Show interest in shared reading experiences and looking at books independently.

Recognize how books are read, such as front-to-back and one page at a time, and recognize basic characteristics, such as title, author, and illustrator.

Ask and answer questions and make comments about print materials.

Demonstrate interest in different kinds of literature, such as fiction and nonfiction books and poetry, on a range of topics.

Begin to identify key features of reality versus fantasy in stories, pictures, and events.

Retell stories or information from books through conversation, artistic works, creative movement, or drama.

Make predictions based on illustrations.

Begin to identify key features of reality versus fantasy in stories, pictures, and events.

Experiment with writing tools and materials.

Recognize that writing is a way of communicating for a variety of purposes, such as giving information, sharing stories, or giving an opinion.

Use scribbles, shapes, pictures, and letters to represent objects, stories, experiences, or ideas.

Copy, trace, or independently write letters or words.

Provide opportunities for children to develop fine motor skills, which support grasps using tongs, Play-Doh, spray bottles, tweezers, etc.

The classroom environment provides an easily accessible writing center, filled with a wide variety of materials: markers, pens, pencils, crayons; paper of different shapes, sizes, textures, as well as envelopes, cards, sticky notes, and postcards, etc.

Similar materials are available in each center throughout the room.

Expect the following progression in children’s writing Pre-alphabetic (ages 2-5) [Pictures and scribbles, Letter-like forms, Letters from names and the environment, Strings of letters, One letter (first sound) to represent a word.] Semiphonetic/Early Alphabetic [(4-6) Letter sound connection begins (One letter (first sound) to represent a word.]