1st Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations that anchor texts (including read aloud texts in K-2 and shared reading texts in Grade 2 used to build knowledge and vocabulary) are of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading/listening and consider a range of student interests.Anchor texts and texts sets encompass multiple themes and integrate content areas such as social studies and science. Text are examined multiple times for multiple purposes and are used to expand big ideas, build academic vocabulary, and facilitate access to future text while building towards independent grade level reading. The anchor texts are read aloud in Units 1 and 2; however, students begin reading independently the anchor texts in Units 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Some examples of anchor texts that support the high-quality expectations of this indicator include:

Unit 1: Connecting to Our World

• In Module A, students are read Stellaluna by Janell Cannon. The text is children’s literature and is classified as a fable, a folktale, and a myths picture book. This text won American Booksellers Book of the year. Illustrations help readers gain understanding of characters by showing realistic qualities. The text combines science and fantasy and includes factual information about bats and their world.
• In Module B, students are read Time to Sleep by Jill McDougall. This text is classified as children’s literature. This scientific text uses pictures, text features, and rich vocabulary to explain the different ways animals sleep.

Unit 2: Becoming a Classroom Citizen

• In Module A, students are read A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech. This text is classified as a realistic fiction picture book. This text contains rich language and the character development throughout the story helps students understand the theme of the text.
• In Module B, students are read Far From Home by Sue Pickford. This text is classified as children’s literature. This text addresses what it is like to be a citizen in a new country and uses pictures to help display the feeling and mood of the character.

Unit 3: Making Choices

• In Module A, students read The Winners’ Choice by Ana Galan illustrated by Christos Skaltsas. This is a culturally diverse text with rich vocabulary that supports the identified theme.
• In Module B, students read Goods and Services by Jane Adil. This social studies text is rich in content specific vocabulary and provides context clues to help young learners understand the new terms. This text also uses photography to help students identify theme.

Unit 4: Planting for the Future

• In Module A, students read Arbor Day Square by Kathryn O. Gallbraith. This text is classified as historical fiction. The text uses a narrative to portray the first Arbor Day which took place in Nebraska. Through the use of pictures, students are able to visualize the theme of the story.
• In Module B, students read How Seeds Grow by Helene J. Jordan and illustrated by Loretta Krupinski. This text is classified as non-fiction. The book uses rich, detailed pictures to help portray the scientific theme of how a seed grows.

Unit 5: Observing the Messages of the Natural World

• In Module A, students read King Kafu and the Moon by Trish Cooke and illustrated by Andrea Castellani. This text is a fable that introduces students to the science concept of the moon and outer space, using content specific vocabulary.
• In Module B, students read Our World in Space: Planets by Erin Dealy. This text is classified as scientific nonfiction. The text contains dense language and context development throughout the story. The use of descriptive vocabulary, language, and photographs helps student visualize space and the planets.

Unit 6: Celebrating Diversity

• In Module A, students read One Classroom, Many Cultures by Elizabeth Massie. The text uses personal narratives of characters in the story to help students understand the culturally rich vocabulary.
• In Module B, students read Whose is This? by Narinder Dhami and illustrated by Victor Taverse. This text uses culturally diverse vocabulary to help students examine and understand different cultures.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards. There is a balance of literature and informational text and also a variety of text types. The text sets in Grade 1 include: literary picture books, scientific nonfiction, and historical nonfiction.

Examples representing the balance of text types and genres include the following:

In Unit 1, Connecting to Our World texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - Stellaluna by Janell Cannon. (Literary Text, Narrative, picture book)
  • Supporting Text - Dragons and Giants from Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel. (Literary Text, Narrative, picture book)
• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - Time to Sleep by Jill McDougall. (Scientific Nonfiction, Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - What Do you Do with a Tail Like This? By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. (Informational Text)
• Poems:
  • “Batty” by Shel Silverstein
  • “The Elephant” by Arnold Sundgaard

In Unit 2, Becoming a Classroom Citizen texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech. (Literary Text, Narrative, Picture book
  • Supporting Text - The Recess Queen Make a Year by Alexis O’Neill and Laura Huliska-Beith. (Literary Text, Narrative, Picture book)
• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - Far from Home by Sue Pickford. (Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - Going to School by Margaret Clyne, Rachel Griffiths, and Cynthia Benjamin. (Informational Text)
• Poems:
  • “School Bus” by Lee Bennett Hopkins
  • “Countdown to Recess” by Kalli Dakos
  • “Crayons” by Jane Yolen
  • “Numbers” by Elizabeth Madox Roberts

In Unit 3, Making Choices texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - The Winners Choice by Ana Galan. (Literary Text, Narrative, picture book)
  • Supporting Text - The Hunter’s Money Jar by Charlotte Guillain. (Literary Text, Narrative)

• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - Goods and Services by Jane Adil. (Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - Supermarket by Kathleen Krull. (Informational Text)
• Poems:
  • “My Lemonade Stand” by Rebeccah Kai Dotlich
  • “Mud Pies a Penny” by Alan Benjamin
  • “Food” by Meisch Goldish
  • “To Market, To Market” by Anne Miranda

In Unit 4, Planning For the Future texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - Arbor Day by Kathryn O. Gallbraith. (Literary Text, Historical Narrative)
  • Supporting Text - The Family Tree by David McPhail. (Literary Text, Narrative)
• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan. (Scientific Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - The Life Cycle of an Apple Tree by Linda Tagliaferro. (Scientific Informational Text)
• Poems:
  • “Garden Tip” by George Shannon
  • “Dancing in the Breeze” by George Shannon
  • “Zucchini” by George Shannon

In Unit 5, Observing the Messages of the Natural World texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - King Kafu and the Moon by Trish Cooke. (Literary Text, Narrative)

• • Supporting Text - Let's Visit the Moon by Patricia Newman. (Literary Text, Narrative)
• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - Our World in Space: Planets by Erin Dealy. (Scientific Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - The Sun by Martha E. H. Rustad. (Scientific Informational Text)
• Poems:
  • “Running Moon” by Elizabeth Coatsworth
  • “Last Song” by James Guthrie
  • “Sleeping Outdoors” by Marchette Chute
  • “Sun” by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
  • “A Circle of Sun” by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
  • “Sunflakes” by Frank Asch

In Unit 6, Celebrating Diversity texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - One Classroom, Many Cultures by Elizabeth Massie. (Historical Nonfiction, Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - A Picnic in October by Eve Bunting. (Literary Text, Narrative)
• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - Whose is This? by Narinder Dhami illustrated by Victor Taverse. (Literary Text, Narrative)
  • Supporting Text - L is for Liberty by Wendy Cheyette Lewison. (Historical Nonfiction Informational Text)
• Poems:
  • “Statue of Liberty” by J. Patrick Lewis
  • “Lady Liberty” by Laura Purdie Salas
  • “Happy Birthday” to Us! By Laura Purdie Salas
  • “Flag Music” by Laura Purdie Salas

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for texts having the appropriate level of complexity for this grade according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task(s).Texts in first grade are read aloud in Units 1-2 therefore the lexile levels are higher. However students are responsible for the reading beginning in Unit 3, 4, 5, 6. There is no lexile band according to the Common Core State Standards however, the range in first grade falls from 310- 740. . The reader and task outlined in the Teacher Guides complexity rubrics provide rationale for texts being of high complexity levels. As the students progress through the units they do more of the reading independently.

Examples of texts that support appropriate complexity include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Module A, students are read the literary text Stellaluna by Janell Cannon. The text has a quantitative measure of 550 Lexile. This text is an accessible narrative with literal meaning about a lost bat and also dives into more complex themes about survival, appreciating others, and adaptation. There is some informational components about bats at the end of the book and is a conventional narrative with some advanced vocabulary and compound sentences. The reader and task suggestions include inviting the students to share what they know about bats and birds to build background knowledge. The students then create a venn diagram that compares and contrasts story information about bats and birds. The students should discuss that humans can learn from the story.
• In Unit 1, Module B, students are read the informational text Time to Sleep by Jill McDougall. The text has a quantitative measure of 140 Lexile. This text has an accessible concept with an explicit main idea. Main idea and key details are organized into sections with illustrations and photographs that support the text. Vocabulary is content-area based and sentences are simple with a few complex. Reader and task suggestions include asking the students to discuss where and when they sleep. The teacher helps the students understand that they can use the index to find important information in the text. The students then work with a partner using the index to locate and identify the remaining animals listed in the index.
• In Unit 2, Module A, students are read the literary text A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech.The text has a quantitative measure of 890 Lexile. This text has a conventional plot with a single unified theme. It is in chronological order, and the artwork supports the text and theme. There is some advanced vocabulary concerning religion, holidays, and historical topics. Sentences, phrases, and paragraphs are repeated. The reader and task suggestions include discussing the length of a school day and year. Then students support their opinions with logical resources. Then the students, with the help of the teacher, identify how many number of days the students is in while enrolled in their group.
• In Unit 2, Module B, students are read the informational text Far From Home by Sue Pickford. The text has a quantitative measure of 260 Lexile, Non-Fiction, This text has an accessible concept (farm life in the past and present), it is structured with compare and contrast features which is guided by fictional characters and non-fiction text features such as headings, tables, and a glossary. Most of the sentences are compound with a few simple sentences. The vocabulary is challenging while the character comments on facts throughout the text. The reader and task suggestions include using a globe to locate China. Ask students to share what they know about China. The students, with the teachers help, create a story map.
• In Unit 3, Module A, students read the literary text The Winners’ Choice by Ana Galan illustrated by Christos Skaltsas. The text has a quantitative measure of 370 Lexile. This text is an accessible realistic story which has chronological order, dialogue, omniscient narrator and supporting illustrations. There is some challenging topic-related vocabulary, multiple meaning words, and simple sentences. The reader and task suggestions include having the students take a picture walk of the text and make predictions. The teacher records those predictions. Before reading the text the teacher records main events from the story on sentence strips. The students then pair up and after reading the story they use the sentence strips to sequence the events in the story.
• In Unit 3, Module B, students read the informational text Goods and Services by Jane Adil.The text has a quantitative measure of 630 Lexile. This text has literal meaning about producers and consumers with descriptive informational text features that focus on main idea. There is content specific vocabulary that is defined in the text. The reader and task suggestions include inviting students to share their experiences with money that they have earned and spent. The teacher reviews with the students how many allows people to acquire goods and services and how people use money as produces and consumers. Then the students act out a story in which they show their understanding of the terms.
• In Unit 4, Module A, students read the literary text Arbor Day Square by Kathryn O. Gallbraith. The text has a quantitative measure of 470 Lexile. This text is an accessible fictional story set in a prairie town. The structure is chronological with dialogue, supporting illustrations and a historical piece about Arbor Day is included. There is some challenging vocabulary, simple sentences, figurative and sensory language and subject-verb agreement. The reader and task suggestions include having the students talk with their families about a tradition that has been passed down in their family, the students then share that tradition with the class and why it is important. The teacher makes sentence strips with main ideas, the students then place the sentence strips in the correct order.
• In Unit 4, Module B, students read the informational text How a Seeds Grow by Helene J. Jordan and illustrated by Loretta Krupinski. The text has a quantitative measure of 340 Lexile. This text has an accessible concept with literal meaning. It includes a step by step process in an informational format, content-specific vocabulary that is defined in context and through illustrations. The reader and task suggestions include having discussions about plants that have seeds, what seeds look like and sharing pictures of different seeds. Students then work in small groups and grow different seeds. The students observe the plants growing and discuss the similarities and differences at different growing stages. The students explain the entire lifecycle of a seed.
• In Unit 5, Module A, students read the literary text King Kafu and the Moon by Trish Cooke illustrated by Andrea Castellani. 480 Lexile. This text is an accessible humorous story with a conventional narrative. The structure of the text includes a table of contents, three illustrated chapters, problem-solution, challenging vocabulary, simple sentences, figurative language, and exclamatory sentences. The reader and task suggestions include having the students observe the moon for a week before reading the story. The students then draw pictures of the moon and what they noticed about it, have the students share their observations. Students then sequence key events from the story. The students then write a sentence to go with pages from the text that have been photocopied and they must put them in order.
• In Unit 5, Module B, students read the informational text Our World in Space, Planets by Erin Dealy. The text has a quantitative measure of 520 Lexile. This text is an accessible story about children in first grade, the text is illustrated which supports the text and key details and main idea are obvious. There are six sections, and introduction and conclusions, with some advanced vocabulary including geographical references to cultures, context clues are strong for word meaning, there are short simple sentences and possessive nouns. The reader and task suggestions include having students name planets they know and what they know about them. The students then create a mobile of the planets, making sure to label them and add details.
• In Unit 6, Module A, students read the literary text One Classroom, Many Cultures by Elizabeth Massie. The text has a quantitative measure of 530 Lexile. This text has the theme of community which is accessible and the structure is conventional for a narrative. Dialogue throughout is mixed into simple, compound, and complex sentences with some topic-specific vocabulary, including geographical and cultural references. The reader and task suggestions include having students create an illustrated personal profile page, making sure to include sentences about what they like to do and their family’s traditions. The students then share their profiles with the class. Students create a venn diagram comparing and contrasting two children from the text. Students should use evidence from the text when discussing similarities and differences.
• In Unit 6, Module B, students read the literary text Whose is This? by Narinder Dhami illustrated by Victor Taverse. The text has a quantitative measure of 490 Lexile. This is an accessible text that celebrates cultural diversity. It is a chronological, narrative, fictional story with an omniscient narrator, clear structure, illustrations to support the text and four chapters. There is culturally related vocabulary, multiple-meaning words, and some compound sentences. The reader and task suggestions include having a discussion about what a fair is and what is done at a fair. Students bring in an object from their culture. The class then tries to guess what the object is used for, the student shares the objects meaning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectation that materials support students’ increasing literacy skills over the course of the school year through increasingly complex text to develop independence in grade-level skills. In the Grade 1 materials, the reading of texts is done by the teacher through a rich read aloud text. There are a variety of texts ranging in Lexile levels, but the texts do not increase from low to high. While the read aloud texts (anchor and supporting), fall within quantitative and qualitative measures, overall the texts do not provide students with access to increasing rigorous texts. However, with the reader and task considerations, the read aloud texts fall within all areas of text complexity and increase students’ comprehension skills throughout the school year.

Some examples that demonstrate supporting students’ increasing literacy skills include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Module A, Happy Endings, students hear and see a 360L text where the sentence length is 6.57. However, the text has applied figurative language which brings the reader and task to a higher level than being called out on the lexile.
• In Unit 2, Module A, the teacher reads aloud The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill. This text contains a Lexile of AD450. Qualitatively, the text contains straightforward literal meaning. The text contains invented words. The theme is complex and requires Kindergarten students to understand friendships. Therefore, the Essential Question focuses on helping students understanding the theme: How do readers retell text to demonstrate understanding of the central message? In Lesson 7 of The Recess Queen, the teacher asks students to look at the cover illustration and make predictions about the character on the cover. After reading the text aloud, the teacher asks the following question to help students understand friendship: How does Katie Sue change the action of the story? In Lesson 12, the teacher helps students analyze characters’ actions in order to compare how the characters’ actions change from the beginning to the end of the text. The teacher models how the main character’s actions change and asks the students to talk in pairs about supporting character’s actions.
• In Unit 3, texts range from 260L to 630L. The average sentence length is slightly higher at 6.8 to 12 words. Chronological events and dialogue, illustrations supporting each page, and an all-knowing narrator increase the rigor from Unit 1. In addition the reader tasks become more rigorous. Students are drawing illustrations, acting out understanding of money and its use, and writing a steps-in-a-process flow chart for a market product from source to purchase.

• In Unit 6, texts range from 310L to 540L, with average sentence length from 5.75 to 10 words. The reader and task become more rigorous as students determine main idea and key details, and story structure (beginning, middle, end, introduction, and conclusion). The text also present texts with six sections and text with four chapters that provide additional challenge for first graders.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectation that the anchor texts and series of connected texts are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for educational purpose and placement in for the grade level.

The anchor texts and supporting texts have a “Text Complexity Rubric” located on page TR48- TR54 under the Teacher Resources section of the Teacher Guide. The Text Complexity Rubric covers contains quantitative, qualitative, and reader and task measures. Quantitative metrics are provided for each anchor text in four categories: Lexile level, average sentence length, word frequency and page or word count. Qualitative measures are provided for each anchor text and supporting text in four categories: levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and theme and knowledge demands. Metrics provided for qualitative measures are in list form. Reader and Task Suggestions are in narrative form and provide teachers with suggestions for preparing all students to read the text as well as leveled tasks.

For example on page XVIII there is a page dedicated to what makes the text challenging using a qualitative analysis for the teacher to help with planning instruction.

• Levels of meaning: informational texts on how a seed grows and developes into a plant
• Structure: illustrations; explanatory structure including how-to direction; experiment
• Language Conventionality and Clarity: simple straightforward explanatory sentences; some unfamiliar content-specific words; first- and second person pronouns refer to the reader and students pictured in the text
• Knowledge Demands: Planting; gardening

The resources page also has a breakdown for the reader and task addressing different scaffolds students may need in accessing the complex text using the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook for English Language Learners, struggling readers, and accelerated readers. At the bottom of each rubric there is a reader and tak suggestion to help students access and understand the complex text.

An example from Unit 6: Reader and Task Suggestions “One Classroom, Many Cultures” pg TR48.

• Preparing to Read the Text:Invite children to create an illustrated personal profile page, similar to those featured in the text. The profile should include several sentences about what the child enjoys doing and some of their family’s traditions. Children can share their profiles with the class.
• Leveled Tasks: Work with children to create a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting two children featured in the book. Children should make sure to use evidence from the text when discussing the similarities and differences.

At the beginning of each Module, teachers are provided with a Lexile and genre reminder about the upcoming text set. Lexiles and genres are listed for the anchor text and supporting texts. Lexiles are provided for the Sleuth texts and the Leveled Text Library. Within each unit and module, the texts are focused on a theme, which provides some rationale as to why the text was chosen.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations of anchor and supporting texts providing opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to achieve grade level reading proficiency. The instructional materials provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading, and there are supports to build students’ comprehension of grade level texts in a variety of shared read alouds, oral and silent reading.sleuth, leveled readers, e-text, and scaffold handbook. Students also have access to leveled readers which provided leveled support to help build first grade level reading proficiency. In addition, there are on grade level trade books and text selections, grade level small group “Sleuth” selections, independent reading books, and a student reader and I Can Read Selections at students’ reading levels.

Additionally, the program includes eTexts which includes all of the Teacher Guides, Anchor Texts, Supporting Texts, Leveled Readers, Scaffolding Resources, Games, Performance Based Assessment, and Foundational Skills lessons used in center based learning.

For teachers there is a routine section in the in the Teacher Guide under Teacher Resources that lays out routines the students partake in throughout the year to help build comprehension and reading fluency by the end of the year. These routines are found on page TR1 and they include: Think- Pair- Share, Whole Class Discussion, Small Group Discussion, Read Alouds, Shared Reading, Independent Reading, Text Club, and Informational and Literary Benchmark Vocabulary Routines.

Structures are built within the day to provide students with opportunities to practice silent and oral reading. Each day students engage in independent reading with a specific focus including building stamina and becoming independent readers. In addition, small group instruction each day either focuses on vocabulary, fluency, critical thinking or comprehension (Implementation Guide). Comprehension and vocabulary instruction dominates the small group instruction, but the few fluency lessons focus on a specific aspect of fluency such as phrasing, expression, and pacing. Students hear and see the teacher model reading the text and then practice using the same text. For example:

• In Module B, Unit 4, students select a text to read. The teacher points out that the focus sills and engagement and identity and vocabulary knowledge. The teacher points out that they learned that authors provide clues in the details and pictures to help readers determine the meanings of unknown words. The teacher asks the students to select words that are difficult as they read, and identify how a struggling reader can use the supporting details and pictures to help determine the words’ meanings. The students record in their daily reading log; what they read, whether or not they enjoyed the book, why or why not, the author, title and number of pages they read.

A scaffolded strategies handbook is also provided, which gives teachers additional ways to teach the concepts to struggling learners and English language learners. In addition, throughout the teacher’s guide there are "if/then" sections which provide the teachers with concrete things to do when students do not understand the concept.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations of most questions, tasks, and assignments being text-based and requiring students to engage with the text directly. Students draw on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text using classroom conversation to help scaffold what the text is saying.

Explicit question examples include:

• "What do the illustrations tell you about how Jean treats the other children? What do the other children think about Jean? Students will use the think pair routine to help them discuss where in the text the answer is found. (Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 8, The Recess Queen)
• "How do the characters in each book feel about each other?” (Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 10, Stellaluna, Dragons and Giants)
• “How are the Nigerian stand and the Indian stand on pages 14 and 15 alike? How are the stands different?” (Unit 6, Module B, Lesson 7, Whose is This)

Implicit question examples include:

• "How does Katie Sue change the mood of the playground in the story?” (Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 12, The Recess Queen)

• “Look at page 15. What sentence is repeated? Why do you think the author chose to repeat the line?” (Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 4, Arbor Day Square)
• "How does Stellaluna feel about the birds in the end? Let’s read what she says. What does Stellaluna do to show how she feels about the birds? Show me in the pictures.” (Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 6, Stellaluna)

Many lessons have a Reading Analysis section where students are working toward a specific standard and engaging in either whole class or small group work to complete a task involving the text. The majority of lessons have a turn and talk after the students read, which requires the students to discuss something from the text. Most questions require students to engage with the text by referring back to the text for evidence or examining the text for author’s craft. For example, in the reading analysis section for Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 1, the teacher models for the student how to identify story elements by completing a 3-column chart, character, setting and event. The students then complete a chart independently or by working in small groups. Also, in Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 3, students must refer back to the text, The Life Cycle of an Apple Tree, to answer “What did you read about how apples grow?”

Each lesson has small group activities which include several options for students to answer text-based questions. One example of small group through extension is under the Reading analysis extension activity in Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 10 with the text, The Recess Queen. Students are asked to work in pairs to compare the characters Katie Sue from The Recess Queen and Tillie from A Fine, Fine School. The questions students are to consider are “What does Katie Sue do that none of the other children do?”, “What does Tillie do that none of the other children in her class do?”, and “How are Katie Sue and Tillie the same? How are they different?”

All lessons have a Close Reading section that includes 3-4 text-based questions. For example, in Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 10, A Picnic in October, students are directed to “Look at page 22. How can you use context clues to figure out what ‘Chow time’ means? What does it mean to ‘make a hands barrier’ to help keep the candles lit? How can you use context clues to figure out what Brave, Bella means?”

Additional materials that support students engaging with the text include:

• In the Sleuth close reading materials, there is a gather evidence section for each close read which requires students to find evidence from the text.
• The Reader's and Writer's Notebook provides evidence based questions.
• The Baseline Assessment also includes evidence based questions.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations of containing sets of high-quality sequences of text dependent questions and activities that build to a culminating task. Every module offers a culminating task (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 text 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 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.

Text dependent questions and activities lead up to the following culminating tasks are included in the instructional materials:

• Unit 1, Module A: Write about Friendship, Narrative Task- Children think about the friendship between the birds and Stellaluna. Then they illustrate and write sentences about how the characters showed their friendship when they first met and then later in the story.
• Unit 1, Module B: Write Questions and Answers. Informative/Explanatory Task- Children use facts from Time to Sleep and What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? to write questions about animals.
• Unit 2, Module A: Write About Classroom Citizens, Opinion Task- Children think about The Recess Queen and A Fine, Fine School and how characters acted as good classroom citizens. Children write their opinion about how good classroom citizens act and supply a reason for the opinion.
• Unit 2, Module B: Write About Global Students, Informative/Explanatory Task- Children think about what they have learned about students from around the world. They choose one student from Far From Home or Going to School. Children compare and contrast their own school experiences with this student’s school experiences.
• Unit 3, Module A: Write About Choices, Narrative Task- The selections in this unit are about choices and making decisions. Children write a short story about a choice they made to save or spend money.
• Unit 3, Module B: Write About Making Choices. Opinion Task- In this module, children read about goods and services and how people make choices about which goods and services they purchase. As a class, children compose a list of goods (e.g. paper products) and services (e.g. butcher, baker) they find at their local grocery store. Then each child choose a good or service from the list that he or she feels is especially important and write his or her opinion about it. Children support their opinion with a reason.
• Unit 4, Module A: Write a Family Story, Narrative Task- Children recall the importance of families in the stories they read. Children write a narrative that tells a story about a family.
• Unit 4, Module B: Write Steps In A Sequence, Informative/Explanatory Task- Children use the information and features found in How a Seed Grows and The Life Cycle of an Apple Tree to write their own book explaining how a tree grows.
• Unit 5, Module A: Write A Moon Story, Narrative Task- Children write a story that includes the moon as a central feature. It can be make-believe or realistic fiction. Encourage children to use King Kafu and the Moon and Let’s Visit the Moon for ideas and inspiration.
• Unit 5, Module B: Write a Question-And-Answer Book, Informative- Children write a question-and-answer book about a planet or another element of the solar system. Children use Our World in Space: Planets and the Sun, as well as other texts, to write their questions and answers.
• Unit 6, Module A: Write a Book Review, Opinion Task- Children 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.
• Unit 6, Module B: Write An Opinion Piece, Opinion Task- Children think about the lost items they read about in Whose Is This? and decide which one they think was most interesting and why. They write their opinion and include information from the text that helped them form their opinion.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for supporting students' listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching with relevant follow-up questions and evidence.

Most lessons provide discussion protocols for turn and talks, whole group discussions, and small group discussions. There are opportunities in all of these routines for students to speak and listen about what they read. Collaborative routines are included in the daily lessons along with protocol explanations and discussion structures. This is found in the Teacher Resource section of the Teacher’s Guide.

Writing lessons provide opportunities for students to share their writing. For example, students read their opinions to the class about goods and services that are important to their families. (Unit 3, Module B, Performance Task).

In Sleuth, close reading materials, structures are included for students to gather evidence, ask questions regarding the text, use evidence to make a case, and prove their case to other students within their team, with all team members having a voice. At the end of each writing lesson, there are opportunities for students to share. For example, in Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 8, students are asked to read and answer questions from Pizza, Pizza Everywhere on pages 20-21 Sleuth. Then students will discuss questions with the group using text evidence to support their answer.” on page TR3 of the Teacher's Guide as students follow along.

The Performance Based Assessments at the end of each module, provide an opportunity for students to share their writing. For example, in Unit 1, Module A, children share their writing with the class. Students worked on writing about friendship. The audience members are encouraged to ask questions and provide feedback.

The instructional materials for Grade 1 meet the expectations of materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g., multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects incorporating digital resources where appropriate.

Explicit instruction guides students through the writing process, requiring them to analyze good writing models from the text sets they read. There are 6 Units and two Modules (A and B) within each unit. The 12 Lessons within each module focus on one type of writing. Each Module’s writing lessons are based on text(s) and offer a model for students as they write. On-demand writing occurs each day when students write to what they have read in various formats. Examples of writing include taking notes, short answer, or paragraph construction. Lessons are structured, so that by the end of the Module, students have addressed all components of the writing process..

Each module is structured the same way regarding process and on-demand writing. Representative examples of process writing include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 6, Informative / Explanatory Task: Using the text Going to School as a model, students write facts about a topic. The teacher instructs how facts are found in text that is true. In shared writing students are shown how to rewrite information in their own words. Scaffolds are provided as well as specific examples from the text to support students. Students work with a partner to orally tell two things learned from reading the text, then students individually draw an illustration of one the things they learned and write a sentence about it.

• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 2 , Narrative Writing: Students review the illustrations they drew in Lesson 1 showing the beginning and middle of The Winners’ Choice. Tell children that today they will use their illustrations to write about the event. Have students write one sentence about the beginning, and one sentence about the middle of the story on page 155 in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.

On-demand writing occurs across the yearlong materials. Examples of on-demand writing appear in each Unit and typically provide practice with component skills as they build to a larger project. For example, their Performance Based Assessment at the end of each module allows for the opportunity for students to go back to the text, gather information, and synthesize the information into a written final project where they can draw, dictate, or write. Unit 2, Module B, has a performance based assessment in which the students were asked to compare and contrast their own school experiences with this student’s school experiences. Students must revisit the text to identify details to compare and contrast their own experiences to.

Many of the tasks listed are preparing students for process writing. On-demand writing occurs across the year long materials. Examples of on-demand writing appear in each Unit and typically provide practice with component skills as they build to a larger project. The examples in Unit 6 are indicative of the types of on-demand writing activities that take place in each Unit. For example, their Performance Based Assessment at the end of each module allows for the opportunity for students to go back to the text, gather information, and synthesize the information into a written final project where they can draw, dictate, or write. Unit 5, Module B, has a performance based assessment in which the students were asked to create an informative/explanatory question-and-answer book about a plant or another element of the solar system. Students use Our World in Space: Plants and The Sun as well as other texts to create their questions and are given prompts as to how to create these questions and what is required from them.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for providing opportunities for students to address different genres/modes of writing that reflect the distribution by the standards. Each lesson includes a writing lesson, and over the course of the school year, students engage with multiple genres and modes of writing.Writing rubrics that are aligned to the standards are provided for all types of writing in the Teacher's Guide.

Examples of writing prompts that address the different text types of writing and reflect the distribution required by the standards include:

• Unit 1, Module A, Narrative: Students write about friendship between birds and Stellaluna. Students illustrate and write sentences about how the characters showed their friendship when they first met and then later in the story.
• Unit 1, Module B, Informative/Explanatory: Students use facts from Time to Sleep and What Do you Do With a Tail Like This? to write questions and answers about animals.
• Unit 2, Module A, Opinion: Students write about classroom citizens by thinking about The Recess Queen and A Fine, Fine, Fine School and how the characters acted as good classroom citizens. Students write their opinion about how good classroom citizens act and supply a reason for their opinion.
• Unit 2, Module B, Informative/Explanatory: Students write about global students by thinking about what they have learned about students from around the world. Students choose one student from Far From Home or Going to School. Students compare and contrast their own school experiences with this student’s school experiences.
• Unit 3, Module A, Narrative: Students write about choices using the selections from this unit (that were about choices and making decisions). Students write a short story about a choice they made to save or spend money.
• Unit 3, Module B, Opinion: Students write about making choices using the texts they used in this module about goods and services and how people make choices in addition to which goods and services they purchase. As a class, children compose a list of goods and services they find at their local grocery story. Then, each child choose a good or service from the list that he or she feels is especially important and write his or her opinion about it. Students support their opinion with a reason.
• Unit 4, Module A, Narrative: Students write a family story by recalling the importance of families in the stories they read. Students write a narrative that tells a story about a family.
• Unit 4, Module B, Informative/Explanatory: Students write steps in a sequence using information and features found in How a Seed Grows and The Life Cycle of an Apple Tree to write their own book explaining how a seed grows.
• Unit 5, Module A, Narrative: Students write a moon story that includes the moon as a central feature. It can be make believe or realistic fiction. Students are encouraged to use King Kafu and the Moon and Let’s Visit the Moon for ideas and inspiration.
• Unit 5, Module B, Informative/Explanatory: Students write a question,and,answer book about a planet or another element of the solar system. Students use Our World in Space: Planets and The Sun, as well as other texts, to write their questions and answers.
• Unit 6, Module A, Opinion: Students write a book review that states their opinion of one of the texts they have read. Students include information from the text that helped them form their opinion.

Unit 6, Module B, Opinion: Students write an opinion piece thinking about the lost items they read about in Whose Is This? and decide which one they think is the most interesting and why. Students write their opinion and include information from the text that helped them form their opinion.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectations for the materials include regular opportunities for evidence-based writing to support recall of information, opinions with reasons, and relevant information appropriate for the grade level. Students are taught each day to carefully analyze and synthesize sources and defend claims as part of Whole Group Writing instruction. Each writing lesson focuses on a writing mode that is specified in the Common Core Standards. The Reading and Writing Journal (RWJ) frequently provides “Write in Response to Reading” prompts. Students are required to gather and use evidence from the text to support their responses.

Opportunities for evidence-based writing in the instructional materials include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 5, students brainstorm activities, games, or other adventures that Frog and Toad might do together as friends. Students use that list to help them draw a picture that shows the characters doing something together and write a sentence about Frog and Toad’s friendship.
• In Unit 1, Module B, Lesson 8, students work with a partner to review the questions asked in What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? Together they discuss one of the questions and practice answering it, using information about each of the animals mentioned in the text. Each student draws a picture of one the the animals, writes a question based on the information given about the animal, and writes an answer to their question.
• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 3, children write an opinion and support the opinion using evidence from the text, about one of the characters other than Mr. Keen in A Fine, Fine School.
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 2, students are asked to review illustrations they drew in Lesson 1 showing the beginning and middle of the The Winners Choice. Children use their illustrations to write about the events. Children write one sentence about the beginning and one sentence about the middle of the story.
• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 2, students review their opinion they wrote in lesson 1 and answer the question, “Are goods or service more important?” Students use the chart from lesson 2 to write a supporting reason.
• In Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 4, students brainstorm questions they have about planets, including questions that can be answered in Our World in Space: Planets or questions that require additional sources. Print and digital sources are provided so that students can gather information that answer their questions.
• In Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 10, students review and revise their work from their book review of King Kafu and the Moon before it is published. Teachers explain that authors read what they have written to see if it makes sense and to see if the writing should be changed. Questions that writers ask include: Are my opinions supported by reasons? Does my writing make sense?--If it doesn’t, what do I need to change or add so that it does? Students read aloud their drafts from the previous lesson, circling any errors and identifying one or two sentences to which they can add details.

Performance-Based Assessments (PBA) are assigned at the end of each module. These include writing projects where students use the anchor text and the major writing skill from the module in order to respond to questions to synthesize learning. These projects lead students to analyze and synthesize the texts they have read. For example, in the Unit 4, Module A, students recall the importance of families in the module’s texts that they have read. Students then write a narrative that tells a story about a family.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations for explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of the context.

Grammar lessons align to the Grade 1 Common Core State Standards for Language.

• In Unit 1, Module A, students are taught to print uppercase and lowercase letters, spell words phonetically, write complete sentences, use end punctuation (periods, question marks, exclamation points), capitalize sentences, capitalize names of people, and write complete sentences.
• In Unit 1, Module B, students are taught to identify and use nouns, use common and proper nouns, use plural nouns, and use the to be verb (is and are).
• In Unit 2, Module A, students are taught to identify and use commas in a series, use verb tense (past, present, future) capitalize, use quotation marks, use adjectives, use commas, use indefinite and possessive pronouns, use personal pronouns I and me, and use conjunctions.
• In Unit 2, Module B, students are taught to: identify and use verbs to tell about the present, personal and possessive pronouns, use singular and plural pronouns, use prepositions, use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs, use singular and plural pronouns, use proper nouns, use capitalization and punctuation, and use articles.
• In Unit 3, Module A, students are taught to use personal pronouns, use possessive pronouns, use adjectives, use possessive nouns, use conjunctions, produce and expand compound sentences, use root words and their inflectional forms, use commas in a series, use past, present, and future tense verbs, and use demonstratives.
• In Unit 3, Module B, students are taught to use indefinite pronouns, use common and proper nouns, use root words and their inflectional forms, use adjectives that compare, forms of the to be verb, use subject-verb agreement, use prepositions, and use past, present, and future tense verbs.
• In Unit 4, Module A, students are taught to use irregular past tense verbs, use nouns with matching verbs, and expand simple and compound sentences.
• In Unit 4, Module B, students are taught to use singular and plural nouns, use verbs with singular and plural nouns, write declarative sentences, periods and question marks, prepositions in phrases.
• In Unit 5, Module A, students are taught to use imperative sentences, spell words with common patterns, identify affixes as clues to meaning, capitalize dates and use commas, and spell frequently occurring words
• In Unit 5, Module B, students are taught to spell irregular words and common spelling patterns, and use subject/verb agreement.
• In Unit 6, Module A, students are taught to produce and expand imperative, interrogatory and exclamatory sentences, use commas in dates, use determiners, and capitalize dates.
• In Unit 6, Module B, students are taught to write compound sentences, place commas in dates and series.

Grammar lessons require students to practice the skill in and out of context:

• For example, in Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 11, students use the personal pronouns I and me. The teacher models and reviews that a pronoun takes the place of a noun. Partners work together to practice using the pronouns I and me. Students are provided sentence frames and orally state the sentences.
• For example, in Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 9, students capitalize proper nouns referring to particular places. The teacher models the names of particular places are proper nouns and they always begin with a capital letter. Students then write the provided sentence and identify the words that need to be capitalized.

For each grammar lesson, there is additional practice in the Reader's and Writer's Journal. This practice may or may not be in context. The Reading/Writing Journal includes lessons specific to the conventions of writing and provides students with on-demand writing tasks.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the expectation that materials, questions, and tasks directly teach foundational skills to build reading acquisition by providing systematic and explicit instruction in the alphabetic principle, letter-sound relationships, phonemic awareness, and phonological awareness (K-1), and phonics (K-2) that demonstrate a transparent and research-based progression with opportunities for application both in and out of context.

Instructional materials provide students with frequent opportunities to learn and understand phonemes. In the Foundational Skills section of each unit’s Teacher’s Guide, one finds phonemic awareness activities on Day 1 and Day 3 of each week. For example:

• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 1, the teacher shows the Picture Card apple. “The sound I hear at the beginning of apple is /a/. The sound /a/ is called the short a sound.” The teacher then shows the cat Picture Card. “Cat has /a/ in the middle. The short a sound can be at the beginning or at the middle of the word.” The teacher helps students name other objects that have the sound /a/. For the practice section of the lesson, the teacher shows the ant Picture Card and states, “There are three sounds in ant: /a/ /n/ /t/. The first sound in ant is /a/. I am going to say a word. If you hear the /a/ sound at the beginning of the word raise your hands.” Then the teacher states other words contain /a/ and words not containing /a/.

• In Unit 6, Module B, Lesson 1, the teacher teaches oi and oy. “Listen to the words coin and toy. Say the words with me: coin, toy. The word coin has the vowel sound /oi/ in the middle. The word toy ends with the vowel sound /oi/. What is the vowel sound in coin and toy?” For the practice section, the teacher states, “Listen to the sounds in the word join: /j/ /oi/ /n/. Let’s blend those sounds to make a word: /j/ /oi/ /n/, join.” The teacher then guides the students to segment and blend the sounds in point and boy.

Lessons and activities provide students opportunities to learn grade-level phonics skills while decoding words. The foundational skills section contains phonics activities for Day 1 and Day 3 of each week and decoding activities for Day 2 and Day 4 of each week. Examples include the following:

• In Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 3: Foundational Skills Mini-Lesson
  • Inflectional Ending –ing
  • “Listen to these sounds; /g/, /i/, /v/, /i/, /ng/. Let’s blend the sounds that make the word.” Repeat with leaving and taking.
  • Show Sound-Spelling Card 126. “The letters ing stand for the sounds /i/, /ng/.” Write ticking. Segment and blend the word. Have children blend with you.
  • Write these words: hopping, mixing, tapping, picking. Have children segment and blend the words.
  • More explicit instruction is found on p. FS16 in the Teacher's Guide.

• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 12: Foundational Skills Mini-Lesson
  • Inflected Ending -es; Plural -es
  • Preview: Distribute Decodable Practice Reader 15A. Ask children to read the title and words on p. 183. Then have children preview the story. Remind them that they will read words with inflected ending -es and plural -es.
  • Decoding in Context: Have pairs of children read the story, switching readers after each page. Monitor as they decode.
  • Fluency: Have children reread Decodable Practice Reader 15A to develop automatically decoding words with inflected ending -es and plural -es.

Students receive decoding lessons around student readers to help students build understanding of letter and sounds toward reading standards.

• An example of a shared read comes from Unit 5, Module A, Lesson 12. The teacher distributes the Decodable Practice Reader 21A “Sloan’s Goat.” In addition, the teacher asks the students to read the title listed words on page 49. Then children preview the story. Reminding the students that they will read words with long o spelled oa or ow. Students work in pairs reading the story switching readers each page. The teacher monitors the students reading. Students reread the same Decodable Practice Reader to develop automaticity decoding words with vowel digraphs oa and ow.

• In Unit 4, Module A Lesson 1 students study the vowel sounds of y. The teacher displays the Sound Spelling Card 77 and has students point to the y. The long e sound can be spelled with a y. However, the long I sound can also be spelled with a y. Students practice with the words cry and bunny and word from page 225 of their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal. In addition, students write the words: muddy, try, puppy, shy, pony, my, handy, try, fuzzy, dandy, dry. Have children blend the words. Children use the Letter Tiles to spell the words with the long i or long e vowel sound with the sound of y.

The sequence of phonics begins with the sounds of the 26 letters in Unit 1, Module A and Unit 1, Module B. Short vowels are taught in Unit 2 as well as inflected endings (-s, -ing) and consonant blends. In Unit 3, consonant digraphs are taught as well as long vowels. In Unit 4, r-controlled vowels are taught as well as endings (-es, -er, -est). Vowel digraphs are taught in Unit 5. In Unit 6, diphthongs, vowel patterns, and syllable patterns are taught.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that materials, questions, and tasks provide explicit instruction for and regular practice to address the acquisition of print concepts, including alphabetic knowledge, directionality, and function (K-1), structures and features of text (1-2).

Materials include frequent and adequate lessons and multimodel tasks and questions about the organization of print concepts (e.g. recognize features of a sentence). There are routines for informational and literary text found in the teacher resources. These routines are referred to in the Teacher’s Guide to be explained and discussed with students. In these routines, basic print concepts are reviewed, such as title, author, illustrator, etc. Other examples include:

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 1: Introduce the Book Stellaluna. Use this time to review and model basic print concepts, including proper book orientation and arrangement of print on the page.
• In Unit 1, Module B, Lesson 3: Display p. 2 of Time to Sleep. Discuss the types of sentences. “The first two lines of text are grouped together. The writer uses two types of sentences: a question and a statement. Which type of sentence does the writer use first? The second sentence is a question. How are the two sentences related? Look at the third and fourth sentences. First, the writer asks if the reader sleeps on one leg. Then what does the writer do?
• In the Foundational Skills Lessons, opportunities to learn to recognize distinguishing features of a sentence includes only general instructions for teachers. For example, in Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 7, the decoding lesson states: Ask children to identify the beginnings and ends of the sentences on p. 199.

Materials provide students with frequent and adequate opportunities to identify text structures (e.g. main idea and details, sequence of events, problem and solution, compare and contrast, cause and effect). Examples include:

• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 3: After students have completed their drawing showing a government service, have them find another service in the text. Have students draw and label that service. Have students work with partners to answer the following questions: How is a government service different from another kind of service? How do we pay for government services?
• In Unit 5, Module A, Lesson 4: Explain that the events in a story often include problems and solution. “I see on page 11 that the guard tells the villagers that the moon is disappearing. I remember that this makes King Kafu upset, so this is a problem in the story. How does King Kafu decide to fix the problem? I see at the bottom of the page that King Kafu says he will give money to anyone who can bring him the moon. This is King Kafu’s solution, or answer to the problem.” Have students work in small groups to identify the problem and solution on p. 12-13. Have students draw or write the problem and solution in their graphic organizers. Then have them discuss.

Materials include frequent and adequate lesson and activities about text features (e.g. byline, title, headings, table of contents, glossary, pictures, illustrations). Examples include:

• In Unit 1, Module B, Lesson 2: Display the table of contents of Time to Sleep. Explain that a table of contents is a type of text feature. “The table of contents shows the chapter titles and on what page number each chapter begins.” Ask students to look for words that are capitalized in the table of contents. Explain that the words in the table of contents are capitalized because they are chapter titles. Ask students to think about how features in information texts help readers understand the main topic, how the organization helps writers explain information. “In this lesson, we are going to use text features to find information in this book.” Have students partner up and discuss after reading the story, How many sections are in this book? How can you find out?
• In Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 9: Explain to students that informational texts often include text features such as table of contents, headings, and a glossary. “Let’s use the chart to record the information that the text features in The Sun provide. What information is given in the Table of Contents? How are the headings used in the Table of Contents? How is a glossary like a dictionary? How is it different?” Have students find these features in The Sun. Have them complete the Text Features T-Chart.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that instructional opportunities are frequently built into the materials for students to practice and gain decoding automaticity and sight-based recognition of high-frequency words. This includes reading fluency in oral reading beginning in mid-Grade 1 and through Grade 2.

Students have opportunities to purposefully read on-level text in core materials over the course of a year. Examples include:

• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 2, students practice reading grade-level text while practicing appropriate rate. During small group time, students listen to the teacher model appropriate rate while reading A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech. The teacher reviews why a reader would not want to read too slowly or too quickly. Then students take turns reading aloud a portion of an appropriately leveled text at an appropriate rate.
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 6, students practice reading grade-level text while practicing appropriate phrasing. The teacher explains that appropriate phrasing means correctly pausing and chunking text based on punctuation cues and phrasing to help the listener understand the context. The teacher models reading with appropriate phrasing with How a Seed Grows. Then students take turns reading aloud a portion of an appropriately leveled text using appropriate phrasing.
• In Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 12, students students practice reading grade-level text while practicing reading with expression. The teacher has the students follow along while they read A Picnic in October. The teacher will pick a passage that includes dialogue to model varying their voice between characters. Students will practice reading with expression from a leveled text.

Materials include opportunities for students to demonstrate sufficient accuracy, rate, and expression in oral reading with on-level text and decodable words. Examples include:

• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 2, students read Decodable Practice Reader 16A. Students read the title and words on p. 217. Students are reminded that they will read words with inflected endings (-ed, -ing). Students read the text in pairs and switch readers after each page. The teacher monitors as students decode. Students also reread Decodable Practice Reader 16A to develop automaticity decoding words with inflected endings.
• In Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 11, students read Decodable Practice Reader 27A. Students read the title and the words on p. 193. Students preview the story and are reminded that they will read words with the vowel sound they hear in foot. Students read the text in pairs and switch readers after each page. The teacher monitors as students decode. Students also reread Decodable Practice Reader 27A to develop automaticity decoding words with the vowel sound in foot.

Materials support reading of texts with attention to reading strategies such as rereading, self-correction, and the use of context clues. Examples include:

• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 8, students are taught about using context clues. The teacher models using context clues by stating: “We can use clues in the text to determine unknown words. For example, the word swung on page 33 might be an unknown word. Now let’s find some clues to help us figure out what that word means. First, I know the children are on a playground. That’s a clue. I’ll write that in the second column. If I keep looking through the book, I see on page 41 that Katie Sue swung and she is holding a bat” (p. 84). Students practice using context clues by trying to find context clues to figure out kicked and bounced.
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 1, students are taught to use context and pictures to help understand words. The teacher models by saying “We are going to learn how readers can use other words on a page and pictures to understand new words. Look at the cover and title of The Life Cycle of an Apple Tree. How do the cover pictures relate to the title?” Students will practice using pictures and headings to help understand the key details in the text.

Students have opportunities to practice and read irregularly spelled words. Examples include:

• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 12, students practice reading irregularly spelled words such as puts, the, for, many, under, are, little, work, they, to, a, said. The teacher is to say: “Some words we learn by remembering the letters.” Then students are to say and spell each word, first with the teacher and then without the teacher.
• In Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 2, students practice reading irregularly spelled words such as puts, the, find, are, two, a, into, looks, people. The teacher says: “Some words we learn by remembering the letters.” The teacher has the students say and spell the words, first with them and then by themselves.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet expectations that instructional expectations that materials, questions, and tasks provide systematic and explicit instruction in and practice of word recognition and analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

Materials support students’ development to learn grade-level word recognition and analysis skills in connected text and tasks. For example:

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 1, students receive instruction in phonemic awareness. Students are learning the sounds /m/, /s/, /t/. Using the picture card moon, students are practicing hearing and saying the beginning sound /m/, this is repeated with the picture card sun and sound /s/ and with the picture card ten, sound /t/. Then students raise their hands when they hear the /m/ sound at the beginning of a word, teacher says man, cat, mouse, mop, rock. The process is repeated for the /s/ and /t/ sounds.
  • In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 2, high-frequency words are part of instruction. Students are exposed to cards with the word, I. They are told that such words are learned by remembering the letters. Students respond by using the words in their own sentences.
  • In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 8, phonics is part of instruction. Students are introduced to the short /a/ sound. Students say the sounds in pan, then write the letters. The teacher tells the students that they hear /a/ in the middle of pan, this stands for the short vowel a. Teacher displays pictures cards with the short /a/ sound, students say the name of the pictures. Students then complete p. 22 in the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal. Children write and spell the words nap, man, tap, pat.
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 1, phonics is part of instruction. Students are practicing the skills of added endings -ed, -ing. Teacher displays the sound spelling card 121, explaining that the word is flipped, which is made from the base word flip and the ending -ed is added. This is continued with the words swimming and spotted. Students then complete pg. 264 in the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal. Students are asked to practice and apply their skills by identifying the root words and then using letter tiles to add -ing or -ed endings.
  • Lesson 2 high-frequency words are part of instruction. Students are exposed to cards with the word, do, could, a, people, look, you, was, good, into. They are told that such words are learned by remembering the letters. Students respond by using the words in their own sentences.
  • Lesson 12 decoding is part of instruction. Students read decodable practice reader 18 A The Hardest Job. Students will be reading words with comparative endings -er, -est.
• In Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 1, phonics is part of instruction. Students are learning the diphthongs ow, ou. Teacher displays the sound spelling card 98. Students practice with the word now, loud, brown, cloud, etc. Then they complete p. 375 in the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal. Students use letter tiles to practice spelling words with the diphthongs ou, ow.
  • In Lesson 2, high-frequency words are part of instruction. Students are exposed to cards with the word, puts, the, find, are, two, a, into, looks, people. They are told that such words are learned by remembering the letters. Students respond by using the words in their own sentences.
  • In Lesson 7, decoding is part of instruction. Students read decodable practice reader 26A Puppy Roundup. Students will be reading words with -ow, -ou. Students will develop automaticity with decoding words with the vowel patterns -ow,-ou.

Every lesson contains Small Group Options, Steps 1 and 2. Within Step 1, there is a Process and Strategy focus. Each lesson has one Process and one Strategy focus that is selected for that day’s lesson. Within the Strategy focus, there is a word recognition and decoding focus which is related to the Foundational Skills instruction time where children apply phonics strategies to decode new words. For example:

• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 3, Teacher’s Guide p. 34 – Strategy Focus is Decoding and Word Recognition: Children point to the words with the consonant-vowel pattern in their book and read the words aloud to you. Children can also log into Pearson Realize and review with you the Independent Reading Activity they completed in their book. For further guidance, see the Independent Reading Routine on pp. TR12-TR19 in the Teacher’s Guide.
• In Unit 6, Module B, Lesson 5, Teacher’s Guide p. 205 – Strategy Focus is Decoding and Word Recognition: Students point to words with the –er or –or endings they found in their book. Have them read the words aloud to you. Children can also log into Pearson Realize and review with you the Independent Reading Activity they completed for their book. For further guidance, see the Independent Reading Routine on pp. TR12-TR19.

Within Step 2, there is a Phonics focus which guides the teacher to the Foundational Skills section of the Teacher’s Guide to guide instruction for helping students that struggled with the week’s foundational phonics skills.