1st Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1b. (K-early Grade 1). 

Materials include extensive instruction, modeling, and student practice in concepts of print. The materials include 32 Shared Reading texts, which are used for print concepts instruction. Lesson plans include explicit instruction for the teacher to model directionality, words as units made by a sequence of letters, and spacing between words. Cumulative review of print concepts occurs regularly, embedded in experiences with Shared Reading texts. The materials do not include physical books but do instruct teachers to print and fold paper versions of the books for use in teaching and practicing print concepts. Review of letter identification and letter formation occurs in the context of lessons and writing tasks, and lesson plans prompt teachers to observe student mastery of letter formation in the context of writing words, phrases, and sentences. 

Materials include sufficient and explicit instruction for all students about the organization of print concepts (e.g., recognize features of a sentence). 

• Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation). For example:

  • In Unit 1, Module 1, Lesson 2, the teacher displays the Shared Reading text, Are You Okay? The teacher points out the first and last words and the punctuation marks in the first sentence. The teacher continues with other sentences on the page. 

  • In Unit 3, Module 1, Lesson 4, the teacher displays the Shared Reading text, All About Light, and uses the sample dialogue to review that a sentence starts with an uppercase letter and ends with a punctuation mark. The teacher points out the first word and ending punctuation in each sentence on the page.

Materials include frequent, adequate lessons, tasks, and questions for all students about the organization of print concepts (e.g., recognize features of a sentence). For example:

• In Unit 2, Module 1, Lesson 2, the teacher projects the Shared Reading text, Chicken Little, which contains a period, exclamation mark, and question mark. Students identify the end punctuation and explain the purpose of each. The teacher writes the sentence “Look out” on the board three times, each ending with different end punctuation. Students point to each punctuation mark and explain the purpose to a partner. 

• In Unit 2, Module 1, Lesson 4, students point to the first and last word on a page of the Shared Reading text, Chicken Little. Students turn to a partner and point to the first and last word on the next few pages.

• In Unit 4, Module 1, Lesson 5, students reread the Shared Reading text, Let’s Carve a Pumpkin, with a partner and discuss how the text and pictures on each page are connected. Students point out any commas and tell their partner where each sentence ends.

Materials include a variety of physical books (teacher-guided, such as big books) that are suitable for the teaching of print concepts. For example:

• The Grade 1 materials include 32 Shared Reading texts for teaching print concepts. The books are projectible digital versions and can be printed and folded into paper books.

Materials include sufficient and explicit instruction about the organization of print concepts (e.g., recognize features of a sentence) in the context of a book. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module 1, Lesson 4, the teacher displays the Shared Reading text, Are You OK?, and explains that a sentence is made up of words that tell a complete thought. The teacher reminds students that a sentence begins with an uppercase letter and ends with a punctuation mark. The teacher points out the first word and the ending punctuation of each sentence.

• In Unit 2, Module 3, Lesson 2, the teacher displays and reads aloud the Shared Reader text, Katie and Katie. The teacher tells students that words are organized into sentences and that sentences can be identified because they begin with a capital letter and end with a period, question mark, or exclamation mark. The teacher shows students the first word on the page and points out that it can be identified by the capital letter. The teacher models identifying the sentences on page 4.

Materials consistently include opportunities for students to engage in authentic practice using print concepts in the context of student books. For example:

• In Unit 4, Module 1, Lesson 2, the teacher displays the Shared Reading text, Let’s Carve a Pumpkin. The teacher reminds students that every sentence must end with a punctuation mark. Students name the three types of end punctuation they have learned, then pay attention to end punctuation as the teacher reads the page aloud. Students name the two types of end punctuation present on the page. 

Materials contain periodic cumulative review opportunities during which the teacher reminds students about previously learned grade-level print concepts, letter identification, and letter formation. For example:

• In Unit 2, Module 3, Lesson 4, using the Shared Reading text, Katie and Katie, the teacher reminds students that sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a period, question mark, or exclamation mark. The teacher points out the first word in each sentence and guides students to point out the ending punctuation.

• In Unit 5, Module 1, Lesson 2, the teacher displays the Shared Reading text, The Empty Pot, and reads the page aloud while demonstrating the return sweep at the end of each line and the end of the paragraph. The teacher leads students in a choral read of page 7 as students practice the return sweep. 

• In Unit 6, Module 3, Lesson 4, the teacher dictates the sentence, “I cannot wait to go on a campout this weekend.” Students write the sentence on handwriting paper. The teacher writes the sentence correctly on the board, and then students use the model to self-correct any errors. The teacher records observations of students’ letter formation skills as they write. 

Materials include students’ practice of previously learned print concepts, letter identification, and letter formation. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module 4, Lesson 4, partners read a text of their choosing, tracking the print with their finger and using return sweep at the end of each line. Students point to the first and last word in each sentence on each page and name the capital letter.

• In Unit 3, Module 1, Lesson 2, the teacher displays the sentences practice sheet and reads the sentences aloud. Students’ choral read with the teacher. The teacher chooses a few sentences and guides students to identify the first and last words and the end punctuation marks.

• In Unit 7, Module 4, Lesson 4, the teacher displays the Shared Reading text, Wojapi Time. Students identify the end punctuation and comma on the page. The teacher reminds students how question marks, periods, and commas differ. Students read the sentences from the text aloud, attending to the effect of the punctuation mark. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1c.

Materials include a variety of phonological awareness activities, several of which contain routines that include movements. There are frequent opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness within all eight units of the program. Each unit consists of three modules, each containing five lessons, with the fifth lesson as a review. 

Materials include a variety of activities for phonological awareness. For example: 

• In Unit 2, Module 2, Lesson 2, students identify the short /u/ sound within the initial position of words in an alliterative sentence. Students use a mirror and mouth articulation image as a reference while producing the short /u/ sound. Students practice identifying the initial /u/ sound with the following words: up, pan, under, dog, car, and us. Students give a thumbs up for words with short /u/ sound and a thumbs down for words that do not contain the short /u/ sound. 

• In Unit 2, Module 3, Lesson 1, students use a Chaining Workmat and colored chips to keep track of the changes from one word to another as the teacher substitutes phonemes.  

• In Unit 6, Module 1, Lesson 1, students determine if the vowel in a word is long or short in a series of words. If the word has the short o vowel sound, the students are to say the short o sound as they touch their knees. If the word has a long o vowel sound, students are to say the long o sound and stretch their arms above their heads. 

There are frequent opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness. For example: 

• Phonological awareness activities are included in every daily lesson, as an introduction, application, practice activity, or review. 

• In Unit 4, Module 1, Lesson 1, students practice isolating and pronouncing initial sounds; in Lesson 2, students practice isolating and pronouncing final sounds; in Lesson 3, students practice isolating and pronouncing medial sounds; and in Lesson 4, students practice isolating and pronouncing initial, medial, and final sounds.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1d. 

Materials provide explicit instruction in all grade-level phonological awareness skills through systematic modeling. Daily lessons include explicit modeling of movements and instructions for teachers to use with students to teach phonological and phonemic awareness skills. 

Materials provide the teacher with systematic, explicit modeling for instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words. For example: 

• Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.

  • In Unit 5, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher reviews the long and short e sounds. Students listen to name the vowel in words and tell if they are long or short vowels. Explicit instruction includes the following, “We have been learning that vowels can have a long or short sound. Listen for the vowel in this word: cheek. The vowel sound in cheek is /ē/. Is /ē/ a long or short vowel sound? That’s right, it is the long e vowel sound. What is the vowel sound in tread? I tread on the grass. (/ĕ/) is that a long or short vowel sound? (short).”

  • In Unit 5, Module 2, Lesson 5,  the teacher models categorizing words by short or long vowel medial sounds. Explicit instruction includes, “We know that vowels stand for two different sounds: a long vowel sound and a short vowel sound. Let’s sort words according to whether they have a long or short vowel sound. (Display the image of the phone.) The first word is /f/ ō/ /n/, phone. Read the word as I hold up the word card: phone. Does phone have a short vowel sound or a long vowel sound? (long vowel sound) What is the long vowel sound? (/ō/) I will place phone in the pocket chart under Long Vowel because the word has the long vowel /ō/.”

  • In Unit 5, Module 3, Lesson 1, the teacher reviews the long and short a sounds and has students listen to name the vowel in a word and tell if they are long or short. Explicit instruction includes the following, “We have been learning that vowels can have a long or short sound. Listen for the vowel sound in this word: cake. The vowel sound in cake is /ā/. Is /ā/ a long or short vowel sound? (short) What’s the vowel sound in trap? (/ă/) Is that the long or short vowel sound? (short)” 

• Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.

  • In Unit 2, Module 2, Lesson 1, the teacher models blending phonemes in single-syllable words with consonant blends. The explicit instruction includes, “We know that words are made up of sounds. I will break apart the sounds of a word, and you will blend the sounds together to make a real word. I will blend this first word for you using my fingers. Listen closely as I say all of the sounds in the word, /d/ /r/ /p/. (Tap your pointer finger against your thumb as you say the first phoneme. Tap your middle finger against your thumb as you say the second phoneme. Tap your ring finger against your thumb as you say the third phoneme. Tap your pinky finger against your thumb as you say the fourth phoneme.) The word is drip. (Make a fist as you say the sounds blended together.) What is the word? (drip).”

  • In Unit 3, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher models blending phonemes in single-syllable words. The explicit instruction includes the following, “We know words are made up of sounds. Listen as I stretch the sounds of a word. You will blend the sounds together to say a real word. (Stretch the sounds in band. Tap your pointer finger against your thumb as you say the first phoneme, /b/. Tap your middle finger against your thumb as you say the second phoneme, /ă/. Tap your ring finger against your thumb as you say the third phoneme,  /n/. Tap your pinky finger against your thumb as you say the fourth phoneme, /d/. Now let’s say the word. (Make a fist as you say the whole word with the phonemes blended, band.) The word is band.”

• Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.

  • In Unit 1, Module 1, Lesson 4, the teacher reviews that words are made up of sounds and that we can hear each sound. The teacher says a word and has students repeat it. Then students say the initial sound in the word. The teacher models identifying the initial sound with the word chop.

  • In Unit 1, Module 3, Lesson 3, the teacher reviews that students have worked on identifying the initial sound in words. The teacher tells students that today, they will practice identifying the final, or last, sound in words. The teacher models how to isolate and pronounce the final sounds in the words cap and skip using hand motions. The teacher guides students in identifying final sounds using image cards and a movement routine.

  • In Unit 7, Module 3, Lesson 1, the teacher models isolating phonemes in a word using the word flap. The following explicit instruction is provided, “You know that words are made up of sounds. I am going to ask you to tell me the first sound, the last sound, or the middle vowel sound that you hear in a word. I will say a word, and you will repeat it and then say the requested sound. I will do the first one for you. The word is flap. Say the first sound in the word: flap. Flap, /f/. Now, you try. The word is cart. Say the last sound in the word cart. (cart, /t/)”

• Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).

  • In Unit 2, Module 2, Lesson 4, the teacher reminds students that words are made of individual phonemes, or sounds, blended together. The teacher says a word and has students repeat it. Then the teacher models segmenting and counting the sounds in the word cab using a chopping motion. Teacher directions include, “Starting with palms together, chop outward with each sound. Then slide your hands back together to say the whole word and the number of sounds. Repeat with the word crab, guiding students to segment and count the sounds.”

  • In Unit 3, Module 3, Lesson 3, the teacher segments sounds in one-syllable words. Explicit instruction includes the following, “We know that words are made up of sounds. Let’s listen for the sounds in words. Listen how I say a word and then break the word into its individual sounds. The word is trap: /t/ /r/ /ă/ /p/. How many sounds do you hear in the word? (four) Let’s try another word together. The word is strap. Repeat it with me: strap. I will break it into its sounds: /s/ /t/ /r/ /ă/ /p/. How many sounds do you hear in the word strap? (five).”

  • In Unit 7, Module 1, Lesson 2, the teacher models segmenting sounds in one-syllable words using the word miles. The following explicit instruction is provided, “We have been learning about plural nouns that end with -s. I will say a plural noun, and I want you to repeat it. Then, you will segment the word into its sounds. The first word is miles. We hiked three miles. Repeat the word with me: miles. Now, use your hands to chop the word into its individual sounds with me. (Students should place their palms together and use a chopping motion, chopping each sound as they say it aloud: /m/ /ī/ /l/ /z/. Demonstrate the motion with students.) What is the last sound in miles? (/z/) How many sounds are in the word miles? Listen again: /m/ /ī/ /l/ /z/. (four).”

Materials provide the teacher with examples for instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words called for in grade-level standards. For example: 

• In Unit 1, Module 3, Lesson 2, the teacher models isolating and pronouncing initial sounds. The explicit instruction includes, “When we say words, we can hear beginning, middle, and ending sounds. Let’s listen for the beginning sound. Say vote with me: vote. What sound do you hear at the beginning of vote? (/v/) Yes, we hear the /v/ sound first.” 

• In Unit 4, Module 2, Lesson 1, the teacher models blending phonemes in single-syllable words. The explicit instruction includes, “We have learned that words are made up of sounds. We can blend sounds to say words. I will say the individual sounds in a word, and you will blend the sounds together to make a real word. Listen, /b/ /ē/ /d/. (Repeat the word using the following hand motions for each sound: Tap your pointing finger against your thumb as you say /b/. Tap your middle finger against your thumb as you say /ē/. Tap your ring finger against your thumb as you say /d/.) Now I will say the sounds again, then blend them together while making a fist; /b/ /ē/ /d/, /bēd/.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1e.  

Materials provide ample opportunities for students to practice each new sound and sound pattern. Lessons include guided practice and independent practice of new sounds and sound patterns, along with time built in to review previously learned sounds and patterns. Students have the opportunity to learn and practice the sounds and sound patterns in various multimodal and multisensory ways throughout all units through the use of image cards and word cards, the Chaining workmat (Elkonin boxes), and hand motions. The You Do: Independent Practice section of each lesson contains games, videos, and digital books for students to practice the skills they are learning. 

Materials provide ample opportunities for students to practice each new sound and sound pattern. For example: 

• Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.

  • In Unit 5, Module 2, Lesson 2, students sort image cards into short and long vowel sounds using the following image cards: check, fence, queen, seal, sheep, shell, wheel. 

  • In Unit 6, Module 2, Lesson 1, students listen to a set of three words and choose the word that does not belong based on vowel sounds. The teacher uses the following sets: bit, sight, mine; mitt, bite, tie; brick, spin, find; clip, sigh, right; pig, kite, miss. 

• Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.

  • In Unit 1, Module 3, Lesson 2, students practice isolating and pronouncing initial sounds in words with consonant blends in words swing, snag, past, and stop.

  • In Unit 2, Module 2, Lesson 1, students blend phonemes to make a word by saying each phoneme while tapping a finger to their thumb, then making a fist as they say the complete word. Students blend the words crop, drum, grin, press, trip, and from. 

  • In Unit 3, Module 1, Lesson 2, the teacher segments the sounds in four-phoneme words with end blends. Students blend the sounds and say the word. Words used include bend, went, left, fact, and lamp.

• Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.

  • In Unit 1, Module 3, Lesson 3, students identify final sounds using image cards spoon, stop, snail, smoke, skirt, swan. Students use their left arm and slide the first part of the word across their body, then punch their arm straight up into the air when they say the final sound.

  • In Unit 1, Module 4, Lesson 1, students use image cards to isolate and produce the initial sound in the following words: ball, cat, gate, house, kite, man, pig, sick. 

  • In Unit 2, Module 1, Lesson 5, students work with a partner to identify the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds in words using image cards. Students choose a card, say the word, and say the sounds to isolate, then switch roles. Words used include: stop, stem, spill, spot, smell, skin.

  • In Unit 4, Module 4, Lesson 1, students identify the initial sound in the spoken words cry, gift, and gel. Students identify the medial vowel sound in the spoken words not, cent, and spit. Students identify the final sound in the spoken words rig, club, and rich. 

• Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).

  • In Unit 2, Module 2, Lesson 3, students practice segmenting and counting sounds using the Chaining workmat and counters. The teacher says the words dust, grab, drop, snap, and stem. Students repeat the words, segment the sounds, put a counter on the mat for each sound, and count the sounds. The materials also provide optional challenge words.

  • In Unit 2, Module 4, Lesson 3, students use the Chaining workmat and counters to segment sounds in the following words: melt, bell, it, spit.

  • In Unit 3, Module 4, Lesson 2, students use the following image cards to segment words into phonemes: bench, tank, match, truck, plate, sink, thread, wish. 

  • In Unit 7, Module 1, Lesson 5, students use image cards to name, segment, and blend the following words: bikes, coats, crabs, drums, pies, plants, skates, toys. 

Materials include a variety of multimodal/multisensory activities for student practice of phonological awareness. For example: 

• In Unit 3, Module 1, Lesson 3, students use a “chopping” motion to segment words into individual sounds. Students start with their palms together and chop outwards with each sound. Students count the number of sounds in each word. 

• In Unit 5, Module 4, Lesson 3, students use the “punch up” method to segment, count, and blend the phonemes in the words take, tack, tap, tape, fad, and fade. Students draw their arms across their bodies while segmenting the word, then punch upward on the medial vowel sound. For each word, students tell if the vowel sound is long or short. 

• In Unit 7, Module 2, Lesson 3, students practice blending the words missed, helped, tired, and bugged by tapping their fingers to their thumbs for each phoneme, then making a fist when saying the whole word. If students struggle to blend the words, they use a four-sound box workmat, touching each box while saying the phoneme, then running their finger under the boxes while blending. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1f.

Materials provide explicit instruction in phonics through systematic and repeated modeling within daily lessons over the course of the year. The phonics lessons provide teachers with systematic and repeated instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read each newly taught grade-level phonics pattern.

Materials contain explicit instructions for systematic and repeated teacher modeling of all grade-level phonics standards. For example:

• Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.

  • In Unit 1, Module 2, Lesson 1, the teacher reviews digraphs sh, ch, th, ph, and wh as they project the phoneme/grapheme consonant digraphs and trigraphs chart pointing out the different sounds of each digraph and their images. The teacher says, “Let’s review digraphs using our phoneme/grapheme alphabet chart. Watch and listen as I point to each digraph and say the letters that make the digraph, the sound, and the corresponding picture.” 

  •  In Unit 1, Module 2, Lesson 2, the teacher reviews spelling with the common digraphs using the three-sound box work mat and grapheme cards. The teacher models segmenting, creating, and reading the words wish, chin, with, thin, dock, and ring.

• Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.

  • In Unit 2, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher models decoding one-syllable words with s-blends. The teacher writes the word swim and underlines the sw on the board. The teacher says, “Let’s start by stretching the sounds in the word. Let’s say each sound as I point to the letter. My finger goes under the letter s, and I run it across the letters to blend the word swim. Now, blend the word with me using your fingers. Let me model by holding up my hand with my palm out and making a fist. I will raise my thumb for /s/, my index finger for /w/, my middle finger for /ĭ/, and my ring finger for /m/. You repeat. Now, blend the word with me as I underline the word. What word did we just read?”

  • In Unit 4, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher models decoding unknown words with open and closed syllables with word hi. The teacher says, “I see that the word on the board has one vowel, so it must have one syllable. I also see that the word ends with a single vowel, so it has an open syllable type. What vowel sound should I try first? That’s right, I should try the long i sound first, because I know open syllables usually have a long vowel sound. The word is /h/ /ĭ/, hi. What is the word? (hi) Learning about syllable types now will help you read even longer words in the future.” 

• Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.

  • In Unit 1, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher reviews the short and long vowel sounds for each vowel, then models reading the word shine. The teacher says,” Now let’s read this word on the board together. Is the vowel sound long or short? I added an e to the end of the word, and now I see the VCe pattern. When we read words that have a vowel, then a consonant, and then the letter e at the end, the vowel will make the long sound and the e will be silent. Let’s read this new word together: shine. Is the vowel sound long or short?”

  • In Unit 4, Module 3, Lesson 2, the teacher introduces the long /ā/vowel digraph spelled eigh, ei, and ey. The teacher reminds students that vowel digraphs are two letters representing one sound and uses the phoneme/grapheme vowel team chart. The teacher introduces each card by saying the sound, corresponding image, spelling, and word.

  • In Unit 5, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher models decoding single syllable words with the long a digraphs ai, ay, ea, eigh, ei, ey, and aigh. The teacher says, “The ai vowel team stands for the sound /ā/. Say each sound as I point to the letters. What’s the word? (snail) Let’s blend the word with our fingers. I will raise my thumb for /s/, my index finger for /n/, my middle finger for /ā/, and my ring finger for /l/. You repeat. Blend the word as I underline it. What’s the word? What letters spell the long a sound?”

• Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.

  • In Unit 2, Module 2, Lesson 1, the teacher reminds students that each syllable has a vowel and models using the word drop. Explicit instruction includes, “What is the vowel sound in the word drop? Which letter spells that sound? How many syllables are in the word drop? Every syllable has one vowel sound.”

  • In Unit 6, Module 3, Lesson 1, the teacher reminds students that each syllable has a vowel and models with two-syllable compound words. Explicit instruction includes, “When you read a compound word or any long word, you look for vowels to help break the word into syllables. Remember, each syllable has one vowel sound. We have also learned about syllable types, such as open and closed syllables. Syllable types help us know which vowel sound to use when reading a longer word.” Instruction continues by telling students that closed syllables usually have short vowel sounds and open syllables have long vowel sounds. 

• Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.

  • In Unit 5, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher models reading and discussing the long vowel sound in an initial open syllable using the word open. The teacher says, “We have learned that the letter o can make the long /ō/ sound. Let’s look at the word open. (Point to open on the phoneme/grapheme card.) I hear two vowel sounds in open, /ō/ and /ĕ/, so there must be two syllables. I am going to draw a line after the first vowel to break apart the syllables; o/pen. Then, I will say the sounds in each syllable and blend to read the word; /ō/ /pĕn/, open. Say the word with me, open. The first syllable has a long vowel sound because it is an open syllable. Remember, open syllables end with a single vowel and usually have a long vowel sound. The second syllable has a short vowel sound because it is a closed syllable.” 

  • In Unit 7, Module 3, Lesson 4, the teacher models decoding words with inflectional endings and two-syllable words. The teacher says, “Look at this word on the board. This word is not a compound word like bathtub, so we need to divide it into syllables in a different way. The first thing that I will do is circle the -er ending in the word. Now, I can segment the sounds in the base word. We know that the -er ending stands for the /ur/ sounds, so I will add it back onto the end of the base word. What’s the word? (camper).”

• Read words with inflectional endings.

  • In Unit 6, Module 2, Lesson 4, the teacher models reading words with inflectional ending -ed. The teacher reviews the verbs jump, crawl, and shout, stating they are action words and showing how -ed changes the meaning of the verbs. The teacher says, “I jump on the bed yesterday. That doesn’t sound right. I need to change my verb jump to a past tense verb. I need to change jump to jumped, so I need to add the letters -ed to the end of jump. Now, my sentence makes sense. The letters -ed are added to the end of a verb to change the verb into a past-tense verb. This tells me that the action happened in the past; it is something that has already happened.”

  • In Unit 7, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher reviews inflectional endings -s and -es and introduces irregular plural nouns. The teacher reads the word sock, uses the word in a sentence, and asks students, “How many socks is the sentence talking about?” The teacher models changing the sentence to talk about more than one sentence. The teacher asks, “What is the sound difference between the two words, sock and socks?” The teacher tells students, “The word sock is called a singular noun because it represents a single thing. The word socks is called a plural noun because it represents more than one thing. Let’s read the word: /s/ /ŏ/ /k/ /s/, socks.”

Lessons provide teachers with systematic and repeated instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read each newly taught grade-level phonics pattern. For example:

• In Unit 3, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher models decoding one-syllable words with final n-blends using the word pond. The teacher says, “My finger goes under the letter p and I run it across the letters to blend the word pond. Now, blend the word with me using your fingers. Let me model by holding up my hand with my palm out and making a fist. I will raise my thumb for /p/, my index finger for /ŏ/, my middle finger for /n/, and my ring finger for /d/. Now, blend the word with me as I underline the word. What word did we just read? (pond).”  Students continue to practice using words on the image card, which include: ant, band, and bank. The teacher introduces and provides the word meanings, and students write words with final n-blends on whiteboards. 

• In Unit 6, Module 1, Lesson 2, the teacher models decoding words with the phonogram -oy. The teacher introduces the phonogram -oy with the phonogram cards, then models building, reading, and air writing with the word boy. The teacher continues to practice with the words: coy, toy, joy, ploy.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1g.

Materials provide students with frequent opportunities to decode phonetically spelled words and read new words that contain the newly taught phonics skills. Lessons are intentionally designed to provide review opportunities and build on what has been previously taught. The review is embedded in the lesson structure, as Lesson 5 of each module and Module 4 of each unit function as a structured review of previously taught phonics skills. Practice occurs in teacher-led activities during lessons, in partner practice work, and in independent practice using interactive practice games. 

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode (phonemes, onset and rime, and/or syllables) phonetically spelled words. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module 3, Lesson 2, students practice identifying words with initial s-blends using image cards for the words swing, snack, stem, and spot. The teacher says the image name and writes the word on the board, then guides students through decoding the word and counting the syllables. Later in the lesson, students practice decoding words, phrases, and sentences with a partner.

• In Unit 2, Module 3, Lesson 5, students decode the following words: clock, glide, held, melt, self, slime, plan. Students identify the initial or final l-blend, count the syllables, and identify any closed syllables. 

• In Unit 4, Module 2, Lesson 1, students play the interactive game Read Words With the Long E Sound. During the game, students decode beet, wheat, feet, bead, field, and seat and match each word to its picture. 

• In Unit 6, Module 3, Lesson 4, students decode the following compound words by breaking them into syllables and then blending the syllables to read the words: daytime, flashlight, quicksand, raindrop, seashell, suntan.

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to read complete words by saying the entire word as a unit using newly taught phonics skills. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module 3, Lesson 3, students play the interactive game Read Words Beginning with S-Blends. During the game, students record themselves reading the following words: sped, stop, step, smash. 

• In Unit 5, Module 2, Lesson 4, students first segment the sounds in words to practice writing words, then say them as a unit. They practice with the words ship, shell, cash, dish, shin, and rush.

• In Unit 7, Module 1, Lesson 2, students read the following words with a partner: benches, bones, foxes, mice, names, sheep, towns, wishes. Partners choral read the words, then take turns reading them individually. 

Materials contain opportunities for students to review previously learned grade-level phonics. For example:

• In Unit 2, Module 4, Lesson 3, students review and build words with consonant blends, including initial and final s-blends, l-blends, and initial r-blends. Students use grapheme cards and the four-sound box workmat to segment, create, and read the words snap, desk, drop, flat, and help.

• In Unit 5, Module 4, Lesson 1, students review decoding words with long a and long e sounds. Students read the following words with a partner: braid, heavy, prey, silly, steak, steamy, vein, weight. Partners choral read the words, then take turns reading them. 

• In Unit 8, Module 4, Lesson 1, students review reading and spelling words with ar, er, ir, and ur by playing the interactive game Read and Spell Words with ar, er, ir, and ur. During the game, students record themselves reading the words first, church, and start. Students also read the words yard, park, perk, dirt, burn, core, term, and part and select the words that contain a given target sound. 

Materials contain a variety of methods to promote students’ practice of previously taught grade-level phonics. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module 2, Lesson 3, students practice encoding words with the blends the-, shr-, squ-, and tw- by playing a whole class game that involves reading a word, breaking it into individual sounds, and spelling the word.

• In Unit 6, Module 1, Lesson 5, students play a game to review the phonograms -oy and out. The teacher displays phonogram cards for -oy and out and the letters b, c, d, f, g, l, p, r, s, t, and sh. Student volunteers take turns combining a letter and phonogram to make a word. If the word is one the students recognize, they clap. If not, other students offer suggestions to make a word, then clap when that word is made. 

• In Unit 8, Module 2, Lesson 1, students work collaboratively using chips, the three-sound box workmat, and grapheme cards to build words that contain the /ôr/ sound. The teacher directs students to “say the word, stretch the phonemes in the word using finger stretching, place a chip for each phoneme in the word, find the corresponding grapheme for each sound and place it above the box, replace each chip with its corresponding grapheme card, and read the word.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1h.

Materials provide explicit instruction and student practice opportunities for decoding in context. During instruction, the teacher uses the Decodable book and Shared reader to connect to the newly learned phonics skill. As the lesson transitions to guided practice, the teacher uses pages from the texts to model decoding words in sentences. Students use the Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheet when working with a partner to practice decoding words, phrases, and sentences that contain newly and previously learned phonics patterns.

Materials provide explicit, systematic practice for decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence. For example: 

• In Unit 2, Module 3, Lesson 4, students practice decoding words with L-blends in the decodable Connected text, The Big Sled. Students echo read with the teacher after the teacher models segmenting and blending the word clip, reminding students to use that strategy as they read. Students then whisper read the text, which includes the sentence: “Which sled will slide and skid the best?” 

• In Unit 5, Module 2, Lesson 4, students practice decoding words with long /ō/ sound spelling with digraphs ao, ow, and oe in the decodable Connected text Good Manners. Students echo read with the teacher after the teacher models segmenting and blending the word boat, reminding students to use that strategy as they read. Students then whisper read the text, which includes the sentence: “Will Mak grab his coat from below and bolt off?” 

• In Unit 8, Module 4, Lesson 1, the teacher models how to decode words with the r-controlled sound /är/ spelled ar and r-controlled /ûr/ sound spelled er, ir, or, and ur using the Shared reader: Reader’s Theater Script: Introducing Planet Earth. The teacher reads the North Pole’s dialogue at the bottom of page 2 and models decoding the word direct. “Now, let’s look at the word direct. How many syllables do you hear in this word: dir/ect? (two) Right. Let’s stretch out the sounds in the first syllable: /dûûûûûr/. I hear the /ûr/ sound we have been practicing! How is it spelled? (ir) Right, now let’s stretch the sounds of the second syllable: ect: /ĕĕĕkt/. What’s the vowel sound? (/ĕ/) What letter spells that sound? (e) Right, now let’s put them together: /dur/ /ĕkt/: direct!”

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode words in a sentence. For example: 

• In Unit 2, Module 2, Lesson 2, students form partner groups and choral read the Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheet to practice decoding VCC, CVCC, and CCVCC words with final consonant blends. After reading new words and phrases that contain final s-blends and previously learned final consonant blends, as well as new high-frequency words, students read the following sentences: “She has the best mask. The dog is very fast! Did the car come in last?”

• In Unit 5, Module 3, Lesson 2, students complete the Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheet with a partner to practice decoding words with long i spelled i, ie, and igh. After reading new words and phrases that contain the target sound and previously taught spelling patterns, as well as new high-frequency words, students read the following sentences: “In real life, a lion is a wild animal. The lion was trapped high in a net.”

• In Unit 6, Module 2, Lesson 4, students practice decoding words with graphemes containing silent letters gn, kn, gh, and wr in the decodable Connected text, Around the World with Doc Gnash. Students whisper read the text, which includes the sentence: “Doc Gnash found this shy ghost frog there.” 

• In Unit 7, Module 1, Lesson 2, students work with a partner, and choral read the Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheet to practice decoding regular and irregular plural nouns with the inflectional endings -s and -es. After reading new words and phrases that contain the target sounds and previously taught sound patterns, as well as new high-frequency words, students read the following sentences: “I keep three fish in the tank. These are brushes for our teeth. Each text has ten pages.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1i. 

Materials include regular teacher modeling and student practice opportunities in building, manipulating, and encoding phonemes and words. The materials provide detailed sample scripts for teachers to use when modeling. Teacher-led activities include building words with workmats, word chaining, and spelling and encoding words in the air and using Phoneme/Grapheme Mapping Paper. Teacher modeling transitions into guided student practice opportunities during which students use various methods and hands-on chips, letter cards, and workmats to practice. Spelling practice also takes place in interactive practice games. 

The materials contain teacher-level instruction/modeling for building/manipulating/spelling and encoding words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns of phonics. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module 2, Lesson 2, the teacher models building the word cash using a Three-Sound Box Workmat. The teacher says each phoneme in the word, holding up a finger for each sound, then repeats each phoneme and places the matching grapheme card. 

• In Unit 5, Module 1, Lesson 3, the teacher models making a word chain with long a spelled ai. The teacher explains how to use the Sound Box Chaining Workmat and models building the word rain with grapheme cards. The teacher demonstrates how to turn the word rain into pain, then guides students to build other ai words.  

• In Unit 6, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher guides students to encode the word wrap. The materials provide a script for the teacher to guide students to encode the word, letter by letter, first writing each letter in the air, then recording the letter on Phoneme/Grapheme Mapping Paper. 

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to build/manipulate/spell and encode words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns of phonics. For example: 

• In Unit 2, Module 3, Lesson 2, students build the words elf, shelf, melt, and silk using a Four-Sound Box Workmat. Students say each word and stretch the phonemes, holding up a finger for each sound. Students then repeat each phoneme and place the grapheme card that matches each sound. 

• In Unit 3, Module 3, Lesson 3, students use Phoneme/Grapheme Mapping Paper to encode the words cry, dry, and sky. 

• In Unit 8, Module 2, Lesson 3, students make a word chain for the words air, fair, for, and fork, using a Sound Box Chaining Workmat and colored chips. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1j.

Materials contain explicit, systematic teacher-level instruction of teacher modeling that demonstrates the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks with teacher modeling and teacher sample dialogue within Build Words activities. The materials also provide students with frequent activities and tasks to promote application of phonics as they encode words in sentences based on common and newly taught phonics patterns through Encode Sound, Word, and Sentence Dictation activity sentences.

Materials include explicit, systematic teacher-level instruction of teacher modeling that demonstrates the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks. For example: 

• In Unit 2, Module 3, Lesson 5, the teacher writes the module’s high-frequency words, as well as four to six words from the Decodable book, The Big Sled, that are exemplars of the module’s phonics skills, on the board. The teacher displays the first page of the Wordless decodable book: The Big Sled and models how to write one or two sentences while thinking aloud. Lesson guidance directs the teacher to include one of the phonics exemplar words in their writing. “As I write my story, I am going to remember to start each sentence with a capital letter, place spaces between my words, spell the words using sounds, and end my sentences with punctuation. I’ll include words from the board in my writing.”

• In Unit 4, Module 1, Lesson 5, the teacher writes the module’s high-frequency words, as well as four to six words from the Decodable book, Dex Makes Art, that are exemplars of the module’s phonics skills, on the board. The teacher displays the first page of the Wordless decodable book: Dex Makes Art and models how to write one or two sentences while thinking aloud. Lesson guidance directs the teacher to include one of the phonics exemplar words in their writing. “As I write my story, I am going to remember to start each sentence with a capital letter, place spaces between my words, spell the words using sounds, and end my sentences with punctuation. I’ll include words from the board in my writing.”

• In Unit 7, Module 2, Lesson 5, the teacher writes the module’s high-frequency words, as well as four to six words from the Decodable book, What Is It Like There?, that are exemplars of the module’s phonics skills, on the board. The teacher displays the first page of the Wordless decodable book: What Is It Like There? and models how to write one or two sentences while thinking aloud. Lesson guidance directs the teacher to include one of the phonics exemplar words in their writing. “As I write my story, I am going to remember to start each sentence with an uppercase letter, place spaces between my words, spell the words by using sounds, and end my sentences with punctuation. I’ll include words from the board in my writing. I am also going to be sure that my ideas are told in complete sentences.”

Lessons provide students with frequent activities and tasks to promote application of phonics as they encode words in sentences or in phrases based on common and newly taught phonics patterns. For example: 

• In Unit 1, Module 2, Lesson 4, students apply their learning to spell CCVC, CVCC, and CCVCe words with consonant digraphs and words with final double consonants that follow the FLoSS Rule. After students write a series of teacher-dictated words that contain the target consonant digraphs and final double consonants, the teacher dictates a sentence that includes words that follow the same phonics pattern: “Jake likes to make things with blocks.” Students repeat the sentence, draw a line for each word on their Handwriting paper, and write the sentence.

• In Unit 4, Module 2, Lesson 4, students encode words with current phonics patterns taught, which include words with digraph ea with the dictation sentence: “The hat is on my head.” 

• In Unit 8, Module 3, Lesson 4, students encode words with current phonics patterns taught, which include open and closed syllables in multisyllabic words with the dictation sentence: “She won a robot at the fair.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1k.

Materials provide systematic and explicit instruction for students to recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words within the High-Frequency Words lessons found within the modules. The materials include frequent opportunities for the teacher to model the spelling and reading of irregularly spelled words in isolation. The materials allow opportunities for students to practice identifying and reading irregularly spelled words in isolation. The materials introduce 131 high-frequency words and 23 irregularly spelled high-frequency words throughout the eight units and modules, a sufficient quantity of grade-appropriate high-frequency and irregularly spelled words for students to make reading progress.

Materials include systematic and explicit instruction of irregularly spelled words. For example: 

• Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

  • In Unit 2, Module 2, Lesson 1, the teacher introduces two words, just and must, using high-frequency word cards. The teacher writes the word on a whiteboard by first saying the word aloud, explaining the word’s meaning, using the word in a sentence, and then spelling the word aloud. 

  • In Unit 2, Module 3, Lesson 1, the teacher teaches the irregularly spelled word want. Students locate want in their High-frequency word flash cards. The teacher says, “Some of the words we need to learn by heart because we have not learned the letter sounds yet or they have an irregular spelling pattern. We need to learn today’s word by heart: want.” 

  • In Unit 6, Module 3, Lesson 3, students locate because in their High-frequency word flash cards. The teacher says, “We are going to learn a new high-frequency word. This is a word that you will see a lot when you are reading. This is one that we have to memorize and know by heart because there are some sounds that we can’t sound out. Our word today is because.”

Materials include frequent opportunities for the teacher to model the spelling and reading of irregularly spelled words in isolation. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher introduces the irregularly spelled words one and once. The teacher says, “This word is very tricky to spell. We need to know how to spell this word by heart. It starts with a /w/ sound, but the word does not have the letter w. The word also has a short u vowel sound /ŭ/ but does not have the letter u. The /w/ + /ŭ/ sounds are actually spelled with one letter: an o. I’ll put that grapheme card down. The /n/ is spelled with an n, so let’s put down that grapheme card next. The word has a silent e at the end, you’ll see this on the n card. Finally, I'll put our heart card on the o because the letter makes an unusual sound in this word that we have to remember “by heart.” I will point to the boxes and say the sounds /w/ /u/ /n/, one. Now, let’s read it again: one.”

• In Unit 4, Module 3, Lesson 3, the teacher introduces the word says with the High-frequency word flashcards and reads the word. The teacher says, “Now, we are going to spell the word using our grapheme cards: The first letter sound is /s/. What letter stands for that sound? Right, it is the letter s. Place an s in the first box of your workmat. The next letter sound is /ĕ/. However, I want you to look at the spelling on the board. The next letters are actually ay, not e. Usually, if a word has the letters ay, it makes the long /ā/ sound, as in the word day. But in this word, the letters ay make a short /ĕ/ sound. Place the ay card in the second box of your workmat. The last sound of the word is /z/. In this word, we will spell the /z/ sound with the letter s. Let’s place the s in the third box. Finally, place your heart cards near the letters ay and s because we need to learn those spellings by heart.” Sometimes the letters in words do not sound the way we expect. We call these irregular words “heart words” because you have to remember them by heart. Our new high-frequency word today is one of these words. Let’s look at the word: says.”

• In Unit 5, Module 3, Lesson 3, the teacher uses high-frequency word cards to introduce the words kind, low, and three. The teacher says the word, provides the meaning of the word, uses it in a sentence, and then spells the word aloud.

Students practice identifying and reading irregularly spelled words in isolation. For example:

• In Unit 4, Module 1, Lesson 3, students learn the irregularly spelled words any and many. Students locate the words using the high-frequency words flash cards. Students work with a partner to practice reading and writing the words on whiteboards.

• In Unit 4, Module 3, Lesson 3, students read the word says by locating it in their high-frequency card pile. Students say the word aloud several times while using their high-frequency word card. Students produce each sound in the word while touching a sound box on their three-sound box workmat. Students spell the word using their grapheme cards and identify the graphemes that do not match the phonemes and will need to be memorized by heart. Students then use other learned high-frequency words from their word pile to practice reading and writing the words on a whiteboard with their partner.  

• In Unit 7, Module 2, Lesson 3, students learn the irregularly spelled word little. Students locate the word card in the High-frequency words flash cards. Students work in partners to practice reading and writing the word on whiteboards.

Materials include a sufficient quantity of grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words for students to make reading progress. For example: 

• In the Program Guide, the Research and Rationale for High-Frequency Words provides a chart indicating that the Grade 1 Scope and Sequence includes 131 high-frequency words. Twenty-three irregularly spelled high-frequency words are identified with a heart and are in bold type. 

• The Grade 1 Scope and Sequence provides the following high-frequency words taught and listed in each unit. Irregularly spelled high-frequency words listed by the program are identified with a heart and are in bold type, 23 are listed:

  • Unit 1: box, dog, its, name, were, add, called, note, one, once, next, step, still, stop

  • Unit 2: ask, fast, last, list, most, best, just, must, rest, come, done, from, some, want

  • Unit 3: end, hand, help, jump, left, went, into, their, there, where, also, be, go, me, no, so, we

  • Unit 4: any, by, fly, man, many, men, my, try, clean, clear, eat, green, need, read, see, seen, day, feet, head, may, say, says, seem

  • Unit 5: great, heat, play, stay, way, below, grow, own, road, show, yellow, find, high, kind, low, three

  • Unit 6: found, how, now, our, out, round, because, boy, know, write, brown, cannot, down, eight

  • Unit 7: each, keep, mean, sea, sleep, filled, funny, little, seven, light, might, night, right

  • Unit 8: far, first, girl, hard, part, start, war, don’t, for, I’ll, I’m, it’s, or, short, your, door, heard, her, hurt, near

• In the Program Guide, Research and Rationale, the materials state, “consideration was placed on when the HFWs selected from the Dolch and Fry lists are taught. Grade K students learn the most frequent words as they learn the letters in the alphabet and phoneme-grapheme correspondences. The rest of the words chosen for grades K–2 are sequenced by frequency and whether their spellings are entirely regular (decodable), temporarily irregular because students have not learned the spelling pattern yet, or permanently irregular.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1l.

Materials include lessons which provide students with frequent opportunities to read grade-level high-frequency and irregularly spelled words in a sentence using the Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheets and connected decodable texts. The materials also provide students with frequent opportunities to write grade-level high-frequency and irregularly spelled words in tasks within sentences in order to promote automaticity, as students create sentences for wordless books. The materials provide repeated, explicit instruction on how to use the student-friendly reference materials and resources, the High-frequency word flash cards and the Word, phrases, and sentences practice sheet, to support students with reading and writing high-frequency and irregularly spelled words in sentences.  

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to read grade-level irregularly spelled words in a sentence. For example: 

• In Unit 1, Module 1, Lesson 4, students read the connected text and practice reading the irregularly spelled word were, initially taught in Lesson 1, in the decodable text Ted. Sentences include “Pop and I were sad” and “Pop and I were not mad.”

• In Unit 3, Module 2, Lesson 2, students practice reading the irregularly spelled word their, initially taught in Lesson 1, using the Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheet, which includes the sentence: “Their dog is nice.”

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to write grade-level irregularly spelled words in tasks (such as sentences) in order to promote automaticity in writing grade-level irregularly spelled words.

• In Unit 4, Module 1, Lesson 5, students work in partner groups or independently to create sentences for the wordless decodable book, Dex Makes Art. The teacher writes irregularly spelled high-frequency words from the module on the board. Students include and underline these words in their written sentences. Irregularly spelled high-frequency words for the module include: any, many, and says. 

• In Unit 6, Module 2, Lesson 5, students work in partner groups or independently to create sentences for the wordless decodable book, Around the World with Doc Gnash. The teacher writes irregularly spelled high-frequency words from the module on the board. Students include and underline these words in their written sentences. Irregularly spelled high-frequency words for the module include: because, boy, know, write. 

• In Unit 7, Module 4, Lesson 4, students work in partner groups or independently to create sentences for the wordless decodable book, Our Own Little Way. The teacher writes irregularly spelled high-frequency words from the module on the board. Students include and underline these words in their written sentences. Irregularly spelled high-frequency words for the module include little. 

Materials provide repeated, explicit instruction in how to use student-friendly reference materials and resources and reading high-frequency words (e.g., word cards, word lists, word ladders, student dictionaries). For example: 

• In Foundations A-Z, Grade 1, Units 1–8, the lesson plans utilize various materials and resources, such as high-frequency word flash cards, decodable readers, high-frequency practice sheets, digital games, and wordless decodable books for shared writing. 

• In Unit 3, Module 2, Lesson 2, the teacher models how to use Grapheme cards and the Four-sound box workmat to build words with soft c. The teacher models blending and creating the word race using the resources. Then, students practice segmenting, creating, and reading the following words: cent, face, cell, mice, ice, rice. 

• In Unit 7, Module 3, Lesson 1, the teacher models how to use the High-frequency word flash cards for light and right. The teacher “[introduces] each word by saying it, explaining the word’s meaning, using it in a sentence, and spelling the word aloud.” The teacher also says each phoneme and writes the grapheme that represents the phoneme, pointing out the -igh pattern in both words. Afterwards, “Students practice reading and writing the high-frequency words on a whiteboard with a partner.” Guidance directs the teacher to “Encourage students to review their partner’s spelling and help fix any errors, using High-frequency word flash cards. Encourage students to construct oral sentences using HFWs from the lesson.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1m.

Materials include regular explicit instruction and modeling of word analysis strategies through teacher scripts and teacher modeling. Lessons include frequent instruction in phoneme/grapheme recognition and syllable types. Student practice occurs in the context of teacher-guided lessons, in decodable text with teacher support, and using interactive digital games.

Materials contain frequent explicit instruction of word analysis strategies (e.g., phoneme/grapheme recognition, syllabication, morpheme analysis). For example:

• In Unit 3, Module 3, Lesson 1, the teacher tells students that open syllables end with a vowel, and the vowel sound is usually long. The teacher writes the word be, guides students to decode it, and then models analyzing the word by identifying the number of vowels and syllables and the syllable type. 

• In Unit 5, Module 4, Lesson 3, the teacher displays the phoneme/grapheme consonant digraphs and trigraphs chart and reviews that the digraph ch can make three different sounds by pointing out the sounds on the chart. The teacher directs students to repeat the initial sounds in each word. Later, the teacher models segmenting, building, and reading words with initial and final digraphs using the grapheme cards and three-sound box workmat, and then guides students to do the same.

• In Unit 7, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher writes the words dish, ax, and dress on the board, reads each word, then adds -es to form the plural. The teacher asks students to identify the difference in pronunciation between the singular and plural forms and then tells students that adding the -es ending changes a one-syllable word into a two-syllable word. 

Materials contain frequent explicit instruction of word solving strategies to decode unfamiliar words. For example:

• In Unit 2, Module 3, Lesson 2, the teacher reviews that consonant blends can be at the beginning or end of a word and that students already know how to read words with initial L-blends. The teacher then introduces words with final L-blends and models blending the sounds to read the word. The teacher guides students to decode the remaining words on the Word cards, then count the syllables and identify closed syllables.

• In Unit 4, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher discusses word analysis strategies students will use to read the decodable book Lee Doesn’t Like Art. The teacher says, “Remember, sometimes two vowels represent one vowel sound. We have learned that the letters ee, ie, and ea spell the long /ē/ sound. We also learned that the letters ea sometimes spell the short /ĕ/ sound. As you read a book, you might stumble over a word or realize it does not make sense. For example, you might get confused about whether the letters ea in a word stand for the long /ē/ sound, or the short /ĕ/ sound. When this happens, segment the sounds and blend to read the word again.” 

• In Unit 6, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher uses the book Around the World with Doc Gnash to teach and model distinguishing between open and closed syllables to decode unfamiliar words in the text while reading the book with students. 

Multiple and varied opportunities are provided over the course of the year for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis strategies. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module 3, Lesson 3, students read the decodable book At the Park. The teacher reminds students to use letter-sound knowledge to decode the words. 

• In Unit 2, Module 1, Lesson 1, students count the vowel sounds and syllables in the following words from the Shared Reader Chicken Little: acorn, went, sky, little, chicken. 

• In Unit 8, Module 1, Lesson 2, students practice decoding words from left to right using the Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheet. After the teacher models, students choral read the practice sheet with a partner and then read the practice sheet with automaticity to their partner.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1n. (K-1)

Materials provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency, focusing on automaticity in decoding through the use of Fluency Graphs as they read connected text decodable books. The materials also provide opportunities to focus on accuracy in decoding with the use of Fluency Mini-Lessons and Routines, which include accuracy and self-correction mini-lessons; however, the use of the mini-lessons is optional and the routines are not explicitly labeled in lessons. The materials provide students opportunities to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy as they are encouraged to make self-corrections as they read connected text decodable books and work on automaticity with timed readings of the Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheet.  

Materials provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency by focusing on accuracy and automaticity in decoding. For example: 

• In Unit 1, Module 1, Lesson 3, the teacher introduces the decodable text, Ted. The materials provide the following script: “Today, we will read a story that has lots of the sounds that we have been learning about. While we are reading, I want you to look and listen for consonant-vowel-consonant words with a short-vowel sound. Remember, if you see a word that is unfamiliar, break it into its letter sounds and finger stretch each of the sounds before blending them together. (Write the word pat on the board.) I am not sure about this word on the board. I am going to use what I know about letters and sounds to figure it out. I will point to each letter and say the sound it stands for, /p/ /ā/ /t/. Next, I will use my strategy of stretching out the sounds and then blending to read the word: /pāāt/. Pat.”

• In Unit 4, Module 2, Lesson 2, the teacher models automaticity in reading by using their finger to read words, phrases, and sentences, modeling the left-to-right progression. The teacher then has students work with a partner to choral read as many words, phrases, and sentences as they can within one minute. 

• In Unit 6, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher introduces the decodable text Around the World with Doc Gnash. The teacher displays the story’s focus words from the book’s Instructional Focus Chart. Focus words include sound-spelling patterns that have not been taught. The teacher reviews the target sound-spelling that occurs in the text and tells students if they encounter an unfamiliar word, they should use what they know about sounds, look for vowel sounds, and stretch out the sounds. The teacher models this process with the word gnash.

Materials provide opportunities for students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity. For example: 

• In Unit 3, Module 2, Lesson 5, students practice fluency skills as they whisper read the connected text decodable reader, Shine On. Students are encouraged to make self-corrections as they read. 

• In Unit 5, Module 1, Lesson 2, students practice reading with automaticity at the word, phrase, and sentence level. Students chorally read with a partner and then independently for one minute to see how many words they can read correctly within the given set time. Students then reread the words, phrases, and sentences for a third time to change their expression and tone based on the punctuation mark. 

• In Unit 7, Module 1, Lesson 2, students work in partner groups to chorally read the Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheet together, which contains words with inflectional ending -s and -es. Students continue to work in partner groups as each student reads the practice sheet for a minute with automaticity. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1o. (Grades 1-2)

Materials include frequent opportunities for explicit instruction in the fluency elements of accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings using grade-level texts through lessons with shared readers and decodable texts. The materials also provide students with opportunities to hear modeled fluent reading of grade-level text by their teachers. The materials provide various resources for explicit instruction in fluency, including shared readers and decodable books in a variety of genres, within optional Fluency Mini-Lessons and Routines, and through student videos the teacher assigns during independent work time.  

Materials include opportunities for explicit, systematic instruction in fluency elements using grade-level text. For example: 

• RF.1.4.B Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.

  • In Unit 1, Module 1, Lesson 2, the teacher reads the title of the shared reader, Are You Ok? pointing to the question mark, “Point out the question mark and the rising intonation in your voice.” The teacher then displays pages 7 and 8, calling attention to punctuation marks and explaining how they help readers read with intonation and expression. 

  • In Unit 7, Module 2, Lesson 2, the teacher reads the Shared reader Amazing Mummies. The teacher reviews the inflectional ending -ed with students that it may stand for the sounds: /ĭd/, /d/, or /t/. Students follow along as the teacher reads page 4, pointing out words preserved and discovered with the /d/ sound for -ed in the words. 

  • In Fluency Mini-Lessons and Routines, Reading Rate, materials include key points of instruction that define the term reading rate, explain its importance, and provide guidance for reading informational texts. The teacher displays a page of text and students go to the same page in their copy of the text. The teacher models reading a paragraph accurately but too slowly. Then the teacher rereads the paragraph at an appropriate rate and tracks the words with their finger while reading. The teacher asks students which reading rate made the text easier to understand and enjoy. The teacher repeats this process using a different paragraph that is read accurately but too quickly. Because this mini-lesson is optional, all students may not receive this instruction.

Materials provide opportunities for students to hear fluent reading of grade-level. For example: 

• In Unit 2, Module 4, Lesson 1, the teacher models reading with appropriate intonation and expression as they read the Shared reader, Fuzzy Buzzy Bee, to students.  

• In Unit 3, Module 2, Lesson 4, the teacher models fluent reading, changing voice intonation for different punctuation marks and sentence types, using page 3 of the Shared reader Fun House Mirrors. The teacher repeats this modeling strategy using page 4 of the Shared reader. 

• In Unit 5, Module 2, Lesson 1, the teacher models reading with accuracy and appropriate rate as they read the shared reader, Rude Robot, to students.

Materials include a variety of resources for explicit instruction in fluency. For example: 

• In Research and Rationale, the Fluency section states that the program contains Shared readers and Decodable books for modeling and practice of fluent reading in a variety of genres, including fiction, narrative nonfiction, informational text, poetry, and plays. It also states that the Fluency Mini-Lessons and Routines provide explicit instructions for accuracy, self-correction, rate, and expression concepts. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1p.

Materials include daily practice to gain oral reading fluency. Lesson plans include fluency practice using Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheets, repeated readings of decodable texts, and interactive digital games focused on fluency. The materials include resources for teachers to support progress in oral reading fluency, including prompts for self-correction and detailed fluency routines with sample scripts and key points of instruction. 

Varied, frequent opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to gain oral reading fluency. For example: 

• In Unit 1, Module 2, Lesson 1, students echo read sections of the Shared reader Firefighters to practice reading at a good reading rate. 

• In Unit 2, Module 3, Lesson 2, students work in partner groups to read the Words, phrases, and sentences practice sheet. Partners chorally read the practice sheet, then take turns reading the sheet with automaticity in a one-minute timed read. Students reread the sentences and change intonation based on the punctuation mark. 

• In Unit 4, Module 2, Lesson 3, students whisper read the Decodable text Lee Doesn’t Like Art to the teacher, themselves, or a partner. The teacher listens to students read and uses the Self-Correction Strategies prompts to help students self-correct as they read. 

Materials contain opportunities for students to participate in repeated readings of a grade-level text to practice oral reading fluency. For example: 

• In Unit 1, Module 3, Lesson 4, students engage in a second read of the Decodable text At the Park. Students echo read the first page after the teacher, then whisper read the remainder of the text. 

• In Unit 5, Module 3, Lesson 4, students engage in a second read of the Decodable text A Good and Bad Day. Students whisper read the remainder of the text after the teacher reads it aloud. 

• In Unit 7, Module 1, Lesson 4, students engage in a second read of the Decodable text Come With Us. Students echo read the first page after the teacher, then whisper read the remainder of the text. Students engage in an additional one-minute timed rereading and record their words correct per minute on the Fluency Graph. 

Materials include guidance and feedback suggestions to the teacher for supporting students’ gains in oral reading fluency. For example: 

• In Fluency Mini Lessons and Routines, the materials provide teachers with Key Points of Instruction, modeling scripts, and student practice/application instructions for accuracy and self-correction, reading rate, phrasing, and intonation and stress. 

• In Fluency Mini Lessons and Routines, the materials provide teachers with step-by-step directions for routines to be used with individuals, groups, or the whole class, including echo reading, choral reading, repeated reading, partner reading, letter naming fluency, and reading with expression. 

• In Unit 2, Module 1, Lesson 1, the materials provide an optional Focus on Fluency section where teachers can teach a mini-lesson on accuracy and self-correction from the Fluency Mini-Lessons and Routines link. The directions for teachers note, “Although the mini-lesson includes a section for practice and application, we recommend using only the teaching/modeling portion of the mini-lesson now. If you feel students need additional practice, use the practice/apply section of the mini-lesson during small-group time.”

• In Unit 7, Module 1, Lesson 3, the Teacher Tip states, “Tracking words per minute is an indicator of students’ growth in automaticity, but do not let students think you are trying to get them to read faster. The increase in reading speed (as well as improvements in reading with expression) will happen with authentic reading practice, not with overt instruction or implied emphasis on reading fast.”