This Dolch Word List of Common Nouns Worksheet gives kindergarten readers all 95 everyday Dolch nouns in one clean, colorful reference table—perfect for building sight-word fluency during reading, spelling, and writing practice.
Using this Common and Proper Nouns Flash Cards, students sort the Common and Proper Flash Cards to the appropriate category.
Using this There Was An Old Lady Animal Names Activity, students practice reading animal words to build reading fluency and recognition.
Every thing has a name
Kindergartners learn that a noun is a naming word for a person, place, animal or thing. Common nouns are the everyday names: dog, girl, park, ball. They practice spotting nouns around the room, naming pictures, and using nouns in short sentences like "I see a cat." Some kids start noticing that special names, like their own, get a capital letter. The aha moment is when a child points around the room and names nouns everywhere they look.
Nouns are all around us, so teach them with real things kids can see and touch.
Flash noun cards and have kids name each picture and tell if it is a person, place, animal or thing. Mix in a proper noun card now and then and ask what is different about it.
Why it works: children learn more from words and pictures together than from words alone (Mayer, 2009).
Try it withCommon and Proper Nouns Flash CardsFlash CardsOpen it →Give kids sticky notes and have them label things in the classroom: door, chair, book. Read the Dolch common noun list together first so they have words ready. Labeling the room makes nouns real.
Why it works: kids understand an idea best when they touch it, then draw it, then write it, the order the U.S. Department of Education recommends for elementary math.
Try it withDolch Word List of Common NounsWorksheetsOpen it →Read or sing "There Was an Old Lady" and have kids name every animal she swallows. Then they sort the animal names. A silly story keeps everyone listening for nouns.
Why it works: words set to a repeating melody are easier to recall than the same words spoken (Wallace, 1994).
Try it withThere Was An Old Lady Animal Names ActivityActivitiesOpen it →Teacher favorites right now: Dolch Word List of Common Nouns, Common and Proper Nouns Flash Cards and There Was An Old Lady Animal Names Activity.
A common noun is a naming word for any person, place, animal or thing, like boy, school, cat or cup. It is not a special name, so it does not start with a capital letter.
A common noun names any person, place or thing, like girl. A proper noun names a specific one, like Emma, and starts with a capital letter.
Use real objects, pictures and labels around the room. Ask "Is it a person, place, animal or thing?" to help kids sort what they name.
Name things together as you walk through the house or store. Play a quick game where your child names three nouns in the kitchen.
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