Core Knowledge Language Arts Program

1. Core Knowledge Language Arts Program The Core Knowledge Language Arts Program is based on the insight that reading comprehension is a two-lock box, a box that requires two keys to open. • The first key is decoding skills. • The second key is oral language, vocabulary and background knowledge sufficient to understand what is decoded.

4. First Key: Decoding Skills • These are taught in the Skills Strand of • Core Knowledge Language Arts • Grades K-2: • Focus on systematic, explicit instruction in synthetic phonics • Sound > letter instruction • Reading and writing taught in tandem, as inverse procedures • Repeated oral reading of 100% decodable text to build fluency

5. Second Key: Oral Language, Vocabulary, Background Knowledge • These are taught in the Listening and Learning • Strand of Core Knowledge Language Arts • Grades K-2: • Focus on listening comprehension • Carefully sequenced oral read-alouds grouped into thematically unified domains, based on the Core Knowledge Sequence • Read-alouds include fiction and nonfiction selections

6. The Core Knowledge Language Arts Program Skills Strand Components One hour of daily instruction is devoted to the Skills Strand. Teachers and students use the following components. Teacher Guide (K, 1, 2, 3) One per teacher per unit The Teacher Guide for the Skills strand outlines the lessons for each unit.

7. Student Workbooks (K, 1, 2, 3) One per student per unit The Skills strand Student Workbooks contain activity and practice pages to accompany and reinforce skills instruction.

8. Student Readers (K, 1, 2, 3) One per student per unit (in Grade K, Readers begin with Unit 6) The Skills Strand Student Readers contain 100% decodable text designed to provide practice on recently taught spellings. New spellings taught in each unit are printed in bold throughout the unit’s Reader to help students master new material. Big Books (K, 1) One per teacher for five titles in Grade K, three titles in Grade 1 The Big Books are large format replicas of some of the Student Readers. Teachers use these to model reading for students.

9. Blending Picture Cards (K) One set per teacher Blending Picture Cards show an image on one side and the matching segmented word on the other side. Sound Poster Set & Sound Cards (K) One set per teacher The Sound Posters are used to display code knowledge on the classroom wall as each sound is taught.

10. Student Chaining Folder (K) One per student Students use the Chaining Folders to practice building words with the Small Letter Cards. Small Letter Cards (K) One set per teacher—distributed to students as needed The set of Small Letter Cards contains enough cards for all to conduct spelling and chaining activities.

11. Large Card Letter Set (K, 1) One set per teacher Full-page sized cards with the spellings of each of the Skills Strand sound-spellings. Vowels are shaded. The cards are used for teaching and reviewing sounds and spellings and for activities like chaining. Timeline Posters & Timeline Cards (2) One set per teacher The Timeline Cards feature an image and a sentence depicting an event from the decodable Student Reader.

12. Spelling Cards (1, 2, 3) One set per teacher The Spelling Cards are used with the Code Flip Books. Code Flip Books (1, 2, 3) One set per teacher The set of two large format Flip Books (one for vowels and one for consonants) contains both basic and alternative spellings. Individual Code Charts (1, 2, 3) One per student Individual code sheets for students provide aid for students to use when writing and spelling

13. Skills Strand Lesson Format Blending and segmenting warm up using sounds previously taught Introduce new sound Chaining practice with new sound Reading practice with new sound or words Small group reading using the readers

14. The Core Knowledge Language Arts Program Listening and Learning Strand Components One hour of daily instruction is devoted to the Listening & Learning Strand. Teachers and students use the following components. Anthology (K, 1, 2, 3) One per teacher per domain The Anthology is the instructor guide for the Listening & Learning strand. There will be one Anthology for each domain.

15. Flip Book (K, 1, 2, 3) One per teacher per domain The Flip Book includes the illustrations and images for the Listening & Learning read-alouds. Image Card Set (K, 1, 2, 3) One per teacher per domain The Image Card set includes smaller sized images from the Listening & Learning domain.

16. Student Workbooks (K, 1, 2, 3) One per student per unit The Domain Workbooks contain activity and practice pages to accompany the read alouds

17. Listening and Learning Lesson Format Introducing the read aloud-10 minutes Presenting the read aloud-10-15 minutes Discussing the read aloud-15 minutes A.) Comprehension questions-10 minutes B.) Word Work-5 minutes Extension Activity-15-20 minutes

18. Assessment and Remediation Guide A separate publication found online that provides additional resources, min-lessons and activities meant to guide remediation of specific skills Supplemental Guide A separate publication found online that provides scaffolded lessons to be used with English Language Learners and Special Needs students

19. Core Knowledge Video