1st Grade - Gateway 2

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria 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.

Texts are connected by a central topic that is appropriate for Grade 1. Texts build students’ knowledge, vocabulary, and the ability to comprehend complex texts across the school year. The Student Interactive books help to guide students through the close read process throughout the entire year. Over the five units, central topics include My Neighborhood, I Spy, Imagine That, Making History, and Beyond my World. The units are designed to build knowledge and vocabulary and become more rigorous as the year progresses.

 Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, the theme is I Spy. This unit is about how things grow and change. In Week 3, Lesson 1, students listen to Animal Babies Change and discuss some changes animals make as they grow. The topic is built upon with the shared read, How do Baby Animals Grow?  
• In Unit 3, the theme is Imagine That. This unit is based on using imagination and being creative. In Week 4, the Leveled Readers discuss ways to use imagination to create things. The books, I Draw With Chalk, Let’s Make a Mask, and Cool Cakes, show things that someone can create using their imagination. The books, The Duckling, Stone Soup, and The Elves and the Shoemaker, are folktales that provide opportunities for students to use their imagination and visualize the stories.
• In Unit 4, the theme is Making History. In Weeks 1-5, the texts build students' knowledge on important people and developments of our historical background. Over the unit, students learn about Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackie Robinson, the development of the railroad, the story of how the American flag came to be, and Eleanor Roosevelt. 
• In Unit 5, the theme is Beyond My World and the Essential Question is “How do the seasons affect us?”  The shared reading texts that follow that theme are: Week 1, Every Season with the Weekly Question: What happens during the seasons?; Week 2, Seasons Around the World with the Weekly Question: What are seasons like around the world?; Week 3, In Spring with the Weekly Question: What do people like about the seasons?; Week 4, My Autumn Book with the Weekly Question: How do we know when seasons are changing?; Week 5, Signs of Winter with the Weekly Question: What do living things do in the winter?

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria 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.

Over the course of the year, students analyze the author’s words and phrases, key ideas, details, craft, and structure as they interact, both individually and in large/small groups, with texts through questioning or by performing different tasks. Questions and tasks are sequenced to build students’ understanding gradually through each text and topic. By the end of each unit, questions and tasks become increasingly more complex and rigorous. 

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Unit 1, Week 2, Lesson 2, Reading Workshop, Shared Read, after reading Henry on Wheels, the teacher reminds students they learned the words “sand, block, street, and corner” and asks students to “think about why the author used these words. How are they related to each other? What is the author describing?” 
• In Unit 2, Week 2, Lesson 1, Reading Workshop, Genre and Theme, students learn that informational text can be organized by sequence of events or description. After the teacher models how to identify the organizational pattern of an informational text, students are asked to complete either of the following tasks: "1. Students work in pairs to discuss the organization of informational text. The teacher circulates to determine if students have an understanding. 2. Students look at other informational texts independently. Students list the books that they read and note the structure of each text."
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Lesson 3, Reading Workshop, Shared Reading, students learn about the structure and elements of poetry. The teacher reads aloud “Poodle Doodles,” “The Box,” and “Sandcastle." Then, students are asked to complete either of the following tasks: "1. Students complete page 130 in the Student Interactive Workbook. Students circle the example from each poem that shows alliteration and repetition. 2. Students independently read poems and place sticky notes to mark examples of repetition, alliteration, rhythm, and rhyme. 
• In Unit 4, Week 4, Lesson 3, Reading Workshop, Close Read, students learn how to compare and contrast two texts. The teacher models how to compare texts by reading aloud What is the Story of Our Flag and The First American Flag. Then, students are asked to complete either of the following assignments: "1. Using the stories What is the Story of Our Flag and The First American Flag, students compare and contrast the two texts using the Student Interactive Workbook page 176. 2. Students read two independent texts. Then, students use a graphic organizer to show how the texts are similar and different."
• In Unit 5, Week 4, Lesson 4, Reading Workshop, Close Reading, Find Important Details, students read My Autumn Book. The teacher asks the following sequence of questions: "Does the story need this detail to make sense? Does it matter that a chilly wind blows? Does it matter that the girl zips her jacket?"
• In Unit 5, Week 5, Lesson 4, Reading Workshop, Close Read, students learn how to make inferences from the text. The teacher models for students how to infer by reading aloud and modeling from Signs of Winter. Then students are asked to complete either of the following assignments: "1. Use page 201 from the Student Interactive Workbook to write what they read, what they know, and to draw an inference using the text Signs of Winter. 2. Students draw inferences about the text and record their inferences on a chart."

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 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. 

The materials provide teachers guidance outlining a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component in the Reading Workshop and the Reading-Writing Bridge. The vocabulary taught in the Reading Workshop comes directly from the anchor text for the week. The vocabulary taught in the Reading-Writing Bridge focuses on academic vocabulary; examples include: context clues, antonyms, and related words. Vocabulary is repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts) and across multiple texts. Attention is paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and to high value academic words. Students are supported to accelerate vocabulary learning with vocabulary in their reading, speaking, and writing tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, Lesson 1, Reading Workshop, the teacher guides discussion surrounding an Infographic. In Lessons 3 and 4, the vocabulary is discussed again through teacher questioning during the close reading of the shared reading text. For example, “Headings are used to group _____. What are the various tasks a crossing guard does?”  Students also complete a vocabulary page in the Student Interactive. During Lesson 5, Compare Texts, the teacher again provides oral practice of the vocabulary words during questioning when connecting to the Weekly Question. In Week 1, Lesson 1 of the Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, students are reminded of the vocabulary words for the week and complete a context clues activity with the words in the Student Interactive. In Week 6, Project-Based Inquiry, students are reminded to use their academic vocabulary words in their projects.
• In Unit 1, Week 1, Lesson 2, Shared Reading, students read The Blackout. The teacher says, “Authors choose words that can help a reader picture what happens in a story. The vocabulary words check, quiet, listen, and mutter tell what happens and what the characters are doing.” The teacher tells students to "Remind yourself of the word’s meaning. Look for pictures that can help you understand a word’s meaning." Students complete one of the following tasks: "1. Students underline the word that completes each sentence on page 38 of the Student Interactive. Students find and list words in their independent reading texts that tell about events and characters."
• In Unit 2, Week 2, Lesson 2, Shared Reading, students read The Life Cycle of a Sunflower. The teacher reminds students that "authors choose words to help them describe things. The vocabulary words from The Life Cycle of a Sunflower all tell about the parts of a plant and how it grows.” The teacher tells students to "Remind yourself what each word means. Look for illustrations and photographs that help you understand the words. Think about why the author chose to use these words. What information is the author describing?" Students are asked to complete one of the following tasks: "1. Students draw a picture that shows what each word means on page 76 in the Student Interactive. 2. Students will find and list unfamiliar words that describe a topic from their independent reading texts."
• In Unit 3, Week 4, Lesson 2, Reading Workshop, Shared Read, the teacher introduces and reinforces the story vocabulary words (sad, angry, happy, and surprised) before and after reading.  Students then act out words they know. The teacher defines the words for students, if needed. Words are also defined in text boxes as students are reading to help with word meaning. After reading, students complete a vocabulary activity in the Student Interactive to check for understanding. 
• In Unit 4, Week 4, Lesson 2, Shared Reading, students read What is the Story of Our Flag? and The First American Flag. The teacher tells students, “the vocabulary words stars, field, patch, and stripes describe parts of the American flag. Some of the words have more than one meaning.” The teacher tells students to "Look at pictures of the flag to help them visualize the word’s meaning. Use context clues from the text." Students are asked to complete one of the following tasks: "1. Students use a picture of the American Flag to write the word that fits each label on page 174 in the Student Interactive. 2. Students use sticky notes to mark pages with unfamiliar words. If they can use context clues to determine meaning, ask students to put a check mark on the sticky note."
• In Unit 4, Week 6, Lesson 1, Project-Based Inquiry, students use the academic vocabulary from the unit (experience, supply, necessary, record) as they prepare for the culminating project.  Students discuss the words as they relate to the unit theme, Making History. When using the Student Interactive, students talk about the picture using academic words.
• In Unit 5, Week 3, Reading Workshop, Leveled Readers, the teacher introduces and reinforces the story vocabulary words (stories, land, shines, and warmth) before and after reading. During and after reading the teacher leads the discussion: "The storyteller tells us this story is about Tokahe and Tatanka. Think about what you have seen and read so far. What else do you think this story is about?  Why? Think about your experiences with new places. Why do you think the people were interested in another land? Think about the experiences the Lakota have had in the new land. Predict how the Lakota will use the buffalo to help them." Teachers guide students through a sequence graphic organizer together, and finally, the students write to a prompt about the story: “Why did Tatanka and his wife become buffalo?” During the discussion and writing, there are many opportunities to use the story vocabulary.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria 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 materials contain well-designed lesson plans, models, writing rubrics, and protocols for teachers to implement and monitor students’ writing development. Students are supported through the writing process with mentor texts, models, and shared writing. Feedback is provided by peers, the teacher, and self-evaluations to ensure that students' writing skills are increasing throughout the year.  Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Writing Workshop, Week 1, Introduce and Immerse, students are introduced to Writer’s Workshop and the writing process and begin learning about writers. They use the Student Interactive to help generate ideas. In Week 2, Develop Elements, students generate ideas for their books and learn about digital tools. In Week 3, Develop Structure, students learn about fiction and nonfiction books. In Week 4, Writer’s Craft, students work on adding details to their writing. In Week 5, Publish, Celebrate, Assess, students revise by adding to their illustrations and improving their writing. Students then publish and celebrate/share their writing. The Daily Plan is five to 10 minutes of Minilessons, 30-40 minutes of independent writing and conferences, and five to 10 minutes of share back focus. Writer’s Workshop is scheduled daily.
• In Unit 2, Writing Workshop, students learn the elements of informational text. In Week 1, students write a variety of informational books. In Week 2, students apply what they learned about writing a main idea and supporting it with facts, details, and graphics to help readers better understand their topic. In Week 3, students explore and apply structure and features of informational books and develop an introduction and conclusion for their own writing. In Week 4, students explore and apply relevant grammatical skills to help them correct and improve their writing. In Week 5, students apply what they have learned to publish, share, and celebrate their informational book.
• In Unit 4, Weeks 1-5, Writing Workshop students learn the elements of narrative writing. In Week 1, students write a variety of personal narratives, choosing their best work to share at the end of the unit. In Week 2, students apply what they learn about the narrator, setting, problem, and resolution as they write their own personal narrative. In Week 3, students organize the events in their personal narratives. In Week 4, students explore and apply grammatical skills to correct and improve their writing and continue to write and edit their drafts. In Week 5, students publish and celebrate their personal narratives and be assessed on what they learned about personal narratives.
• In Unit 5, Week 2, Writing Workshop, Writing Workshop, students are introduced to the elements of a how-to text. Mentor texts are used to model the structure of procedural texts. Students practice writing an introduction and conclusion on how to make a bed.  Next, they write the steps to brush their teeth and add pictures/graphics to support the text. At the end of the week, students share their how-to writing in their Writing Club groups. Conversation Starters are provided to help with discussions.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria 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 materials include research projects that are sequenced across the school year.  Each unit ends with Week 6 as an Inquiry Project. Students research a real-world issue through this project and are asked to demonstrate their learning across the unit, providing the opportunity to demonstrate what they know and are able to do in speaking and writing. Research skills progress over the course of the year and research articles are provided on each topic at three different reading levels to support teachers and students in the research process. 

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 6, Lesson 1, Inquiry Project, students work in pairs to research neighborhood workers and write an informational text about what they do. In Lesson 1, students brainstorm by writing and/or drawing about neighborhood workers and generate questions about what they do. In Lesson 2, students learn the characteristics of informational writing and use print resources to conduct research answering the questions they generated. In Lesson 3, students use a student model to guide their writing. In Lesson 4, students draw a life-size version of their neighborhood worker, revise, and edit their writing. In Lesson 5, students share their informational text with the class and reflect on their projects.
• In Unit 4, Week 6, Lesson 1, Inquiry Project, students interview an older family member about someone who was important to them to write a research project. In Lesson 1, students think about who they interview and generate interview questions. In Lesson 2, students learn the characteristics and structure of informational text and practice interviewing their peers. In Lesson 3, students use a student model to guide their writing. In Lesson 4, students write thank you notes to the person they interviewed, revise, and edit their writing to include more details. In Lesson 5, students share their informational text with the class and reflect on their projects.
• In Unit 5, Week 6, Lessons 1-5, Reading Workshop, Project-Based Inquiry, students  write a persuasive play about their favorite season. Students use student-friendly websites to conduct their research about seasons. They work in pairs to research and ask a question about their season that needs to be answered. Students then write the question and notes in the Student Interactive. The teacher provides a model of a persuasive play in the Student Interactive. Students are provided with sentence starters, if needed. Students finish writing their plays and share with the class.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 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.

The materials provide procedures for independent reading, including an independent reading log and tracking system, included within the Student Interactive. The weekly reading plan includes daily opportunities for independent reading during small group and as a formative assessment option. Students are provided a wide variety of guided reading text that span the grade level. The teacher regularly provides supports through guided reading groups. The students may reread these texts independently throughout the week.

Example include, but are not limited to: 

• In Units 1-5, there is an independent reading log for students to record their independent reading to include the date, the book they read, pages read, minutes read, and their rating of the book. In addition to the reading log, materials also provide an independent reading focus for each unit.  For example, in Unit 1, the focus is selecting just-right independent reading books and in Unit 4, the focus is comparing and contrasting two texts. 
• In Unit 1, Week 1, Lesson 1, Reading Workshop, Introduce the Unit, students learn about the independent reading log and how to find a just-right book. This is found in the Student Interactive. Students fill out the date, book title, pages read, minutes read, and then rate the book with a smiley face, straight face, or a sad face.  Students are then directed to read a book that they select in their favorite genre.
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Lesson 1, Reading Workshop, Assess & Differentiate, Small Group, while the teacher is conferring with students, there are several Independent/Collaborative suggestions for students. Under the heading Independent Reading students can "Read a self-selected trade book, Read or listen to a previously read leveled reader or selection, or Continue reading the Book Club text." This is a similar format for Independent Reading under the Assess & Differentiate, Small Group weekly plan throughout the school year.
• In Unit 4, students are taught how to select a just-right-book in the Student Interactive on page 8. On page 9, there is a reading log for students to track their independent reading. In Week 3, Lesson 2, Reading Workshop, Respond and Analyze, students have the option to find and list words that tell about the setting or events in their independent reading texts. During small groups on page T207 of the Teacher's Edition, students reread or listen to Before the Railroad Came. Students read a self-selected text or a Book Club text. 
• In Unit 4, Week 3, Lesson 4, Reading Workshop, the teacher confers with students about texts they have read independently.
• In Unit 5, Week 4, Lesson 4, Reading Workshop, Close Read, under Formative Assessment Options, students are given a choice of text to use to find the most important detail that supports the topic in a fiction text they are reading independently. Students draw their most important detail in the Student Interactive.