The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for texts being 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 grade-level appropriate topic. Each module in every unit is built around a topic. In each module, there are anchor and supporting texts centered around the topic. Examples include:

• Unit 1: Connecting Our World
  • In Module A, students are expected to understand the theme around survival through adaptation, friendship, and the appreciation of differences.
  • In Module B, students are expected to understand how animals and people sleep.
• Unit 2: Becoming a Classroom Citizen
  • In Module A, students are expected to understand the theme of a story.
  • In Module B, students are expected to identify with a young boy that moves and adapts to new places, new schools, all with the embedded use of Chinese culture.
• Unit 3: Making Choices
  • In Module A, students are expected to understand helping others is needed to make good choices.
  • In Module B, students are expected to understand how producers and consumers interact to provide goods and services that create an economy.
• Unit 4: Planting for the Future
  • In Module A, students are expected to understand growth, tradition, and change.
  • In Module B, students are expected to understand specific facts about how apple trees grow from a seed to an apple.
• Unit 5: Observing Messages of the Natural World
  • In Module A, students are expected to understand that you can still be brave yet afraid at the same time.
  • In Module B, students are expected to understand information about the planets and their place in our solar system.
• Unit 6: Celebrating Diversity
  • In Module A, students are expected to understand the similarities and differences between children described in the text, cultural diversity, and diversity enriching classroom.
  • In Module B, students are expected to understand how friends celebrate cultural diversity.

Texts build knowledge, vocabulary, and the ability to read/listen and comprehend complex texts across a school year. In each lesson there is a benchmark vocabulary section taught. Benchmark vocabulary words are important for understanding concepts within a text. These words are needed to deeply comprehend a text and central to understanding the text. There is a Benchmark Vocabulary Routine included for teaching students the meaning of words. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 3, the benchmark vocabulary words are limb, land, and perched. The teacher uses the Benchmark Vocabulary Routine to teach the meaning of the words, the students use p. 7 in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to show contextual understanding of the words.
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 8, the benchmark vocabulary word are shiny and bossy. The teacher uses the Benchmark Vocabulary Routine to teach the meaning of the words, the students use p. 172 in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to show contextual understanding of the words.
• In Unit 6, Module B, Lesson 11, the benchmark vocabulary words are cloth, competition, and believe. The teacher uses the Benchmark Vocabulary Routine to teach the meaning of the words, the students use p. 443 in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to show contextual understanding of the words.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for containing sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts.

Each lesson includes a Language or Reading Analysis section in which students analyze language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts. Language or Reading Analysis is also included in some small group lessons. Examples include:

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 4, students use the Story Sequence, a graphic organizer on p. TR37 to retell the story. They go back into the text Dragons and Giants on pp. 6 and 7 to figure out what happens at the beginning of the story. They are then guided to go through the rest of the text to complete the chart thinking about what Frog and Toad are doing and what they decided to do (in sequence).
• In Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 9, students look for information that is alike and different to help make connections and better understand the text. They complete the Compare and Contrast graphic organizer about how the two schools in Russia and South Africa are alike and different.
• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 2, students work on filling out a Three- Column Graphic Organizer filling out text features (headings, bold words, photographs). The explicit instruction around text features helps students better understand the boldfaced words or academic vocabulary. Once modeling the first three boxes students then work collaboratively in a small group to complete the graphic organizer.
• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 7, students tell about stories and informational texts. During the language analysis support section of small group time, the teacher helps children use the T-chart to find examples of ways the Author’s Note (information) and (story) in Arbor Day Square are different. Stories tell about a setting. In the left column, What setting does the story tell about? Facts are in the right column: In the first sentence on p.30, students identify facts.
• In Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 4, students work on clarifying meaning of unknown words completing a word web. Through the use of questions and answers around each part of the web students build a deeper conceptual understanding of the word and or term float away.
• In Unit 6, Module B, Lesson 11, students tell about stories and informational texts. A T-chart helps students find examples of ways Whose Is This? And L is for Liberty are different. Both texts tell about people who come from different places to live in America. Whose Is This? Tells about made-up characters from different places who are at a
  culture fair in a made-up town. How does- L is for Liberty-tell about people from different places?

The Scaffolded Instruction Handbook also includes lessons to support the unit lessons. Examples include:

• Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 7, references using the Scaffolded Instruction Handbook to provide support with vocabulary. Students are guided to understand how producers earn money and then become consumers when they spend the money they earn. Students then use play money and props to act out the earning, buying, and spending money process to connect with the text.
• Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 11, references using the Scaffolded Instruction Handbook, where students who are having difficulty with inferencing are guided through extra practice. The teacher reminds students they can use details from the text to make inferences about how a character feels. They look back at p. 14 about another character in the story and discuss how his feelings at the beginning of the story help children to understand how he feels when he seems them on the island on p. 33.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for containing a coherently sequenced set of text-based questions and tasks that require students to build knowledge and integrate ideas across both individual and multiple texts.

Most sets of coherent questions and tasks support students’ analysis of knowledge and ideas. Examples include:

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 9, students read the text Stellaluna and study how writers understand that pictures and words about events help tell a story. They can improve their comprehension by identifying story elements. Students turn and talk to answer the question, “How does Mother Bat recognize Stellaluna?” During the second read (Close Read), students cite evidence to focus on events in the middle of the story on pp. 30-33. Readers look for details in the words and illustrations to better understand the story. Students are asked, “Who is Stellaluna talking to? What makes the other bat come talk to Stellaluna? Let’s read together what the other bat says. Why is the bat so interested in what Stellaluna has to stay? What does ‘Wrong for a bird, maybe, but not for a bat’ mean? When can something be wrong in one situation but not in another? How does the illustration on p. 31 help readers understand the conversation Stellaluna has with the other bat? and Show me in the picture, which bat is Stellaluna?”.
• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 3, students read the text Goods and Services to understand that an opinion should be supported with a reason and focus on finding the main topic of the text which is what the text is mostly about. Students focus on the fact that readers understand asking and answering questions helps them understand the text. Students turn and talk about what they read on page 5 and discuss questions and use pictures to help them better understand the text. Students cite evidence to focus on the various structures and features that readers use to understand a text. Students answer questions using the text to cite and support their answers that include the following: “What kind of service do you see most often in the community?”

Sets of questions and tasks provide opportunities to analyze, describe, compare/contrast, and explain across multiple texts as well as within single texts. Examples include:

• In Unit 2, Module B, Lessons 11 and 12, students analyze and answer questions across the texts Far from Home and Going to School. Students compare and contrast key details using words and pictures. Students discuss questions the following questions, “How are the schools in these texts alike and different? What do children in China, Afghanistan, and Australia do during recess? How is recess in these places similar? In what ways are Bryan, Maria, and Rosita similar? and In what ways are these children different?”
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 5, using the text The Winners Choice, pp. 20-21 students analyze and answer questions across the text in their Reading Analysis Extension portion of the lesson to extend their learning. Partners turn to pp. 20-21 and work together to find details in the words and pictures that tell about the setting on these pages. The following questions guide the partner discussion, “Where does this part of the story take place? Point to the sentence in the text that helped you figure this out. When does this part of the story take place? How do you know? How is the soccer field damaged by the earthquake? and Point to details in the words and picture that tell you this.”
• In Unit 4, Module A, Lessons 12 and 13, students analyze, compare and contrast, and answer questions across the texts Arbor Day Square pp. 24-29, and The Family Tree pp. 7-9, 22-41. Students re-read parts of these stories to compare and contrast important ideas and details in the books. The teacher notes that when students compare and contrast, they tell how things are alike and different. Students discuss questions that include, “Why are the trees in the books special? How are Katie’s family and the boy’s family alike? How are these families different? Point to details in the texts that help you understand how the families are alike and different. How is the Grandma tree similar to the family tree? What can you tell me about the townspeople in Arbor Day Square? Let’s look for details that support this idea (students look at p. 24, 29 to find supporting details). How are workers in The Family Tree and the townspeople in Arbor Day Square alike? and How are the workers and townspeople different?”
• In Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 1, using the text Our World in Space, pp. 32-43, students analyze and answer questions. The following questions are asked, “What does the chapter heading on p. 34 tell readers? Show me where it says so. What does the chapter heading on p. 34 tell readers? Show me where the text says so.What do you notice about the text on p. 35? Look at p. 36. How does the chapter heading relate to the text? What can you observe in the night sky? What are the lights in the night sky? and What information have you learned about plants so far?”

By the end of the year, integrating knowledge and ideas is embedded in students’ work through tasks and/or culminating tasks. Every module includes a culminating performance-based assessment where students write, draw, or dictate to a prompt. Many of the performance assessments at the end of each module and unit require the students to use evidence from the texts they have read. The lessons and questions leading up to the task offer support to complete the task. For example, students are asked to use the text from the lessons in Unit 4, Module A, students recall the importance of families in the stories that they read. Children write a narrative that tells a story about a family. Children also write a narrative in which two or more events are properly sequenced using temporal words, include some descriptive details about the events, and provide some sense of closure to the story.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for containing a year-long, cohesive plan of writing instruction and tasks which support students in building and communicating substantive understanding of topics and texts.

Each writing lesson focuses on a standard based writing type (narrative, opinion, or informative/explanatory). Students receive explicit instruction that guides them through the writing process. Students have writing models from anchor and supporting texts that they can use to examine writers’ styles and techniques. Students have the opportunity to apply writing skills during Independent Writing Practice and share their work at the end of each lesson. Students develop grammar, usage, and convention skills by practicing in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.

Materials include writing instruction aligned to the standards for the grade level, and writing instruction spans the whole school year. Examples include:

• In Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 2, Informative/Explanatory Writing: The teacher helps students identify the main topic from Far from Home. They work together to write a topic sentence about an informational text. “I will begin my topic sentence in a way that lets my readers know what I am writing about. One way I can begin my topic sentence is This book is all about_____. This lets readers know that I am going to write about the topic of the book.” Students will write their own topic sentences in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal about Far from Home.
• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 1, Opinion Writing: The teacher explains what an opinion is, then states that they should provide opinions about topics they are familiar with and cite sources to support their opinion. Teacher asks the students Are good or services more important? Teacher and students work together to complete a t-chart about goods and services. Then the teacher models how to write an opinion. “When I look at the chart, I think that goods are more important. This is my opinion because other people might not think that goods are more important than services.” Students will then write a response to the question in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.
• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 12, Narrative Writing: The teacher helps students discuss the ending of the Family Tree. Through discussion the teacher will help students see that the story ends with a memorable event. Students revise their story from Lesson 11. Then they will write an ending for their story in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.

Each module ends with a Performance-Based Assessment. The task provide opportunities for students to apply the skills they learned during the module to their own writing. Examples include:

• In Unit 1, Module A, students think about the friendship between the birds and Stellaluna. They they illustrate and write sentences about how the characters showed their friendship when they first met and then later in the story.
• In Unit 3, Module A, students write a short story about a choice they made to save or spend money.
• In Unit 6, Module B, students think about the lost items they read about in Whose is This? and decide which one they think was most interesting and shy. They write their opinion and include information from the text that helped them form their opinion.

Writing instruction supports students’ growth in writing skills over the course of the school year. Each lesson includes a writing task. It varies from narrative, opinion to explanatory/informative across the lessons. Included in lesson is an Independent Writing Practice lesson, Conventions Mini-Lesson and a Shared Writing section where students get the opportunity to share their writing. Examples include:

• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 4, the focus writing is Opinion Writing. During Set the Purpose the Teacher's Guide states, “Explain that opinions show what characters think, feel, or believe about something. Explain that students will continue to write their own opinions today.” During Teach and Model, “‘When I go out to dinner, I prefer vegetarian meals. I dislike meat because I don’t like the fact that it comes from animals. This is an opinion I have. Other people may not like vegetarian meals. They may prefer the taste of meat to the taste of vegetables. This is their opinion.’ Point out that your opinion told how you feel about certain foods. You told why you disliked meat and provided a reason. You also told the opinion of others and gave a reason. Provide the example from p. 15-16 to show Mr. Keene’s opinion and how he supports it.” During Independent Writing Practice, “Students imagine themselves as a character from A Fine, Fine School. They pretend to go to school with Tillie and Mr. Keene. Students use p. 87 of their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to write or dictate an opinion they would share with Mr. Keene about his decision to have more school.” Students can share their writing. Conventions Mini-Lesson: Teacher model using quotation marks. Students revisit p. 20 in A Fine, Fine School. They identify quotation marks and read it aloud. Students practice using quotation marks on p. 87 in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.
• In Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 11, the focus writing is Informational/Explanatory Writing. During Set the Purpose the Teacher's Guide states, “‘Writers check to make sure their ideas make sense and that the facts they use are correct. They also check for errors in capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and spelling.’ Review the checklist that many writers think about while revising and editing. Review with students the five steps in the writing process.” During Independent Writing Practice students continue to work on their planet books by making revisions and edits. Students trade books with their peers to check for mistakes and offer suggestions. Students can share their writing. Conventions Mini-Lesson: Teacher write sentences with errors, then edit together with students. Students practice editing on p. 370 in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.

Instructional materials include a variety of well-designed lesson plans, models, and protocols for teachers to implement and monitor students’ writing development. For example, in each lesson, the teacher’s guide provides lesson plans for setting the purpose and teaching and modeling. Each lesson is scripted and outlines what the teacher says and does. There are rubrics in the Assessment Handbook for end of the unit assessments.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for including 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.

Materials support teachers in employing projects that develop students’ knowledge on a topic via provided resources. Materials provide opportunities for students to apply Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, Language skills to synthesize and analyze per their grade level readings. Research projects are sequenced across a school year to include a progression of research skills. Examples include:

• In Unit 1, Module B, the performance based assessment requires students to use facts from Time to Sleep and What You Do With a Tail Like This? to write questions and answers about animals.
• In Unit 2, Module A, the performance based assessment requires students to think about The Recess Queen and A Fine, Fine School and how the characters acted as good classroom citizens. Children write their opinion about how good classroom citizens act and supply a reason for the opinion.
• In Unit 3, Module A, the performance based assessment requires students to use the selections from this unit to write a short story about a choice they made to save or spend money.
• In Unit 4, Module B, the performance based assessment requires children to use the information and features in How a Seed Grows and The Life Cycle of an Apple Tree to write their own book explaining how a seed grows.
• In Unit 5, Module A, the performance based assessment requires students to write a story that includes the moon as a central feature. It can be make-believe or realistic fiction. Children are encouraged to use King Kafu and the Moon and Let’s Visit the Moon for ideas and inspiration.
• In Unit 6, Module A, the performance based assessment requires students write a review that states their opinion of one of the texts they have read. They include information from the text that helped them form their opinion.

The materials also include an optional center called The Research Center that can be visited daily. Suggested research topics are included in each module. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module A, suggestions include researching a community and making a small poster with facts about that community and its people.
• In Unit 4, Module A, suggestions include researching two different cultures and creating a compare-and-contrast chart on a word processing document.

• In Unit 6, Module B, suggestions include researching stories of real pioneers who helped our country grow, and write a paragraphs about one of them, as well as researching online a journey they would like to take, and write a description of the journey using a computer.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing a design, including accountability, for how students regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

Most texts are organized with built in supports/scaffolds to foster independence. Examples include:

• ReadyUp! Intervention provides additional instruction with the lesson’s reading and foundational skills standards.
• The Leveled Text Library allows students/teachers to choose texts based on student’s needs.
• Reading Analysis Support provides additional support for students who are struggling as well as Unlock the Text.
• The Scaffolded Strategies Handbook provides additional support for each lesson.

Procedures are organized for independent reading included in the lessons. Examples include:

• Focused Independent Reading instruction is the first step of Small Group Time each day.
• The Independent Reading Routine provides teachers with support for introducing and continuing Independent Reading, as well as a rationale for implementation.
• The Text Club Routine provides teacher with support for a protocol to have children read a text then discuss it with meaning and purpose. Each text club has assigned roles for students.
• A Pearson Realize online contents page links to Independent Reading Activities. The teacher can direct and students can access Dash content to input comprehension and vocabulary notes.

There is sufficient teacher guidance to foster independence for all readers. Examples include:

• Students are guided how to apply the content of each day's Reading Analysis lesson to their self-selected text, starting with Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 1.
• Teachers meet with two or three individual students during Small Group Time each day to discuss their texts and support independent reading. This is found on each lesson’s fifth page.

• Each module includes center time which involves independent reading. During independent reading, the teacher directs students to focus on either a process focus or a strategy focus. A process focus is where students either focus on independence, stamina, or engagement. The strategy focus has students focus on fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, or critical thinking.

There is a proposed schedule for independent reading. For example, teachers prepare students for Focused Independent Reading that they do during Small Group Time while teachers teach mini-lessons and assess individual students.

There is a tracking system (which may include a student component) to track independent reading. For example, students monitor their reading by recording it in their daily reading log. They gauge and record their engagement, their opinion of what they read, and their plan for the next day’s reading.

Student reading materials span a wide volume of texts at grade levels (and at various lexile levels within the grade). For example, students can use the Leveled Text Library or online leveled texts to practice reading at their independent levels. Texts are related to the unit topic and offer a range of levels to meet every student’s needs.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for being well-designed and taking into account effective lesson structure and pacing. Daily lessons include structures and resources for both whole group and small group literacy instruction.

Daily lesson structures include the components of Reading with 30-40 minutes for whole group reading instruction, 30-40 minutes for small group instruction, and 30-40 minutes for whole group writing instruction. The pacing is defined in the following way:

• Whole group instruction includes Built-In Foundational Skills Mini-Lessons, Building Understanding, Close Reads, Reading Analysis Lessons, and Focused Independent Reading.
• Small Group Instruction includes Small Group Options such as additional instruction, practice, or extension as needed in the areas of fluency, foundational skills, and reading and language analysis, Independent Literacy Work with a choice between student-selected grade level text, leveled text library books, and decodable and practice readers, and ReadyGen Intervention which provides support for struggling readers.
• Whole Group Writing Instruction contain focused lesson on one specific writing types critical to college and career readiness and conventions mini-lessons. During these lessons the teacher sets the purpose, teaches and models, prepares students to write, and gives the students time for independent writing. In addition to whole group there are also daily conventions mini lessons.

Following is a detailed example of the lesson structure from Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 3:

• Whole Group Reading Instruction: 1) Building Understanding, during this portion of the lesson, teachers “Set the Purpose” by telling students the following: “A reader’s purpose is to understand the information in a text. Text features can be very helpful to readers.” Read aloud the poem” A Circle of Sun”. “What feelings do you get from hearing this poem?” “What words in the poem suggest those feelings?” 2)Read, teachers read aloud Our World in Space: Planets. Students should be able to read the name of each planet. Have students read aloud the headings and icons in this section. 3)Turn and Talk, after these pages, have students turn to a partner and discuss “Why is earth the only place that can have life?”. Have them use examples from the text. 4) Close Read, “Engage the class in a discussion about what they just read . . . Use these questions to guide the discussion . . .” “Look at pages 40 and 41. This is a diagram. A diagram is a picture that explains something. What does the diagram show?” “How are the inner planets and the giants different?” “Let’s find details to support our thinking. The text on page 43 says the inner planets are closest to the sun. They are made of rock, dirt and metal. Page 46 says the giant planets are far from the sun. They are made of gas and liquid. When we look at the diagram on pages 40 and 41, the inner planets are much smaller than the giants.” 5) Benchmark Vocabulary, teachers use the “Benchmark Vocabulary Routine for Literary Text” on pages TR24-TR27. “Students find and read sentences from the text with the words dwarf. 6) Text Analysis, students use a graphic organizer to complete a three column chart on text features. They work on identifying pages where diagrams, headings and text boxes are located.
• Small Group Time: During Focused Independent Reading students read their self-selected texts. The teacher announces the two focus points to the class for their self-selected reading. For Unit 5 Module B, Lesson 3, the focus is “Engagement and Identity” and “Comprehension”. Students identify vocabulary words that are shown in text features and write their definitions. Teachers monitor students’ progress by having them record their reading in a daily reading log and having them review their graphic organizer with the teacher. Additional instruction, practice and extension during “Small Group Time” are offered through a variety of options: Word Analysis in Teacher’s Guide, Unlock the Text in Scaffolded Strategies Handbook, Teacher conferences each day with two or three students to discuss their self-selected texts, Reading Analysis Support for students who struggle with point of view, there is a “Support Reading Analysis Mine-Lesson.” and Reading Analysis Extension for students who easily understand point of view, there is an “Extend Reading Analysis Mini-Lesson.”
• Whole Group Writing Instruction: Students focus on informative/explanatory writing, and creating text features. The teacher sets the purpose by going back to the essential question. Students and teacher make a list on the planets from the closest to the furthest away from the sun. Students ask and answer questions about the size of the planets, record their thoughts to use as a reference. During Independent Writing Practice students create a rough sketch of their diagram, labeling each planet with their name.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for the teacher and student reasonably being able to complete the content within a regular school year with the pacing allowing for maximum student understanding These lessons are intended to be done one a day, totaling an hour and a half to fit in both Reading and Writing. The suggested pacing has students reading, in small groups, and then writing during these 90 minutes. Each lesson is broken down by Read, Benchmark Vocabulary, Reading Analysis, and Writing.

• There are 6 units that are each broken into 2 modules. Module A in every unit contains 13 lessons and Module B in every unit has 12 lessons. There are a total of 150 lessons in the first grade materials.
• Lessons are set up for 90 or 120 minute blocks that include Reading (Build Understanding, Close Read, Benchmark Vocabulary, Text Analysis – either language or reading) Small Group Time (Focused Independent Reading, Small Group Options), and Writing (Focused Writing, Independent Writing Practice).
• Additional lessons are included for the Performance Based Assessment as well as other unit assessments. Time is built in for teachers to modify lessons to tailor to their student’s needs.
• Pacing suggestions are provided in the Implementation Guide that suggests teachers can vary the lessons from day to day based on the text, needs of the students, and the amount of scaffolding necessary to delivery instruction appropriately. (Implementation Guide p. 19)

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the requirements for resources including ample review and practice resources, clear directions, and explanations, and correct labeling of reference aids (e.g. visuals, maps, etc). Students have access to an array of materials including the Text Collection, anchor texts, Sleuth, leveled text library, online resources, and center options. Other resources available to students include, trade books, text collections, Close Reading, performance tasks, Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, Independent Reading Activities, as well as digital interactive tools such as Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, Envision It! Animations, TikaTok (students as authors), and Grammar Jammers. In the online resources, activities and exercises are found, such as Monster Word Mania and Pack Up The Skills interactive games. There are Close Reading and Independent Reading modeling videos. Each of these resources include ample opportunity to review and practice, clear directions, and correct labeling.

Some examples of the resources that provide review and practice opportunities are:

• Daily Focused Independent Reading routines and structures allow students to extend and apply what they are learning in daily whole group instruction to a text of their own choosing,at their ability and interest level.
• Daily Independent Writing Practice gives students opportunity to apply the writing skills and conventions they have discussed and learned in whole class instruction to a daily writing prompt that prepares them for Performance Based Writing Assessment at the end of each module.
• Digital Opportunities for Writing and Reading are provided daily during Small Group Instruction.
• Daily mini-lessons in Language Conventions focus on one or more language standards. Students apply these conventions to their own writing, then practice these newly acquired skills for teacher to monitor progress in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.
• Sleuth, a collection of short, high interest selections, serves to support and extend daily close reading lessons for struggling and accelerated learners. Three to four times in each unit, or sixteen times over the course of the school year, the Scaffolded Instruction during Small Group lessons use Sleuth to reteach, practice, and apply close reading skills and strategies .
• Scaffolded Strategies Handbook Part One: Unlock the Text contains lessons for every anchor and supporting text, the section Express and Extend allows struggling and accelerated learners opportunities to react to the text through discussion and writing.
• During Small Group Instruction, students use independent center activities to practice and apply standards in Reading, Writing, Word Work, and Research. Digital Components are available and suggested for each of these four sections.
• There is a scaffolded strategies handbook, along with teacher resources, that has a multitude of graphic organizers, rubrics, and sentence frames that are available for students to use.
• Common Core Correlations section in Implementation Guide shows where each standard is addressed in Units’ Teacher’s Guides across the units and across the year.

Some examples of clear explanation and directions include:

• In the First Grade Scaffolded Strategies Handbook on p. 187, the directions for the Unit 1, Module A, Part 2, Unlock the Writing, Narrative, states, “Break Apart the Task: Distribute copies of the task found on p. 146 of the Teacher’s Guide. Read the task aloud to the students. Think about how the characters in Stellaluna showed their friendship. As questions such as: How did Stellaluna become friends with the birds? How did the birds show they cared for Stellaluna? Later in the story, how did Stellaluna show she was friends with the birds? Make a list of ideas and share. Read the task for the students. Work with the students to name an highlight the key points in the task.”
• On page 157 of the first grade Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, the directions for Language Benchmark Vocabulary routine for Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 3 state, “Have children use p. 157 in the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to show contextual understanding of the Benchmark Vocabulary. Monitor children’s vocabulary development.”
• On p. 10 of the Teacher's Guide for Unit 4, Module A, as a writing center, students Write in Response to Reading by completing the appropriate writing response to Reading prompts, found within pp. 225-263 of their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal. Children log into TikaTok and write their own book about their own life or about the life of a classmate or friend. Have them go to www.tikatok.com.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for including publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items. In the Implementation Guide there is a Scope and Sequence of all four units, that show where each of the standards is hit within the curriculum. Lessons clearly denote standards alignment. Standard documentation is found in the lesson objectives.

Examples of materials of publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed include, but are not limited to:

• The Implementation Guide’s Scope and Sequence section lists all English Language Arts standards for Kindergarten, and which unit and module addresses them.
• The Implementation Guide’s Unit Overviews Standards Maps section describes the Performance Based Writing Assessment for each module. It lists Essential Questions, Enduring Understanding, and Goals for each module, along with corresponding standards, and lists all standards addressed in each module.
• The Implementation Guide’s Common Core Correlations section lists Common Core Standards along with page numbers in each Unit’s Teacher’s Guide where these standards are addressed in lesson, task, assignment, or assessment.

Standards and Lesson Objectives are clearly stated on left hand side of Teacher Guides at the beginning of each lesson. For example:

• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 3 publisher-produced alignment to standards is provided. Students will:
  • RI.1.2 pp. 182, 184, 186 - Identify the main topic and retell key details of the text. Use supporting details and photographs to describe key ideas.
  • RI.1.1 p. 182 - Ask and answer questions about key details in the text.
  • RI.1.4 and L.1.6 p. 184 – Determine the meaning of words in a text.
  • RI.1.7 p. 184 – Use supporting details and photographs to describe key ideas.
  • SL.1.5 p. 184 – Add drawings to clarify ideas.
  • RF.1.4.b p. 187 – Read grade-level text with appropriate expression.
  • W.1.2 p. 188, 190 – Understand the elements of informative writing. Write facts about the topic.
  • W.1.6 p. 190 – With guidance, use technology to produce and publish writing and to collaborate with others.
  • L.1.1.c p. 190 – Use singular and plural nouns.
• In Unit 1, Module A, Performance Based assessment, standards being assessed are included. Students will:
  • W.1.3 p. 142 – Write a narrative recounting two sequenced events with details.
• In the Unit 6, Module B, Performance Based Assessment, standards being assessed are included. Students will:
  • W.1.1. p. 282 – Write an opinion piece. Name the topic of an opinion piece. Supply reasons for the opinion. Provide a sense of closure.

Standards are also listed at the bottom of each Foundational Skills lesson which are located in the Foundational Skills portion of every Teacher's Guide. For example in Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 3, on p. FS4 standards include:

• RF.1.2.c Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single syllable words.
• RF1.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
• RF.1.3.b Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
• RF.1.4.a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
• L.1.2.e Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic awareness and spelling conventions.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectation for materials containing a Teacher's Guide with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

Materials include a Teacher's Guide that includes a clear outline of each unit as well as notes and suggestions of how to present content. The Teacher's Guide also includes the objectives of the lesson, explanations of where to find descriptions of routine, and suggested ways to present content as well as possible questions to ask are noted in blue. Each question asked is followed by a sample student answer. The Teacher's Guide includes scaffolded instruction boxes to address learners’ needs with ideas on differentiating instruction for those students in need of strategic or English language support.

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 1, the teacher is provided with a Teach and Model guide to present the way the text identifies characters’ responses. Teachers use discussion to guide students to recognize characters and their actions. Included in this section is a diagram that demonstrates how the text gives character details.
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 8, the teaching guide includes a Quick Check suggesting how teachers progress monitor two to three students daily as they are practicing Oral Reading Fluency. The Quick Check states, “If students are reading at a rate that is too slow, then encourage them to practice reading at a faster pace where the words flow better together.”
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 5, the Close Read section gives directives and suggestions on students citing evidence. The Close Read section states, “During guided close reading, have students discuss what they just read. Remind children that readers use details and examples to explain or connect ideas or events in a text. Use these questions to guide the discussion, and ask students to support their answers with evidence.” The teacher is provided with guided questions to lead a class discussion that requires evidence.
• In Unit 5, Module A, Lesson 10, the Independent Writing section of the lesson provides teachers with plans to create storyboards with events and their details.
• On pages 64-71 of the Implementation Guide, a scope and sequence chart includes all Common Core Standards and the Unit and Module where each is addressed.
• On pages 72-81 of the Implementation Guide, Standards maps are provided for each Module. These maps include a description of the Performance Based Assessment, essential questions that are linked with standards, essential questions, a list of anchor and support texts, a list of all standards covered, Module goals linked to standards, and enduring understandings that are linked to standards.
• On pages 82-103 of the Implementation Guide, a Common Core Correlations Chart is included that lists all Grade 1 Common Core Standards and then gives the Unit and page number where the standard is addressed.

Materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

• In Unit 1, Module A, the Performance Based Assessment has a digital option stating, “You may incorporate technology into the Performance-Based Assessment. Have children type their stories using word processing software. Then they add illustrations by printing out the pages and drawing pictures above or below the text.”

• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 10, the teacher’s guide lists the digital publishing studio TikaTok as a resource for students to write and illustrate their own books.
• In all Units and Modules Digital Centerpieces center options include the Reading Center, Writing Center, Word Work Center, and Research Center. Each of these centers includes an online technology piece.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations of materials containing a Teacher's Guide that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literary concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject as necessary. The materials also include an Implementation Guide to provide specific explanations, rational, and examples of key concepts that are needed to improve knowledge of the subject. Common Core Correlations, located in the Implementation Guide, list all of First Grade ELA standards by strand, then the page numbers in each unit’s Teacher’s Guide where these standards are addressed.

The Teacher's Guides include:

• Instructional Routines, along with their rationales, are located in the Teacher Resource Section in the back of each of the Teacher’s Guides.

• Generative Vocabulary Instruction is explained in the Implementation Guide as “helping students learn about words.” A white paper on generative vocabulary instruction is available online at pearsonrealize.com. It’s further described in each unit of the Teacher’s Guide at the beginning of each module. Teachers learn about benchmark vocabulary (words that are important for understanding concepts within a text) and by-the-way words (sophisticated or unusual Tier II and Tier III words).

• Text Complexity Rubrics are available for each Anchor and Supporting Text. Rubrics explain quantitative, qualitative, and reader and task considerations, and provide the teacher with information on potential challenges students may have in accessing the text. These rubrics are located in the Teacher’s Resource Section in the back of each unit’s Teacher’s Guide.

• Tips and Tools sidebars throughout the Teacher’s Guides, Scaffolded Strategies Handbook, and Teacher Resource sections provide quick definitions of literary and language terms being taught in each lesson. For example, “Tips and Tools” of the “Routines” portion of the Teacher Resources offers definitions for affix, inflectional ending, and root words for the teacher.

• Independent Reading Continuum, located in Teacher’s Resource Section of each unit’s Teacher’s Guide, “shows a progression of the essential elements of independent reading in the elementary grades, describing strategies and processes that students practice when engaged in purposeful, self selected reading.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for materials containing a teacher’s edition that explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum.

• On pages 64-71 of the Implementation Guide, a scope and sequence chart includes all Common Core Standards and the Unit and Module they are addressed.
• On pages 72-81 of the Implementation Guide, Standards maps are provided for each Module. These maps include a description of the performance based assessment, essential questions that are linked with standards, a list of anchor and support texts, a list of all standards covered, Module goals that are linked to standards, and enduring understandings that are linked to standards.
• On pages 82-103 of the Implementation Guide, a Common Core Correlations Chart is included that lists all Grade 1 Common Core Standards and then gives the Unit and page number where the standard is addressed.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for materials containing explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identifying research-based strategies.

Materials include an Implementation Guide that provides walkthrough of the curriculum, citing and explaining the rationale and research-based strategies including but not limited to the principles of backwards design and the design principle of backward mapping.

• On page 22 of the Implementation Guide, it states, “ReadyGEN uses the principles of backward design to help teachers deliver instruction based on learning goals.” This is connected to the quote on the bottom of page 23 from the research of Fisher and Frey: “Reading widely is a habit that students must develop, but they also need instruction in reading increasingly complex texts so their reading diet is more balanced. We suggest that more difficult texts with scaffolded instruction should become part of the classroom equation.”
• On page 24 of the Implementation Guide, it states, “ReadyGEN offers a robust range of assessments.” This is connected to the quote on the same page from the research of Peter Afflerbach about formative and summative assessments.
• On page 45 of the Implementation Guide, it states, “Quick Checks provide formative assessment opportunities to monitor students’ fluency progress.”
• On page 50 of the Implementation Guide, it states, “Performance-Based Assessments emphasize integration of reading, writing, and speaking and listening as students draw from the texts sets to demonstrate their knowledge of core understandings.” Which is connected to the quote on page 51 from the research of Linda Darling-Hammond and Frank Adamson.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for regularly and systematically offering assessment opportunities that genuinely measure student progress. Materials include a baseline assessment, multiple formative assessments, performance-based assessments, and end-of-unit assessments. Each of these assessments are included in the Assessment Book along with an overview, directions, passages, running records, student tests, test administration information, answer keys, and rubrics.

• Opportunities are provided during daily lessons for monitoring student progress in reading and writing, as well as opportunities are provided to assess oral reading fluency.
• Reading Keystones are formative assessments in every lesson to assess children’s understanding of key language, structures, and ideas. These keystones help the teacher check children’s progress toward the Performance-Based Assessment. The reading keystones include Benchmark Vocabulary Practice, Text Analysis practice/application, and Write in Response to Reading. For example, in Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 2, children use p. 154 in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to show contextual understanding of the Benchmark Vocabulary. Monitor children’s vocabulary development.
• Writing Keystone Checklists are placed throughout the unit to assess children’s opinion, narrative, or informative writing. These checklists help the teacher determine how children are progressing toward the task in the Performance Based Assessment. For Example, in Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 8, p. 90, the Writing Keystone Checklist for Stating and Supporting and Opinion is a checklist to assess children’s opinion writing. If children need additional support with one or more of these elements of opinion writing, teachers use Unlock Opinion Writing beginning on p. 260 of the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook.
• Oral Reading Fluency Quick Checks are included in the Small Group Options for daily lessons. Oral Reading Fluency can be assessed using text and guidelines provided for Running Records (Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide). For example, in Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 4, “Tell children that reading with expression means reading with a feeling or emotion. Have children follow along as you read aloud p. 17 from One Classroom, Many Cultures. First, model reading with no expression. Ask children which they preferred and why. Place children into groups. Have children take turns reading aloud the same excerpt or a portion of a leveled text. Encourage them to read with expression. Walk around the room to monitor fluency and understanding.”
• Performance-Based Assessments included with each Module have students complete a task that requires analysis and demonstrating knowledge in writing. For example, in Unit 4, Module A, p.142 the Performance-Based Assessment requires children to recall the importance of families in the stories that they read. Children write a narrative that tells a story about a family. Children write a narrative in which two or more events are properly sequenced using temporal words, include some descriptive details about the events, and provide some sense of closure to the story.
• End-of-Unit Assessments are provided to help the teacher further measure their students’ mastery of reading and language arts standards. Included in the Assessment Book Teacher’s Manual is teacher information, answer keys, and class record charts. Student tests can be found in the ASsessment Student Book and online. For example, each End of Unit Assessment includes one passage of complex text. In Units 1-2, students listen to the teacher read aloud the passage before each section of the test and then answer questions about it. In units 3-6, students read the passage themselves and then answer the questions. Each passage is either literary or informational, and the texts become increasingly complex of the course of the school year. After listening to oral reading of the passage, students answer a series of selected-response questions that contain grade-appropriate Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary. The online End-of-Unit Assessments for Units 4-6 include technology-enhanced items (TEIs). These are responses that go beyond the traditional multiple-choice and constructed response item types to include drag-and-drop and text entry. The writing portion of each End-of-Unit Assessment contains a narrative, informative/explanatory, or opinion prompt that is based on the passage. In Units 1-2, this task requires students to draw pictures and complete sentence frames. In Units 3-6 students write sentences in response to the prompt.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for assessments clearly denoting which standards are being emphasized. Standards are clearly labeled in the daily lessons and are found on the performance based assessments for each unit, standards are also noted on the End-of-Unit Assessments and the Baseline Assessment (Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide).

Daily lessons that include formative assessments clearly denote standards being taught, along with opportunities for students to practice. For example, in Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 7, on p. 76 of the Teacher’s Edition students are tested by the teacher to check for their Fluency with Oral Reading. It is clearly marked that what is being tested is CCSS RF.1.4.b - Fluency: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. (the actual CCSS is paraphrased where listed “Read grade-level text with appropriate expression”).

Performance Based Assessments denote standards being assessed in the objectives box in the Teacher’s Edition. For example, in the Unit 3, Module A, on p. 142, Performance-Based Assessment students write a short story about a choice they made to save or spend money making connections back to the text from this unit that are about choices and making decisions. Standards W.1.3 and L.1.6 are are provided in the Teacher’s Guide. W.1.3 Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure. W.1.6 With Guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration with peers.

On pages 66-71 of the Implementation Guide, a standards map is provided that lists all standards in a module along with the Performance-Based Assessment Task.

End-of-Unit Assessments and Baseline assessments provide standards being emphasized in student facing material or the Assessment Teacher’s Guide.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 instructional materials meet the expectations for assessments providing sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up. Materials provide teachers with guidance for administering assessments and interpreting results through rubrics and scoring guidance documents. Guidance includes but is not limited to:

• Performance Based Assessments provide teachers with notes and guidance regarding administration of assessments. Information is provided which guides teachers how to allow students to complete the assessment over multiple lessons, to review the Essential Questions, and revisit the texts. Also provided are scaffolded supports for students as they are completing the assessments and follow-up support for students scoring a 0, 1, or 2 on the assessment wit Reflect and Respond “if…then…” statements. Teachers are also provided a Writing Rubric with each assessment that directly connects to the type of writing being tested whether it be a narrative, informational/explanatory, or opinion writing or project.
• Guidance is provided for teachers in administering and scoring assessments, along with interpreting student assessment scores on End-of-Unit Assessments. For example, in the Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide on p. T69-T70 teachers are guided on options of how to administer the assessments as well as how best to administer this assessment. A rubric is also provided for scoring the extended response items of the End-Of-Unit Assessment in .
• The Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide provides guidance on what to do with assessment results. Teachers are directed to examine results and then use the results to inform instruction. For example, on page T71-72 of the Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide steps that should be taken after the assessment concerning scoring as well as guiding instruction are provided.
• Instruction and guidance are provided for administering Running Records with the fluency passages used for the assessments. Information is also provided for teachers in interpreting student scores and specific miscues in the Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for including routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress. Ongoing progress monitoring formative assessments are integrated within every module. Progress monitoring opportunities include but are not limited to:

• Reading and Writing Keystones that assess students’ reading and writing and their understanding of key language, structure, and ideas. For example, in Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 1, on p. 14, Practice states, “Have children use p. 77 in the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to show contextual understanding of the Benchmark Vocabulary. Monitor children’s vocabulary development.”

• Fluency Quick Checks that offer If. . . Then... suggestions to monitor students’ fluency progress and provide an assessment tool for teachers to quickly assess students in a small group of 2-3 students at a time. For example, in Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 6, on p.67 the teacher models fluent reading aloud from p. 7 of A Picnic in October. Children then choose a line or dialogue from the story to read aloud with proper expression. The teacher monitors progress and suggestions are provided if the children are reading with the incorrect expression, or if they are reading without expression.

• Check Progress assessments in each unit that assess students’ phonics, word analysis, and high frequency word skills. These are located at the end of every Foundational Skills section. For Example, in Unit 4, on p. FS27-FS29 Unit 4 Check Progress tests Phonics and High Frequency words.

• Students work in the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, including Write in Response to Reading prompts that require students to cite text evidence as they write about what they’ve read. For example, in Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 5, on p. 56, states, “Use Write in Response to Reading on p. 13 of the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to check children’s understanding of key ideas in ‘Dragons and Giants.’”

• If. . . Then... suggestions for monitoring progress also appear in the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for providing teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so that they demonstrate independent ability with grade-level standards and opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies. There are clear supports for students who struggle as well as those who work above grade level. Grouping strategies included are inclusive of multiple opportunities.

Materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of range of learners so the content is accessible to all learners and supports them in meeting or exceeding the grade-level standards.Examples include:

• The Scaffolded Strategies Handbook addresses English Language Learners, students with disabilities, struggling readers, and accelerated learners. This handbook provides models of scaffolded instruction, useful strategies, and practical routines to employ during reading. The lessons provided are intended to be used during small-group time with students the teacher determines to need additional scaffolded instruction. The Scaffolding Strategies Handbook is organized into four parts.

• Part 1 is titled Unlock the Text. Provides every anchor and supporting text is with scaffolds and strategies. The lessons are divided into Prepare to Read, Interact with Text, and Express and Extend.
• Part 2 is titled Unlock the Writing. These lessons work to scaffold the module-level Performance Based Assessments and it also provides additional lessons to teach the writing types required by the standards.
• Part 3 of the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook provides routines, graphic organizers, and activities to support students.
• Part 4 is titled Unlock Language Learning. It focuses on supporting English Language Learners to construct the meaning and explore vocabulary of a text. This section provides support to build background, talk about sentences, speak and write about the text, expand understanding of vocabulary, and write about the anchor and supporting text.

Small group instruction is provided based on student need with options such as:

• Unlock the Text which supports students in accessing ideas, key language, and key structures.
• Word Analysis which supports students with their foundational skills.
• Conferencing which helps students to grow their independent reading accountability as they discuss their self-selected texts with the teacher.
• Support Instruction which targets students who need additional scaffolding for the instructional focus of each lesson.
• Extensions which are intended for students who understand the lesson focus and would benefit from opportunities to extend the lesson and enhance learning.
• Sleuth which is used three to four times each unit for small group lessons to reteach, practice, and refine close-reading skills and strategies.
• The Teacher’s Guide includes Scaffolded Instruction notes throughout all lessons. For example, in Unit 1, Module B, Lesson 4, the Guide states, “Help students use the visuals to better understand the text. Have them describe what they see in the photograph and compare their description to the words on the page. Encourage students to recognize that pictures are used in books to reinforce or demonstrate the words. Also, in Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 13: Most of the students in One Classroom Many Cultures have families that came to America from another country. Tony’s grandparents came to America from Italy. Explain to students that when families move to America from other places they bring their traditions with them.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for providing all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level or in a language other than English, extensive opportunities to work with grade level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards.The Teacher’s Guide provides daily scaffolding for immediate feedback during lessons, and the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook provides more extensive follow up to support these students.

The Teacher’s Guide provides on-the-spot scaffolds in each lesson. These address common stumbling blocks encountered by English Language Learners and struggling readers and writers. They are highlighted in blue at the bottom of each lesson. Examples include:

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 8, on p. 83 the Scaffolded Instruction notes are for English Language Learners and for Strategic Support.
  • English Language Learners: “Help children understand where Stellaluna is when she falls into a ‘tangle of branches.’ Focus on the illustration on p. 9. Model first, and then have children trace the branches with a finger as they repeat the phrase. Have them draw a picture or use craft sticks to build a ‘tangle of branches.’”
  • Scaffolded Instruction: “If children have difficulty understanding when a story event happens, have them use the illustrations to answer questions about the setting, such as: What color is the sky? What time of day do you see stars? When do you see the sun shining?”

• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 9, on p. 243 the Scaffolded Instruction notes are for English Language Learners and for Strategic Support.
  • English Language Learners: “In Spanish, Korean, and Hmong, comparisons are expressed with phrases rather than with adjectives that change form. In Spanish, for example, fast/faster/fastest becomes rapido/mas rapido/el mas rapido (or rapida for feminine nouns). Explain the phrase the shortest line on p. 45 and provide practice with other comparison adjective.”
  • Scaffolded Instruction: “Children may have difficulty understanding the terms related to the checkout counter. Ask children to recall their own experiences at stores and then act out the roles of a shopper, a clerk scanning bar codes and using a cash register, and the bagger.”
• In Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 5, on p. 203 the Scaffolded Instruction notes are for English Language Learners and for Strategic Support.
  • English Language Learners: “Children may struggle with understanding some of the scientific terms in the text, such as gas, liquid, orbits, and the names of the planets. Take extra time to define and explain these terms. Help children read the planet names, and encourage them to find creative ways of remembering the names.”
  • Scaffolded Instruction: “When texts have a variety of text features, children may struggle to understand the order they should read the text on a page. Where there is main body text, such as p. 46, they would read the main text first and then the labels. On p. 47, they would read the text features in the order they appear, from top to bottom.”

The Scaffolded Strategies Handbook has a number of resources for teachers to assist English Language Learners, struggling readers and writers as well as students with disabilities. These are intended to be used during small group time. The handbook has four sections of resources that include:

• Unlock the Text: This section includes text complexity rubrics that offer insight into the quantitative, qualitative and reader and task measures of text. The qualitative measures provide strategies for levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands. Cognate charts are provided for each anchor text and supporting text in this section of the handbook as well.
• Unlock Writing: This section provides scaffolded lessons for the Performance-Based Assessments and grade level support and guidelines for teaching the standards based writing types.
• Routines and Activities: This section includes routines, reproducible graphic organizers, and activities that can be used to support teaching the standards.
• Unlock Language Learning: This section provides specific resources for English Language Learners to construct meaning in the selections as well as explore vocabulary of texts. The strategies and activities are designed to develop mastery of reading, writing and speaking around the areas of Building Background, talking about Sentences, Speaking and Writing about the Texts, and Expanding Understanding of Vocabulary.

If/then sections are provided in the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook to support students. For example, in the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook on page 211 students Unlock the Task: Write About Choices. Students break apart the task, answer questions about the task, and then restate the task. If/then statements are provided to monitor and support struggling writers. For example, “If …. Students have difficulty brainstorming ideas to write about, then … help them identify times they had money and determine what they did with the money. Did you spend your money right away? Did you spend all your money? Did you save your money? Where did you keep it? Were you saving money for something you wanted?”

To build speaking and listening skills the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook lists a Listening Skills Log on pages 323-324 and a Have a Discussion Routine and Rating Sheet on pages 329-330. Examples include:

• Each Unit’s Leveled Text Instructional Plan addresses speaking and listening skills in the section titled After Reading on page TR68. During the Talk About It section, it states, “The activities in this section are designed to help students develop their understanding of the unit theme and enhance their listening and speaking skills by engaging in a group discussion.” Sentence frames are provided to help students express their ideas.
• In Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 10 students use the Think-Pair-Share Routine on pp. TR2, TR3 to practice speaking and listening. Teachers are reminded to make sure that students are using best practices for speaking and listening as outlined in the routine.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for including extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

Each lesson offers support for accelerated learners in Small Group Options. The small group options provided in the Teacher’s Guide offer teachers opportunities to direct their instruction to the needs of their students. Teachers are encouraged to gather formative assessment information from whole group instruction to help determine student needs during small groups. Opportunities within small groups that include:

• Independent Reading Conferences: Opportunities for students to discuss self-selected texts can be found in the Teacher Resource Book. Independent reading rubrics are also provided for students to self-assess reading preferences and behaviors.
• Close Reading Extension or Language Analysis Extension are provided for students who are adept or excel at the skill or lesson.
• Mini-lessons can also be found in the Sleuth materials that offer extensions for students who excel at close reading or language analysis.
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 3, the Close Reading Extension on page 37 asks students to answer questions about Kelly’s choice by looking for clues (gathering evidence), asking questions, making their case, and proving their thinking.

The Scaffolded Strategies Handbook included opportunities outside of the teacher guide for extensions for students who are above grade level. These sections are titled Extend, Accelerated, and Going Deeper. There are four parts in the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook. Including Unlock the Text, Unlock the Writing, Routines and Activities, and Unlock Language Learning. Within each part, there are extensions activities and strategies. For example, in Unit 1, Module A, on page 18 of the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook, students:

• In Part 1, Unlock the Text to Express and Extend after reading Frog and Toad Together. The Extend section states, “Have students write a sentence telling what they think is the most dangerous challenge Frog and Toad face. Provide a sentence frame such as the following: The most dangerous thing Frog and Toad fact is _____.”
• In Part 2, Unlock the Writing on page 262 students are provided with a practice and a deeper practice when working with opinion pieces. Students work together to better understand the connection between topics, opinions, and reasons. The Teacher Edition states, “Consider distributing copies of an opinion piece that you have read in class, and have students identify the topic, the opinion, and at least one supporting reason by underlining each in different colored markers. Ask students to list the linking words they find. Then instruct them to tell which reason and opinion each linking word connects. Students work with a partner to brainstorm another reason for an opinion about the topic of holidays or about another topic of interest. You might have students practice “writing in the air” by first using a formal tone to tell a partner the topic, opinion, and reasons. Ask them to tell their opinion and at least one reason to the class, and have the class identify the opinion and the supporting reasons.”

Opportunities for extension occur in small group. For example, on page TR7 in the Unit 1 Small Group Discussion Routine, teachers are provided with a Going Deeper activity once students are familiar with the routine. The directions state, “Add a Fact Checker to the roles of a small group. Have the Fact Checker flag text evidence as children share text details in their responses.” It also states, “With the children, brainstorm a list of questions that the Elaborator might ask during group discussions.”

Opportunities for extension appear in Text Club. For example, on page TR23 in the Unit 2 Text Club Routine directions, teachers are provided with a Going Deeper activity to help students explore Text Clubs more deeply. The directions state, “Once students are comfortable with the Routine, choose from the following activities to help them explore Text Clubs more deeply.” It also states, “Ask students to reread the same text with the same Text Club members but take on different roles in the group. Doing so will allow children to experience the text from different perspectives.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for providing opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies. Students participate in partner and small group Think/Pair/Share, Whole Class Discussion, Small Group Discussion, Read Alouds, Shared Reading, Independent Reading, Text Clubs, and Benchmark Vocabulary Discussions for both Informational and Literary texts.

The Teacher Edition provides small group options for teachers to meet the needs of their students. Teachers are encouraged to use information gained from whole group instruction to help determine where students need additional supports or extensions during small groups. Also, routines and protocols for grouping strategies are provided in the Teacher Resources section of the Teacher Edition. Examples include:

• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 1 the Teacher Edition has students Turn and Talk, “After reading, have students turn to a partner and discuss this question using examples from the text: On page 4, the author talks about several ways that people can make the world better. What ways are mentioned? How are they related to the title of the book? Use the Think-Pair-Share Routine on pp. TR2-TR3. (Children should share back examples such as, helping plants and animals.)”
• In Unit 5, Module A, Lesson 4 the Teacher Edition has students work as a class to describe how reasons support points in a text by using the Whole Class Discussion Routine on pp. TR4-TR5. Have children discuss reasons that support the author’s point that Johnny Appleseed cared about other people. Check children’s understanding by asking questions that encourage children to make inferences.