Kindergarten - ELA
1: Letters
Unit 1: A - A Is for Musk Ox
Lesson 1
Day 1
Students are asked to look at alphabet cards and encourage him to put the letters in order from A to Z (Activity 2). Students count the letter cards and are told there are 26 letters in the alphabet (Activity 1). The reading prompts ask the child to point to the title and to identify a favorite letter from the book, which requires attending to individual letters.
Lesson 2
Day 2
The Review asks the child to say or sing the letters of the alphabet in order, which practices reciting and naming letter names in sequence. Activity 2 gives explicit, repeated practice with the uppercase letter A through tracing, guided writing (start at the top/left-to-right), and a sticker activity to form the uppercase A, along with repetition of the letter sound.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students are asked to say or sing the letters of the alphabet in order, which practices naming letters aloud. Activity 4 instructs students to review letter cards and to name each letter and say its sound when cards are held up randomly. The reading activity has students point to the first letter of marked words and say the letter aloud. Activity 2 has students form and trace the lowercase letter 'a' and practice the short 'a' sound.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to say or sing the letters of the alphabet in order as a review activity, which practices naming letters in sequence. Students complete a "Letter Sounds — A" activity where they circle the correct beginning letter for pictures, practice writing the letter A, and cut and glue pictures under letters. Students use a "Beginning Letter Sounds" page where they cut out pictures and place them into boxes labeled with lowercase letters (b, a, h, a, l), practicing matching initial sounds to letter forms.
Lesson 5
Day 5
The Getting Started review asks the child to "say or sing the letters of the alphabet in order," which requires oral naming of letters. The review also includes practicing the sound of the letter A, indicating attention to at least one letter's form and sound.
Unit 2: H - Hondo and Fabian
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students look at and name the letter H on the book cover, describe its shape, and hear and say the initial /h/ sound. Students practice forming a capital H in the air, trace dashed H letters and write freehand on the Uppercase H handwriting sheet, make an H from popsicle sticks, and add an Hh card to a review file. In the Bingo activity students are shown the letters B-I-N-G-O and are encouraged to point to letters as they sing.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students are prompted to find and point to the capital H in Hondo's name and to identify the initial sound of words that begin with h (home, happy, hungry). Students practice forming the lowercase h through a handwriting sheet with tracing and freehand lines and by tracing the letter with their finger or forming it in playdough. Students are asked to identify the first letter of the sight word "he," say the word, and point to instances of that word in the text.
Lesson 5
Day 5
Students are asked to draw a capital H and a lowercase h in the air and to name words that start with the "h" sound, giving explicit practice with one letter in both cases. Students move their finger left to right under print to identify capital letters at the beginning of names (Hondo and Fabian). Students see their own name in print with the capital letter pointed out and are encouraged to try to write their name, reinforcing recognition of an initial uppercase letter versus lowercase letters in the rest of the name.
Unit 3: I - The Little Island
Lesson 2
Day 2
The lesson includes a review of letter cards for Aa and Hh, which has students revisit specific uppercase and lowercase letter forms. Activity 2 centers on the uppercase I: students practice its sounds using an Ii letter card and complete an "Uppercase I" handwriting sheet with dashed-line tracing and independent writing rows. Option 2 provides tactile practice of downward strokes (carpet, sand, dirt) to support letter-formation skills.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students review the letter "I" at the start of the lesson and are asked to read and supply the word "little" presented in both all-caps and all-lowercase forms. Students complete a Student Activity Page that provides guided tracing, dotted-line tracing, and freehand practice specifically for the lowercase letter i. An option also instructs students to practice the downward stroke for the uppercase I and to practice i sounds while making the motion.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to circle the correct beginning letter for pictures and to practice writing the target letter on the "Letter Sounds: I" pages. Students cut out letters and paste them under the corresponding letter, practicing letter-to-picture matching. The Beginning Letter Sounds page has students match images (lion, apple, hammer, axe, igloo) to provided letters (i, a, h, a, i), reinforcing recognition of those specific lowercase letters.
Lesson 5
Day 5
Students are asked to review three letters (a, h, and i) and their sounds during the Getting Started Review. The text explicitly prompts students to recall these specific letters and their associated sounds.
Unit 4: T - What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are asked to find examples of the uppercase letter T on a book cover and to say the T sound. Students practice forming the uppercase T using a handwriting sheet that provides dotted-trace T shapes and blank lines for independent writing. An alternative activity has students form a large taped uppercase T on the floor and 'drive' a toy truck along the strokes while saying the T sound. The lesson also directs students to practice the sounds of the letters a, h, and l during review.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students are shown the Tt letter card during review and are asked to tell its sound. Students complete a "Lowercase t" handwriting sheet that models letter formation with directional arrows, offers tracing of dotted lowercase t's, and provides space for independent lowercase t writing. As an alternative, students form a lowercase t with tape, trace the shape with a finger, and practice the /t/ sound while constructing the letter.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are prompted to make a letter T in the air and to practice writing the letter on the "Letter Sounds: T" pages, showing explicit practice with letter formation. Students circle the correct beginning letter for pictures and cut out and paste letters under the correct pictures, demonstrating letter-to-sound matching and letter identification for specific letters. The "Beginning Letter Sounds" page asks students to match images (taxi, ambulance, hand, tree, island) to labeled letters ('t', 'a', 'h', 't', 'i'), providing opportunities to identify initial letters for several letters.
Unit 5: L - We're Going on a Leaf Hunt
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students review letter sounds and letters A, H, L, and T during the Getting Started review, which explicitly calls attention to those letters. Students locate the uppercase letter L on the book cover, practice forming a capital L with their finger in the air while saying the L sound, and add an Ll card to a file box for later review. Students complete a handwriting sheet with guided lines to trace and write the uppercase L or create a large L and glue leaves on it while practicing the L sound.
Lesson 3
Day 3
The Review asks the child to review letter sounds from the first four units, so students practice phonemic associations for letters. Activity 1 directs students to practice forming and writing the lowercase letter l using a handwriting sheet and to practice the sound of L while writing. Option 2 has students form a lowercase l by lacing holes, again paired with practicing the sound of the letter L.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students review letter sounds and sight words at the start of the lesson. In Activity 3 students circle the correct beginning letter for pictures and practice writing the target letter, and on the second page they cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter. The Student Activity Pages require students to match images to specific lowercase letters (a, h, t, l, i) and to associate pictures with the L sound (leaf, ladder).
Unit 6: F - Fireflies
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are instructed to find the uppercase letter F on the book cover and to practice forming the capital F in the air while making the /f/ sound. Students are given a handwriting sheet to trace and write uppercase F and are shown an F letter card to add to a review file. An alternative activity has students make fingerprint marks to trace a large capital F, reinforcing formation and recognition of the uppercase F.
Lesson 3
Day 3
The lesson asks students to complete a handwriting sheet focused on the lowercase letter f, trace and independently write f, and practice the sound of the letter f. An alternative activity has students form the lowercase f in a sensory medium (powder/sand) while saying the f sound. The opening review also directs students to review letter sounds and word cards from previous weeks and to practice reading a word card ("said").
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students practice identifying beginning letters by circling the correct starting letter for pictures on the "Letter Sounds: F" page and by matching picture boxes under the correct letter. Students practice forming/writing the letter F (or watch the teacher form the letters) as part of the letter-sound activity. Students also sort pictures to initial letters from a small set of letters (i, h, f, l, a) when completing the Beginning Letter Sounds page.
Unit 7: E - But No Elephants
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are asked to find the uppercase letter E on the book cover and practice forming the capital E in the air while saying the "e" sound. Students trace multiple outlined and dashed uppercase E's on a handwriting sheet and then practice freehand writing E on blank lines. Students practice constructing the letter E with popsicle sticks and trace the stick-formed letter with their finger. Students are shown an "Ee" card and told its sounds, and the card is added to a review file box.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice the lowercase letter e by tracing dashed e's and writing freehand on the handwriting sheet and by tracing a modeled lowercase e with an eraser or chalkboard eraser. Students are prompted to practice the sounds of the letter e while they form and trace the letter. The lesson also has a brief review of letter sounds and asks the child to read the sight word "no" in the text, pointing to the word when encountered.
Unit 8: C - Millions of Cats
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter C using a finger in the air while saying its sound. Students trace and independently write uppercase C using the provided handwriting sheet with multiple tracing rows and blank guideline rows. Students see and review a letter Cc card (added to a file box) and may use a die-cut C to practice making the shape with crayons.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students practice identifying beginning letters by circling the correct beginning letter for pictures on the "Letter Sounds: C" page and by cutting and pasting picture boxes beneath the correct beginning letter. Students match pictures (cat, fan, elephant, lion, ant) to labeled letter boxes (c, f, e, l, a) on the "Beginning Letter Sounds" page. Students practice letter formation by writing the target letter or watching the teacher form the letters.
Unit 9: G - The Real Mother Goose
Lesson 3
Day 3
The lesson has a review that asks the child to practice letter sounds and word cards, giving exposure to letters and their sounds. Activity 1 directs students to complete a lowercase g handwriting sheet with tracing and independent writing lines and to practice the sound of the letter g. An alternative sensory activity has students form and trace the lowercase g in a sealed bag, reinforcing the letter's shape and formation.
Unit 10: O - Owl Babies
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are asked to find the uppercase letter O on the book cover and identify its shape as a circle. Students practice forming the capital letter O in the air and practice the "o" sounds while forming it. Students complete an "Uppercase O" handwriting sheet (or practice drawing circles as a scaffold) and the lesson adds a "letter Oo" card to the review file box.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice forming and writing the lowercase letter o through a dedicated handwriting sheet that includes tracing and independent writing. Students are prompted to compare the lowercase o with the uppercase O (noting that the lowercase comes only to the dotted midline) and to practice the sounds of the letter o. An alternative activity has students produce very small and very large o shapes to reinforce shape and size differences between lowercase and uppercase O.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students practice letter identification for selected letters: they circle the correct beginning letter for pictures on the "Letter Sounds: O" page and match pictures to lowercase letters on the "Beginning Letter Sounds" page. Students practice forming and writing the letter O and may watch an adult form letters for them. The materials also include a general prompt to review letter sounds and sight word cards, which involves letter-level work.
Unit 11: S - Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are prompted to review letter sounds and sight cards from previous units and to find the uppercase letter S on the book cover. Students practice forming the capital S in the air while making the /s/ sound, then either trace and write multiple uppercase S's on a handwriting sheet or shape an S with playdough. Students add an Ss card to a file box for later review, and the handwriting page provides guided traceable examples followed by independent practice.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice the letter S through a dedicated Lowercase Letter Writing activity that has tracing and independent writing lines for lowercase s. Students trace and form the letter s in sand as an alternative and practice the sound of the letter S while making it. The materials explicitly show a capital S on the student page and instruct to point out that it is the same as a capital S, and students read and identify the word "some" in a sentence and in the book.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Activity 3 directs students to circle the correct beginning letter for each picture and then practice writing the letter S, and students may watch an adult form the letters. The second activity page has students cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter, giving hands-on practice matching letter shapes to sounds. The 'Beginning Letter Sounds' student page lists specific letters (l, f, s, t, g) for students to match with pictures, reinforcing recognition of particular letters.
Unit 12: D - Dinosaurs Big and Small
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are prompted to find the uppercase letter D on the book cover and told that it makes the /d/ sound. Students practice forming the capital D in the air and on paper using an "Uppercase D" handwriting sheet with tracing rows and blank lines for independent writing. Students are shown a "letter Dd" card and instructed to add it to a review file box for later review.
Lesson 3
Day 3
The lesson has students compare an all-capital word "BIG" with its lowercase form "big," point to each, and practice reading the word in both forms. The lesson directs a review of letter sounds and sight word cards from previous weeks. Activity 1 has students trace and write the lowercase letter d, practice correct formation (start like c, make o, then the stick) and practice the sound of d.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Activity 3 asks students to circle the correct beginning letter for each picture on a "Letter Sounds: D" page and to practice writing the letter or watch the letter being formed. The second page has students cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter, providing hands-on letter identification. A separate "Beginning Letter Sounds" page shows five labeled letter squares (a, f, d, c, g) and asks students to match images (e.g., alligator, duck) to these letters.
Unit 13: P - Harold and the Purple Crayon
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are asked to find the uppercase letter P on the book cover, practice forming the capital P in the air while making the /p/ sound, and add a Pp card to a review file. The lesson provides a handwriting sheet with dashed P letters to trace and primary lines for freehand practice of uppercase P. An alternate activity has students trace the outline of a die-cut P with a marker, reinforcing letter formation and the letter-sound for P.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice one specific lowercase letter: they complete a "Lowercase p" handwriting sheet with tracing and independent writing lines and are guided to begin at the half line and form the letter. An alternative activity has students arrange pennies into the shape of the letter p and trace it from top to bottom. The lesson also prompts students to practice the sound of the letter p while forming and tracing it.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students practice letter identification in Activity 3: Letter Sounds — P by circling the correct beginning letter for each picture and by cutting and pasting picture boxes under the correct letter. Students practice forming or writing the letter P (or watching letter formation) as part of that activity. Another student page titled "Beginning Letter Sounds" requires students to match pictures to given beginning letters (s, p, d, t, l). The Getting Started review prompts students to review letter sounds and sight cards from previous weeks.
Unit 14: B - Blueberries for Sal
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students trace and write the lowercase letter b using a dedicated "Lowercase b" activity page that includes guided dotted letters and independent practice lines. Students are instructed to form the lowercase b correctly (start high, straight line down, then clockwise circle) and to practice the sounds of the letter b. An alternative activity has students mark a die-cut lowercase b repeatedly while practicing the b sound, reinforcing recognition and formation of that lowercase letter.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students practice letter recognition by circling the correct beginning letter for pictures on the "Letter Sounds: B" page and by cutting out letters and pasting them under the correct letter. Students practice writing the letter B or watch the teacher form the letters. Students match images to labeled lowercase letter boxes (a, c, e, b, g) on the Beginning Letter Sounds page.
Unit 15: R - Rain
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming and naming the uppercase letter R by tracing and writing on the "Uppercase R" handwriting sheet and by practicing the letter in the air while making the /r/ sound. Students use a letter Rr card (showing both upper- and lowercase forms) that is added to a review file box for later practice. Students who are not ready use a die-cut R to color inside and follow stroke directions, giving guided and independent practice with the capital R.
Lesson 3
Day 3
The text instructs a review of letter sounds and sight cards and explicitly tells the caregiver to "review the letter R." Students are asked to complete a "Lowercase r" handwriting sheet with tracing and freehand practice and are guided on stroke order and letter placement. An alternate activity has students form an r shape with ribbon and trace while practicing the sound and noticing words that begin with r ("red," "ribbon," "rabbit").
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to circle the correct beginning letter for pictures on the "Letter Sounds: R" pages and then practice writing the letter or watch someone form it. Students cut out letters from the page and paste them under the correct letter, providing practice matching letters to pictures. The "Beginning Letter Sounds" activity has students match the letters l, e, f, t, s to corresponding images (ladder, elephant, football, tennis ball, star).
Unit 16: N - Night in the Country
Lesson 2
Day 2
Activity 2 directs students to find the uppercase letter N on the book cover and practice forming the capital N in the air while saying the /n/ sound. The lesson provides an "Uppercase N" handwriting sheet with traced and independent writing lines for repeated practice of the capital N. An alternative tactile activity has students create a large N with glued newspaper squares, and the materials mention adding a "letter Nn" card to a review file.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students review letter sounds and sight words at the start, and they repeatedly read and locate the sight word "there" in the text. Students complete a focused lowercase letter-writing activity for the letter n, tracing dotted n's, writing independent n's, or constructing an n with a die-cut and noodles, and they practice the sound of n while forming the letter.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students review letter sounds and sight word cards from previous lessons, providing repeated exposure to letters. In Activity 3, students circle the correct beginning letter for each picture and practice writing the letter N or watch an adult form it. Students cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter and complete a Beginning Letter Sounds page with boxes labeled n, o, p, r to match objects to initial letters.
Lesson 5
Day 5
In Writing Workshop, students are asked to "write whatever marks, letters, or words he can" and to read their work aloud. The teacher is prompted to comment on the formation of the student's letters and to add dictation of the student's ideas. These activities involve students producing and reading letters in their journal.
Unit 17: M - Marshmallow
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are asked to find the uppercase letter M on the book cover and are told that it makes the /m/ sound. Students practice forming a capital M in the air and then trace and write M on an Uppercase M handwriting sheet (solid M, dashed M, then freehand). Students also see a letter "Mm" card added to a file box for review and have an alternative activity forming an M with coins and tracing it with a finger.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice the lowercase letter m by tracing dashed m's and then writing freehand on guided lines using the "Lowercase m" handwriting sheet. Students form the shape of the lowercase m by gluing mini marshmallows to a die-cut m and then tracing the letter with a finger. Students practice the sound of m as they form and trace the letter, and they read the word "out" from the story and a matching word card during reading activities.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students practice identifying beginning letters by circling the correct initial letter for pictures on the "Letter Sounds: M" page and by matching pictures to letter groups (e.g., MNR, ABH). Students practice letter formation by writing the letter M or watching an adult form the letters, and they cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter. A separate activity page has labeled boxes with the letters a, m, h, l, and d for students to match images (alligator, mushroom, house, leaf, drum) to their beginning letters.
Unit 18: U - Umbrella
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students locate and identify the uppercase letter U on the book cover and are shown the Uu card to add to a review file. Students practice forming the capital U in the air while producing its sounds and review the sounds as they work. Students complete a handwriting sheet that includes a large uppercase U, multiple dashed-line U trace examples, and three lines for freehand practice; an alternative activity has students bend and trace a pipe cleaner U.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students complete a handwriting sheet focused specifically on the lowercase letter "u," including an example, dashed outlines for tracing, guided freehand practice, and additional dotted lines for repeated practice. Students receive explicit formation instructions for the lowercase u (start at the half line, go down, form the curve, touch the bottom line, return to the half line) and are prompted to practice the sounds of the letter u. The plan also directs students to review letter sounds and sight words from previous units, indicating some general letter-sound review.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to circle the correct beginning letter for each picture on the "Beginning Sounds: U" page and then practice writing the letter or watch the adult form the letters. On the second page students cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter, engaging in letter identification and placement. The "Beginning Letter Sounds" page presents five lowercase letters (u, g, p, r, m) and asks students to match each animal to the square with the corresponding initial letter sound.
Lesson 5
Day 5
Activity 2 has students look for and identify capital letters on a page and explain why those words are capitalized (sentence-beginnings, person and place names). Activity 3 has students write their name, practice writing it several times, start the name with a capital letter, point to where they wrote it, and identify and explain any capital letters they used.
Unit 19: J - Jump Frog Jump
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are prompted to find the uppercase letter J on the book cover and told the letter J makes the /j/ sound. Students practice forming the capital J in the air and on a handwriting sheet with solid and dotted examples, tracing rows, and independent writing space. Students are given a letter "Jj" card to add to a file box and an option to use a die-cut J for tactile tracing and jewel decoration, reinforcing letter shape and recognition.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice the lowercase letter j through a handwriting sheet that shows directional arrows, tracing lines, and independent writing lines. Students form the lowercase j using a manipulative activity (jellybeans/marbles) and then trace it with a finger. Students practice the sound of the letter j and read words and phrases containing j (e.g., "Jump, frog, jump!") during repeated readings.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to identify and circle the correct beginning letter on the "Beginning Sounds: J" page and then practice writing that letter. On the second page students cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter, which requires them to match letter shapes to pictures. Another activity presents five letters (p, d, o, g, j) with corresponding pictures (pig, duck, octopus, goose, jet) for students to match each picture to its beginning letter.
Unit 20: K - Kindness
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students are asked to locate and point to examples of the lowercase letter k in the book and to read and practice the sound of k. Students complete a dedicated "Lowercase k" handwriting sheet that includes tracing with directional arrows, stroke-order numbering, guided practice rows, and independent writing lines. Students also practice forming lowercase k using an alternative sensory activity (tracing in ketchup) and are prompted to compare the lowercase k to the uppercase K.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students practice with focused letter-recognition tasks in Activity 3: they circle the correct beginning letter for pictures, practice writing the letter K, and cut out and paste letters under the correct heading. The student pages include beginning-letter matching where students draw lines from individual letters (k, d, b, r, m) to pictures that start with those sounds. Students also have opportunities to form letters by watching adult modeling or by writing themselves.
Unit 21: V - Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are asked to find the uppercase letter V on the book cover and practice forming the capital V in the air. Students are shown a Vv card to add to a review file and either complete an Uppercase V handwriting sheet with tracing and writing or use a large tape V and a toy to form and trace the letter. Students review the sound of the letter V as they practice writing and forming it.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students work with "Letter Sounds: V" pages where they circle the correct beginning letter for pictures and practice writing the letter or watch an adult form the letters. Students cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter on the second V page, practicing letter-shape recognition and placement. Students complete a Beginning Letter Sounds sorting activity with labeled boxes (f, c, g, v, p) and match picture cut-outs to those letters, reinforcing identification of specific beginning letters. The review step asks students to review letter sounds and sight word cards, providing additional letter/sound practice.
Unit 22: Y - Little Blue and Little Yellow
Lesson 2
Day 2
The lesson includes a focused Alphabet activity on the letter Y: students are shown a lowercase y on the book cover and an uppercase Y on the title page, and they are guided to form the capital letter Y in the air. A Yy card is added to a review file and students complete a handwriting sheet with dashed-line tracing of uppercase Y followed by independent writing lines. An alternative kinesthetic option has students form an uppercase Y with yarn pieces and trace it while practicing the letter sound.
Lesson 3
Day 3
The lesson gives students focused practice on the lowercase letter y through a handwriting sheet with tracing and freehand lines, and instructs adults to point out that lowercase y is similar to uppercase Y and begins at the half line and extends below the bottom line. Option 2 has students form the letter y on a die-cut multiple times while practicing the letter sound. Students also read and locate the word "they" in sentences and the story, encountering the letter y in context.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked in Activity 3 to circle the correct beginning letter for pictures on a 'Letter Sounds: Y' page and then practice writing the letter, and on a second page to cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter. Another page titled 'Beginning Letter Sounds' shows five letters (v, p, h, c, r) with matching images for students to associate beginning sounds with letters. These tasks require students to identify specific letters and practice forming them in print.
Unit 23: W - George Washington's Birthday
Lesson 1
Day 1
The quill-pen activity asks the child to "try to write some letters," and the child is encouraged to use the quill pen to write on the activity page. The materials also include specific words (a sight word "went" and the word "tyrant") that the child is asked to notice during reading. These items require the child to produce and visually attend to letters while writing and reading.
Lesson 2
Day 2
Activity 2 focuses on the uppercase letter W: students find a capital W on a book cover, practice forming a capital W in the air, and are shown a Ww card to add to a review file. Option 1 gives a handwriting sheet with a large example, traceable dashed W letters, and guided freehand practice using lines. Option 2 offers a hands-on formation activity (arranging twigs) and finger tracing while reviewing the W sound.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice the lowercase letter w using a handwriting sheet with tracing and freehand lines. Students form the letter w with white chalk on a die-cut w and trace it with their finger. Students are told that the lowercase w is the same as the uppercase W except for its start/end position, and they practice the sound of the letter w as they write and trace.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students complete a "Letter Sounds: W" page where they circle the correct beginning letter for pictures, practice writing the letter W (or watch the teacher form it), and cut and paste letters under the correct picture. Students also use a "Beginning Letter Sounds" page where five boxes are labeled with letters (k, w, d, h, g) and they match pictured words (key, globe, horse, hot dog, grapes) to the correct beginning letter. These tasks require students to identify and select letters that correspond to initial sounds of pictured words.
Unit 24: Q - The Quilt Story
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students practice letter identification on focused pages: on the "Letter Sounds: Q" page they circle the correct beginning letter for pictures and practice writing or watching formation of the letter Q, and they cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter. On the "Beginning Letter Sounds" page students match five letters (k, q, n, c, s) to pictures. The lesson also prompts review of letter sounds and sight words learned to this point.
Unit 25: X - An Extraordinary Egg
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are asked to find the lowercase x in the word "extraordinary" and practice the /ks/ sound of x, showing explicit attention to the lowercase form. Students are shown how to form the capital letter X with finger motions and are given an "Uppercase X" handwriting sheet with tracing and blank guided lines for independent uppercase X writing. Students are also given tactile options (forming X with two pencils or objects) and instructed to add an Xx card to a review file for later practice.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice forming the lowercase x with a dedicated handwriting sheet that includes a model, dotted tracings, and blank lines for freehand practice. Students are asked to find the letter x in printed words (including the word "next") and to read and circle the x in a "Words with X" activity page. The text explicitly compares lowercase x to uppercase X and instructs students to practice the sound of the letter.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students practice identifying beginning letters on the "Beginning Sounds: X" page by circling the correct starting letter for each picture and practicing writing the letter or watching a model. Students cut out letters and paste them under the correct heading on the second page of the X activity. Students match images to labeled squares under the letters j, u, r, b, and p on the "Beginning Letter Sounds" page, and the Getting Started section prompts review of letter sounds and sight words learned so far.
Unit 26: Z - Greedy Zebra
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice the letter Z by air-writing the capital Z while producing the /z/ sound and by tracing and writing Z on a focused handwriting sheet that includes a solid model, dotted tracing letters, and independent guide lines. Students see a Zz card (showing the letter) and add it to a review file box for later practice. Students practice the motor formation of Z using tape on the floor as an alternative tactile activity.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice forming and recognizing the lowercase letter z using a handwriting sheet with guided tracing and independent practice. Students are prompted to compare the lowercase z to the capital Z (noting it 'looks the same... only smaller'). Students also practice making and tracing the letter z in a tactile sensory bag and practice the sound of the letter z while tracing.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students receive explicit letter-focused practice in Activity 3 where they circle the correct beginning letter for pictures, practice writing the letter Z, and cut and paste letters under the correct letter. The Student Activity Pages include a "Letter Sounds: Z" page with images and letter choices and a "Beginning Letter Sounds" page with five letters (z, r, x, h, d) that students match to corresponding images. Students also practice forming letters by watching an adult model or by writing the letters themselves.
2: Holidays
Unit 27: Halloween
Lesson 3
Day 3
The Getting Started section instructs the child to "review letter cards and sight word cards from previous weeks," which gives students an opportunity to look at letter cards. In Activity 2, students trace the words "Boo!" and "Happy Halloween!" in large pencil and then trace with a crayon, providing practice with letter shapes and writing some letters. The greeting card activity also has students draw or write a message, which may involve producing letters.
Lesson 4
Day 4
The Getting Started Review directs students to 'Review letter cards and sight words learned up to this point,' indicating students will handle and revisit letters. No other activity or the student activity page includes text or specific tasks that practice letter identification or naming.
Unit 28: Thanksgiving
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students are asked to "Review letter cards and sight words learned so far," which has them practice identifying letters and words. Students are also asked to write on die-cut food items for the cornucopia activity, which requires them to form letters when composing words or labels. These tasks provide opportunities for students to engage with letters in reading and writing contexts.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are prompted to "Review letter cards and sight words learned so far," which indicates they will look at and practice letters. Students are asked to write or dictate a note and to write their own name on the Thanksgiving card, an activity that requires use of letters. The activities incorporate printed text (sight words and letter cards) that students interact with during the review.
Unit 30: February Celebrations
Lesson 5
Day 5
Students dictate a letter and are asked to help address and stamp the letter, which involves writing an address. Students write TO: _______________ and LOVE, _______________ and are asked to write the recipient's name and their own name on valentines. Students use a marker to make the message "I love you" on the card and the image contains the word "You!", providing opportunities to see and write letter strings.
1: Environment
Unit 1: Habitats and Homes
Lesson 1
My Environment
Activity 4 includes a handwriting page for the letter "Bb" where students practice writing uppercase "B" and lowercase "b" and trace the words "bath" and "bed." The Exploring My Home activity pages present words with missing first letters (e.g., "__athroom," "__edroom," "__iving __oom," "__itchen") that require students to identify or supply initial letters for several room labels.
Lesson 2
What Is a Map?
Students practice letter formation and phonics: the Skills list includes "Write and sound out letters (LA)" and Activity 4 provides handwriting pages for uppercase and lowercase M and H with tracing and independent writing lines. Students are asked to fill in partially completed labels on the Map of a House worksheet and to sound out or be walked through letters while writing labels (Option 1 and Option 2). Students also copy and write words containing M and H (map, mom, home, house), reinforcing those letter shapes and sounds.
Lesson 3
Guide to Animal Habitats
Students are asked to look at the cover and point to the title and the author's name, and the prompts explicitly ask, "What letters do you recognize in the title?" and "What letters do you recognize in the author's name?" The introduction suggests reading the title and author's name aloud or letting the child attempt to read them, prompting letter-level attention to print.
Lesson 6
Exploring Animal Habitats
Students practice the letter Z explicitly: Activity 3 provides a handwriting page showing a large uppercase Z and lowercase z, rows of dashed-line traceable Z/z, guided writing lines, and the words "zebra" and "zoo" for tracing or copying. Students are asked to write or copy sentences that have words beginning with z, reinforcing recognition and formation of that specific letter.
Unit 2: Weather
Lesson 2
Types of Precipitation
Students practice the letter R in Activity 6: they trace and write uppercase R and lowercase r and write words (rain, round) that begin with R. In the Symmetry activity students fold and examine the uppercase letters A, D, and O to determine lines of symmetry, interacting directly with those letter shapes. The student activity pages include dashed/tracing lines and letter-focused tasks that require students to produce and visually identify specific letters.
Lesson 4
Simulating Weather
The Skills section directs students to "Know the difference between individual letters and printed words" and to "Recognize that written words are separated by spaces," which gives students practice with letter/word awareness. In the Weather Song activity, students are asked to read the words aloud, follow along by pointing to each word, find the word "clouds" (hint: it starts with the letter c) and the word "rain" (hint: it starts with the letter r), and locate all capital letters in the song. Students also count how many letters are in the word "clouds," providing additional letter-level attention.
Lesson 5
Fall
Students practice the letter F in Activity 4 (Handwriting) where they trace and write uppercase and lowercase F and write words like "fall" and "fun." In Option 1 and Option 2 students are asked to write names of three circled items and to circle the beginning letter of each word. Several activities ask students to copy or write words and sentences, giving repeated opportunities to see and form letters in context.
Lesson 8
Summer
Several activities prompt students to identify and produce initial letters: Option 1 asks the child to write the beginning letter of a word in blanks, and Option 2 encourages writing the first letter or copying the whole word. Activity 3 asks students to write the season's name or the beginning letter beneath the temperature that applies, and the story activities involve reading and using the target words aloud.
Unit 3: Community
Lesson 3
Jobs in the Community
The Skills section explicitly lists "Recognize and name upper- and lower-case letters (LA)." In Activity 1 (Option 1) students are asked to read or help read each community helper name, circle the first and last letters, and name and sound out each letter. In Activity 2 (both options) students are asked to attempt to read the names of workers, circle beginning letters, and in one option write the names themselves, giving practice with identifying letters in words.
Lesson 7
A Citizen with Character
Students practice handwriting for the letter K in Activity 7, including both uppercase K and lowercase k with tracing guidelines. Students trace and write the words "kid" and "kind" to reinforce the letter form in context. The skills list also includes "Write letters," indicating that students will engage in letter-writing practice.
2: Similarities and Differences
Unit 1: Amazing Attributes
Lesson 1
Describe It
Students are asked to circle the first letter in each word and sound out the word in Activity 3, which requires them to identify initial letters. Students copy or write descriptive words beneath pictures (Option 1 and Option 2), providing practice in producing letters. Activity 4 directs students to practice letters on handwriting paper if they cannot write a sentence, giving additional letter-writing practice.
Lesson 2
Animal Attributes
The handwriting activity (Activity 4) asks students to practice the letter Aa with tracing of uppercase A and lowercase a and to trace/copy the words "animal" and "ant." The page includes visual supports (pictures of ants and animals) to reinforce the letter-sound/letter-shape association for A. This provides direct practice in recognizing and forming both the uppercase and lowercase form of the letter A.
Lesson 4
How Does It Feel?
The Skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name letters (LA)," indicating students are expected to identify letters. In Option 1 students are asked to read each texture word and circle the beginning letter of each word, which has students identify specific letters. Activity 3 asks students to write or copy a sentence, which has them produce and use letters in writing.
Lesson 5
How Old?
Students practice forming and writing the uppercase and lowercase letter O on a dedicated handwriting page with dotted-line tracing and the words "order" and "old" for application. The lesson asks students to record at least the beginning letter of each name and reminds them that names begin with capital letters, requiring them to use and recognize initial uppercase letters. The skills list and activities encourage students to attempt to read written text, supporting early letter awareness.
Lesson 6
The Measure of Things
Activity 6 provides explicit handwriting practice for the letter pair "Ll," including guided lines, dashed lines, arrows for proper stroke direction, and the words "length" and "long" printed for copying. The Student Activity Page shows both an uppercase L and lowercase l and asks students to practice writing them, supporting formation and exposure to both cases of that letter.
Unit 2: Senses
Lesson 4
Hearing and Seeing
Activity 8 provides direct practice with the letter E: students trace and write uppercase "E" and lowercase "e," and write the words "eyes" and "ears" in sentences. The Student Activity Page includes dotted-line tracing, starting points, and pictures to associate the letter with words and images. Skills list includes "Attempt to read written text," which supports limited alphabet engagement.
Lesson 5
Touch
Students practice the letter T in Activity 5: Handwriting, where they trace and write uppercase and lowercase T using guidelines and dotted lines. They write the words "touch" and "taste," and trace the letter T within those words, with illustrations reinforcing the T sound and shape.
Lesson 6
Experimenting With Our Senses
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and write letters (LA)." In Activity 2, students are asked to read the name of each spice label and either copy the full name or write the first letter on index cards. In Activity 4 students write or dictate and copy a sentence, giving additional practice with letter formation and using letters in words.
Lesson 8
Writing About Our Senses
Students are asked to "Write letters of the alphabet" in the Skills list and to copy a sentence on handwriting paper (Activity 4), providing practice forming letters. In Activity 2 students may record the first letter of words before an adult finishes them, which gives some letter-level focus. The lesson also asks students to attempt to read written text, which can involve attention to letters.
Unit 3: We're the Same, We're Different
Lesson 1
You're Special
Activity 4 (Handwriting) has students trace and write the letter U in both uppercase and lowercase forms and trace the word "unique." The handwriting worksheet includes large Uu, dotted guides for tracing U and u, and blank spaces for freehand practice, indicating explicit practice with one letter's recognition and formation.
Lesson 4
Interests and Hobbies
Activity 4 provides explicit handwriting practice for the letter Y in both uppercase (Y) and lowercase (y). Students are given tracing and writing lines and are asked to practice the words "you" and "yes," and to use each word in a sentence. The activity requires students to form and visually engage with both forms of the letter Y.
Lesson 6
Different Families
Activity 3 directs students to practice the letter Dd and the word "different," including tracing multiple instances of uppercase and lowercase D and repeated practice with the letters "d" and "c." The handwriting practice page displays a large "Dd" for visual reference and provides dotted guidelines for tracing letters. Students are asked to trace letters and the word, supporting letter shape recognition and motor practice for those specific letters.
Lesson 9
Different Modes of Transportation
Students are asked in Option 1 to fill in the first letter for each transportation label (e.g., "__ar" for car), which requires identifying and writing specific letters. In Option 2 students must write entire labels for modes of transportation, requiring them to produce letters to form words. Activity 4 asks students to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper, providing additional practice forming letters.
Lesson 11
Being Part of a Group
Activity 4 provides explicit handwriting practice for the letters Gg and Xx: students trace dotted Gg and Xx, copy words (get, group, extra), and practice uppercase and lowercase forms on guideline lines. The handwriting pages show large examples, tracing models, and progressive practice from dotted to independent writing. Students are prompted to read or attempt to read their completed paragraph in Activity 2, which gives limited practice connecting letters to words.
3: Patterns
Unit 1: Identifying and Creating Visual Patterns
Lesson 8
Creating and Writing About Patterns
Students are instructed to "Write the first letter of each object in the pattern" on multiple activity pages (AABB, ABAB, ABC sections). The pages present letter boxes (A B A B A B, A B C A B C) and ask students to illustrate and describe patterns using those letters. Activity 2 asks an adult to "call out the letters for a pattern (ABAB, AABB, or ABC)" and have the child recreate the patterns, and Activity 5 allows assigning a letter to each item if a child cannot write words.
Unit 3: Patterns in Your World
Lesson 2
Patterns of Growth
Students are asked in Activity 2 to identify the initial letter of each plant part, sound out the word, and record the first letter on the diagram. The skills list includes "Write labels (LA)" and Activity 6 directs students to write the words plant, grow, and part five times each after a model. Several student pages require writing a sentence or filling in a "day" label, which gives students practice forming and using letters in context.
Lesson 3
Night and Day
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Write letters of the alphabet," "Record dominant consonant letters," and "Write from left to right," indicating students will practice letter-level writing. In Activity 1 students label three pictures (Sun, Moon, Earth), which requires writing or selecting lettered words. In Activity 3 students draw and then "record or dictate a few sentences," providing additional opportunities to produce letters and words.
Lesson 8
Symmetrical Patterns
Students cut apart letter squares and fold each letter vertically and horizontally to see whether the two halves line up (Activity 1: Alphabet Symmetry). The student activity page lists specific letters (J I M A O F) for students to examine, and students are asked to "write other letters of the alphabet and draw the lines of symmetry." The handwriting activity has students write or copy a sentence, engaging them in letter formation.
Final Project
Patterns All Around Lapbook
The lesson's Skills list explicitly says students will "Write capital and lowercase letters (LA)." Multiple activities require students to write labels and titles (e.g., writing "Symmetrical Pattern" on the one-page book cover, "Pattern in Nature" on the matchbook front, labeling stages on the 3-flap book, and writing the days of the week on the fan book). These tasks involve students producing upper- and lowercase letter forms in real writing contexts.
4: Change
Unit 1: Changes on Planet Earth
Final Project
Mobile of Change
The Skills list explicitly states 'Write most letters and some words (LA)'. The Final Project directs the child to write the word "CHANGES" in all capital letters on construction paper. These elements show students practice letter writing, including uppercase letters.
6: Reading
Unit 1: Semester 1
Lesson 1
Letter Sounds Review I
Students are explicitly prompted to recognize and name letters in multiple activities: they point to letters in the Weekly Message and are asked to "say their names" (Activity 3.1). Students flip lowercase letter cards and say the letter sounds and are asked to locate and point to specific lowercase letters (Activities 1.2, 2.1, 3.2). Students trace, write, and read letters and words (Activity 4.1 and Day 5 writing activities), practicing letter identification and production through writing and word-building.
Lesson 2
Letter Sounds Review II
The lesson's Skills list explicitly states students will "Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Students repeatedly handle letter cards and point to letters in the Weekly Message (Activity 1.2, Activity 3.1) where they are asked to find or say the letters r, b, l, i, g, n, and d. Students practice letter formation by tracing and writing letters (Activity 4.1) and complete identification worksheets (Beginning Letters, Ending Letters) that require selecting or writing the appropriate initial or final letters for pictured words.
Lesson 3
Letter Sounds Review III
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet," which directs student learning toward letter naming. Students are asked to use lowercase letter cards to flip and say the letter sound and to point to letters as the teacher says words that begin with that letter sound (Activity 1.2). Students practice writing and tracing letters on Writing Letters pages and are prompted to "say the sound of each letter as he writes it," and the optional Making Letters activity asks students to "write each of this week's letters and say its name when you hold up its letter card." The Wrapping Up activity asks students to flip letter cards and say each letter sound or read sight words, providing additional practice with individual letters.
Lesson 4
Letter Sounds Review IV
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Students use letter cards to flip over and say letter sounds and to point to letters when the teacher says a word that begins or ends with that letter sound (Activity 1.2). Students also trace and write letters on the "Writing Letters" pages and on handwriting practice pages that include uppercase and lowercase letters for tracing.
Lesson 5
Adding s, More Word Families, Ending with ck
The Weekly Skills list explicitly states that students will "Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet." In Activity 1.2 students arrange lowercase letter cards in alphabetical order and place each uppercase letter below its lowercase partner, and they spell names beginning with uppercase letters. Multiple Student Activity Pages provide guided tracing and independent writing practice for uppercase letters (pages showing A–H, M–Q, and additional uppercase practice).
Lesson 6
Open Syllables and Digraph th
The lesson's Skills list explicitly states that students should "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Students repeatedly use lowercase letter cards to spell and read words (Activities 2.1, 2.2, 4.2, 4.3), and they encounter an uppercase sight word (I) and are asked to identify that sentences begin with an uppercase letter (Activity 5.1). Students are also asked to point to and read sight word cards and to write words, which requires recognition of letters in context.
Lesson 7
Consonant Digraphs ch, sh, wh, ph
Students are explicitly expected to "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet" as listed in the Skills section. Students handle lowercase letter cards during word-building activities (Group #1–#3) and use a laminated writing sheet and dry-erase marker to write dictated words, which requires them to identify and produce letter forms. Students also work with alphabet-related materials (alphabet letter chips shown on an activity page) and point to letters when reading and spelling words.
Lesson 8
Blends with s
The Skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Multiple activities require the child to use lowercase letter cards (e.g., showing s and t lowercase letter cards, giving lowercase letter cards for word building, and asking the child to point to beginning sounds). Students are asked to point to and read words while following left-to-right conventions, which involves attending to letter sequences.
Lesson 9
Blends with l
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Students are given lowercase letter cards in Day 2 and Day 3 word-building activities and are instructed to use letter cards and word-building cards to spell words. Activity 5.1 presents word cards in both uppercase and lowercase (e.g., "The," "the") and reminds students that sentences begin with an uppercase letter.
Lesson 10
Blends with r
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet," indicating that students are expected to meet this goal. Students work with lowercase letter cards during multiple word-building activities (Day 2 and Day 3) and manipulate letters in the "Alphabet Soup" activity to create and write words. Students also trace and write words on handwriting pages and complete letter-based sorting pages (columns labeled with blends), providing repeated exposure to letter shapes.
Lesson 11
Ending Blends
The lesson's skills list explicitly names "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Multiple activities give the child lowercase letter cards and ask him to spell words, form words, and produce letter sounds (for example, "make the sound of each letter," "use the cards to spell 'pan' and then add one letter"). Activities also require the child to point to and read words aloud, which engages letter-level decoding with lowercase print.
Lesson 12
Double ll, ss, ff, zz (FLOSS)
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Students are given lowercase letter cards and use them repeatedly to spell words (Activities 1.2, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1). The Alphabet Soup activity and multiple word-building tasks require students to find, manipulate, and write letters, and Activity 4.1 requires students to begin a sentence with an uppercase letter.
Lesson 13
Glued Sounds ng and nk
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Students handle lowercase letter cards to build and spell words (e.g., asking the child to spell hang, king, song, lung) and use a laminated writing sheet and handwriting practice pages to write words. The lesson also reminds students that words that begin with an uppercase letter should come at the beginning of a sentence, which references uppercase use.
Lesson 14
Three-Letter Beginning Blends
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Students are repeatedly asked to use lowercase letter cards to spell words, read words aloud, point to words in the Weekly Message, and write words on handwriting or laminated sheets. Activities require students to say letter sounds, sound out words, and read sight-word cards, which involve identifying letter forms and their sounds.
Lesson 15
More Ending Blends
The skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Students use lowercase letter cards to spell words (Day 2, Day 3) and are asked to "say the sounds that they make," point to letter/building cards, and spell dictated words. Students also practice writing and tracing sight words and use the "Alphabet Soup" activity to select and manipulate individual letters to create words.
Lesson 16
R-Controlled Vowels (ar)
The lesson's Skills section explicitly lists "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Multiple activities ask students to use lowercase letter cards to spell and read words (Activity 1.2, Day 3 word building, Day 5 word chains). Day 2 asks a question about an uppercase letter ("Why does Jack begin with an uppercase letter?"), showing some attention to letter case awareness.
Lesson 17
Semester Review
The Skills list explicitly states that students should "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet." Students handle lowercase letter cards in word-building activities (Activity 1.2) and use lowercase letter cards and sorting into vowel/consonant piles in the word game (Activity 3.1). Students also practice capitalization by beginning sentences with capital letters and by writing titles and their name on their reader (Activity 4.2).
Unit 2: Semester 2
Lesson 1
Long Vowels a and i with Silent e
Students are asked to point to lowercase letter cards a, e, i, o, u and say the short vowel sounds, then to point to each letter and say its name (Activity 1.2). Students use lowercase letter cards repeatedly to build and spell words with silent e (Activities 2.3, 3.3, Day 4 Alphabet Soup) and the Alphabet Soup page lists specific letters for students to manipulate. Some Student Activity Pages display both lowercase and an uppercase I (pig/kite page), showing at least occasional exposure to an uppercase form.
Lesson 2
Long Vowels o, u, and e with Silent e
Students use lowercase letter cards to spell words in multiple activities (e.g., Activities 2.3, 3.2, and 4.1) and write letters/words on laminated sheets and activity pages. In Activity 1.1, a student is asked to notice that "Tim" begins with an uppercase letter and explain why. Students also write letters when completing spelling tests and the four long-vowel columns, demonstrating some letter-level production.
Lesson 4
More R-Controlled Vowels (er, ir, or, ur)
Students work with lowercase letter cards to spell words (Activity 1.2, Activity 2.2, Day 4 word building) and are asked to point to and read words in the Weekly Message and sight word cards (Activity 1.1, Activity 1.3). The skills list includes following print left-to-right and demonstrating knowledge of letter-sound correspondences, and several activities require students to read or write letters/words on laminated writing sheets.
Lesson 10
Other Long Vowel Patterns
Students use lowercase letter cards to spell and read words in multiple activities (Activity 1.2, Day 3, Day 4), practicing letter identification while building words. Students complete the Alphabet Soup activity that asks them to find and write words using specific letters shown in the bowl (c, s, h, g, d, o, m, i, t, w, f, b). The skills list and activities ask students to demonstrate knowledge of letter-sound correspondences and to write letters on laminated sheets and handwriting paper, which requires recognizing individual lowercase letters.
Lesson 12
Other Vowel Sounds oi, oy
Students work extensively with lowercase letter cards in Activities 1.2 and 3.2 where they draw letters from a facedown stack and use those lowercase letters (along with word-building cards) to spell, write, and read words. Activity 4.1 explicitly reminds students that words that begin with an uppercase letter should come at the beginning of a sentence, calling attention to uppercase usage in sentence context. Multiple reading and sight-word activities require students to recognize printed letters within words as they read and sort words by vowel patterns.
Lesson 17
Year-End Review
Students use the letters and letter pairs in the Alphabet Soup activities to create and write words (Activity 3.1 and Activity 5.1). The lesson explicitly suggests giving students lowercase letter cards and word-building cards so they can move letters around to form words. Multiple activities (word sorting, sight word search, sentence writing) require students to read and identify letters within words as they read and write.