experiences using letter sounds to create common words

listen to and begin to express thoughts in complete sentences

connect oral language sounds to print

Match letter sounds to letters in print.

Order and manipulate the sounds in simple words.

With modeling and support say the sounds in simple words.

identify a sentence as beginning with a capital letter and ending with punctuation

select types of punctuation

match punctuation mark with sentence type

identify one or more reasons we capitalize words

capitalize own name

identify letters as sounds in speech and writing

say or identify each of the short vowel sounds

say or identify each of the consonant sounds (most commonly used) 

match sounds in simple words to placeholders for letters (Elkonin boxes with chips)

match letter sounds in simple words to letter tiles or letter shapes

Actively engage during phonological awareness and phonics activities.

(Begins in grade 2) 

Match a word with an affix to a picture representing its new meaning. (e.g. root word is use show picture of something useful or useless)

Match more than one meaning with single word. (sample words: bark, bat, bowl, foot, fly, jam, hide, check, box, can, clip, stamp, shake, sink, star, etc.) 

Identify familiar objects or pictures that represent new Kindergarten words.

Actively participate in word meaning (vocabulary syntax and semantics) activities.

with modeling and support break words into syllables orally

with modeling and support break words into syllables visually

identify that many word parts have meaning

there are different types of affixes that change the meaning of a word (e.g., -ed, -s, re-, un-, pre-, -ful, -less)

identify a root word as a whole word inside a larger word

pair words with meaning and concrete examples from everyday life 

Actively engage in word meaning activities.

Add an opposite to a given verb. (e.g. up/___, fast/___, in/___)

Sort words into two categories, (verbs, adjectives).

Identify one or more categories linked to a given set of words following real-life experience. (e.g. shell, waves, sand, fish - beach or ocean words; beans, corn, bread, cheese, meat - food words; basketball, football, softball, soccer - sports)

Sort common objects into categories.

words can be sorted into categories by meaning, part of speech, word parts, etc.

learn about action words -verbs

learn about describing words - adjectives

analyze spoken sentences for word types (noun, verb, adjective)

Actively engage in word meaning activities. (vocabulary, morphemes, syntax, semantics)

Communicate using words and phrases acquired through reading or listening to text.

Actively participate during activities by interjecting acquired words or phrases.

Use words acquired through conversations when speaking.

Select words and phrases that apply to everyday events.

Use familiar words in conversation.

Actively engage during oral language experiences.

listen to the words and phrases used by peers, adults and in texts

select words and phrases that apply to everyday events

mimic the speech of others in the context of everyday events

chorally respond by saying repeat lines in text

Actively engage during oral language experiences.

Note: Identify refers to recognizing and/or naming. 

Note: Reasons refers to causes or explanations. 

Note: Author refers to a person who presents ideas or information in written form. 

Note: Points refers to ideas, opinions, or claims.

Respond to a question.