The instructional materials for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria 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.

Grade 1 lessons focus on different areas of phonemic awareness and phonics. Lesson 1 of each week has a phonemic awareness/phonics activity. Lesson 2 has a phonics activity. Lesson 3 has phonemic awareness/phonics/high-frequency words. Lesson 4 and Lesson 5 have phonics activities. However, some standards are not taught in the materials such as: Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words and inflectional endings are not taught in detail. Students have sufficient opportunities to practice reading one-syllable words, but explicit instruction in decoding two-syllable words was minimal during phonics instruction.

Students have opportunities to learn and understand phonemes (e.g., distinguish long and short vowels, blend sounds, pronounce vowels in single-syllable words, and segment single-syllable words). Instruction in distinguishing long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words is not evident. Examples include:

• In Theme 3, Week 1, Lesson 1, the phonemic awareness/phonics activity focuses on -op and -ot word families. The phoneme isolation activity starts with -op words. The teacher states an -op word and students focus on the middle and ending sound in the word. This is then done with -ot words. The "Connect Sounds and Symbols" activity extends this to help students make the sound and spelling connection between the letters o and p and the letters o and t.
• In Theme 4, Week 2, Lesson 6, students practice segmenting the words gum, bud, sun and cup. The teacher models the first one and then students practice segmenting the other words.
• In Theme 7, Week 2, Lesson 6, student listen to the teacher isolate word families such as ill and ell. Students listen and tell the phoneme that has been added to the following word pairs: “ill/pill, ill/bill. Repeat activity with ell words: ell/bell, ell/fell.”
• In Theme 8, Week 2, Lesson 6, the focus is -ail and -ain word families. The teacher states an -ail word and has students identify words from that word family that the teacher states. This is also done for the -ain words. The word families continue to be covered in the "Connect Sounds and Symbols" activity where the teacher writes the word hail on the board, and sounds out the word slowly while drawing his/her finger underneath the letters. The teacher is instructed to “help children understand that the letters ai stand for one sound, long a.” The teacher then points out that while there are “four letters, it has only three sounds.” This is repeated for several more -ail and -ain words.
• In Theme 12, Week 1, Lesson 1, students say blends in words. The teacher writes cl on the board and states, “The letters c and l stand for the sounds you hear at the beginning of clap /kl/. Students say the blends in the following words: “blot, glad, plus, and slip.”
• In Theme 13, Week 1, Lesson 1, students practice phoneme segmentation with Elkonin boxes. Students segment words with r-controlled vowels such as car and star.
• In Theme 15, Week 2, Lesson 6, students blend words with sw- and sm-. The teacher begins by modeling how to blend the letters in swim. Students then blend the word smash.
• In Theme 15, Week 1, Lesson 3, the focus is on st and sk blends. As the teacher says the word storm slowly, students are asked to “listen to /st/ at the beginning and write the letters that make the sound as you model on the board.” The teacher then says several word pairs and students are asked to “clap when they hear a word that begins with /st/.” The same is done with /sk/ words.

Lessons and activities provide students opportunities to learn grade-level phonics skills while decoding words (e.g., spelling-sound correspondences of digraphs, decode one-syllable words, know final-e and long vowels, syllable and vowel relationship). Examples include:

• In Theme 7, Week 1, Lesson 2, students learn two digraphs: sh, th. The teacher displays the Skills Master chart containing /sh/ and /th/ words. The teacher then models blending the words the, with, this, think, shade, shapes, shark. Students then place a sticky note under the words with th- and practice blending. They repeat this for the words with sh-
• In Theme 8, the phonics lessons contain CVCe. In Theme 8, Week, Lesson 1, students learn -ake and -ale. In Theme 9, students learn -oke and -ope.
• In Theme 12, Week 2, Lesson 7, students learn compound words. To read compound words, students read one-syllable words first such as: day, time, sun, tan.
• In Theme 16, Week 2, Lesson 1, students learn two digraphs: ch, wh.

Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonemic awareness instruction to build toward application. However, instruction in all standards is not evident. Examples include:

In the small group reading teacher’s guide, there is a “Developmental Phonics Scope and Sequence” provided. This scope and sequence breaks the skills down into phonemic awareness, alphabet knowledge, sound-symbol patterns, and meaning (word study). In the introduction to the scope and sequence, the authors state, “In Literacy by Design, phonemic awareness, phonics, and word study instruction is correlated to reading levels. Below grade-level readers receive instruction in foundational skills, while above grade-level readers receive instruction in challenging skills. Phonemic awareness skills are focused in levels AA through I. Alphabet knowledge is covered in levels A through E. Sound-Symbol patterns are addressed in levels F through M. Meaning (Word Study) is covered in levels N through W.

• Themes 1-5, short vowels
• Theme 6, et, ed, ick, ack word families
• Theme 7, th, sh digraphs and ill, ell word families
• Theme 8, short vowels to long vowels
• Theme 9, -oke, -ope, -oad, and -old word families
• Theme 10, ike, ide, ie, ight word families
• Theme 11, eed, eam word families and long u
• Theme 12, consonant l blends and compound words
• Theme 13, r-controlled vowels
• Theme 14, gr, tr, br, pr blends
• Theme 15, st, sk, sw, sm blends
• Theme 16, bl, nd, nt, st final blends and ch, wh digraphs

The instructional materials reviewed partially meet the criteria for 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.

Grade 1 materials provide opportunities for word analysis and recognition skills as a regular part of small guided reading group instruction. Skills are taught through regular phonics instruction and high frequency word instruction in each guided reading group book. These skills are also addressed in writing, through the use of Spotlight on Phonics lessons that integrated phonics skills during read-aloud of a mentor text to student writing. However, the materials lack explicit directions for the use of decodable and leveled readers.

Materials support students’ development to learn grade-level word recognition and analysis skills (e.g., spelling-sound correspondences of digraphs, decode one-syllable words, syllable and vowel relationship, decode two-syllable words, read words with inflectional endings) in connected text and tasks. Examples include:

• In Theme 4, Week 2, Lesson 9, students practice reading short u words. The teacher reviews the big book, “Luisa’s Lab,” and students practicing reading the words, mug, up, run and yum.
• In Theme 5, My Neighborhood, Lesson 1, the word families of un and ug are taught. This is done through word rhyming activities and the connect sounds and symbols activity where the teacher writes words that end with un and ug and then has students “identify the rhyming pairs.”
• In Theme 7, Week 1, Lesson 2, the students place sticky notes under words with th in them. Student read the /th/ word and underline the word with their finger. Then the students place sticky notes under words with sh in them. Student read the /sh/ word and underline the word with their finger. In Lesson 4, students identify th and sh words in The Bell in the Well.
• In Theme 7, Week 2, Lesson 2, the the students place sticky notes under words with -ill in them. Student read -ill words and underline the word with their finger.
• In Theme 8, Week 1, Lesson 2, students place sticky notes under words with -ake in them. Student read the -ake word and underline the word with their finger. Then the students place sticky notes under words with ale in them. Student read the -ale word and underline the word with their finger.
• In Theme 11, Week 1, Lesson 3, students decode two-syllable words, with -eed and -eam words.
• In Theme 13, Week 2, Lesson 9, students practice reading words with -y ending when they are reading the book, A Play for All. They practice reading the words, my, shy and try.
• In Theme 15, Week 2, Lesson 6, students practice making words with sw and sm blends.
• In Theme 16, Week 2, Lesson 7, students learn digraphs ch and wh by listening to words that have the sounds in them and raising their hand when they hear the first wh word.
• Word recognition and analysis skills were addressed on a regular basis in the Small Group lessons through phonemic awareness activities. For example:
  • In Level D, Buddy’s Bath, “Say think, thank, thistle. Explain that these words begin with the /th/ sound, and have children repeat the sound. Tell them that the letters th together can make the /th/ sound. Have children tell you which word ends with /th/: math, sick. Yes, math ends with the /th/ sound.”
  • In Level D, "Cold Day, Hot Chocolate", “Tell children that word families are made of words with the same ending sounds. These words rhyme. Say sentences, such as Can I take my /b/-/ike/ on a /h/-/ike/? Model for children how to blend the onsets and rimes, say the words, and then note their rhyme. Form sentences with onsets and rimes for these words: nice, mice; nice, rice; like, Mike. Guide children to blend the segmented ike and ice words in your sentences.”

Materials provide frequent opportunities to read irregularly spelled words in connected text and tasks. Examples include:

• In the Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide, Appendix, there are five high-frequency word activities:
  • Concentration requires two sets of high-frequency word cards. Students take turns flipping over the high-frequency word cards. Students match the identical high-frequency words.
  • Board Game requires a numbered spinner, button marker, and a “follow the path” grid. Students spin, move the number of spaces, read the high-frequency word, and use the word in context. If successful, the student’s marker stays on the space.
  • High-Frequency Bingo requires a set of high-frequency cards and bingo cards with grid. Students write random high-frequency words on the grid squares and play bingo in the typical manner.
  • Say It! Match It! requires two students each with a set of high-frequency words. Students turn cards over at the same time and if the words match, students shout “Match!”
  • Word Search requires a 5x5 boxed grid with a high-frequency word in each of the 25 boxes. A set of high-frequency cards must match the words in the grid. A student selects a card, reads the word, and places a marker on the grid to the matching word.
• In Level B, Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide, the teacher is provided with a list of high-frequency words: get, his. The teacher writes the words on the Word Wall and has students copy the words onto index cards. As the students read the text, they make tally marks each time they notice the high-frequency words.

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

• In Theme 5, Week 1, Lesson 3, in the phonemic awareness/phonics activity, the high-frequency words or, by, there, milk, and more are introduced. The teacher reviews the words with students through spelling them aloud. After this, students are expected to “copy them on their own paper, and then read them to gain word automaticity.”
• In Theme 7, Week 1, Lesson 3, when learning about the poem A Bell in the Well, students have a Spotlight on Phonics lesson that focuses on th and sh digraphs. “Review /th/ and /sh/ by asking children to share words with th and sh in them. Write these words on the board and point out the th and sh spelling patterns. As children write independently, encourage them to refer to the list of words on the board and think about the spelling patterns of th and sh words.”
• In Theme 13, Week 1, Lesson 3, when learning about problem and solution using the text, A Play for All, students have a Spotlight on Phonics section that focuses on using r-controlled vowels in their work. “Remind children that good writers sound out words to help them spell words in their writing. Review how the letter r changes the sound of the preceding vowels in words such as car and horn. Ask children to think about what they’ve learned about r-controlled vowels to help them spell words as they write independently today.” After writing the teachers asks students to, “Share examples of words with r-controlled vowels that you used in your writing today.”
• In Theme 13, Week 2, Lesson 10, students explore words with -y together as a group through listing consonant combinations to reinforce the sound of long i with the y added at the end of these combinations. The next activity is Explore Words in Writing. In this activity, the teacher asks, “A question whose answer is a word with -y. Then have children write the word.”

Practice with distinguishing long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words is not evident in the materials.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for materials supporting 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.

Grade 1 materials lack opportunities for assessments to provide the teacher with next steps. For example, the Fluency Assessment Rubric provides data to the teacher about students’ fluency, but no next steps or supports for what the teacher should do to help students make progress in fluency. The materials do not include a clear and specific protocol as to how students performing below standard on these assessments will be supported. The program for Grade 1 contains assessments in spelling, fluency, phonics, comprehension, writing and READs diagnostic assessments. There is also a READs teacher manual that helps support the teacher in determining progress for students. On an oral fluency assessment, there are questions that the teacher can answer after giving a reading fluency assessment such as: patterns that were noticed, miscues that the student had, or how often the student asked for teacher assistance. Once these questions are answered, there is no guidance on what the teacher is expected to do next in order to support the student.

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. Examples include:

• Rigby READS (Reading Evaluation and Diagnostic System) Forms A and B are used.
  • This provides teachers with information about students’ instructional levels.
  • It provides diagnostic data about strengths and developmental areas of phonics, phonemic awareness, and fluency.
  • The reports provide information about: small group placement, student comparison to grade-level expectation, and information about planning purposes.

• Theme Progress Tests provide are administered every two weeks. These assess Theme Skills Mastery: comprehension, vocabulary, phonics/word study, high-frequency words, literacy skills, grammar, writing. The mid-year and end-of-year tests are cumulative.
• The Appendix of Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide includes:
  • A Fluency Assessment Rubric and a Fluency Assessment Tracking Form to track each student’s fluency progress.
  • An Oral Reading Record to analyze each student’s oral reading.
• Benchmark Book Assessments are given, “3-4 times a year or as necessary to assess reading level.”
• Fluency Readers are used once a student can read at a level C and are given once a month.
• Fluency Reader Software is used once a month and contains automatic calculation of words per minute.

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information of students’ current skills/level of understanding. Examples include:

• In Theme 8, there is on-going test practice sheets 64 and 65 that students do during the theme. There is also a progress assessment on pages 66 - 72 of the assessment guide to help the teacher determine if students are on-track in understanding the skills that are taught.
• Fluency Assessment are on A30 of the Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide. Teachers are instructed to give the fluency assessment by using one of the leveled readers that students have read at least two times. The teacher then conducts a one minute fluency assessment on a section of text from the book. Teachers are instructed not to begin fluency assessment until at least level F. A Fluency Assessment Rubric is also included where a teacher scores a student on a scale of 1-4 in the following areas: expression, accuracy, punctuation, phrasing, pace and comprehension. The teacher then comes up with a total “prosody rating score.” A table in the Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide informs the teacher about the student grade level based on words per minute.
• Small Guided Reading Group lessons also provide in the moment assessments for teachers to use. For example:
  • In Level E, "K-9 Team on Patrol", page 142, the teacher is provided with the following Assess Progress box in the margin: “Phonics: Assess recognition and use of -ide and -come word families with the magnetic board. Place the letters for the words ride and home on the board for a child to read. Then ask the child to choose the letters for the words tide and dome.”

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

• Theme Progress Tests provide a scoring rubric with the tested elements with reteaching follow-ups. For example:
  • In Theme 8, Week 1, Lesson 1, the teacher is prompted to give Theme 7, progress test. For students that scored fewer than 12 of 15 items correct, the teacher is prompted to use the reteaching suggestions provided in Theme 7 scoring guide during the differentiated reading instruction lesson.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria 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.

Grade 1 materials include 64 leveled readers in Grade 1 and 6 copies per set. Each leveled reader includes five pages of lesson plans with two days of instruction. There are 20 minutes for instruction time and 5-10 minutes of reflection time. Prior to reading the Leveled Readers, students practice phonemic awareness and phonics lessons. Weekly lessons provide multiple opportunities for students to learn and master a foundational skill such as short vowel sounds. The materials provide minimal guidance to a teacher as to how to differentiate the core lessons or small group lessons when students are struggling or understanding the foundational skill learning. The materials provide some suggestions for struggling learners and limited suggestions for extended learning. Extension activities are inconsistently provided throughout the entire program. There is a Skills Master that includes additional practice to extend lessons through decodable stories.

Materials provide learning lessons and activities for every student to reach mastery of foundational skills. Examples include:

• In the Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide, students on track and students ready for acceleration can access phonics instruction. There are different lessons with levels for students to learn foundational skills at their instructional level.
• In the Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide, struggling readers have the opportunity to access differentiated instruction of foundational skills such as phonemic awareness and phonics.
  • In Level B, Lesson 1, Phonemic Awareness/Phonics, students at that level have the opportunity to blend onset and rime such as /g/ /ot/, /c/ /ot/, /h/ /as/, and /p/ /ad/.
• Integrated differentiation is in the core materials to help English language learners and struggling learners access the grade level content in reading and writing, but not necessarily with foundational skills in the core material, Comprehension Bridge, and Writing Bridge.
• Enrichment activities are also provided throughout the teacher's manual in the margins of certain lessons. For example:
  • In Theme 12, Week 2, Lesson 10, “Have children write their own list of fanciful compound words they make-up and define. For example, penball could be a game played with pens and superballs.”

Materials provide minimal guidance to teachers for scaffolding and adapting lessons and activities to support each student’s needs. Examples include:

• While extra opportunities are provided in the Small Group Reading, the guidance provided to teachers for scaffolding and adapting the small group lesson is not detailed. For example:
  • In Level D, Lesson 2, the sidebar contains “Assess Progress Fluency: As children read, listen to individuals to assess their use of punctuation. See page A31 of this guide for a Fluency Rubric” No guidance is provided as to how to adapt the Small Group Reading Lesson 2 Fluency based on the Fluency Rubric.

Students have practice opportunities with each grade level foundational skill component in order to reach mastery. Examples include:

• Over a week, students have the opportunity to learn a particular phonemic awareness and phonics skill. Small Group Reading also contains further lessons in phonemic awareness and phonics skills. For example:
  • In Theme 7, Week 1, students learn two digraphs: th, sh. In Lesson 1, students blend sounds to make the word ship after the teach states the word. In Lesson 2, students find words in text with th and sh. In Lesson 3, students listen to the teach say words with th and sh, and students hold up a card to identify with digraph they hear.
  • In Small Group Reading Level D, Lesson 1, students listen to the teacher says words that begin with /th/. Students tell the teacher which words end in /th/.

• Students practice a foundational skill in whole group by writing the words, finding the words in a sentence or by using a magnetic board to build the words. Students then continue to practice the skill in small group reading lessons when they are reading a text that is at their reading level.