Reading Benchmarks

Attends and responds to print

	Expresses wants, needs, and thoughts in primary language
	Retells a familiar story using own words
	Moves hand in space from left to right
	Understands left to right progression on the page; top to bottom directions
	Holds a book in correct way
	Understands return sweep; identifies direction which print is read
	Recognizes print in the environment
	Reads some environmental print (signs/labels)
	Reproduces a pattern using concrete objects
Has sense of story
	Listens attentively to a story
	Engages in reading-like activities
	Joins in reading of familiar books
	Begins to read predictable/pattern book
	Dictates a story
	Identifies words in an experience story
	Understands that print conveys meaning
Exhibits developmentally appropriate oral language for communication purposes
	Retells a personal story
	Responds to a question in conversation using words and phrases in the primary language
	Participates in conversation while interacting with peers
	Can sequence in proper order
	Recalls sequence of events
	Uses positional words
	Speaks in sentences
Recognizes uppercase and lowercase letters
	Points to and says letters in the child's name
	Names printed letters
	Can match letters
Uses knowledge of letter-sound (grapheme/phoneme)   relationships to manipulate sounds in the written word
	Responds to cue words that begin with the same sound
	Responds to cue words that end with the same sound
	Responds to cue words that rhyme
	Identifies the relationship between letters and sounds
	Distinguishes sound units/syllables (clapping/stomping/finger tapping)
Demonstrates phonemic awareness
	Produces rhyming words
	Recognizes the same phoneme
	Pronounces the beginning sound in a word
	Blends sounds in two phonemic words ( e.g.  at-- a-t,  me-- m-e)
Constructs meaning when responding to print
	Interprets a picture orally
	Produces an imagined story to accompany pictures
	Predicts an outcome
	Develops and awareness of cause and effect
	Makes transfer of knowledge through demonstrated application
	Begins to differentiate reality from fantasy
	Understands position words (e.g.  in, on, above, below, under, over, beside, front, back, etc.)
Creates a written form using various materials
	Reproduces a visual pattern
	Approximates writing using scribble/drawing to communicate an idea
	Begins to use letters to communicate ideas
	Traces shapes
	Draws an enclosed space that is recognizable (e.g.  circle, box, etc.)
	Legibly writes first name from memory
Develops listening skills
	Follows simple directions
	Listens to an age-appropriate story
Develops and expands sight vocabulary
	Reads and recognizes proper names of classmates
	Reads labeled objects in room
	Reads and recognizes words representing familiar objects

 

 

Writing Benchmarks

Exhibits developmentally appropriate oral language for communication purposes

	Retells a personal story
	Responds  to questions in conversation using words and phrases in the primary language
	Participates in conversation while interacting with peers
	Can sequence in proper order
	Recalls sequence of events
	Uses positional words
	Speaks in sentences
Demonstrates an awareness of print in language
	Expresses wants, needs, and thoughts in basic writing forms (scribble)
	Identifies alphabet letters when shown in combination of alphabet letters, numerals, and other symbols
Uses written language to establish a connection and to interact with print
	Engages in pre-writing activities
	Draws a picture that conveys meaning to a story
	Communicates in "written" form (journal dictation and/or writing)
Identifies and writes words in context using letter-sound relationships (graphophonic/phonemic) and basic sight words
	Identifies and begins to spell simple sight words that have meaning to the student
	Begins to write simple sentences that have meaning to the student
Demonstrates the writing process
	Positions paper in order to write in a left to right progression and moving from top to bottom on the page
	Traces shapes
	Reproduces and begins to write uppercase and lowercase letters in a natural setting and for a meaningful purpose
	Reproduces a visual pattern
	Writes first name legibly
	Participates in the pre-writing process (draft, rewrite, finalize)
Writes for a purpose
	Appropriates writing and uses scribble/drawing to communicate an idea
	Begins to use letters to make words that express ideas
	Writes/draws or dictates for a specific audience

Math Benchmarks

Discovers, creates, extends, and describes patterns and other relationships

	Recognizes and identifies patterns
	Reproduces and describes patterns
	Models, extends, and describes patterns using a variety of materials and activities