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

Students learn the basic building blocks of reading: how letters make sounds, how sounds build words, and how those words appear on a page.

Students put a naming word and an action word together to make a complete spoken sentence, like "the dog runs" instead of just "dog" or "runs."

Students practice saying one cat versus two cats, one box versus two boxes. They learn which nouns name one thing and which name more than one.

Students learn to start spoken questions with words like "who," "what," "where," "when," and "why." It's the difference between saying "You have a dog" and "Do you have a dog?"

Students learn that every sentence starts with a capital letter and that the word I is always capitalized. Those two rules apply every time they pick up a pencil.

Students practice turning one thing into many by adding -s or -es to the end of a word. One cat becomes cats, one box becomes boxes.

Students learn to change verbs by adding -ing, -ed, or -s to show when something is happening, already happened, or is done by one person.

Students learn to spot the doing words in a sentence, like run, jump, and eat, then use them in their own writing and speech.

Students use describing words to add detail to their sentences, like saying the dog is "big" or the cat runs "fast."

Students learn the difference between everyday words for people, places, and things (like "city" or "dog") and specific names (like "Paris" or "Rex").

Students learn to talk and write about time by using the right verb form. They practice saying what is happening now, what already happened, and what will happen next.

Students learn to use small pointing words like "a," "the," "my," and "this" in front of nouns. These words help sentences make sense by showing which thing or whose thing is being named.

Students learn to spot names of specific people and places, like "Maria" or "Paris," and write them with a capital letter at the start.

Students learn when to end a sentence with a period, an exclamation mark, or a question mark. A period closes a plain statement, an exclamation mark shows strong feeling, and a question mark follows something asked.

Students learn that words ending in -y usually change to -ies when there is more than one. One cherry becomes two cherries, one bunny becomes two bunnies.

Students learn to swap a person's name for words like "he," "she," "they," "him," or "her." They also use possessive words like "his" and "hers" to show who owns something.

Students learn words that show where or when something is, like "on," "in," "under," and "before." They practice using those words in their own sentences.

Students learn where to put commas: between items in a list, inside a date or address, and at the start and end of a letter greeting.

Students learn two jobs for apostrophes: pulling two words together (like "do not" into "don't") and showing that something belongs to one person (like "the dog's bowl").

Students learn that some words don't just add an "s" to show more than one. They practice words like feet, mice, and teeth instead of foots, mouses, or tooths.

Students practice verbs that don't follow the normal rules when talking about the past, like knowing that "run" becomes "ran" and "eat" becomes "ate," not "runned" or "eated."

Students learn to connect words and ideas using joining words like "and," "but," and "or." They practice building sentences such as "I like cats and dogs" or "We can sit or stand."

Students practice making verbs work in a sentence by adding -d to show something already happened ("She jumped") or -es to show it happens now ("He jumps").

Students learn that some nouns name a group acting as one thing (a flock, a team) and that others name ideas you can't touch (freedom, happiness).

Students learn to use words like "myself" and "herself" when the subject and object of a sentence are the same person, as in "I did it myself."

Students learn to join two complete thoughts into one sentence using words like "and," "but," or "so," with a comma before that joining word.

Students learn that a hyphen can split a long word across two lines of writing, keeping the break between syllables so the word is still easy to read.

Students learn to use short phrases that show where or when something happens, like "in the box" or "after lunch," and practice slipping them into sentences.

Students learn to say "bigger" and "biggest," or "faster" and "fastest." They practice changing describing words to compare two things, then compare three or more.

Students learn to match pronouns to the nouns they replace. If a sentence introduces a girl, students use "she," not "he" or "they."

Students learn when to capitalize a word, when to use a comma, and how to use quotation marks to show exactly what someone said.

Students learn words like "who," "where," and "when" to connect ideas in a sentence. For example: "The dog who bit me ran away" or "I know where the ball is."

Students add short words like "Wow" or "Oh no" to their writing to show strong feelings or surprise.

Students learn to use small helper words like "is," "are," "was," and "will" to connect or support the main action in a sentence.

Students learn which version of a tricky word fits the sentence, like knowing when to write "to," "too," or "two." These mix-ups trip up adults too, so catching them early matters.

Students learn when to use a capital letter in shortened words like Dr. or Mr., in names like American or Texan, and in titles like President or Queen.

Students learn to place a comma before or after a name when talking to someone directly, and after the words "yes" or "no" at the start of a sentence. Think "Yes, I can" or "Come here, Sam."

Students learn to add an apostrophe when a plural noun owns something, like writing "the dogs' bowls" instead of "the dogs bowls." It is one of the first steps in writing ownership correctly.

Students learn when to say "someone left their bag" versus "everyone has a turn." They practice matching pronouns like "someone," "anyone," and "everyone" to the right verb form in a sentence.

Students learn to connect two ideas in one sentence using words like "because," "when," or "if." For example: "I wear a coat when it is cold."

Students learn to put a comma after an opening phrase before the main thought begins. For example, in "After lunch, we went outside," the comma signals where the sentence shifts.

Students learn which words in a title get a capital letter and how to mark the title of a book, song, or story using quotation marks or underlining.

Students learn to use pronouns like "myself" or "himself" to add emphasis, as in "I did it myself." These pronouns stress that someone did something alone or without help.

Students learn that verbs can show ongoing action ("she is running"), completed action ("she has run"), and action that started in the past and is still happening ("she has been running"). They practice choosing the right form in their own sentences.

Students learn to use describing words made from verbs, like "a running dog" or "a broken toy." These words add detail to a sentence without turning the verb into the main action.

Students learn to spot pronouns like "it" or "they" that leave a reader confused about who or what is meant, then fix the sentence so the meaning is clear.

Students learn to pair connecting words like "both/and" or "either/or" to link ideas in a sentence. Think of it as teaching kids that some words work as a team.

Students learn when to use capital letters, quotation marks, and end punctuation to show exactly what a character said. They also add a tag like "she said" so readers know who is speaking.

Students learn when to swap commas for semicolons in a list, specifically when some items in that list already have commas inside them. Think: "We visited Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Berlin, Germany."

Students learn when to set off extra words or phrases in a sentence with a comma, parentheses, or a dash. Those added details aren't required for the sentence to make sense, but they give the reader more information.

Students learn when to use three dots (...) to show a pause or that something is left out. They practice adding ellipses in their own writing to keep readers waiting or signal that more is coming.

Students learn when to add a hyphen to words like "well-known" or "three-year-old." They practice spotting which word combinations need a hyphen and which ones don't.

Students learn to join two complete thoughts in one sentence using a semicolon, sometimes paired with a connecting word like "however" or "therefore." This is an advanced punctuation skill that shows up in formal and academic writing.

Students learn what each word does in a sentence: which word names the thing, which word shows the action, and which word describes or adds detail.

Students learn when to use capital letters, commas, quotation marks, and end punctuation correctly, including how to cite a source in parentheses when pulling a quote or detail from a text.

Students learn to use words like "this," "that," "these," and "those" to point to specific people or things. They practice choosing the right word depending on whether the object is nearby or far away.

Students learn when to place a colon before a list or explanation in a sentence. For example, they practice writing a sentence like "I packed three things: a snack, a book, and a pencil."

Students learn that verbs can act as other parts of speech. A word like "running" can name an activity, describe a noun, or complete a sentence, depending on how it's used.

Students learn that the tense of a verb can show more than time. They practice choosing words that signal whether something is a command, a wish, or a fact.

Students learn to place a colon before a quoted sentence, like writing "She said: 'Come inside.'" It's a small punctuation rule that helps readers see exactly where someone else's words begin.

Students learn when a dash belongs in a sentence and practice putting one in the right place.

Students look up tricky grammar and punctuation questions in a style guide instead of guessing. They use the reference to settle real questions about how sentences should be written.

Reading, writing, talking, and listening show up every day in kindergarten. These four habits run through everything students do with words, from sounding out letters to sharing ideas aloud.

Students learn the rules of written and spoken English: how sentences are built, how words are spelled and punctuated, and what new words mean. These skills connect directly to reading and writing.

Reading and listening to books, stories, and other writing is how students build knowledge and language skills. The more they engage with texts, the more they learn.

Students learn to hear how spoken words are built from sounds. They practice breaking words apart, blending sounds together, and swapping sounds to make new words.

Students listen to words and figure out which ones rhyme, then come up with their own rhyming words. Think "cat, hat, bat."

Rhyming words end with the same sound. Students listen to pairs of words and decide if they rhyme, like "cat" and "hat," or don't, like "cat" and "dog."

Students say words that rhyme with a word the teacher gives them, like pairing "cat" with "hat" or "dog" with "log." It's all spoken out loud, no reading required.

Students learn that a sentence is made of separate words, and that each word carries its own meaning. They practice hearing where one word ends and the next begins.

Words combine to form sentences, and each sentence expresses a complete thought. Students learn to notice where one sentence ends and another begins.

Students listen to a short phrase or sentence and count out each word in it, one by one. This builds their sense of how spoken language breaks apart into separate words.

Sounds blend together to make words, and every word carries its own meaning. Students practice hearing how separate sounds like /k/, /a/, and /t/ join to form a word like "cat."

Students hear a compound word like "rainbow" or "cupcake" and break it into the two smaller words hiding inside it. They can also snap two words together to make a new one.

Students hear a compound word like "sunshine" and break it into "sun" and "shine," or hear two words and push them together into one.

Students take compound words apart and build new ones by swapping or removing one piece. For example, they hear "cupcake," drop "cup," and get "cake," or swap it to make "pancake."

Students listen to a word and clap out its parts, then practice breaking it apart or putting pieces together. They work with spoken words only, no reading required yet.

Syllables are the beats inside a word, and each beat has exactly one vowel sound. Students learn to hear how a word like "rabbit" has two beats and "banana" has three.

Students clap out or count the beats in a spoken word, like say-ing "rain-bow" has two beats.

Students break a spoken word into its syllables and push them back together. For example, they hear "rain-bow," clap each part, then blend it back into one word.

Students hear a word like "cupcake" and say what's left when one part is removed. This is early practice breaking spoken words into syllables and dropping pieces.

Students break spoken words into their starting sound and ending chunk, then blend them back together. For example, they split "cat" into /k/ and "at," then combine them again.

Students hear the first sound of a short word and its ending chunk, then push them together to say the whole word. For example, blending "c" and "at" to say "cat."

Students split a one-syllable word into its opening sound and the rest. For "cat," that means hearing "c" as one piece and "at" as the other.

Students listen to a spoken word, pick out its individual sounds, and can swap or remove one sound to make a new word. For example, they hear "cat," identify three sounds, and change the first one to make "bat."

Students pick out the first, last, and middle sounds in short spoken words. For example, in "cat," they hear that it starts with /k/, ends with /t/, and has /a/ in the middle.

Students listen to a single spoken word and pick out whether the vowel makes a short sound (like the "a" in "cat") or a long sound (like the "a" in "cake").

Students listen to a short spoken word and break it apart into individual sounds, then blend those sounds back together. They work with simple one-syllable words like "cat" or "hop."

Students change sounds in short spoken words, swapping one sound for another, dropping a sound, or adding a new one. For example, changing the "c" in "cat" to "b" to make "bat."

Reading a book has rules. Students learn that print moves left to right, that spaces separate words, and that letters on the page stand for spoken language.

Books, signs, and written words all carry a message someone wanted to share. Students learn that print is not just shapes on a page but a way people talk to each other.

Words on a page and pictures in a book both stand for real things and ideas. Students learn that print and images carry a message someone put there on purpose.

Students read words they see in the real world, like a stop sign, a cereal box, or a label on a door.

Students learn to spot the difference between a letter, a word, a number, and a picture on a page.

Students learn that books have a front and back cover, that pages turn from right to left, and that words read left to right, top to bottom.

Students learn which end of a book is the front and how to hold it right-side up before they start reading.

Students follow words on a page from top to bottom and left to right, then flip to the next page by turning from right to left. This is how a book moves forward.

Students point to the front and back covers of a book and find the title, the author's name, and any pictures. This is how readers learn what a book is about before they open it.

Students learn the basic rules of how print works: that words are made of letters, that spaces separate words, and that sentences start with a capital letter.

Students look at a written word and notice it is built from individual letters, not one single mark.

Words on a page have spaces between them so readers can tell where one word ends and the next begins. Students learn to spot those gaps in a sentence.

Sentences start with a capital letter and end with a period, question mark, or exclamation point. Students learn to spot those signals in books and use them in their own writing.

Students name and recognize the letters of the alphabet, both uppercase and lowercase, by sight and sound.

Students say the alphabet from A to Z, in order, from memory.

Students name every letter of the alphabet, uppercase and lowercase, in any order, not just A to Z. This is the base layer of reading: knowing each letter on sight before connecting it to a sound.

Students match letters to the sounds they make, then use those matches to read words and spell them. This is the building block that makes reading click.

Students learn which letters match which sounds. They look at a letter and say its sound, or hear a sound and point to the letter that makes it.

Students match each consonant letter to the sound it most commonly makes, like knowing that the letter B makes the "buh" sound.

Students learn that each vowel letter (A, E, I, O, U) makes two different sounds, like the short "a" in "cat" and the long "a" in "cake," and practice saying both sounds out loud.

Students sound out words by matching letters to the sounds they know, both in a sentence and on their own.

Students blend individual letter sounds together to read short words like "at," "go," and "cat."

Students recognize and sound out the parts of common words that do not follow normal spelling rules, like "said" or "come."

This skill officially starts in first grade. Kindergarteners are not expected to meet this standard yet.

This standard starts in 1st grade. Kindergarten students are not expected to work on this skill yet.

Students look at two words that share most of their letters, then spot which one letter sounds different to tell the words apart. Think "cat" and "cut."

Students practice spelling words by applying the letter-sound patterns they've learned, both in sentences and on their own.

Students match letters to their sounds to spell short words like "cat," "up," or "go." This includes common words they see often in books.

Students learn to read and write common words that don't follow normal spelling rules, like "the," "said," and "was."

This standard starts in 1st grade. Kindergartners are not expected to work on this skill yet.

This skill officially starts in first grade. Kindergarten students are not expected to work on it yet.

This skill officially starts in 3rd grade. In kindergarten, students are building the early sound and letter knowledge that leads up to it.

Reading the same short books again and again helps students get faster and more confident. Students practice reading aloud smoothly, with the right words and a natural voice, not just one word at a time.

Reading aloud or silently, students practice saying words correctly and going back to fix mistakes when something doesn't sound right. The goal is smooth, accurate reading that helps them understand what the text says.

Students practice reading common short words like "the," "is," and "you" on sight, without having to sound them out each time. Over time, students recognize those words instantly in sentences and stories.

Students read a familiar book aloud together as a group, keeping their voices at a steady volume and moving at a pace the whole class can follow.

Reading a full sentence or short book out loud, students focus on what the words actually mean, not just how to sound them out.

This skill officially starts in 1st grade. Kindergartners are not tested on it yet.

Students practice forming letters by hand, learning to hold a pencil and write each letter clearly on the page.

Students practice gripping a pencil and forming clear, readable letters on paper. This is the start of writing by hand.

Students practice writing every letter of the alphabet, both uppercase and lowercase, by hand.

Students practice writing their own first and last name by hand, along with other simple words.

Students leave small gaps between letters and bigger gaps between words when writing by hand. Proper spacing makes their writing readable.

Students practice turning spoken words into written ones, keeping the meaning clear while learning to write letters and simple sentences at a steady pace.

Students practice forming letters on paper by copying shapes, lines, and simple words. This early writing work builds the muscle control and habits that make writing feel more natural over time.

Students practice writing the letters in their first and last names, working toward forming each letter correctly and with less effort over time.

This skill starts in 3rd grade. Kindergartners focus on printing letters by hand before cursive writing is introduced.

Cursive handwriting starts in 3rd grade. Kindergartners focus on printing letters by hand first.

Students build habits as readers and writers by reading for different reasons and writing for different purposes. Over time, those habits help them understand more of what they read and say more of what they mean.

Students begin to see themselves as readers and writers. They practice using books, pictures, and words as tools to make sense of stories and put their own ideas on the page.

Students talk about what they want to get better at in reading and writing, set simple goals, and check in on how those goals are going.

Students talk or write about what kinds of books and stories they enjoy most and why, pointing to something specific like the pictures, the topic, or the type of story.

Students pick books they want to read and topics they want to write about, connecting personal interests to what they're learning in class.

Students practice different ways to understand stories and put their own ideas into words, then choose the approach that works best for the task at hand.

Students share their writing with the class, listen while others share theirs, and talk about books together. They learn to give kind feedback and take it in return.

Reading and writing take practice before they click. Students work on building the habit of reading and writing on their own, without needing a prompt or a push every time.

Students talk and write about books and stories with real purposes in mind, connecting what they read or hear to other stories, ideas, and their own lives.

Students tell stories from their own life or make one up, then share those stories by talking, drawing, or writing them out.

Students use books and stories to learn new things, answer their own questions, and share what they found out with others.

Reading and writing help students figure out how the world works. Students explain what they learn by drawing, dictating, or writing it down.

Students use drawing, talking, or writing to work through what a story or book means to them.

Students read to find answers and write to share what they think, practicing both skills as tools for real purposes like solving a problem or making a choice.

Before, during, and after reading a story or book, students use simple strategies to help them understand what they read. That might mean making a prediction, asking a question, or stopping to think about what just happened.

Students pick a reason to read before they start, then pause while reading to check if the story is making sense. If something feels confusing, they slow down or reread.

Students quickly look over a book or passage before reading, noticing headings, pictures, and sections to get a sense of what's there before diving in.

Students connect what they already know to what they read, notice when something surprises them or doesn't match, and update their thinking as they learn new things.

Students pause while reading to picture what just happened and put it into their own words, which helps them follow the story or passage as it unfolds.

Students guess what might happen next in a story or book, then check whether they were right as they keep reading.

Students make guesses about what a story means, then look back at the words or pictures to check whether their guesses hold up.

Students figure out what an unfamiliar word means by looking at the words and sentences around it. This habit builds the vocabulary students need to read and write across every subject.

Students plan, draft, and revise their own writing for different reasons, like telling a story, sharing information, or sending a message. They learn that writing is a process, not just a single step.

Students decide why they are writing something and who will read it before they start.

Students think ahead about how to set up their writing: choosing whether to draw, tell a story, or list facts based on who will read it and what the writing needs to do.

Students think about what they already know, look at books or pictures for ideas, and talk with classmates before they start writing. All that thinking helps them figure out what to say.

Students choose which ideas matter most for what they are writing, then make sure those ideas fit the plan they made for their piece.

Students write a first draft by choosing words and sentences that fit their purpose and will connect with their reader.

Students look back at something they wrote and ask whether it says what they meant to say. They use their own thoughts or a classmate's reaction to decide if the writing did its job.

Students look back at something they wrote, decide what to change, and then rewrite parts to make it clearer or stronger. This could mean fixing the order of ideas, swapping out a word, or adding a detail.

Students look back at their own writing to fix spelling, spacing, and punctuation so the words are easier for a reader to understand.

Students learn to think about who wrote something, who it is for, and why. That habit shapes how they read a picture book and how they tell or write their own stories.

Students learn to notice where and when a story comes from. Knowing a little about the author's place, time, or culture helps students understand why the text says what it says.

Students talk with classmates and draw on what they already know to figure out who wrote something, who it's for, and why it was made.

Students think about why a book or story was written and who it was made for. Knowing when, where, and why something was created helps readers understand what the author wanted to say.

Stories and writing don't happen in a vacuum. Students begin to notice that where a story comes from, who wrote it, and who it's for all shape what it says and how readers feel about it.

Students learn why authors make choices, like picking certain words or pictures, to reach a specific reader or get a point across. They practice spotting those choices in books they read and making similar ones in their own writing.

Students talk about why a story or book was written and who it was made for. They start to ask: what was the author trying to do, and did it work?

When reading, students think about who wrote a story and why. When writing, students decide what they want to say and who they are saying it to.

Students begin to notice that authors make choices: what to include, how to say it, and how to lay it out on the page. A picture book written for kids looks and sounds different from one written for adults.

Students notice how a writer chooses words and pictures to tell a story, then use those same moves in their own writing.

Reading like a writer means noticing how an author made choices in a book. Students pay attention to the words, patterns, and ideas that made them feel something or think something, and ask why the author wrote it that way.

Kindergartners notice the parts of a story or book that make it work, like characters, pictures, or how the words feel. They start to explain why an author made those choices.

Students notice words an author picked on purpose and talk about why those words feel exciting, scary, or funny. That helps them choose strong words when they write their own stories.

Students notice how a sentence sounds: whether it is short and punchy or long and flowing, and what feeling that gives the reader. They start to see that writers choose sentence shapes on purpose.

Books are set up in different ways on purpose. Students notice how pictures, words, and the way pages are organized help tell the story or share information.

Students think about who will read their writing and make choices to help that person understand or enjoy it.

Students mix storytelling details, facts, and opinions in their own writing to fit the audience they have in mind, whether that's a classmate, a teacher, or a parent.

Students choose words carefully to have a specific effect on the reader, like making someone feel excited, ask a question, or change their mind.

Students choose how to build their sentences to match who they are writing for and what they want those readers to think or feel.

Students practice putting words and pictures in an order that makes sense, so readers can follow along. They learn that how a story or book is set up helps the reader understand it.

Students notice how pictures, spacing, and words on a page work together to tell a story or share information. Even in kindergarten, students begin to think about why a page looks the way it does.

Students try out different kinds of writing, like stories, lists, and drawings with words, to see how each one looks and feels different to a reader.

Students learn that a poem looks and sounds different from a story, and that each type of writing has its own rules for what to include.

Students learn that a poem looks and sounds different from a story, and that a how-to book is arranged differently from a fairy tale. Knowing the type of text helps students understand why it's set up the way it is.

Students look at how pictures, words, and layout work together in a book or poster to send a message. They practice making their own texts that mix images and words to reach a specific reader.

Students talk, listen, and share ideas with classmates in pairs, small groups, and whole-class conversations. They practice saying what they know and hearing what others think.

Students work with classmates to finish a shared task, like building something together or agreeing on how to sort pictures. They practice taking turns, listening, and contributing their own ideas.

Students show up to group time ready to listen, take turns, and join in. Being prepared means paying attention and having something to say when it's their turn.

Students work with classmates to agree on simple rules, set a goal, and figure out how to get the job done together on a shared project.

Students take turns talking and listening in group conversations, add their own ideas, and tell classmates what they think. This is how they practice working and thinking alongside others.

Students take turns talking with a partner or small group to share ideas, ask questions, and figure things out together.

Students practice speaking clearly and adjusting how they talk depending on who is listening, like using simpler words with a younger child or a louder voice in front of the class.

Kindergartners share what they know or have learned by speaking clearly so others can follow along.

Students learn to pick the right way to share what they know, whether that means drawing a picture, telling a story, or showing something to the class. The choice depends on who is listening and why.

Students learn to match how they speak and move to the situation: slowing down, speaking gently, or using hand gestures to help listeners understand. The goal is to fit the message to the moment.

Kindergartners ask questions and answer them during class conversations. This is how they learn to talk with others, not just at them.

Students practice saying poems out loud from memory, building the kind of background knowledge that shows up later in reading and writing.

Students notice how sentences are built and practice using correct grammar when they speak and write.

Kindergartners learn the basic rules of spoken and written English: how sentences are built, how words are used correctly, and how punctuation and capitalization work. These rules help students read more easily and say what they mean clearly.

Kindergartners practice saying full sentences out loud, pairing a person, place, or thing with an action word. Instead of just saying "dog," they say "The dog runs."

Kindergartners practice saying one of something and more than one. A cat becomes cats, a box becomes boxes, and so on.

Students use question words like "who," "what," "where," and "when" to form real questions when talking out loud.

Kindergartners practice starting every sentence with a capital letter and writing the word "I" as a capital letter too.

To make a word mean "more than one," students add -s or -es to the end. One cat becomes cats; one box becomes boxes.

Students practice changing action words by adding -ing, -ed, or -s to show when something is happening, already happened, or happens regularly. Think "jump" becoming "jumping," "jumped," or "jumps."

Kindergartners practice spotting and using action words like run, jump, eat, and sing in their sentences.

Students start noticing words that describe, like "big," "red," or "fast," and begin using them in their own sentences.

Kindergartners sort words into two groups: common nouns name any person, place, or thing (dog, city, teacher), while proper nouns name a specific one (Fido, Chicago, Mrs. Lee). This standard introduces the idea; full mastery comes later.

Students practice using basic verb tenses to show when something happens. "She walks" means now, "she walked" means before.

Students practice choosing small words like "a," "the," "my," or "this" before nouns in their sentences. These words point to which person, place, or thing they mean.

Students practice writing capital letters at the start of names, like a person's name or a pet's name. Names get a capital letter because they belong to one specific person, place, or thing.

Students learn which punctuation mark ends a sentence: a period for a plain statement, a question mark for a question, and an exclamation mark when something is exciting or urgent.

Students practice spotting sentences that express a complete thought and writing their own. A sentence needs both a subject and an action to be complete.

Sentences need two parts: who or what the sentence is about, and what that person or thing does. Students learn to spot both parts in sentences they read.

Students practice writing full sentences that express a complete thought, like "The dog ran fast." A teacher or adult helps them along the way.

Kindergartners practice making sentences where the subject and verb match, like "the dog runs" instead of "the dog run." A teacher or adult helps them notice when the words fit together correctly.

This standard starts in 1st grade. Kindergarteners focus on other language and grammar skills at this level.

No grammar convention is assessed at this grade. This standard is part of a progression that starts in 9th grade.

Kindergartners learn new words by talking, listening, and looking at books. They practice figuring out what unfamiliar words mean and start noticing how words are built.

Students learn new words across different parts of life: everyday words, school words, and words tied to specific subjects. They practice using those words in conversation, stories, and writing.

Students add new words to what they already know by listening to books, stories, and lessons read aloud. Each subject, from science to math, brings words students practice using in talk and writing.

Kindergartners practice using the words they are learning in school when they talk, listen, and write. The goal is to use those words in more than one place, not just during the lesson where they first heard them.

Students practice breaking words apart and putting them together, using letter sounds and patterns to figure out what words mean and how to build new ones.

This skill is introduced in first grade. Kindergartners focus on other vocabulary work before tackling this one.

This standard starts in 3rd grade. Kindergarten students are not expected to work on this skill yet.

This standard starts in 1st grade. Kindergarten students are not expected to meet it yet.

This standard isn't taught in Kindergarten. The vocabulary skill it covers starts in 6th grade.

Students practice figuring out what unfamiliar words mean by connecting new words to ones they already know and by using simple reference tools like a picture dictionary.

With a teacher's help, students figure out what unfamiliar words mean and learn that some words have more than one meaning depending on how they're used.

Students sort words into groups by what they have in common, like animals, colors, or foods. This builds the habit of noticing how words relate to each other.

This skill formally starts in 1st grade. Kindergartners focus on building vocabulary through conversation, read-alouds, and play before the structured word study in this progression begins.

This skill is introduced in 1st grade. Kindergarteners will work on vocabulary in other standards at this level.

Students use words they already know to help choose the right word when talking or writing, like picking "enormous" instead of "big" because it better fits what they mean.