2nd Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 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 text sets encompass multiple themes and integrate content areas such as social studies and science. Texts 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. All of the anchor texts are read independently by the students.

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

Unit 1: Understanding Communities

• In Module A, students read Trouble at the Sandbox by Phillip Simpson and illustrated by Leigh Hedstorm. This text is a beginner chapter book. Students read the entire book. The text uses rich vocabulary to help portray the theme of the story through inferential clues.
• In Module B, students read Friends Around the World by Ana Galan. This text is classified as nonfiction. Through the use of colorful pictures, illustrations and text features, the text portrays differences among cultures around the world. This text uses content specific language to support the multicultural theme.

Unit 2: Making Decisions

• In Module A, students read Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Ray Cruz. This short story has rich vocabulary and a rich theme which helps young learners learn the value of a dollar.
• In Module B, students read Money Matters by Nikki Tate. This is a social studies content rich story about money and trade around the word. The vocabulary is rich in explanations and uses analogies to explain situations in the text.

Unit 3: Building Ideas

• In Module A, students read Theodore Roosevelt: The Adventurous President by Time for Kids Biographies written by Lisa DeMauro. Through the use of photography, text features, and rich content, this article helps students understand the history of President Theodore Roosevelt.
• In Module B, students read Change Makers by Libby Martinez. This text uses rich vocabulary, text features, and vivid photography to help students understand the theme of the text.

Unit 4: Facing Challenges and Change

• In Module A, students read The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 by Laurence Yep. This imaginative narrative uses facts to tell about the earthquake that shook San Francisco. This book uses an abundance of challenging vocabulary words.
• In Module B: Disaster Alert by Christine Taylor Butler. This text uses text features and rich language throughout the text.

Unit 5: Pioneering New Ideas and New Worlds

• In Module A, students read John Chapman Planter and Pioneer by Ron Fridell and illustrated by Steve Adams. The story takes young learners through the life of Johnny Appleseed using rich language and vocabulary to build and support reading comprehension.
• In Module B, Pioneers to the West by John Bliss. This text is classified as nonfiction. This book uses rich vocabulary and text features to tell children’s stories about heading west.

Unit 6: Changing the World

• In Module A, students read 68 Ways to Save the Planet Before Bedtime by Paul Mason. This text is classified as children’s literature. The text uses rich language development and provides understanding of how to save Earth.
• In Module B, students read Alfred Noble: The Man Behind the Peace Prize by Kathy-Jo Wargin. This text is classified as informational text. The text includes rich language development, strong academic vocabulary, character development and appealing illustrations.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations for reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards. The texts provide a balance of literary and informational texts. The text sets in Grade 2 include: literary picture books, literary chapter books, informational texts, historical informational texts, and scientific informational texts.

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

In Unit 1, Understanding Communities texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - Trouble at the Sandbox by Phillip Simpson. (Literary Text, Narrative)
  • Supporting Text - Snowshoe Hare’s Winter Home by Gillian Richardson. (Literary Text, Narrative)
• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - Friends Around the World by Ana Galan. (Nonfiction Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - The House on Maple Street? by Bonnie Pryor. (Informational Text)
• Poems:
  • “Pig” by Valerie Worth
  • “Something Told the Wild Geese” by Rachel Field
  • “Subways are People” by Lee Bennett Hopkins
  • “Fishing in the Creek” by Linda Oatman High

In Unit 2, Making Decisions texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst. (Literary Text, Narrative, Picture book)
  • Supporting Text - A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams. (Literary Text, Narrative, Picture book)
• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - Money Matters by Nikki Tate. (Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff. (Literary Text, Narrative, Picture book)
• Poems:
  • “Money Matters” by Alan Katz
  • “Sharing” by Shel Silverstein
  • “Lizard Longing” by Tony Johnston
  • “Unfair” by Shel Silverstein

In Unit 3, Building Ideas texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - Theodore Roosevelt: The Adventurous President by Time for Kids Biographies by Lisa DeMauro. (Historical Nonfiction, Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - Marching with Aunt Susan by Claire Rudolf Murphy. (Literary Text, Narrative)
• Module B: Anchor Text - Change Makers (Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - City Green by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan. (Literary Text, Narrative)
• Poems:
  • “Lincoln” by Nancy Byrd Turner
  • “My America” by Jan Spivey Gilchrist
  • “City Trees” by Edna St. Vincent Millay
  • “Poems From Cricket Never Does” by Myra Cohn Livingston

In Unit 4, Facing Challenges and Change texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 by Laurence Yep. (Literary Text, Historical Narrative)
  • Supporting Text - Seek the Sun by Phyllis Gershator. (Literary Text, Narrative)
  • Supporting Text- The Fool on the Hill by Harry Devlin. (Russian Tale)
• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - Disaster Alert! By Christine Taylor-Butler. (Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - Danger! Earthquakes by Seymour Simon. (Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text- Mother of the Mountains by Harry Devlin. (Legend)
• Poems:
  • “I am Boom!” by Jack Prelutsky
  • “Dragon Smoke” by Lilian Moore
  • “Who Could Somersault the San Andreas Fault?” by J. Patrick Lewis

In Unit 5, Pioneering New Ideas and New Worlds texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - John Chapman: Planter and Pioneer by Ron Fridell. (Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - Johnny Appleseed by Lola M. Schaefer. (Folktale)
• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - Pioneers to the West by John Bliss. (Historical Nonfiction Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - Going West by Jean Van Leeuwan. (Informational Text)
• Poems:
  • “Planting a Tree” by Nancy Byrd Turner
  • “Trees” by Harry Behn
  • “Home on the Range” by Dr. Brewster Higley
  • “The Gateway Arch St. Louis, Missouri” by Diana Siebert

In Unit 6, Changing the World texts include:

• Module A:
  • Anchor Text - 68 Ways to Save the Planet Before Bedtime by Paul Mason. (Literary Text, Narrative)
  • Supporting Text - On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole. (Literary Text, Narrative)
• Module B:
  • Anchor Text - Alfred Nobel: The Man Behind the Peace Prize by Kathy Jo Wargin. (Informational Text)
  • Supporting Text - A Picture Book of Eleanor Roosevelt by David A. Adler. (Informational Text)
• Poems:
  • “Every Time I Climb a Tree” by David McCord
  • “Walk Lightly” by J. Patrick Lewis

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations for texts having the appropriate level of complexity for this grade according to the Common Core quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and the relationship associated with the student and task. As stated in Appendix A of the Common Core texts should fall between a 420-820 lexile level in which students read according to text complexity. The anchor and supporting text fall between the text complexity range for second and third grade.

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

• In Unit 1, Module A, students read the literary text Trouble at the Sandbox by Phillip Simpson and illustrated by Leigh Hedstorm. The text has a quantitative measure of 370 Lexile. This text is an accessible story and includes citizenship issues such as bullying. Illustrations support the text and the narrative is chronological. Included are short chapters, told from the third person point of view, and a table of contents that includes the main idea of each chapter. There are simple and complex sentences, conversational dialogue, figurative language, and domain specific expressions. The reader and task suggestions include having students use the preview to make predictions. The students brainstorm a list of additional ideas that the characters could have used to solve their problem. Have discussions with the students about what they could do if confronted with a bully, have the students support their answer with evidence from the text.
• In Unit 1, Module B, students read the literary text Friends Around the World by Ana Galan. The text has a quantitative measure of 480 Lexile. This text is a realistic fiction accessible story. There are emails, maps, captioned photos, a map, an index, and a glossary. Most of the sentences are simple but some complex sentences are included. Vocabulary has some challenging words and is content-area based. Reader and task suggestions include having discussions with the students on how they get to school and what they like to do after school. The teacher works with students to locate the countries in the book on a globe. Create a chart listing the facts that they learned about each country, use the chart to compare and contrast what life is like in each country.
• In Unit 2, Module A, students read the literary text Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Ray Cruz. 570 Lexile. This text is straightforward and unified in theme. There is a series of brief episodes in the text which are supported by artwork. Vocabulary is general and there is a blend of simple, compound, and complex sentences. The reader and task suggestions include having discussions on how to decide whether to save or spend money and what happened when the student was given money.
• In Unit 2, Module B, students read the informational text Money Matters by Nikki Tate. 650 Lexile. This text has an accessible concept (money), is rich in non-fiction text features, contains domain-specific vocabulary, and challenging words that are defined in the glossary. Reader and task suggestions include creating a three-column chart of Know, Want to Know and Learned. Have students complete the Know column before reading, the Want to know column with questions they have and complete the Learned column once they story has been read. Model how to use charts to find information, then give students the opportunity to compare and contrast the cost of products.
• In Unit 3, Module A, students read the informational text Theodore Roosevelt, The Adventurous President by Time for Kids with Lisa DeMauro is a published magazine in Time for Kids. The text has a quantitative measure of 570 Lexile. This text has an accessible concept and is a historical biography. Chapters are chronologically ordered and the terms used in the book are historical and political which are defined in the book. Reader and task suggestions include discussing the time period of Teddy Roosevelt and what the United States was like then. Have students identify famous American Presidents and their accomplishments.
• In Unit 3, Module B, students read the informational text Change Makers by Libby Martinez. The text has a quantitative measure of 570 Lexile. The text is an informational text where children solve problems. There is an introduction followed by student profiles. The text is rich in non-fiction text features, including challenging concept vocabulary, includes simple sentences as well as geographical names and data which may require support. Reader and task suggestions include having a discussion about people they know in the community and how they have taken action to solve a problem. Have students brainstorm problems they would like to solve, work together to solve their problem and execute a plan.
• In Unit 4, Module A, students read the literary text The Earth Dragon Awakes, The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 by Laurence Yep. The text has a quantitative measure of 510 Lexile. This text is challenging and there are a series of timed-and-dated chapters which alternate the focus between two families. There are historical notes and occasional facts, challenging vocabulary throughout the text. The reader and task suggestions include discussing how differences in families, homes, neighborhoods, and careers will affect one’s actions in a natural disaster. Have students list each member of their family and how they would react to an earthquake, then have them share with a partner.
• In Unit 4, Module B, students read the informational text Disaster Alert by Christine Taylor Butler. The text has a quantitative measure of 540 Lexile. This text has accessible concept with nonfiction text features. Challenging vocabulary and simple sentences.
• In Unit 5, Module A, students read the informational text John Chapman Planter and Pioneer by Ron Fridell and illustrated by Steve Addams. 550 Lexile. This text has an accessible concept with illustrations that support the text, it’s in chronological order, vocabulary is challenging, transitional words are used, and includes mostly simple sentences. Reader and task suggestions include providing students with an overview of what a legend is, then creating a list of characteristics of Chapman’s life that would be a part of a legend. After reading the text, have students work with a partner to discuss what they learned from John Chapman’s life, making sure to support their ideas with evidence from the text.
• In Unit 5, Module B, students read the informational text Pioneers to the West by John Bliss. The text has a quantitative measure of 770 Lexile. This text has challenging concepts, book includes and introduction, personal profiles with maps and captioned artwork, other non-fiction text features. The vocabulary is topic-specific and is defined in the glossary. Reader and task suggestions include defining the word migration. Show students a map of the United States with major pioneer trails westward marked and distances calculated. Have students choose a route they would take, write a paragraph explaining their reason behind their choice.
• In Unit 6, Module A, students read the informational text 68 Ways to Save the Planet Before Bedtime by Paul Mason. The text has a quantitative measure of 650 Lexile. This text has an accessible concept with a problem-solution theme. There are lists, diagrams, table of contents, photos, illustrations, step by step instructions, glossary and an index. This is a challenging concept with concept specific vocabulary. Science is introduced. Reader and task suggestions include providing students with a background of global warming. Have students brainstorm ways to protect the environment and share those ideas with a small group.
• In Unit 6, Module B, students read the literary text Alfred Nobel, The Man Behind the Peace Prize by Kathy-Jo Wargin. The text has a quantitative measure of 870 Lexile. This text has a challenging concept, it is an illustrated biography that includes chronological scenes. There is advance vocabulary, including scientific references with compound and complex sentences. Reader and task suggestions include providing an overview of dynamite and its uses. Have students identify technical words that they do not understand, discuss as a class the meaning of those words.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectation for supporting students' ability to access texts with increasing text complexity across the year. The rigor of text is appropriate in aggregate over the course of the school year. Students engage with texts at varying levels unit to unit and quarter to quarter in a structure that provides support for accelerating their literacy growth. Over the course of the school year, students engage in appropriately rigorous texts in aggregate.

Some examples that demonstrate this include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, students read Snowshoe Hare. The lexile level is 530 with a 836 word count. The structure of the text has multiple meaning words and a lot of descriptive language. The structure of the text is laid out as a series of episodes.
• In Unit 3, the lexile level contains a range from 520L to a 770L. The average sentence length increase from that of Units 1 and 2 moving into 8.5 words per sentence to an upper end 14 words per sentence. This unit includes historical biographies which is a new concept for students up to this point in the curriculum. Structures of these biographies include textual features such as timelines. The reader and task ask students to locate facts and quote excerpts using a chart to locate information on presidents while supporting those facts with the text.
• In Unit 6, the increasing level of the text ranges from 450L to 870 range within the lexile band. Here students begin to see and make sense of chapter books. With these chapter books the average sentence length is 8.6 to 14.5 words. The language within the text is more difficult due to applied meaning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectation that the anchor texts and series of connected texts have an 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- TR51 under the Teacher Resources section of the Teacher Guide. The Text Complexity Rubric covers contains quantitative, qualitative, and reader and task measures.

For example on page XVII the page reviews what makes the text challenging using a qualitative rubric to help the teacher better understand the complexity of the text when planning their lessons.

• Levels of meaning: accessible literal series of letters between a girl who lives in New York City and three e-pals from around the world.
• Structure: text includes a brief introduction, letters to each e-pal, and their responses in a series of three exchanges; text features include photographs, captions, and a map text ends with a summative conclusion.
• Language and Conventionality and Clarity: words from various cultures require direct instruction; geographical names may require specific support.
• Knowledge Demands: understanding that there are many and various countries in the world and the practice of writing letters to people you may have never met (e-pals)

In addition, the teachers are provided with a reader and task suggestion at the end of their Text Complexity Rubric to help them advise their students when accessing complex text. Below is an example found on page TR 50 of the Teacher Resource Book Unit 1 of Friends Around the World.

• Preparing to Read the Text:Ask children to share how they get to school and some activities they enjoy participating in after school.
• Leveled Tasks:Work with children to locate countries featured in the text on a globe ( United States, Canada, Vietnam, Australia). As a class, have children create a chart listing the facts they learned about each country. Then invite the class to use the chart to compare and contrast life in each country.

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 2 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 skills and there are supports that help build students’ comprehension of grade level texts through the use of shared reading, oral and silent reading.

In addition, there are on or above grade level trade book, grade level small group “Sleuth” selections, independent reading books and a leveled text library at students’ reading levels, and decodable readers that address appropriate phonics skills. Materials 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.

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 A, Unit 5, students select a text to read. The teacher tells students that the two focus skills are engagement and identity and comprehension. The teacher guides the students to make note of the main topic and list any key details that support the topic as they read. Students can use a Main Topic Chart to organize their details or just list them. Students record in their daily reading log whether they chose a text that was at the right level for them, why it was or wasn’t, the title, author, pages read, and main topic.

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 2 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:

• "How does Mrs. Kim help Janine? How does Mrs. Lee help Theo?” (Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 3, Trouble at the Sandbox)
• "What is the main point of the story A Chair for my Mother? Did Mama want or need the chair? Tell why you think so with evidence from the text.” (Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 1, A Chair for My Mother)
• “What are some of the Earth’s resources we use?” (Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 12, 68 Ways to Save the Planet Before Bedtime)

Implicit question examples include:

• “How do sidebars in these chapters help provide more details in the text?” (Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 4, Theodore Roosevelt: The Adventurous President)
• "How does the character communicate with the other characters?” (Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 10, On the Town: A Chair for my Mother)
• “Why does the author include information about Eleanor’s childhood?” (Unit 6, Module B, Lesson 8, A Picture Book of Eleanor Roosevelt)

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, What is the different about the structure of “City Trees” and the two haikus in “Poems from Cricket Never Does”? (Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 11) Also, in Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 9, Marching With Aunt Susan, students must go back into the text to fill out a graphic organizer which includes characters, setting, and events in “first, then, next, last” order.

Each lesson has small group options which include several options for students to answer text-based questions. Using text features have children complete a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the purpose of the time line with the purpose of the photographs and illustrations using questions to guide their answers such as:

• “What information does the time line present? What do the photographs and illustrations show?”
• “What is the purpose that both the timeline and the photos and illustrations share?”

All lessons have a Close Reading section that includes 3-4 text-based questions. For example, in Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 8, Seek the Sun, students answer:

• “What is the point of view of the sandal maker and his wife towards the paper fortunes?”
• “Compare and contrast the points of view of the sandal maker and his wife after their sunlight was taken away.”
• “What do you think the central moral of this story is? Why do you think so? Explain your answer based on what you read.”

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 2 meet the expectations of containing sets of high-quality sequences of text-based questions and activities that build to a culminating task. Every module offers a culminating task (performance-based assessment) where students write 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 6, Module A to write an opinion piece. The students introduce the book, state an opinion, supply three or more reasons from the text that support their opinion, use linking words to connect their opinion and reasons, and provide a conclusion.

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

• Unit 1, Module A: Write a Narrative Story, Narrative Task- Write a narrative in which you create a new story using the characters from Trouble at the Sandbox. Decide on where your story take place and what happen with the characters.
• Unit 1, Module B: Compare and Contrast Communities, Informative/Explanatory Task- Children write a compare-and-contrast paragraph about two of the communities they read about in Friends Around the World.
• Unit 2, Module A: Write about a Decision, Narrative Task- Children write a short narrative about a character who makes a decision about money.
• Unit 2, Module B: Write an Opinion, Opinion Task- Children write an opinion paragraph about something they want and why they should have it.
• Unit 3, Module A: Write About Choices. Write a Biographical Sketch, Informative Task- Children research an American who did something special to help our country. The research should focus on the contributions he or she made to our country.
• Unit 3, Module B: Design a Park, Informative/Explanatory Task- Children design a park and explain how the park benefit their community.
• Unit 4, Module A: Write About Henry and Chin, Narrative Task- Children write a short story about Henry and Chin from The Earth Dragon Awakes that describes an adventure the boys might have during the rebuilding of San Francisco after the earthquake.
• Unit 4, Module B: Write a Magazine Article, Informative/Explanatory Task- Children use information they have learned from the selections to write an informative magazine article explaining a natural event.
• Unit 5, Module A: Write About a Lesson Learned, Opinion Task- Children think about some of the lessons that we can learn from Johnny Appleseed such as: use what you have, share what you have, respect nature. Children choose one of the lessons and write their opinion about why they think the lesson is still important in today’s world.
• Unit 5, Module B: Write About a Journey West, Narrative Task- Children write a short story about a pioneer child who shows bravery using ideas and information from the texts they read.
• Unit 6, Module A: Write a Book Review, Opinion Task- Children write a book review about which of the selections they liked best 68 Ways to Save the Planet Before Bedtime or On Meadowview Street.
• Unit 6, Module B: Agree or Disagree, Opinion Task- Using Alfred Nobel: The Man Behind the Peace Prize or A Picture Book of Eleanor Roosevelt, children identify an opinion the author includes about Nobel or Roosevelt. Children then agree or disagree with the opinion, using text based evidence.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 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 write about scenes that they enjoyed reading in The Earth Dragon Awakes. Students choose a scene to expand upon and to use temporal words to tell the sequence of events. Students share their writing to the class. The students in the audience identify new material including the main event and details in each scene (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 3, after reading Gregor Mendel, students are to list three facts that the author shares about Mendel’s life, as well as other types of facts that might have been interesting to add. Students share their writing with their group, asking and answering questions about it.

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 B, children are ready to share their compare and contrast paragraphs in their author presentation. Students in the audience ask clarifying questions.

The instructional materials for Grade 2 meet the expectations for 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 have been 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 1, Module A, Lesson 10, Narrative Writing: Students are taught draft writing in the writing workspace on page 108 of the Teacher Resource. Students write a draft of the story they have been planning previous lessons. Encourage them to write a draft of their narrative in their Reader’s and writer's journal on page 30. All of the writing is done in conjunction with the text.

• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 2, Informational Writing: Students are taught that writers use details to support and explain their chosen topic, and that these details answer questions such as who, how, what, when, where, why and how much or how many. The teacher explains to students that a piece of informative/ explanatory writing should contain details that work together to fully explain the topic. The teacher uses examples from the text Disaster Alter. Students are to review the paragraph they wrote in lesson 1 and look at other books in the area of tornadoes to help them find more details, and definition about their topic. Students are asked to to add definitions to help the reader understand and record their research paragraph in the Reader’s and Writer's Journal on page 276.

• In Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 2, Opinion Writing: In preparing to write the teacher models how to write a paragraph using their opinion and supporting details from the text 68 Ways to Save the Planet Before Bedtime. Students are asked to think about how the text 68 Ways to Save the Planet Before Bedtime fits with the theme and title of the unit, Changing the World. Following the teacher led writing example students are asked to turn to the text and flag evidence that shows how topics in the text can help change the world. Students create a main idea chart to organize their thoughts and write a paragraph that tells how the text connects to the unit title. Students write their paragraph 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 create an opinion piece based on their opinion about something they want and why. Students must revisit the text to see how characters shared their opinions.

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. These examples include writing an opinion about a topic, writing a supporting reason, writing a concluding statement, planning and writing a book review, adding an ending to a book review, and using suggestions from a peer review.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 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, Informational: Students recall a sequence of events they want to retell from their planning notes. Students are asked to write about a sequence of at least three events using sequencing words.
• Unit 1, Module B, Informational: Students think about two cities that they read about, New York City and Ho Chi Minh City in Friends Around the World. Students write a few sentences comparing and contrasting the two cities.
• Unit 2, Module A, Opinion: Students revise their old reasons and add new ones to give more support to their point. Students use linking words to strengthen their piece.
• Unit 2, Module B, Opinion: Students write an opinion paragraph about something they wanted and why they should have it.
• Unit 3, Module A, Research: Students research an American who did something special to help our country, focusing on the contributions he or she made.
• Unit 3, Module B, Informational/Explanatory: Students design a park and explain how the park benefit their community.
• Unit 4, Module A, Narrative: Students write a short story about two characters from The Earth Dragon Awakes, describing an adventure the boys might have during the rebuilding of San Francisco after the earthquake.
• Unit 4, Module B, Informational / Explanatory: Students use information they have learned from the Module’s text selections to write an informative magazine article explaining a natural event.
• Unit 5, Module A, Opinion: Students think about lessons learned from Johnny Appleseed. Students choose one of the lessons and write their opinion about why they think the lesson is still important to follow in today’s world.
• Unit 5, Module B, Narrative: Students write a short story about a pioneer child who shows bravery, using ideas and information from the Module’s texts.
• Unit 6, Module A, Opinion: Students write a book review about which of the Module’s selections they liked best.
• Unit 6, Module B, Opinion: Students identify an opinion the author includes about Alfred Nobel or Eleanor Roosevelt in Module texts. Students then agree or disagree with the opinion using text,based evidence.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 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, write to 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, students are taught that writers understand signal words tell the sequence in a story. According to the Teacher Resource Guide on pages 6-7 the teacher has a brief overview of all the writing instructional materials. Students are asked to write the following: write character responses, write about character interactions, write to support opinion or points of view, rewrite a scene, write a strong beginning to a story, list events in chronological order write a sequence of events and draft a narrative. Therefore students are being asked to write narratives and opinions.

• In Unit 1, Module B, Lesson 5, the teacher provides guiding questions to consider when preparing to write. (Where will I find facts about Ho Chi Minh City? Which facts will I use to write about this topic? How do these facts help me understand the topic? What adjectives can I use to make my writing interesting?) Students then write their paragraph using facts to write about Ho Chi Minh City.
• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 5, the teacher explains to students that a writer includes details that describe a character’s actions, thoughts, and feelings. Students choose an event from the first half of A Chair for Mother and write a few lines of dialogue between the narrator and her mother about the event. Students use details to describe the characters’ thoughts or feelings, use dialogue that shows what the characters are like, and use interesting speaker tags. Students are to use text-based evidence to support their writing.
• In Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 9, the teacher explains that authors don’t always directly tell readers what characters are like. Students use the characters’ words and actions to show what they are like. Authors often have an opinion, or point of view, about their characters, and portray them in a positive or negative way. Students review the text, focusing on the details used to develop the character of Mom. Students write a letter to Alex’s mom as if they were a friend of Alex, and tell why or why not they think she should let Alex have the iguana. Students state their opinion and give reasons to support their point of view, use linking words and phrases to connect their ideas, and provide a concluding statement.
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 7, students return to the poem Lincoln to help them think about topics they would like to know more about. Students write three questions about Abraham Lincoln’s life that they could answer by doing research; they research one of the questions and write the answer in a paragraph.
• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 1, students are asked to show a character's point of view of Henry and Chin and what they think about their parents. Tabbing details from pages 1-16 to reveal Henry and Chins point of view. Children write a scene between Henry and Chin showing their points of view about their parents
• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 10, the teacher reviews the organization of a story’s important events in an order that makes sense. Students think about how to use a storyboard to plan and organize their thinking. Questions are given to guide students’ thoughts on the plot. As they plan a storyboard, they think of details they can include in each picture (actions, thoughts, and feelings of characters). Before creating their own storyboards, they identify the events and write one or two sentences that detail what will be included in each picture. Pictures are made as detailed as possible, supporting the sentences they wrote.
• In Unit 5, Module A, Lesson 5, the teacher tells the students that a writer can share an opinion by writing a letter telling how the writer feels about something that includes reasons and examples supporting the writer’s opinion. Students then write a letter to a friend giving their opinion and reasons that support their opinion telling whether or not they believe one of the stories in the book John Chapman: Planter and Pioneer. The letter should tell the friend why they are writing. Returning to the text to find examples and details about the story that will help them support their opinion.
• In Unit 6, Module B, Lesson 2, the teacher explains how a writer chooses specific words and phrases to grab their readers’ attention, especially at the beginning of texts. These words can create a sense of suspense. Students then write about how the author of Alfred Nobel connects text details to the unit title:Changing the World. Students explain how the writer provides evidence from the very beginning of the text to help readers understand how Alfred’s actions changed the world. Students also use words and phrases from the text to support this idea and choose words that will grab their reader’s attention.

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 Unit 1, Module B, students write a compare-and-contrast paragraph about two of the communities they read about in the module selections.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 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. Students begin the year identifying nouns and work their way to using dictionaries.

Grammar lessons align to the Grade 2 Common Core State Standards for Language.

• In Unit 1, Module A, students are taught to capitalize proper nouns, use singular and plural nouns, use irregular plural nouns, use collective nouns, use verbs in present and past tense, write simple sentences, and identify irregular verbs.
• In Unit 1 Module B, students are taught to use adjectives, adverbs, and contractions.
• In Unit 2, Module A, students are taught to use singular and plural possessives, use apostrophes, use possessive pronouns, and write adverbs in simple sentences.
• In Unit 2, Module B, students are taught to identify and use commas in a series, use commas in compound sentences, and use commas in dates and letters.
• In Unit 3, Module A, students are taught to capitalize geographic names and proper nouns, and expand sentences with adjectives and adverbs.
• In Unit 3, Module B students are taught to identify and use prepositions, conjunctions, adjectives. Students also learn formal and informal language.
• In Unit 4, Module A, students are taught to identify and use common and proper nouns, capitalize proper nouns, use singular and plural nouns, use irregular plural nouns, use collective nouns, use past and present verb tense, nouns and verbs, use irregular verbs, use subject pronouns, use object pronouns, and use reflexive pronouns.
• In Unit 4, Module B, students are taught to identify and use adjectives, contractions, apostrophes in contractions.
• In Unit 5, Module A, students are taught to identify and use apostrophes in singular and plural possessives and contractions, expand simple sentences (adjectives, adverbs, compound subjects), and rearrange simple and compound sentences.
• In Unit 5, Module B, students are taught to rearrange and expand simple sentences and prepositional phrases.
• In Unit 6, Module A, students are taught to identify and use spelling patterns (consonant/vowel digraphs, /g/ or /j/, diphthongs oi and oy, silent gh), use compound words, use prefixes, use root words, and use shades of meaning.
• In Unit 6, Module B,students are taught to use and identify connections between words, root words, prefixes, and the dictionary

Language and conventions, are included in each writing rubric found within each Unit Module writing task to assess the student in language standards.

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

• For example, in Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 9, the teacher reminds students that the subject (usually a noun) of a sentence performs the action described by the verb. The teacher teaches that a compound subject is used when there are two or more nouns performing the same action. The nouns are linked by the word and. Then students use a list of possible subjects to write two sentences using compound subjects.
• For example, in Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 6, students learn how to rearrange simple sentences. After the teacher models the skill, students look in the day’s text for places where simple sentences could be rewritten by rearranging their parts.

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 2 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.

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

• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 6, the teacher displays the Sound-Spelling Card 55. The R controlled sound as /ar/ you hear in artist can be spelled ar. The teacher then displays the Display Card 91 displaying orchestra can be spelled or. Students write hard and listen to the letters ar for the r controlled sound. Students write the following words; yard, short, start, store, more, and board. Children blend the words with the teacher and children use the Letter Tiles to spell the word.
• In Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 3 students have opportunities to practice the vowel patterns; aw, au augh, al. The teacher writes crawl and explains the letters aw stand for the sound /o/. Segment and blend crawl whole class /k/ /r/ /o/ /l/. The teacher write the words draw, straw, auto, launch, naughty, taught, walking, talks. Guide the children to identify the letters that spell the o in each sound. Next, the teacher displays the sentence; Most babies crawl first and then walk. Have children read the sentence aloud and identify the words with /o/. Children are then asked to write their own sentence using words with the o sound spelled aw, au, augh.

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

• An example of a shared read comes from Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 2. The teacher distributes the Decodable Practice Reader 11A “Our Reading Party.” In addition, the teacher asks the students to read the title and identify which word has the long e sound (reading). Then they read the words in the list and remind children that these words are in the story. Have pairs of children read the story, switching readers after each page. Children reread Decodable Practice Reader 11A “Our Reading Party” to develop automaticity decoding words have have long e spelled e, ee, ea, and y.
• In Unit 5, Module A Lesson 7 the teacher distributes the Decodable Practice Reader 20A “Is it True?” Children read the title and words on and then begin previewing the story. The teacher reminds them that they will read words that /u/ spelled oo, ue, ew, or ui. Have pairs of children read the story, switching readers after each page. Children reread Decodable Practice Reader 20A “Is it True?” to develop automaticity decoding words have have /u/ spelled oo, ue, ew, or ui.

The sequence of phonics begins with the sounds of short vowels, long vowels with VCe, consonant blends, and endings (-s, -ed, -ing). In Unit 2, consonant digraphs and r-controlled vowels are taught. Long vowels are taught in Unit 3. In Unit 4, compound words, comparative endings, vowel patterns (oo, u), and diphthongs (ou, ow, oi, oy) are taught. In Unit 5, prefixes and suffixes are taught. Vowel patterns (aw, au, augh, al), inflected endings, abbreviations, final syllables, suffixes and prefixes are taught in Unit 6.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 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 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:

• Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 12: Tell students that readers can identify problems and solutions in stories by looking at the main character’s perspective throughout the story. “I will think about the main character in each story, Theo and Snowshoe Hare. I will write Theo on the left side of the Venn Diagram Comparing Characters and Snowshoe Hare on the right side, so I can compare and contrast them. I will write four events under each character’s name to show how he changed from the beginning of the story to the end. In the middle, I will write what the two main characters have in common.” Have students work independently or in small groups to complete their own graphic organizer.
• Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 5: Have students compare how the main ideas from different sections of Disaster Alert! connect. Have partners discuss how different sets of key details might support similar types of main ideas. Use these prompts: “Think about the key details and main ideas on p. 12-13 and 24-25. How are the main ideas alike? Think about the key details and main ideas on p. 6-7 and 26-27. How are the main ideas alike?”

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

• Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 1: Model how to use the title, table of contents and headings to help identify the main purpose of an informational text. Have students look at the table of contents. Point out that the title of the first section is Welcome to the World of Money. Have students look at the headings in the book and choose one that interests them. Ask them what the purpose of the section is and how the section fits in with the topic of money.
• Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 2: Explain that a text feature is a title, caption, diagram or other element in the text that helps the reader better understand the text. It can be a word or picture. Help students locate and use text features to improve comprehension. “On p. 4 in the second paragraph, I see a phrase in dark print. This phrase, food chain, is boldfaced, or darker than surrounding words. When I see boldfaced words used in informational text, I know that these words are important. I also know that I can find their definitions in the glossary, most often located in the back of the text. I’m going to write boldfaced words in our graphic organizer Text Features Chart.” Have students work in small groups to complete their graphic organizers. Ask them to identify text features on p. 4-7 and explain their purpose.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 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.

Materials provide students the opportunity to purposefully read on-level text in core materials over the course of a year. Examples include:

• Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 1, students are introduced to the text Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday. The students will read, talk and write about this text in this module. Students are told “As you read the book, pay attention to how characters respond to events. Think about the story’s structure, or its beginning, middle and end, and how the characters affect the events in each part of the story.” The Appropriate Reading Routine is used and discussed with the students.
• Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 7, students are introduced to the book Going West. Students will read the text and told that they will read for an understanding of what the text is mainly about. Students are told “In this lesson we are going to learn how readers can use characters’ different points of view to better understand the text.” The Appropriate Reading Routine is used and discussed with the students.

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

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 3, students practice reading with accuracy. The teacher reminds students that reading with accuracy means reading with few or no mistakes. Students take turns reading aloud from p. 12-14 of Trouble at the Sandbox to a partner. Students are told to read the text with accuracy and at an appropriate rate.
• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 8, students practice reading grade-level text while practicing appropriate rate. During small group time, students listen to the teacher model appropriate rate while reading Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst. The teacher reviews why a reader would not want to read too slowly or too quickly (because listeners become bored or lost track of the story). Then students take turns reading aloud the same passage at a similar rate.
• Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 6, students practice reading with paying attention to pausing and chunking based on punctuation. Students follow along as the teacher reads Danger! Earthquakes. The teacher models reading with appropriate phrasing and fluency, pausing at commas and stopping for breath. Students read the same passage aloud. Teacher monitors progress and provides feedback.

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

• In the Unit 3 Benchmark Vocabulary Routine: Literary, the teacher is provided suggestions to help guide students in figuring out unknown words such as: “Point out effective context clues to children as you read. For example, in The Year of Miss Agnes, Kirkpatrick Hill defines sign language in this way: “Sign language. A way Bokko could learn to talk with her hands.” Sometimes authors use definition clues, as in this example of the word harnesses: “The mittens have long, braided harnesses so you can tie the mittens behind you”” (p. TR30).
• In Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 12, students learn about self-correcting while reading. The teacher has students follow along as the teacher reads aloud p. 8 of 68 Ways to Save the Planet Before Bedtime. The students read the same passage aloud, stressing the act of confirming and self-correcting as needed. (p. 127)

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

• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 7, students practice reading irregularly spelled words such as bright, fine, tiny, sky, try. The teacher says: “Some words we learn by remembering the letters. Other words we can sound out.” Then students say and spell each word, first with the teacher and then without the teacher.
• In Unit 6, Module B, Lesson 12, students practice reading irregularly spelled words such as wrong, right, were, start, stream. The teacher says: “Some words we learn by remembering the letters. Other words we can sound out” Then students are tsay and spell each word, first with the teacher and then without the teacher.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet 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 phonics is part of instruction: Use Sound Spelling Cards 1, 17, and 24 to review short /a/, short /o/, and short /u/. Write these words: truck, long, sharing, dunk. Have children write ck if the sound is /ck/, ng, if the sound is /ng/, and nk if the sound is /nk/. Have children volunteer words ending in –ck, -ng, or –nk where the vowel before it is a short vowel sound. For more explicit instruction, see p. FS2 in Teacher’s Guide.
• In Unit 1, Module B, Lesson 3 phonics is part of instruction: Have children pronounce each of the consonants in the following consonant blends str, br, fr, and tr. Read the following words from pp. 16-17 of Friends Around the World (anchor text) and have children repeat after you: street, breakfast, fruit, friend, traditional, bring. For more explicit instruction, see p. FS16 in Teacher’s Guide.
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 10 decoding is part of instruction: Long a spelled a, ai, ay: Begin with a review of words that have the long a sound spelled a, ai, or ay, or by distributing Sound-Spelling Cards 54, 59, and 73. Have children reread Decodable Practice Passage 10B to develop automaticity in decoding long words spelled a, ai, and ay. Have children read Decodable Practice Passage 10C for more practice with words that have the long a sound spelled ai, ay, or a. For more explicit instruction, see p. FS9 in Teacher’s Guide.
• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 4 high frequency words and decoding are part of instruction; Long e spelled e, ee, ea, and y. Hold up each High Frequency Word Card. Have children agree on a sentence for each word. Have children read Decodable Practice Passage 11B. Tell them to look for words that have the long e sound spelled e, ee, ea, or y. Have children reread Decodable Practice Passage 11B to help develop automaticity in decoding words with the long e sound. For more explicit instruction, see p. FS17 in Teacher’s Guide.
• In Unit 5, Module A, Lesson 10 – Vowel Digraphs oo, ue, ew, ui. Have children re-read Decodable Practice Readers 20A, 20B, and 20C to develop automaticity decoding words with the vowel digraphs oo, ue, ew, and ui. For more explicit instruction, see p. FS9 in Teacher’s Guide.

Every lesson contains Small Group Options, Steps 1 and 2. Within Step 1, Focused Independent Reading: 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. 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 phonics skills.