This information will help you get organized and prepared to homeschool your child using the Core Knowledge Kindergarten Language Arts: Listening & Learning curriculum.
Important Notes
CK Language Arts Listening & Learning vs. CK Language Arts Skills: The Core Knowledge Language Arts curriculum is split into two strands: Listening & Learning and Skills. Each strand has its own set of curriculum. Both strands are required for a full language arts curriculum. The organization information below is for the Listening & Learning strand. All Core Knowledge Kindergarten curriculum can be downloaded here.
1st vs. 2nd Edition Materials: Please note, the support materials available from here are specific to the 1st edition CKLA curriculum which is available to download for free on the Core Knowledge website. CK’s partner Amplify offers 2nd edition materials and homeschooling families can purchase hard copies of those 2nd edition materials directly from the Amplify website (there is no “free” option for the 2nd edition materials). If you choose to use the 2nd edition materials, you may need to make significant changes to the schedule and prep information provided here. There is no advantage to using the 2nd edition materials beyond the option to purchase preprinted copies online. We recommend using the 1st edition curriculum so you can take full advantage of these support materials.
Free Resources
How-to Videos: Watch the videos to learn to use the CKLA: Listening & Learning curriculum to homeschool.
Unit-Specific Prep Document: Includes notes for each unit of the curriculum including which Instructional Masters (activity pages) to print, library books that may be needed, required advanced preparation broken out by lesson, as well as a list of additional unit-specific supplies. Click here to view and download the CKLA: Listening & Learning Kindergarten Grade Unit-Specific Prep Document.
Daily Schedule: View and download the free daily schedule for homeschooling Kindergarten using Core Knowledge and MEP Math.
Primary Materials
Units: There are 12 units in the Kindergarten CKLA: Listening & Learning curriculum. All students start with Unit 1 and progress through the units in order. You will download each unit separately from the CK website. Each unit will be downloaded as a file folder containing multiple files including the Anthology (Teacher’s Guide), Flipbook, Image Cards, and Supplemental Guide.
Anthology: The Anthology functions as the Teacher’s Guide for Kindergarten CKLA: Listening & Learning units. When you are ready to start a lesson with your student, you will simply open the PDF file for the Teacher’s Guide on your tablet or laptop, navigate to the lesson indicated on the daily schedule, and work through the instructions in the Anthology for that lesson.
Flipbook: This flipbook contains the images that go along with the stories that will be read to the student using the Anthology. This flipbook can be accessed as a PDF file on your student’s device.
Image Cards: The Image Cards are a separate file located in the folder of files you downloaded from the CK website. The Anthology will specify when to use these cards during the lesson. You do not need to print the image cards. The file can simply be accessed from your device or your student’s device when needed for a lesson.
Supplemental Guide: The Supplemental Guide provides additional resources for primarily for reading specialists, ESL teachers, and special education teachers. It is a wonderful resource if your student needs additional assistance, but it is not specifically scheduled here.
Getting Organized
Lesson A and Lesson B Scheduling: Each lesson is divided into two parts: A and B which are both completed in a single school day. Lesson A should be completed first and Lesson B should be completed later in the day.
Instructional Masters: These are the activity pages for the units and are found in the back of the Anthology for each unit. More information will be available in the unit-specific prep checklists. It is generally easiest to print all the Instructional Masters at the beginning of the unit, even if you don’t end up using all of them.
Multiple Meanings Posters: These are located in the back of the Flipbook. The Anthology will specify when to use these posters during the lesson. You do not need to print the posters. You can simply navigate to them in the Flipbook file when needed for a lesson.
Pausing Points: Pausing points are a day set aside for catching up on material, reviewing and reinforcing material, or extending material taught so far in the unit. When you reach this point in the schedule, the PP section of the anthology will list out several options for activities. Remember, you will be choosing one or maybe a handful of these activities to do—not all of them. If you are running behind on lessons when you reach a pausing point, use that day to catch up. The activities listed in the PP are just suggestions and are not required for your student to move forward.
Domain Review: At the end of each unit is a day set aside for domain review. If you need a day to catch up on scheduled lessons, please use this day to do that. Otherwise, the domain review pages in the anthology will guide you through a number of ways to review with your student what they have learned in this unit.
Domain Assessment: At the end of each unit is a day set aside for domain assessment. While homeschooling parents typically have a wide range of opinions on the value of formally assessing what their student has learned, I would encourage you to give the domain assessments a try. They are well designed, typically fun for the student, and they do help you double check your student’s strengths and weaknesses related to the material. This information can then be used when choosing which cumulative activities to use (see below) and/or can be used as items to review with the student as they move into the next unit.
Culminating Activities: One day at the end of each unit is set aside for culminating activities. Please review the culminating activities when first starting a unit so you can gather any needed supplies in advance. The CA section of the Anthology will guide you through a number of options. Remember you only need to choose one or maybe a handful of these activities.
Important Tips
Library Books: Whenever possible, please select several of the recommended books from the unit’s resource list (part of the introduction in the Anthology) and request them from the library in advance. These books can be used as time allows, when specifically called for in a lesson, or can be left out for your student to read on their own in their free time. If library books are not an option, YouTube often has videos of books being read aloud and these can be used as an alternative.
A number of lessons throughout the school year suggest using library books during the lesson. The Unit-Specific Prep document notes when these are needed and that document can be downloaded here.
Classroom-Based Activities: Some activities in this program are clearly designed for a classroom setting. Please adjust the activity as needed for your situation. For example, for an activity that suggests students work in teams, you can act as your student’s teammate. For activities that involve putting on a play or presentation, your student can present one part of the information or you can make the activity a family activity and involve siblings, etc.
Topic Duplication: You may notice what appears to be duplication between topics in the CKHG lessons and the CKLA lessons. This is intentional and provides the opportunity to reinforce key concepts by approaching them from multiple perspectives. For example, a student may have a history lesson about Martin Luther King Jr. one day and then maybe a week later will also study Dr. King in a CKLA lesson.
Kindergarten CKLA: Listening & Learning Strand Unit-Specific Prep Checklist
This checklist will help you prepare for each new unit of the Core Knowledge Kindergarten Language Arts: Listening & Learning curriculum. Please refer to the specific unit list prior to starting a new unit. It will guide you through what what documents to print, when a library book is needed, unit-specific supplies that should be gathered, and special notes for lessons in that unit
Unit 1: Nursery Rhymes and Fables
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-8
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 159-187
- Review the Unit Specific Notes:
- Most of the lessons in this unit are in a different format than the remaining Kindergarten lessons or lessons found in 1st-3rd grade CKLA: Listening & Learning curriculum. The A and B lessons each cover their own rhyme instead of the B lessons being an extension of the A lessons.
- Multiple Meaning Posters are found in the back of the Flip Book.
- Image Cards are found in a separate file in the folder of domain materials you downloaded from the CK website.
- Lesson 4, Pausing Point, Domain Review, and Culminating Activities: Require advance preparation.
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-8 for suggestions).
- Culminating Activities: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-8 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
Unit 2: The Five Senses
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-9
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 105-133
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Lessons 2, 5, and 6: Require advance preparation.
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-9 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Gumball or marble (Lesson 2)
- Pictures associated with leap (Lesson 2)
- Food samples: Salty, sweet, sour, and bitter (Lesson 5)
- Pictures associated with injury (Lesson 6)
- Finger puppets, paper or fabric (Pausing Point, optional)
- Optical illusions (Pausing Point, optional)
- Blindfold (Pausing Point, optional)
- Cotton balls (Pausing Point, optional)
- Various extracts (Pausing Point, optional)
- Plastic bags that seal (Pausing Point, optional)
- Magazines (Pausing Point, optional)
- Various objects with different textures/temperatures (Pausing Point, optional)
- Pillow case or cloth bag (Domain Review, optional)
- Glasses (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Hearing aid (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Magnifying glass (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Binoculars (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Megaphone (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Braille book (Culminating Activities, optional)
Unit 3: Stories
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-7
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 123-155
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Lessons 1, 2, 6, and Domain Assessment: Require advance preparation.
- Lesson 11: Suggests using a library book for the Extensions portion of the lesson (see Anthology pg. 5-7 for suggestions).
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book and/or a domain related website (see Anthology pg. 5-7 for suggestions).
- Culminating Activities: Optional use of a library book and/or a domain related website (see Anthology pg. 5-7 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Various story books, just whatever you have in your home library (Lesson 1)
- Pieces of straw, sticks, and bricks or images of these items (Lesson 2)
- Videos of stories, 5 minutes, via the internet (Pausing Point and Culminating Activities, optional)
- Peach (Lesson 6)
Unit 4: Plants
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-8
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 129-169
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and Pausing Point: Require advance preparation.
- Lesson 11: Suggests using a library book for the Extensions portion of the lesson (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Culminating Activities: Optional use of a library book and/or a domain related website (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Images of various plants in various environments (Lesson 1)
- Cups (Lesson 2)
- Red and blue food coloring (Lesson 2)
- Carnations or stalks of celery (Lesson 2)
- Ruler or yardstick (Lesson 3)
- Different types of seeds (Lesson 3)
- Fresh turnip with stems and leaves (Lesson 4, optional)
- Various plants (Pausing Point and Domain Review, optional)
- Four packets of seeds (Pausing Point, optional)
- Four containers (Pausing Point, optional)
- Potting Soil (Pausing Point and Culminating Activities, optional)
- Different kinds of flowers or images of different kinds of flowers (Lesson 5)
- Scraps of paper, cotton balls, or other small objects (Lesson 5)
- Different kinds of fruit (Lesson 6)
- An apple cut in half to show the seeds (Lesson 6)
- Potato that is starting to sprout (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Toothpicks (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Container (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Baby carrots, celery, spinach, strawberries, sunflower seeds (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Videos of plants (Culminating Activities, optional)
Unit 5: Farms
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-9
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 113-142
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Lessons 4 and 9: Suggest using a library book for the Extensions portion of the lesson (see Anthology pg. 5-9 for suggestions).
- Lesson 5: Requires advance preparation.
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-9 for suggestions).
- Culminating Activities: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-9 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Magazines (Pausing Point and Culminating Activities, optional)
- Puppet-making supplies (Culminating Activities, optional)
Unit 6: Native Americans
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-8
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 123-136
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Lessons 1 and 6, Pausing Point, Domain Review, and Culminating Activities: Require advance preparation.
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Lesson 7: Suggests using a library book, please see Anthology pg. 78 for more information on the specific alphabet books suggested.
- Domain Review: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Culminating Activities: Optional use of a library books for reference during an activity (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions). There is also a suggestion to take your student to a Native American presentation, cultural site, learning center, etc.
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- 12-inch ruler (Lesson 1)
- Pictures of your student’s environment, clothing, food, and shelter (Lesson 1)
- Map of North and South America (Lesson 7)
Unit 7: Kings and Queens
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-8
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 107-147
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Lessons 3 and 6, Pausing Point, Domain Review, and Culminating Activities: Require advance preparation.
- Lesson 4: Suggests using a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-8 for suggestions).
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-8 for suggestions). Another suggestion is to listen to “Old King Cole” (https://youtu.be/f6Bp4hCKPLM), “Sing a Song of Sixpence” (https://youtu.be/dkOcfTwTNPI), and other songs while the student creates their own crown.Culminating Activities: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-8 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Fake gold jewelry (Lesson 3)
- Various objects from the read-alouds, see Anthology pg. 60 (Pausing Point, optional)
- Peas (Lesson 6)
- Audio recordings of excerpts from “Cinderella” and/or “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (Domain Review and Culminating Activities, optional)
- Short videos or pictures of contemporary royal families (Culminating Activities, optional)
Unit 8: Seasons and Weather
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-10
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 125-161
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Lessons 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7; Pausing Point; Domain Review; and Culminating Activities: Require advance preparation.
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-10 for suggestions).
- Culminating Activities: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-10 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Large monthly calendar (All Lessons)
- Thermometer (Lesson 2 and Pausing Point)
- Cups of warm, cool, and ice-cold, water (Pausing Point, optional)
- Various articles of seasonal clothing (Pausing Point, optional)
- Magazine pictures (Pausing Point, optional)
- Seasons and weather video clips (Lesson 7)
- Clear bottle (Domain Review, optional)
- Funnel (Domain Review, optional)
- Grass or balloon (Domain Review, optional)
- String (Domain Review, optional)
- Cotton balls (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Video clip of the morning’s weather report (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Clear glass or plastic jar with lid (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Dish soap (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Glitter (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Plastic wrap (Culminating Activities, optional)
- Clear tape (Culminating Activities, optional)
Unit 9: Columbus and the Pilgrims
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-8
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 125-149
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9: Require advance preparation.
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-8 for suggestions).
- Domain Review: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-8 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or pepper (Lesson 1)
- 12-inch ruler (Lessons 3 and 6)
- Measuring tape (Pausing Point, optional)
- Masking tape (Pausing Point and Lesson 6)
- Grapefruit (Pausing Point, optional)
- Orange (Pausing Point, optional)
- String (Lesson 6)
- Monthly calendar (Lesson 7)
Unit 10: Colonial Towns and Townspeople
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-8
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 147-175
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Lessons 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 and Pausing Point: Require advance preparation.
- Lesson 2: Suggests using a library book about town life such as Ox-Cart Man, by Donald Hall (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Lesson 3: As a homeschooling family, this lesson is a good opportunity to bake bread together.
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions). As a homeschooling family, this lesson is a good opportunity to make butter together by shaking heavy whipping cream in a jar with a lid.
- Domain Review: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Culminating Activities: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Yarn (Lesson 1)
- Bread (Lesson 3, optional)
- Samples of cloth and clothing (Lesson 4)
- Sewing pattern (Lesson 5)
- Flour, water, yeast (Pausing Point, optional)
- Old-fashioned butter churn or image (Pausing Point, optional)
- Grindstone or image (Pausing Point, optional)
- Spindle and carder or image (Pausing Point, optional)
- Measuring tape (Pausing Point and Domain Review, optional)
- Dough (Pausing Point, optional)
- Supplies to make Colonial Spoon Dolls, see Anthology pg. 88 (Pausing Point, optional)
- Large stone, brick, block of wood or images (Lesson 7)
- Iron object, like a skillet or fireplace tools or images (Lesson 8)
- Bricks (Domain Review, optional)
- Trowel (Domain Review, optional)
- Wood (Domain Review, optional)
- Horseshoe (Domain Review, optional)
- Ingredients for Stone Soup, see Anthology pg. 143 (Culminating Activities, optional)
Unit 11: Taking Care of the Earth
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-8
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 133-159
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Several lessons mention the teacher wearing an Earth Hat but this specific component is not included in the downloadable materials. If you would like to fashion one yourself, see Anthology pg. 2 for more information.
- Lessons 2 and 5: Require advance preparation.
- Lesson 5: Suggests using a library book for the lesson (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Lesson 9: Suggests using a water-themed library book for the lesson (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Domain Review: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Culminating Activities: Optional use of a library book and/or a domain related website (see Anthology pg. 5-8 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Short child-friendly videos about taking care of the earth (Culminating Activities, optional)
Unit 12: Presidents and American Symbols
- Read the Unit Introduction: Anthology pg. 1-9
- Print the Instructional Masters: Anthology pg. 131-149
- Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
- Lesson 3, Pausing Point, Domain Review, and Culminating Activities: Require Advance Preparation.
- Lesson 5: Suggests using a library book for the lesson (see Anthology pg. 6-9 for suggestions).
- Pausing Point: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-9 for suggestions).
- Domain Review: Optional use of a library book (see Anthology pg. 6-9 for suggestions).
- Gather the Unit-Specific Supplies:
- Pictures associated with additional, see Anthology pg. 43 (Lesson 3)
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MEP Math has been made available through the Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching.
