2021
Open Court Reading Foundational Skills Kits

1st Grade - Gateway 1

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Gateway Ratings Summary

Standards and Research-Based Practices

Alignment to Standards and Research-Based Practices for Foundational Skills Instruction
Gateway 1 - Partially Meets Expectations
80%
Criterion 1.1: Print Concepts and Letter Recognition (Alphabet Knowledge)
3 / 4
Criterion 1.2: Phonological Awareness
8 / 12
Criterion 1.3: Phonics
18 / 20
Criterion 1.4: Word Recognition and Word Analysis
7 / 8
Criterion 1.5: Decoding Accuracy, Decoding Automaticity and Fluency
12 / 16

The Open Court Reading Foundational Skills Kits for Grade 1 partially meet the expectations for alignment to standards and research-based practices for foundational skills instruction. Materials include sufficient and explicit instruction regarding features of a sentence, such as capitalization, punctuation, and word spacing; however, there is a lack of explicit information on how print concepts are taught with student materials. Materials provide teachers with systematic, explicit modeling for instruction in syllables, sounds, and spoken words, however the teacher does not explicitly teach distinguishing long from short vowel sounds without showing students vowel graphemes. Materials contain explicit instructions for systematic and repeated teacher modeling of all grade-level phonics standards. The materials include explicit, systematic teacher-level instruction of modeling that demonstrates the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks; however, students are provided with limited daily activities to practice encoding newly and previously taught sound patterns.Encoding practice begins in Unit 2 of the materials. Materials include some systematic and explicit instruction of high-frequency words. Less than half the words are irregularly spelled words. Materials include explicit instruction of word analysis strategies and some opportunities for explicit instruction and practice of word solving strategies to decode unfamiliar words. Materials provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency; however, fluency is modeled infrequently by the teacher. Materials do not provide explicit lessons for the teacher in confirming and self-correcting errors in fluency.

Criterion 1.1: Print Concepts and Letter Recognition (Alphabet Knowledge)

3 / 4

This criterion is non-negotiable. Materials must achieve a specified minimum score in this criterion to advance to the next gateway.

Materials and instruction provide embedded support with general concepts of print, and systematic and explicit instruction and practice for letter recognition.

Materials provide clear directions to model the formation of each uppercase and lowercase letter. Students practice saying the directions to form letters, and they write letters in the air and on their palms. Materials include sufficient and explicit instruction regarding features of a sentence, such as capitalization, punctuation, and word spacing; however, there is a lack of explicit information on how print concepts are taught with student materials. Previously learned print concepts, letter identification, and letter formation are included in some of the Warm Up activities and in student Skills Practice pages. There is minimal review of letter formation.

Narrative Only

Indicator 1a

Narrative Only

Letter Identification

Indicator 1a.iv

2 / 2

Materials provide explicit instruction to print and to practice forming the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase).(K-1)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for materials provide explicit instruction to print and to practice the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase).

OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1 provides clear directions to model the formation of each uppercase and lowercase letter. Students have the opportunity to practice letter formation during guided practice. Students practice saying the directions to form letters, and they write letters in the air and on their palms.

  • Materials include clear directions for the teacher concerning how to explain and model how to correctly form each of the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase).

    • Print all upper- and lowercase letters.

      • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Teacher Edition, Resource Library, Penmanship, provides a Penmanship/Handwriting document which shows hand and paper positioning. The document provides both ball-and-stick and continuous stroke penmanship models with formation instructions for all uppercase and lowercase letters.

      • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Teacher Edition, Resource Library, Penmanship, there is a video clip demonstrating how to form letters in the ball-and-stick model for each uppercase and lowercase letter. The videos do not include voice directions, only visuals. 

      • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 1, letter recognition, the teacher explains how to form the capital A and lowercase a. 

      • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 8, letter recognition, the teacher explicitly indicates the necessary strokes to form the letters Tt, Uu, and Vv.

  • Materials include frequent opportunities for students to practice forming all of the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase)

    • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 5, guided practice, students write the uppercase and lowercase letters Kk Ll, and Mm and underline the best form letter for each letter written.

    • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 9, guided practice, students write the uppercase and lowercase letters Ww, Xx, Yy, and Zz and underline the best form letter for each letter written.

  • Materials include frequent opportunities for students to practice forming letters using multimodal and/or multisensory methods. 

    • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 1, the teacher instructs students to write the letter a in the air or on their palms while they say the directions to form the letter strokes and as the teacher models. 

    • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 5, students write the letters k, l, and m in the air before writing the letter on paper.

Indicator 1b

1 / 2

Materials provide instructional support for general concepts of print and connect learning of print concepts to books (K-1) and provide cumulative review of print concepts, letter identification, and printing letters. (K-early Grade 1)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for materials provide instructional support for general concepts of print and connect learning of print concepts to books (K-1) and provide cumulative review of print concepts, letter identification, and printing letters. (K-early Grade 1).

OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, provides a review of concepts of print, letter identification and letter formation. Materials include sufficient and explicit instruction regarding features of a sentence, such as capitalization, punctuation, and word spacing. Teachers use big books to teach concepts of print and have students identify the features of a sentence. Previously learned print concepts, letter identification, and letter formation are included in some of the Warm Up activities and in student Skills Practice pages. There is minimal review of letter formation. Although students engage in reading pre-decodables and decodables on their own and with partners, there is a lack of explicit information on how print concepts are taught with student materials. 

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

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

      • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 1, About Sentences, the teacher reminds students that sentences have punctuation and capitalization. The teacher asks students to identify the punctuation in the sentences displayed, identify capitalized words, and explain why the words are capitalized. 

      • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 3, About Sentences, the teacher reminds students about end punctuation and capitalization. The teacher has students identify the end punctuation in sentences displayed and identify capitalized words. 

  • Materials include limited lessons, tasks, and questions for all students about the organization of print concepts (e.g., recognize features of a sentence). 

    • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 1, Features of Print, the teacher displays a big book and asks students to count the number of sentences on the page, identify where the sentence begins, and asks about the feature of the first word in a sentence and about punctuation.

    • In Unit 6, Lesson 3, Day 1, Dictation and Spelling, the teacher uses a sentence dictation routine and reminds students to use capitals and end punctuation when writing. 

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

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 3, Warm Up, the teacher presents a big book and asks a student to point to spaces between words and another student to count the number of words in the line. The teacher repeats the process for additional students and additional lines in the text. 

    • In Unit 3, Lesson 1, Day 5, Fluency, the teacher uses a teacher's copy of the student decodable to model and read the story first with students prior to students using their own copy to read the book.

  • Materials include limited explicit instruction about the organization of print concepts (e.g. recognize features of a sentence) in the context of a book.

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 1, Features of Print, the teacher presents a big book and tracks words from right to left and bottom to top until students correct the tracking. The teacher calls on a student to demonstrate where to begin reading.

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

    • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 3, Reading a Pre-Decodable, the teacher explains that books are read from left to right and top to bottom. The teacher models, and the students read their copy of the pre-decodable with a partner, taking turns. 

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 5, Reading a Decodable/ Core Decodable 5: “Cal Can Bat”, Reading the Decodable, students each have a copy of the book and are asked how to find a specific page in a book. Students point to a page number. The teacher reads the title, author, and illustrator pointing to each word and then asks students to explain the job of the author and illustrator.

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

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 1, Warm Up, the teacher explains that reading occurs from left to right and top to bottom. The teacher asks students to point to the first word and track from left to right. 

    • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 7, Warm Up, the teacher reviews letters a-p with the students with a recognition drill using sound/spelling cards. 

    • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 2, Phonics and Decoding, the teacher reviews the sentence features of the first word, capitalization, and punctuation by having students identify the features in the text.

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

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 1, Features of Print, the teacher presents a poem in a big book and reviews counting the number of words and spaces in sentences.

    • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 1, page 1, students practice writing the uppercase and lowercase Aa and Bb.

    • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 5, page 1, students practice writing the uppercase and lowercase letters Kk, Ll, and Mm.

Criterion 1.2: Phonological Awareness

8 / 12

Materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of research-based and/or evidence-based phonological awareness.

Materials provide teachers with systematic, explicit modeling for instruction in syllables, sounds, and spoken words, however the teacher does not explicitly teach distinguishing long from short vowel sounds without showing students vowel graphemes. Students also have limited opportunities to practice distinguishing long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words without seeing the vowel grapheme. Materials include some multimodal and multisensory approaches to student practice. 

Indicator 1c

4 / 4

Materials have frequent opportunities for students to engage in phonological awareness activities during Kindergarten and early Grade 1.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for materials have daily opportunities for students to engage in phonological awareness activities through Kindergarten and early Grade 1.

OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, contains phonological awareness activities consistently through each five-day instructional sequence and uses routines to introduce new concepts. Students have ample opportunity to orally practice blending onset and rimes, singing songs to substitute long vowels in words, identifying rhyming words, and orally segmenting words into sounds.

  • Materials include a variety of activities for phonological awareness. 

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, the teacher uses the lion puppet to help students isolate and say initial sounds in words.

    • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 3, the teacher uses the lion puppet to say the onset and rime of a word and asks the students to blend the sounds and state the whole word.

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 2, Day 1, students substitute the first sounds of a given word.

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 2, Day 1, students sound out each phoneme in a given word.

    • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Student Edition, Resources, Songs, students listen to and hear the song “Apples and Bananas” which repeats with substituting the long vowel sound (e.g. eeples, ipples, opples, upples) in the words.

  • There are frequent opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness. 

    • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Teacher Edition, Unit Planner found on the first page of each of the 12 Units, identifies the phonological/phonemic awareness skill taught or reviewed each day.

    • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, through the menu, teachers can access the course map which shows what is taught during each day regarding skills.

Indicator 1d

2 / 4

Materials provide explicit instruction in phonological awareness through systematic modeling across the K-1 grade band.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for materials provide explicit instruction in phonological awareness through systematic modeling across the Kindergarten-Grade1 band.

Instructional materials provide teachers with systematic, explicit modeling for instruction in syllables, sounds, and spoken words, however the teacher does not explicitly teach distinguishing long from short vowel sounds without showing students vowel graphemes.  Teachers can access videos in the professional learning section in the menu for examples on instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words called for in grade-level standards along with written examples in the Teacher Edition.

Examples include but are not limited to:

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

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

      • In Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 5, Phonemic Awareness, Listening for /i/ and /ī/, the teacher writes a long, thin /i/ on one side of the board. The teacher points to the letters and tells students that these long letters say their name, or make the /ī/ sound. On the other side, the teacher writes a shorter, stouter /i/. The teacher tells students that these short letters make the /i/ sound. Materials state, “Explain that you are going to say some words. If students hear /ī/, they should point to the long /i/ and say /ī/. If they hear /i/, they should point to the short /i/ and say /i/.(e.g., did /i/ dine /ī/ wish /i/ win /i/ hide /ī/”).

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

      • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Phoneme Blending, the materials state that the  teacher tells students they will say a beginning sound. Then the Lion Puppet will say a word part. Materials state, “The game is to blend your sound and his word part to make a new word. Use the puppet to demonstrate: 

        • Teacher: /sss/

        • Teacher: /sss

        • Puppet:

        • Puppet: lōw

        • Teacher: /sss/-//. Snow! 

        • Teacher: /sss/-//. Slow!”

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

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phoneme Segmentation: Initial Sounds, this activity introduces students to the idea of isolating sounds in words or phoneme segmentation. Using the Lion Puppet, the teacher tells students that today he wants to teach them a new game. Materials state, “You will say a word and then they will say only the first sound of the word. Demonstrate with the 

Puppet:Teacher: chair, Puppet: /ch/, Teacher: sail, Puppet: /s/”

  • In Unit 2, Lesson 3, Day 1, Phoneme Segmentation: Final Consonant Sounds, using the Lion Puppet, materials state, “tell students that you will say a word, and they will say only the final sound of the word. Demonstrate with the puppet. Teacher: maze Puppet: /z/ Teacher: plan Puppet: /n/

  • In Unit 2, Lesson 3, Day 3, Phoneme Segmentation: Medial Vowels, using the Lion Puppet, the teacher tells students that they will say a word and the Lion Puppet will say only the sound in the middle of the word, the vowel sound. The teacher uses the puppet to demonstrate: “Teacher: jab Puppet: /a/ Teacher: fin Puppet: /i/. Your turn!”

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

    • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 4, Phonemic Awareness, Phoneme Segmentation: Individual Sounds, the teacher says some words, and the Lion Puppet repeats the word sound by sound. Materials state, “Use the puppet to demonstrate: Teacher: map Puppet: /m/ /a/ /p/ Teacher: hot Puppet: /h/ /o/ /t/”

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 3, Phonemic Awareness, Phoneme Segmentation: Individual Sounds, the directions tell the teacher to read a list of words and have students repeat each word sound by sound.

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

    • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, through the menu, teachers have access to professional learning videos about phonological/phonemic awareness, phoneme manipulation, and medial sounds. The teachers can watch a teacher utilizing the Lion Puppet with students to complete a section of the lesson.

    • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Teacher Edition, provides examples in each of the phonological/phonemic awareness lessons.

Indicator 1e

2 / 4

Materials provide practice of each newly taught sound (phoneme) and sound pattern across the K-1 band.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for materials provide practice of each newly taught sound (phoneme) and sound pattern across the K-1 band. 

Instructional materials include ample opportunities for students to practice each new sound and sound pattern. For each unit, students have three to five practice opportunities to master skills such as substituting, phoneme blending, oral blending onset and rime, and oral segmenting. Students have limited opportunities to practice distinguishing long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words without seeing the vowel grapheme. OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1 includes mostly oral practice and does include some multimodal and multisensory approaches to student practice. 

Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Materials provide opportunities for students to practice each new sound and sound pattern.

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

      • In Unit 3, Lesson 2, Day 3, Phonemic Awareness, Listening for /e/ and /ē/, the teacher says words such as see, bread, head. When students hear long /ē/, students say /ē/ and give a thumbs up. When students hear short /e/, students say /e/ and give a thumbs down.

      • In Unit 7, Lesson 1, Day 2, Warm Up, Listening for /o/ and /ō/, the teacher says words such as go, boat, top. When the students hear long /o/, students say /o/ and give a thumbs up. When students hear short /o/,students say the /o/ and give a thumbs down.

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

      • In OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Common Core Standards Correlation, there is a range of one to twenty  opportunities per unit for student practice in Units 1-8. 

        • In Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, Phonological and Phonemic Awareness, Phoneme Blending; Initial Consonant Sounds, students practice blending initial consonants.

        • In Unit 4, Lesson 2, Day 3, Phonemic Awareness, Phoneme Blending; Single-Syllable Words, students practice blending single-syllable words.

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

      • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Common Core Standards Correlation, there is a range of two to thirteen opportunities per unit for student practice in Units 1-8. 

      • In Unit 2, Lesson 3, Day 1, Phonemic Awareness, Phoneme Segmentation: Final Consonant Sounds, students practice segmenting final consonant sounds.

      • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 5, Phonemic Awareness, Phoneme Segmentation: Medial Vowels, students practice segmenting medial vowels.

      • In Unit 6, Lesson 1, Day 5, the teacher says a word and asks students to repeat only the first sound in the word. The students practice identifying the beginning sound of 15 single-syllable words.

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

      • In OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Common Core Standards Correlation, there is a range of one to four opportunities per unit for student practice in Units 2-10. 

        • In Unit 2, Lesson 3, Day 2, the teacher uses the lion puppet to model how to segment a word into individual sounds. The teacher says the word hid and uses the puppet to model the individual sounds, /h/ /i/ /d/. The teacher asks the students to say the individual sounds in 12 additional words. 

        • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonemic Awareness, Phoneme Segmentation: Individual Sounds, students practice segmenting individual sounds.

        • In Unit 4, Lesson 3, Day 1, Phonemic Awareness, Phoneme Segmentation: Individual Sounds, students practice segmenting individual sounds.

  • Materials include a variety of multimodal/multisensory activities for student practice of phonological awareness. 

    • In Unit 4, Lesson 2, Day 4, the teacher uses the Apples and Bananas song as a review for long vowel sounds. The students sing along, replacing the vowels with the long vowel sound of /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/ while they sing. 

    • In Unit 6, Lesson 3, Day 5, Phonemic Awareness, Phoneme Segmentation, students practice saying the whole word and then only saying the final sound.

    • In Unit 7, Lesson 2, Day 1, Phonemic Awareness, Phoneme Segmentation, students use magnetic boards with a grid. Students move counters to spaces on the grid to represent each phoneme in a given word.

Criterion 1.3: Phonics

18 / 20

This criterion is non-negotiable. Materials must achieve a specified minimum score in this criterion to advance to the next gateway.

Materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of research-based and/or evidence-based phonics.

Materials contain explicit instructions for systematic and repeated teacher modeling of all grade-level phonics standards. Materials include explicit instructional routines for Sound-by-Sound Blending, Word Building, Whole-Word Blending, Blending Sentences, Sounds-in-Sequence Dictation, Whole-Word Dictation, Sentence Dictation, Closed Syllables, and Open Syllables. Materials include lessons that provide students with frequent opportunities to decode phonetically spelled words, read complete words, and review previously taught grade-level phonics daily through sound-by-sound blending routines, blending sentences routines, whole-word blending routines and oral language warm-ups. Students have frequent opportunities to decode words in sentences through materials in the ePresentation resources, Core Decodables, Practice Decodables, and through student Skills Practice Pages. Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to build, manipulate, spell, and encode newly taught sound and spelling patterns. The materials include explicit, systematic teacher-level instruction of modeling that demonstrates the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks through the use of generating words with a certain letter/sound where the teacher writes the words on the board and points out certain spellings of sounds in words; however, students are provided with limited daily activities to practice encoding newly and previously taught sound patterns. Encoding practice begins in Unit 2 of the materials.

Indicator 1f

4 / 4

Materials emphasize explicit phonics instruction through systematic and repeated modeling.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for materials emphasize explicit phonics instruction through systematic and repeated modeling.

Materials include explicit instructional routines for Sound-by-Sound Blending, Word Building, Whole-Word Blending, Blending Sentences, Sounds-in-Sequence Dictation, Whole-Word Dictation, Sentence Dictation, Closed Syllables, and Open Syllables. Sound/Letter cards are used for many activities. Digraphs are introduced in Unit 3, but not intentionally practiced again until Unit 11. Additionally, routines are consistent for the introduction of each new sound pattern and students have the opportunity to hear, say, encode, and read each pattern within the same lesson.

Examples include but are not limited to:

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

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

      • In Unit 3, Lesson 2, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, the teacher uses Routine 1, Introducing Sounds and Spellings Routine, to introduce /th/ spelled th. The teacher displays Sound/Spelling Card 33—Sloth, points to the picture, and tells students this is the Sloth Card. The teacher points to the th spelling and tells students that when the letters t and h come together, they make one new sound, /th/. The teacher then plays the “Sloth Story” which has a repeated line, “He thumps like this: /th/ /th/ /th/ /th/.” The name of the card, the sound, and the spelling are reviewed. The teacher writes th and says /th/. Students use their fingers to write the spelling several times in the air, on their palms, or on the surface in front of them as they say /th/. The lesson continues with words that end in /th/. 

      • In Unit 11, Lesson 2, Day 4, Warm Up, What I Saw Game, the students pretend to go on a journey and see many things that start with different sounds. Students suggest an item beginning with /sh/, such as shell, shark, or ship. The teacher provides the following sentence frame: “On my journey, I saw a _____. It begins with /sh/." The game is extended by having students repeat the previous answers before adding their own. After a few students have participated, the teacher changes the target sound and is reminded to include other consonant digraphs: /th/ and /ch/ for beginning sounds and /ng/ and /nk/ for ending sounds.

    • Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.

      • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 4, Phonics and Decoding, About the Words, 16 regularly spelled one-syllable words are provided. The teacher points out that the words each have one syllable. Students identify the vowel sound/spelling in each word and then identify the kind of spellings that come before and after the vowel in each word. The teacher asks them which vowel sound a vowel makes when it is closed in by consonants in a word or syllable. The students identify the consonant blends in the words ramp and risk. The teacher points to crab and crib and students identify the sound and the spelling that differs in each word. The lesson continues with the word pair drop and drip. The words rock, rack, kid, and kit are used to review /k/ spelled k and -ck. Students identify the sound/spelling for /k/ in each word. 

      • In Unit 5, Lesson 2, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, the teacher uses Routine 2, the Sound-by-Sound Blending Routine, to blend the words: use, used, mule, huge, cub, cube, cut, cute

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

      • In Unit 4, Lesson 3, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, Introduce the Sound/Spelling, the directions tell the teacher to write a list of words on the board (e.g., make, base, state), say each word sound by sound, and use two fingers to bracket the a_e spelling.

      • In Unit 8, Lesson 1, Day 1, Warm Up, Phonics and Decoding, the teacher uses Routine I to introduce /oo/ for ew. The teacher points to ew and tells students this is another spelling for /oo/. 

      • In Unit 8, Lesson 2, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, About the Words, the teacher uses Sound/Spelling 43-Hawk and Routine I to introduce au. The teacher explains that au does not come at the end of the word or syllable.

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

      • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, About the Words, students identify the sound/spelling that is different in each word on the line (kit, kid, Kim, Kip). The teacher reminds students that each syllable in a word contains a vowel sound. They count the vowel sounds in each word to determine how many syllables it contains. The teacher reminds students that when a vowel is closed in by consonants, it makes the short sound.

      • In Unit 5, Lesson 2, Day 4, Phonics and Decoding, About the Words, students identify and count the vowel spellings and syllables in each word. (hum, human, pup, pupil). The teacher points out that /u/ has the short sound in the closed-syllable words hum and pup and the long sound in the open-syllable words human and pupil. Students identify the spelling for /ū/ in the words (united, unicorn, uniform, unison), and then students identify and count the vowel spellings and syllables in each word.

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

      • In Unit 3, Lesson 2, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, About the Words, the teacher explains to students that each word (deadlock, breadbox, headset, bedspread) is a compound word, or a word made up of smaller words. The teacher points out that each word that makes up these compound words is a separate syllable. The students blend the words syllable by syllable and are reminded that each syllable in a word has a vowel sound/spelling. Students identify the vowels and then count and clap the syllables in each word. 

      • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 2, Phonics, Blending, About the Words, using Routine 11, the Open Syllables Routine, to help students blend the multisyllabic words, the teacher writes the word open and has students count and say its syllables (two: o-pen). The teacher points to the first syllable and reminds students that a syllable that ends with a vowel spelling is called an open syllable. Vowels in open syllables usually have the long sound.

    • Read words with inflectional endings.

      • In Unit 2, Lesson 3, Day 4, Phonics and Decoding, About the Words, the teacher tells students that pins, drums, and balls are plural nouns. Pins mean “more than one pin,” drums mean “more than one drum,” and balls mean “more than one ball.”

      • In Unit 3, Lesson 1, Day 5, Phonics and Decoding, Review the Sound/Spellings, the teacher uses Sound/Spelling Cards Hen and Exit to review /e/ spelled e and /ks/ spelled -x. As the teacher touches each card, students name its picture and then say the sound for the spelling. To review the sounds for -ed, the teacher writes the following words on the board, spotted, spelled, stacked, and students say each word sound by sound and identify the sound for the -ed ending. 

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

      • In Unit 2, Lesson 2, Day 5, the teacher follows Routine 6, Word Building Routine, to have students spell the words. Students use their a, b, g, j, i, r, and s Letter Cards to make jab, jig, rag, bag, brass, grab. 

      • In Unit 3, Lesson 1, Day 1, the teacher introduces the sound of the /ks/ spelled x. The teacher points to a picture card of an X and demonstrates the sound. The teacher asks the students to say the sound of the /ks/ blend and read eight words with the x at the end of the word, and dictates two words with the /ks/ spelled x for students to practice writing.

      • In Unit 11, Lesson 3, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, the teacher follows Routine 8, the Whole-Word Dictation Routine (summer, searching, corner, shirt, charm, farm, earlier), and Routine 9, the Sentence Dictation Routine (Carter heard a dog barking), with the words and sentence.

Indicator 1g

4 / 4

Materials include frequent practice opportunities for students to decode words that consist of common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns and provide opportunities for students to review previously taught phonics skills.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for materials include frequent practice opportunities for students to decode words that consist of common and newly taught sound and spelling patterns and provide opportunities for students to review previously taught phonics skills.

Materials include lessons that provide students with frequent opportunities to decode phonetically spelled words, read complete words, and review previously taught grade-level phonics daily through sound-by-sound blending routines, blending sentences routines, whole-word blending routines and oral language warm-ups. Students read complete words by saying the entire word as a unit using newly taught phonics skills through the use of the Whole-Word Blending Routine and Sentence-Blending routine when working with Sound/Spelling Cards, pages from the Student Edition, and word lists/sentences from the ePresentation Resources. The review activities found throughout the lessons provide students an opportunity to review previously learned grade-level phonics.

Examples include but are not limited to:

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

    • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, students engage in the Sound-by-Sound Blending Routine in which they decode a word list with words with the /k/ sound.

    • In Unit 3, Lesson 2, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, the teacher uses Instructional Routine 2, the Sound-by-Sound Blending Routine, and Instructional Routine 4, the Blending Sentences Routine, to have students blend the words and sentences. In About the Words, students identify the spelling for /th/ and identify where in the word the spelling appears. 

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, students engage in the Closed Syllables Routine in which they decode a word list with words with the /s/ spelled ce and ci.

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

    • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, students engage in the Blending Sentence Routine in which there are two sentences with words with the /k/ sound.

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, students engage in the Whole-Word Blending Routine in which they are to blend words with spelling ce and ci as a unit.

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding /oo/ spelled ew, Blending, the teacher uses Instructional Routine 3, the Whole-Word Blending Routine, and Instructional Routine 4, the Blending Sentences Routine, to have students blend the words and sentences from the ePresentation Resources. 

  • Materials contain opportunities for students to review previously learned grade-level phonics.

    • Unit 3, Lesson 2, Day 5, the teacher reviews the sound of the /e/ spelled ea. The teacher uses the sound-by-sound blending routine and reads the words thread, breath, bread, and spread.

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 3, Warm-Up, students read “New Pet” and identify words with the spelling ie and ae.

    • In Unit 11, each day’s phonics activity is to review either the different ways a long/short vowel /e/ can be spelled along with reviewing consonant digraphs and r-controlled vowels. Students go on to read a list of words and sentences with these phonics concepts from the ePresentation Resources.

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

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 5, Phonics and Decoding Review the Sound/Spellings, the teacher points to each Sound/Spelling Card being reviewed: 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, and 20 from the ePresentation Resources. Students name the picture on each card, say its sound, and name the spelling or spellings. They identify which cards are for vowels and which are for consonants. Students explain what the green band on the vowel cards means. 

    • In Unit 10, Lesson 2, Day 2, the teacher plays “Which Doesn’t Belong” with students. The teacher writes words on the board and asks students which word does not belong and why. The teacher accepts any response that follows previously taught rules.

    • In Unit 11, Lesson 3, Day 5, Phonics and Decoding Review r-Controlled Vowels, Blending, the teacher reviews r-controlled vowels by having students reread the words and sentences from Days 1 and 2 from the ePresentation Resources of words and sentences.

Indicator 1h

4 / 4

Materials provide frequent opportunities for students to practice decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for materials promote frequent opportunities for students to practice decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence.

Materials provide explicit, systematic practice for decoding regular words in sentences and frequent student opportunities to decode words in sentences. Student materials include pre-decodable and decodable books and routines include reading and re-reading the books to build fluency. Students have frequent opportunities to decode words in sentences through materials in the ePresentation resources, Core Decodables, Practice Decodables, and through student Skills Practice Pages.

Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Materials provide explicit, systematic practice for decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence.

    • In OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1 Teacher Edition, Instructional Routine 4, Blending Sentences Routine, Sound-by-Sound, students blend each word using the Sound-by-Sound Blending Routine. Once all the words have been blended or read, students reread the sentence naturally, with expression and intonation. In Whole Word Blending, as students become more automatic in blending, the teacher writes the whole sentence, and students read the words, stopping to blend only those words that cannot be read quickly and automatically. They write or display each word and blend it using the Whole-Word Blending Routine. Once all the words have been blended or read, students reread the sentence naturally, with expression and intonation.

    • In Unit 3, Lesson 1, Day 2, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, using the Blending Sentences Routine, students read each sentence that includes words such as pen, fell, steps, and led.

    • In Unit 9, Lesson 1, Day 4, the teacher uses the Reading a Decodable Routine with the teacher modeling the reading with expression. Students read one page as a class and then practice with partners. The decodable routine includes the students referring to sound/spelling cards as they are reading to assist with decoding. 

  • Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode words in a sentence.

    • In Unit 6, Lesson 3, Day 5, students first find and read words with the long /i/ sound and then read the words in the sentence to build fluency. Students then read additional sentences in a decodable book. 

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 1, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, the teacher uses Routine 3, the Whole-Word Blending Routine, and Routine 4, the Blending Sentences Routine, to have students blend the words and sentences. In About the Sentences 1-2 from the ePresentation Resources, the teacher explains that the words on and of should be viewed as a "starting point" for a chunk of text to be read together. Students identify the chunks of text in the sentence.

    • In Unit 9, Lesson 1, Day 4, students read a decodable book with words in sentences.

    • In Unit 11, Lesson 1, Day 3, Student Skills Practice, students read the story and fill in the word missing in the blank.

Indicator 1i

4 / 4

Materials include frequent practice opportunities for students to build/manipulate/spell and encode grade-level phonics, including common and newly-taught sound and sound patterns.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for materials include daily practice opportunities for students to build/manipulate/spell and encode grade-level phonics, including common and newly-taught sound and sound patterns.

The materials provide teacher-level modeling using structured and repeated routines. Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to build, manipulate, spell, and encode newly taught sound and spelling patterns. Students use letter cards to build words and write letters and words on workbook pages. Students engage in frequent opportunities to encode words in isolation through the Sounds-in-Sequence Dictation Routine.

Examples include but are not limited to:

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

    • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 1, the teacher uses the Sounds-in-Sequence Dictation Routine. The routine requires teachers to say the word, use the word in a sentence, have the students say the first sound, and the teacher points to the corresponding sound/spelling card. The teacher writes the word on the board. 

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 4, Phonics and Decoding, Generating Words, the teacher writes students’ suggestions of words that contain the /j/ spelled ge

    • In Unit 12, Lesson 2, Day 3, the teacher uses the Whole Word Dictation Routine to say the word, have students say the sounds, and then write the word on the board for students to proofread their spelling.

  • Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to build/manipulate/spell and encode words in isolation based on common and newly taught phonics patterns.

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 2, the teacher provides students with letter cards a, d, m, n, and s. The teacher uses the Word Building Routine and orally states a word. Students build the word with their letter cards and then blend the letter sounds and read the word with the teacher. 

    • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 1, the teacher dictates and the students spell the words can, cap, cap, and clap

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 4, Phonics and Decoding, Dictation and Spelling, using the Sounds-in-Sequence Dictation Routine, students encode words with the /j/ sound on Line 1.

    • In Unit 10, Lesson 1, Day 2, Warm Up, the teacher divides the class into three or four teams. The teacher explains that the teacher will write a long /i/ spelling on the board and that teams will have one minute to think of words that use that spelling. When time is up, the teacher calls on each team to say and spell its words. The teacher then will write the words on the board and award one point for each correct word.

Indicator 1j

2 / 4

Materials provide application and encoding of phonics in activities and tasks. (mid K-Grade 2)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for materials promote application and encoding of phonics in activities and tasks. (mid K-Grade 2)

The materials include explicit, systematic teacher-level instruction of modeling that demonstrates the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks through the use of generating words with a certain letter/sound where the teacher writes the words on the board and points out certain spellings of sounds in words. Students are provided with limited activities that apply phonics as they encode words into sentences or phrases through the dictation and spelling portion of the day’s activities through Routines and words/sentences read aloud by the teacher. Student Skills Pages have additional encoding activities.

Examples include but are not limited to:

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

    • In OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Teacher Edition, Resource Library, TE Routines, Routine 9, the Sentence Dictation Routine has the teacher say the sentence, dictating one word at a time following the Sounds-in-Sequence or Whole-Word Dictation Routine. The teacher writes or displays the sentence on the board, or a student writes it. The students proofread and check for spelling.

    •  In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 1, Generating Words, the teacher asks students to think of words that begin with /k/, writing their suggestions on the board. The teacher circles the spelling c in each word and tells students to say the sound as each c is circled. If they suggest a word that begins with k, such as kite or kitten, they write that word in a different column. 

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 2, Day 1, Generating Words, the teacher asks students to think of words that contain /ow/, writing their suggestions on the board. If they suggest a word that contains the spelling ou, such as round or couch, they write that word in a different column. The teacher points out that /ow/ can be spelled in different ways and that they will learn about the other spelling later.

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

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 4, Dictation and Spelling, the dictation that occurs in every other lesson consists of one or more lines of words. Initially, Line 1 is Sounds-in-Sequence Dictation. After Whole-Word Dictation has been introduced, that routine is used for words on the remaining lines.

    • In Unit 2, dictation also contains a sentence for students to write. The students look at Skills Practice, page 30 and the teacher tells them that they will dictate, or say, two words, and the students should write the words on the lines at the bottom of the page. The teacher says the word, uses it in a sentence and repeats it, and then students say the word. However, this is not independent encoding, as the students already have the words in front of them.

    • In Unit 6, Lesson 1, Day 2, Guided Practice, students complete Skills Practice pages for additional review of /ē/ spelled ie and dictation. They review the sound/spelling at the top of page 165 and students complete the activities on the pages. Dictation and Spelling. The teacher reminds students to ask “Which spelling?” when they are unsure about which spelling to use in a given word. After each line, have students proofread the spelling of their words and make needed corrections. However, this is not independent encoding into sentences or phrases.

Criterion 1.4: Word Recognition and Word Analysis

7 / 8

Materials and instruction support students in learning and practicing regularly and irregularly spelled high-frequency words.

Materials include some systematic and explicit instruction of high-frequency words. Students practice reading words in isolation from the word wall and off the board. Less than half the words are irregularly spelled words. Materials provide frequent opportunities to read high-frequency words in context and to write high frequency words during Dictation activities. Materials include explicit instruction of word analysis strategies (e.g., syllabication) and some opportunities for explicit instruction and practice of word solving strategies (e.g., open and closed syllabication) to decode unfamiliar words. 

Indicator 1k

1 / 2

Materials include systematic instruction of high-frequency words and opportunities to practice reading of high-frequency words to develop automaticity.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for materials include systematic instruction of high-frequency words and practice opportunities of high-frequency words to develop automaticity.

Materials include some systematic and explicit instruction of high-frequency words. Specific routines for teaching high-frequency words, Routine 4 and Routine 5, are included, however the routines are not specified in the instruction. In Routine 4, the teacher is to write or display the high-frequency word and underline the word. Students blend the work. In Routine 5, the teacher is to review new and any previously-learned high-frequency sight words; however the specifics about how the teacher explicitly reviews new and previously-learned sight words is not included in the materials. Students spell a high-frequency word with the teacher if it is in the sentence they are reading during Phonics Blending and Sentence Extension, and they spell by typing them in during eActivities. Students practice reading words in isolation from the word wall and off the board. Less than half the words are irregularly spelled words.

Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Materials include some systematic and explicit instruction of irregularly spelled words.

    • Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

      • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 7, Reading Pre-Decodable, High-Frequency Words, the teacher writes the words have and I on the board. The teacher reads each word, spells each word, and uses the word in a sentence.

      • In Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 4, Blending, the teacher displays the word said, underlines it, reads it, spells it, and reads it again. The teacher writes the word said on an index card and adds the card to the high-frequency word bank.

      • In Unit 8, Lesson 2, Day 2, Fluency: Reading a Decodable Book, the teacher is to review the high-frequency words about and around by pointing to them in the High-Frequency Word Bank and have students read the words. The teacher does not explicitly instruct on high-frequency words.

  • Materials include limited opportunities for the teacher to model the spelling and reading of irregularly spelled words in isolation.

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 4, Blending, the teacher displays the word said, underlines it, reads it, spells it, and reads it again. 

    • In Unit 3, Lesson 3, Day 5, the teacher points to the high-frequency word are in the High-Frequency Word Bank. Students read the word. The teacher does not model the spelling of the high-frequency word.

    • In Unit 6, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, the teacher uses Routine 4, the Blending Sentences Routine, to blend the sentences. Before blending the sentences, the high-frequency word every is introduced and is written on an index card and added to the High-Frequency Word Bank. Sentence: Every summer, dozens of bunnies hop in the cornfield. Using Routine 4, the teacher does not model the spelling of the high-frequency word. 

  • Students practice identifying and reading irregularly spelled words in isolation. 

    • In Unit 3, Lesson 3, Day 5, Warm Up, the teacher holds up a high-frequency word flashcard and asks students to read the word and use it in a sentence. The instruction calls for teachers to “review all of the previously learned high-frequency words.”

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 3, Day 4, Warm Up, the students play a game in teams. The students pull a high-frequency word card out of a bag and if they read it correctly, the team gets to keep the card; if read incorrectly, the student returns the word to the bag. 

    • In Unit 12, Lesson 3, Day 1, Warm Up, High-Frequency Word Review, the high-frequency words students have learned are reviewed by using the High-Frequency Flash Cards and having a word bee. Students are divided into two teams. The teacher shows a word to the first member of Team A. The student says the word and uses it in a sentence. Play continues by alternating teams and using a different high-frequency word each time.

  • Materials include a sufficient quantity of new grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words for students to make reading progress.

    • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Teacher Edition, Appendix, page 24, High-Frequency Word Lists, Section 4, lists seventy-five high-frequency words for Grade 1. Less than half the words are irregularly spelled words.

    • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Teacher Edition, Appendix, Scope and Sequence indicates that twenty Kindergarten (K) High-Frequency words are reviewed in Getting Started and Unit 1. The first new word, call, is introduced in Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 2.Subsequent units include  the following:

      • Unit 2 reviews 10 Kindergarten words and introduces 6 new words.

      • Unit 3 reviews 7 Kindergarten words and introduces 9 new words.

      • Unit 4 reviews 7 Kindergarten words and introduces 11 new words.

      • Unit 5 reviews 4 Kindergarten words and introduces 11 new words.

      • Unit 6 introduces 16 new words.

      • Unit 7 introduces 10 new words.

      • Unit 8 reviews 1 Kindergarten word and introduces 9 new words.

      • Unit 9 introduces 1 new word.

      • Unit 10 introduces 1 new word.

      • Unit 11 introduces 2 new words. No new words are added in Unit 12 nor is there any review indicated in Unit 12 in the Scope and Sequence.

    • In Unit 2, the teacher introduces the high-frequency words call, look, was, what, big, got, all, if, to, get, ask, of, as, he, his, just.

    • In Unit 4, the teacher introduces the high-frequency words girl, her, with, any, from, like, water, but, do, long, my, no, where, an, they, she, yes, were.

Indicator 1l

2 / 2

Materials provide frequent practice opportunities to read and write high-frequency words in context (sentences).

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for materials provide frequent practice opportunities to read and write high-frequency words in context (sentences).

Materials provide frequent opportunities to read high-frequency words in Decodables, from the Word Bank, flashcards, in some blending word lists and sentences, written on the board, and eGames. There are references that a list of high-frequency words is located on the inside back cover of each decodable but this was not noted in the eBooks for teachers or students. Students write sentences during the Dictation routine that contain previously learned high-frequency words. 

Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Lessons provide students with opportunities to read grade level irregularly spelled words in a sentence

    • In Unit 11, Lesson 1, Day 2, Phonics and Decoding, Routine 4, the Blending Sentences Routine is used to have students blend any words they cannot read fluently and automatically. Before blending the two sentences, the high frequency word put is introduced, written on an index card, and added to the High Frequency Word Bank. Sentences include: There are four birds in the tree. and I put my teacup on the deck.

    • In Unit 11, Lesson 3, Day 4, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, students review sentences from the previous two days. The sentences contain r-controlled vowels and seven high-frequency words. Sentences include: We stopped to get our car from the parking lot. and Each chirping chick hatched from an egg.

    • In Unit 12, Lesson 3, Day 4, Fluency: Reading a Decodable Book Core Decodable 114:” Andy Lee” Base Words, the teacher reviews previously learned high-frequency words by pointing to them in the High-Frequency Word Bank and having students read them. They use Routine 5, the Reading a Decodable Routine, to read the story with students. Students reread the sentence several times until they can read it accurately and automatically. The teacher reminds students that the more they reread stories, the more natural their reading will sound.

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

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 3, Day 1, Guided Practice, students copy the sentence Steve will be here. and choose a sentence to copy that matches pictures. Similarly, in Unit 8, Lesson 3, Day 4, Guided Practice, students copy the sentence Roy has a new toy train. Students practice writing them correctly on the lines. These copying activities happen infrequently.

    • In Unit 11, eActivity: Lesson 2, Day 4, Foundational Skills, students read, spell, and type high-frequency words in isolation. Four of the ten words are irregularly spelled words. If the student is using a tablet or interactive whiteboard, they write the letters with their finger. How to spell and type the word is modeled in the eActivity.

  • Materials provide explicit instruction in how to use student-friendly reference materials and resources and reading irregularly-spelled words (e.g., word cards, word lists, word ladders, student dictionaries).

    • In Unit 1, Getting Started, Day 3, Reading a Pre-Decodable, Core Pre-Decodable 1, See!, the teacher introduces the high-frequency words see and the. The teacher writes each word on the board, reads it, spells it, and uses it in a sentence. Students repeat the word, spell it, and use it in a sentence. Each word is written on an index card and placed in the High-Frequency Word Bank.

    • In Unit 9, Lesson 2, Day 4, Fluency: Reading a Decodable Book, Core Decodable 104, “Gram and the Kids”, High-Frequency Words, the teacher reviews previously introduced high-frequency words by pointing to them in the High-Frequency Word Bank and having students read them.

    • In Unit 10, Lesson 3, Day 3, Fluency: Reading a Decodable Book Core Decodable 108, “Mr. Plant Expert”, the teacher reviews previously learned high-frequency words by pointing to them in the High-Frequency Word Bank and having students read them.

Indicator 1m

4 / 4

Materials explicitly teach word analysis strategies (e.g., phoneme/grapheme recognition, syllabication, morpheme analysis) based on the requirements of the standards and provide students with frequent practice opportunities to apply word analysis strategies.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for materials explicitly teach word analysis strategies (e.g., phoneme/grapheme recognition, syllabication, morpheme analysis) based on the requirements of the standards and provide frequent practice opportunities for students to apply word analysis strategies.

Materials include explicit instruction of word analysis strategies (e.g., syllabication) and some opportunities for explicit instruction and practice of word solving strategies (e.g., open and closed syllabication) to decode unfamiliar words. When the teacher uses the Whole-Word Blending and Blending Sentences Routine, students complete the decoding of unfamiliar words without the teacher modeling prior.

Examples include but are not limited to:

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

    • In Unit 3, Lesson 1, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, the teacher uses the Closed Syllable Routine to help students blend multisyllabic words such as panted, hinted, and rented.

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, the teacher uses the Open Syllable Routine to help students blend multisyllabic words such as title, bridle, and idle.

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 2, Day 4, Fluency: Reading a Decodable Book Core Decodable 98: “Paul’s Sauce” /aw/ spelled au, aw, the teacher uses Routine 5, the Reading a Decodable Routine, as they read the story with students. The teacher tells students that there are several multisyllabic words in the story and if they don't recognize or if they mispronounce a word while reading, they should stop reading and decode each syllable of the word. Then they should reread the entire sentence several times until they can read it accurately and automatically. The teacher models this practice.

    • In Unit 9, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, the teacher has students choose a word and identify the prefix and base word on lines one and two of the text.

  • Materials contain frequent explicit instruction of word solving strategies to decode unfamiliar words.

    • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Scope and Sequence at the beginning of each unit in Teacher Edition shows the phonics skill taught/reviewed in each day’s activities in the column titled Phonics and Decoding through the blending of words and sentences.

    • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Teacher Edition, Resources, materials include:

      • Routine 2, the Sound-by-Sound Blending Routine, to blend words.

      • Routine 3, the Whole-Word Blending Routine, to blend the words.

      • Routine 4, the Blending Sentences Routine, to blend sentences.

      • Routine 10, the Closed Syllables Routine, to help students blend multisyllabic words.

      • Routine 11, the Open Syllables Routine, to help students blend the multisyllabic words. These routines are used frequently.

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 1, Day 1, the teacher demonstrates how to differentiate between the /oo/ and the long /u/ by pointing out the similar spellings of ue and u though they can make the same sound. Students identify the /oo/ sound, and students are guided through practice writing words.

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

    • OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Scope and Sequence at the beginning of each unit in Teacher Edition shows the phonics skill taught/reviewed in each day’s activities in the column titled Phonics and Decoding through blending of words and sentences, Student Skills Practice Pages, and Decodable Readers.

    • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, students use the Sound-by-Sound Blending Routine to blend words in Lines one and two: herd, dirt, sir, and stir.

    • In Unit 6, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, students use theOpen Syllable Routine to blend the following multisyllabic words: tiny, pony, and treaty.

    • In Unit 10, Lesson 1, Day 2, Phonics and Decoding, Blending, students use the Closed Syllable Routine to blend the following multisyllabic words: running, tightrope, and skyscraper.

Criterion 1.5: Decoding Accuracy, Decoding Automaticity and Fluency

12 / 16

This criterion is non-negotiable. Materials must achieve a specified minimum score in this criterion to advance to the next gateway.

Materials provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency by focusing on accuracy and automaticity in decoding in K and 1, and rate, expression, and accuracy in mid-to-late 1st and 2nd grade. Materials for 2nd grade fluency practice should vary (decodables and grade-level texts).

Materials provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency by focusing on accuracy and automaticity in decoding of decodable books using Routine 5: Reading a Decodable. Materials provide some opportunities for students to hear explicit, systematic instruction in reading elements such as accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression. Fluency is modeled infrequently by the teacher. Materials provide students with opportunities to engage in repeated readings of grade-level texts along with teacher corrective feedback to gain oral reading fluency. Materials do not provide explicit lessons for the teacher in confirming and self-correcting errors in fluency. Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year for students to read on-level texts for understanding, but there is little evidence about reading for a purpose.

Indicator 1n

4 / 4

Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity in K and Grade 1.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for materials provide opportunities for students to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity in K and Grade 1.

Materials provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency by focusing on accuracy and automaticity in decoding of decodable books using Routine 5: Reading a Decodable with teacher modeling. Students utilize Routine 5 along with Core Decodables and Practice Decodables when engaging in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity. The materials provide teachers with directives to provide explicit instruction in the area of decoding as students hone their fluency (i.e., accuracy and automaticity) skills through decoding practice.

Examples include but are not limited to:

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

    • In OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Sound-by-Sound Blending Routine, the teacher guides students through a process in which they spell a given word in a sentence sound-by-sound. Once the word has been spelled, the students reread the word to build fluency. Once the entire sentence has been written, the students reread the entire sentence to build fluency.

    • In OCR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, Whole-Word Blending Routine, the teacher guides students through a process in which they say the sound of each part of the word and then read the word again naturally. After the entire line of words has been decoded, the teacher directs students to reread the line to build fluency.

    • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 3, Reading a Decodable Routine 5, as the teacher reads the story, students use their voices to show expression and intonation of the reading.

    • In Unit 9, Lesson 2, Day 4, the teacher uses Routine 5, Reading a Decodable Routine, as they read the story with students, the teacher models stopping and blending a word syllable-by-syllable and rereading the entire sentence.

  • Materials provide opportunities for students in Grade 1 to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity.

    • In Unit 3, Lesson 1, Day 3, students use the sound-by-sound blending routine for the following words: ax, Max, six, ox, rust, must, stands, lamps, and drums.

    • In Unit 6, Lesson 1, Day 2, students use the whole-word blending routine for the following words: chief, puppies, city, babysitter, cornfield, and shield.

    • In Unit 9, Lesson 2, Day 4, the teacher uses Routine 5, Reading a Decodable Routine, as they read the story with students. The teacher explains to students there are several words in the story with prefixes and if they do not know how to pronounce a word while reading, they should stop reading and decode each syllable of the word. They remind students that the more they read stories, the more natural their reading will sound.

    • In Unit 11, Lesson 1, Day 4, Building Fluency, students build fluency by rereading Core Decodable 109 twice with a partner, alternating pages. Students are reminded that if they don’t understand or recognize a word while reading, they should reread the word and then reread the entire sentence until they can read it accurately, automatically, and fluently. For additional practice, students can read Practice Decodable 86, “Weeds or Flowers.”

Indicator 1o

2 / 4

Instructional opportunities are built into the materials for systematic, evidence-based, explicit instruction in fluency. (Grades 1-2)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for instructional opportunities are built into the materials for systematic, evidence-based, explicit instruction in fluency (Grades 1-2).

Materials provide some opportunities for students to hear explicit, systematic instruction in reading elements such as accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression. Fluency is modeled infrequently by the teacher. Routine 5 focuses on having students read the decodable text, therefore teacher explicit instruction and modeling is limited. Materials provide opportunities for students to hear reading modeled by the teacher, using the same text the students read. The teacher uses echo reading to guide students in developing their rate and intonation. Although the materials used consist of displayed sentences and decodable books, there is a wide variety of decodable texts introduced throughout the year. The Rhyme Stew Big Book and Routine 5 provide opportunities for students to hear the fluent reading of grade-level text by a model reader or peer.

Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Materials include some opportunities for explicit, systematic instruction in fluency elements using grade-level text.

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

      • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 1, Fluency, Reading a Decodable Book, the directions explain how to read the text for students to demonstrate proper intonation and pausing.

      • In Unit 5, Lesson 3, Day 1, Building Fluency, students reread Core Decodable 70 twice with a partner, alternating pages. The teacher observes students and checks their reading for speed, accuracy, and expression. 

      • In Unit 6, Lesson 3, Day 1, the teacher reads a decodable, and students echo read. The materials indicate that teachers should model reading with expression.

      • In Unit 9, Lesson 3, Day 4, the teacher models reading. Materials indicate that the teachers should model the proper rate of reading by using pauses.

      • In Unit 11, Lesson 3, Day 4, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency, Reading a Decodable Book, the teacher uses Routine 5, Reading a Decodable Routine with the decodable story, “A Summer Home”. The lesson focuses on how fluent readers use commas in the text to help them control the pace of their reading. The teacher models reading at the appropriate rate by pausing at the commas. Students chorally repeat the sentence read. The teacher reads the rest of the story continuing to model pausing at commas. 

  • Materials provide some opportunities for students to hear fluent reading of grade-level text by a model reader.

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, Warm Up Features of Print, “Hey, Diddle, Diddle” on pages 6–7 of the Rhyme Stew Big Book, students listen closely and stop the teacher when they hear something wrong. The teacher reads the first line of the rhyme, sweeping their hand under the words. Then they move their hand to the second line and read it, beginning with the last words: fiddle the and cat The. A volunteer points to the word that students should read first for that line. 

    • In Unit 2, Lesson 1, Day 1, Reading A Decodable, the teacher uses Routine 5, the Reading a Decodable Routine, as the teacher reads the story with students.

    • In Unit 9, Lesson 3, Day 4, students read a decodable book and echo read with a partner. Teachers remind students to read at an appropriate rate.

    • In Unit 12, Lesson 3, Day 4, Building Fluency, students chorally re-read Core Decodable 114 twice with a partner. The teacher reminds students that if they don’t understand or recognize a word while reading, they should reread the word and then reread the entire sentence until they can read it accurately, automatically, and fluently.

  • Materials include a variety of resources for explicit instruction in fluency.

    • The teacher reads from the Rhyme Stew big book. The teacher models skills with, Decodable readers, and the ePresentation Resources.

    • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 1, teachers guide students through reading a decodable book. The materials indicate that teachers should focus on building fluency by asking students to reread twice with a partner. 

    • In Unit 10, Lesson 1, Day 1, students repeatedly read two displayed sentences to build fluency.

Indicator 1p

4 / 4

Varied and frequent opportunities are built into the materials for students to engage in supported practice to gain oral reading fluency beginning in mid-Grade 1 and through Grade 2 (once accuracy is secure).

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for varied and frequent opportunities are built into the materials for students to engage in supported practice to gain oral reading fluency beginning in mid-Grade 1 and through Grade 2 (once accuracy is secure).

Materials provide students with opportunities to engage in repeated readings of grade-level texts along with teacher corrective feedback to gain oral reading fluency. The Teacher Tips located in the bottom margin of pages provide guidance and feedback suggestions to teachers for supporting students’ gains in oral reading fluency.

Examples include but are not limited to:

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

    • In Units 1-9, within a week of lessons, students have three to five opportunities to practice oral reading fluency with core decodable texts, practice decodable texts, and teachers can send take-home decodable texts for extra practice. The genre of most texts is literary.

    • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Decodable Book, Building Fluency, students build fluency by echo reading the Core Decodable 51 twice with a partner, alternating pages. For additional practice, they read Practice Decodable 43, “Search and Learn”.

    • In Unit 12, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, About the Sentence 1, students review descriptive words and expand the sentence by adding descriptive words to it. The teacher writes new sentences on the board and has students read them several times to build fluency

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

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Pre-Decodable, Building Fluency, students reread “I Can See” twice with a partner.

    • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Decodable Book, Building Fluency, students reread “Bird Shirts” twice with a partner.

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Decodable Book, Building Fluency, students build fluency by chorally rereading Core Decodable 63 twice with a partner. The teacher reminds students to read at the appropriate rate by pausing at the end punctuation. For additional practice, students read Practice Decodable 52, “Nine Little Flags”. 

    • In Unit 11, Lesson 1, Day 2, Phonics and Decoding, About the Sentence 2, students reword Sentence 2 to make it a question, “Did I put my teacup on the deck?” The teacher writes the new sentence on the board and has students read the sentence several times to build fluency. They remind students to use the proper intonation for a question.

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

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 3, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Decodable, after the teacher calls on various students to read particular pages of the text, the directions suggest rereading the entire text using the choral reading strategy.

    • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Decodable, the directions suggest having students identify the first word and the ending punctuation of each sentence so that students are aware of the beginning and the end of sentences.

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 2, Day 2, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Decodable Book, Building Fluency, the directions tell the teacher to observe students and check for accuracy, rate, expression.

    • In Unit 9, Lesson 2, Day 4, Teacher Tip (bottom margin) states, “Gaining a better understanding of the spellings of sounds and the structures of words will help students as they encounter unfamiliar words in their reading. Students should be reading with more and more accuracy and expression. Observe students and check their reading for accuracy, appropriate rate, and proper expression.”

Indicator 1q

2 / 4

Materials provide teacher guidance to support students as they confirm or self-correct errors (Grades 1-2) and emphasize reading for purpose and understanding.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for materials provide teacher guidance to support students as they confirm or self-correct errors (Grade 1-2) and emphasize reading for purpose and understanding.

Materials do not provide explicit lessons for the teacher in confirming and self-correcting errors in fluency. There are teacher tips and students are told to reread unfamiliar words in sentences, but little evidence of practicing strategies of using confirmation or self-correction of errors. Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year for students to read on-level texts for understanding, but there is little evidence about reading for a purpose.

Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Materials provide limited lessons for the teacher in confirming and self-correcting errors in fluency.

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 2, Day 4, the Teacher Tip states, “Gaining a better understanding of the spellings of sounds and the structures of words will help students as they encounter unfamiliar words in their reading. Students should be reading with more and more accuracy and expression as the year progresses. Observe students and check their ability to determine when they mispronounce a word and then correct their reading by rereading the word and the sentence.”

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 2, Day 4, Reading a Decodable, Building Fluency, students reread the Core Decodable. The teacher reminds students that if they don’t recognize a word or if they mispronounce a word while reading, they should reread the word and then reread the entire sentence until they can read it accurately. 

    • In Unit 11, Lesson 1, Day 4, Fluency: Reading a Decodable, the directions tell the teacher to explain to students if they don’t recognize or understand a word, they should stop reading, decode each syllable in the word, reread the word naturally, and then reread the entire sentence.

  • Materials provide limited opportunities for students to practice using confirmation or self-correction of errors.

    • In Unit 7, Lesson 1, Day 5, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Decodable, Checking Comprehension, students answer questions about the following literary elements: setting, characters, and events in the story.

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 2, Day 4, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Decodable, Checking Comprehension, students answer questions about the following literary elements: characters and events in the story.

    • In Unit 8, Lesson 2, Day 4, Reading a Decodable, Checking Comprehension, students identify any words that were difficult for them in the story. Students retell the story. The teacher asks comprehension questions and students answer aloud.

    • In Unit 12, Lesson 3, Day 4, Reading a Decodable, Checking Comprehension, students identify any words that were difficult for them in the story. Students retell the story. The teacher asks comprehension questions and students answer aloud.

  • Some opportunities are provided over the course of the year for students to read on-level texts (Grades 1-2) for purpose and understanding.

    • CR Foundational Skills Kit, Grade 1, students are provided multiple opportunities to read Core Decodables and Practice Decodables targeting the phonics concepts for the grade level. It is not clear that students are reading for a purpose. There are comprehension questions to check for understanding.

    • In Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Pre-Decodable, students read “I Can See”. 

    • In Unit 4, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, Fluency: Reading a Decodable Book, students read “Bird Shirts”.

    • In Unit 5, Lesson 1, Day 1, Phonics and Decoding, About the Sentences, the teacher presents two sentences and the students reread each sentence several times with natural intonation and fluency: We will walk to the wildlife park. Mike can ride his bike well.