Pre

Pre-Kindergarten Language Arts - Unit I Overview

Welcome to School

During the first 2-3 weeks of school children will be learning routines, practicing routines, learning about one another, learning about their school and listening to wonderful literature. Children will slowly be introduced to the learning centers in the classroom. Rules and expectations will be set.

Guiding Question:

Who is my teacher?

Suggested Time Frame: 2-3 Weeks

Student Performance Expectations

Key

* Note: There are no Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Pre-Kindergarten. These are only state guidelines.

Information for the teacher before school begins.

Units are intended to be taught in numerical order.

Unit 1: Welcome to School

Unit Information

Identifies similarities among people like himself/herself and classmates as well as among himself/herself and people from other cultures. (SS 1.E)
Identifies and follows classroom rules. (SS1.C)
Begins to show self-control by following classroom rules. (PS 1.C)
Identifies common features in the home and school environment (e.g., the library, the playground). (SS 3.A) (L 3.J)
Begins to follow health-promoting routines (e.g. washing hands). (H 1.B)
Begins to demonstrate safe practices and appropriate use of materials. (S 1.A)

Science Resource Center Living Materials Order Form

Unit Circle Map

Information for Parents

Read Alouds

Listens with increasing attention. (L 1.A)
Listens for different purposes (e.g., to learn what happened in a story, to receive instructions, to converse with an adult or a peer) (L 1.B)
Enjoys listening to and responding to books (L 1.D)
Listens to tapes and records, and shows understanding through getures, actions and/or language (L 1.F)
Listens purposefully to English-speaking teachers and peers to gather information and shows some understanding of the new language being spoken by others (ESL) (L 1.G)
Enjoys listening to and discussing storybooks and information books read aloud (L 8.B)
Connects information and events in books to real-life experiences (L 9.H)
Begins to retell some sequence of events in stories

Oral Language

Understands and follows simple oral directions (L 1.C)
Listens to and engages in several exchanges of conversations with others. (L 1.E)
Produces speech sounds with increasing ease and accuracy (L 2.B)
Experiments with new language sounds (L 2.C)
Experiments with and demonstrates growing understanding of the sounds and intonation of the English language (ESL (L 2.D)
Shows a steady increase in listening and speaking vocabulary (L 3.A)
Uses new vocabulary in everyday communication (L 3.B)
Attempts to communicate more than current vocabulary will allow, borrowing and extending words to create meaning (L 3.D)
Links new learning experiences and vocabulary to what is already known about a topic (L 3.E)
Increase listening vocabulary and begins to develop a vocabulary of object names and common phrases in English (ESL) (L 3.F)
Uses language for a variety of purposes (e.g., expressing needs and interests) (L 4.A)
Uses language to express common routines and familiar scripts (L 4.C)
Tells a simple personal narrative, focusing on favorite or most memorable parts (L 4.D)
Asks questions and makes comments related to the current topics of discussion (L 4.E)
Begins to engage in conversation and follows conversational rules (e.g., staying on topic and taking turns) (L 4.F)
Engages in various forms of nonverbal communication with those who do not his/her home language (ESL) (L 4.H)
Uses single words and simple phrases to communicate meaning in social situations (ESL) (L 4.I)
Attempts to use new vocabulary and grammar in speech (ESL) (L 4.J)

The Study of Letters and Words and How they Work

Becomes increasingly sensitive to the sounds of spoken words. (L 5.A)
Begins to associate names of letters with their shaoe (L 7.A)
Begins to notice beginning letters in familiar words (L 7.C)
Uses known letters and approximations of letters to represent written language (especially meaningful words like his/her name and phrases such as "I love you" or [Spanish} "Te quiero") (L 10.B)

Concepts About Print

Understands that reading and writing are ways to obtain information and knowledge, generate and communicate thoughts and ideas, and solve problems. (L 6.A)
Understands that print carries a message by recognizing labels, signs, and other print forms in the environment (L 6.B)
Understands that letters are different from numbers (L 6.C)
Understands that illustrations carry meaning but cannot be read (L 6.D)
Understands that a book has a title and an author (L 6.E)
Begins to understand that print runs from left to right and top to bottom (L 6.F)
Begins to understand some basic print conventions (e.g., the concept that letters are grouped to form words and that words are separated by spaces) (L 6.G)
Begins to recognize that association between spoken and written words by following the print as it is read aloud (L 6.H)

Shared Reading

Demonstrates an interest in books and reading through body language and facial expressions. (L 8.A)
Enjoys listening to and discussing storybooks and information books read aloud (L 8.B)
Frequently requests the re-reading of books (L 8.C)
Begins to retell some sequences of events in stories (L 9.I)

Independent Reading

Attempts to read and write independently. (L 8.D)
Demonstrates an interest in books and reading through body language and facial expression (L 8.A)
Shares books and engages in pretend-reading with other children (L 8.E)
Enjoys visiting the library (L 8.F)
Recognizes favorite books by their cover (L 9.A)
Selects books to read based on personal criteria (L 9.B)
Understands that books and other print resources (e.g., magazines, computer-based texts) are handled in specific ways (L 9.C)

Independent Writing

Attempts to write messages as part of playful activity. (L 10.A)
Attempts to read and write independently (L 8.D)
Uses known letters and approximations of letters to represent written language (especially meaningful words like his/her name and phrases such as "I love you" or {Spanish}"te quiero") (L 10.B)
Attempts to use a variety of forms of writing (e.g., lists, messages, stories) (L 10.E)
Begins to dictate words, phrases and sentences to an adult recording on paper (e.g., "letter writing", "storytelling") (L 10.F)

Shared Writing

Uses print resources in the classroom (e.g., name charts, signs, word walls, books.) (L 10.B)
Understands that writing is used to communicate ideas and information (L 10.D)
Begins to dictate words, phrases and sentences to an adult recording on paper (e.g., "letter writing," "storytelling") (L 10.F)
Understands that different text forms are used for different functions (e.g., lists for shopping, recipes for cooking, newspapers for learning about current events, letters and messages for interpersonal communication). (L 6.I)