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Core Knowledge
What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know (Revised and updated): Preparing Your Child for a Lifetime of Learning
Help your child exceed the Common Core standards with the revised and updated What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know
Designed for use by parents and teachers, this groundbreaking first volume in the Core Knowledge Series provides kindergartners with the fundamentals they need to prepare them for a lifetime of learning. It sets out the elements a parent or educator should look for in a good kindergarten program and introduces activities that help a child take the first steps in learning to read and write. Featuring a new Introduction and filled with age-appropriate questions and suggestions that stimulate thinking and build vocabulary, this revised and updated edition of What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know also includes
• Favorite poems —read and recite together from Mother Goose, A. A. Milne, Langston Hughes, and more, all beautifully illustrated
• Beloved stories and fables —read aloud from “The Three Little Pigs,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “Cinderella,” Winnie-the-Pooh, “The Velveteen Rabbit,” and many more, including multicultural folktales from African, Japanese, and Native American traditions
• Familiar sayings and phrases —impart traditional wisdom such as “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” and “Better safe than sorry”
• History and geography —a friendly introduction to our world, complete with simple questions and fun activities
• Visual arts —painting, drawing, cutting, and pasting go hand in hand with learning about color and helping a child look at and talk about great works of art
• Music —many musical experiences for parents and children to participate in, along with dozens of songs to sing and dance to
• Math —lively and interesting exposure to concepts and operations that provide a springboard to later mastery
• Science —activities that let children observe, experience, and get their hands dirty while exploring the wonders of nature
Designed for use by parents and teachers, this groundbreaking first volume in the Core Knowledge Series provides kindergartners with the fundamentals they need to prepare them for a lifetime of learning. It sets out the elements a parent or educator should look for in a good kindergarten program and introduces activities that help a child take the first steps in learning to read and write. Featuring a new Introduction and filled with age-appropriate questions and suggestions that stimulate thinking and build vocabulary, this revised and updated edition of What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know also includes
• Favorite poems —read and recite together from Mother Goose, A. A. Milne, Langston Hughes, and more, all beautifully illustrated
• Beloved stories and fables —read aloud from “The Three Little Pigs,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “Cinderella,” Winnie-the-Pooh, “The Velveteen Rabbit,” and many more, including multicultural folktales from African, Japanese, and Native American traditions
• Familiar sayings and phrases —impart traditional wisdom such as “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” and “Better safe than sorry”
• History and geography —a friendly introduction to our world, complete with simple questions and fun activities
• Visual arts —painting, drawing, cutting, and pasting go hand in hand with learning about color and helping a child look at and talk about great works of art
• Music —many musical experiences for parents and children to participate in, along with dozens of songs to sing and dance to
• Math —lively and interesting exposure to concepts and operations that provide a springboard to later mastery
• Science —activities that let children observe, experience, and get their hands dirty while exploring the wonders of nature
403 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
152 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
E.D. Hirsch Jr.
82 books111 followersE. D. Hirsch, Jr. is the founder and chairman of the Core Knowledge Foundation and professor emeritus of education and humanities at the University of Virginia. He is the author of several acclaimed books on education in which he has persisted as a voice of reason making the case for equality of educational opportunity.
A highly regarded literary critic and professor of English earlier in his career, Dr. Hirsch recalls being “shocked into education reform” while doing research on written composition at a pair of colleges in Virginia. During these studies he observed that a student’s ability to comprehend a passage was determined in part by the relative readability of the text, but even more by the student’s background knowledge.
This research led Dr. Hirsch to develop his concept of cultural literacy—the idea that reading comprehension requires not just formal decoding skills but also wide-ranging background knowledge. In 1986 he founded the Core Knowledge Foundation. A year later he published Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know, which remained at the top of the New York Times bestseller list for more than six months. His subsequent books include The Schools We Need, The Knowledge Deficit, The Making of Americans, and most recently, How to Educate a Citizen: The Power of Shared Knowledge to Unify a Nation.
In How to Educate a Citizen (September, 2020), E.D. Hirsch continues the conversation he began thirty years ago with his classic bestseller Cultural Literacy, urging America’s public schools, particularly in Preschool – Grade 8, to educate our children using common, coherent and sequenced curricula to help heal and preserve the nation.
A highly regarded literary critic and professor of English earlier in his career, Dr. Hirsch recalls being “shocked into education reform” while doing research on written composition at a pair of colleges in Virginia. During these studies he observed that a student’s ability to comprehend a passage was determined in part by the relative readability of the text, but even more by the student’s background knowledge.
This research led Dr. Hirsch to develop his concept of cultural literacy—the idea that reading comprehension requires not just formal decoding skills but also wide-ranging background knowledge. In 1986 he founded the Core Knowledge Foundation. A year later he published Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know, which remained at the top of the New York Times bestseller list for more than six months. His subsequent books include The Schools We Need, The Knowledge Deficit, The Making of Americans, and most recently, How to Educate a Citizen: The Power of Shared Knowledge to Unify a Nation.
In How to Educate a Citizen (September, 2020), E.D. Hirsch continues the conversation he began thirty years ago with his classic bestseller Cultural Literacy, urging America’s public schools, particularly in Preschool – Grade 8, to educate our children using common, coherent and sequenced curricula to help heal and preserve the nation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
December 28, 2009
A very nice book that assumes that your child will be getting a rather mediocre education in school, and thus, needs to be supplemented with extra work at home - an idea that I wholeheartedly support. Unfortunately, as is the case with many such books, it is aimed at children who are not too clever, since most of this material is hardly challenging for a bright kindergartner. I think this book is best used with pre-school children, to give the parents a bit of guidance about the sort of preparation they should attempt at home. The book is heavy on language arts and American history, and does very little in the way of arithmetic, probability, and other mathematical concepts that (in my opinion) your kindergartner needs to know. So supplement accordingly. Overall - a nice compilation. I even went so far as to purchase it!
December 6, 2013
A subtitle of this book says "Support Common Core achievement with readings and activities in Literature, Mathematics, History, Science and the arts" which caught my attention....
And it's what I thought.... the History section of this book is atrocious. For example: The citizens of early America did not want to be governed by a King far away in England. So they wrote the Declaration of Independence. That's it! And: The citizens of post-Declaration of Independence realized that slavery was not right, so they changed the law. That's it! Sorry, but my kindergartens can absolutely handle the idea of war and risking your life to fight for things you believe in. Give them some credit. Revolution and Civil War are not even mentioned.
There's more that's disappointing, but you'll just have to trust me.
The math section is interesting. And long and covers a lot of stuff. I'm confused because it only involved counting to 31 and I thought Common Core wanted kids to count to 100.... ?
Regardless, my advice? Know what your kids are studying at school!
And it's what I thought.... the History section of this book is atrocious. For example: The citizens of early America did not want to be governed by a King far away in England. So they wrote the Declaration of Independence. That's it! And: The citizens of post-Declaration of Independence realized that slavery was not right, so they changed the law. That's it! Sorry, but my kindergartens can absolutely handle the idea of war and risking your life to fight for things you believe in. Give them some credit. Revolution and Civil War are not even mentioned.
There's more that's disappointing, but you'll just have to trust me.
The math section is interesting. And long and covers a lot of stuff. I'm confused because it only involved counting to 31 and I thought Common Core wanted kids to count to 100.... ?
Regardless, my advice? Know what your kids are studying at school!
August 16, 2012
I know some might say it's a bit early to be looking at this for Canaan who's 3, but assuming she's not going to preschool many reviewers said that this could pretty much work as a preschool text instead of a Kindergartner text. She already knows 60% of the nursery rhymes and stories they suggest she ought to know. I'm having fun with it!
November 17, 2020
I own and have read all the grade levels in the Core Knowledge Series. There is some repetition when you read the entire series but I found it important to read all of these books as the curriculum builds from the ground up. Each grade level assumes exposure to the previous content, refers to it, and often briefly reviews what was introduced at a previous level.
I am especially supportive of teaching history as opposed to social studies in the early grades. Though it is important to learn about their communities and families, kindergartners have a natural interest in history and it is good to capitalize on this enthusiasm from a young age.
I also thought the music and the visual arts sections were very informative and helpful for both parents and teachers alike.
I am especially supportive of teaching history as opposed to social studies in the early grades. Though it is important to learn about their communities and families, kindergartners have a natural interest in history and it is good to capitalize on this enthusiasm from a young age.
I also thought the music and the visual arts sections were very informative and helpful for both parents and teachers alike.
August 5, 2020
I picked up this book, as well as about 7 others, after the Covid-19 shutdown of my children's schools. The provided material from our district's online learning was terrible, and I found myself worrying about my kids reaching important milestones -- as well as being frustrated by malfunctioning technology and unhelpful teachers. We struggled through for hours (NOT an exaggeration) on an assignment that on paper might have taken 10 minutes; only reviewing material and never learning anything new. My daughter passed first grade math by only knowing addition up to 20! So I added on to this tedious screen time by researching and purchasing my own resources, pushing her forward into multiplication and division, fractions, and adding and subtracting with regrouping. Yet if I hadn't taken the time and effort to do this on my own, her public schooling would have skipped right over this.
For this upcoming year we've decided to skip that aggravation, keep our kids at home rather than in an unhealthy and traumatic environment, and pull them entirely out of public school. Needless to say, diving into homeschooling has been extremely overwhelming. It was never my intention to homeschool my three kids, and I have no idea where to even begin...except by reading a bunch of reference books of course! The process involves a lot of personal soul-searching and getting clear on my reasons for switching to this style of learning -- then, needless to say, comes the necessary research for what to actually teach them and how! I seem to be finding so many conflicting principles and theories and the whole process is a mess to sort through. One of the main themes I have been discovering is the divide between "common core" curriculum standards (where all children are taught the same things at the same ages) and the "unschooling" or "eclectic schooling" method, which endorses a unique lifestyle of learning tailored to the individual child's interests and needs.
This particular book (and others in this series for subsequent grades) adheres to the "common core" approach to learning. It is designed for the eager parent who wishes to supplement standard in-person schooling. An excerpt from their general introduction to the series states: "Like the idea that skills are more important than knowledge, there is a warm, intuitive appeal to the idea that we should tailor schooling to allow every child to find what most excites and engages him, and let those interests drive his 'child-centered' education. But again, this ignores some fundamental facts about how we learn. Language and vocabulary -- like critical thinking and problem solving -- also depend a great deal on a broad base of shared knowledge....Learning builds on learning: children (and adults) gain new knowledge only by building on what they already know. It is essential to begin building solid foundations of knowledge in the early grades, when children are most receptive, because for the vast majority of children, academic deficiencies from the first six grades can permanently impair the success of later learning." (xxix - xxx)
Most of the homeschooling books I've been reading have been arguing against this approach, and I find myself increasingly drawn to the benefits of the unique and loving environment that homeschooling my children can provide. I appreciate the freedom to let my children's love of curiosity lead them eagerly down a path of discovery, and I value the bonding experience that such activities with them have created thus far. To be honest, keeping my children at home and taking control of their education has created a marked improvement all across the board -- in how quickly they pick up reading and math skills, the way that they get along with and respect one another, and how they've eagerly become more involved in the daily running of the household. They seem to be flourishing at home with the more direct attention that they can receive outside of the classroom. However! While my kids may love the loose structure of our recent days and I can visibly see them benefiting from it, I am a Type A perfectionist. I am constantly questioning my abilities to teach them necessary educational skills, wondering if they are actually learning enough, and frantically searching for that "perfect" schedule to organize my days and keep me from going absolutely crazy.
Again, this book is not written for homeschoolers, but as a supplement to a standard education; hence, you come across a different ethical perspective than what other books on home learning will provide you. But I must say that in my opinion, it is only to our benefit to expose ourselves to radically different viewpoints and find our own balance. And what I do very much appreciate is that the brunt of this book is actual lesson plans! Stories, texts, games, activities -- covering all the major subject areas including fine arts. It is probably the most concise and useful text I've come across to date with regards to "how" to teach my children basic skills. Is it the only book I will need, providing me with all the essentials and solving all my homeschooling woes? Absolutely not. But it is quite a comfort to have all this material at hand. You do not need to adhere to the "common core" philosophy of strict guidance and requirements to find this book extremely beneficial.
For this upcoming year we've decided to skip that aggravation, keep our kids at home rather than in an unhealthy and traumatic environment, and pull them entirely out of public school. Needless to say, diving into homeschooling has been extremely overwhelming. It was never my intention to homeschool my three kids, and I have no idea where to even begin...except by reading a bunch of reference books of course! The process involves a lot of personal soul-searching and getting clear on my reasons for switching to this style of learning -- then, needless to say, comes the necessary research for what to actually teach them and how! I seem to be finding so many conflicting principles and theories and the whole process is a mess to sort through. One of the main themes I have been discovering is the divide between "common core" curriculum standards (where all children are taught the same things at the same ages) and the "unschooling" or "eclectic schooling" method, which endorses a unique lifestyle of learning tailored to the individual child's interests and needs.
This particular book (and others in this series for subsequent grades) adheres to the "common core" approach to learning. It is designed for the eager parent who wishes to supplement standard in-person schooling. An excerpt from their general introduction to the series states: "Like the idea that skills are more important than knowledge, there is a warm, intuitive appeal to the idea that we should tailor schooling to allow every child to find what most excites and engages him, and let those interests drive his 'child-centered' education. But again, this ignores some fundamental facts about how we learn. Language and vocabulary -- like critical thinking and problem solving -- also depend a great deal on a broad base of shared knowledge....Learning builds on learning: children (and adults) gain new knowledge only by building on what they already know. It is essential to begin building solid foundations of knowledge in the early grades, when children are most receptive, because for the vast majority of children, academic deficiencies from the first six grades can permanently impair the success of later learning." (xxix - xxx)
Most of the homeschooling books I've been reading have been arguing against this approach, and I find myself increasingly drawn to the benefits of the unique and loving environment that homeschooling my children can provide. I appreciate the freedom to let my children's love of curiosity lead them eagerly down a path of discovery, and I value the bonding experience that such activities with them have created thus far. To be honest, keeping my children at home and taking control of their education has created a marked improvement all across the board -- in how quickly they pick up reading and math skills, the way that they get along with and respect one another, and how they've eagerly become more involved in the daily running of the household. They seem to be flourishing at home with the more direct attention that they can receive outside of the classroom. However! While my kids may love the loose structure of our recent days and I can visibly see them benefiting from it, I am a Type A perfectionist. I am constantly questioning my abilities to teach them necessary educational skills, wondering if they are actually learning enough, and frantically searching for that "perfect" schedule to organize my days and keep me from going absolutely crazy.
Again, this book is not written for homeschoolers, but as a supplement to a standard education; hence, you come across a different ethical perspective than what other books on home learning will provide you. But I must say that in my opinion, it is only to our benefit to expose ourselves to radically different viewpoints and find our own balance. And what I do very much appreciate is that the brunt of this book is actual lesson plans! Stories, texts, games, activities -- covering all the major subject areas including fine arts. It is probably the most concise and useful text I've come across to date with regards to "how" to teach my children basic skills. Is it the only book I will need, providing me with all the essentials and solving all my homeschooling woes? Absolutely not. But it is quite a comfort to have all this material at hand. You do not need to adhere to the "common core" philosophy of strict guidance and requirements to find this book extremely beneficial.
October 29, 2015
An excellent collection of stories!
September 18, 2020
I became a Covid homeschooler to my Kindergarten and Preschool aged children this fall. As I was looking into different curriculums, I came across this set of common core books that shares information on the common knowledge that children at this age should all know or be exposed to. I was planning on just browsing through it to get an idea of what I needed to cover and make sure whatever I selected had it. Well, I wasn't expecting it to not just tell you the stories to read and knowledge to teach, but actually have it included! There were a lot of stories that I hadn't found or even in some cases knew myself. So we all got a kindergarten education. We read the book cover to cover just to review and cover all bases alongside the unit study program I found and selected. We have covered all "common core" information. It is September. I feel good that my kids will only have the opportunity to learn more than they would have in a classroom setting as the year goes on.
November 25, 2021
I'm a 41 year old woman who reads these books for enjoyment. I originally purchased them in order to study for the CBEST and CSET teaching exams. That was my excuse, at least. I love the content and pictures and I enjoy learning what children of each age should typically know. I love how this book is a collection of all the basic American children's folklore. Maybe I'm just nostalgic. No, I know I'm nostalgic.
As a bonus, it has informed my tutoring of children of all ages as well as curriculum development.
As a bonus, it has informed my tutoring of children of all ages as well as curriculum development.
September 8, 2020
I borrowed this ebook from the library but the physical book is necessary. It contains stories and poems to read to a child and not conducive to reading from a cell phone. Pretty basic information but I did fall in the trap of only reading and math. I didn't think to talk to my child about art, length, money.
June 25, 2017
An excellent reference for educational benchmarks and expectations that is necessary to function smoothly in today's fast paced American Culture.
March 15, 2018
Interesting to me because I have a kid this age. I liked learning what content she should be learning and how I can support her from home.
March 26, 2019
We have this series and use it as a supplement and to see if there are areas we need to delve into deeper
August 6, 2019
Alright. It is kind of like a teachers study guide, with parts for the parent/teacher and parts for the child to read. Lots of stories, tales, and fables included.
June 28, 2020
skimmed
June 30, 2020
An excellent review of what one ought to learn in Kindergarten.
December 30, 2020
A lot of good material in here covering a wide range of subjects, which brought about further conversation/inquiry from my son. Great resource for those of us pandemic homeschooling this year, but I will likely buy the guide each year as a supplement anyway, even during regular school years.
October 6, 2024
Everything I am is because of this series of books… 3 stars.
August 12, 2013
"What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know: Preparing Your Child for a Lifetime of Learning," by E. D. Hirsch Jr, is an overview of what the average student should learn in kindergarten. I picked this book up from the 'new books' shelf at the library, even though my kid's entering 4 year old preschool and not Kindergarten, just to get an idea of what we can expect in the coming years.
The book is a good mix of educational topics and is very accessible to those wanting to teach, or supplement, at home. There's instruction, for example, on how to both read aloud AND discuss what you've read; there's advice for discussing paintings (line use, cool vs warm colors, etc). I was impressed that in the history section Native Americans are presented as a large group of disparate identities, cultures, and languages instead of one homogenous Plains-ish mass and that topics of Slavery were discussed. As Chicago uses the Common Core Curriculum, I know to expect that, and what to build upon at home.
The book is a good mix of educational topics and is very accessible to those wanting to teach, or supplement, at home. There's instruction, for example, on how to both read aloud AND discuss what you've read; there's advice for discussing paintings (line use, cool vs warm colors, etc). I was impressed that in the history section Native Americans are presented as a large group of disparate identities, cultures, and languages instead of one homogenous Plains-ish mass and that topics of Slavery were discussed. As Chicago uses the Common Core Curriculum, I know to expect that, and what to build upon at home.
January 7, 2016
This book wasn't exactly what I thought it would be - rather than being a list of objectives, it was the content that would meet those objectives. There was a nice introduction at the beginning about early literacy that was easy to read and meaningful, though not as in depth as books such as the read aloud handbook. The rest of the book included poems, stories, math concepts, and social studies/science in a sort of mini textbook format. I must add, though, that if this was the only book used to teach those subjects it would be an education that was lacking. I don't think that was the intention of the author, either, though.
October 13, 2008
Even tho my son is going to public school, we use this book at home to make sure he's getting a well-rounded education. Much of public school time is dedicated to 'teaching to the test', even in our excellent local school. That leaves less time for kids to learn about poetry, art and other 'classical' education topics.
This book (along with "Books to Build On" by the same author)is a wonderful resource for anyone who is homeschooling or just wanting to make sure their child will learn something other than how to take a test in school.
This book (along with "Books to Build On" by the same author)is a wonderful resource for anyone who is homeschooling or just wanting to make sure their child will learn something other than how to take a test in school.
May 27, 2008
As a mom with an education degree, I have found this book is a great way to supplement my child's education. We read it at bedtime and it is set up perfectly for a quick read. The book is separated into different areas of curriculum (math, science, music, geography, etc.). There are also activities you can do with your child. I don't have time during the school year for them but they are great activities to do during the summer when we all need something different to do. By reading it only at bedtime it does take all school year to get through the book
August 5, 2008
My daughter and I have been working through this book together and have been enjoying it. While I don't subscripe to the idea that children should know all of the materials contained in the book before beginning school, I like how the book builds upon itself. And it's also helped me to know what kinds of things my daughter and I can work on/talk about as she prepares for her school career.
This is a great book for reference and review, and it contains pictures which help to illustrate difficult concepts. My daughter loves it too--which is a big plus too!
This is a great book for reference and review, and it contains pictures which help to illustrate difficult concepts. My daughter loves it too--which is a big plus too!
September 24, 2008
I am loving this book!! My daughter was waitlisted for a local charter school (they base their curriculum on these books and on ED Hirsch's Cultural Literacy). We are hoping she will get in next year and I didn't want her to be behind. I devised a mini-homeschool routine that I do with her every day after she gets home from kindergarten at the local public school. She is learning so much and looks forward to "mom school" each day.
May 24, 2010
It's hard to believe that in September 2010, my little guy would be starting Kindergarten (if we weren't homeschooling him).
UPDATE:
DONE! This was a great reference to me and one that I've scheduled myself to borrow again in September. It has nifty little lists of skillsets that your kindergartner should have; and has given me an idea of which areas need a little more attention than others.
UPDATE:
DONE! This was a great reference to me and one that I've scheduled myself to borrow again in September. It has nifty little lists of skillsets that your kindergartner should have; and has given me an idea of which areas need a little more attention than others.
April 17, 2013
While I am against the idea that all kids need to learn certain things at certain times, this series provides content for a core scope and sequence. It can be helpful to look at these books to see if there's a topic homeschool families may have missed, or to see one possibility for what may be covered in a classroom in a given academic year. I find the content a bit dull, so we have used other resources to cover the material during the times I wanted to cover the same topic.
March 11, 2015
Not quite what I was expecting. This book was about what kids will be learning in kindergarten under the new common core curriculum. From reading reviews on a different website, I thought it would be about rounding out your child's education to fill in holes from common core curriculum. That being said, it was still useful to read because it helped to explain the theory behind common core and what they will be learning and why.
August 17, 2009
It is basically what I learned before and during kindgergarten. It reminded me of things I need to teach my daughter. I had forgotten some rhymes that she comes home trying to tell me, now I can help. I enjoyed the book. It also gives a synopsis of his educational theory for those who won't make it through the other books.
November 20, 2012
I technically haven't finished this yet but I use it on the weekends with E to reinforce some things & teach him other stuff that he hasn't learned in the public school.
I already love this book & have gone through the entire thing to know it deserves 4 stars. It's very informative & helpful. A great tool to use if you're homeschooling or supplementing at home.
I already love this book & have gone through the entire thing to know it deserves 4 stars. It's very informative & helpful. A great tool to use if you're homeschooling or supplementing at home.
June 21, 2015
Nadeen and I have been going through this book since she turned 2. I agree with most of the reviewers in that the content should really be mastered by pre-scoolers; however, some of the stories are quite long for a toddler's attention and there could be more illustrations. Great variety of content.
July 23, 2016
This book has been a very useful tool to help my daughter be more prepared for school. I've been able to use some of the mini lessons and book suggestions to review colors, numbers, letters and even some simple science concepts. I look forward to using the books in this series with all of my children.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews