2020

Into Reading

Publisher
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Subject
ELA
Grades
K-6
Report Release
01/23/2020
Review Tool Version
v1.0
Format
Core: Comprehensive

EdReports reviews determine if a program meets, partially meets, or does not meet expectations for alignment to college and career-ready standards. This rating reflects the overall series average.

Alignment (Gateway 1 & 2)
Meets Expectations

Materials must meet expectations for standards alignment in order to be reviewed for usability. This rating reflects the overall series average.

Usability (Gateway 3)
Meets Expectations
Key areas of interest

This score is the sum of all points available for all foundational skills components across all grades covered in the program.

The maximum available points depends on the review tool used and the number of grades covered.

Foundational Skills
81/84

This score represents an average across grade levels reviewed for: integrated reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language, and promotion of mastery of grade-level standards by the end of the year.

Building Knowledge
214/224
Our Review Process

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Additional Publication Details

Title ISBN
International Standard Book Number
Edition Publisher Year
2020 Into Reading Teacher's Guide Volume 1 Grade K 978-0-5444-5917-5 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
2020 Into Reading Teacher's Guide Volume 2 Grade K 978-0-5444-5918-2 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
2020 Into Reading Teacher's Guide Volume 3 Grade K 978-0-5444-5919-9 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
2020 Into Reading Teacher's Guide Volume 4 Grade K 978-0-5444-5920-5 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
2020 Into Reading Teacher's Guide Volume 5 Grade K 978-0-5444-5921-2 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
2020 Into Reading Teacher's Guide Volume 6 Grade K 978-0-5444-5922-9 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
2020 Into Reading Teacher's Guide Volume 7 Grade K 978-0-5444-5923-6 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
2020 Into Reading Teacher's Guide Volume 8 Grade K 978-0-5444-5924-3 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
2020 Into Reading Teacher's Guide Volume 9 Grade K 978-0-5444-5925-0 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Writer's Notebook Grade K 978-1-3284-6053-0 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Know It Show It Grade K 978-1-3284-6054-7 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Tabletop Minilessons English Language Development Grade K 978-1-3284-9160-2 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Tabletop Minilessons Reading Grade K 978-1-3285-2290-0 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Start Right Reader Volume 1 Grade K 978-1-3286-9533-8 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Start Right Reader Volume 2 Grade K 978-1-3287-0197-8 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Start Right Reader Volume 3 Grade K 978-1-3288-2587-2 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Start Right Reader Volume 4 Grade K 978-1-3288-2588-9 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Start Right Reader Volume 5 Grade K 978-1-3288-2589-6 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Start Right Reader Volume 6 Grade K 978-1-3288-2590-2 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Start Right Reader Volume 9 Grade K 978-1-3288-2603-9 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Start Right Reader Volume 8 Grade K 978-1-3288-2604-6 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
Into Reading Start Right Reader Volume 7 Grade K 978-1-3288-2605-3 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020
CLOSE

Report for Kindergarten

Alignment Summary

The Kindergarten instructional materials meet the expectations of alignment and usability. The materials include appropriately rigorous, high quality texts that are the focus of students' reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language practice. The materials are organized to support knowledge building and vocabulary, and include implementation supports for teachers to assure students meet grade level goals. 

Kindergarten
Gateway 1

Text Quality

58/58
0
27
52
58
Alignment (Gateway 1 & 2)
Meets Expectations
Gateway 3

Usability

33/34
0
23
30
34
Usability (Gateway 3)
Meets Expectations
Overview of Gateway 1

Text Quality & Complexity and Alignment to Standards Components

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectations for high-quality texts are the central focus of lessons, are at the appropriate grade-level text complexity, and are accompanied by quality tasks aligned to the standards of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language in service to grow literacy skills. Texts are worthy of students’ time and attention, are of quality, rigorous, and at the right text complexity criteria for grade level, student, and task. The materials provide opportunities for rich and rigorous evidence-based discussions and writing about texts and materials in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language targeted to support foundational reading development.

Criterion 1.1: Text Complexity & Quality

20/20
Texts are worthy of students' time and attention: texts are of quality and are rigorous, meeting the text complexity criteria for each grade. Materials support students' advancing toward independent reading.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criterion for texts are worthy of students’ time and attention, are of quality and are rigorous, meeting the text complexity criteria for each grade. Materials support students’ advancing toward independent reading.  Anchor texts, including read-aloud texts, are of publishable quality, worthy of careful reading, and consider a range of student interests. The materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level. Texts, including read-aloud texts and some shared reading texts used to build knowledge and vocabulary, have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task. Read-aloud texts are above the complexity levels of what most students can read independently. The materials support students’ literacy skills (comprehension) over the course of the school year through increasingly complex text to develop independence of grade-level skills. Anchor texts, including read-aloud texts, and the series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for purpose and placement in the grade level, and support materials for the core texts provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to support their reading at grade level by the end of the school year.

Indicator 1A
04/04
Anchor texts (including read-aloud texts in K-2 and shared reading texts in Grade 2 used to build knowledge and vocabulary) are of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading/listening and consider a range of student interests.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation for anchor texts (including read aloud texts in K-2 and shared reading texts in Grade 2 used to build knowledge and vocabulary) are of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading/listening and consider a range of student interests.

Throughout the Kindergarten materials, the anchor texts included are all published or of publishable quality.  Each module contains three weeks of instruction focused around a text set, which consists of about eight texts centered around the module topic. Anchor texts are of various genres. They contain colorful photographs and/or vibrant illustrations, which match the words in the texts. The texts contain rich academic vocabulary and help students analyze language and author’s craft. Texts are engaging and often relatable in content. All the texts are appropriate for Kindergarten students.

Examples of anchor texts that are of publishable quality and worthy of careful reading and listening and consider a range of student interests include: 

  • In Module 1, students listen to Schools Around the World by Clare Lewis, which is a published informational text with rich photographs that show cultural differences in lifestyle, clothing, transportation, technology, and cuisine. It also has text features such as a table of contents, index, glossary, and a map that supports comprehension. 
  • In Module 3, students hear Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman, which is a published informational text about key community players such as firefighters and veterinarians. The text contains photographs to help students connect to the text.
  • In Module 4, students listen to Germs Are Not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick, which is a published informational text that provides tips for children on how to stay healthy. It is an engaging story while building knowledge.
  • In Module 5, students listen to Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall, which is a published fiction text with colorful illustrations that support the story. It contains figurative language and pictures to help identify how the character feels. It also has a powerful message for students that doing something new can be scary, but it is important to overcome fears to accomplish goals. 
  • In Module 7, students listen to Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees by Betsey Chessen and Pamela Chanko, which is a published text with a repetitive structure to aid in understanding. It contains rich vocabulary and photographs that support the text. 
  • In Module 8, students listen to Planting Seeds by Kathryn Clay, which is an informational text that is of publishable quality since it explains how plants grow and who grows them, which aims to build knowledge.
Indicator 1B
04/04
Materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

Instructional materials include a mix of informational and literary texts throughout each module. In Read Aloud Books and Big Books, there are 29 fiction texts, 28 informational texts, 4 poems, 3 folktales, 4 biographies, 1 persuasive piece, 1 play, and 1 song. There are also videos to supplement the reading throughout the modules. While modules tend to include more literary texts than informational texts, students receive an equal distribution of text types and genres required by the standards throughout the year. 

Specific examples of literary texts in the program include:

  • Module 1: Students listen to Kindergarten Kids by Stephanie Calmenson, which is poetry about what children discover in Kindergarten.
  • Module 2: Students listen to Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, which is a fictional story about celebrating differences and individuality. 
  • Module 3: Students listen to A Piece of Home by Jeri Watts, which is a fictional story about the power of community when a family relocates from Korea to West Virginia. 
  • Module 4: Students listen to Stretch by Doreen Cronin, which is a rhyming story that shows all the ways animals move. 
  • Module 5: Students listen to The Little Red Hen on Stage by Karen Knapstein, which is a play about the traditional folktale with a slight twist. 
  • Module 6: Students listen to Take Me Out to the Yakyu by Aaron Meshon, which is a fictional story about United States history and traditions.
  • Module 7: Students listen to Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena, which is a fictional story about a character named Nana who shows tough love to CJ and shows him how to embrace spontaneity and the beauty in every day. 
  • Module 8: Students listen to Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell, which is a fictional story about a grandfather who works with his grandchildren to harvest the crops in his garden to make a stew. 
  • Module 9: Students listen to Welcome Home, Bear by Il Sung Na, which is a fictional story about a bear who lives in a beautiful forest but is bored living in it. 

Specific examples of informational texts in the program include:

  • Module 1: Students listen to Schools Around the World by Clare Lewis, which is an informational text about schools around the world. 
  • Module 2: Students listen to Being Different Rocks! by Judith Bauer Stamper, which is a persuasive text about celebrating differences and individuality. 
  • Module 3: Students listen to Map My Neighborhood by Jennifer Boothroyd, which is an informational text about a granddaughter who makes a map of her neighborhood for her visiting grandmother. It includes the steps to make a map, including drawing symbols, making a key, and adding a compass rose. 
  • Module 4: Students listen to Being Fit by Valerie Bodden, which is an informational text that teaches the essentials of living healthy, including eating right and exercising. 
  • Module 5:Students listen to Emmanuel’s Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson, which is a biography about the perseverance of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah and his 400-mile bike ride across Ghana. 
  • Module 6: Students listen to Martin Luther King, Jr. by Marion Dane Bauer, which is a biography that includes information about United States history and traditions. 
  • Module 7: Students listen to Look-Alike Animals by Robin Bernard, which is an informational text about how children learn how to look closely and discover facts about different types of animals. 
  • Module 8: Students listen to Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner, which is an informational text about the million things that are in a garden, both above ground and below it. 
  • Module 9: Students listen to Why Living Things Need Homes by Daniel Nunn, which is an informational text that shows the importance of homes for all living things, including people and animals.
Indicator 1C
04/04
Texts (including read-aloud texts and some shared reading texts used to build knowledge and vocabulary) have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade level according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and a relationship to their associated student task. Read-aloud texts at K-2 are above the complexity levels of what most students can read independently.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that texts (including read-aloud texts and some shared reading texts used to build knowledge and vocabulary) have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade level according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and a relationship to their associated student task. Read-aloud texts at K-2 are above the complexity levels of what most students can read independently. 

The texts within the Kindergarten materials are appropriate for students based on their quantitative measure, qualitative measure, and reader and task. Read-aloud texts are above what students can read independently, which is appropriate for read-alouds at this level. All read-alouds are within the appropriate range for a read-aloud, and the qualitative measures range from slightly complex to moderately complex. 

Examples of appropriately complex texts in the Kindergarten materials include:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 6, students listen to A Squiggly Story by Andrew Lauren, which has  a Lexile measure of 490 and is considered moderately complex. The text shifts between two different storylines and has a plot that is difficult to predict. The text is used as a read-aloud to discuss the characteristics of fiction and to identify characters, setting, and main event.
  • In Module 2, Lesson 18, students listen to My Friends by Taro Gomi, which has a Lexile measure of 470 and a qualitative measure that is slightly complex. The text is appropriate, as it is engaging and includes a predictive and repetitive text structure that helps students experience reading success. The vocabulary is mostly simple and familiar, and the theme is clear but not explicitly stated. 
  • In Module 3, Lesson 3, students listen to Map My Neighborhood by Jennifer Boothroyd, which has a Lexile measure of 420 and is considered moderately complex. The text is used as a read-aloud and is sequential. The text includes some complex subject-specific vocabulary terms such as location, symbol, and compass rose
  • In Module 4, Lesson 11, students listen to the fairy tale Jack and the Hungry Giant by Loreen Leedy, which has a Lexile measure of 510 and is considered moderately complex. It is a twist on a classic fairy tale and includes colorful illustrations and dialogue. 
  • In Module 5, Lesson 11, students listen to Ish by Peter Reynolds, which has a Lexile measure of 510. The text is considered moderately complex due to the abstract themes and unfamiliar vocabulary terms. It also contains figurative language and multiple-meaning words. 
  • In Module 6, Lesson 1, students listen to the song “America the Beautiful” by Katharine Lee Bates, which does not have a Lexile measure but is considered exceedingly complex. There is a large amount of teacher support to help students with the meaning of the text as well as illustrations to help with understanding the advanced vocabulary.
  • In Module 7, Lesson 8, students listen to Look-Alike Animals by Robin Bernard, which has a Lexile measure of 410 and is considered slightly complex. This Big Book read-aloud has an easy-to-follow pattern that shows different pairs of animals that look alike. The language is mostly simple, and students look closely at the photographs and listen carefully to learn information from the text.
Indicator 1D
04/04
Materials support students' literacy skills (comprehension) over the course of the school year through increasingly complex text to develop independence of grade level skills (leveled readers and series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels).

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ literacy skills (comprehension) over the course of the school year through increasingly complex text to develop independence of grade-level skills (leveled readers and series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels). 

Throughout the year students are exposed to increasingly complex texts that help them achieve grade-level independence. In Kindergarten, students listen to both Big Books and Read Aloud Books that increase in complexity. Read Aloud Books have Lexile measure ranges from 130 to 770 and help build students’ knowledge, academic vocabulary, and understanding of texts. The Big Books are more accessible and often repetitive, with an intention to teach print concepts and help develop students’ understanding between oral language and printed language. These texts have Lexile measures ranging from 50 to 740. The combination of the two types of texts that increase in complexity help students develop independence of grade-level skills. 

In the beginning of the year, Read Aloud Books for Kindergarten are 60% slightly complex and 40% moderately complex, while at the end of the year the Read Aloud Books are 33% slightly complex and 66% moderately complex. The Lexile measure ranges at the beginning of the year are from 130 to 540 and toward the end of the year, the range is 220 to 660. Big books are similar. In the beginning of the year, Big Books for Kindergarten are 100% simple or slightly complex and at the end of the year, the Big Books are 78% slightly complex, 9% moderately complex, and 9% very complex. The Lexile measure ranges at the beginning of the year are 250-470 and at the end of the year, the Lexile measure ranges from 140-740. 

In addition to an increase in reading levels and complexity levels for Big Books and Read Aloud Books, reading skills also increase over the course of the year. Examples include:

  • In the beginning of the year, during Module 2, Lesson 8, students learn about theme and are taught that theme is the lesson the character learns. In the story I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont, students identify the simple theme. Then in Module 5, Lesson 18, students determine the theme of the text Emmanuel’s Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson and use inferences to determine it.
  • In the beginning of the year, students draw pictures of characters such as in Module 1, Lesson 3, after listening to Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk. Then in Module 3, Lesson 8, students listen to The Alphabet From the Sky by Benedikt Gross & Joey Lee.  In addition to drawing a picture of each character, students also write words that describe each character. Then towards the end of the year, students listen to Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose in Module 7, Lesson 18, and draw a line to match the character action to the character's opinion. Students also draw a picture to show the characters’ reasons for their opinions.
Indicator 1E
02/02
Anchor texts (including read-aloud texts in K-2) and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that anchor texts (including read-aloud texts in K-2) and the series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis.

The publisher provides a text complexity analysis for the Kindergarten materials that includes quantitative information, qualitative information, and reader and task considerations. The text analysis for all of the anchor texts are found in the Preview Lesson Texts section of each module. 

Examples of information provided in this text complexity analysis include:

  • In Module 2, Lessons 18 and 19, students read My Friends by Taro Gomi. According to the publisher, this text was selected because children find the fun, colorful illustrations engaging, and the predictive and repetitive text structure helps them experience reading success. The Lexile Measure is 470 and it is considered slightly complex. According to the publisher, “the vocabulary is mostly familiar and simple. The theme is clear, but not explicitly stated. The language is predictable. Each page uses the same contribution to show the new skill the girl learns.”
  • In Module 7, Lessons 6 and 7, students hear I Know the River Loves Me by Maya Christina Gonzalez. The publisher explains that the text explores the unique fulfillment of communicating with nature and inspires children to form their own special connections. The text is given a Lexile measure of 440 and a moderate complexity rating due to the simple and familiar vocabulary, but the fact that the river is heavily personified may confuse the students.
  • In Module 9, Lesson 11, students hear A Day and Night in the Desert by Caroline Arnold, which has a Lexile measure of 660. The text is moderately complex due to the language including challenging vocabulary and figurative language. The text helps teach students how to set a purpose for reading a text, identify the central idea in an informational text, and use text features to learn information about a topic. 
Indicator 1F
02/02
Anchor text(s), including support materials, provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to achieve grade level reading.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that support materials for the core text(s) provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to support their reading at grade level by the end of the school year. 

Kindergarten materials include a range and volume of opportunities throughout the day for students to engage with texts. Students engage with a variety of books during whole-group read alouds, small group instruction, and independent reading. In Kindergarten, materials include Big Books, Read Aloud Trade Books, a student reader, Start Right Readers (decodable texts), and foundational skills practice books. Students spend time engaging with texts in whole-group instruction, small-group and guided reading instruction, and independent work. Texts are also read during Writing Workshop as a mentor text. Students and teachers often read books multiple times for different purposes including getting the gist about the text, practicing a reading skill, having an academic discussion, or taking notes and writing about the text. 

Kindergarten students are provided with 45 to 60 minutes a day of small group and independent reading time. During this block, students go to various literacy centers where they can practice reading leveled readers and decodables with partners or independently. There are also guided reading lessons, targeted skill practice, and targeted language development. Kindergarten lessons include building fluency through Shared Reading, Echo Reading, and building automaticity of “Words to Know.”

Specific examples of how the range of text types, as well as volume of reading help students to achieve grade-level reading proficiency include:

  • In Module 1, Week 1, the teacher reads aloud Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk. During small group time, students may watch a video text set or read fiction texts centered around the essential question, “What will I discover in kindergarten?” There are texts for buddy rhymes for students to complete during this time as well. Students are also given the option to explore alphabet books or draw and write about their favorite part of the Big Book.
  • In Module 3, Week 1, students listen to two informational texts and are given two decodable texts about the topic of community heroes. In Lesson 1, the teacher reads aloud the text Places in My Community by Babbie Kalman, and students learn about characters and setting. Students then practice in the reading corner while they read to a “fuzzy friend.”
  • In Module 6, Week 1, students practice four different reading skills during center time including whisper reading, responding to texts, partner reading, or book talk. In partner reading, students take turns reading aloud to a partner and in book talk, students draw a picture of their favorite part of their book. Students then take turns telling each other about their favorite parts.
  • In Module 8, Week 4, students listen to one read-aloud fiction book, one informational Big Book, and two decodable books. In Lesson 18, How Does Your Salad Grow? by Francie Alexander is read aloud to students. Students also use choral reading to read Rice Is Nice, by Opal Reese in their decodable.

Criterion 1.2: Alignment to the Standards with Tasks and Questions Grounded in Evidence

16/16
Materials provide opportunities for rich and rigorous evidence-based discussions and writing about texts to build strong literacy skills.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criterion for materials provide opportunities for rich and rigorous evidence-based discussions and writing about texts to build strong literacy skills. Most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-based, requiring students to engage with the text directly, drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text. Sets of high-quality sequences of text-based questions with activities that build to a culminating task that integrates skills to demonstrate understanding are included. The materials provide frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions in a variety of groupings that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax, while also supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading or read aloud and researching (shared projects) with relevant follow-up questions and supports. The materials include a mix of on-demand and process, grade-appropriate writing (e.g., grade-appropriate revision and editing) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate. The materials provide opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards and include regular opportunities for evidence-based writing to support recall of information, opinions with reasons, and relevant information appropriate for the grade level. The materials also include explicit instruction of the grade-level grammar and conventions standards as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context.

Indicator 1G
02/02
Most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-based, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text).

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-based, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text).

Throughout the year, the materials include questions and tasks that encourage understanding of key ideas of texts read aloud to students. Questions include both explicit questions and inferences. Text-dependent questions and tasks are located in the read-alouds and the shared reading sessions. They are also located in the myBook and the Tabletop Minilessons for English Language Development. 

Specific examples of text-based questions and tasks include:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 2, after listening to Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk, students turn and talk and discuss what “Keisha Ann do[es] during dress-up time.”
  • In Module 2, Lesson 12, students listen to the story Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, and while listening to the story, students are asked, “How is Wilbur different from other naked mole rats.” 
  • In Module 3, Lesson 2, after listening to Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman, students are asked to give a summary of the text. The teacher supports the students in this task by asking them to identify the central idea and provide two details.
  • In Module 4, Lesson 16, while reading Getting Rest by Sian Smith, students are asked, “What are some of the ways that sleep can help your body?”
  • In Module 5, Lesson 9, students engage in a shared reading of the text The Little Red Hen On Stage by Karen Knapstein and are asked to use text clues to “describe the Little Red Hen.” Questions to support this task include “What does she do?" "What does she say?" and "What words can we use to describe her?”
  • In Module 6, Lesson 1, students listen to the poem “America the Beautiful: Together We Stand” by Katharine Lee Bates, and then are asked about what the poem [is] describing.  They are also asked, “How does the poem show that America is special?” 
  • In Module 7, Lesson 6, students listen to the text I Know the River Loves Me by Maya Christina Gonzalez, and after listening to pages 8 and 9 during a small-group reread, students are asked the following: "What does the text say the girl does?" "How do people feel about things they run to?" and "So how do you think the girl feels about the river?"
  • In Module 8, Lesson 4, students hear the text Planting Seeds by Kathryn Clay and after rereading pages 8 to 13, students are asked , "What is the text describing on these pages?" Also they are asked if the steps need to happen in a specific order.
  • In Module 9, Lesson 17, after listening to Red Knit Cap Girl to the Rescue by Naoko Stoop, students are asked what they see in the picture that shows a storm after hearing pages 18 and 19.
Indicator 1H
02/02
Materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-based questions with activities that build to a culminating task which integrates skills to demonstrate understanding (as appropriate, may be drawing, dictating, writing, speaking, or a combination).

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation for materials containing sets of high-quality sequences of text-based questions with activities that build to a culminating task which integrates skills to demonstrate understanding (as appropriate, may be drawing, dictating, writing, speaking, or a combination).

Each module in Kindergarten ends with a culminating task. Each anchor text has lessons, which include text-based questions and tasks that support students in completing the culminating task. All culminating tasks involve synthesizing the knowledge of a topic learned throughout a module. Many tasks involve acting, drawing, and finishing sentence frames for writing. 

Examples of culminating tasks found within the modules include but are not limited to:

  • In Module 1, the culminating task requires students to reflect on the module topic by thinking about some of the ways children can spread kindness in school. Students then share one new way they learned to show kindness using the sentence frame, “I can be kind by…”  Lessons throughout the module that prepare students for this task include in Lesson 6, students discuss how to be polite when making new friends. 
  • In Module 2, students write one reason why they are “one of a kind” as a culminating task. Students complete the provided sentence frame and draw a picture to show what makes them special. Some of the questions and tasks leading to this task include, “What are some of the ways that people are different and special in Being Different Rocks! by Judith Stamper?" (Lesson 3) and “What are some ways the frog, pig, and mouse in ABC I Like Me! by Nancy Carlson are special?” (Lesson 8). In Lesson 18, students discuss the theme of liking themselves after hearing Tiny Rabbit’s Big Wish by Margarita Engle. 
  • In Module 3, students focus on what makes a community and are tasked with writing a thank you letter to someone in their community. Prior to completing this task, students are reminded that they have talked about different people in their community (Lesson 6), read about how neighbors and family members work together in Quinito’s Neighborhood by Irna Cumpiano (Lesson 6), and wrote about how they help in their community (Lesson 11). 
  • In Module 5, the culminating task requires students to reflect on the essential question of what it means to try hard and then to identify a goal for something they want to learn by writing, “I can’t...yet” statements. Lessons throughout the module that prepare students for this task include: In Lesson 6, students discuss how they help at school and at home. In Lesson 16, students discuss people who make a difference, such as Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah in the text Emmanuel’s Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson. 
  • In Module 6, students write about how America is beautiful as a culminating task. Students complete a sentence frame and draw a picture that explains what makes America beautiful. Some of the questions and tasks leading to this task include: In Lesson 6, after listening to Take Me Out to the Yakyu by Aaron Meshon, “What is special about baseball in the United States?”In Lesson 16, students discuss how characters celebrate the Fourth of July in Apple Pie 4th of July by Janet S. Wong.
  • In Module 7, students act like scientists and zoom in on the environment and complete an observation log as a way to reflect on the essential question, “What can I learn when I look closely?” Prior to beginning this culminating task, students are reminded that they read Look-Alike Animals by Robert Bernard, which is a book about animals that seem alike until you look more closely (Lesson 8) and wrote a five senses poem after looking at an object closely (Lesson 16).
Indicator 1I
02/02
Materials provide frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small group, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation for materials providing frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small groups, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

Throughout the Kindergarten materials there are ample opportunities for students to engage in evidence-based discussions following a variety of protocols. Protocols include Turn-and-Talks between two students and Think-Pair-Shares for both small-group and whole-group instruction. In Kindergarten, students also use Thumbs-Up or Down during listening activities to give opinions. All anchor texts are introduced with a similar format in Kindergarten. The teacher introduces the book, a skill, and a purpose for listening and then students use a Turn-and-Talk prior to listening to the text. The teacher then reads the story, and students answer questions about the story with a Turn-and-Talk. After the text is complete, the students engage in a discussion using a Think-Pair-Share. 

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies book, there is a section on how to engage students in a discussion. Subtopics include aspects of a conversation, focusing on listening and speaking skills, and best practices for facilitating discussions. Teachers are also directed to use the Discussion Routine in the Teacher’s Guide in order to facilitate conversations about the texts. Part of this routine includes how to initiate a conversation, add details in a conversation, respond in a complete sentence, and stay on topic. 

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies Book, the Turn-and-Talk Protocol includes the following steps:

  1. Turn toward your partner.
  2. Look your partner in the eye.
  3. One partner talks while one partner listens.
  4. Switch!

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies book, the Think-Pair-Share protocol includes the following steps:

  1. Think (children think about the question)
  2. Pair (share ideas with a partner)
  3. Share (share with the whole group)

For discussions of texts, the Teacher’s Guide provides an anchor chart with Voice Levels. Guidelines include:

  1. Teacher introduces the discussion question. (For example-How do you help at home or school? - Module 5)
  2. Teacher teaches and models a specific discussion skill. (For example-A partnering voice is just loud enough for your partner to listen to you. Teacher models and students give a thumbs up if the teacher is using a partnering voice-Module 5)
  3. Partners take turns discussing the question.
  4. Pairs share in the whole-class setting. 

Some specific examples of students engaging in evidence-based discussions using the above protocols include:

  • In Module 3, Lesson 16, while listening to A Piece of Home by Jeri Watts, students Turn-and-Talk to discuss, “What is Hee Jun’s family doing?” and “How does Hee Jun feel at his new school in West Virginia?”
  • In Module 4, Lesson 13, students listen to the text Edible Colors by Jennifer Vogel Bass, and before listening to the story, students Turn-and-Talk to discuss what they see on the cover. Then after the story, students use a Think-Pair-Share to answer, “What did you learn about fruits and vegetables?”.
  • In Module 9, Lesson 2, students listen to Why Living Things Need Homes by Daniel Nunn, and while listening to  the text, students are prompted several times to Turn-and-Talk about questions such as “What does it mean to be 'safe from the weather'?”
Indicator 1J
02/02
Materials support students' listening and speaking about what they are reading (or read aloud) and researching (shared projects) with relevant follow-up questions and supports.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading (or read aloud) and researching (shared projects) with relevant follow-up questions and supports.

Materials include multiple opportunities for students to answer questions and ask follow-up questions about read-aloud texts. The Interactive Read Aloud sessions incorporate numerous opportunities for students to listen to their teacher read the text, listen to their peers answer questions, and speak about what they learned about the text.

Specific examples of opportunities for students to speak and listen to what they are reading through read-alouds with relevant follow-up questions include:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 16, students listen to Schools Around the World by Clare Lewis, and while listening, students turn and talk to answer questions such as “What is the same about the schools in the pictures?” and “What is different about the schools in the pictures?” After listening to the text, students turn and talk to discuss what they learned about schools around the world and subjects children around the world discover or learn at school.
  • In Module 2, Lesson 6, students listen to I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont and discuss if the girl gets upset by someone calling her a name and what makes each of them special. 
  • In Module 3, Lesson 2, students listen to Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman and after listening to the story, students turn and talk to answer questions such as "What is the central idea of these pages?" and "Why do people in a community work?"
  • In Module 4, Lesson 8, students listen to Stretch by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin and get with a partner to engage in a Think-Pair-Share. Questions include “What are some of the ways that the animals stretch?” and “How can I be my healthiest me?”
  • In Module 5, Lesson 1, students listen to Jabari Jumps by Gala Cornwall and at various points while listening to the text, the teacher stops to ask questions. Students turn and talk to answer questions such as “Why does Jabari think he’s ready to jump off the diving board?” and “Why does Jabari say ‘tomorrow might be a better day for jumping'?”
  • In Module 6, Lesson 3, after listening to America the Beautiful by Katharine Lee Bates, students participate in a Think-Pair-Share to answer the question “What do you see in the illustration that matches the text?” 
  • In Module 7, Lesson 13, students listen to Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees by Betsey Chessen and Pamela Chanko, and then students engage in a Think-Pair-Share while discussing questions such as “What are some ways that Jane studies the chimpanzees?”
  • In Module 8, Lesson 1, students listen to Plants Feed Me by Lizzy Rockwell, and the teacher asks questions during the read aloud to check for understanding. Examples of questions include “What is the author describing on these pages?” and “How do plants become food?”
  • In Module 9, Lesson 4, students complete an interactive research project after listening to the text Why Living Things Need Homes by Daniel Nunn. Students work in pairs to collect information about why foxes’ homes are special, and students turn and talk to discuss the topic, central idea, and key details.
Indicator 1K
02/02
Materials include a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g. multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation for materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing grade-appropriate writing (e.g., grade-appropriate revision and editing) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate.

Within the Kindergarten materials, there is a Writing Workshop section for each module that always begins with a mentor text. During this time, students receive skill-based mini-lessons and spend time with process writing, including all of the steps from prewriting to publishing and sharing. In addition, the Kindergarten myBook offers many opportunities for students to produce on-demand, short writing tasks in response to reading. The materials cover a year’s worth of writing instruction. 

Students participate in process writing throughout the year in Writing Workshop. Students take several weeks to complete one piece. While process writing is found in every module, some specific examples include:

  • In Module 2, students work on narrative writing by drawing and labeling the characters and setting of a narrative before engaging in an interactive writing where students help plan, organize, and draft a narrative about naming a pet. Students also learn to revise and edit the class narrative. 
  • In Module 3, students are introduced to informational writing, and they write an informational letter to a new community member by responding to the prompt, “What is our community like?” Over the course of the first ten lessons, students complete a shared writing about a place in their community, including writing facts, drawing pictures, and planning details using a graphic organizer. By the end, students publish the letter, address the envelope, and present. 
  • In Module 4, students research the topic, one way to exercise. Students make a research plan and then take notes by completing a graphic organizer. Students then create the report that includes three key details.  Then they revise and edit using an Editing Checklist. Students write a final draft, and present it to their classmates. 
  • In Module 7, the students spend four weeks collaborating to generate ideas, research, and complete an inquiry-based project where they create a Five Senses poster. Students complete research, use a graphic organizer to write a list of items, and create their poster with a title and sentence for each object. Students present at the end, and then write a reflection of the experience.
  • In Module 8, students spend the first five lessons writing a shared opinion piece about the class's favorite fruit or vegetable.  They plan using a graphic organizer, draft using interactive writing, and revise by adding a detail. Then students write another opinion piece about the topic of which animal they think best helps a garden grow. They complete a graphic organizer by sharing their opinion with two reasons.  They then write a draft, give peer feedback using sentence frames, and present to the class. 

Throughout the year on-demand writing is found in the myBook, which gives students an opportunity to respond to the read-aloud via drawing and writing. Examples of this include:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 5, students draw and write a sentence about one thing they can do in school. 
  • In Module 2, Lesson 3, students listen to I am Rene, the Boy by Rene Colato Lainez, and then they draw the problem and solution of the story. 
  • In Module 3, Lesson 3, after reading Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman, students draw or write the key details that support the central idea of Places in My Community. Students complete a graphic organizer with sections labeled for each key detail. 
  • In Module 4, Lesson 3, after reading Being Fit by Valerie Bodden, the students draw or write two key details that support the idea of being fit. 
  • In Module 5, Lesson 10, students compare and contrast two versions of The Little Red Hen by completing a Venn diagram with a partner and then writing their response. 
  • In Module 6, Lesson 3, students listen to the text America the Beautiful: Together We Stand by Katharine Lee Bates, and students pick one line from the text and draw a picture to show the meaning of the line. 
  • In Module 7, Lesson 15, after reading Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees by Betsey Chessen and Pamela Chanko, students write about one thing they learned about Dr. Jane Goodall, and then draw a picture of her.
  • In Module 8, Lesson 3, after reading Plants Feed Me by Lizzy Rockwell, students draw a picture of each step of how a seed becomes a plant. They also write one sentence for each step, using signal words like first, next, then, and last.
  • In Module 9, Lesson 15, students write about another animal in The Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming. Before writing, partners discuss some questions to help students with the on-demand writing task found in myBook.
Indicator 1L
02/02
Materials provide opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing (year long) that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

Instructional materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply what they have learned about narrative, opinion, and informational writing. Each module includes writing lessons about the text that they read. In addition, students are taught about the three genres in Writing Workshop, where they engage in longer pieces over the course of three weeks. 

Narrative writing prompts are found in myBook after reading a text as well as in Writing Workshop Modules 2, 5, and 7. Specific examples include:

  • In Module 2, Lessons 1-5, students engage in a class narrative about naming a pet after listening to the story I Am Rene, the Boy, by Rene Colato Lainez.
  • In Module 3, Lesson 15, after reading Bo and Peter by Betsy Franco, students respond to the on-demand writing prompt, “Draw something you and your friend like to do together. Write about what you and your friend like to do together. We like to ______.”
  • In Module 5, students write stories about a time they were nervous. This is a whole-class writing project. Students also write about a time they helped someone, something they practiced, and about not giving up. 
  • In Module 7, students write a creative story about an animal. 

Informational writing is found in myBook after each text as well as in Writing Workshop Modules  3, 4, 6, and 9. Specific examples include:

  • In Module 2, Lesson 18, after listening to Tiny Rabbit’s Big Wish by Margarita Engle, students write the theme of the book and draw Tiny Rabbit at the end of the story in their myBook.
  • In Module 3, students write about how they help others in their community. 
  • In Module 4, Lessons 6 to 10, students plan, draft, revise, and edit a research paper about one way to exercise after listening to Get Up and Go! by Nancy Carlson.
  • In Module 6, students write a book on how to play their favorite game with minimal teacher support. 
  • In Module 9, students write research reports about an animal’s home and what makes it special. Students use the text Why Living Things Need...Homes by Daniel Nunn to help them brainstorm ideas, plan, write, and revise a research report about an animal’s home. 

Opinion writing is found in myBook as well as in Writing Workshop Modules 1 and 8. Specific examples include:

  • In Module 1, students write class opinion pieces that tell what they like about Kindergarten. Students draw and label a favorite classroom activity and share reasons why they like that activity. The teacher then uses interactive writing to write reasons they like an activity and revise their writing by adding details. 
  • In Module 7, Lesson 20, after reading Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose, students respond to the on-demand writing prompt, “Would you squish the ant? Why or why not?” Students place a check next to either “I would squish the ant” or “I would not squish the ant.” Then students write a reason for their opinion and draw a picture that shows what they would do.
  • In Module 8, students work independently on their opinion writing in response to the prompt, "What should we grow in a school garden?"
Indicator 1M
02/02
Materials include regular opportunities for evidence-based writing to support recall of information, opinions with reasons, and relevant information appropriate for the grade level.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation for materials including regular opportunities for evidence-based writing to support recall of information, opinions with reasons, and relevant information appropriate for the grade level. Evidence-based writing in Kindergarten requires students to draw to show their understanding of the text, fill in sentence stems, and write on their own.

Each module in the Kindergarten materials contains writing lessons that require students to use evidence from texts read aloud. Students respond to the texts in their myBook by either drawing a picture, completing a sentence frame, dictating a response, or writing an answer. 

Specific examples of evidence-based writing found throughout the materials include:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 3, students listen to Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk, and then draw a picture of the characters and the setting of the story. 
  • In Module 2, Lesson 13, after listening to Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, students use a graphic organizer to draw the problem in one box and the solution in the other box.
  • In Module 3, Lesson 3, after listening to Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman, students draw or write three key details that support the central idea of the story in a graphic organizer. 
  • In Module 4, Lesson 18, after listening to Getting Rest by Sian Smith, students use the graphic organizer in their myBook to identify the central idea and key details of the story.
  • In Module 5, Lesson 10, students write to compare and contrast two versions of The Little Red Hen
  • In Module 6, Lesson 20, after watching the video I Have a Dream, students finish the sentence, “America is beautiful because...” Students also draw a matching picture.
  • In Module 7, Lesson 15, after listening to Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees by Betsey Chessen and Pamela Chanko, students write a sentence about one thing they learned about Dr. Jane Goodall and draw a picture of her. 
  • In Module 8 of Writing Workshop, students listen to Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner and then write about which animal that helps gardens is the most important. Students state their opinion and provide two different reasons from the text to support their opinion. 
  • In Module 9, Lesson 10, after listening to the shared reading of Black Bears by JoAnn Early Macken, students write three facts about black bears and draw a picture for each fact.
Indicator 1N
02/02
Materials include explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten Into Reading meet the expectation for materials include explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context. 

Students have multiple opportunities to practice all language standards over the course of the instructional sequence. Grammar lessons follow a consistent I do, We do, You do format to provide numerous practice opportunities for students to reach mastery. Skills are explicitly taught, with clear teacher instructions. Students are provided numerous practice opportunities both in and out of context. Each module has lessons that incorporate writing skills and focus on the grammar and convention standards for the grade level. The lessons incorporate the language of the standards to allow for teachers and students to become familiar with that specific language. Students have opportunities to practice grammar and conventions skills in isolation during whole-group instruction with Display and Engage projectables and sentence prompts that students and teachers work on together, independently in context during the lesson with printables provided, and then practice applying the skills as they edit their writing drafts throughout the year. Each grammar and conventions lesson Kindergarten through Grade 2 is similarly structured with color coding, teacher modeling, partner sharing, completing graphic organizer/chart, and engaging in oral language practice.

Materials include explicit instruction of all grammar and conventions standards for the grade level. For example:

Students have opportunities to print many uppercase and lowercase letters.

  • In Module 1, Lesson 3, page T53, students learn how to write the uppercase and lowercase letter c. The teacher models and provides explicit instructions, such as “Start just below the top. Curve back and around.” 
  • In Module 1, Lesson 4, page T 63, the teacher explicitly models how to write letters  (letter Ee) while describing the strokes. Students have the opportunity to practice writing letter Ee in the air, their palms, and on small dry-erase boards. Students have additional independent practice of letter writing with the  Know It, Show It workbook. This routine continues with all of the letters in the alphabet through Module 1 Lesson 14.
  • In Module 1, Lesson 15, page T194, the teacher displays an uppercase letter card, and students use choral response to identify the letter.  The teacher asks students to write and reveal the matching lowercase letter. The teacher reveals the lowercase letter card for students to check their work.  

Students have opportunities to use frequently occurring nouns and verbs.

  • In Module 1, Lesson 5, page T76, the teacher reviews nouns using the anchor chart, reminds students that a noun can be the first name of a person starting with an uppercase letter, and explains that common nouns representing people start with a lowercase letter. The teacher helps the students brainstorm a list of common nouns. Then, students practice  identifying people’s names that start with a capital letter.  
  • In Module 3, Lesson 16, page T206, the teacher presents an anchor chart with People, Places, and Things. The teacher reads a Big Book, and students identify people, places, and things on each page. Students have additional practice with new ways to organize groups on the chart. The teacher reads the Read Aloud Book and the students look for words to place on the People, Places, and Things chart.
  • In Module 8, Lesson 14, page T186, the teacher reviews examples of past and present tense verbs with students and tells the class, “Remember, we add -ed to the end of most action words to tell about something that already happened.” Students complete an independent activity in their Writer’s Notebooks where they circle the correct verb tense to complete a sentence. 

Students have opportunities to form regular plural nouns orally by adding s or es (e.g., dog, dogs; wish, wishes).

  • In Writing Workshop, Lesson 2.3.1, page T238, the teacher reminds students that most plural nouns end in s; however, if the noun ends in s, x, ch, or sh, the plural ends in es and uses the example, box-boxes. Students practice adding es to nouns. Students then edit a writing draft using es for plural nouns. 
  • In Module 5, Lesson 12, page T164, the teacher shows students several examples of sentences, some containing a singular noun and some that contain a plural noun. Students practice identifying and correcting a sentence that is written incorrectly on the chart. Students then complete a corresponding practice page with a partner in their Writer’s Notebook. 

Students have opportunities to understand and use question words (interrogatives) (e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how).

  • In Module 9, Lesson 4, page T66, the teacher reminds students how writers research to look for information that answers their questions and projects the 5Ws Anchor chart. The teacher tells students that these question words (who, what, when, where, why) are used to learn more about the world. The teacher points to each of the question words, students say and spell the words chorally, and the teacher explains the purpose of each question word. The teacher creates a question wheel organizer, writes a topic at the top, and models how to generate questions for each of the 5 Ws.  Students create and write questions in the Writer’s Notebook and turn and talk to share questions.  
  • In Module 9, Lesson 4, page T66, the teacher reviews the Five W’s with students. The class and the teacher work together to generate a list of questions based on a topic. The teacher is provided with the following prompt to use: “Let’s think of questions to learn more about foxes’ homes. For What?, we could ask, 'What do foxes use to build their homes?' or 'What are foxes' homes called?'" Students then work to generate their own questions based on a research topic. 

Students have opportunities to use the most frequently occurring prepositions (e.g., to, from, in, out, on, off, for, of, by, with). 

  • In Module 6, Lesson 4, page T66, the teacher reminds the students that they have already learned the words to and for. The teacher projects the Display and Engage Grammar 6.1a chart. The teacher circles prepositions and underlines the nouns they connect. In We Do, students use the Write and Reveal method to practice to and for. In You Do, the students engage in independent practice using the Writer’s Notebook. 
  • In Module 7, Lesson 4, page T66, the teacher explains that the words in and out are prepositions. The class then works together to determine whether in or out belong in a series of sentences. For example, “The toys are __ the closet.” Students complete a similar activity independently in their Writer’s Notebooks in which they are given three sentences and circle either in or out to complete the sentence. Students then write their own sentence using either in or out

Students have opportunities to produce and expand complete sentences in shared language activities.

  • In Module 4, Lesson 12, page T164, students learn about ending sentences with periods. The teacher tells students, “Writers use periods to tell where a complete thought ends.” At the end of the lesson, students complete a page in their Writer’s Notebooks to “Write a telling sentence. Start with an uppercase letter. Put a period at the end.” 
  • In Module 4, Lesson 16, page T206,  the teacher models examples and non-examples of how to ask and answer a question using complete sentences. The students are given the opportunity to practice using  Partner Up to take turns asking and answering questions using complete sentences. 
  • In Module 8, Lesson 4, page T66, the teacher reads sentences aloud from the Read Aloud Book and explains how each sentence is a complete sentence.  The teacher then projects the Display and Engage, reading sentences aloud and identifying and underlining the subject and identifying and circling the verb. The teacher works with students to underline the subject and circle the action in other sentences.  The teacher reads a sentence aloud, and students give a thumbs up or down to identify if the sentence is complete or incomplete. Students then complete Writer’s Notebooks page 102. 

Students have opportunities to capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I.

  • In Module 4, Lesson 14, page T186, the teacher introduces the idea of a sentence and explains why writing complete sentences is important. The teacher explains what a complete sentence includes and models example sentences, pointing out the features of a complete sentence, including the need to start with an uppercase letter and end with an end mark. The teacher guides students to practice identifying components of a complete sentence and underlines the subject and circles the verb.  Students then complete a chart in their Writer’s Notebooks by writing a person or thing, action word, and end mark.  
  • In Module 5, Lesson 4, page T66, students learn about the pronouns I and me. The teacher tells students, “The word I tells me the sentence is about the writer. When I is a word, we always use an uppercase letter.” The class works together to select I or me to complete sample sentences. Students complete a similar activity in their Writer’s Notebooks and write their own sentence using I or me

Students have opportunities to recognize and name end punctuation.

  • In Module 4, Lesson 12, page T164, the teacher explains that “writers use an end mark called a period to show the end of a ‘telling sentence.’” The teacher then explains that “writers use periods to tell where a complete thought ends.” There is a connection to the Read Aloud Book: Jack and the Hungry Giant to model that the first sentence ends with a period. In We Do, students turn and talk to decide where periods go. The students have additional practice in Writer’s Notebook page 54 where they write where periods go. 
  • In Module 7, Lesson 14, page T186, the teacher models how to correctly read sentences with exclamation marks in the book, Not a Box. The teacher displays and reads more examples to students and tells the class, “The exclamation mark tells us it is an 'exciting sentence' that the writer wants us to read with strong feeling: ‘We won!’ Did you hear me use my ‘big voice'?” The class practices together choosing either an exclamation mark or a period to end a series of sentences. Students complete a similar activity in their Writer’s Notebooks. 
  • In Module 9, Lesson 5, page T76, students learn about using question marks to end sentences. The teacher tells students, “Writers use question marks to let readers know they are asking a question.” Students also practice correct intonation when reading sentences that end with a question mark. Students complete a page in their Writer’s Notebooks to practice identifying the question word in sentences and write their own asking sentence. 

Students have opportunities to write a letter or letters for most consonant and short-vowel sounds (phonemes).

  • In Module 1, Lesson 12, page T162, the teacher says the letter name and sound for u.  Students repeat the sound and keyword using choral response. Students share names that begin with the letter u. The teacher teaches the upper and lowercase letter strokes. Students write the letters in the air and then practice using Know It, Show it. 
  • In Module 5, Week 2,  page T 91, the teacher uses the Letter Sounds routine to teach the consonant v. In the Practice Handwriting segment of the lesson, the teacher models how to write the letter for both uppercase and lowercase, and the students practice forming the letter v using Know It, Show It.
  • In Module 6, Lesson 1, page T31, students learn about the letter z and the /z/ sound. As part of the lesson students complete a Know It, Show It page to practice writing uppercase and lowercase z, words with z, and sentences with z. The teacher models writing the letter for students. 

Students have opportunities to spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships.

  • In Module 3, Lesson 5,  page T 73, the teacher tells the students they will practice writing words with short i. The teacher says the first word and the students repeat it, then tells the students that the word has only one syllable so it only has one vowel sound and uses the word in a context sentence. The students then use Write and Reveal on small dry-erase boards to write the word.  The process is repeated with the remainder of the words provided.  
  • In Module 4, Lesson 20, page T252, the teacher reviews blending onsets, rimes, and phonemes into words.  The teacher dictates words with consonants w and j.  Students write the words and reveal and chorally spell the words together to check.  
  • In Module 5, Lesson 20, page T253, students practice spelling words with q and x. After writing the word on their own, the teacher writes the word on the board and children have the opportunity to check and correct their work. Students practice writing the words box, fox, mix and quit.

Criterion 1.3: Tasks and Questions: Foundational Skills Development

22/22
Materials in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language targeted to support foundational reading development are aligned to the standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criterion for materials in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language targeted to support foundational reading development are aligned to the standards. Materials, questions, and tasks directly teach foundational skills to build reading acquisition by providing systematic and explicit instruction in the alphabetic principle, letter-sound relationships, phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and phonics that demonstrate a transparent and research-based progression with opportunities for application both in and out of context. Materials, questions, and tasks also provide explicit instruction for and regular practice to address the acquisition of print concepts, including alphabetic knowledge, directionality, and function. Instructional opportunities are frequently built into the materials for students to practice and gain decoding automaticity and sight-based recognition of high-frequency words. Materials, questions, and tasks provide systematic and explicit instruction in and practice of word recognition and analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks. The materials support ongoing and frequent assessment to determine student mastery and inform meaningful differentiation of foundational skills, including a clear and specific protocol as to how students performing below standard on these assessments will be supported. Materials, questions, and tasks provide high-quality lessons and activities that allow for differentiation of foundational skills.

Indicator 1O
04/04
Materials, questions, and tasks directly teach foundational skills to build reading acquisition by providing systematic and explicit instruction in the alphabetic principle, letter-sound relations, phonemic awareness, phonological awareness (K-1), and phonics (K-2) that demonstrate a transparent and research-based progression with opportunities for application both in and out of context.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten Into Reading meet the expectation for materials, questions, and tasks directly teach foundational skills to build reading acquisition by providing systematic and explicit instruction in the Alphabetic Principle, letter-sound relationships, phonemic awareness, and phonological awareness (K-1), and phonics (K-2) that demonstrate a transparent and research-based progression for application both in and out of context.

Lessons follow the Gradual Release Model of I Do, We Do, You Do. This lesson format provides students with explicit opportunities to learn and practice phonological awareness and phonics with each applicable foundational skills standard. The materials incorporate songs, poems, Read Aloud Books, picture cards, photo cards, decodable texts, games, worksheets, and online resources for introduction of concepts and/or additional practice of skills. The Foundational Skills Scope and Sequence provides an overview of the progression of skills. Foundational skills instruction is cohesive and builds as skills advance through the year. 

Students have frequent and adequate opportunities to learn and understand phonemes (e.g., produce rhyming words, segment syllables, blend onsets and rimes, pronounce vowels in CVC words, and substitute sounds to make new words). For example:

 Students have opportunities to recognize and produce rhyming words:

  • In Module 7, Lesson 2, page T40, students sit in a circle and play a game to identify as many rhyming words as they can for each word. The teacher says a word and then goes around the circle with each student sharing a word that rhymes with the teacher’s word. Students complete Know It, Show It to practice producing rhyming words independently. 

Students have opportunities to count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 19, page T242, the teacher tells students they will be blending the syllables in their names. The teacher models with his/her name. The teacher uses a student’s name and asks students to use choral response to blend the syllables. The teacher states: “I can say your names in syllables. Listen: Chris-ti-na. When I put the parts back together, I get Christina.” The teacher repeats with other student names.

Students have opportunities to blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words:

  • In Module 4, Lesson 17, page T220, the teacher models how to blend the onset and rime of the word nose. The teacher continues to orally say the onset and rime of words, and then the class puts the sounds together to form a word. The words used include: toes, lip, hand, feet, chin, hip, head, leg, hair, knee.

Students have opportunities to isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.

  • In Module 6, Lesson 2, page T40 ,the teacher tells students, “Let’s play a game. I will say a chant about a word. When I point the mic at you, tell me the ending sound of the word. Let’s try one together.” The teacher pretends to hold a microphone and then says, “Listen: When I say buzz, you say /z/! Buzz! /z/ Buzz! /z/.” The teacher repeats the activity with the following words: zap, ran, moon, brave, fizz, mop, pass, home, zoom.

Students have opportunities to add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes) in simple, one-syllable words to make new words:

  • In Module 9, Lesson 14, page T182, the teacher tells students, “We can change a sound in a word to make a new word. Listen: class, I can change the ending /s/ to /p/ to get the word clap.” The teacher then models changing hut to hug. The teacher says the word hut and students use choral response to change the word to hug. This process repeats for six words.   

Lessons and activities provide students adequate opportunities to learn grade-level phonics skills while decoding words (e.g., one-to-one correspondences, long and short sounds with common spellings, and distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying sounds of the letters). For example:

Students have opportunities to demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant:

  • In Module 2, Lesson 5, page T73, the teacher displays Alphafriend Cards for T and B and reviews the sounds. “Remind children that the letter t makes the sound /t/ as in the word tiger and the letter b makes the sound /b/ as in bear. Have children repeat the sounds and words.” In Brainstorm, there are various practice activities. The students continue practicing sounds /t/ and /b/ with Know It, Show It Page 53. 

Students have opportunities to associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels:

  • In Module 8, Lesson 1, page T31, the teacher uses the letter sounds routine to teach the long /a/. The teacher introduces the long vowel sound and displays the Alphafriend card. The teacher plays the Alphafriend video, and students wave when they hear the name, April Acorn. The teacher pronounces the long vowel sound, and students repeat. The teacher displays the picture card gate and writes gate on the board. Students read the word chorally and the teacher underlines the a and e. The teacher explains that the e at the end of the word is magical because it makes the vowel say its name. 

Students have opportunities to distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ:

  • In Module 7, Lesson 7, page T101, students distinguish between the /sh/ and /ch/ sounds. Students turn and talk to generate words that begin with /sh/ or /ch/. The teacher correctly spells the word. Using a word sort with a shell picture card for the digraph /sh/ and a chain picture card for the digraph /ch/, students pick and point to identify in which column the word belongs.

Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonological awareness instruction to build toward application. For example:

  • Students start in Module 1 with learning about the consonant sounds /m/ and /s/. In Module 2, students begin learning about /t/, /b/, /n/, /d/, /c/, /p/ and the short and long /a/ vowel sounds. 
  • Over the course of 9 modules, students practice phonemic awareness skills each lesson:
    • In Module 1, students identify words in sentences, identify rhymes, identify syllables, and blend syllables.
    • In Module 2, students identify syllables, segment syllables, identify and produce rhymes, blend syllables, and blend onsets and rimes.
    • In Module 3, students identify and produce rhymes, identify initial sounds, recognize alliteration, identify final sounds, blend onset and rimes, and segment words into onset and rime.
    • In Module 4, students identify initial sounds, recognize alliteration, identify medial vowel sounds, produce rhymes, blend onset and rimes into words, and blend phonemes into words.
    • In Module 5, students blend phonemes into words, produce rhymes, identify final sounds, identify medial vowel sounds, isolate initial sounds, and segment words into onset and rimes.
    • In Module 6, students isolate final sounds, blend phonemes into words, segment words into onset and rime, segment words into phonemes, and isolate medial vowel sounds.
    • In Module 7, students produce rhymes, segment words into phonemes, blend phonemes into words, and segment words into phonemes.
    • In Module 8, students blend phonemes into words, segment words into phonemes, isolate final sounds, isolate mediate vowel sounds, add syllables, and delete syllables.
    • In Module 9, students add syllables, delete syllables, add phonemes, delete phonemes, and substitute phonemes. 

 Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonics instruction to build toward application. For example:

  • In Module 1, students are working on building their alphabet knowledge by identifying and forming the 26 letters of the alphabet. At the end of the school year, students are learning about more complex patterns such as long e spelled ee and the digraphs /th/ and /wh/. 
  • Over the course of 9 modules, students practice phonics instruction each day within the foundational skills portion of the lesson.  
    • In Module 1:
      • Week 1, students identify and form letters A to F.
      • Week 2, students identify and form letters G to P.
      • Week 3, students identify and form letters Q to Z.
      • Week 4, students learn the sounds for consonants m/s.
    • Module 2: 
      • Week 1, students learn the sounds for consonants t/b.
      • Week 2, students learn the sounds for short a and long a.
      • Week 3, students learn the sounds for consonants n/d
      • Week 4, students learn the sounds for consonants c/p.
    • Module 3: 
      • Week 1, students learn the sounds for short i and long i.
      • Week 2, students learn the sounds for consonants r/f.
      • Week 3, students learn to read inflection -s /s/ and -s /z/ (nouns).
      • Week 4, students learn to read inflection -s (verbs).
    • Module 4: 
      • Week 1, students learn the sounds for consonants g/k.
      • Week 2, students learn the sounds for short o and long o.
      • Week 3, students learn the sounds for consonants l/h.
      • Week 4, students learn the sounds for consonants w/j.
    • Module 5
      • Week 1, students learn the sounds for short u and long u.
      • Week 2, students learn the sounds for consonants v/y.
      • Week 3, students learn the sounds for short e and long e.
      • Week 4, students learn the sounds for consonant q /kw/ and consonant x.
    • Module 6: 
      • Week 1, students learn the sound for consonant z.
      • Week 2, students learn to read consonant blends: st/sp/sl/sn.
      • Week 3, students learn to read consonant blends: initial cl/fl and final st/nd.
      • Week 4, students review short vowels and consonant blends.
    • Module 7: 
      • Week 1, students learn to read digraphs: final consonants -ss, -ff, -ll, -zz, and final -ck.
      • Week 2, students learn to read digraphs: initial sh/ch.
      • Week 3, students learn to read digraphs: initial th/wh.
      • Week 4, students review double final consonants, final -ck, and digraphs.
    • Module 8: 
      • Week 1, students learn to read vowels long a/i (VCe Pattern).
      • Week 2, students learn to read vowels long o/u (VCe Pattern).
      • Week 3, students learn to read long e.
      • Week 4, students learn to read consonants c/s/ and g/j/.
    • Module 9: 
      • Week 1, students review consonants and short vowels.
      • Week 2, students review consonant blends and short vowels.
      • Week 3, students review digraphs and short vowels.
      • Week 4, students review consonants and long vowels.
Indicator 1P
02/02
Materials, questions, and tasks provide explicit instruction for and regular practice to address the acqusition of print concepts, including alphabetic knowledge, directionality, and function (K-1), structures and features of text (1-2).

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten Into Reading meet the expectation for materials, questions, and tasks provide explicit instruction for and regular practice to address the acquisition of print concepts, including alphabetic knowledge and directionality(K-1), structures and features of text (1-2).

Materials include teacher modeling, guided practice, and questioning to provide students the opportunity to practice and master print concepts. Letter identification and formation are addressed during the first module by introducing students in how to write all 26letters, upper and lowercase, in the first 14 lessons. Print concepts are taught during shared reading lessons across the course of the school year. All print concepts, including alphabetic knowledge and directionality are reviewed in the module lessons throughout the year. 

Examples of materials that include frequent and adequate lessons and multimodal activities for students to learn how to identify and produce letters include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Module 1, students learn how to form all 26 letters. In Module 1, Lesson 3, page T53, students learn how to write a capital and lowercase c. When showing students the Alphabet card, the teacher says, “This is uppercase C and lowercase c. What letter? (C) Say it with calm voices. (C) Now wild voices. (C).” After discussing the c, the teacher models and explains how to write the uppercase letter C, “Start just below the top. Curve back around.” The teacher is instructed to, “Have children repeat the strokes chorally while they first 'write' the letter in the air and then 'write' the letter in the palm of their hands.” The teacher explains how to form a lowercase c. Using the Know It, Show It page, students practice forming capital and lowercase letters.  
  • In Module 1, Lesson 13, page T174, students are introduced to the letter w. The teacher says the letter name and sound and shares names that begin with the letter. The teacher teaches the uppercase letter strokes, and students repeat the strokes while writing the letters in the air, on the palms of their hands, and then on the dry erase board.  Students practice printing using the Know It, Show It page.  
  • In Module 1, Lesson 5, page 73, the teacher projects Display and Engage Alphabet Knowledge 1.1a and points to each letter as he or she sings the traditional alphabet song. The teacher sings again slowly and a third time quickly. The teacher plays the Alphafriends theme song a few times and asks students to sing along. The teacher reviews the week’s letters by displaying each Alphabet card, saying the letter name and asking students to repeat the letter name. The teacher projects Display and Engage: Alphabet Knowledge 1.1c, pointing to each letter from left to right while students name them chorally. The teacher points to letters at random and selects students to read the letters aloud. The teacher says one letter at a time, and students use the write-and-reveal routine to practice writing each uppercase and lowercase letter from memory.  

Examples of materials that include frequent and adequate tasks and questions about the organization of print concepts (e.g., follow words left to right, spoken words correlate sequences of letters, letter spacing, upper- and lowercase letters) include but are not limited to the following:

  • Students have opportunities to follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page:
    • In Module 4, Lesson 4, page T60, the teacher reviews how to read from left to right, top to bottom. The teacher asks students where they should begin reading. The teacher reads aloud, modeling how to read from left to right. The teacher reads aloud the next line, pointing out how to move from top to bottom.  
    • In Module 1, Lesson 7, page T103, the teacher previews the pre-decodable text and asks students to Think-Pair-Share to make predictions.  The teacher reviews the words to know. Students point to the title, author, and illustrator as the teacher reads aloud. Students individually whisper read one page at a time.  The teacher guides the group to use choral reading to reread each page. The materials remind the teacher to model, turning the pages one at a time, from right to left.  
  • Students have opportunities to recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters:
    • In Module 5, Lesson 12, page T161, students practice blending sounds together to form words. The teacher starts by placing one letter card up at a time and sounding the word out with students. Students practice blending the following words: red, fed, hen, pen, ten and wet
  • Students have opportunities to understand that words are separated by spaces in print:
    • In Module 6, Lesson 9, page 120, during Shared Reading, the teacher uses the Big Book Song Take Me Out to the Ballgame and reminds students that words are separated by spaces. The teacher states, "There is one word, a space, and then another word. The spaces between words show where they stop and start.” The teacher identifies each word and space in the first two lines of the song by stating “When I point to a word, say 'word.' When I point to a space, say 'space.' Ready? (word, space, word, space . . .).”
  • Students have opportunities to recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet:
    • In Module 1, Lesson 10, page T133, students review identifying letters in the alphabet. Students practice singing the alphabet song to different tunes. The class practices identifying each capital letter of the alphabet on the chart. Students use a second chart to practice identifying lowercase and uppercase letters g to p. Students have two Know It, Show It pages to continue their practice.
Indicator 1Q
04/04
Instructional opportunities are frequently built into the materials for students to practice and gain decoding automaticity and sight-based recognition of high frequency words. This includes reading fluency in oral reading beginning in mid-Grade 1 and through Grade 2.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation for instructional opportunities are frequently built into the materials for students to practice and gain decoding automaticity and sight-based recognition of high-frequency words. This includes reading fluency in oral reading beginning in mid-Grade 1 and through Grade 2.

Instructional materials provide consistent opportunities  for students over the course of the school year to read grade-level decodable words and high-frequency words through decodable texts. High-frequency words or “words to know” are included in weekly lessons to provide students with decoding practice to build toward mastery. Students practice reading as the teacher models. Lessons to introduce high-frequency words provide students with numerous opportunities to learn the new words. Students see the word, hear the word, say the word, spell the word, and write the word. There are multiple opportunities for students to develop automaticity of grade-level words through the decodable readers. 

Examples of materials that include multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to purposefully read emergent reader texts include but are not limited to the following:

  • Across the materials, the Foundational Skills lessons component of the reading lesson consistently incorporate a 20-minute decodable text routine to read the decodable reader. The routine has four steps: 
    • Step 1: Preview the Text 
    • Step 2: Read the Text Together
    • Step 3: Reflect on Reading
    • Step 4: Read with a Partner 
  • In Module 2, Lesson 18, page T234, the teacher uses the decodable text routine to read See the Cat Nap. The teacher previews the text by reading a page aloud to introduce the text. Students use Think-Pair-Share to share responses. The teacher reviews the consonant c and and words to know. Students point to the title and author as the teacher reads aloud. After students whisper-read each page of the text, the group chorally reads each page, one page at a time. The teacher asks students to turn and talk to answer questions to demonstrate understanding of the text: 
    • What is the text about? 
    • What are the cats doing? 
    • What is the softest thing the cats nap on? 
    • Which word rhymes with nap? 
    • With which animal does the cat nap?
  • In Module 3, Lesson 4, page T64, the students read the decodable text, Sid Bit It! Before reading the text, the teacher has the students make predictions about what will happen and asks students, “Who do you think can help Sid with his hurt tooth?” Students whisper-read the story one time and then chorally read the story. The teacher asks students several questions about the story to highlight purpose and understanding and then has students partner-read the story. 
  • In Module 6, Lesson 7, page T102, the Start Right Reader, Meg and Snip, reviews the consonant blends sn, sl, sp, st, and high-frequency words come, if, from, and stop using the four-step decodable text routine. There is a Word Work portion of the lesson during which the teacher helps the students review the consonant blends again and re-read the text chorally and complete a Word Hunt activity, in which they put their thumbs up when they find the word her. The Teacher Tip “Tap it Out!” reminds students to tap each word as they read.

Materials that support students’ development of automaticity and accuracy of grade-level decodable words over the course of the year include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Module 2, Lesson 7, page T101, the teacher models by placing one letter up at a time to blend sounds together. The teacher points to the letters to model scooping (for blending) and sweeping (reading quickly). The teacher models the word at, and students practice with the word am
  • In Module 8, Lesson 3, page T54, the teacher uses the decodable text routine to read Lime Cake. The teacher introduces the story, and students use Think-Pair-Share to make predictions. The teacher reviews long /a/ and long /i/ vowel sounds and words to know. Students point to the title, author, and illustrator as the teacher reads aloud. The students individually whisper-read the text one page at a time and then chorally read together as a class. 
  • In Module 9, Lesson 13, page T173, the students review short vowels and digraphs. The teacher displays a chart with three lines of words to blend and one sentence. The teacher starts by modeling how to blend the first line and then has students practice blending. Multiple methods, e.g., choral reading, silent reading, and having volunteers read words, are used to have students read the remainder of the words. Words students blend include shell, shed, chin and chill

Students have opportunities to read and practice high-frequency words. The materials provide an instructional sequence to foster students’ competence in reading common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does). For example:

  • In Module 4, Lesson 10, page T134, the teacher reviews the words to know by displaying each word, reading it, spelling it. Students repeat the word. Students turn and talk and use the word in a sentence. A reading game played with word rings calls for one partner to read the words on the ring and the other to count the number of words read. The teacher sets a timer, and students read as many words as possible in one minute. Partners switch roles and repeat.  
  • In Module 7, Lesson 14, page T183, the teacher distributes pre-cut letters a, e, h, n, t, th, and wh and reviews the names and sounds as the students say them and trace them. Then, the teacher says the word that, and uses it in a sentence, “That is Jarrod's hat.” The teacher uses letter cards to create hat on a pocket chart and tells the student to substitute sounds to create the new words that, than, then, and when.
  • In Module 2, Lesson 5, page T74,  the teacher reviews the current and past week’s words to know. The teacher displays each word card (by, I, my, to), reads the words, students repeat the word, and the teacher uses the word in a sentence. The teacher places the word cards in a large jar. Students pull a card out of the jar and show the word to the class. Students read the word aloud. The student points to the word on the wall and reads it aloud. The group spells the word chorally. The process continues until the jar is empty.
Indicator 1R
04/04
Materials, questions, and tasks provide systematic and explicit instruction in and practice of word recognition and analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

The materials reviewed for Into Reading Kindergarten meet the expectation for materials, questions, and tasks providing systematic and explicit instruction in and practice of word recognition and analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

The application of word analysis and word recognition skills are a consistent part of the Kindergarten lesson routine. During shared reading lessons, the teacher is given foundational skills lessons that link taught phonics concepts to phonics skills and word work lessons linked to high-frequency words. Decodable readers are provided that connect to weekly phonics skills with taught high-frequency words highlighted in yellow throughout the text. An additional high-frequency word review activity is found at the end of each decodable text. In the Link to Small-Group Instruction, teachers are provided with instructional moves that link phonics skills students are working on mastering to the story being read. Weekly decodable reader lessons include an interactive writing activity relating to the story to provide students with the opportunity to apply phonics and high-frequency skills to their work.

Materials support students’ development learn grade-level word recognition and analysis skills (e.g., one-to-one correspondences, syllable segmentation, rime and onset recognition, long and short sounds with common spellings, and distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying sounds of the letters) in connected text and tasks. For example:

  • In Module 3, Lesson 13, page T174, prior to reading the decodable text Cans in Bins, the teacher reviews the inflection -s with students. At the end of the text, students go on a picture hunt for the words bins, cans, and mats
  • In Module 4, Lesson 16, page T210, the teacher tells the students they will be playing a game. “Blend the sounds to figure out a way to stay healthy. Listen: /h/ /ŏp/. When I put the sounds together, I get the word hop! We can hop to stay fit!” The teacher gives several more examples, asking the students to blend the sounds and say the words.
  • In Module 6, Lesson 14, page T180, the teacher uses echo reading to read aloud the text Presidents’ Day, focusing on author's purpose. The same text is utilized to practice words to know and consonant blends in context by finding words to know. Students spot and spell words to know and find words with fl- and -nd.  

Materials provide frequent opportunities to read high-frequency words​ ​in connected text and tasks. For example:

  • In Module 4, Lesson 14, page T184, the teacher reviews the high-frequency words that are in the text Kids Hid. The words are, lot, not, and was are highlighted in yellow throughout the text. At the end of the text, students review high-frequency words using echo reading and speed reading. 
  • In Module 5, Lesson 2, page T42, students read the decodable text Nuts, Not Rugs! Before reading the text, the teacher reviews the Words To Know, but and want, that will be in the story. These words are highlighted in yellow when used throughout the text. 
  • In Module 8, Lesson 20, page T254, the teacher reviews the Words to Know, all, into, make, and time, with word cards. The teacher reads the words and students repeat them, read and spell them aloud, and then write the words on index cards. Next, the teacher uses the word cards, along with a picture card and punctuation card, to build a sentence. Using choral response, the students read the sentence together. The students then use Think-Pair-Share to build sentences with the cards. 

Lessons and activities provide students many opportunities to learn grade-level word recognition and analysis skills while encoding (writing) in context and decoding words (reading)​ ​in connected text and tasks. For example:

  • In Module 2, Lesson 9, page T123, the teacher tells the students they will build words with short a. Students are given pre-cut letters a, b, m, S, s, and t. The teacher says am and students repeat it chorally The teacher then gives directions to substitute letters to make new words. An example is as follows, “Change the m to t. What's the new word?, Now add b to the beginning of the word. What's the new word?”
  • In Module 4, Lesson 6, page 107, students are given a list of eight words, and they write them under either the Short o or Short i column. The words listed are: mop, sit, cot, bit, dip, dog, rip and got. 
  • In Module 9 Lesson 15, page T193, the teacher tells the students they will practice writing sentences. The teacher gives the students the first sentence, and they repeat it chorally. Students then use the Write and Reveal process to write each word in the sentence. The teacher then writes the sentence on the board and students read it chorally as the teacher points to each word. Students then check and correct their spelling. The teacher repeats the process with a total of four sentences.
Indicator 1S
04/04
Materials support ongoing and frequent assessment to determine student mastery and inform meantingful differentiantion of foundational skills, including a clear and specific protocol as to how students performing below standard on these assessments will be supported.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten Into Reading meet the expectation for materials support ongoing and frequent assessment to determine student mastery and inform meaningful differentiation of foundational skills, including a clear and specific protocol as to how students performing below standard on these assessments will be supported.

Materials include module assessments, intervention assessments, weekly assessments, and benchmark assessments.  At the beginning of the school year, the teacher screens all students. Students who struggle will take additional diagnostic assessments to determine whether specific instruction is needed. All students take weekly assessments and module assessments over the course of the school year. Module Inventories are provided to assess struggling students. Benchmark reading assessments are provided to assess students’ reading accuracy and reading comprehension. Intervention assessment materials include Administering and Scoring Guides that provide specific goals for assessments throughout the year with advice for teachers on how to proceed if students are not meeting the goals provided. Formative assessments, through weekly and module assessments, determine students’ mastery of skills and provide online data to direct the teacher towards reviewing, teaching, and differentiation. A link to the Foundational Skills and Word Study Studio provides specific lessons per standard with interventions available to the teacher.

Multiple assessment opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate progress toward mastery and independence of foundational skills. For example:

  • Intervention Assessments are screening, diagnostic, and progress-monitoring assessments designed to identify students who are at risk for reading difficulties and provide recommendations on the amount of support students are likely to need during reading instruction. Students’ proficiency is measured in foundational skills such as words in a sentence, blending syllables, segmenting syllables, recognizing rhyming words, producing rhyming words, categorizing rhyming words, blending onset and rime, segmenting or isolating initial sounds, isolating final sounds, isolating medial sounds, identifying phonemes, categorizing phonemes, deleting phones, adding phonemes, and substituting phonemes to guide the teacher in creating flexible groups and monitoring students’ progress.. 
  • In the Module 2 Inventory, students are assessed on their ability to identify syllables, segment words into syllables, blend syllables into words, identify rhymes, produce rhymes, blend onsets and rimes into words, read grade appropriate high-frequency words, decode using understanding of letter patterns, text direction, and concepts of a word. The assessment is completed one-on-one with the teacher. An answer key is provided.  
  • In Module 8, Week 2, an assessment is provided. The teacher reads a passage aloud, and students answer a variety of comprehension questions about the passage. The assessment continues with students circling the correct word when given three options. For example, on item 2, students circle the word home when given the three choices, him, home, and come, from which to choose. 

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information on students’ current skill/level of understanding. For example:

  • In the HMH Into Reading Overview, Maximize Growth Through Data-Driven Differentiation and Assessment, page txiii, the types of assessments and progress monitoring are defined. Three types of assessments are included: Adaptive Growth Measure and Guided Reading Benchmarks (given 3 times per year), Module Assessments (given 9 times per year), and Ongoing Feedback from daily classroom activities including formative assessments (weekly assessments, performance tasks, independent reading, skills practice, usage data, teacher observation, running records, and inquiry and research projects).  
  • All Intervention Assessments, Screeners, Diagnostics, and Progress Monitoring Assessments have exam Administering and Recording, and Summary Recording forms. Inside the Administering and Scoring the Assessments document, there are interpretation guidelines that provide goals and student performance level expectations for Diagnostic exams. For example, under Goals for Interpreting Concepts of Print Inventory for Kindergarten, it states that if a student scores 1 to 13 in this category, the student has a limited understanding of print concepts, a score of 14 to 20 is emerging understanding, and 21 to 28 is the goal for developed understanding (page T19). There are Instructional Descriptions and Recommendations provided. 
  • Under the Data and Reports tab for Reading and Language Arts, various reports are available to the teacher for online assessments taken by students throughout the year. Assessment Reports are provided that contain student data on assessment proficiencies, assessment averages, and individual student test scores. The Standard Report itemizes questions and responses by standard, student, and domain. This report provides the number of test items along with student averages and a link to available resources throughout the modules for the specific standard. There is also a Student Growth Report that monitors students’ online assessment growth throughout the year. 

Materials support teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery in foundational skills. For example:

  • In Module 2, Lesson 11, page T150, the lesson on identifying rhymes includes teacher directions for students needing additional support. One section, labeled Correct and Redirect, directs the teacher to choose a familiar rhyming poem or song if a student is struggling to identify rhymes. The teacher reads the rhyme, then repeats it, omitting the rhyming word, and has the student complete the rhyme. The second section, labeled Small-Group Instruction, asks the teacher to observe as students identify rhymes. Targeted skills practice is provided both for students who need support and for students who can correctly identify rhymes.
  • In the Intervention Assessments Guide, there is a section on Recommendations for Data Driven Instruction Guide. In this section, teachers are provided with a chart that shows steps they should take if a student is struggling. Each skill provides four steps, with descriptions for each. The four steps are 1. Identify student needs, 2. Teach to the need, 3. Scaffold the core, 4. Monitor progress. For example, if a student is struggling with letter identification, step 2 states, “TEACH TO THE NEED: Administer the corresponding lessons in Foundational Skills and Word Study Studio, choosing from sessions 1 to 31.” 
  • The Administering and Scoring Assessments document provides teachers with guidance for students who are not meeting their Progress Monitoring goal. “For phonics errors, provide additional word-blending activities using word lists that feature target phonics skills. For errors in recognizing high-frequency words, supply brief cumulative lists (approximately ten words) of high-frequency words to read and reread with increasing speed and accuracy.”
Indicator 1T
04/04
Materials, questions, and tasks provide high-quality lessons and activities that allow for differentiation of foundational skills.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten Into Reading meet the expectation for materials, questions, and tasks providing high-quality lessons and activities that allow for differentiation of foundational skills, so all students achieve mastery of foundational skills.  

Students have multiple opportunities within each lesson to master grade-level foundational skills. Throughout the modules, teachers are provided with suggestions to address the needs of English Language Learners, students who may need additional support, or students who may need an extension of the concept. Differentiation suggestions are incorporated both as in-the-moment ideas that the teacher could use with the whole class and as ideas that would involve pulling a small group of students later to revisit a concept. Table Top Minilessons are included to support differentiation for students in need of additional instruction on specific topics. Students below level receive small-group instruction options for differentiation in targeted skill practice for foundational skills and Correct and Redirect prompts in daily lessons. Materials incorporate opportunities to support or extend skills with If/Then small group instruction prompts in lessons and Literacy Center work. Students at or above grade level expectations are provided independent practice during small-group instruction times in Literacy Centers that provide independent and collaborative work ideas. 

 Materials provide high-quality learning lessons and activities for every student to reach mastery of foundational skills. For example: 

  • In addition to the Foundational Skills block of 40 to 50 minutes, options for differentiation are provided during the daily 45 to 60 minute block for Small Group Instruction. The options for small groups include guided reading with leveled readers, targeted skills practice for foundational skills, or targeted language development. Small group Strategic Intervention Options can be found in Tabletop Minilessons: Reading and Online Foundational Skills and Word Study Studio lessons. 
  • In Module 3, Lesson 1, page T30, a Correct and Redirect section is included to provide guidance to teachers in supporting students who are struggling to identify rhymes.  Additionally, a small-group instruction section is included with suggestions provided both for students who struggle to identify rhyming words and those who correctly identify rhyming words.  
  • In Module 7, Lesson 2, page T41, when students are practicing blending sounds, the teacher is provided with visuals for how to make the correct hand motions to help students blend the sounds. Teachers are provided with clear instructions such as, “1. Say the first letter and sound. Display Letter Card r and point to it. What is the letter? (r) What sound? (/r/).” 

Materials provide guidance to teachers for scaffolding and adapting lessons and activities to support each student’s needs. For example:

  • In Module 2, Lesson 5, page T72, the Phonological Awareness lesson for Reviewing, Identifying, and Segmenting Syllables provides the teacher with three different adaptations for counting syllables. First the students drum out syllables in a word. Then the students place counters as they say each syllable, and in Correct and Redirect for students who continue to experience difficulty with the concept, the student is to hold up a finger for each syllable segment. 
  • In Module 6, Lesson 5, page T72,  when learning about Isolating Sounds and Blending, there is a purple Correct and Redirect box that informs teachers that “[i]f children need support with blending sounds, extend the sounds as you say the parts. Listen: (/fff/ /aaa/ /nnn/). What word? (fan).” 
  • In Module 7, Lesson 11, page T156, the teacher is provided with options for differentiation for small-group instruction. Guided reading group texts are identified.  A Table Top Minilesson is listed as a resource for supporting students. The lesson targeted skill practice is identified as isolating initial sounds with suggestions to support and  extend students’ ability to isolate initial sounds.
  • In Module 8, Lesson 1, page T31, students are learning about the Long a sound. A callout box provides the following support tip, “Children whose first language is Cantonese or Hmong may need support pronouncing the long vowel sound /ā/.  Say the sound several times and play the Articulation Video. Point out that your mouth is more open for /ă/ than for /ā/. Show picture cards for words with /ā/. Have children chorally repeat the word, say the medial sound, and then say the whole word again. (gate, /ā/, gate).” 

Students have multiple practice opportunities with each grade-level foundational skill component in order to reach mastery. 

  • The Foundational Skills Scope and Sequence documents numerous review opportunities with foundational skills over the course of the school year. For example, short vowels are either taught or reviewed in the following modules: 
    • Module 2, Week, 2 (short a)
    • Module 3, Week 1 (short i) 
    • Module 4, Week 2 (short o)
    • Module 5, Week 1 (short u) 
    • Module 5, Week 3 (short e) 
    • Module 6, Week 4 (short vowel review) 
    • Module 7, Week 4 (short vowel review)
    • Module 9,  Weeks 1, 2 and 3 (short vowel review) 
  • When learning about beginning sounds in Module 6, practice opportunities with this skill include: 
    • In the Word Work Literacy Center, students cut out and sort pictures based on the beginning sounds st/sp, sl/sn, and cn/fl. 
    • In Module 6, Lesson 1, page T30, students practice identifying the beginning sound in the following words: zig, zag, fuzz, buzz, zap, jazz, zone, and zoom
    • In Module 6, Lesson 1, page T32, students complete a beginning sounds word sort for the sounds /s/ and /z/. As a class, students think of words that start with these sounds, and then sort them into the correct column. 
    • In Module 6, Lesson 3, page T54, students complete a beginning sounds word sort with the sounds /s/ and /z/. Afterwards, students complete a Know It, Show It page to circle all the pictures that start with the z sound. 
    • In Module 6, Lesson 4, page T63, students practice changing one sound at a time, using letter cards, to form new words. Two of these changes involve changing beginning sounds. For example, when students change zip to lip they are told, “Change the beginning sound to make the new word, lip.” Later, when students change Liz to quiz, they are told, “Change the beginning sound to make the word, quiz.” 
  • In Module 7, Week 1, students use the Start Right Reader decodable books, Ducks and Hop In, Jill! to practice in context using the phonics skill of the week Double Final Consonants and ck (ff,ss,ll,zz), as well as the Word to Know words of the week off, will, down, so.
  • In Module 8, Lesson 18, page T232-T235, a lesson plan is provided for deleting syllables and soft c/g.  The correct and redirect section provides ideas for students who are struggling with deleting syllables. English Learner Support with basic vocabulary is included for students needing light, moderate, and substantial language support with soft c and g.  A decodable text allows students to apply the phonics topic to text.
Overview of Gateway 2

Building Knowledge with Texts, Vocabulary, and Tasks

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectations for materials build knowledge through integrated reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language. The materials build students’ knowledge across topics and content areas and academic vocabulary instruction is intentionally and coherently sequenced to consistently build students’ vocabulary. Questions and tasks build in rigor and complexity to culminating tasks that demonstrate students’ ability to analyze components of texts and topics. Reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language skills are taught and practiced in an integrated manner. 


Criterion 2.1: Building Knowledge with Texts, Vocabulary, and Tasks

30/32
Materials build knowledge through integrated reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criterion for materials build knowledge through integrated reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language. Texts are organized around a topic/topics to build students’ ability to read and comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently. The materials contain sets of coherently sequenced higher order thinking questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts in order to make meaning and build understanding of texts and topics. The materials also contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent and text-specific questions and tasks that require students to build knowledge and integrate ideas across both individual and multiple texts. Questions and tasks support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic or theme through integrated skills. The materials include a cohesive, consistent approach for students to regularly interact with word relationships and build academic vocabulary/language in context. The materials contain a year-long, cohesive plan of writing instruction and practice which support students in building and communicating substantive understanding of topics and texts, and they include a progression of focused, shared research and writing projects to encourage students to develop and synthesize knowledge and understanding of a topic using texts and other source materials. The materials also provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

Indicator 2A
04/04
Texts are organized around a topic/topics to build students knowledge and vocabulary which will over time support and help grow students' ability to comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that texts are organized around a topic/topics to build students' knowledge and vocabulary which will over time support and help grow students’ ability to comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently.

In Kindergarten, each module is centered around a topic or a theme that relates to Grade 1 and 2 topics.  Modules include both science and social studies topics that help build knowledge. 

Examples include but are not limited to: 

  • In Module 1, the theme is “Curious about Kindergarten,” where students learn about school and Kindergarten. Some of the texts include: Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk, School Days! by Jesus Cervantes, and A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen.
  • In Module 3, the topic is “My Community Heroes,” which teaches students about what makes a community. Some of the texts in this module include: Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman, Quinito’s Neighborhood by Ina Cumpiano, and A Piece of Home by Jeri Watts. 
  • In Module 4, the science topic is “Happy Healthy Me,” where students learn about how to be the healthiest version of themselves. Texts in this module include: Being Fit by Valerie Bodden, Germs are not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick, and Get Up and Goby Nancy Carlson. 
  • In Module 6, the topic is “Home of the Free and the Brave,” which is about the social studies topic of America's traditions and symbols. Examples of texts in this module include: In Our Country by Susan Canizares and Daniel Moreton, Take Me Out to the Ball Game by Jack Norworth, and President’s Day by Judith Bauer Stamper. 
  • In Module 7, the topic is “Zoom In!” where students learn about what they can learn when they look closely at objects and things. Texts in this module include Not a Box by Antoinette Portis, Look-Alike Animals by Robin Bernard, and Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose.
  • In Module 8, the science topic is “From Plant to Plate” where students learn how plants become food. Texts in this module include Plants Feed Me by Lizzy Rockwell, Planting Seeds by Kathryn Clay, and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner. 
  • In Module 9, the science topic is “Animal Habitats,” where students learn about animal habitats. Texts in this module include: What am I? Where am I? by Ted Lewin, Welcome Home, Bear by Il Sung Na, and In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming. 
Indicator 2B
02/04
Materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language (words/phrases), key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts in order to make meaning and build understanding of texts and topics.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially meet the expectation that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language (words/phrases), key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts in order to make meaning and build understanding of texts and topics.

Throughout the program, students answer a variety of questions that are coherently sequenced that help students analyze language, key ideas, details, craft, and the structure of texts. During every session of the Interactive Read Aloud, teachers engage students in texts by answering text-dependent questions. Targeted questions in the Teacher’s Guide and BookStix provide the teacher with many opportunities to stop and ask students to turn and talk or think about the text in which they are listening. Module assessments also include analysis of texts including language, key ideas, and details. However, many questions in the Kindergarten materials engage students in focusing on reading strategy instead of comprehension and knowledge building.

Specific examples of coherently sequenced questions and tasks regarding language include:

  • In Module 2, Lesson 1, students are asked a series of questions regarding language after listening to I am René, the Boy by René Colato Lainez. Questions include: How does René feel about his name?" "How are the names René and Renee alike and how are they different?" and "What does René learn about his name when he is writing his essay?
  • In Module 7, Lesson 12, students listen to the acrostic poem “Flowers” by Ryan Dunham. Before reading the poem for a second time, the teacher explains sensory words and describing words, and then students turn and talk to discuss “how each of the words describes flowers” using a sentence frame. Then students are guided in visualizing as they listen to the poem read aloud again to help identify sensory words. Students are asked questions such as, “What do you see? Hear? Feel? Smell?”

Specific examples of coherently sequenced questions and tasks regarding key ideas and details include:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 1, students listen to the story Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk. Students focus on story elements by answering questions such as, “Who is the story about?" "Where does the story happen?" and "What is the story about?”
  • In Module 6, Lesson 11, after listening to Martin Luther King, Jr. by Marion Dane Bauer students are asked questions about details such as "Why couldn't Martin Luther King, Jr. play in the same parks and eat in the same restaurant as white people?"
  • In Module 7, Lesson 2, after engaging in an interactive reading of Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena, students are asked questions such as “What does Nana say when CJ wishes for the boys’ music player?” and “Does CJ want to go wherever they are going? How can you tell?”

Examples of questions that do not support knowledge building and instead ask students to demonstrate reading strategy include the following:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 4, students engage in the shared reading of School Day! by Jesús Cervantes and after each page, students are asked if the pictures match the text.

In Module 3, Lesson 9, students listen to the shared reading of ABC: The Alphabet from the Sky by Benedikt Gross and Joey Lee and are asked, “Why do you think the authors wrote this book?” and “What do you think the authors want us to do when we read this book?”

  • In Module 4, Lesson 9, students listen to Stretch by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin. Students are directed to look at the words on page 10, and “Explain how the small font shows what a whisper is." Students then look at the words on page 11 and “Explain how the big font shows what a roar is.”
  • In Module 9, Lesson 12, after listening to A Day and Night in the Desert by Caroline Arnold, students are asked, “What kinds of text features do you see?" and "How do those text features help you learn more information about the topic?”
Indicator 2C
04/04
Materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meets the expectation that materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts.

Throughout the Kindergarten materials, students are asked a sequence of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across individual and multiple texts. Students are exposed to a variety of topics during Read Aloud Books and Big Books. Students are then asked questions to help build and integrate knowledge of both nonfiction topics as well as fictional stories and how they are organized. 

Throughout the program, students answer coherently sequenced sets of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze knowledge and ideas across individual texts. Some examples include:

  • In Module 4, students learn about being healthy. In Lesson 3, students listen to Being Fit by Valerie Bodden. Students are then asked a series of questions to build knowledge. They are asked to turn and talk about ways to be healthy, and then they draw a picture of something they do to be healthy. Students pick a sentence frame to write and draw about the topic. The sentence frames are as follows:  “I have energy after I...”, “One way to exercise is to...”,  “One healthy snack is...”. 
  • In Module 6, Lesson 11, students listen to Martin Luther King, Jr. by Marion Dane Bauer where they learn about Martin Luther King Jr. While reading, the teacher has the students stop to turn and talk about what they are learning. One page 9, students are asked, “Why couldn’t Martin Luther King, Jr. play in the same parks and eat in the same restaurants as white people?” Then on page 21, students are asked, “Why did black people do things like sit at lunch counters and walk alone into schools?” After listening to the text, students draw and write something that they learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. 
  • In Module 7, Lesson 3, students listen to Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena and focus on the idea of setting. Students are guided to identify and describe the setting in the middle of the story. The questions include “Now where are Nana and CJ?" "What does it smell like?", and "What does it sound like?”
  • In Module 8, Lesson 1, students listen to Plants Feed Me by Lizzy Rockwell. While the teacher reads aloud, questions are asked to help build knowledge. Questions include “Where does bread come from?"  "Does it come from plants?” and “Who eats plants?” Then students discuss that plants feed us and the process of a seed becoming a plant. Students draw a picture of each step, and write a sentence for each step. 
  • In Module 9, Lesson 11, students listen to A Day and Night in the Desert by Caroline Arnold. Students learn about happenings in the desert during the day versus at night.  While reading, the teacher stops and asks questions such as, “Why do you think the author includes the time on every page?" "Why do you think so many animals come out at night to find food?” and “What time is it in the desert now?” on certain pages. 

In addition to integrating knowledge across individual texts, students are also asked questions that require students to integrate knowledge across multiple texts. Examples include:

  • In Module 2, Lesson 10, students read the pre-decodable texts, Sam by Dana Schlein and At Bat by Dana Schlein, and then are asked how the stories connect. 
  • In Module 6, Lesson 8, students listen to the familiar song, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and “Take Me Out to the Yakyu” by Aaron Meshon,  and then compare and contrast the foods eaten in each text in a class discussion. In Lesson 10, students then fill in a Venn diagram with pictures or words comparing and contrasting baseball in America with Yakyu in Japan. 
  • In Module 7, Lesson 14, students compare the books Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell and Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees by Betsey Chessen and Pamela Chanko to learn about Jane Goodall. Then, students are lead into a discussion about what are the similarities and differences in the two books.
  • In Module 8, Lesson 9, students compare what they read in Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner with the Big Book, Earthworms by Lisa J. Amstutz. Students are asked similarities between the two books . Students are also asked what Earthworms tells us about why worms tunnel underground.
Indicator 2D
04/04
The questions and tasks support students' ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic (or, for grades 6-8, a theme) through integrated skills (e.g. combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meets the expectation that the questions and tasks support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic through integrated skills (e.g., combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

The Kindergarten materials include culminating tasks that integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills that require students to demonstrate knowledge of a topic. Students listen to multiple texts throughout each module based on a topic or a theme. At the end of each module, students watch a video that helps them synthesize information from the module. Students also discuss what they have learned over the course of the module by discussing an essential question prior to completing a culminating task. During each four-week module, students engage in tasks that require a combination of literacy skills including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. These tasks are consistently at the end of each close read and read-aloud session, which supports students’ completion of the culminating task at the end of each module. 

Examples of culminating tasks that require students to demonstrate knowledge of a topic through reading, writing, speaking, and listening include:

  • In Module 1, students learn about Kindergarten and kindness by listening to a variety of literary and nonfiction texts. The culminating task requires students to incorporate what they have learned, including an end-of-module video about the importance of kindness, so students can discuss some ways that children can spread kindness in school. Then students discuss one way that they learned to show kindness from one of the module texts. This task integrates listening, speaking, and writing skills. 
  • In Module 2, students learn about what makes each person special. In Lesson 20, students watch and listen to a video called “One of a Kind” and discuss what being “one of a kind” means. Students then discuss with a partner why it is important to celebrate and respect each other's differences by reviewing the texts and the activities that they have completed over the course of the four week module. Students write one reason why they are “one of a kind.” 
  • In Module 4, students learn about what it means to be healthy. At the end of the module, students watch and listen to a video about a character named Paul who gets rid of germs by washing his hands. Students synthesize the information from the module and discuss what they know about what it means to be healthy. This integrates listening and speaking skills from the module, as well as knowledge of the topic. 
  • In Module 5, students learn about what it means to try hard. At the end of the module, students watch a video about a boy who works hard to help others and then they discuss with a partner one step that Zack took to meet his goal. Then students engage in a discussion and identify a goal for something new that they want to learn. They record this on paper and share with the class. This task integrates listening, speaking, and writing. 
  • In Module 6, students learn about what makes the USA special, and in Lesson 20, students watch and listen to a video called “I Have a Dream.” Then they discuss what Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream was. Students discuss what they learned throughout the module about what makes America special by taking into account the texts and activities from the module. Then they write why America is beautiful. Some of the activities that lead students to successfully complete this task include, in Lesson 11, students listen to Martin Luther King, Jr. by Marion Dane Bauer and discuss how Martin Luther King, Jr. made the USA better. 
  • In Module 8, students learn about plants. Students use the module texts, activities, and an end-of-module video to discuss which seeds grow the best and what helps those seeds grow. This activity requires students to integrate their understanding of growing seeds and the skills of reading, listening, and speaking. Students then complete a worksheet where they label the parts of a plant, which requires students to write.
Indicator 2E
04/04
Materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meets the expectation that materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts. 

In each module, students are taught three Big Idea Words that relate to the topic of the module and Power Words, which are academic vocabulary words for each of the anchor texts. These Power Words are repeated throughout the lessons. The Big Idea Words are reviewed at the end of Week 1 but not again in the module. Power Words are introduced with each new anchor text and are reviewed at the end of the corresponding week. Vocabulary words are practiced with a specific routine and picture cards, through guided discussion and writing with sentence frames. Written responses to texts often include vocabulary words as well. Each module also includes a focus vocabulary skill. According to the Guiding Principles and Strategies Book, vocabulary instruction includes read-aloud lessons, oral language lessons, interactive reading, and shared reading. 

Students learn three Big Idea Words at the start of each module that correspond to the topic. Students complete the same vocabulary routine for both Big Idea Words and Power Words.  This routine includes the following steps:  1. The teacher reads the word and then students repeat it. 2. The teacher explains the meaning. 3. The class discusses examples. Some specific examples of vocabulary instruction of the three Big Idea Words include:

  • In Module 1, the topic is Kindergarten. The three Big Idea Words are discover, dream, and partners. After learning the words and completing the vocabulary routine, the teacher shows a video called “The First Day.” Prior to the viewing, the teachers states, “In this video we will watch a girl getting ready for her first day of school and wondering what she will discover in Kindergarten.” After watching the video, students engage in a Think-Pair-Share to discuss something new in Kindergarten that they are excited to discover
  • In Module 2, the topic is things that make us special. The three Big Idea Words are celebrate, different, and special. Students learn the Big Idea Words in Lesson 1 by following the vocabulary routine and looking at vocabulary cards. Students use a sentence frame to write about the Big Idea Words by using the sentence frame, “I am special because _______.”
  • In Module 5, students learn the words practice, proud, and success. Students watch the video “Training Wheels,” and the teacher prefaces the video by saying that they will watch a girl practice riding a bike until she has success. Then in Lesson 11, students write a story about practicing something to get better at. 
  • In Module 6, the topic is United States history and traditions. The Big Idea Words are belong, country, and right. In Lesson 1, students learn the Big Idea Words, and then in Lesson 5, students answer the question, “What is one type of place in our country?” Students also practice oral language skills by engaging in a Turn-and-Talk by discussing one country they want to visit. 

Students learn academic vocabulary for each new anchor text as well. Some specific examples of these words and instruction include:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 2, before listening to Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk, students are taught the words plan, polite, and share. During the read-aloud, students stop and discuss the words as they listen and turn and talk to practice using the words in sentences. 
  • In Module 2, some of the power words for the anchor text include enormous, exception, participate, and serious. The same vocabulary routine is used as Big Idea Words are introduced. Students also practice using the vocabulary words for oral language development. In Lesson 10, students engage in a Think-Pair-Share using a sentence frame for the word bother. 
  • In Module 3, Lesson 7, while listening to Quinito’s Neighborhood by Ina Cumpiano, students learn the words busy, help, and neighborhood. Students learn the words with the vocabulary routine and the vocabulary cards. For the word neighborhood, the front of the card has a definition and on the back is a picture. 

In each module, there is also a specific vocabulary skill that is taught. Examples include:

  • In Module 1, students learn how to use word clues to determine the meaning of unknown words. 
  • In Module 2, students learn about synonyms and antonyms. In Lesson 6, students connect the skill with the topic of being special. Students discuss how comparing themselves to others by looking at similarities and differences makes them special.
  • In Module 6, the skill students learn is focusing on meaning clues in sentences to help understand the vocabulary word. 
  • In Module 7, students learn about words that are similar. In Lesson 10, after listening to I Know the River Loves Me by Maya Christine Gonzalez, students discuss the words  jump and leap. Students think about the meaning of different words and then put them in order from smallest to biggest action and use a turn and talk to discuss the order.
  • In Module 8, students learn about multiple-meaning words. For example, students learn about the word plant and discuss how it can be a noun and a verb.
Indicator 2F
04/04
Materials include a cohesive, year-long plan to support students' increasing writing skills over the course of the school year, building students' writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of the school year.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meets the expectation that materials contain a year long, cohesive plan of writing instruction and tasks which support students in building and communicating substantive understanding of topics and texts. 

The Kindergarten materials include writing that spans the whole year. Writing is aligned to the standards and support students’ growth throughout the year.  Kindergarten students begin with pictures, then move to labels and pictures, sentence frames, and finally to writing simple and complete sentences. The Kindergarten materials include well-designed lesson plans covering a variety of genres, both process and on-demand writing, and include teacher and student protocols. Students receive explicit instruction that guides them through the writing process in Writing Workshops lessons. Lessons also include mentor texts that provide students with opportunities to examine the text features of a specific genre and the styles and techniques of authors. The materials include a writing development guide for Kindergarten and writing rubrics. The materials also include rubrics for informational, opinion, narrative, and research writing. Each rubric is 1 to 4 points with categories for ideas and organization, word choice, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and presentation. 

At the beginning of the year, students begin the year with drawing and writing with sentence frames. Students also complete many shared writing pieces. Examples include:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 3, students listen to Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk and draw a picture of the characters and setting of the story.
  • In Module 1 of Writing Workshop, students write a class opinion piece that tells what they like about Kindergarten. Students continue this process of shared writing over the course of several weeks about their favorite books, games, and what they like about school. 
  • In Module 2, Lesson 13 students listen to Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems and draw the problem and solution. 
  • In Module 3, Lesson 10, after reading ABC: The Alphabet from the Sky by Benedikt Gross and Joey Lee, students draw a hidden letter in the classroom. 

In the middle of the year, Kindergarten students combine pictures with words. By Module 6, students complete sentence frames for on-demand writing in response to reading. Students also identify central idea and key details in Writing Workshop. Examples include:

  • In Module 4, Lessons 6 to 10, students use the text Get Up and Go! by Nancy Carlson to plan, draft, revise, and edit a research paper about one way to exercise. 
  • In Module 5, Lesson 10, students write to compare and contrast two versions of The Little Red Hen. Students use Venn diagrams and complete it either by writing or drawing. 
  • In Module 6 of Writing Workshop, students write an informational text about a holiday and how they celebrate it. Students identify the central idea, find one to two key details, and write with mostly complete sentences. 

By the end of the year, students complete multiple sentence frames about a topic in response to a text. In Writing Workshop, the expectation increases from writing four sentences to seven sentences, and students are expected to include a strong start and closing. Students also include diagrams with labels in their research along with pictures. Specific examples include: 

  • In Module 7, Lesson 15, after reading Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees by Betsey Chessen and Pamela Chanko, students write about one thing they learned about Jane Goodall. Students write a sentence and include a picture. 
  • In Module 7 of Writing Workshop, students work independently on a story about an animal. 
  • In Module 9, Lesson 20, students listen to Polar Animals by Wade Cooper, and complete sentence frames, writing in first person as if they are the animal.
Indicator 2G
04/04
Materials include a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials include a progression of focused, shared research and writing projects to encourage students to develop knowledge and understanding of a topic using texts and other source materials.

The Kindergarten materials include research projects across the year. Each module has an Inquiry and Research Based Project related to the module topic. The projects are four weeks long. They develop students’ knowledge on the topic as well as teach students research skills. They also integrate all skills including reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Research Based Projects often include a creative aspect and involve group work. Materials include two rubrics for all of the projects. The Inquiry and Research Project Rubric measures students on collaboration, research skills, content, and presentation. The Research Writing Rubric measures students on ideas and organization, word choice, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and presentation. The routine for research is the same throughout the year. In Week 1, students learn about the project and complete brainstorming. In Week 2, students research and plan their project. In Week 3, students complete their research project. In Week 4, students reflect on their project, share, and celebrate. 

Specific examples of Research Based Projects in Kindergarten include but are not limited to:

  • In Module 1, students collaborate to write a guidebook to inform preschoolers about Kindergarten. They each complete one page of the guidebook and then compile these into a book. 
  • In Module 2, students create a “Who am I?” flap book. In Week 1, students use a Think-Pair-Share to brainstorm questions to help them learn about classmates. In Week 2, students interview each other. They record the answers with words and pictures. In Week 3, students write sentences about their partner for their book. In Week 4, students share their book. 
  • In Module 3, students complete a research project about building a community. In Week 1, students brainstorm places in their community. In Week 2, students gather information from local photos, maps, and walks in their community. In Week 3, students build a model of the place by using various recycled materials. They write to share information while working collaboratively on a large table covered in paper so students can draw and lay out streets with labels and common signs and logos from the community. In Week 4, students share.
  • In Module 5, students collaborate to take action by working on a service learning project. They create a poster to reflect their service learning project. 
  • In Module 6, students complete a project about flags where they create their own town flag. In Week 1, students learn about the American flag, including the colors, shapes, and design. In Week 2, students research national and local symbols and the class makes a class chart of the symbols. In Week 3, students create their own town flag with a symbol key. In Week 4, they share their flags. 
  • In Module 7, students create a five senses poster to teach others about how the five senses let people “zoom in” on the world around them. In Week 1, students review the senses and share examples of how senses help to observe the environment and objects. In Week 2, students research information about each of the five senses and identify objects that show how humans use each sense. Books and media are provided. In Week 3, students plan their poster and create their poster. In Week 4, students present their poster to the class. 
Indicator 2H
04/04
Materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meets the expectation that materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

Kindergarten materials include many supports to foster independent reading. Every module has a Building Reading Independence section with teacher guidance. The Guiding Principles and Strategies book include sections for Reading Independence and Family and Community, which explain how to help students become independent readers in and out of the classroom. There is a daily reading block which includes 45 to 60 minutes for small-group reading and independent reading with literacy centers, decodable texts, skill practice, and inquiry and research projects. Each lesson within the module has a “Build Independence” section. There are also tracking sheets such as reading logs included to help keep students accountable. There are some activities for home learning including printables and electronic tools as well as family letters. It should be noted that the home activities appear to be optional. While students are given a reading log, there is no specific guidance on a process for accountability or suggested time for nightly reading.

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies book for Kindergarten, there is a section titled “Building Reading Independence.” In this section, there is guidance on organizing the classroom library, self-selecting books, and increasing reading stamina over time. Materials include a printable reading log to track independent reading books, as well as a printable reading goal sheet. There is also a printable book review template. The materials also include a reading interest survey for students and a family reading survey to do at home. The teacher is provided with a Child Reading Map to make notes about student interests and habits to help students self-select books as needed. Teachers are encouraged to give students a reading bag or book bin to store leveled readers, Start Right Readers, and little books to build fluency and experience reading success. At the beginning of the year, students may just flip through books, but towards the end of the year, reading stamina should increase. 

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies book for Kindergarten, there is a section called “Family and Community-Learning Beyond the Classroom.” This section provides guidance on messages that should be sent home. In this section, there are printables such as worksheets, letter books, Start Right Readers, and words to know. Teachers are told to explain the importance of the value of reading to family. There is also an opportunity for families to access an online library of eBooks for children to listen to and read along with at home. Families are encouraged to read aloud to children so students can practice foundational reading skills at the “just right” level. The Family Letter for each module reminds families of the importance of reading with children each day. Questions are also provided such as in Module 3, families are encouraged to ask, “What is the story about?” and “What clue in the picture shows what the word _______ means?”. 

In the beginning of each module, there is a section called “Building Reading Independence,” which highlights ways to build reading independence. For example in Module 2, this section shows the Rigby Leveled Readers for Levels A to E, corresponding charts of targeting reading behavior for each level, guidance on forming guided reading groups, and guidance on setting reading goals. During literacy centers, students also engage in reading independently. Examples of this include students practicing reading either Start Right Readers or Leveled Readers to a stuffed animal in Module 2 and whisper-reading leveled texts in Module 6.

Overview of Gateway 3

Usability

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectations for instructional supports and usability indicators.  The materials are well designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing. The materials support teacher learning and understanding of the Standards, as well as offer teachers resources and tools to collect ongoing data about student progress on the Standards. Teachers are provided with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so that they demonstrate independent ability with grade-level standards. The materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning, and digital materials are accessible and available in multiple platforms.

Criterion 3.1: Use & Design

07/08
Materials are well designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criterion for materials are well designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing; however, the teacher and student may not reasonably complete the content within a regular school year, as there are no flex days built into the program. Student resources include ample review and practice resources, clear directions, and explanation, and correct labeling of reference aids. The materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items. The visual design is not distracting or chaotic but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.

Indicator 3A
02/02
Materials are well-designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials are well-designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing. 

The Kindergarten curriculum is divided into nine modules, with each module taking place over four weeks. The Guiding Principles and Strategies Resource and the Teacher's Guide provide extensive information about all components of the module and specific details for each lesson component, which integrate all ELA strands. Suggested time frames and ranges for each component of a lesson are provided. The curriculum has multiple lesson parts that are required daily, though provided time frames will help schools find time for each part of the lesson. Time is built into the schedule each day for whole-class instruction, small-group instruction, independent practice, collaborative group work, and reflection. 

The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook provides information to support effective lesson structure and pacing. Two anchor texts are introduced each week. Each day’s lesson includes whole-class instruction and small-group work. The suggested times include:

  • Whole-Class Instruction should be 90 to 135 minutes per day for reading, writing, language, and foundational skills. The program suggests 15 to 30 minutes a day of reading and vocabulary, 40 to 50 minutes a day of foundational skills, and 30 to 45 minutes of writing workshop.
  • Small-Group instruction should be 45 to 60 minutes per day. 
  • Wrap Up and Share each day should take between 5 to 10 minutes.
Indicator 3B
01/02
The teacher and student can reasonably complete the content within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially meet the expectation that the teacher and student can reasonably complete the content within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding.

The Kindergarten curriculum is arranged into nine modules, with each module covering four weeks. This equates to 180 days of instruction. This does not allow for flexibility within a typical school year including disruptions due to state testing, holidays, snow days, field trips, and other school and district commitments. This also does not allocate time for Intervention Screening Assessments, Module Inventories, or Benchmark Assessments. There is also no time allocated to do the Inquiry and Research Projects, which are part of each module and take place the entire module length. There are also no flex days built into the program. It also does not allow time for the teacher to introduce and practice routines and procedures, even though it is emphasized in the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook.

Indicator 3C
02/02
The student resources include ample review and practice resources, clear directions, and explanation, and correct labeling of reference aids (e.g., visuals, maps, etc.).

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meets the expectation that the student resources include ample review and practice resources, clear directions, and explanation, and correct labeling of reference aids (e.g., visuals, maps, etc.)

The Kindergarten student materials provide a variety of resources to practice and review skills. The resources provide clear directions and explanations for students and are all labeled to show alignment to the specific module and week. Printables, graphic organizers, and anchor charts are easily located on the digital site in accordance with the labeled heading in the Teacher's Guide as well.  Activities that are completed with teacher guidance have directions included in the teacher guides. Resources that are completed independently or in small groups without direct teacher guidance, include clear directions and explanations so that the task can be completed. 

The myBook is a write-in student book that provides clear directions and explanations. Each task box is labeled with clear and concise instructions along with a defined box for completing the task. These tasks correlate to the information the teacher provides in the lessons found in the Teacher's Guide. Some examples include:

  • In Module 1, Lesson 7, the Teacher's Guide states, “Have children draw a picture representing the beginning of the plot in the ‘Beginning’ section in myBook, page 7."
  • In Module 5, Lesson 1, the myBook states, “Characters are the people, animals, or creatures in a story. Picture and text clues tell how a character feels. Draw Jabari’s face. Show how he feels. Write words that tell how Jabari feels.”
  • In Module 5, Lesson 18, the Teacher's Guide states, “Introduce the task to reread important parts of the story to identify the theme of Emmanuel's Dream. Read aloud pages 7 to 14. Have students turn and talk to notice all the things Emmanuel learns to do by himself. Then in the myBook, it states, “The topic is what a text is about in one or two words. The theme of a story is the message or lesson the author wants the reader to learn. Write the topic of Emmanuel’s Dream. Write the theme of Emmanuel's Dream. Draw a picture of Emmanuel at the end of his ride.”

Throughout the program, the materials include vocabulary cards, printables, Tabletop Minilesson flipcharts, anchor charts, display and engage Knowledge Maps, leveled readers, rubrics, Big Books, and little books.  All materials are clearly labeled and correspond to the appropriate lesson. In each lesson, there is a small picture of the lesson text and a list of materials needed for each lesson.

Indicator 3D
02/02
Materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meets the expectation that materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items.

There is a resource that shows an alignment to the Common Core State Standards by listing each standard and the lessons that correlate to the standards. Standard alignment is also located on the digital resource through the Planning Guide and Common Core State Standards link. Assessments are not labeled by CCSS, but the digital data reports have an option for the teacher to review the data based on the standard. In addition, on the digital platform, under Module Resources, there is a document titled “State-Specific Resources,” which provides the Weekly Overview for each module with state-aligned labeling of standards. Teachers need to use the correlation guide to find the standard. For example, in Module 3, Lesson 8, students hear Quinito’s Neighborhood by Ina Cumpiano and in their myBook, students are asked to “Draw a picture of each character. Write words that describe each charter.” The teacher must view the correlation document to find the correlated standard (RL.K.3).  In addition, in the Take and Teach lesson for the Rigby Leveled Library, teachers can find the standards that correlates to the questions asked during the guided reading sessions.

Indicator 3E
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The visual design (whether in print or digital) is not distracting or chaotic, but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meets the expectation that the visual design (whether in print or digital) is not distracting or chaotic but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.

The visual design includes clear instructions and simple designs that do not distract the students. All texts are provided within the student myBook. The materials contain many visual aids to support student learning, including anchor charts, Display and Engage content, graphic organizers, printables, and real images that accompany the text related to the content of the modules. Additionally, illustrations and clipart utilized on student workbook pages are uncomplicated and appealing to the eye. The font, margins, and spacing provided for student work are appropriate. Color coding is included in the teacher materials to facilitate quick knowledge of the type of task and procedure to use with students. 

Examples of appropriate visual design in both print and digital include:

  • The printed myBook design provides color, ample space for students to write, large font for headings and directions, and clear labels for vocabulary and tips for students. 
  • The digital version of the materials provides a table of contents drop-down menu, making it easy for students to access specific parts of the Start Right Reader texts digitally. 
  • The Know It, Show It workbook is labeled with the skill at the top, the module and week at the bottom, and contains clear directions for student completion. 
  • Anchor charts are provided and used throughout lessons to support the skill that students practice and apply independently. Anchor charts are colorful and use headings and guiding questions. 
  • Teacher materials on the digital version are not visually busy with too much text. There are icons that can be clicked on for added information about tasks, and then hidden once the task is finished to eliminate visual distraction. 
  • The Genre Focus Printables must be printed from the digital resources. They use minimal color for navigation and simple visuals or graphics. The printable for each lesson is contained to one page.

Criterion 3.2: Teacher Planning

08/08
Materials support teacher learning and understanding of the Standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criterion for materials support teacher learning and understanding of the Standards. The materials contain a Teacher's Edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the Student Edition and in the ancillary materials. The Teacher’s Edition contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literacy concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary, and it explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum. The materials contain explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.  The materials also include strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the ELA/literacy program, as well as suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

Indicator 3F
02/02
Materials contain a teacher's edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials contain a teacher’s edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

The Kindergarten materials include a Teacher's Guide that provides a clear outline of each module, as well as notes and suggestions on how to present content to students. The Teacher's Guide also includes the objectives of the lesson, explanations of location of the descriptions of routines, suggested ways to present content, as well as possible questions to ask and detailed guidance for each part of the literacy block. The Teacher's Guide also includes scaffolded instruction to address learners’ needs with suggestions and ideas on how to differentiate instruction for those students in need. Within the Teacher’s Guide, there are also ideas for how to structure Reading Workshop, literacy centers, vocabulary centers, and digital stations.  It also provides research-informed instructional routines to support lesson planning, including active viewing, active listening, vocabulary, reading for understanding, close reading, response writing, along with additional engagement routines including choral reading, partner reading, echo reading, turn and talk, think-pair-share, solo chair, and collaborative discussion.

The Teacher's Guide includes several sections that provide annotations and suggestions on how to present information to students. This includes:

  • Module Opener: Provides an essential question, an explanation of the module focus, and a quick overview of the skills students will acquire and practice throughout the module
  • Building Reading Independence: Provides suggestions on forming small groups in guided reading, English language development, setting reading goals, conferring, and skill strategy groups
  • Building Knowledge Networks: Provides an image of the Knowledge Map students will use and how to display the Display and Engage for students throughout the module
  • Developing Knowledge and Skills: Gives an overview of the knowledge and skills addressed throughout the module
  • Inquiry and Research Project: Provides the learning objectives and weekly focus, provides teachers with detailed plans to guide students through completion of each project.
  • Kicking off the Module: Provides guidance to teachers on how to set goals with students and make connections with families
  • Week at a Glance: Provides teachers with a weekly overview that provides detailed information on the instruction for the week. Colors are assigned to each part as well as the use of icons and symbols. 
  • Literacy Centers: Provides teachers with information on the work that students will engage in, the materials needed, and ways the teacher is able to monitor student progress. In addition, information on the use of technology and digital stations is provided and the location of printables that accompany these stations.
  • Daily Lesson Plan: Provides the teacher with detailed directions for the use of materials, guiding questions, learning objectives, collaborative strategies, learning mindset, English Learner Support, and Professional Learning. 

The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook also discusses each part of the lesson plan and describes the materials for each section and the ways to use each resource. This section also describes the process of using the Weekly and Module Assessments and the process of incorporating the online digital tools and resources. 

In addition, the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook includes Accessing Online Digital Tools and Resources, which explains, with labeled screenshots, the different features of the digital platform. It shows how to access modules, resources for teaching, and data and assessments. It also provides information on ways to work with students with disabilities or English Language Learners.

Indicator 3G
02/02
Materials contain a teacher's edition that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literacy concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials contain a teacher’s edition that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literacy concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

The materials include a Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook that provides specific research, rationales, and explanations, that will help teachers build knowledge of the content. Teachers also have access to a digital professional learning module to support their understanding of each module. The Teacher's Guide also contains adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literary concepts. 

The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook provides in-depth information about the overview of the design of the program, the research behind the design, and guidance for each part of the module in the areas of assessment, differentiation, family connections, classroom community, teaching, and learning. Within this book, the Teaching and Learning section provides explanations to assist the teacher in developing a full understanding of the content. Explanations are provided about Building Knowledge and Language, Foundational Skills, Oral Language, Vocabulary, Reading Worksop, and Writing Workshop. The information presented provides details about best practices to help teachers improve their knowledge of the subject. The Professional Learning Module allows teachers to navigate the learning modules at their own pace. Modules are designed to provide teachers with the learning outcomes, hands-on experience, reflection, and application before teaching the module to students. The Teacher's Guide contains a Preview Lesson Texts section that explains in detailed adult-level language the text complexity, key ideas, and language from the text or texts from the week. 

Indicator 3H
02/02
Materials contain a teacher's edition that explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials contain a teacher’s edition that explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum.

Teachers are provided a variety of materials that explain the role of specific ELA/Literacy standards. Supports can be found in the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook, Teacher's Guide, Assessments, and the Common Core State Standards resource. 

At the beginning of each module in the Teacher's Guide, there is an overview page that lists all of the essential skills. Then, in the weekly overview section, the essential literary skills are listed for vocabulary, reading, communication, and writing for both whole group instruction and small-group instruction. Common Core State Standards are listed for each lesson in an additional document. Also, assessments are provided and teachers are able to create a standards-based report to assess and monitor student progress in regards to specific ELA/literacy standards. Lastly, in the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook, there is a section called, Teaching and Learning that has specific curriculum alignment to the Common Core State Standards.

Indicator 3I
02/02
Materials contain explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials contain an explanation of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research- based strategies.

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook, there is a clear explanation of the instructional approaches and the research behind the program and strategies. The materials also contain a Research Foundations: Evidence Base book that specifically details the instructional approaches and research-based strategies of Into Reading. In this book, research is provided about the instructional model, technology and blended learning, differentiated and personalized learning, foundational reading skills, language and vocabulary development, fluency and comprehension, writing, speaking and listening, social-emotional learning, family and community engagement, and assessments. This book cites over 100 research references. 

The program also includes Professional Learning Modules, which provides explanations of the instructional approaches. Modules are designed to provide teachers with the learning outcomes, hands-on experiences, reflection, and application.

Throughout the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook, there are blue boxes titled Professional Learning: Research Foundations, that state the research theory behind each section. The Research Foundations: Evidence Base book, contains all of the research behind the program. It describes the research and how the program delivers the research theory. Some examples include:

  • On page 8, research is provided that supports the Balanced Literacy Approach and guided reading.
  • On page 12 and 54, there is research that supports the blended learning environment of both working with students and working with technology.
  • On page 15 to 16, research is provided for the need for differentiation.
  • On page 46, the research of Dr. David Dockterman of Harvard Graduate School of Education is provided that explains the integration of mindset into lessons.
Indicator 3J
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Materials contain strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the ELA/literacy program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials contain strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents or caregivers about the ELA/literacy program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook dedicates an entire section to family and community. In this section, they provide extensive suggestions for teachers to strengthen the relationship with families and community. This section also provides information on how the community can be utilized to better support the knowledge and growth of the students. At the beginning of each module, there is a letter included in the printables and the Teacher's Guide that instructs teachers to connect with families at the beginning of the module by sending a letter home with students. The letter discusses the topic, explores the genre, and builds vocabulary. 

The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook provides a Family and Community section that provides information on engaging families as learning partners, how to communicate with families, and how to communicate with all stakeholders. There are six detailed sections including engaging families as learning partners, communicating with families, learning beyond the classroom, celebrating success, supporting summer learning, and connecting with the community. Some specific examples include:

  • Engaging families as learning partners by ensuring that families have access to an abundance of appropriate books during the school year and over the summer. Coaching parents and caregivers on how to consider children’s interests and allow them to select related texts is also provided. It also suggests that the teacher meets the families, provides a personal letter or postcard to students prior to the beginning of the year, and holds conferences with families to share observations about students’ development and discuss strategies for working together. 
  • Communicating with families by posting family letters and other communication on a board, sharing the student’s reading, writing, and learning goals, letting families know how often they should expect to hear from the teacher, providing translations of any communications and handouts, and making sure all stakeholders have access to online resources. 
  • Supporting summer learning by providing information on avoiding the summer slide, providing resources on things to do in the summer, providing summer reading lists with suggestions of titles and genres, and providing questions for families to ask before, during, and after reading.
  • Connecting with the community by planning meaningful experiences with the community beyond school, engaging in service learning projects to develop social awareness, and reaching out to families and community members to share resources or discuss their expertise.

Criterion 3.3: Assessment

08/08
Materials offer teachers resources and tools to collect ongoing data about student progress on the Standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criterion for materials offer teacher resources and tools to collect ongoing data about student progress on the Standards. The materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that genuinely measure student progress. Assessments clearly denote which standards are being emphasized and they provide sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up. The materials include routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress. The materials indicate how students are accountable for independent reading based on student choice and interest to build stamina, confidence, and motivation.


Indicator 3K
02/02
Materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that genuinely measure student progress.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that genuinely measure student progress.

Throughout the year, there are multiple opportunities to assess students in order to monitor their progress. Assessments include Daily Formative Assessments, Intervention Assessments, Guided Reading Benchmark Assessments, Weekly Assessments, and Module Assessments. The assessments are explained in detail in the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook in the Assessment and Differentiation section. Assessments are available in both the print version and digitally. When given digitally, teachers are able to use two different reports to monitor progress.

Assessments are used to monitor student progress to plan for interventions. This includes:

  • Screening Assessments: Use early in the school year to obtain preliminary information about student performance, screen students for interventions, and determine groups for foundational skills instruction. An Oral Reading Fluency Assessment is also provided to assess fluency, accuracy, and rate.
  • Diagnostic Assessments: Use as follow-up assessments as needed for students who scored below expectations on the Screening Assessments. Assessments include Letter-Sound Correspondence Assessments and Word Identification Assessments.
  • Progress Monitoring Assessments: Use every two weeks to measure growth in foundational reading skills. The goal is to identify challenging areas for reteaching, review, and extra practice, provide checks of students’ beginning reading skills, monitor the progress of students who are in reading interventions, and help determine when students are ready to exit an intervention. These assessments take three to five minutes. 

Formative Assessments are also included and provide both Weekly and Module Assessments. The module inventories assess foundational skills at the end of each module.  Data reports are provided for the online versions. The assessment report provides class scores for each assessment and analyzes student proficiency data. The standards report assesses students’ progress in standards proficiency. 

There is also a Benchmark Assessment Kit that is used to determine students’ guided reading levels and make instructional decisions. These assessments include both fiction and nonfiction leveled readers.  Rubrics are also provided to assess students’ writing and research projects. There are rubrics for narrative writing, informational writing, opinion writing, research writing, and Inquiry and Research Projects. The writing rubrics assess students in the areas of organization and presentation, development of ideas, and use of language and conventions. The rubric for the inquiry and research project assesses students in collaboration, research and text evidence, content, and  presentation.

The program also includes Reading Surveys to gather information at the beginning and middle of the year about reading interests, attitudes, and preferences. The surveys inform the teacher on the following: focus for instructional planning, support for self-selected reading, and recommendation on books. The program also suggests that teachers keep Observation Notes and take notes during individual conferences, guided reading groups, small-group instruction, and independent reading and writing.

Indicator 3L
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The purpose/use of each assessment is clear:
Indicator 3L.i
02/02
Assessments clearly denote which standards are being emphasized.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that assessments clearly denote which standards are being emphasized.

Module and Weekly assessments provide standards alignment. In the print version of the assessments, the answer key provides both the Common Core State Standards and the Depth of Knowledge for each question. In the digital version of the assessments, teachers can access the standards report, which shows students’ progress in standards proficiency.

Indicator 3L.ii
02/02
Assessments provide sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that assessments provide sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow up.

The assessments provide sufficient guidance for interpreting student performance, and they provide suggestions for follow-up. The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook explains when to give the appropriate assessment and the students who need it administered to them.  It also provides information on strategies that teachers can do to support students based on the results gained from the assessments. The Teacher’s Edition also provides differentiation guidance for each lesson based on assessment data. This gives teachers information on how to follow-up after assessments for both reteaching and interventions. The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook also includes information on administration and scoring of the screening, diagnostic, and progress-monitoring assessments.  It also explains how to utilize writing rubrics to monitor growth in writing and use data to implement a multi-tiered system of supports. 

The Differentiated Support and Intervention section of the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook provides information on guided reading groups, reading skill and strategy support groups, foundational skills support groups, and best practices for intervention support.  Teachers use formative assessments, progress monitoring assessments, and benchmark assessments to plan for these different groups. In the reading skill and strategy support group, teachers reteach a skill or strategy that has not yet been mastered by a group of students. In the foundational skills group, the teacher provides reinforcement of daily foundational skills lessons during either small-group or one-on-one time. For students who need reinforcement with genres or skills, there are Tabletop Minilessons, which provide teachers with guidance on how to address and reteach students who do not perform well on assessments. 

Data reports are available after students take Weekly and Module Assessments.  These provide teachers with data to analyze gaps and gains, to form groups for differentiated instruction, and to locate resources to target students’ needs. The program recommends that teachers use the data reports to determine if students have met the learning objectives for the week or module, look for patterns in students’ errors to choose concepts and skills for reteaching, and decide if students are ready to advance to the next week or module of instruction. 

In addition, for the Weekly Assessments and the Module Assessments, there is information on how to interpret the data. Teachers use the scores and additional classroom information to determine whether students are ready to advance to the next module or may require reteaching of some concepts and skills. It is suggested that for struggling students, the teacher duplicates the answer key, circles the question numbers answered incorrectly for each assessment, and compare the corresponding skills indicated. The teacher then looks for patterns among errors to determine which skills need more reteaching and practice.

Indicator 3M
02/02
Materials should include routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials should include routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress.

The materials contain guidance and routines to monitor student progress. The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook outlines how teachers can use assessment tools to gather data and gain a more complete picture of students’ growth and instructional needs. There are opportunities to monitor progress via formative weekly and module assessments, screeners, progress monitoring, and oral reading fluency assessments. Routines and guidance to help monitor progress include portfolios, reading surveys, and observation notes. 

In the Guided Principles and Strategies book, there is a map that shows the suggested timeline to plan instruction and administer assessments throughout the year. This plan includes times to administer the Intervention Assessments, Guided Reading Benchmark Assessment Kit, Weekly Assessments, Module Assessments, and Daily Formative Assessments.  The program suggests that Daily Formative Assessments are used to provide data for small-group instruction. The Intervention Assessments are used at the beginning of the year with follow-up Diagnostic Assessments used for select students and Progress-Monitoring Assessments used every two weeks as needed. The Guided Reading Benchmark Assessment kit is used on an ongoing basis to assess students' reading skills. In addition, the Module Inventories are administered one-on-one to assess foundational skills more in depth as needed. Teachers use some or all parts of the inventory depending on children’s needs. Areas for assessment include phonological awareness, high-frequency words, decoding, and print concepts. 

Portfolios are set up at the beginning of the year for each student and contain:

  • Formal and informal assessments including the Weekly and Module Assessments, Screening and Diagnostic Assessments, observation notes, and project rubrics
  • Work samples that include work from myBook, completed graphic organizers, writing samples, and photos of Inquiry and Research Projects
  • Reading Surveys to show reading interests, attitudes, and preferences
  • Observation Notes taken during conferences, guided reading groups, small-group instruction, and independent reading and writing
Indicator 3N
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Materials indicate how students are accountable for independent reading based on student choice and interest to build stamina, confidence, and motivation.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials indicate how students are accountable for independent reading based on student choice and interest to build stamina, confidence, and motivation.

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook, there is a section titled Building Reading Independence. In this section, teachers are provided with resources and strategies to help students become independent and enthusiastic readers. Included in this section are ways to hold students accountable for independent reading. In addition, in the Family and Community section of the handbook, additional information for independent reading is provided including how to hold students accountable for independent reading at home. Teachers are provided with information on setting up a reading center, how to let students self-select books, how to help students set goals, and how to respond to reading. 

In the classroom, the amount of time students spend reading in one sitting gradually increases. The students are taught and encouraged to select goals for the amount of reading they will complete.  A Reading Log Printable is provided for students to track their progress and to track fiction or nonfiction key ideas as they read. In addition, prior to each independent reading session in the classroom, students set goals based on their reading history and how they are feeling. Students also create a response journal to document their responses to independent reading books. Students are encouraged to note what they liked and did not like and why. In the Reading Center of each classroom, students self-select books to build reading stamina, skills, and enjoyment. Books include a variety of genres, topics, and reading levels, and students pick books based on interest level. 

To help with independent reading at home, the teacher is encouraged to send home a copy of the Reading Log Printable. It is suggested that families set up at time at least once per week to read with their children, to listen to their children read aloud to them, and to discuss the texts they are reading. Strategies for families to also support students should be sent home including “five words” so students know if a book is appropriate and “book browse” so students pick books based on interests. Similarly, the teacher is encouraged to provide a summer reading list with suggestions of titles as well as questions families ask students before, during, and after reading. 

Additional support for accountability for independent reading is in the Materials to Reinforce Skills and Strategies section, which states that daily small-group lessons reinforce and extend comprehension skill and strategy instruction by guiding students to apply the skill to self-selected books for independent reading.

Criterion 3.4: Differentiation

10/10
Materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so that they demonstrate independent ability with grade-level standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criterion for materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so that they demonstrate independent ability with grade-level standards. The materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so the content is accessible to all learners and supports them in meeting or exceeding the grade-level standards. The materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level, or in a language other than English, with extensive opportunities to work with grade-level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards, while also regularly including extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level. The materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

Indicator 3O
02/02
Materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so the content is accessible to all learners and supports them in meeting or exceeding the grade-level standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of range of learners so the content is accessible to all learners and supports them in meeting or exceeding the grade-level standards.

Throughout the program there are opportunities for the teacher to meet a range of learners due to the fact that the content is accessible to all learners and helps them meet or exceed the grade-level standards. The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook has a section called Assessment and Differentiation Within differentiation, there is a section about meeting the needs of special populations. This section outlines different populations of students and provides the teacher with several instructional focus strategies that can be used to support students with particular needs. 

There are ways built into the program to meet the needs of all students. This includes guided reading groups, reading skill and strategy groups for students who have not yet mastered the whole-group objective, and foundational skills support to teach prerequisite foundational skills or reinforce daily foundational skills lessons. The materials also provide Tabletop Minilessons for students who need additional support with skills taught in the whole group. These lessons involve student-facing anchor charts on stand-up charts with the teacher support on the back. It is differentiated skills instruction that can be used with any text. 

In Meeting the Needs of Special Populations section of the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook, there are strategies for various types of learners. Some of these include:

  • If the challenge is concept knowledge and oral language, some supports include building background knowledge, teaching academic vocabulary directly, and providing scaffolds. 
  • If the challenge is dyslexia or word-reading skills, some supports include daily instruction in phonemic awareness, building automaticity of high-frequency words, and daily reading of connected texts.
  • If the challenge is visual, hearing, physical, or cognitive disabilities, some supports include vary options for expressing understanding and ideas, provide ways for digital content to be accessible to students, and allow variations in the pace of the lesson. The materials have a section called Using Digital Features for Accessibility with information on how to access digital features to assist teachers and work with students who would benefit from digital materials.
  • If the challenge is engagement in learning, some supports include exploring topics and texts that are suited to students’ skills and interests, providing clear and specific feedback, and promoting choice to build autonomy.

There is also a section called Supporting English Learners, which helps build teacher understanding of students’ first language and the stages of second language acquisition that can help teachers determine appropriate levels of scaffolding and targeted language support.  There is also a section called Meeting the Needs of Accelerated Learners that provides support for students who are exceeding grade-level expectations.

Indicator 3P
04/04
Materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level, or in a language other than English, with extensive opportunities to work with grade level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level, or in a language other than English, with extensive opportunities to work with grade-level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards.

The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook contains an entire section called Supporting English Learners. This section outlines different strategies to support the learning of English Learner students. Teachers are also provided with background information on English Language Learners in order to better understand the stages of language acquisition. English Learner Support tips are embedded in lessons as well. 

The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook provides information on the stages of language acquisition, how to support English Language Learners with this curriculum, and evidence-based strategies and practices to support students whose first language is other than English. Specific examples of this includes:

  • There is an overview of the stages of acquiring the English Language. These stages are pre-production, early production, speech emergence, intermediate fluency, and advanced fluency.
  • The curriculum has Tabletop Minilessons that introduce, review, and practice a particular language function. These lessons can be used with any text in the program and are meant to support English Language Learners.
  • Evidence-based strategies are provided that can be used in any lesson. Some of the evidence-based strategies include building knowledge by showing videos on module topics, making learning visual by having images on vocabulary cards and anchor charts, and providing sentence frames for both verbal and written responses. 
  • In the Teacher's Guide for each lesson, there are English Learner supports provided. Supports are broken down into light support,  such as having students use instructional vocabulary to point out and discuss facts and opinions in the text; moderate support, such as having students identify facts and opinions in the text; substantial support, such as the teacher pointing out facts and opinions in the text and having students say fact or opinion.
  • A Language Difference resource chart is included to help teachers understand the differences between students’ first language and English. This is an online resource and includes languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, and Korean.
  • There is also an entire section called Arriba la Lectura, which is a Spanish reading program that is to be used in conjunction with this curriculum. This program has a Dual Language Implementation Guide and a section of the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook is dedicated to this Spanish reading program. 

The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook provides additional support for all students to help them access grade-level texts, which benefits students who are learning English as well. Information is provided on how to use data to form small groups in foundational skills, strategic interventions, small-group instruction, small-group weekly instruction, and other customized groups. 

Indicator 3Q
02/02
Materials regularly include extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials regularly include extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

The curriculum provides extensions or more advanced opportunities for students who perform above grade-level. In the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook, there is a section titled Meeting the Needs of Accelerated Learners, which provides teachers with information and strategies to support accelerated learners. The section provides teachers with information and a description of an accelerated learner, parts of the curriculum that support accelerated learners, and strategies for supporting accelerated learners in the classroom and throughout the lessons. Lessons also provide extension work for students who are accelerated or finish early. 

The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook has an entire section on supporting accelerated learners. The program defines accelerated learners as students whose skills are above grade level and are ready for more accelerated learning experiences, such as more challenging books, more writing opportunities, or leadership roles. Some specifics from the program include:

  • Throughout the program, there are sections labeled Extend, which are daily opportunities in small-group lessons to extend a skill or strategy.
  • Guided Reading Groups and Rigby Leveled Readers provide texts that are above grade level.
  • The Tabletop Minilessons provide support as students apply comprehension skills to higher-level texts that they read independently.

Strategies are provided for teachers to consider while planning individual lessons and the culture of the classroom. These include:

  • Build classroom libraries that represent a range of text levels.
  • Provide more challenging versions of the activities instead of requiring students to just do more work.
  • Use flexible groups and change groups frequently because students may be above level for one skill but not for another skill.
  • Provide opportunities for students to make their own decisions. Accelerated students should take on leadership roles and assist classmates when appropriate.
Indicator 3R
02/02
Materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

The materials provide suggestions and descriptions for a variety of grouping strategies throughout the program. The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook gives an overview of how these group strategies work, and the Teacher's Guide uses labels throughout the program to show teachers when the grouping strategy should be used during the lessons. Strategies for groups include small groups, targeted skill groups, and whole-class. Groups can be composed for Guided Reading, English Language Support, Skills and Strategies, or Foundational Skills. Teachers use data to form these groups and to change groups throughout the year. 

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook, there is an overview of recommendations for groupings and various strategies to use to form these groups in a section called Forming Flexible Groups. This section helps teachers make the most of small-group time by using data to thoughtfully form groups that will optimize student growth. Flexible groups are formed to teach skills that a cohort of students need to learn or review. In addition, Strategic Interventions for Tier 2 and Tier 3 can be implemented using data from multiple measures. More information on these groups include:

  • Guided reading groups are formed based on the Guiding Reading Benchmark Assessment Kit, and Oral Reading Records. The program includes the Rigby Leveled Readers, Take and Teach Lessons, and Tabletop Minilessons for reading to teach these groups.
  • English Language Support groups are formed based on the state English Language Development assessments. The curriculum includes Tabletop Minilessons for English Language Development, English Language Support lessons, and language graphic organizers.
  • Skills and Strategies groups are formed based on daily formative assessments and weekly assessments. The materials include Tabletop Minilessons, reinforce skills and strategies lessons, and reading graphic organizers.
  • Foundational skills groups are formed by informal assessments. Foundational skills lessons and foundational skills and word study studio is available for these lessons.

In addition to these groups, teachers are also instructed during whole-group lessons to have students participate in Collaborative Discussions, Turn and Talks, Think-Pair-Shares, and Partner Reads. In addition, there are opportunities for students to echo read and choral read.

Criterion 3.5: Technology Use

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Materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning. Digital materials are accessible and available in multiple platforms.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criterion for materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning. Digital materials are accessible and available in multiple platforms. Although digital materials are web-based, compatible with multiple internet browsers, “platform neutral,” follow universal programming style, and allow the use of tablets and mobile devices, the Teacher’s Guide is poorly formatted on mobile devices. Materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning, drawing attention to evidence and texts as appropriate. Digital materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations and the materials can be easily customized for local use. The materials include or reference technology that provide limited opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other.

Indicator 3S
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Digital materials (either included as supplementary to a textbook or as part of a digital curriculum) are web-based, compatible with multiple Internet browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.), "platform neutral" (i.e., are compatible with multiple operating systems such as Windows and Apple and are not proprietary to any single platform), follow universal programming style, and allow the use of tablets and mobile devices.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially meet the expectation that digital materials (either included as supplementary to a textbook or as part of a digital curriculum) are web-based, compatible with multiple internet browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.), “platform neutral” (i.e., Windows and Apple and are not proprietary to any single platform), follow universal programming style, and allow the use of tablets and mobile devices.

The curriculum is available digitally and is accessible through the use of a sign-in and password. The digital platform provides all of the same materials that are available in print. The digital materials are available with multiple browsers, including Google Chrome, Firebox, and Safari and follow universal programming style. Teachers can access the program via tablets and mobile devices; however, on a mobile device, the Teacher’s Guide is poorly formatted with half of the content missing on the screen. The option to open the various files on the Teacher’s Guide does not work either. 

Indicator 3T
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Materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning, drawing attention to evidence and texts as appropriate.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning, drawing attention to evidence and texts as appropriate. 

The materials provide different digital resources to help students engage in learning. Students have digital access to the student book, myBook, digitally as well. Students also have access to digital videos to support building knowledge around a topic. There is a Get Curious video shown in the beginning of the module and then a Wrap-Up Video at the end of the module. Students can also access texts from the Rigby Leveled Library online. 

Additional online resources are available to support students in their learning. One of the small-group stations is a digital station where students demonstrate active listening skills or keyboarding skills. Online assessments are also available for students on a weekly basis as well as the Module Assessments. This allows teachers to access data that provides specific information on student progress relating to the standards.

Indicator 3U
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Materials can be easily customized for individual learners.
Indicator 3U.i
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Digital materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that digital materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations.

The digital components provide multiple ways to personalize learning for all students through the use of adaptive innovations. The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook explains how materials are supported through assistive technology. The adaptive and technology innovations for personalized learning is outlined in the Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook in the section called Using Digital Features for Accessibility. In addition, the teacher can create and save plans and assign specific texts or assessments to different students. 

On the digital version of the program, there are multiple accessibility features, making the learning more personalized for students. These include:

  • Closed captioning for videos
  • Transcripts for audio
  • Contrast and color compliance
  • Screen-reader compatibility
  • Keyboard encoding
  • Read-along audio with synchronized text highlighting

When planning on the digital platform, the teacher can create plans and assign individual texts to students. The teacher can use the assignment option to assign specific texts or assessments to different students. Online resources can be filtered by instructional purpose, audience, Lexile, or guided reading level to assist with assigning appropriate resources. Teachers can also assign assessments to groups of students based on performance.

Indicator 3U.ii
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Materials can be easily customized for local use.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that materials can be easily customized for local use.

The Guiding Principles and Strategies Handbook explains the digital platform, which can easily be customized for local use. Teachers are able to customize teaching plans to align with district and state requirements, as well as individualize resources for small groups of students as needed. 

Some of the ways that materials can be customized for local use include:

  • On the digital platform, there is a create button that allows teachers to customize teaching plans and assessments so they match district requirements
  • The groups button allows teachers to create and manage groups of students based on classroom observations and assessments results. Teachers can then assign plans and materials to these groups of students. 
  • The add to plan feature assigns resources to individual students or groups of students so teachers can customize materials and plans.
Indicator 3V
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Materials include or reference technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other (e.g. websites, discussion groups, webinars, etc.).

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially meet the expectation that materials include or reference technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other (e.g., websites, discussion groups, webinars, etc.)

The materials include limited opportunities for students to collaborate with each other via technology. The only option that is available is with some projects, students have a choice to use a technological option to collaborate such as writing a blog post or creating a discussion board, though these are just options and not required or used throughout the program on a consistent basis. 

There are some opportunities for teachers to collaborate with the publisher to get additional support in the material. There is follow-up support for in-person or live online experiences where teachers can choose from a variety of topics for support. Schools can also request on-demand access to program experts to ask questions, and the publisher provides consultants for ongoing support and coaching.