6th Grade - Gateway 2

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that texts are organized around a topic and/or theme to build students’ ability to read and comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently. Each module has a topic which is stated by the name of the module and clearly outlined in the section titled, “Building Knowledge Networks”. Within each module, students interact with anchor texts, supporting texts, daily tasks, and writing texts designed to grow the students’ understanding of the unit’s topic. 

Examples include: 

• In Module 3, students read texts about the topic of inventions. Texts include: The Secret Science Alliance by Eleanor Davis, Lions No Match for Young Boy and his Invention by Andrew Hawley, and The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth by Kathleen Krull. 
• In Module 5, students read about the American spirit, especially during the Great Depression. Texts in this module include: Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman, and Diary of an Early American Boy by Eric Sloane. 
• In Module 6, students read about space exploration. Texts in this module include: I Jumped at the Offer by Tanya Lee Stone, Neil Armstrong: One Giant Leap for Mankind by Tara Dixon-Engel and Mike Jackson, and Mars and the Search for Life by Elaine Scott. 
• In Module 7, students read about the topic of oceans. Students study ocean exploration and preserving the coastline. Texts in this module include: The Octopus Scientists: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk by Sy Montgomery and Safeguarding the California Coast by Harriet Rohmer. 
• In Module 9, students read about the topic of archaeology. Texts in this module include: Bodies from the Ash: Life and Death in Ancient Pompeii by James M. Deem, King Tut the Hidden Tomb by Ruth Owen, and You Have to Stop This by Pseudonymous Bosch.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts.

Throughout Modules 1-10, students interact with the text to answer questions during Targeted Close Reads, Reads for Understanding, Collaborative Discussion, independent work using graphic organizers, and responding to questions in writing that include finding evidence in the text. In Modules 11-12, students complete Genre Studies, where they are asked to further analyze previously read texts. 

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

• In Module 1, Lesson 3, students read Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push by Walter Dean Myers, and are asked what type of figurative language is “the next day zoomed by.” Then, they are asked, "How do you know?"  They are also asked, "What other words besides zoomed could the author have used to achieve a similar connotation?"
• In Module 6, Lesson 2, after reading I Jumped at the Offer by Tanya Lee Stone, students are asked, "What does the word graced mean in paragraph 9?" Then students are asked to discuss the effect of the figurative language in paragraph 23. 
• In Module 12, Lesson 3, after rereading Analysis of Baseball  by May Swenson, students are asked to identify the type of figurative language the word thwack is in the second stanza. Then they are asked about some of the ways the poet uses onomatopoeia and how using this kind of figurative language can help the author achieve her purpose. 

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

• In Module 9, Lesson 3, after reading Bodies from the Ash by James M. Deem, students are asked: "What is the central idea of paragraphs 1-10?" and "Which details support the central idea?". Then students write a brief summary of these paragraphs. 
• In Module 11, Lesson 12, after rereading paragraphs 33-34 of Who Wants to Move to Mars? (no author), students are asked: "What clues tell you the central idea of the section?" and "How does the author use repetition in the paragraphs to support the central idea?". 

Specific examples of coherently sequenced questions and tasks about details include:

• In Module 2, Lesson 11, after reading the play, Upside-Down and Backward by Louise Rozett, students describe Hermia and Helena and are asked, "What questions do you have after rereading paragraph 2?"
• In Module 7, Lesson 5, after reading The Octopus Scientists Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk by Sy Montgomery, students are asked: "What evidence suggests that an octopus might be close by?" and "Why is it hard for a scientist to tell what the octopus looks like?" 

Specific examples of coherently sequenced questions and tasks about craft include:

• In Module 1, Lesson 5, after reading Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push by Walter Dean Myers, students explain the way the author builds tension and suspense and then describes the tone. 
• In Module 10, Lesson 3, after reading Why Couldn’t Susan B. Anthony Vote? by Mary Kay Carson, students are asked, "What does the author reveal about Susan B. Anthony’s internal traits by describing Anthony’s family?"

Specific examples of coherently sequenced questions and tasks about structure include:

• In Module 3, Lesson 9, students read the magazine article “Lions, No Match for Young Boy and his Invention” by Andrew Howley and describe how the author organizes his ideas in paragraphs 4-6.  Students also answer the question, "What examples of the text structure can you identify?" 
• In Module 8, Lesson 1, students read The World’s Biggest Sports Fans (unknown author).  Students are asked the following questions:  "What features make the structure look more like a magazine than a school paper?" and "How does the text and graphic features in the format of a magazine affect the reader?"
• In Module 10, Lesson 7, after reading Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom by Lynda Blackmon Lowery, students are asked the following questions:  "What is the problem identified in paragraph 4?" and "How it is solved?". Then they are asked, "How does the text structure help you understand the struggles of African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement?"

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria 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.

In the Modules, students are given a Knowledge Map, where they work with the teacher to create a concept map about the topic of study. After each text, students return to the Knowledge Map and complete additional information to help them build knowledge and answer the essential question. 

Examples of text-dependent questions that help students analyze knowledge and ideas include:

• In Module 3, students learn about inventors and inventions. In Lesson 11, they read “3D Printing: Imagination in Technology” by Zoë Kashner.  Students then answer questions such as:  “What are the advantages of producing a car with 3D printing?” and “What are the downsides to 3D printer technology?”
• In Module 6, Lesson 6, after reading Neil Armstrong: One Giant Leap for Mankind by Tara Dixon-Engel and Mike Jackson, students are asked questions such as: “Why might a pilot who is living out the credo, ‘Higher, faster, and farther’ make a good astronaut?” and “Why was Project Mercury important in NASA's efforts to get to the moon?”
• In Module 7, Lesson 9, students read Ocean Careers (unknown author) and are asked a series of questions to build knowledge including: “How is a career in marine geology the same or different from the care of ocean animals?'' and “Why do you think marine engineers and naval architects need more education than motorboat mechanics?”
• In Module 9, Lesson 4, after reading Bodies from the Ash by James M. Deem, students are asked to reread paragraph 19 and are asked, “What effect did the time of death have on the scientists’ ability to make plaster casts of bodies?” 
• In Module 10, Lesson 2, after reading Why Couldn’t Susan B. Anthony Vote by Mary Kay Carson, students are asked, “What are some other human rights struggles that have occurred and might still be going on?”

Students are also asked to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across multiple texts. Some examples include:

• In Module 3, Lesson 2, students listen to the teacher read the text, “Garrett Morgan to the Rescue!" by Paula Morrow. Then students compare this text with other texts in the module, including a video. Students are asked to discuss the information they learned about the process of invention. In addition, students are asked to, “Compare information about inventions in the video, the article, and the read-aloud ‘Garrett Morgan to the Rescue!’. How is the information similar and how is it different?” 
• In Module 6, Lesson 2, students hear “Astronaut School” by Elizabeth Preston and then discuss the information they learned about becoming an astronaut from this text, another text, and a video. Students are then asked, “How is the information in the video, the timeline, and read aloud, “Astronaut School” the same and different?” 
• In Module 8, Lesson 8, students read the text, Who Gets a Trophy? with selections by Betty Berdan, Katie Bugbee, and Jonathan Fader. Students then compare and contrast the various selections to build knowledge. Questions include: “How did Betty Berdan and Katie Bungkee agree and disagree on the topic of participation trophies?” and “ Betty Berdan compares sports to life by saying, ‘It is a fact that there’s room for only a select few on the winners podium’. What does she mean?”. Students are also asked, “The first two articles give opinions against and for participation trophies. What opinion does Jonathan Fader offer in the last article, and how does he explain his position?”. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that 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).

Throughout the Grade 6 materials, students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of a topic by completing a culminating task through integrated skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. At the end of each module, students are tasked with completing a performance task that utilizes the texts, skills, and strategies from the module. This performance task requires students to apply their learning to a writing prompt.These tasks require students to reflect on information they learned in the module, including the knowledge they gained, and it requires them to use the module texts and vocabulary as well. Students are also given the opportunity to share their culminating task, requiring additional speaking and listening skills.

Some specific examples of culminating tasks that require students to demonstrate their knowledge through integrated skills include:

• In Module 3, students learn about inventions and ideas that inspire the most amazing inventions. The end of module task requires students to write a news report about how inventions change people's lives. Students must use evidence from the texts and videos in the module to identify two or more inventions that affect the lives of people today. This requires students to take the information they have heard in a video or read in a text to complete the writing task. After students publish, students select an option to share their news report, including publishing it on a blog or social media, presenting the news report to the class like a television reporter, or submitting the news report to the school newspaper. 
• In Module 5, students learn how the American spirit helps people survive during tough times. Students reflect on the hardships children faced during the Great Depression at the end of the module.  Then they choose a photograph from the text, “Children of the Great Depression,” and write an article based on that photograph. Students must use words from the module, as well as, information from the various module texts to complete the culminating task. Students must use details from the text they read and discussed in order to successfully complete the writing task. 
• In Module 6, students learn about outer space and people who explore outer space. Students are instructed to write an opinion essay about future space travel and exploration as the culminating task. They must think about information they learned about space exploration in the module and use it to write an essay about what people, skills, equipment, and other resources would be necessary for future space travel and exploration. This requires students to integrate the skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening from the module in order to successfully complete the culminating task. 
• In Module 7, students learn about our seas and shorelines and are required to write an informational article about oceans as the culminating task. They must include the part about oceans that fascinates them and the reason(s) we should take care of them, using at least two module texts to write the article. This requires students to integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills from the module to demonstrate knowledge of oceans and seas. When students finish the culminating task, they have the option of exchanging their writing with a partner.  They discuss the parts they liked about each other’s articles and compare and contrast their thoughts about oceans. 
• In Module 8, students learn about how sports test an athlete's character, their motivation to win, their physical and mental traits, and challenges they face to become champions of the game. Students take the information they learned from the module to write a speech that persuades families to sign up their children for a sport of choice, by using evidence from the module texts. Students are provided with a Knowledge Map to connect ideas about competition throughout the module. Students share their speech at the end of module. 
• In Module 9, students learn about how the remains of ancient people give us a window into their lives. Students write a narrative that describes something that they found during a dig. It must include item(s) they found, the way they found it, and the information learned from the discovery that tells us about ancient people, as a culminating task. Students must use evidence from the module texts, Big Idea Words, and critical vocabulary, which requires students to integrate reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills from the module to successfully complete this task.
• In Module 10, students learn about voting, including how only about 60% of eligible U.S. voters participate in a presidential election. At the end of the module, students write a letter that explains the reason(s) voting is an important American right that all eligible voters should exercise. Prior to this culminating task, students read Why Vote? by Bethany Brookshire and discuss why the author thinks that voting is an important skill. Students must use their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills from the module to demonstrate their knowledge of voting and the importance of voting.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts. 

Throughout the Grade 6 materials, students learn vocabulary words that are found within the module texts, as well as, strategies to determine the meaning of unknown words not explicitly taught. Direct word instruction includes students learning both general academic and domain-specific words using consistent routines and Vocabulary Cards. Instruction focuses on word pronunciation, word meaning, and context. Students also learn word-learning strategies that include Vocabulary Strategy and Generative Vocabulary lessons. These lessons are designed to help students see the connections between words, deepen their understanding, and provide students with tools that will help them unlock the meaning of unknown words. In the Genre Study Modules (11 & 12), there is no direct vocabulary instruction; however, a list of instructional vocabulary words and definitions are included at the beginning of the week in the Teacher's Guide. The guide states to encourage students to use these words in their speaking and writing during the week. 

Students engage with a vocabulary routine to learn academic vocabulary words prior to reading a module text. Teachers read aloud each word, and the students repeat it. Then students read and discuss each word’s student-friendly definition. The teacher points out an example of the word, and students suggest other examples. In Step 2 of this routine, students discuss questions and prompts using the vocabulary words. In Step 3, students work independently to complete activities and prompts on Vocabulary Cards. Students Turn and Talk with a partner to discuss the words. Some specific examples include:

• In Module 2, Lesson 2, students learn the words: executive, equipped, harnesses, and stabilizing found in the text, Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push by Walter Dean Myers. Students answer questions such as: “What important skills might an executive of a company need to have?” and “How do seat belts work like a set of harnesses for people riding in a car?”. 
• In Module 4, Lesson 11, students learn the words: belfry, muster, and rafters from the text, Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Students discuss the words in questions such as: “Would a muster of troops be sitting or standing?” and “Where would you see rafters?”. 
• In Module 6, Lesson 7, students learn the words: implications, aeronautics, and priorities from the text, Neil Armstrong: One Giant Leap for Mankind by Tara Dixon Engel and Mike Jackson. Students discuss the words with sentence frames such as: “If someone online is asking for your personal information, the implications could be _____.” and “Students can run into trouble if they have different priorities about_____.”. 
• In Module 7, Lesson 2, students learn the words: realm, quarry, probing, and manipulation from the text, The Octopus Scientist: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk by Sy Montgomery. Students discuss the words by answering questions such as: “What animals might inhibit a desert realm?”  and “What could you hope to learn by probing into the topic of scuba diving?”. 
• In Module 10, Lesson 2, students learn the words: petitions, clergy, activist, abolition, lectures, restrictions, obtain, and swarmed from the text, Why Couldn’t Susan B. Anthony Vote? by Mary Kay Carson. The teacher guides the students to interact with the words by discussing questions such as: “Why is someone called an activist because they try to change laws?” and “How do restrictions change the way pope act?”.

In addition to learning specific words that are found in the texts, students learn vocabulary strategies to apply to unknown words. The routine for these lessons is a three-step process. In Step 1, there is a discussion of the meaning of the skill or affix and how to apply the skill or affix. In Step 2, students engage in guided practice by determining the meaning of other words using the taught skill or affix. In Step 3, students apply the skill by completing an independent practice. For example, students write sentences using the words and share sentences with their partners. At times, students also review previous affixes. Specific examples include:

• In Module 1, Lesson 3, students participate in a Vocabulary Strategy lesson for context clues. In Step 3, students use context clues to determine the meanings of the words: concession, nosiest, and nameplates from the text, Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push by Walter Dean Myers. 
• In Module 3, Lesson 4, students participate in a Generative Vocabulary lesson for the prefix tele- and the Greek roots: elect, electro, and phone. Students work in pairs to define unknown words with these prefixes and Greek roots. 
• In Module 5, Lesson 10, students participate in a Generative Vocabulary lesson for the prefixes: intro -, im-, and the suffix -able. Students find these words in the text, Men of the Woods (no author) and Stories of the Great Depression (video) by Christopher Healthy. Students define words, including the words: impression, introduction, deplorable, and improve, based on their understanding of the prefixes and suffixes. 
• In Module 8, Lesson 10, students work on a Generative Vocabulary lesson with the prefixes uni- and pro-. Students discuss words such as: protected, program, and process from the text, Who Gets a Trophy by Betty Berdan, Katie Bugbee, and Jonathan Fader. 
• In Module 9, Lesson 12, students engage in a Vocabulary Strategy lesson on connotations and denotations. After learning about it, students share ideas, images, and feelings associated with a display of words.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials 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.

Students have many opportunities to write during literacy instruction. Following each main text in their myBook, students respond to their reading through a writing about the reading task. For each of these tasks, students are provided with planning space, a graphic organizer, and reminders to use text evidence. These writing tasks include a variety of text types. In addition, at the end of each module, students complete a performance-based writing task based on the module’s essential question. Many of these prompts ask students to synthesize at least two texts in the module. Students use graphic organizers to plan, draft their writing, edit, and revise before finishing the assignment. Finally, in Writing Workshop, students are explicitly taught the writing process for narrative, informational, and opinion writing. Each of these modules include explicit modeling and instruction for each stage of the writing process. Each module is tied to a focal text, and students write daily and receive regular conferencing with teachers and peers to improve their writing. For most modules, the students focus on a particular writing mode and explore it through all aspects of writing instruction, which further help students achieve grade-level proficiency in writing. 

Specific examples of writing instruction prompts in myBook include:

• In Module 2, Lesson 15, students write a review about the play, Upside-Down and Backward by Louise Rozett, as if it was in a local newspaper . 
• In Module 3, Lesson 10, students write an advertisement for an online newspaper to advertise Richard Tuerere’s lion light invention. The advertisement must include the benefits of his invention and persuade people to buy it. 
• In Module 7, Lesson 10, students write three careers that interest them after reading “Ocean Careers” (unknown author). Students need to explain interesting parts of each career, as well as, the education and training required and the reason(s) each of the careers is a good fit. 
• In Module 8, Lesson 5, students write a list of the five traits that Babe Didrikson Zaharias possessed that helped make her one of the top athletes of the twentieth century, after reading Babe Didrikson Zaharias by Russell Freedman. 
• In Module 10, Lesson 7, after reading Road to Freedom by Lynda Blackmon Lowery, students write a paragraph to justify or explain the nine arrests from her youth. 

Performance tasks require students to apply what they have learned about the writing process in order to demonstrate their understanding of the essential questions and key knowledge and skills in each module. Some examples of performance tasks that provide instruction in writing include:

• In Module 1, students write an informational motivational speech that explains how to achieve a goal, no matter how difficult or impossible it may seem. Students draw on earlier module experience of writing about a trait during week 2. 
• In Module 4, students write a short narrative about the president who chooses two characters from two different texts who could help him find a dog and return it to Washington D.C. 
• In Module 6, students write an opinion essay about people, skills, equipment, and other resources that will be necessary for future space travel and exploration. 
• In Module 7, students write an informational article about oceans for a local newspaper. Students plan by identifying their topic, main idea, and three details, and then they work with a partner at the end of the three weeks to determine if their main idea and supporting details are complete. 
• In Module 10, students write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper that explains why voting is an important American right that all eligible voters should exercise. Students follow the steps of the writing process to complete this task. 

In Writing Workshop, students engage in lessons that focus on process-based writing to generate ideas, organize drafts, revise and edit, and then publish and share. Students learn about the characteristics of narrative, informational, and opinion writing and work on one piece of writing throughout all three weeks of a module. Specific examples of writing instruction and prompts in Writing Workshop include:

• In Module 1, students write a personal narrative that explains a situation where a mistake turned out to lead to a positive experience. During the three week process, students participate in the writing process. 
• In Module 3, students write an opinion essay arguing that an invention or innovation that they learned about from the module is the most important. Students learn how to write an argument by comparing informational text to an argument text. 
• In Module 6, students write an argumentative essay in support of or against a space-related project by researching facts to support a claim with counterclaims, rebuttals, and a conclusion. 
• In Module 10, students write an opinion letter about an idea they have to make their classroom, school, or community better. Students learn the parts of an opinion letter and then conduct interviews and surveys for evidence before drafting. 

During the Genre Study Modules (Module 11 & 12), students work on a week long writing assignment in the genre in which they are reading. Examples include:

• In Module 11, Lessons 11-15, students learn about persuasive texts and write either a persuasive speech or a pet advertisement. 
• In Module 12, Lessons 6-10, students learn about realistic fiction and then write a graphic novel or a realistic fiction sequel to a text they have read.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that 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.

Each module in Grade 6 contains an Inquiry and Research Project. These projects require students to work for an extended period of time to solve a problem, answer a question or share information. Inquiry and Research Projects align to the big idea in the module, and students are encouraged to draw from the texts read during the module. Each Inquiry and Research Project follows three steps, with each step taking place during a different week of the module. During Week 1, the project is launched. Students collaborate to generate research questions and develop a research plan. Students also research source materials available including books, magazines, videos, and online sources. During Week 2, students write and create their project. Students draft and revise their work, and a variety of materials are provided to complete the project including art supplies and digital materials. During Week 3, students present and reflect. Students practice their presentation, share their final product with an audience, assess their work, and celebrate. In the Guiding Principles and Strategies Resource section, teachers are provided with guidance for best practices to facilitate Inquiry and Research Projects. Some of these best practices include selecting an outside audience for Week 3, allowing time for revision, and modeling how to find and record information.

Specific examples of research projects found throughout the year include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, students create an inspirational vision board that includes pictures, quotes, sayings, and goals. In Week 1, students base their vision board on goals or improvements they want to make for the year. In Week 2, students work on visuals that connect to the goals, but also visuals that make them happy and reflect their personalities. In Week 3, students present their project in small groups and give each other positive feedback about their vision board. 
• In Module 2, students work in groups to develop an idea for a movie. Students create a poster for the movie, write a summary of the movie, and if time allows, write a portion of the script. In Week 1, students research movies, TV shows, or books for interesting characters and a story that they would want to turn into a movie. In Week 2, students write a summary of their movie that includes a short character description and an actor or short scene. In Week 3, students present their projects. 
• In Module 3, students work in groups to create an idea for an invention and a needs assessment chart for the invention. In Week 1, students research inventions, as well as, brainstorm problems in the world and inventions that could solve those problems. In Week 2, students choose an invention idea, draw a design of the invention, and write a short description of the invention's purpose. Students also create a final draft of their invention design by adding color and labeling parts. In Week 3, students present to an audience and reflect on what they learned. 
• In Module 4, students create a travel plan for the trip of a lifetime. Students create a map, compile pictures of the destinations, and create a description of the places they plan to go and the reasons they chose this destination. Students begin by researching their idea before putting together their travel plan and presenting it to the class.
• In Module 5, students research the Great Depression and create a museum exhibit about it. Students can work individually or in pairs, and the exhibit should include photos, illustrations, graphs, diagrams, videos, or other visual aids. Students can also create their own artifact for the museum exhibit. Students place their research on tri-fold posters. 
• In Module 6, students complete a research project about exploring outer space. Students create a mock interview and a testing regimen for space pioneers. In Week 2, students write five to ten interview questions to ask people who are interested in becoming Mars pioneers. Then they create a rough draft for a poster that advertises for astronaut candidates. In Week 3, students present to the class. 
• In Module 7, students read a variety of texts to research an ocean life form and create an advertising campaign to protect that life form. Students begin exploring in Week 1 by using module texts and additional sources. In Week 2, students choose their life form to profile, draft their ad, revise, edit, and create a visual for their presentation for Week 3. 
• In Module 8, students research a new sport, game, or activity that could be played at school. Over the course of the three weeks, students research, write facts, rules, and reasons why the sport should be played, create visuals for a presentation, and present to an audience. 
• In Module 9, students learn about and research how to create a time capsule. Students begin by discussing the module texts, “Secrets of the Mummies” and Bodies from the Ash. Students then research, choose artifacts, write a short description of the items, and draft letters to people in the future for their time capsule. 
• In Module 10, students work in small groups to create a platform for student leadership. Roles are assigned, and as a culmination of this project, students vote on the best platform for class leadership. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria 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.

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies Resource section, there is an area called “Supporting Reading Independence”. In this section, teachers are provided with resources and strategies to help students become independent and enthusiastic readers both in the classroom and at home. There is also information regarding organization of a classroom reading center, including procedures for students to self select books, set individual reading goals, and constructing responses to reading. In addition, the Family and Community section provides information on independent reading. Students complete independent reading during literacy centers while the teacher is meeting with small groups of students. Students self-select books and record progress on a reading log. There is information on how to promote independent reading at home and ways to keep track of texts students read. In Modules 11 and 12, students read independently in the genre focus for the book. 

Some of the specific suggestions that the program provides for independent reading in the classroom include:

• Organizing the classroom reading center, introducing new books in the library throughout the year, and creating a diverse library that reflects the diversity of the classroom. The reading center should be designed in a way that students read independently and also discuss books with peers. Reading logs, reading nonfiction printables, and pencils and markers should also be found in the reading center.
• Teaching students to self select books by modeling choosing books and having students conduct short book talks to recommend books to their classmates.
• Teaching students to set goals and respond to reading by increasing the amount of time gradually that students read throughout the year, encouraging students to set a goal for how much reading they will do, and having students create a response journal to document their independent reading books.
• During literacy centers, students can self select or continue reading an independent reading book, keep track of progress by using a reading log, and utilize the independent reading printable to keep track of nonfiction key ideas. The reading log includes title, genre, date, time spent, pages read, as well as a summary or answer to a discussion question.

Some of the specific suggestions that the program provides for independent reading at home include:

• Demonstrating to families how to be a fluent reader and how to interact with children while reading aloud to them. It is encouraged that this happens once a week and that parents also hear children read to them. The teacher should also provide book ideas and coach parents on how to consider children’s interests when selecting a text.
• Encouraging families to dedicate time at least once per week to read with their children, sending home a reading log so students can record time spent reading outside of the classroom, and providing strategies for text selection, such as reading a page and seeing if they read five or more words incorrectly and choosing a different book.
• Sharing a summer reading list with suggestions of titles across a variety of genres for students to read independently and with their families. The teacher should also send home a list of questions families should ask students before, during, and after reading.
• Suggesting that families participate in a book club or other book events that will spark students’ interest in topics.