CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.2a
ELAKindergartenConventions of Standard English
The Standard
Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
What This Standard Means
Students need to notice where a sentence begins and mark that first word with an uppercase letter. They also need to write the word I as uppercase every time, even when it comes in the middle or at the end of a sentence.
Mastery looks like using capitals during real writing, not just fixing them on a worksheet. Many kinders can name the rule but forget it while stretching sounds or copying. They also confuse uppercase I with lowercase l, or capitalize random words because they look “important.”
Ways to Teach It
- Hands-on: Give students sentence strips and letter tiles, then have them swap in uppercase letters for sentence starts and every I.
- Prompt: Ask students to write, “I can ___,” then circle the capital I and box the first word.
- Quick assessment: Dictate three short sentences with I, and check only capitals at sentence starts and the word I.
- Real-world connection: Read a classroom morning message together and let students use sticky notes to mark correct capital letters.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.2a
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What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.