Kindergarten: Being a Good Kindergarten Citizen
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Common Core Standards
Informational Reading
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.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear.
Writing
W.K.2 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.
W.K.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Speaking and Listening
SL.K.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.K.1 (a) Follow agreed upon rules for discussions.
SL.K.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
Language
L.L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing and speaking.
L.K.1 (a) Print many upper- and lowercase letters.
L.K.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.K.2 (a) Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I.
L.K.2 (b) Recognize and name end punctuation.
L.K.6 Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts.
Description of Unit
This kindergarten unit titled “Being a Good Kindergarten Citizen” cited on the Delaware Department of Education website has an ELA/Literacy instructional time of 17 days at the start of the school year. The focus of the unit is to have students investigate what it means to be a good citizen and to be able to identify the characteristics of a good citizen in their classroom and their school. During lesson activities students: listen to books; complete graphic organizers; learn a song and poem to help them understand the rules of the classroom/school; learn to work cooperatively to solve classroom problems; draw and/or write about using rules and problem solving techniques in the classroom. As a culminating task, students are read an article about a School Pledge and then are asked to independently draw and write about how they can be a good citizen in their classroom or school.
Cautions
Connecticut teachers should be cautioned that the teacher notes and preparation materials are extensive and will require familiarity to be used effectively. Teachers need to consider the variability of learners in their class and make modifications as necessary to both the unit activities and the suggested pacing. The texts used in the unit will have to be secured. This unit aligns with the kindergarten Social Studies Frameworks theme of “Me and My Community: Home, Class, School, and Town communities are studied (ex. class and school rules, maps of neighborhoods and town)” These social studies standards could be added to the targeted standards listed above. For a direct link to this source, click below.
Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Frameworks
Rationale for Selection
This unit is an exemplary example of a progression of learning activities where concepts and skills advance and deepen over time, requiring all students to demonstrate their independent capacities. Instructional activities integrate reading, writing, speaking and listening so that students apply and synthesize advancing literacy skills. Unit activities provide all students with multiple opportunities to engage with text of appropriate complexity. It addresses instructional expectations and is easy to understand and use. Unit materials include scripted lessons, tips for preparing and managing materials, graphic organizers, visuals, general classroom management, a pacing guide, ongoing assessments, student work samples, suggested student feedback, and extensions. This unit could easily be integrated into social studies instruction.