TampaRead's
Kindergarten Reading Support Files

photoThe following 12 Reading Files have been listed together because of their critical importance for the Kindergarten school year.

After reviewing the reading files below,
you can access and download this complete 12 File set to a PC or Apple/Macintosh computer by clicking the download link
in the left column.

If you have any questions or would like to order these materials contact us from this email link or call us toll free at 1-888-716-9521

Richard Pressinger (M.Ed.)
Reading Specialist
TampaReads.com

The following 12 Files are included:

File #1  Kindergarten Curriculum Outline 
 Skill Test and Checklist  
 Shows what academic skills should be taught in kindergarten and what a child should know by the end of the school year. 
(1 Page)
File #2  Alphabet Cartoon Characters 
 Each letter of the alphabet is on a full size 8x11 paper in upper and lowercase.  A "memorable" cartoon character is also on the page to provide a visual strategy to help teach the sound of the letter. 
(26 Pages)
File #3   Alphabet Letter Activity Sheets  
 The Alphabet Cartoon Characters above teach the name of the letter - writing the letter - basic colors - spatial positioning - size variations and many other important kindergarten skills.  
(26 Pages)
File #4   Alphabet Letter Writing Practice Sheets 
These are the perfect follow-up to the above Alphabet Activity Sheets.  The goal of this sheet is to give practice in locating and writing the alphabet letter.  Students can do this worksheet on their own and takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.
(26 pages)
File #5   Beginning Teacher Reading Strategies  
 Follow these simple steps and your child will be memorizing new reading words faster than you've ever seen before. 
(7 pages)
File #6   b-d-b-d Letter Teaching Strategies 
  and Class Practice Sheets  
 For children who become a little confused looking at letters - b and d, you won't find a better technique for teaching the difference. 
(5 Pages)
File #7   Long and Short Vowel Sound Wall Strips  
 Full size 8x11 inch visual examples for the long and short vowel sounds.
They provide an excellent visual strategy for remembering the long and (difficult to learn) short vowel sounds. (I had over 20 requests from teachers at our school for these vowel sound strips). 
(10 Pages)
File #8   CVC Noun Cards with Pictures  
 The 20 important CVC words used in the "free" phonics section of our web site are formatted onto an 8x11 paper.  The large CVC picture is at the top and the large CVC word is located underneath the picture. 
(20 Pages)
File #9   CVC Letter-Word Tracing Worksheet  
The above 20 CVC words are used in this worksheet to provide practice in tracing the proper letter formation for each picture word.  Once the child can complete this non-frustrating worksheet satisfactorily, then begin the CVC Packet below to really learn the words. 
(1 Page)
File #10 Consonant Memorizing Worksheets
 You'll love the design and efficiency of these 21 worksheets for getting the consonant sounds memorized.  We call these our "Where Is" worksheets because the child has to identify if the consonant sound is heard at the beginning or end of the word.  Each worksheet concentrates on only one sound which gives the needed practice for memorization.  
File #11 CVC Phonemic Awareness Packet  
 5 specially sequenced worksheets that really get the job done for memorizing the 20 CVC words on our web site.  Each of the five skill levels challenge the child on a different sound in the word (beginning - middle - end). 
(5 Pages)
File #12 The Incredible Amazing Handwriting Worksheet Maker 
If you're a parent you'll be thrilled, if you are a teacher with 5 or more students you'll be ecstatic!,  This little invention really is amazing for making personalized name writing worksheets for a student.  Just type in the child's name - click the "Make Worksheet" button - and PRESTO - the program automatically puts the child's name in large traceable letters in the first row and then places "starting dots" for the letters for rows 2-6.  The last row then has a lined space for writing the name without "starting dots."  It does this in one second after just typing the child's name.

For more complete details and photos of these files
please see below

File #1 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

Kindergarten Curriculum Outline - Skills Test and Checklist
Kindergarten Reading WorksheetsShows what academic skills should be taught in kindergarten and what a child should know by the end of the Kindergarten year.  This kindergarten skill "checklist" was used extensively by our Kindergarten teachers during the year to monitor each child's progress.   In fact, they even took it to a reading workshop to share it with other kindergarten teachers in the county.

This Basic Skill Test can be used in three ways:

1) As an outline for the main academic areas to teach during the kindergarten year.

2) As an assessment tool to determine a child's current functioning level or progress (especially in January and the last month of school)

3) As an easy to read report for parents whose children may require special education services or retention.

Areas covered include - writing name - saying alphabet - capital letters - lowercase letters - consonant sounds - color words - number words - basic shapes - reading numbers 1-20 - counting to 20 - months of the year - days of the week - knows birthday - knows address  knows phone number - and also a section to assess students who are functioning at a high kindergarten level.

(1 page)

File #2 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

Alphabet Cartoon Characters
This is the main focus for the entire Kindergarten year - "Get those letters and sounds memorized."  If you did nothing else but accomplish this task completely - the 1st Grade teachers should be thrilled.  Each letter of the alphabet is seen in upper and lowercase and is formatted for a full size 8x11 paper.  One of our "memorable" cartoon characters are also on the page to provide a visual strategy to help teach the sound of the letter.

Above are 4 examples from the complete 26 page set.  The entire cartoon family includes - Flat Hat - Baseball Bee - Cool Cat - Dancing Dinosaur - Excellent Elephant - Friendly Fish - Gorilla Girl - Hairy Horse - Sid Squid - Jolly Jet - Kind Kangaroo - Lazy Lion - Magic Monster - Necktie Ned - Odd Octopus - Purple Parrot - Quiet Queen - Racing Rabbit - Super School - Tattle Tale Turtle - Umbrella Fella - Violin Veggies - Worm Wagon - Fox Box - Yelling YoYo - and the Zebra Zoo.  To view all the alphabet characters in this file - click here

As many kindergarten classes place extra emphasis on one letter per week, you can really liven things up by printing out 4 or 5 additional copies of the week's letter and placing it around the classroom - in the halls - and even in the lunch room!  Better yet - photocopy one for each student and send him home on Friday as the "next weeks letter."

(26 pages)

File #3 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

Alphabet Letter Activity Sheets
Reading kindergarten worksheets and phonics worksheetsThe Alphabet Cartoon Characters above from File #2 come to life in these Activity Sheets to teach the name of the letter - writing the letter - basic colors - spatial positioning - size variations and many other important kindergarten skills.   These are not worksheets, but rather, Activity Sheets in which the teacher takes control and reads the instructions to the children for an entertaining and challenging 20 minute lesson. 

Not only will the child receive the repetition necessary to increase memorization of the alphabet letter, but these Activity Sheets teach other important kindergarten skills including - up - down - over - under - closest - farthest - front - back - behind - shortest - tallest - smallest - largest - medium - highest - lowest - first - second - third - middle and even provides repeated practice on the illusive right and left.

Also, the last five pictures on the Activity Sheet provide excellent practice in basic Phonemic Awareness Skills.  Looking at the pictures on our Violin Veggies sheet,  the teacher could say -

"Who can tell me the name of the picture that shows something used to drive on roads?  What number is it?   .....Yes, that's right. Everyone put your finger on the Van next to number 3..   Now listen to me say the word VAN slowly - VVVVVVV aaaaaaa nnnnnnnn.  Do you hear the sound of letter v - v v v v v v - at the beginning of the word.  Circle "yes" or "no" while I walk around the room to see who answered it correctly."

As you can see, this is probably the closest you can come to having an entire Kindergarten curriculum in one Worksheet Activity Packet.

(26 pages)

File #4 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set 

Letter Writing Practice
Each letter of the alphabet has its very own worksheet for developing correct letter writing skills.  We also use our special recognition memory strategy and cartoon characters to further enhance memorization of the letter name and sound.  This activity is a perfect follow-up to the above File #3 classroom activity and can be completed by Kindergarten students on their own in about 10-15 minutes.  This is a worksheet you'll use again and again until your student(s) are letter writing experts.  Below are the 26 worksheets included in this download file.

   
Directions for the Letter "g"
Writing Worksheet

1) Use a purple crayon to color each letter "g"
you find around the Gorilla Girl.

2) Any letter that is not "g" - color black.

3) Use a pencil and write the letter "g" inside the hollow letters at the bottom of the paper.  

4) Then write the letter "g" 3 times,
beginning on each of the last 3 dots.

5) You can then take out more crayons and
color the Gorilla Girl any colors you would like.

 

Download a sample of our
Letter "t" writing worksheet.
Choose either
Word or PDF format at right.

If you are unable to open the sample file - Download a free viewer here

 

File #5 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

Beginning Teacher Reading Strategies
 reading and phonics strategiesThis 7 page packet will show you the techniques and "tricks" to becoming a master reading teacher.   Provides plenty of details and example dialogue to make it easy to understand.   Even for children who have a history of learning to read at a very slow rate - Follow the steps outlined and you'll immediately notice (after the first 20 minutes!) how much quicker your child  will be memorizing new reading words.  Memory scientists have shown that you can move information into the long term memory far more efficiently if you deliver it in small sequential steps.   In other words, have a "system" that you can use each and every time that progresses ever so slightly from one skill to the next.   We did just this using our Beginning Teacher Reading Strategies and "Recognition Memory" techniques.   If your child has mastered the basic consonant sounds and has been at least exposed to the short vowel sounds then he/she is ready to start learning the techniques in this packet.    We also encourage Elementary Education Professors to use these with their students.

The two main strategies you'll learn about are called  - "Stop at the Vowel Sound" and "Recognition Memory."  These procedures are clearly explained giving parents the confidence and skills to be their child's part-time or full-time teacher.  The techniques can easily be used by parents or by a teacher in small group reading instruction.  Teachers involved in training of tutors and assistants will also find this an extremely valuable instrument.  

(7 pages)

.File #6 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

b's and d's
Have Never Been EasierPhonics Reading Worksheet Assignments
The b-d-b-d teaching list file is hands down the best way to help those children who reach a stumbling block with remember the b's and d's.  You can print out the b-d-b-d list and make it as long or as short as you would like.  There are 6 different b-d patterns to keep the kids thinking.  This file also includes the personal b-d-b-d list for working in a tutoring situation that uses a horizontal bar graph to visually show a child's progress.  Remember - "b goes bowling to the right" (which means the round ball is on the right side of the stick) and -
"d" goes dancing to the left.

(5 pages)

.File #7 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

Long and Short Vowel
Wall Strips
Each "strip" provides an excellent visual strategy for remembering the long and (difficult to learn) short vowel sounds. Each set of 5 vowel sound cards makes a 1 foot by 4 foot strip which can be placed underneath chalk boards (like the teacher did in the photo above) on walls, in hallways - anywhere.  Whenever you student can't remember a sound - have them refer to these visual pictures.

Making a Vowel Sound Strip is Easy

1) Download and print out the 10 vowel sound cards

2) Make exactly a 4 foot wide x 1 foot high
colored paper background

3) Tape or glue 5 vowel sound sheets on the background

4) Place it on the wall !

(10 Pages)

File #8 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

cvc- phonics noun cards

CVC Picture Words formatted for 8.5 x 11 paper
These are just five of the 20 cards you'll be able to print out on your computer from our Consonant-Vowel-Consonant, CVC picture word reading list.  These are the same words used in our "free" phonics CVC worksheet at our tampareads.com Phonics Section and are also the same words used in the Phonics Desk Learning Tool by LeapFrog.  The words contain every consonant sound (except "y"), and all short vowel sounds, thereby making it a powerful visual tool !!  Although Kindergarten children are working hard on their letter names and sounds during the majority of the year, they should be able to "sound-out" these 20 words by the last two months of Kindergarten without looking at the pictures.  You'll notice the color representation for the pictures is excellent, making them a beautiful and functional way to dress-up the walls of any Kindergarten or Beginning First Grade classroom - or even your child's bedroom wall.

Words include -
sun - dog - pig - kid - fox - tub - lid - pot - top - hen -
jet - cat - bus - mix - rug - jam - van - zip - web

(20 pages)

File #9 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

Kindergarten Tracing Activity - Fine Motor & Letter Writing Skills
CVC Worksheet PhonicsThis worksheet is designed to build fine motor skills while also giving practice with letter names and exposure to the CVC Words coming up in the next Phonemic Awareness Worksheet Packet.  Rather than use the typical dotted lines you see in most tracing worksheets, we've found that tracing inside a "hollow letter" can do a better job in developing fine motor skills by providing better guidance for keeping the pencil line on track.  Also, a hollow letter is a much better visual stimulus for the letters and words.

A FUN ACTIVITY I did with my Kindergarten classes using this worksheet went as follows.  Rather than just tell the children to trace the letters I would say -

"Somewhere in the 1st row is a picture of something that flies in the air - put your finger on it and raise your hand and tell me what it is." Every hand would go up in the air.  After hearing the correct answer I would say - "Will someone now tell me what is the name of the 1st letter in the word?"  OK, let's trace the letter "j" - watch how I do it on the board before you start."  Then I would role model the proper procedure on the board and repeat the process for the other two letters.  Then to get everyone's attention and interest going again I would say - "There is something in the 1st row that likes to chase mice - what is it?" etc.  The children really love this game and it helps to focus attention on the concepts being taught.

(1 page)

File #10 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

Consonant Sound Memorization Sheets

Is it at the beginning or end of the word?
(click a letter below to view the sample worksheet)

B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T U V W XY
  Z

These consonant sound worksheets are absolutely amazing for gettng the consonant sounds memorized.  They use all the right techniques to challenge the student - motivate and facilitate memorization.
When you become a Kindergarten Member you'll also have access to all of the consonant memorizing worksheets from an index identical to the one above.
You can see the actual worksheets for letters B through M.  Just click on any letter in the top row above and within seconds you'll have an 8x11 printable worksheet that will help enormously toward the goal of consonant sound memorization.

Each worksheet is specially designed to teach both phonics and
phonemic awareness skills for Kindergarten and 1st grade level readers.

Understanding Phonics & Phonemic Awareness

While the term "Phonics" refers to knowing the sound made by a letter or letter group - "Phonemic Awareness" refers to being able to identify where that sound occurs in the word (i.e. beginning - middle or end).   Phonemic Awareness is not only helpful in decoding new reading words, but is also a critical skill for making educated guesses when spelling unknown words.   Children who do not have satisfactory phonemic awareness skills will not only suffer slower reading progress, but will become severely frustrated when trying to spell words while writing sentences, paragraphs or stories.

The above index provides a link to each of our specially designed phonemic awareness worksheets.  These creative activities use a highly effective visual strategy to work a little magic in teaching children phonemic awareness skills.   Also, as all the worksheets concentrate on only one consonant sound (except w-x-y), it also helps with the memorization of all consonant sounds.

 Attention!!, the most difficult sounds to learn are -
h - l - m - n - q - r - w (at the beginning) and y (at the beginning of words).  It will take literally take 5-10 times more practice for a child to memorize these sounds in comparison to other consonant sounds, so please give special attention to their mastery.

 

File #11 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

CVC Phonemic Awareness Packet
Phonics Phonemic Awareness Reading PacketCVC (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant) words are 3 letter words with a short vowel sound in the middle - cat dog fox sun rug top pig bus etc. These are the first words a child should be introduced to when learning how to read. WHY? Because the sounds in CVC words are 100% predictable. Our CVC Phonemic Awareness Packet contains 5 specially designed worksheets which progress very gradually in difficulty from one skill to the next.  Skill 1 worksheet begins with the easy "Recognition Memory Strategy" (two choices for each beginning - middle and final sound) and progresses into Recall Memory (no choices) for beginning consonant sounds - then ending sounds - then vowel sounds and then the CVC test.   Their design provides ample practice of the previous skill while still presenting a challenge with the new skill.  Take a look below for a clearer example from each skill worksheet.  It is imperative that children learn the sounds and phonemic awareness decoding skills taught here by the second month in 1st Grade and hopefully it was learned by the last month of Kindergarten.   If this is accomplished - your children will have the skills to learn other grade 1 vocabulary words more rapidly and independently.  If ever there were five worksheets which can move a child successfully through the important phonemic awareness skills - these are the ones.....  Below are examples from each of the 5 Skill Level Worksheets in this CVC Phonemic Awareness Packet. (Note how each increases slightly in difficulty, but still reviews the previous worksheet skill - a very efficient memory technique).

Skill 1 Worksheet Skill 2 Worksheet Skill 3
Worksheet		 Skill 4
Worksheet		 Skill 5
Worksheet

  CHOOSE THE SOUND
By giving 2 choices for each sound (beginning - middle and ending) we eliminate typical frustration and increase success and self-esteem.		 BEGINNING SOUND
The more difficult skill of "recalling" (remembering without choices) the beginning consonant sound, but middle and ending sound use the easier recognition memory technique.		 BEGINNING
ENDING SOUNDS
Overcomes the traditional problem children have differentiating "beginning" and "ending" sounds by placing answer spaces at the "beginning" and "end" of the picture word.  (Why didn't someone think of this before?) This visual way of teaching beginning and ending sounds makes a world of difference for helping children successfully grasp this important
Phonemic Awareness concept.		 VOWEL SOUNDS
Vowel Sounds are the most difficult to learn for children.  In SKILL 1 and 2 the child had the easier task of picking the vowel sound from two choices.  In this skill, however, the child must completely recall the vowel sound without any helping clues.   We still keep the clues for the beginning and ending sounds.		 TEST TIME
No clues with this skill.  The child must truly remember all sounds to spell the word correctly.
After the child completes the worksheet, the teacher marks any incorrectly spelled words and the child then re-writes the word correctly in the second space provided. By "piggy-backing" the answer spaces the child is much more likely to remember (and avoid) his previous error.

(6 pages)

File #12 included in the 12 File Kindergarten Reading Set

The Incredible Amazing
 Handwriting Worksheet Maker

We've made a very special program which now makes it easy to design a custom handwriting worksheet quickly.  Just type in a child's name or short sentence and press <ENTER>  -  Within 5 seconds you'll have a full size worksheet that provides practice using various type fonts and sizes including basic print and Denelian.

photoThere you have it !!
These 12 reading files are designed to make any parent or teacher a Kindergarten Reading Teacher expert by covering all major areas of instruction for your student's Kindergarten year.  Unlike consumable workbooks, our TampaRead's materials can be printed time after time until mastery is achieved. Once your Kindergarten student masters the materials shown here he/she will have the reading skills needed to truly excel when beginning Grade 1.. 

Thank you,

Richard Pressinger (M.Ed.)
Reading Specialist
TampaReads.com 

To Download these
12 Kindergarten Reading Files
click here

Testimonials Below - For more testimonials click here

Dear TampaReads,
My son has jumped 5 reading levels in just 2 months using your kindergarten program.   His teacher is thrilled with his progress and really likes your worksheets.

Teressa B.
Tomaston, Connecticut

 

Dear TampaReads:
I teach first grade in South Carolina and tutor several students after school and in the summer.  I loved the first grade files so much I have also ordered the kindergarten files because I tutor both ages. It is wonderful having all this reading info right here on my computer!  I plan to use lots of the worksheets and techniques in my first grade classroom in the fall.  My favorite files have been the alphabet characters and the vowel pictures The artwork is just precious and so very child appealing!
You get TONS of materials for a very very reasonable price.

Cindy James
Gold Hill Elementary School
Fort Mill, South Carolina

 

Dear TampaReads,
Thank you so much for what you have put together. My five year old has begun reading--she just started kindergarten this year. Between what I have done and your materials it worked!!!   This is only her second month of kindergarten.

She has told me" I love you and thank you for teaching me to read!!!"   Thanks to you and thanks to me too!
Thank you very much,

Heather C.
HOME SCHOOL MOM

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