Our Curriculum › Writing & Grammar › Kindergarten
Writing K
A first year of real writing: learning to hold a pencil and form every capital and lowercase letter, then copying words and sentences, and gradually writing short opinion, fact, how-to and letter pieces with a picture and a sentence frame to lean on.
180 lessons
One a day for a school year
8 units
Each opens to its lessons
All 26 letters
Capital and lowercase, then words
Standards
Common Core Kindergarten writing & language
What's taught, unit by unit
Pencil grip and the first 16 lettersDays 1–20
How to hold a pencil, then letter formation in small groups: straight-line letters (L, I, T, F, E, H), round letters (O, C), then V, X, K, N, M, W, Y, Z. Each letter is written big and small, with review days after each set.
- 1 · Welcome to Writing K! Holding a Pencil
- 2 · Letter Ll: Straight Down
- 3 · Letter Ii: Straight Down with a Dot
- 4 · Letter Tt: Across and Down
- 5 · Letter Ff: Down, Across, Across
- 6 · Letter Ee: Down, Across, Across, Across
- 7 · Letter Hh: Down, Down, Across
- 8 · Letter Oo: A Big Round Circle
- 9 · Letter Cc: An Open Circle
- 10 · Letter Review: L, I, T, F, E, H, O, C
- 11 · Letter Vv: Down, Up
- 12 · Letter Xx: Two Crossing Lines
- 13 · Letter Kk: Tall Line with a Kick
- 14 · Letter Nn: Down, Up, Down
- 15 · Practice Day: V, X, K, N
- 16 · Letter Mm: Two Mountains
- 17 · Letter Ww: Two Valleys
- 18 · Letter Yy: The Slingshot Letter
- 19 · Letter Zz: The Zigzag Letter
- 20 · Letter Review: V, X, K, N, M, W, Y, Z
The rest of the alphabetDays 21–30
The last ten letters (A, D, P, R, B, G, J, Q, U), which mix straight lines and curves, finishing with an A-to-Z review and celebration.
- 21 · Letter A
- 22 · Letter D
- 23 · Letter P
- 24 · Letter R
- 25 · Letter B
- 26 · Letter G
- 27 · Letter J
- 28 · Letter Q
- 29 · Letter U
- 30 · Alphabet Celebration: A to Z Review
Writing my name and copying first wordsDays 31–46
Writing the child's own name neatly and then from memory, then copying short three-letter words by sounding them out: -at, -op, -an and -ig word families (cat, hop, fan, pig and others).
- 31 · Write Your Name: Part 1 – The Letters in My Name
- 32 · Write Your Name: Part 2 – Even Spacing, Straight Lines
- 33 · Write Your Name: Part 3 – Writing It All By Myself
- 34 · Copying Words: mat
- 35 · Copying Words: cat
- 36 · Copying Words: sat (Review the -at Family)
- 37 · Copying Words: top (A New Word Family)
- 38 · Copying Words: hop
- 39 · Copying Words: mop (Review Both Word Families)
- 41 · Writing Day 41: Word Family -an — Fan
- 42 · Writing Day 42: Word Family -an — Man
- 43 · Writing Day 43: Word Family -an — Can
- 44 · Writing Day 44: Word Family -ig — Pig
- 45 · Writing Day 45: Word Family -ig — Big
- 46 · Writing Day 46: Word Family -ig — Dig
Plus 1 review day, not listed.
Sentence frames and favorite thingsDays 47–60
Copying a whole sentence with a blank to fill in (I see a ___, I have a ___, The ___ is big), then the first opinion sentences about a favorite animal, food and toy, ending with a self-portrait and caption.
- 47 · Writing Day 47: My First Sentence — I See a ___
- 48 · Writing Day 48: A New Sentence — I Like the ___
- 49 · Writing Day 49: Practice with Two Sentences
- 50 · Writing Day 50: Two-Week Review — Words and Sentences
- 51 · Sentence Frame: I Have a ___
- 52 · Sentence Frame: The ___ Is Big
- 53 · Sentence Frame: I Can See a ___
- 54 · Mixed Practice: Three Sentence Frames
- 56 · My Favorite Animal
- 57 · My Favorite Food
- 58 · My Favorite Toy
- 60 · This Is Me! Self-Portrait and Caption
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Stories, facts and a first mini-bookDays 61–90
More word families (-ot, -it), First/Then and First/Then/Last stories, favorite season, book and game, true fact sentences about animals, a tricky-letters check (b, d, g, s), and copying two-sentence mini-stories. Ends with an All-About-Me book.
- 61 · Word Family: -ot (Hot)
- 62 · Word Family: -ot (Dot)
- 63 · Word Family: -ot (Pot) and Family Review
- 64 · First and Then: My Morning
- 65 · First and Then: My Bedtime
- 66 · First and Then: You Choose!
- 67 · My Favorite Season
- 68 · My Favorite Book
- 69 · My Favorite Game
- 71 · First, Then, Last: Making a Sandwich
- 72 · First, Then, Last: Washing My Hands
- 73 · First, Then, Last: You Choose!
- 74 · I Know That...: Facts About a Dog
- 75 · I Know That...: Pick Your Own Animal
- 76 · My Animal Fact Book: Two Facts Together
- 77 · Copying Words: sit
- 78 · Copying Words: hit and fit
- 79 · Sentence Frame: I Can Sit on the ___
- 80 · My Favorite Things Mini-Book
- 81 · Tricky Letters Check-In: b, d, g, s
- 82 · CVC Word Review: cat, fan, pig, hot, sit
- 83 · First, Then, Last Review: Getting Dressed
- 84 · Opinion Review: My Favorite Color
- 85 · Fact Sentence Review + Halfway Portfolio Check
- 86 · Mini-Story Copying: My Dog
- 87 · Mini-Story Copying: The Sun
- 88 · Mini-Story Copying: Dinosaurs
- 89 · Choose-Your-Own Mini-Story
- 90 · Ninety Days of Writing K! My All-About-Me Book
Plus 1 review day, not listed.
Fact pieces, how-tos and comparingDays 91–120
Two-sentence animal fact pieces, step-by-step how-to writing (brushing teeth, making a bed), big/small/fast/slow/loud/quiet comparisons, and because-sentences giving a reason. Word families -op (again), -en and -ug.
- 91 · -op Word Family: Top
- 92 · -op Word Family: Hop
- 93 · -op Word Family: Mop and Review
- 94 · Fact Writing: All About a Fox
- 95 · Fact Writing: All About a Bird
- 96 · Fact Writing: Choose Your Own Animal
- 97 · How-To Writing: How to Brush Your Teeth
- 98 · How-To Writing: How to Wash Your Hands
- 99 · How-To Writing: Choose Your Steps
- 100 · 100 Days of Writing K!
- 101 · Word Family -en: Hen
- 102 · Word Family -en: Ten
- 103 · Word Family -en: Pen (Review)
- 104 · How-To Writing: How to Make a Bed
- 105 · How-To Writing: How to Feed a Pet
- 106 · How-To Writing: How to Get Dressed
- 107 · Big and Small: A Whale and a Mouse
- 108 · Big and Small: A Truck and a Bug
- 109 · Big and Small: Choose Your Own
- 111 · Word Family Rug: -ug Words (Part 1)
- 112 · Word Family Rug: -ug Words (Part 2 — rug)
- 113 · Word Family Rug: -ug Words (Part 3 — jug, mug, dug + review)
- 114 · Because I Like It: Adding a Reason (Part 1 — favorite animal)
- 115 · Because I Like It: Adding a Reason (Part 2 — favorite food)
- 116 · Because I Like It: Adding a Reason (Part 3 — favorite toy, your choice)
- 117 · Big, Small, and Medium: A Third Size Word
- 118 · Fast and Slow: A New Comparing Pair
- 119 · Loud and Quiet: Another New Comparing Pair
- 120 · 120 Days of Writing K!
Plus 1 review day, not listed.
Because, who-what-where and About MeDays 121–150
Because-sentences about a favorite place or person, three-part who/what/where sentences, an About Me page that grows to four sentences, and a friendly letter (Dear, I like you because, Love). Word families -ut, -ad, -un.
- 121 · Word Family -ut: Cut
- 122 · Word Family -ut: Nut
- 123 · Word Family -ut: Hut and But
- 124 · Because Sentences: My Favorite Place
- 125 · Because Sentences: My Favorite Person
- 126 · Because Sentences: You Choose!
- 127 · Who, What, Where Sentences: A Visit to the Park
- 128 · Who, What, Where Sentences: What Are They Doing?
- 129 · Who, What, Where Sentences: You Choose!
- 131 · Word Family: dad (-ad, Word 1)
- 132 · Word Family: sad (-ad, Word 2)
- 133 · Word Family: mad and bad (-ad, Words 3-4)
- 134 · About Me: Sentence 1 — My Name
- 135 · About Me: Sentence 2 — My Favorite
- 136 · About Me: Sentence 3 — What I Do
- 137 · About Me: Putting It All Together
- 140 · 140 Days of Writing K!
- 141 · Word Family -un: sun
- 142 · Word Family -un: fun
- 143 · Word Family -un: run + Family Match
- 144 · A Letter to Someone I Love: Dear ___,
- 145 · A Letter to Someone I Love: I like you because ___.
- 146 · A Letter to Someone I Love: Love, [my name]
- 147 · My Finished Letter
- 148 · About Me: My favorite color is ___.
- 149 · About Me: The Whole Piece, Four Sentences
- 150 · Review and Practice: 150 Days of Writing
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
Thank-you note, portfolio and awardsDays 151–180
A thank-you note, then a keepsake book called My Kindergarten Writing Journey: favorite piece, favorite word, letter, story and sentences, plus cover and table of contents. Word families -ap, -ed, -am, then a three-day awards show and graduation.
- 151 · Word Family -ap: Cap
- 152 · Word Family -ap: Nap
- 153 · Word Family -ap: Map (Match and Review)
- 154 · Thank-You Note: Dear and Thank You For
- 155 · Thank-You Note: I Like It Because
- 156 · Thank-You Note: Love and Delivery Day
- 157 · My Favorite Piece: Picking a Winner
- 158 · My Favorite Piece: Copying the First Line
- 159 · My Favorite Piece: Add a Picture
- 160 · My Favorite Piece: Why I Love It
- 161 · Portfolio Page Two: My Favorite Word Family Word
- 162 · Portfolio Page Three: My Favorite Letter
- 163 · Portfolio Page Four: My First-Then-Last Story
- 164 · Portfolio Page Five: My Opinion Sentence
- 165 · Portfolio Page Six: My Who-What-Where Sentence
- 166 · Word Family -ed: Bed
- 167 · Word Family -ed: Red
- 168 · Word Family -ed: Fed
- 169 · Portfolio Check-In: Six Pages and Growing
- 170 · Getting Ready for the Grand Finale
- 171 · Book Cover: My Kindergarten Writing Journey
- 172 · Table of Contents: All Our Pages in Order
- 173 · Celebration Day: Reading My Book to My Family
- 174 · New Word Family: -am (ham)
- 175 · New Word Family: -am (jam)
- 176 · New Word Family: -am (dam) and Matching
- 177 · Writing K Awards Show: Letters and Words
- 178 · Writing K Awards Show: Sentence Champions
- 179 · Writing K Awards Show: Letters and Authors
- 180 · Congratulations! You Completed Writing K!
By the end of the year, your child can
- Write every capital and lowercase letter of the alphabet
- Write their own first name neatly from memory
- Sound out and write simple three-letter words in word families like -at and -ig
- Write a complete sentence using a sentence frame and a picture word
- Tell what they think, what happened, or a true fact in one or two sentences
- Write a short friendly letter or thank-you note
Other Kindergarten subjects: Math K · Reading K · Science K · History K