How do you know if your child is prepared for Kindergarten?

A strong literacy foundation for a child entering Kindergarten includes knowledge in all of these areas:

  • Phonological Awareness

  • Basic Phonic & Alphabetic Principle

  • Shared Reading & Listening Comprehension

Watch Intro Video

Video

Content Overview

  • Phonological Awareness

    Phonological awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate units of oral language such as words, syllables, onset/rime and individual phonemes (sounds). It's crucial to have a solid foundation in this area as it's a reliable predictor of later reading success.

  • Basic Phonic & Alphabetic Principle

    This program will feature a basic overview of the alphabet by exposing students to letters and sounds through student name word, color words, attribute letter sorting, and alphabet games. It's important to note that this is not a program to explicitly teach all letters and sounds as other skills need to be in place first.

  • Shared Reading & Listening Comprehension

    There will be a brief story daily about our mascot, Biscuit the Bulldog. Biscuit will share his adventures with students in order to build listening comprehension skills. Parents and students will have the opportunity to discuss story events together, and apply this type of questioning to other books they enjoy reading.

Instructor

Literacy Launch Owner, Certified Educator Birth-6th

Anna Strohm

My name is Anna Strohm and I'm so glad that you're here! I'm a former preschool, Kindergarten and 1st Grade teacher, but currently stay home with my three kiddos John, Kade and Sophie. I own Literacy Launch, which has operated as a summer learning program focused on literacy for students ages Pre-K through 2nd Grade for the past two summers in our home. My husband, John, is the principal at Portal Elementary School in Papillion. Due to the addition to our family, Literacy Launch is making the transition to an online learning studio where I facilitate experiences for students (and parents) entering preschool, Pre-K, transitional K, Kindergarten and 1st Grade. I'm excited for your child to be a part of an online learning program with me!

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome to Kinder Kickstart

  • 2

    Week #1: Rhyming & Student Name Practice

    • Lesson 1

    • Lesson 2

    • Lesson 3

    • Lesson 4

    • Lesson 5

    • Letter Order

    • Letter Sound Pronunciation Guide

    • Summer Reading Log {June, July & August}

    • Rhyming Book List

    • Handwriting Paths of Motion
  • 3

    Week #2: Syllables & Student Name Practice

    • Week 2, Lesson 1

    • Week 2, Lesson 2

    • Week 2, Lesson 3

    • Week 2, Lesson 4

    • Week 2, Lesson 5

    • Mat Man Song
  • 4

    Week #3: Onset/Rime & Alphabet Instruction

    • Week 3, Lesson 1

    • Week 3, Lesson 2

    • Week 3, Lesson 3

    • Week 3, Lesson 4

    • Week 3, Lesson 5

    • Workout with Word Families

    • Alphabet Cards

    • Alphabet Song
  • 5

    Week #4: Generate Rhymes & Sort Letters by Attribute

    • Week 4, Lesson 1

    • Week 4, Lesson 2

    • Week 4, Lesson 3

    • Week 4, Lesson 4

    • Week 4, Lesson 5

    • I Love to Rhyme

    • Letter Tiles (extra copy)
  • 6

    Week #5: Beginning Sounds & Alphabet Games

    • Week 5, Lesson 1

    • Week 5, Lesson 2

    • Week 5, Lesson 3

    • Week 5, Lesson 4

    • Week 5, Lesson 5

    • Letter Flash ABC Order

    • Letter Flash Mixed
  • 7

    Week #6: Blending Sounds & Color Words

    • Week 6, Lesson 1

    • Week 6, Lesson 2

    • Week 6, Lesson 3

    • Week 6, Lesson 4

    • Week 6, Lesson 5

    • Color Words Rap

    • BONUS Color Words Science Connection
  • 8

    Week #7: Segmenting Sounds & Color Words

    • Week 7, Lesson 1

    • Week 7, Lesson 2

    • Week 7, Lesson 3

    • Week 7, Lesson 4

    • Week 7, Lesson 5

    • BONUS Color Words Science Connection - part 2
  • 9

    Week #8: Segmenting Sounds & Tracking Words in Sentences

    • Week 8, Lesson 1

    • Week 8, Lesson 2

    • Week 8, Lesson 3

    • Week 8, Lesson 4

    • Week 8, Lesson 5
  • 10

    Resources

    • Student Kit Workbook (extra copy)

    • Student Kit Half Sheets (extra copy)

    • ABC Chart (extra copy)

    • Alphabet Cards (optional to print)

    • Letter Tiles (extra copy)
  • 11

    Additional Resources from the Nebraska Department of Education

    • Nebraska's Birth to Five Learning and Development Standards

    • Early Learning Foundations

    • Kindergarten Language & Literacy

    • Ready for Success: What Families Want to Know About Starting School in Nebraska

FAQ

  • What if my child is turning 5 shortly, but not yet going to Kindergarten? Can I still enroll them?

    That is completely up to you! If you feel like the program is a good fit for your family, feel free to purchase now. Enrollment won't open again until next spring. If there is a point where your child seems frustrated, you can always save the material for later since the course is a lifetime purchase. It's important to make this time spent learning together relaxed and fun.

  • We have a busy summer! What if we can't commit to completing one lesson a day (weekdays) for 8 weeks?

    I completely understand family vacations, sporting events, swim lessons, time at the pool and other summer commitments. The great thing about this online program is that it's completely flexible so you can work it in to your scheduled as you see fit. I recommend completing the lessons consistently (Monday through Friday for 8 weeks), but if you miss a few it would be easy to catch up on the weekend. You can also take the material kit and an iPad on the go anywhere you have WiFi available.

  • Can my child complete the program independently?

    Kinder Kickstart is meant to be an interactive learning experience between the caregiver and child. I do not recommend the child complete this independently.

  • I have a friend who would like to complete this course with her child. Can I share my link?

    This course is licensed for one family. A friend or relative (not living in the home) will need to purchase their own course. Progress is tracked on an individual basis and you will also need one student material kit per child. If you have twins in your family, please email me at [email protected] and I will assist you.

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