2
1
Standards
Calkins Reading Workshop (Bends)
Calkins Writing Workshop (Bends)
Kindergarten: August/September
RL 1 Demonstrate understanding of
the organization and basic features of
print.
RL 2.1 Recognize and produce
rhyming words.
RL 2.2 Count, pronounce, blend, and
segment syllables in spoken words.
RL 3.1 Produce one-to-one lettersound correspondences for each
consonant.
This work will continue throughout
the year, but will not always be
listed in each unit.
RI 1 Demonstrate understanding of
the organization and basic features of
print.
RI 2.1 Recognize and produce
rhyming words.
RI 2.2 Count, pronounce, blend, and
segment syllables in spoken words.
RI 3.1 Produce one-to-one lettersound correspondences for each
consonant.
W 3: Write narratives to develop real
or imagined experiences or events
using effective techniques, wellchosen details, and well-structured
event sequences.
W 5.3 Write letter(s) for familiar
consonant and vowel sounds.
C 1.1 Explore and create meaning
through play, conversation, drama,
and story-telling.
C1.4 Participate in conversations with
varied partners about focused grade
level topics and texts in small and
large groups.
C 1.2 Practice the skills of taking turns,
listening to others, and speaking
clearly.
C 5.1 Use voice inflection, expression,
rhythm, and rhyme, when presenting
poems, short stories, role-plays, or
songs.
We Are Readers
Launching the Writing Workshop
Bend I: Launching with Learn-About-the-World
Books (Informational)
 Readers read stories and about the world
 Reading privately and with a partner
 Readers read from the front cover to the
back cover
 Rereading is important
 Read pictures and words
Bend I: We Are All Writers
 Use pictures and words to tell about
something you know
 Look back at your writing and add more
 Pictures show what you want to write
 Say words slowly to hear sounds
Serravallo
1.1
engagement, stamina
1.2
summarizing
1.4
sequencing, storytelling
1.5
sight Word, automaticity
1.6
storytelling, elaborating
1.7
storytelling, dramatic play
1.9
monitoring for meaning, inferring
1.10 transitional words and phrases
1.11 monitoring for meaning
1.12 monitoring for meaning
1.16 monitoring for meaning, inferring
1.17 word choice
1.18 fluency
1.19 synthesizing
2.3
monitoring engagement
2.4 focus, monitoring for meaning
2.5 retelling, monitoring for meaning
2.22 recommending books
10.5 visualizing, inferring
Bend II: Reading Old Favorite Storybooks
(Literary)
 Turning stories read to you into stores
you read
 Readers can read stories they have
heard many times
 Using characters words when reading old
favorites
 Using more and more of the exact
wording
 Using words to join the pages together
 Finding, pointing to, and reading some of
the words
Serravallo
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.12
1.13
1.19
3.1
3.2
3.5
3.6
3.13
storytelling, elaborating
storytelling, dramatic play
fluency, expression
monitoring for meaning
fluency, expression
synthesizing
integrating sources of information
one-to-one matching
integrating sources of information, decoding
integrating sources of information, decoding
decoding
Bend II: Writing Teaching Books
 Plan how your book will go
 Writing partners help each other
 Say words slowly over and over to hear
sounds
Bend III: Writing Stories
 Tell stories to prepare to write
 Touch each page to plan story
 Add details to pictures
 Speech bubbles
 Stretching out the words
Bend IV: Preparing for Publication
Other Literacy Components
Read Aloud
Resources
Kindergarten: August/September
Shared Reading
At this time in the year you’ll want to choose texts that
are fun to read, or may present rhyme and pattern to
support children in phonological awareness and help
them hold onto the text. Overall, these books should
be great fun and accessible, as this is a time to
welcome children into the world of print.
Word Study Focus
Phonological Awareness (auditory)
 Rhyming
Select certain words from the text and have kids
generate rhyming words/sounds ie. me: see, tree, be,
dee, lee etc. or cat: hat, sat, mat, rat etc.
 Syllables
Select several words from the text. Have children clap
the syllables in each word.
 Letter Sounds
Choose a specific letter sound, this could be the first
letter of a child’s name. Read a page slowly, tell
students to clap if they hear a word that starts with
that sound.
 Word Boundaries
Read a sentence from the text, have children clap
and count each word as you read.
Phonics
 Exploring letters
Choose a child’s name. Search for words in the book
that begin with the same letter as that name. When
children find the letter, have them name it and say the
sound.
Track your finger under the words, have the children
clap every time they see a specific letter in the text.
Vocabulary Development (concepts)
If there are unfamiliar words in the text, choose one
or two to talk about with the students. Have students
turn and talk, prompting them to
“Describe it. What does it do? What does it look
like?”
Use interactive writing to create a picture dictionary of
some of these words.
Reading
 The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
 Three Bill Goats Gruff by Paul
Galdone
 Caps for Sale by Esphyr
Slobodkina
 The Beetle Alphabet Book by
Jerry Pallotta
 Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
 “We Are Gathering” song lyrics
 Trucks by Wil Mara
Writing



Freight Train by Donald Crews
Creak! Said the Bed by Phyllis
Root
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by
Mo Willems
Big Books
 Mrs. Wishy Washy by Joy
Cowley
Shared Reading Sessions (pgs. 122130) in We Are Readers by Lucy
Calkins and Natalie Louis
Standards
Calkins Reading Workshop (Bends)
Calkins Writing Workshop (Bends)
Kindergarten: October
RL1.4 Recognize and name all
upper- and lowercase letters of the
alphabet
RL2.1 Recognize and produce
rhyming words.
2.2 Count, pronounce, blend, and
segment syllables in spoken words.
RL 6.1 Describe the relationships
between illustrations and the texts.
RL 7.1 With guidance and support,
retell a familiar text; identify beginning,
middle, and end in a text heard or
read.
RL 8.1 With guidance and support,
read or listen closely to:
a. Describe characters and their
actions.
RI 10.1 With guidance and support,
ask and answer questions about
known and unknown words.
Reading Informational Text RI
W2: Write informative/explanatory
texts to examine and convey complex
ideas and information clearly and
accurately through the effective
selection, organization, and analysis of
content.
W6: Write independently, legibly, and
routinely for a variety of tasks,
purposes, and audiences over short
and extended time frames.
C 1.1 Explore and create meaning
through play, conversation, drama,
and story-telling.
C5.1 Use voice inflection, expression,
rhythm, and rhyme, when presenting
poems, short stories, role-plays, or
songs.
Emergent Reading: Looking Closely At
Familiar Text
Heinemann Online Resources
(To Understand Emergent Reading in this
context, look at Sulzby’s work)
Bend 1: Readers Reread and Look Closely at
Books They Know Well to Make Their
Reading Sounds Like a Story
 Making it sound like a story
 Thinking about how the character feels
 Paying attention to when characters have
strong feelings
 Using the picture to make sense of the
story
 Rereading and retelling to get reading
going again
 One to one matching
Bend 2: Readers Reread and Write Words to
Look Closely and Notice More in the Story
 Making labels for pictures
 Using snap words on labels to make
phrases
 Labeling feelings
 Writing sentences that go with your book
Bend 3: Readers Invent Fun Things to Do with
Books They Know Really Well and Have
Studied Closely
 Making a plan for partner reading
 Partners ask questions
 Selecting parts of the story to share
Other Literacy Components
Read Alouds
Resources
Kindergarten: October
Looking Closely: Observing, Labeling, and
Listing Like Scientists
IF…THEN…book
Bend 1: Living Like Writers, Living Like
Scientists
 Observations
Bend 2: Making Books Just Like the Ones We
Read: Studying Mentor Texts
 Mentor texts
Bend 3: Writing More: Adding Details &
Information and Writing Phrases or Sentences
 Adding more information to my books
Bend 4: Becoming Researchers: Scientists Make
Connections, Predict, have Ideas, and Compare
and Contrast
 Writing books from what I have learned
Shared Reading
Word Study Focus
Phonological Awareness
 Rhyming
Select certain words from the text and have kids
generate rhyming words/sounds ie. me: see, tree, be,
dee, lee etc. or cat: hat, sat, mat, rat etc.
 Syllables
Select several words from the text. Have children clap
the syllables in each word.
 Letter Sounds
Choose a specific letter sound, this could be the first
letter of a child’s name. Read a page slowly, tell
students to clap if they hear a word that starts with
that sound.
 Word Boundaries
Read a sentence from the text, have children clap
and count each word as you read.
Phonics
 Exploring letters
Choose a child’s name. Search for words in the book
that begin with the same letter as that name. When
children find the letter, have them name it and say the
sound.
Track your finger under the words, have the children
clap every time they see a specific letter in the text.
Vocabulary Development
If there are unfamiliar words in the text, choose one
or two to talk about with the students. Have students
turn and talk, prompting them to
“Describe it. What does it do? What does it look
like?”
“Act it out”
Use interactive writing to create a picture dictionary of
some of these words.
Possible Emergent Storybooks
 Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman
 Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells
 Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
 The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
 Corduroy by Don Freeman
 Crictor by Tomi Ungerer
 Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
 It’s Mine! By Leo Leonni
 Jamaica Tag Along by Juanita Havill
 Koala Lou by Mem Fox
 Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
 Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
 Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
 The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
 The Little Engine That Could by Watty
Piper
 Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice
Sendak
 Will I Have a Friend by Miriam Cohen
Folktales also make excellent Emergent
Storybooks
 The Three Bears by Byron Barton
 The Ginger Bread Boy by Paul
Galdone
 The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone
 The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul
Galdone
 Hansel and Gretel by James Marshall
 Little Red Riding Hood by James
Marshall
Writing
 A Tree For All Seasons (Esbaum)
 Seed (Esbaum)
 Sprout (Esbaum)
 Pumpkin Pie (Esbaum)
 Apples for Everyone (Esbaum)
 Leaf Jumpers (Gerber)
 What is a Scientist (Lehn)
 Look, Look, Look (Tanahobin)
 What is Science (Kai Dotlich)
 I Use Science Tools (Hicks)
Shared Reading Books
 The Farm Concert by Joy
Cowley
 Dan the Flying Man by Joy
Cowley
 Hairy Bear by Joy Cowley
 The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe
Strawberry, and the Big Hungry
Bear by Don and Audrey Wood
We Are Storybook Readers! Chart
from the We Are Readers unit
Standards
Calkins Reading Workshop (Bends)
Calkins Writing Workshop (Bends)
Kindergarten: November/December
RL 1: Demonstrate understanding of
the organization and basic features of
print.
RL 3: Know and apply grade-level
phonics and word analysis skills when
decoding words.
RL11: Analyze and provide evidence
of how the author’s choice of point of
view, perspective, or purpose shapes
content, meaning, and style.
RI 1: Demonstrate understanding of
the organization and basic features of
print.
RI 3: Know and apply grade-level
phonics and word analysis skills when
decoding words.
RI 11: Analyze and critique how the
author uses structures in print and
multimedia texts to craft informational
and argument writing.
W 3: Write narratives to develop real
or imagined experiences or events
using effective techniques, wellchosen details, and well-structured
event sequences.
W5.3 Write letter(s) for familiar
consonant and vowel sounds.
W5.4 Spell simple words phonetically.
W6: Write independently, legibly, and
routinely for a variety of tasks,
purposes, and audiences over short
and extended time frames.
C1.3 Practice verbal and nonverbal
techniques including volume and tone,
eye contact, facial expressions, and
posture.
C 2.1 With guidance and support,
recall information from experiences or
gather information from sources to ask
and answer questions.
Superpowers: Reading With Print
Strategies and Sight Word Power
Literary and Informational
This unit represents a shift from the
storybooks to reading Level A and B books
Bend I: Using Superpowers to Look and Point,
and Then Read Everything
 One to One
 Words they know in a “snap”
Serravallo
3.2 one-to-one matching
3.5 partner reading, decoding
integrating sources of information
4.2 automaticity
Bend II: Taking on Even the Hardest Words
 Sight Word technique
 Sounding the first letter and predicting
 Multiple ways to attack a word
Serravallo
3.1 integrating sources of information
3.9 decoding, monitoring for meaning
integrating sources of information
3.10 integrating sources of information
4.2 automaticity
Bend III: Bringing Books to Life
 Fluency
 Using the pattern of text
 Using punctuation to know when to stop
 Retelling the story
Serravallo
1.8 fluency, expression
1.12 monitoring for meaning
1.14 inferring, monitoring for meaning
1.15 inferring, supporting ideas with evidence
4.4 phrasing
4.5 phrasing
4.6 intonation, expression
Writing For Readers
Bend I: Writing Stories That People Can Really
Read.
 Reread to see if it makes sense
 Using anchor charts
 Transition from drawing to sentences
Bend II: Tools Give Writers Extra Power
 Using vowels to spell the middle
 Using story telling words
 Using partners to help your writing
Bend III: Partnering for Revision: Making Stores
More Fun to Read
 Tools to edit the draft
 Strong leads
Bend IV: Preparing for Publication
 Writing endings that have feeling
 Making a piece beautiful
Other Literacy Components
Read Aloud
Resources
Kindergarten: November/December
Shared Reading
You’ll work on word study activities relevant to the
work students need at levels B and C. In general,
you’ll want to pick books that are slightly above the
independent reading benchmark—at this time of the
year, most likely A/B/C. You’ll want to make sure that
you don’t read more than one or two books at A/B
and then quickly move into Level C.
Word Study Focus
Read to practice using what you know about words
and letter sounds in your reading.
Phonological Awareness
 Rhyming
Select certain words from the text and have kids
generate rhyming words/sounds (e.g., play: day, say,
may).
Select a word from the text. Then list several rhyming
words.
Include a word that doesn’t rhyme (day, may, say,
mat). Have the students identify which word does not
rhyme.
 Syllables
Choose some words from the text. Have children clap
the syllables in the words, and then practice blending
these syllables together. (“Clap ‘play-ing,’ Then put it
together—say ‘playing.’”)
Phonics
Beginning Consonants
Choose a consonant. As you read the text, have
students hunt for words with the same beginning
consonant. When you find such a word, students can
name the letter and say the sound. Then you or a
student can mark the letter with highlighting tape or
Wikki Stix.
Upper and Lower Case Letters
• Do a word hunt with students as they read, looking
for the same letter in both upper and lowercase
versions.
Vocabulary Development
If there are unfamiliar words in the text, choose one
or two to talk about with the students. Have students
turn and talk, prompting them to “Describe it. What
does it do? What does it look like?”
“Act it out”
Use interactive writing to create a picture dictionary of
some of these words
Reading:
This Unit focuses on fiction and non-fiction
 Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do
You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
 It’s Super Mouse (Brand New
Readers) by Phyllis Root
 So Much by Trish Cooke
 “One, Two Buckle My Shoe” song
 “The Clean Up Song”
 “Rain, Rain Go Away”
 The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
 “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”
 “Where Is Thumbkin?”
 The Family Book by Todd Parr
 It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr
 In The Garden by Smith, Randell, and
Giles
Writing:
 Shortcut by Donald Crews
 A Day With Daddy by Nikki Grimes
 The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Big Books:
 I Went Walking by Sue
Williams. Read Wagon Books
 Mouse Has Fun by Phyllis Root,
Brand New Readers
 Piggy and Dad Play by Bill
Martin, Brand New Readers
 Breakfast for Pickles by Michele
Dufresne. Pioneer Valley Books
Book baggies and special pointers for
each student will be introduced this
unit.
Small books available that match
previous big books: Brown Bear, I
Went Walking, Mrs. Wishy Washy,
Carrot Seed
Make copies of well-known charts:
Name chart, word wall, alphabet
chart, shared poems
Make co-created texts during shared
or interactive writing to add to your
tub of books for students to read.
Super Reader theme song on chart
paper (pg. 8)
Interactive Read Aloud Sessions
(pgs. 102-108) from Super Powers:
Reading with Print Strategies and
Sight Word Power by Lucy Calkins
and Amanda Hartman
Shared Reading Sessions (pgs. 109119) from Super Powers: Reading
with Print Strategies and Sight Word
Power by Lucy Calkins and Amanda
Hartman
Standards
Calkins Reading Workshop (Bends)
Calkins Writing Workshop (Bends)
Kindergarten: January
RL 2: Demonstrate understanding of
spoken words, syllables, and sounds.
RL3: Know and apply grade-level
phonics and word analysis skills when
decoding words.
RL4: Read with sufficient accuracy
and fluency to support comprehension.
RL5.1 With guidance and support, ask
and answer who, what, when, where,
why, and how questions about a text;
refer to key details to make inferences
and draw conclusions in texts heard or
read
RL7.1 With guidance and support,
compare topics or ideas within a
thematic or author study heard, read,
or viewed.
RL10.2 With guidance and support,
identify new meanings for familiar
words and apply them accurately.
12.2 Recognize the crafted text
structure of recurring phrases.
RI 2: Demonstrate understanding of
spoken words, syllables, and sounds.
RI3: Know and apply grade-level
phonics and word analysis skills when
decoding words.
RI4 Read with sufficient accuracy and
fluency to support comprehension.
RI7.1 With guidance and support,
compare topics or ideas within a
thematic or author study heard, read,
or viewed.
RI9.2 With guidance and support,
identify new meanings for familiar
words and apply them accurately
W 2: Write informative
/explanatory texts to examine and
convey complex ideas and
information clearly and accurately
through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of
content.
W5: Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
Communication
Bigger Books, Bigger Reading Muscles
This Unit focuses on Literary and
Informational
Bend I: Tackling More Challenging Books
 Using background knowledge
 Utilizing patterns, pattern breaks
 Search the picture
 Using the first letter
 Integrating Meaning, Structure, Visual
Serravallo
1.12 monitoring for meaning
3.1 integrating sources of information
3.6 integrating sources of information, decoding
3.7 decoding, monitoring for meaning
3.8 decoding, monitoring for meaning
3.9 decoding, monitoring for meaning
integrating sources of information
5.1 determining importance, retelling
Bend II: Zooming in on Letters and Sounds
 Using letter/sound knowledge
 Using the first part of the word
 Using blends at the beginning of word
 Looking at the ending parts of the word
 Locating known words
 MSV
Serravallo
3.6
integrating sources of information, decoding
3.9
decoding, monitoring for meaning
integrating sources of information
3.10 integrating sources of information
3.12 decoding
3.13 decoding
4.2 automaticity
Bend III: Graduation: Becoming Stronger
Readers
 Using pictures differently
 Understanding how stories go
 New ways to think and talk about books
 Reading high frequency words
Serravallo
1.13
1.14
1.15
1.16
3.1
3.6
3.10
3.11
3.15
fluency, expression
inferring, monitoring for meaning
inferring, supporting ideas with evidence
monitoring for meaning, inferring
integrating sources of information
decoding, integrating sources of information
integrating sources of information
decoding
decoding
Other Literacy Components
Read Aloud
And Testing As A Genre
Resources
Kindergarten : January
How To Books: Writing to Teach Others
Bend I: Writing How To Books, Step by Step
 Telling steps of the how to book
 Reread to make changes
 Add information by labeling diagrams
Bend II: Using Mentor Texts for Inspiration:
Revising Old How-To Books and Writing New
Ones
 Choose precise language
 Envisioning
Bend III: Keeping Readers in Mind
 Collect books to teach even more about
topic
 Writers use all their strategies
Bend IV: Giving How To Books as Gifts
 Using and editing checklist
Shared Reading
Word Study Focus
Phonological Awareness
 Rhyming
Select certain words from the text and have kids
generate rhyming words/sounds (ie. ball: call, mall,
wall) Select a word from the text then list several
rhyming words. Include a word that doesn’t rhyme
(tall, ball, mall, bat). Have the students identify which
word does not rhyme.
 Syllables
Choose some words from the text. Have children clap
the syllables in the words, and then practice blending
these syllables together. (“Clap ‘play-ing,’ Then put it
together—say ‘playing.’”)
Phonics
Matching the letter with a sound at the beginning and
ending of a word (“Jason begins with ‘J’ and ends
with ‘n’.”)
Do a word hunt for beginning consonants,
emphasizing their sounds when you find them.
Do a word hunt for specific ending consonants (could
attach to children’s names).
Recognizing and using middle consonant sounds
(Jason has an s in the middle)
Taking words apart by using the sounds of individual
letters with C/V/C patterns stop to stretch out and
play with the sounds in a CVC word
Playing with segmenting the sounds in CVC words (ca-t, f-a-n)
 High Frequency Words
Highlight familiar word wall words and word parts as
they are read.
Children can point to words on their mini word walls
or the big word wall. This is an effective strategy for
teaching children to transfer word wall words to their
reading and writing. Give partners an index card with
a high frequency word. When that word is
encountered in the text, have the children hold up the
word. You could also have partners switch words with
another partnership after reading five or six pages.
NOTE: Developing a strong sight word vocabulary is
crucial to moving students into Level C so you’ll want
to make sure you are emphasizing this work in
shared reading.
Reading:
 Dragonflies by Margaret Hall
 It Is Raining by John Pettitt (Rigby PM
Plus Yellow: Student Readers)
 I Am Busy by Jan Pritchett
 A is for Angry by Sandra Boynton
 Miss Spider’s ABC by David Kirk
 The Jazzy Alphabet by Sherry Shahan
 Curious George Curious You: On Your
Way! by H.A. Rey
 A Book for All the Stops in Your Life by
Craig Dorfman
 Yay, You! Moving Out, Moving Up,
Moving On by Sandra Boynton
 Can You See the Eggs? by Jenny
Giles
 Wake Up, Dad! by Beverley Randell
 Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy
Buttons by Eric Litwin
 Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
 My Bug Box by Pat Blanchard and
Joanne Suhr
 Kitty Cat and Fat Cat (Rigby)
 “Hickory Dickory Dock”
Writing:
Big Books:
 It’s Super Mouse by Phyllis
Root, Brand New Readers
 Pizza by Phyllis Root,
Brand New Readers
 Picnic by Phyllis Root, Brand
New Readers
 Cat and Mouse by Phylllis Root,
Brand New Readers
 Ethan’s Cat by Joanna Hurwitz,
Brand New Readers
These tools will need to be prepared
and distributed during the reading
unit:
 Reading Mat for each student
 Word rings for each student
 Super power charts for each
student
Interactive Read Aloud Sessions
(pgs. 126-134) in Bigger Books,
Bigger Reading Muscles by Lucy
Calkins, Katie Wears, Rebecca
Cronin, and Angela Baez
Shared Reading Sessions (pgs. 135147) in Bigger Books, Bigger Reading
Muscles by Lucy Calkins, Katie
Wears, Rebecca Cronin, and Angela
Baez
Standards
Calkins Reading Workshop (Bends)
Calkins Writing Workshop (Bends)
Other Literacy Components
Persuasive Writing of All Kinds: Using Words
to Make a Change
Shared Reading
Students need lots of guided practice in orchestrating
all the aspects of reading--checking for meaning,
visual and syntax and using a variety of strategies to
solve tricky words. This particular structure supports
that work, suggesting that students read two books
throughout the week, rather than carrying one across
five days. This structure gives students more
opportunities to solve unknown words in new texts.
While each day contains a specific focus, reading is
always primarily about comprehension.
Kindergarten: February / March
RL 3.4 Distinguish between similarly
spelled consonant-vowel-consonantpatterned words by identifying the
sounds of the letters that differ.
RI 4.2 Read emergent texts orally with
accuracy, appropriate rate, and
expression.
RI 4.3 Use picture cues to confirm or
self-correct word recognition and
understanding.
RI 5: Determine meaning and develop
logical interpretations by making
predictions, inferring, drawing
conclusions, analyzing, synthesizing,
providing evidence, and investigating
multiple interpretations.
RI 6: Summarize key details and
ideas to support analysis of central
ideas.
RI: 8.2 With guidance and support,
use front cover, title page, illustrations/
photographs, fonts, glossary, and table
of contents to locate and describe key
facts or information; describe the
relationship between these features
and the text.
RI: 9. Apply a range of strategies to
determine and deepen the meaning of
known, unknown, and multiplemeaning words, phrases, and jargon;
acquire and use general academic and
domain-specific vocabulary.
10.1 Identify the author’s purpose – to
explain, entertain, inform, or convince.
RI 11: Analyze and critique how the
author uses structures in print and
multimedia texts to craft informational
and argument writing.
W1: Write arguments to support claims
with clear reasons and relevant
evidence.
W 4: Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing and
speaking
W 5: Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
C1.5 Explain personal ideas and build
on the ideas of others by responding
and relating to comments made.
C2: Articulate ideas, claims, and
perspectives in a logical sequence
using information, findings, and
credible evidence from sources.
C4: Critique how a speaker addresses
content and uses stylistic and
structural craft techniques to inform,
engage, and impact audiences.
Growing Expertise in Little Books: Reading
for Information
IF…THEN…book
Bend I: Readers Become Experts on Topics
by Reading Books, Asking Questions, and
Talking with Others
 How do I notice more and more in the
books I read?
 Teaching readers to study topics and
raise questions about the information.
Serravallo
1.1
engagement, stamina
1.2
summarizing
1.4
sequencing, storytelling
Bend II: Readers Learn about Words Inside
Their Books Too!
 How can I learn new things and words
from pictures and words?
Serravallo
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
integrating sources of information
one-to-one matching
decoding
integrating sources of information
integrating sources of information, decoding
decoding, monitoring for meaning
decoding, monitoring for meaning
decoding, monitoring for meaning
integrating sources of information
3.10 integrating sources of information
Bend III: Readers Can Think about What’s the
Same and What’s Different in-and acrossBooks
 If I put a couple of books that are about
one thing, how can I learn from one and
add it to what I learn from the next?
Learning About Ourselves and Our World:
Reading for Information
Bend I: Noticing It All! Readers Learn from the
Pictures, The Patterns, and the Print in Their
Books
Bend II: Readers Learn About Words Inside
Their Books, Too!
Bend III: Readers Can Think About What’s the
Same and What’s Different (And Across)
Books
Read Aloud
Resources
Kindergarten : February/March
Bend I: Exploring Opinion Writing: Making Our
School a Better Place
 The more reasons the more convincing
 Reread to see what can be made better
 Strategies for spelling
 Words cause change
Bend II: Sending Our Words Out Into the World:
Writing Letter to Make a Change
 Writing letters
 Using mentor texts
 Including ideas to fix a problem
Bend III: Persuasive Writing Projects
 Writing about a World Problem
 Including facts to sound like an expert
 Reading about your topic
 How to books to solve a problem
 Planning and rehearsing persuasive
speeches
 Checking punctuation
 Writing checklist
Punctuation: Noticing and exploring various forms of
punctuation and how they affect fluency and
expression.
Word Study Focus
Phonological Awareness
 Syllables
Have children clap syllables in two syllable words
blending syllables (wig-gled: wiggled)
 Onset-Rime
orally segmenting onsets and rimes (r-an: ran)
blending onset and rimes knowing that some words
have patterns that are the same and by looking at the
pattern it will help you read the word (“If I know ‘at,’
then I know ‘cat’, ‘sat’, ‘mat...’”)
Phonics
• Choose a word in the text, “Hmm, if I know ran what
are some other words I might also know that look the
same?” (fan, dan, etc.)
• Knowing that some words have parts that are the
same (an: Brandon, hand, sand, man etc.)
• recognizing and using letters that represent two or
more consonant sounds at the beginning of a word (c,
g, th, ch)
Reading
 Who Works at the Zoo? by Sarah
Russell (published by National
Geographic)
 Fishy Tales from the DK Readers
series
 Zoo Looking by Mem Fox
 Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert
Shared Reading:




Writing
Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type by
Doreen Cronin
Corduroy Write a Letter (Inches)


Push and Pull (level E).
Pearson
Gecko’s Story. Richard C.
Owens,
Who Do You See? A
Rainforest Rap by Laura
Layton Strom. Benchmark
The Wind by Brenda Parkes.
Benchmark Education
Sight Walk by Laura Layton
Strom. Benchmark Education
Welcome to Our School by
Susan Hartley. Benchmark
Education
Standards
Calkins Reading Workshop (Bends)
Calkins Writing Workshop (Bends)
Kindergarten: March/April
RL 8.1d.identify the problem and
solution; and e. identify the cause of an
event.
RL 9: Interpret and analyze the author’s
use of words, phrases, and
conventions, and how their relationships
shape meaning and
tone in print and multimedia texts.
RL 7.2 Read or listen closely to
compare familiar texts.
RL10: Apply a range of strategies to
determine and deepen the meaning of
known, unknown, and multiple-meaning
words, phrases, and jargon; acquire and
use general academic and domainspecific vocabulary.
RL 13: Read independently and
comprehend a variety of texts for the
purposes of reading for enjoyment,
acquiring new learning, and building
stamina; reflect and respond to
increasingly complex text over time.
RI 6: Summarize key details and ideas
to support analysis of central ideas.
RI 7: Research events, topics, ideas, or
concepts through multiple media,
formats, and in visual, auditory, and
kinesthetic modalities.
RI 8: Interpret and analyze the author’s
use of words, phrases, text features,
conventions, and structures, and how
their
relationships shape meaning and tone
in print and multimedia texts.
9.3 With guidance and support, use
inflectional endings and affixes to
determine the meaning of unknown
words.
RI 12: Read independently and
comprehend a variety of texts for the
purposes of reading for enjoyment,
acquiring new learning, and building
stamina; reflect and respond to
increasingly complex text over time.
W 2: Write informative/explanatory texts
to examine and convey complex ideas
and information clearly and accurately
through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.
W 4: Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing and
speaking.
W 5: Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
C 1.1 Explore and create meaning
through play, conversation, drama, and
story-telling.
C 5: Incorporate craft techniques to
engage and impact audience and
convey messages
All About Books
IF…THEN…book
Bend I: Becoming an Avid Reader
 Readers react to books
 Using words to describe feelings
 Developing their own superpower charts
 Acting out a story
Bend I: Writing All-About Books on Topics We
Love
 My pages match my topic
Bend II: Learning from All-About Books
 Thinking and reacting as a nonfiction
reader
 Talking like an expert
 Comparing information
 Acting out nonfiction
Serravallo
1.7
storytelling, dramatic play
1.17 word choice
1.18 fluency
1.20 understanding genre
2.7
focus, activating prior knowledge
2.12 questioning, focus, stamina
Bend III: Falling in Love with Poetry
 Reading poems a lot like songs
 The feelings in a poem
 Sound patterns
 Performing with movements
Serravallo
1.16 monitoring for meaning, inferring
Read Aloud
Resources
Kindergarten: March/April
Becoming Avid Readers
This Unit focuses on literary and informational
Serravallo
1.7 storytelling, dramatic play
1.8 fluency, expression
1.11 monitoring for meaning
1.13 fluency, expression
1.15 inferring, supporting ideas with evidence
1.16 monitoring for meaning, inferring
2.1 focus
6.1 inferring
Other Literacy Components
Bend II: Revise by Elaborating – and Then
Begin Writing Longer Books, Right from the
Start
 Making books longer
 Elaborate and include examples
Bend III: Revising to Add Text Features – Then
Writing ore Developed Books from the Start
 Adding text features
Bend IV: One Final Grand Revision to Prepare
for a Publishing Party
 Getting the writing ready for publishing
Interactive writing supports students as they
transition from emergent readers/writers to
conventional readers/writers. The end product of
interactive writing is conventionally correct so
that it can be used as an exemplar text and can
also be used for shared reading.
Shared Reading
Students need lots of guided practice in orchestrating
all the aspects of reading--checking for meaning,
visual and syntax and using a variety of strategies to
solve tricky words. This particular structure supports
that work, suggesting that students read two books
throughout the week, rather than carrying one across
five days. This structure gives students more
opportunities to solve unknown words in new texts.
While each day contains a specific focus, reading is
always primarily about comprehension.
Punctuation: Noticing and exploring various forms of
punctuation and how they affect fluency and
expression.
Word Study Focus
Phonemic Awareness
• hearing and saying individual phonemes in words
(You can say a word slowly and hear the sounds in a
word: s-a-fe...safe)
• segmenting words into phonemes (hid: h-i-d)
• blending phonemes into words (s-a-t: sat)
• hearing and saying middle phonemes in words (s-un: sun)
Phonics
Recognize and use
• difficult spelling patterns (ab, ar eg, em, ib, ix, ob,
od, ow, um, un)
• consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) patterns (some
words have a consonant, vowel and another
consonant: the vowel sounds like /a/ in apple, /i/ in
igloo, etc. (short vowel sounds)
Reading
This Unit focuses on fiction and non-fiction
 Dragonflies by Margaret Hall
 Honeybees by Martha E.H. Rustad
 Not Norman, A Goldfish Story by Kelly
Bennett
 The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
 Gossie by Olivier Dunrea
 “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” song
 “Mary Had a Little Lamb” song
 It’s Super Mouse by Phyllis Root
 “The Swing” by Robert Louis
Stevenson
 “The Teapot Song”
 “Click Beetle” by Mary Ann Hoberman
 “Read Words, Write Words” by
Marjorie Martinelli
 “Brother John/Frere Jacques” song
 “Rain” poem
Writing
National Geographic Readers series:
 Trucks! by Wil Mara
 Planes by Amy Shields
 Trains by Kathy Zoefeld Capstone
Classroom (formerly Heinemann
Raintree Classroom)
 Families series by Rebecca Rissman
 A World of Field Trips series by
Rebecca Rissman
 My First Soccer Game by Alyssa
Capucilli
Interactive Read Aloud Sessions
(pgs. 112-124) in Becoming Avid
Readers by Lucy Calkins, Marjorie
Martinelli, and Christine Holley
Shared Reading Sessions (pgs. 125137) in Becoming Avid Readers by
Lucy Calkins, Marjorie Martinelli, and
Christine Holley
Nonfiction video clip that will promote
strong reactions. Example: “Venus
Flytraps: Jaws of Death” from BBC
Partnership Playdate mats will be
introduced during this reading unit
Standards
Calkins Reading Workshop (Bends)
Calkins Writing Workshop (Bends)
Kindergarten: May/ June
RL 5: Determine meaning and develop
logical interpretations by making
predictions, inferring, drawing
conclusions, analyzing, synthesizing,
providing evidence, and investigating
multiple interpretations.
RL 6.1 Describe the relationship
between illustrations and the text.
RL 8.1 With guidance and support, read
or listen closely to:
a. describe characters and their actions;
b. compare characters’ experiences to
those of the reader;
RL11.1 Identify the author and illustrator
and define the role of each.
RL 13.3 Read and respond according to
task and purpose to become selfdirected, critical readers and thinkers.
Reading Informational Text RI
W 3: Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events using
effective techniques, well-chosen
details, and well-structured event
sequences.
W 6.1 With guidance and support, write
routinely and persevere in writing tasks
for a variety of purposes and audiences
C 1.1 Explore and create meaning
through play, conversation, drama, and
story-telling.
C 5.1 Use voice inflection, expression,
rhythm, and rhyme, when presenting
poems, short stories, role-plays, or
songs.
C 3: Communicate information through
strategic use of multiple modalities and
multimedia to enrich understanding
when presenting ideas and information.
Crafting Stories Using All We Know About
Narrative Writing
IF…THEN…book
Bend I: Readers Have Ways to Get to Know
a Character
 Noticing how a character feels, does,
and thinks
 Use title page, cover, and illustrations to
acquaint with characters
 Holding onto the character across pages
Bend I: Using What We Know As Readers to
Write Well! Reading and Writing Connections
 Using what I know to write longer stories
 Drawing the setting and actions prior to
adding text
 Rereading for syntax and structure
Serravallo
1.6 storytelling, elaborating
1.7 storytelling, dramatic play
1.8 fluency, expression
Bend II: Reading Like a Writer: Using Mentor
Texts
 Writing lots of stories and putting in enough
letters so people can read
 Studying the craft of other authors (craft
moves)
Serravallo
1.7 storytelling, dramatic play
1.8 fluency, expression
1.13 fluency, expression
Bend III: Giving the Gift of Reading
 Work in clubs to revise and share miniperformance
 Rereading my books and prepare to
share them
 Making the characters come to life
Serravallo
1.6 storytelling, elaborating
1.7 storytelling, dramatic play
1.8 fluency, expression
1.13 fluency, expression
Read Aloud
And Testing As A Genre
Resources
Kindergarten : May/June
Readers Get to Know Characters By
Performing Their Books
IF…THEN…book
Bend II: Partners Pretend They Are
Characters to Learn Even More
 Acting out the story to understand the
characters
 Ask and answer questions to get
information
Other Literacy Components
Bend III: Inventing New Stories and Creating
Characters: Writing Fiction
 Using what I know about true stories to
make-up stories.
Shared Reading
Students need lots of guided practice in orchestrating
all the aspects of reading--checking for meaning,
visual and syntax and using a variety of strategies to
solve tricky words. This particular structure supports
that work, suggesting that students read two books
throughout the week, rather than carrying one across
five days. This structure gives students more
opportunities to solve unknown words in new texts.
While each day contains a specific focus, reading is
always primarily about comprehension.
Punctuation: Noticing and exploring various forms of
punctuation and how they affect fluency and
expression.
Word Study Focus
Phonological Awareness
 Letter Sounds
hear and say similar middle letters in words: cat, ran
hearing four or more letters in a word: ( d-a-n-ce, p-ra-n-ce)
Phonics
 Recognize and use consonant clusters that
blend two consonant sounds at the
beginning of a word(bl, cl, fl, pl, pr, br, sl, gl
, sn, sp, etc.)
 short vowel sounds in the middle of words
(it’s helpful to use kids’ names as a
touchstone; for example, the ‘e’ has the
same sound as it does in Seth)

long vowel sounds in the middle of words
(it’s helpful to use kids’ names as a
touchstone: the ‘a’ has the same sound as
it does in Kate)
Vocabulary Development
Add more high frequency words to the word wall as
they are encountered in shared reading, interactive
writing, and kids’ writing. Provide personal word walls
for kids who may need extra support and kids who
know more words than are on the word wall.
Reading:
 Are You Ready to Play Outside? by
Mo Willems
 Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin
Henkes
 The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill
 Any of the Brand New Readers
 Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
 When Sophie Gets Angry by Molly
Bang
Writing:
 Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
 Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
 The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
 Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
 Joshua’s Night Whispers by Angela
Johnson
 Creak! Said the Bed by Phyllis Root
Big Books
 Any in the Brand New Readers
series
 Mrs. Wishy Washy series by Joy
Cowley
Series for B-E Readers to Learn
About Characters:
 PM Readers
 Brand New Readers
 Elephant and Piggie (Willems)