What does a student learn in StateFlorida,GradeKindergarten,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students connect what they already know to what they read. They notice how ideas in one story or book link to ideas in another.

Students read simple books aloud smoothly and accurately, understanding what they read. At this level, that means short sentences and familiar words.

Reading a sentence or picture isn't enough on its own. Students use clues from the story to figure out something the author didn't say directly.

Students back up what they say about a story or book by pointing to something in the text or connecting it to something they already know.

Students write letters and words correctly and speak in clear, complete sentences. This includes using capital letters, spaces between words, and proper punctuation as they learn to put thoughts on paper and share ideas out loud.

Students listen to stories and discuss what it means to be honest, kind, and a good member of their community.

Students learn that print works in a specific order: left to right, top to bottom, one word at a time. They also recognize where a book starts, where sentences begin and end, and what spaces between words mean.

Students learn to hear individual sounds in spoken words, put sounds together to make a word, and break words apart into separate sounds.

Students use letter-sound rules to sound out and read words correctly. This is the decoding work that makes reading click.

Students read simple books aloud at a steady pace, saying each word correctly and using a natural tone, the way people talk in real life.

Students listen to stories and talk about what happens, who the characters are, and what lesson the story teaches. This is the start of understanding how stories work.

Students listen to stories and talk about why the author picked certain words. They notice how word choices make a story feel happy, scary, or funny.

Students find the big idea in a story or book and track how it grows from beginning to end. In kindergarten, this means noticing what a text is mostly about and putting it into their own words.

Students look at how a nonfiction book or article is put together and notice why the author arranged it that way. A table of contents, headings, or a simple list can all be clues to what the text is trying to teach.

Students listen to a nonfiction book or passage and decide whether the author's reasons make sense. They practice spotting when an argument holds up and when something doesn't add up.

Students look at two books on the same topic and talk about what is the same and what is different, whether that's the story's big idea, the way it's told, or what each book chooses to show.

Students practice listening and talking with classmates in a way that is clear and kind. This includes taking turns speaking and paying attention when others talk.

Students practice the basic rules of writing: starting sentences with a capital letter, adding a period at the end, and spelling common words correctly. The same care for clear language carries over when they speak.

Students practice writing three kinds of pieces: stories, explanations, and opinion writing. Each piece has a clear idea, a beginning-to-end shape, and a consistent voice.

Students pick a simple topic, find a few reliable sources, and use what they learn to write sentences that show where the information came from.

Students work with classmates to plan a simple presentation, then use pictures, words, or drawings to share an idea with the group.

Students learn the kinds of words that show up in school lessons and books, then use those words when they talk and write.

Students figure out what an unfamiliar word means by looking at the words around it or by checking a picture dictionary. This is the beginning of the habit readers use for the rest of their lives.

Students learn that many English words have roots in older languages, which is why some words look or sound alike. Recognizing those patterns helps students figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words.