1st Grade - Gateway 1
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Focus & Coherence
Gateway 1 - Meets Expectations | 100% |
|---|---|
Criterion 1.1: Focus | 2 / 2 |
Criterion 1.2: Coherence | 4 / 4 |
Criterion 1.3: Coherence | 8 / 8 |
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for gateway 1. These materials do not assess above-grade-level content and spend the majority of the time on the major clusters of each grade level. Teachers using these materials as designed will use supporting clusters to enhance the major work of the grade. These materials are consistent with the mathematical progression in the standards, and students are offered extensive work with grade-level problems. Connections are made between clusters and domains where appropriate. Overall, the Grade 1 materials are focused and follow a coherent plan.
Criterion 1.1: Focus
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for this criterion by not assessing any topics before the grade level in which the topic is introduced in the standards. No above-grade-level content was assessed on mid-module or end-of-module assessments in any module. All assessments, rubrics and topics relate to Grade 1 standards. For example, students are assessed on addition and subtraction within 20, fluent addition and subtraction within 10, understanding of the place-value system and understanding of the meaning of the equal sign. Overall, the instructional material meets the expectations for focus within assessment.
Indicator 1a
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for focus within assessment. Overall, the instructional material does not assess any content from future grades within the summative assessment sections of each module.
- No above-grade-level content was assessed on mid-module or end-of-module assessments, with one exception noted below.
- All rubrics and topics relate to Grade 1 standards or below.
- The summative assessments focus on grade-level topics.
- Students are allowed to choose a method for addition and subtraction and are asked to explain their thinking about that method.
- Reviewer Note: Module 6 introduces coins. Recognizing and identifying coins and their values were included as a result of New York State adding the topic to its standards. This series was originally written for the engageny.org website and the reviewers of this series concluded this topic could be allowed in the final assessment of the last module as preparation for the summer learning project.
Criterion 1.2: Coherence
Students and teachers using the materials as designed devote the large majority of class time in each grade K-8 to the major work of the grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for focus by spending the majority of the time on the major clusters of the grade. This includes all clusters within the following domains: 1.OA, 1.NBT and the first cluster within 1.MD.
Indicator 1b
Instructional material spends the majority of class time on the major cluster of each grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for focus by spending the majority of the time on the major clusters of the grade. This includes all clusters within the following domains: 1.OA, 1.NBT and the first cluster within 1.MD.
- While some lessons include multiple standards, 134 of 153 lesson days are devoted to major work.
- More than 87% of the lessons explicitly focus on major work, with major work often included within supporting work lessons as well.
- Out of six modules, modules 1, 2 and 4 address major work exclusively. Module 3 devotes 11 of 13 lessons to major work. Module 6 includes five lessons on supporting and additional work.
- Module 5 does not include major work.
- Of the 27 assessment days, 25 are devoted to major work.
Criterion 1.3: Coherence
Coherence: Each grade's instructional materials are coherent and consistent with the Standards.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for coherence. The materials use supporting content as a way to continue work with the major work of the grade. For example, the materials use data as a resource for continuing the student's work on addition and subtraction. The materials include a full program of study that is viable content for a school year including 180 lesson and assessment days. This set of materials is consistent with the mathematical progression of learning set forth in the standards. All students, even struggling students, are given extensive work on grade-level problems, and this work progresses mathematically. These instructional materials are visibly shaped by the cluster headings in the standards including the use of the word "understanding" in topics related to place value. Connections are made between domains and clusters within the grade level. For example, materials make connections between iterating length units and collecting data. Overall, the Grade 1 materials support coherence and are consistent with the progressions in the standards
Indicator 1c
Supporting content enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by engaging students in the major work of the grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for supporting content as a way to enhance coherence. For Grade 1, reviewers focused on the use of data as a method for supporting addition and subtraction and place value.
- In module 3, students are using data to add and subtract. After collecting data, students are asked questions such as "What is the total number of students that liked __________ and _________best?"
- In module 3, students are given data and instructed, "Write a number sentence to show how many fewer students have Velcro ties on their shoes than laces."
- In module 3, students are given data and instructed, "Write a number sentence to show how you could use the chart to tell how many students were asked about their shoes on Friday."
- In module 3, students are asked during a debrief session, "How is using the counting on strategy related to using an addition sentence when combining the votes for two or more categories?"
- In module 6, students use coins to develop their understanding of place value and addition and subtraction.
Indicator 1d
The amount of content designated for one grade level is viable for one school year in order to foster coherence between grades.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for this indicator by providing a viable level of content for one school year.
- Materials provide for 180 days of instruction and assessment.
- Lessons are expected to be 60 minutes.
- Lessons include fluency practice, application problems, concept development and a student debrief.
- The materials are structured so that a teacher could make modifications if necessary.
- While a district, school or teacher would not need to make significant changes to the schedule set forth, reviewers expressed concerns about the volume of lessons.
- Some lessons may take longer than indicated.
- Days are included at the end of the year for culmination activities and preparation for summer practice.
Indicator 1e
Materials are consistent with the progressions in the Standards i. Materials develop according to the grade-by-grade progressions in the Standards. If there is content from prior or future grades, that content is clearly identified and related to grade-level work ii. Materials give all students extensive work with grade-level problems iii. Materials relate grade level concepts explicitly to prior knowledge from earlier grades.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 are consistent with the mathematical progressions in the standards, meeting the expectation for this indicator. The problem types included in the application problems show an increasing level of difficulty.
- Foundational standards from Kindergarten are included for each module.
- Problem sets in each module offer students extensive work on grade-level problems.
- Within the differentiation sections, teachers are given suggestions for supporting struggling students while continuing to expect that students work on grade-level problems.
- Suggestions for supporting English language learners (ELLs) continued to reflect the high expectations for these students.
- The teacher notes include suggestions for advanced students to continue working within their grade level while deepening their understanding of the content.
Indicator 1f
Materials foster coherence through connections at a single grade, where appropriate and required by the Standards i. Materials include learning objectives that are visibly shaped by CCSSM cluster headings. ii. Materials include problems and activities that serve to connect two or more clusters in a domain, or two or more domains in a grade, in cases where these connections are natural and important.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 foster coherence through grade-level connections.
- Topic titles and lesson titles are informed by cluster headings.
- Module 6 has a topic called "Addition to 100 Using Place Value Understanding," which is similar to the cluster heading "Understand Place Value."
- Module 2 is called "Addition and Subtraction within 20," which is similar to the cluster heading "Add and Subtract within 20."
- Module 5 has a topic called "Attributes of Shapes." The standards have a cluster heading "Reason with Shapes and their Attributes".
- Module 1 combines 1.MD.2 with 1.MD.4, using data to continue work on iterating length units.
- Module 3 combines 1.MD.4 with OA, using data to continue work on operations with addition and subtraction.