Michigan K–5 Literacy and Math Resources: Phonics, Handwriting, Fluency and Grade 3–4 Math
Michigan K–5 Literacy and Math Resources: Phonics, Handwriting, Fluency and Grade 3–4 Math
Michigan schools are preparing for new K–3 screening and science-of-reading requirements that start in 2027–28. This page sorts our K–5 units by grade, explains how they fit next to Michigan's own ELA and math standards, and what to know about cursive, which the state does not currently require.
Browse the K–5 reading and writing resources →Resources for Michigan classrooms
Seven units for phonics, handwriting, fluency and grade 3–4 math
These seven cover the early reading routines that Michigan's new laws focus on, print and cursive handwriting, and the grade 3–4 math and fluency work where many students need more practice than the core lesson gives.
Phonemic Awareness Daily Routines | 36 Weeks of Oral Sound Routines | Kindergarten
A daily oral sound routine; children answer with sounds, not letters.
Decodable Readers Grade One | 20 Stories with Word Work & Comprehension | Grade 1
Stories built from taught patterns, so children blend instead of guess.
Manuscript Handwriting | Basic Strokes & A–Z Letter Practice | Grades K–1
Basic strokes, then a model for every letter.
Cursive Writing | Strokes, Letters a–z & Joining Words | Grades 2–3
Ten lessons from stroke families to joined words, for Michigan districts that choose to teach cursive.
Multiplication Fact Fluency | Strategies, Fact Families & Array Labs | Grade 3
Hard facts built from easier ones, with array labs.
Multi-Digit Multiplication and Division | Area Model, Partial Products & Partial Quotients | Grade 4
Area model and partial products before the algorithm.
Reading Fluency Passages | 24 Original Passages with Meaning Checks | Grade 4
Twenty-four passages, each with a meaning check.
Michigan standards in plain terms
What Michigan expects in K–5 reading, writing and math
Michigan sets its own K–12 standards for English language arts, math and science, and your district's curriculum is built on them. Students take the M-STEP (Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress) in the spring, and results for the most recent round were reported in September 2026.
We don't tag our pages with standard codes. Each unit is written for a US grade and focuses on one skill: hearing sounds in words, decoding, letter formation, multiplication strategies, reading with meaning. Compare the lesson list on each product page with your state's ELA and math standards and your district's pacing guide before you place a unit.
Grade bands
Which resource fits which Michigan grade
Each unit is listed at the grade it is written for. These are practice and lesson sets to use alongside your district's core program, not a state-adopted curriculum.
| Grade | Resource | Michigan note |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten |
Phonemic Awareness Daily Routines Manuscript Handwriting K–1 |
Oral sound work fits the K screening Michigan schools will run three times a year from 2027–28. |
| Grade 1 |
Decodable Readers Grade One Heart Words |
Decoding practice that does not rely on cueing from pictures. |
| Grades 2–3 | Cursive Writing Grades 2–3 | Cursive is a district choice in Michigan; use the unit if your district teaches it. |
| Grade 3 | Multiplication Fact Fluency | Fact strategies ahead of the grade 3 math work and spring testing. |
| Grade 4 |
Multi-Digit Multiplication and Division Reading Fluency Passages |
Multi-digit methods and fluency practice for the upper elementary push. |
| Grades 3–5 |
Multisyllabic Word Decoding Text Evidence and Constructed Response |
Small-group practice for students the new screening flags beyond grade 3. |
Early reading
Michigan's 2024 literacy laws
In October 2024, Michigan signed SB 567 and SB 568. Starting in 2027–28, schools screen K–3 students for dyslexia and reading difficulty three times a year, support them through a multi-tiered system (MTSS), and train teachers in the science of reading, with state guidance on core reading materials. The Read by Grade Three retention rule was repealed in 2023.
Our early reading units follow the same logic. The Phonemic Awareness Daily Routines build the oral skills screening checks in Kindergarten. The Decodable Readers and Heart Words give grade 1 children text they can blend and words they map sound by sound. For older students the screening catches, the multisyllabic decoding lessons and the Dyslexia-Friendly Reading Support Pack give your Tier 2 group a routine that repeats from lesson to lesson.
Handwriting
Cursive in Michigan: optional, for now
Michigan has no statewide cursive requirement. A bill introduced in 2025, HB 4675, would only encourage cursive instruction, with a target of fall 2027, and it is still pending. Whether and when you teach cursive is a district and building decision, so check your district's current handwriting requirement before you plan.
If your school does teach it, our Cursive Writing unit is written for grades 2–3. It moves from posture and movement through the stroke families to joined words, with a practice page for every lowercase letter. If you don't teach cursive, the Manuscript Handwriting K–1 set is still worth a look: secure print letters with correct stroke direction help spelling and writing speed in every later grade.
Classroom use
How to use these units in a K–5 week
Teachers can use these sets in small groups, an intervention block or a short daily routine.
- Read the teacher guide firstIt explains the routine and where children usually get stuck.
- Pick the grade by skill, not only by ageMichigan's screening will put students in groups by skill. Use the same logic: a grade 3 student who stalls on long words belongs in the multisyllabic lessons, and a grade 2 child still weak on blending can use the grade 1 decodable stories.
- Keep sessions shortSound routines take a few minutes a day; handwriting works best as ten-minute practice several times a week.
- Edit the DOCXChange names, examples or word lists to match your class.
- Print on US LetterThe A4 PDFs print on US Letter with fit-to-page.
By subject: K–2 phonics, grades 1–4 math, grades 3–6 reading and K–3 handwriting.
Questions teachers ask
Frequently asked questions
Do these resources match the Michigan standards?
We don't claim alignment or approval from the state. Each unit is written for a US grade and sits closest to the skills in the grade-level ELA and math expectations. Compare the lessons with Michigan's standards and your district materials.
Does Michigan require cursive?
Not at the moment. Michigan has no statewide cursive requirement. HB 4675 from 2025 would only encourage cursive and is still pending, so check your district's current handwriting requirement.
What do I get when I buy a unit?
A classroom material PDF, a teacher guide PDF, an editable DOCX and an editable PowerPoint. Page counts are on each product page.
Do these units help with the K–3 screening that starts in 2027–28?
They are not screeners and do not diagnose anything. They give you practice for the skills screening looks at, such as phonemic awareness and decoding, so you have something ready for the students it flags.
Will these replace my district curriculum?
No. They are focused sets for practice and intervention, used next to your core program.
Planning for a Michigan classroom
For every subject and grade we cover, the Michigan Teaching Resources & Worksheets (Grades K–12) page collects it in one place.
See the elementary math resources →