Backwards Design for Unit of Study: Kindergarten
Big Ideas: Enduring Understanding
Throughout the unit, students will learn about the roles and responsibilities of community members inside and outside of the school
setting. Students will learn how to be a successful friend and student at school by recognizing appropriate behaviors and
interactions. Students will learn about how text is organized for narrative and informational and how that structure helps
communicate meaning.
Essential Question
 How is a fiction text organized?
 How is the story and/or information presented
through words and pictures?
 How can we communicate our ideas using consistent
concepts of print?
 What roles and responsibilities do community
members have inside and outside of a school setting?
Guiding Questions
 How do the pictures help you know the characters and the
setting?
 What are the characters problems and events in the story?
 How are the beginning, middle, and end different?
 What makes you think that this text is fiction/non fiction?
 How do the illustrations and words tell the story?
 What does an author do? What does an illustrator do?
 How do you get information from a text?
 How do I make sense of my reading?
Possible Misconception(s)
 Different genres: Fiction/Non fiction and their features (Fiction= story/ Non fiction= teaches and provides information)
 Relationship between words and illustrations and how they connect to tell a story and provide information
 What is a community? How does this connect to me?
Learning Target: KNOW?
o Fiction structural elements: character, setting,
beginning, middle, end, problem, solution
o Varying genres: Fiction- Non Fiction
o Authors and illustrators purpose
o Relationship between text and illustrations and
Learning Target: DO?
o Describe structural elements
o Identify different types of texts (fiction vs. non fiction)
o Explain what the author and illustrator do
o Use the pictures in the story to figure out what is happening in the
story
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how they work together to tell a story or present
information
o What is a community?
o Identify a community and determine the roles and
responsibilities of its members.
Culminating Activity:
Students are able to communicate their understanding of how text is organized by using visual art and speaking to represent their
thinking.
They will create a visual representation of their classroom community in a story that includes character(s), settings, roles, and
responsibilities. They will present and describe the characters, setting, and what the people in the community did. Students will
identify that they were illustrators by creating the visual and an author when they are describing their work.
What will mastery/success look like?
 Visual is made with various art supplies: drawing,
painting, collage, etc.
 Setting and Characters are identifiable
 Student orally explaining his/her work or label
pictures
Indicators?
 Student name
 Multiple colors
 Character(s)
 Setting
 When prompted, students can identify when they were the author
and illustrator
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Standards
Student Outcomes
English Language Arts
RL.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a RL.K.3, RL.K.5, RL.K.7, RI.K.6 Structure of
text.
Text
RL.K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events
 Identify structural elements: character,
in a story.
setting, and major events
RL.K.4 Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
(problem/solution)
RL.K.5 Recognize common types of texts (e.g., storybooks, poems).
 Identify different types of texts (fiction
RL.K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations
vs. non fiction)
and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration
 Explain what the author and illustrator
depicts).
do
RI.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a
text.
RI.K.2 With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of
a text.
RI.K.4 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about unknown words
in a text.
RI.K.5 Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book.
RI.K.6 Name the author and illustrator of a text and define the role of each in
presenting the ideas or information in a text.
RF.K.1 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- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.2 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds
(phonemes).
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RF.K.1 Foundational Literacy Concepts
 Print Concepts
 Left to right
 Space between words
 Letters represent words
 Punctuation
 Capitalization
 Alphabetic principles:letter sound match
a. Recognize and produce rhyming words.
b. Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in
spoken words.
c. Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words


Recognizing upper case and lower case
letters.
Recognizing letter sounds
Speaking and Listening
SL.K.1 Discussion Norms – Accountable Talk
SL.K.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about
 Turn Taking
kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
 Accountable Talk Stems
a. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and
 Ask and answer questions
taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).
 Share thinking
b. Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges.
SL.K.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or
through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and
requesting clarification if something is not understood.
SL.K.3 Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify
something that is not understood.
SL.K.4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and
support, provide additional detail.
SL.K.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide
additional detail.
SL.K.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
Writing
W.K.1 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...).
W.K.3 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event
or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they
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W.K.3 Narrative Writing
 Refine and share their knowledge
through writing and speaking
 Observe and participate in all stages of
the writing process
 Draft
occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.
W.K.5 With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions
from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
W.K.6 With guidance and support from adults, explore a variety of digital tools to
produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
W.K.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of
books by a favorite author and express opinions about them).
L.K.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
a. Print many upper- and lowercase letters.
b. Recognize and name end punctuation
c. Form regular plural nouns orally by adding /s/ or /es/
L.K.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a. Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I
b. Recognize and name end punctuation.
c. Write a letter or letters for most consonant and short-vowel sounds (phonemes).
d. Spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter
relationships.
STRAND : History
Content Standard I: Students are able to identify important people and events in order
to analyze significant patterns, relationships, themes, ideas, beliefs, and turning
points in New Mexico, United States, and world history in order to understand the
complexity of the human experience.
K-4 Benchmark I-B—United States: Understand connections among historical
events, people, and symbols significant to United States history and cultures.
K.1. Demonstrate an awareness of community leaders.
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



Revise
Edit
Publish
Use the pictures in the story to figure
out what is happening in the story
LK.1, LK.2 Use of Conventions in speaking
and writing.
 Correct letter formation of most upper
and lower case letters.
 Correct use nouns, plural nouns, and
verbs
 Capitalize first word in sentence and /I/
 Locate ending punctuation
 Alphabetic Principle: letter sound match
SS History I-B.1 Community
 Learn that people must work together
 Communicate effectively
 Identify a community and determine the
roles and responsibilities of its members.
Integrated Instructional Framework
Theme: Building a Classroom Community
Unit Connection to Social Studies
Culminating Task
Throughout the unit, students will learn
Students are able to communicate their understanding of how text is organized by
about the roles and responsibilities of
using visual art and speaking to represent their thinking.
community member inside and outside of the
school setting. Students will learn how to be
They will create a visual representation of their classroom community in a story that
a successful friend and student at school by
includes character(s), settings, roles, and responsibilities. They will present and
recognizing appropriate behaviors and
describe the characters, setting, and what the people in the community did. Students
interactions
will identify that they were illustrators by creating the visual and an author when
Social Studies Theme
they are describing their work.
Week 1: Getting to know my class
Week 2: Community Members
Week 3: Classroom Community: How to be
a Friend
Week 4: Classroom Community: How do
we solve problems?
Interactive Read Aloud (RL.K.3, RL.K.5, RL.K.7, RI.K.6)
Instructional Practice
Teacher Read-Alouds demonstrate the power of stories. By showing students how to engage with text, we give them energy for
learning how reading works. By showing them how to search for meaning, we introduce strategies of understanding we can
reinforce in shared, guided, and independent reading.
Week
Text
Instructional Focus
1
Chrysanthemum by, Kevin Henkes
 Story Elements: Character & Setting
 Structure: Beginning, middle, end
2
Who Works Here?
 Structure: teaching us, giving facts
Pearson: 1st Grade, Unit 1 Wk 3 Big Book
 Difference between fiction and non fiction
 Using the photos to get information
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3
Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip
Pearson: Kinder,, Unit1 Wk4 Big Book
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Ormie the Pig (Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUmvAOmV1o




Story Elements: Character & Setting
Using the illustrations to make inferences
Problem & Solution
Connection- when have you experienced a problem? What was
your solution?
Interactive Read Aloud Structure
1. Introduce the book
2. Preview & Predict
3. Read Aloud- Pausing for interaction: Teacher Think Aloud: Model student objective, Student think pair share, Vocabulary
discussed
4. Wrap Up & Relate: Student connect teacher modeling and student share out to objective
For Detailed Tasks, Assessments, and Resources check:
 Daily Check-In & Integrated Cluster Task
Quarter Standards: RL.K.5, RL.K.7
 Cluster Standards: SL.K.1-6, RL.K.1, RL.K. 4, RL.K.10, L.K.6
Resources
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/pre-k-reading-comprehension
Video Example: Kindergarten classroom read aloud routine
https://readingrecovery.org/images/pdfs/Conferences/NC11/Handouts/Miller_Cathy.pdf
Handout explain read aloud structure. Includes questions, prompts, and planning resources.
Shared Reading with a Close Reading Focus (RL.K.3, RL.K.5, RL.K.7, RI.K.6)
Instructional Practice
Some of the texts will be stories from interactive read aloud. The purpose during interactive read aloud was to model
comprehension and reading strategies where now purpose shifts to revisiting the text for deeper understanding.
Week
Text
Focus
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1
Chrysanthemum by, Kevin Henkes
-
Story Elements
2
The Big Bad Badman: 7 Habits of Happy Kids
pg.67
-
How the characters work together
Text to Text Connection: Chrysanthemum
3
Timothy Goes to School by, Rosemary Wells
4
Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip (week 2
big book)
-
Problem and Solution
Author’s message
How the illustrations support the text
K-2 Weekly Template Shared Reading with Close Reading Focus
Introduce Text
Foundational Skills
Close Reading
Vocabulary
Read for Evidence
Development
Picture Walk
Read the book, model
Read the book, model
introducing the text.
fluency and point to
fluency and point to
Focus on genre,
words. Invite students words. Invite students
structure, and book
to join in the reading.
to join in the reading.
elements.
Model read with
Model read with
Vocab – work on
expression.
expression.
context clues in the
All read with
All read with
text.
expression together
expression together
pointing to words.
pointing to words.
Vocabulary:
Choose 1 below as an

instructional focus to
Reread the passage

support
foundational
looking for

skills:
_____________________
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Close Reading
Look For Patterns
Read the book, model
fluency and point to
words. Invite students
to join in the reading.
Close Reading
Developing a new
understanding
Read the book, model
fluency and point to
words. Invite students
to join in the reading.
Model read with
expression.
All read with
expression together
pointing to words.
Model read with
expression.
All read with
expression together
pointing to words.
In small groups reread
the passage and the
evidence from
Ask students to reread
the passage. Review
anchor chart evidence

Read the book, model
fluency and point to
words. Invite students
to join in the reading.
Model reading with
expression.
All read together with
expression pointing to
words.




Sight words – work
on recognition in
context, spelling.
Spelling Patterns
(phonics) in the
book. If I know a
spelling pattern I
can make lots of
words.
Concepts of Print:
Capital Letters,
Punctuation
Phonological
Awareness:
Rhyming,
Alliteration,
Syllables, On-Set
and Rhyme
(lens).
Have students
highlight text evidence.
Chart student
responses in the first
column of an anchor
chart.
yesterday.
Have students work in
small or whole group
and find which pieces
of evidence fit together.
Chart the patterns you
find in the second
column of your anchor
chart.
and patterns. Turn and
Talk about noticing’s.
Student Response –
First I was thinking
______ now I am
thinking _____
because….
For Detailed Tasks, Assessments, and Resources check:
Quarter Standards: RF.K.1a-c, L.K.1a-c, RL.K.3, W.K.3
Cluster Standards: SL.K.1-6, RL.K.1, RL.K.4, RL.K.10, RI.K.1, RI.K.4, RI.K.5, RI.K.10, W.K.7, L.K.2, L.K.6
Resources
Falling in Love with Close Reading: Lessons for Analyzing Texts- Life by, Christopher Lehman *See your IS to get book
https://www.learninga-z.com/commoncore/close-reading.html
Website explains Close Reading and helpful instructional strategies.
http://youngteacherlove.blogspot.com/2015/01/understanding-close-reading-last-of.html
Blog gives student friendly examples, anchor charts, and suggested routine
http://www.readingrockets.org/content/pdfs/SharedReading.pdf
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Handout explains shared reading structure. Includes description, setting, resources, types of materials, and process.
Guided Reading (RF.K.1, RF.K.2, L.K.1)
Students participate in small group differentiated instruction.
Text is determined based on student reading level and strategy
needs.
Instruction for kindergarteners starts at Pre-A level is solely
based on foundational skills and emergent reading strategies.
Jan Richardson: Pre-A & Emergent lesson should be used
Resources
http://www.janrichardsonguidedreading.com
Jan Richardson website includes many resources including
printable lesson plans, visuals, word work activities, videos, and
student work samples.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/guidedrea
ding.htm
Scholastic website authored by Gay Su Pinnel, leading researcher
in guided reading. Provide background information, leveled book
recommendations, and classroom structure.
For guided reading presentations and more resources go to
lcps.blackboard.comlog in go to LCPS all elementary PD 
Click on left menu “Elementary PD”  Click on “Guided Reading”
and see all the available resources.
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Differentiated Centers
 Independent Reading
 Writing About Reading
 Word Sorts (Words Their Way)
 Sight Word Fluency Games
 Lexia
Resources
Jan Richardson, The Next Steps in Guided Reading, chapter. 1 pp.
6-37 Chapter explains how before small group instruction you
must set up independent practices through center rotations.
http://www.theschoolbell.com/Links/Dolch/Contents.html
Sight Word Fluency Games and Activities
https://www.thedailycafe.com/daily-5
The website introduce the Daily 5 structure for center rotation:
Read to Self, Read to Someone, Work on Writing, Word Work,
and Listening/Technology
Assessment:
 Bi-Weekly Running Records
 Anecdotal Notes
 DRA at the end of the 9 week period
Word Study (RF.K.1, RF.K.2, L.K.1)
Word study should be included in guided reading, shared reading, read aloud, and/or mini lesson section as part of writer’s
workshop. Word work skills can then become part of independent center work the following week.
Whole Group Instruction: Word Wall/Name of the Day (5 minute quick practice)
During the first nine weeks, teachers should use student names for word wall activities. Once student have can read, write, and
identify letters in their name teachers can then use the same routine with high frequency words.
1) Write student name on paper 2) Read and name letters 3)Cut apart name and put in order 4) Add to word wall
Whole Group Instruction: With Text
Week
Text
1
Friends- Poem
Focus
 Recognize alliteration and rhyme
2
How To Help- Poem

Count words and syllables
3
Family- Poem
4
With a Friend- Poem



Recognize alliteration and rhyme
Count words and syllables
Blend and segment onset and rime
Small Group: Word Study Word Sorts:
 Word Study Groups are based on Qualitative Spelling Inventory, Writing Samples, or Letter/Sound Assessments. Students are
grouped according to their needs, not all students will be on the same sort. Use Word Sorts (Words Their Way books or teacher
created sorts) to help students generalize learned spelling patterns. Once students have learned the sort and letter patterns,
connect the skill to text by having students do a word hunt and collect words that follow the same pattern. They can find words
in text or around the room and write them in their journals. (Teachers can create their own word sorts focusing on other
spelling patterns.)
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
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Day 4
Day 5
Introduce the word sort
in small groups
Students sort their
words, check with self,
partner or teacher
Students do a Blind Sort
or…
Students do a Speed
Sort
Students do a Word
Hunt in their guided
reading book looking
for words that contain
the spelling feature.
Assessment:
Teacher gives students a
writing sort with a few
words from the sort and
a few words that follow
the pattern, but are not
in the sort. Students can
glue the sort into a
journal
For Detailed Tasks, Assessments, and Resources check:
Quarter Standards: RF.K.1a-d, RF.K.2 a-c, L.K.1b,c
Cluster Standards: SL.K.1-6
Resources
Name of the Day Activities (Jan Richardson, Next Steps in Guided Reading pp.64)
 Name puzzles: names are written on an envelop and individual letters are put inside
 Build with magnetic letters: students builds name with letters
 Rainbow writing: student writes name with multiple colors
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/word-study-instruction-k-2-classroom
Teachers use a variety of hands on activities to help student explore the early phonological awareness and phonics skills including
the letter sound relationships.
http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/blending_games
These are games and activities to help teach blending and segmenting syllables and onset & rime.
http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/syllable_games
Games/activities specific to syllables.
http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/onset_rime
Games/activities specific to onset & rime.
Whole Group Interactive Writing: (RF.K.1, RF.K.2,L.K.1, W.K.3)
Student should be exposed to various writing instruction included modeled, shared, and interactive where the teacher facilitates but
must also have opportunities for partner and independent writing throughout the literacy block. At this age, student may not always
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move through all steps of the writing process (prewrite-draft-revise-edit-publish) yet through conversation and teacher modeling
the students should begin to learn and experience that writing is a process.
Week
Predictable Chart: Topic
Text Connection
Focus
1
_________________ is my friend.
Friends (poem)

Personal narrative
2
I want to be a ______________ because ________________.
How To Help! (poem)

Opinion with explanation
3
I can _________________ at school.
Timothy Goes to
School (book)

Personal narrative
4
My friend _____________ is ________________________.
With a Friend
(poem)

Opinion with explanation
Interactive Writing Structure
Day 1
Day 2
1. Introduce Topic: _______ is my friend. (student
who shared)
2. Model: Call on student: Mary is my friend.
(Sarah)
3. Teacher records on page
Day 3
 Reread sentences
physically tracking
the print
 Cut apart and
rebuild sentences
Day 4
Day 5
Independent Writing
Students are creating pages for class book based
on predictable chart.
For example: Students draw, label , or write
about a time they played with a friend.
For Detailed Tasks, Assessments, and Resources check:
Quarter Standards: W.K.3, L.K.1 a, b, RF.K.1 a-d, RF.2.a-c
Cluster Standards: RL.K.1, SL.K.1-6, W.K.1, W.K.5, W.K.6, W.K.7
Resources
http://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds/files/how-to-handouts/PredChartWriting.pdf
Shared writing activity resource to support emergent and conventional writers and readers. Provides structure while allowing
students to generate their own ideas.
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http://www4.esc13.net/uploads/low_incidence/docs/BTH2013/Friday/Jacobson_SharedPredictChartWriting.pdf
Additional predictable resources including weeklong structure and topic ideas.
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