2nd Grade - Gateway 3

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations for being well-designed and taking into account effective lesson structure and pacing. Daily lessons include structures and resources for both whole group and small group literacy instruction.

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

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

Following is a detailed example of the lesson structure from Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 7:

• Whole Group Reading Instruction: 1) Building Understanding, during this portion of the lesson, teachers “Set the Purpose” by telling students the following: “Today we will begin reading a new story. We use details to help us figure out who is telling the story. The person or character who is telling the story is sometimes called the narrator.” “In this lesson we are going to learn how readers can look for details to help them understand the characters and narrators of a story.” 2) Read, teachers introduce the story Hunter’s Money Jar. Students follow along as the teacher reads the story. 3) Turn and Talk, after these pages, the teacher has the students turn to a partner and discuss this question using examples: “Why does Hunter have a money jar?” 4) Close Read, “Engage the class in a discussion about what they just read . . . Use these questions to guide the discussion . . .” “Look at page 7. Why does Scratch say they need more friends to join them? Let’s look for details that support this idea. I know that Scratch is a coin. The text on page 6 says that “Hunter had been saving up to buy a skateboard for a long time.” It also says that “there wasn’t enough money in his jar yet.” So Scratch says that they need more friends because Hunte needs more money.” “Why is Hunter disappointed at the toy store? Point to details in the text on p. 14 that helped you figure this out.” Look at page 21. Why does Scratch say the money jar is getting crowded? What does Hunter do to earn his money?” 6) Benchmark Vocabulary, teachers use the “Benchmark Vocabulary Routine for Literary Text” on pages TR28-TR31. “Students find and read sentences from the text with the words coins and bills.” 7) Language Analysis, students work with a partner to identify the narrator on pp. 9, 12, 16 and 23. They point out details that helped them figure out who is telling the story on each page.
• Small Group Time: During Focused Independent Reading students read their self-selected texts. The teacher announces the two focus points to the class for their self-selected reading. For Unit 3 Module A, Lesson 7, the focus is “Stamina” and “Fluency”. Students read and reread self-selected texts to build fluency. Teachers monitor students’ progress by having them record their reading in a daily reading log and having them read aloud to the teacher. Additional instruction, practice and extension during “Small Group Time” are offered through a variety of options: Word Analysis use Teacher’s Guide, Unlock the Text, use Scaffolded Strategies Handbook, Teacher conferences each day with two or three students to discuss their self-selected texts, Reading Analysis Support for students who struggle with point of view, there is a “Support Reading Analysis Mini-Lesson.” and Reading Analysis Extension for students who easily understand point of view, there is an “Extend Reading Analysis Mini-Lesson.”
• Whole Group Writing Instruction: Students focus on narrative writing, and sequencing and telling events in order. The teacher sets the purpose by going back to the essential question. The teacher recounts the beginning, middle and end of Hunter’s Money Jar, guiding a discussion. Next, students and teacher work together to write the events in order from The Winner’s Choice. Finally, during Independent Writing Practice students discuss with a partner the events in order from Hunter’s Money Jar. Then they work independently to write the events on p. 170 in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations for the teacher and student reasonably being able to complete the content within a regular school year with the pacing allowing for maximum student understanding These lessons are intended to be done one a day, totaling an hour and a half to fit in both Reading and Writing. The suggested pacing has students reading, in small groups, and then writing during these 90 minutes. Each lesson is broken down by Read, Benchmark Vocabulary, Reading Analysis, and Writing.

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

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the requirements for resources including ample review and practice resources, clear directions, and explanations, and correct labeling of reference aids (e.g. visuals, maps, etc).. Students have access to an array of materials including the Text Collection, anchor texts, Sleuth, leveled text library, online resources, and center options. Other resources available to students include, trade books, text collections, Close Reading, performance tasks, Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, Independent Reading Activities, as well as digital interactive tools such as Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, Envision It! Animations, TikaTok (students as authors), and Grammar Jammers. In the online resources, activities and exercises are found, such as Monster Word Mania and Pack Up The Skills interactive games. There are Close Reading and Independent Reading modeling videos. Each of these resources include ample opportunity to review and practice, clear directions, and correct labeling.

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

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

Some examples of clear explanation and directions include:

• In the Second Grade Scaffolded Strategies Handbook on p. 396, the directions for Unit 1, Module A, Part 4, Unlock Language Learning states, “Build Background for Trouble at the Sandbox: Reproduce and distribute copies of Being Polite student page on page 398. Explain that one important theme or message, in Trouble at the Sandbox is that people in a community should care about one another’s feelings and needs. One way people can do this is by being polite to others. Confirm that students understand what it means to be polite. Then help them understand how to read the chart. Point to the column that lists polite actions. Point to the column that lists polite words. Discuss what the friends in the illustration are doing. Then read aloud the polite actions and polite words chart. The friends in the picture are acting politely and using polite words as they work in the sandbox. To help a friend is a polite action. You can use the polite words, “May I help you?” With partners, have students use actions and words from the cart to describe what they think the friends in the pictures are saying and doing. Scaffold with sentence frames such as: The girl wants to ______. She says ______. The boy says ______. Then have students share with a partner one polite thing they can say and do for a friend. Scaffold with additional sentence frames: One polite thing I can say is _______. I can say ______ to show ______.”
• On page 160 of the first grade Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, the directions for Language Benchmark Vocabulary routine for Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 3, state, “Have children use p. 160 in the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to show contextual understanding of the Benchmark Vocabulary. Monitor children’s vocabulary development.”
• On p. 10 of the Teacher's Guide for Unit 4,Module A, as a writing center, students Write in Response to Reading by completing the appropriate writing response to Reading prompts, found within pp. 231-270 of their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal. Children log into TikaTok and write their own book about their own life or about the life of a classmate or friend. Have them go to www.tikatok.com.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet expectations for including publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items. In the Implementation Guide there is a Scope and Sequence of all four units, that show where each of the standards is hit within the curriculum. Lessons clearly denote standards alignment. Standard documentation is found in the lesson objectives.

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

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

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

• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 12 publisher-produced alignment to standards is provided. Students will:
  • RL.2.2 pp. 122, 124 – Recount stories from diverse cultures and determine their central message. Recount stories from diverse cultures.
  • RL.2.1 p. 122 – Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of key details in the text.
  • RL.2.4 p. 124 – Describe how words supply meaning in a story.
  • L.2.6 pp. 124, 130 – Use words acquired through reading and being read to. Use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
  • RL.2.7 p. 126 – Use information gained from the illustrations and words in print to demonstrate understanding of characters and setting.
  • RF.2.4.a p. 127 – Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
  • W.2.3 pp.128, 130 - Write a narrative in which they provide a sense of closure. Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event and provide a sense of closure.
  • L.2.3 – Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing or speaking.
• In Unit 1, Module A, Performance Based assessment, standards being assessed are included. Students will:
  • W.2.2 p. 142 – With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
  • W.2.6 p. 142 – Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding or a topic or issue.
  • SL.2.3 – Create audio recordings of stories or poems, add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
• In Unit 6, Module B, Performance Based assessment, standards being assessed are included. Students will:
  • W.2.1 p. 282 – Write an opinion piece in which they introduce a book, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words, and provide a conclusion.
  • W.2.6 p. 282 – With some guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Standards are also listed at the bottom of each Foundational Skills lesson which are located in the Foundational Skills portion of every Teacher's Guide. For example in Unit 5, Module B, Lesson 8 the standards include:

• RF.2.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
• RF.2.3.e Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.
• RF.2.3.f Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
• RF2.4.a Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
• RF2.4.b Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectation for materials containing a Teacher's Guide with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

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

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 1, the teacher is provided with a Teach and Model guide in how to present the way the text begins to tell a story. It is suggested that teachers use discussion to guide students to recognize the sequence of events. Included in this section is a chart that is labeled specifically to demonstrate how the text begins to tell a story.
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 8, the teaching guide includes a Quick Check suggesting how teachers progress monitor two to three students daily as they are practicing Oral Reading Fluency. The Quick Check states, “If students are reading at a rate that is too slow, then encourage them to practice reading at a faster pace where the words flow better together.”
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 5, the Close Read section gives directives and suggestions on students citing evidence. The Close Read section states, “During guided close reading, have students discuss what they just read. Remind children that readers use details and examples to explain or connect ideas or events in a text. Use these questions to guide the discussion, and ask students to support their answers with evidence.” The teacher is provided with guided questions to lead a class discussion that requires evidence.
• On pages 66-71 of the Implementation Guide, a scope and sequence chart includes all Common Core Standards and the Unit and Module where each is addressed.
• On pages 74-85 of the Implementation Guide, Standards maps are provided for each Module. These maps include a description of the Performance Based Assessment, essential questions that are linked with standards, essential questions, a list of anchor and support texts, a list of all standards covered, Module goals linked to standards, and enduring understandings that are linked to standards.
• On pages 88-103 of the Implementation Guide, a Common Core Correlations Chart is included that lists all Grade 2 Common Core Standards and then gives the Unit and page number where the standard is addressed.
• In Unit 5, Module A, Lesson 10, the Independent Writing section of the lesson provides teachers with plans on how to use a Venn diagram detailing two texts students read. It also shows teachers how to incorporate facts students had written in an opinion piece.

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

• In Unit 1, Module A, the Performance Based Assessment has a digital option stating, “You may incorporate technology into the Performance-Based Assessment. Have children type their stories using word processing software. Then they add illustrations by printing out the pages and drawing pictures above or below the text.”
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 10, the teacher’s guide lists the digital publishing studio TikaTok as a resource for students to write and illustrate their own books.
• In all Units and Modules Digital Centerpieces center options include the Reading Center, Writing Center, Word Work Center, and Research Center. Each of these centers includes an online technology piece.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations of materials containing a Teacher's Guide that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literary concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject as necessary. The materials also include an Implementation Guide to provide specific explanations, rational, and examples of key concepts that are needed to improve knowledge of the subject. Common Core Correlations, located in the Implementation Guide, list all of Second Grade ELA standards by strand, then the page numbers in each unit’s Teacher’s Guide where these standards are addressed.

The Teacher's Guides include:

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

• Generative Vocabulary Instruction is explained in the Implementation Guide as “helping students learn about words.” A white paper on generative vocabulary instruction is available online at pearsonrealize.com. It’s further described in each unit of the Teacher’s Guide at the beginning of each module. Teachers learn about benchmark vocabulary (words that are important for understanding concepts within a text) and by-the-way words (sophisticated or unusual Tier II and Tier III words).
• Text Complexity Rubrics are available for each Anchor and Supporting Text. Rubrics explain quantitative, qualitative, and reader and task considerations, and provide the teacher with information on potential challenges students may have in accessing the text. These rubrics are located in the Teacher’s Resource Section in the back of each unit’s Teacher’s Guide.
• Tips and Tools sidebars throughout the Teacher’s Guides, Scaffolded Strategies Handbook, and Teacher Resource sections provide quick definitions of literary and language terms being taught in each lesson. For example, “Tips and Tools” of the “Routines” portion of the Teacher Resources offers definitions for affix, inflectional ending, and root words for the teacher.
• Independent Reading Continuum, located in Teacher’s Resource Section of each unit’s Teacher’s Guide, “shows a progression of the essential elements of independent reading in the elementary grades, describing strategies and processes that students practice when engaged in purposeful, self selected reading.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet expectations for materials containing a teacher’s edition that explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum.

• On pages 64-71 of the Implementation Guide, a scope and sequence chart includes all Common Core Standards and the Unit and Module they are addressed.
• On pages 72-81 of the Implementation Guide, Standards maps are provided for each Module. These maps include a description of the performance based assessment, essential questions that are linked with standards, a list of anchor and support texts, a list of all standards covered, Module goals that are linked to standards, and enduring understandings that are linked to standards.
• On pages 82-103 of the Implementation Guide, a Common Core Correlations Chart is included that lists all Grade 2 Common Core Standards and then gives the Unit and page number where the standard is addressed.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations for materials containing explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identifying research-based strategies.

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

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

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet expectations for regularly and systematically offering assessment opportunities that genuinely measure student progress. Materials include a baseline assessment, multiple formative assessments, performance-based assessments, and end-of-unit assessments. Each of these assessments are included in the Assessment Book along with an overview, directions, passages, running records, student tests, test administration information, answer keys, and rubrics.

• Opportunities are provided during daily lessons for monitoring student progress in reading and writing, as well as opportunities are provided to assess oral reading fluency.

• Reading Keystones are formative assessments in every lesson to assess children’s understanding of key language, structures, and ideas. These keystones help the teacher check children’s progress toward the Performance-Based Assessment. The reading keystones include Benchmark Vocabulary Practice, Text Analysis practice/application, and Write in Response to Reading. For example, in Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 4, children use p. 203 in their Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to show contextual understanding of the Benchmark Vocabulary. Teachers monitor children’s vocabulary development.

• Writing Keystone Checklists are placed throughout the unit to assess children’s opinion, narrative, or informative writing. These checklists help the teacher determine how children are progressing toward the task in the Performance Based Assessment. For Example, in Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 8, on p. 90, the Writing Keystone Checklist for Stating and Supporting and Opinion is used to assess children’s opinion writing. If children need additional support with one or more of these elements of opinion writing, teachers use Unlock Opinion Writing beginning on p. 260 of the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook.

• Oral Reading Fluency Quick Checks are included in the Small Group Options for daily lessons. Oral Reading Fluency can be assessed using text and guidelines provided for Running Records (Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide). For example, in Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 4, states, “Explain to the children that reading with expression means adjusting your voice to match different characters, moods, feelings, and meaning. Reading with expression helps keep the listener interested. Have children follow along as you model reading aloud p. 14 from Friends Around the World with expression. Review why a reader would not want to ignore expression. Then echo read with children p. 16 from the text.”

• Performance-Based Assessments are included with each Module where students complete a task that requires analysis and demonstrating knowledge in writing. For example, in Unit 2, Module A, on p.142 the Performance-Based Assessment requires children write a short narrative about a character that makes a decision about money. Children create a plot with a beginning, middle, and end, include at least two events, use temporal words to signal the order of events, include details that express the thoughts and feelings of the character, and write a sentence that wraps up a story.

• End-of-Unit Assessments are provided to help the teacher further measure their students’ mastery of reading and language arts standards. Included in the Assessment Book Teacher’s Manual is teacher information, answer keys, and class record charts. Student tests can be found in the ASsessment Student Book and online. For example, each End of Unit Assessment includes two passages of complex text. Students read each passage and then answer a series of selected-response questions. The comprehension questions address reading standards. The vocabulary questions target grade-appropriate Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary words and address language arts and reading standards. Many of the questions have two parts. Part A requires students to use context and apply the skills they learned during the unit to answer the question at hand. Part B requires students to go back to the passage to find textual evidence that supports the answer to Part A. The online End-of-Unit Assessments for Units 4-6 include technology-enhanced items (TEIs). These are responses that go beyond the traditional multiple-choice and constructed response item types to include drag-and-drop, text entry, and drop down menu. TEIs appear in all online ReadGEN Assessments in grade 2. The writing portion of each End-of-Unit Assessment consists of two types of prompts: Constructed Response and Extended Response. These prompts are based on the passages students read in the test and require students to write a narrative, informative/explanatory, and opinion pieces of varying lengths in response. Each Constructed Response prompt elicits a short written response relating to one passage. The Extended Response prompt elicits a longer written response that requires students to draw on information from both passages in the assessment.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations for assessments providing sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up. Materials provide teachers with guidance for administering assessments and interpreting results through rubrics and scoring guidance documents. Guidance includes but is not limited to:

• Performance Based Assessments provide teachers with notes and guidance regarding administration of assessments. Information is provided which guides teachers how to allow students to complete the assessment over multiple lessons, to review the Essential Questions, and revisit the texts. Also provided are scaffolded supports for students as they are completing the assessments and follow-up support for students scoring a 0, 1, or 2 on the assessment wit Reflect and Respond “if…then…” statements. Teachers are also provided a Writing Rubric with each assessment that directly connects to the type of writing being tested whether it be a narrative, informational/explanatory, or opinion writing or project.
• Guidance is provided for teachers in administering and scoring assessments, along with interpreting student assessment scores on End-of-Unit Assessments. For example, in the Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide on p. T55-T56 teachers are guided on the options of how to administer the assessments as well as how best to administer this assessment. A rubric is also provided for scoring the extended response items of the End-Of-Unit Assessment.
• The Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide provides guidance on what to do with assessment results. Teachers are directed to examine results and then use the results to inform instruction. For example, on page T57-58, of the Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide steps that should be taken after the assessment concerning scoring as well as guiding instruction are provided.
• Instruction and guidance are provided for administering Running Records with the fluency passages used for the assessments. Information is also provided for teachers in interpreting student scores and specific miscues in the Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations for including routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress. Ongoing progress monitoring formative assessments are integrated within every module. Progress monitoring opportunities include but are not limited to:

• Reading and Writing Keystones that assess students’ reading and writing and their understanding of key language, structure, and ideas. For example, in Unit 5, Module A, Lesson 5, on p. 54, Practice states, “Have children use p. 320 in the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to show contextual understanding of the Benchmark Vocabulary. Monitor children’s vocabulary development.”

• Fluency Quick Checks that offer If. . . Then... suggestions to monitor students’ fluency progress and provide an assessment tool for teachers to quickly assess students in a small group of 2-3 students at a time. For example, in Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 7, on p.77 the teacher models fluent reading by reading aloud on p. 18 from Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday. Model the fluently reading, then have students read the same passage aloud.

• Check Progress assessments in each unit that assess students’ phonics, word analysis, and high frequency word skills. These are located at the end of every Foundational Skills section. For Example, in Unit 4, on p. FS27-FS29 Unit 4 Check Progress tests Phonics and High-Frequency words.
• Student work in the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, including Write in Response to Reading prompts that require students to cite text evidence as they write about what they’ve read. For example, in Unit 6, Module A, Lesson 4 p. 46: Use Write in Response to Reading on p. 394 of the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal to check children’s understanding of key ideas in 68 Ways to Save the Planet Before Bedtime.

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

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet expectations for providing teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so that they demonstrate independent ability with grade-level standards and opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies. There are clear supports for students who struggle as well as those who work above grade level. Grouping strategies included are inclusive of multiple opportunities.

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

• The Scaffolded Strategies Handbook addresses English Language Learners, students with disabilities, struggling readers, and accelerated learners. This handbook provides models of scaffolded instruction, useful strategies, and practical routines to employ during reading. The lessons provided are intended to be used during small-group time with students the teacher determines to need additional scaffolded instruction. The Scaffolding Strategies Handbook is organized into four parts.
• Part 1 is titled Unlock the Text. Provides every anchor and supporting text with scaffolds and strategies. The lessons are divided into Prepare to Read, Interact with Text, and Express and Extend.
• Part 2 is titled Unlock the Writing. These lessons work to scaffold the module-level Performance Based Assessments and it also provides additional lessons to teach the writing types required by the standards.
• In Part 3 of the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook routines, graphic organizers, and activities are provided to support students.
• Part 4 is titled Unlock Language Learning. It focuses on supporting English Language Learners to construct the meaning and explore vocabulary of a text. This section provides support to build background, talk about sentences, speak and write about the text, expand understanding of vocabulary, and write about the anchor and supporting text.
• Small group instruction is provided based on student need with options such as:
• Unlock the Text which supports students in accessing ideas, key language, and key structures.
• Word Analysis which supports students with their foundational skills.
• Conferencing which helps students to grow their independent reading accountability as they discuss their self-selected texts with the teacher.
• Support Instruction which targets students who need additional scaffolding for the instructional focus of each lesson.
• Extensions which are intended for students who understand the lesson focus and would benefit from opportunities to extend the lesson and enhance learning.
• Sleuth which is used three to four times each unit for small group lessons to reteach, practice, and refine close-reading skills and strategies.
• The Teacher’s Guide includes Scaffolded Instruction notes throughout all lessons. For example, in Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 1, the Guide states, “Help students who struggle with dialogue. Students may have difficulty following who is speaking. Reread the dialogue, pointing out speakers to help readers follow along. Or assign each student a character, and the have students reread the dialogue starting on p. 6 with Theo and ending on p. 7 with big boy. Also, in Unit 6, Module B, Lesson 12: Students may not understand the significance of a radio show in Eleanor Roosevelt’s day. Explain that back then communication was quite different from what it is today. There was no TV or internet. Families used the radio to hear the news of the day, so Eleanor’s words of hope reached many people and were important to them.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations for providing all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level or in a language other than English, extensive opportunities to work with grade level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards.The Teacher’s Guide provides daily scaffolding for immediate feedback during lessons, and the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook provides more extensive follow up to support these students.

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

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 8, on p. 83 the Scaffolded Instruction notes are for English Language Learners and for Strategic Support.
  • English Language Learners: “Help Spanish-speaking children realize that as they read the text, they will find some familiar words in English. They are familiar because they are words that have the same origin and the same, or very similar, form. Good examples of pp. 5-7 of Showshoe Hare’s WInter Home are signal, hibernate, exploring, and tunnel.”
  • Scaffolded Instruction: “There is quite a lot of dialogue in Snowshoe Hare’s Winder Home among several characters. Help children track the characters and understand speaker tags such as ‘Beaver answered’ and ‘Snowshoe Hare asked.’ Remind children that speaker tags help readers understand who is speaking in the story.”

• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 9, on p. 243 the Scaffolded Instruction notes are for English Language Learners and for Strategic Support.
  • English Language Learners: “Help children understand the multiple-meaning word sign. Marcy shows her point of view when she asks Old Man Hammer, ‘Sign with us?’ Children may think of sign as a noun, like a stop sign. In this sentence, however, it is a verb that means ’to write your name.’”
  • Scaffolded Instruction: “Point out to children that the sentence ‘Old Man Hammer just waves like he’s swatting a fly’ shows that he has a negative point of view toward what everyone is doing. ‘Maybe he’s really sad’ and ‘Give him time’ show Marcy’s and Miss Rosa’s points of view toward Old Man Hammer.”
• In Unit 5, Module A, Lesson 10, on p. 103 the Scaffolded Instruction notes are for English Language Learners and for Strategic Support.
  • English Language Learners: “Point out the word around on p. 55. Explain that around can mean ‘to circle’ or ‘close to a number or quantity.’ Tell children that in the second sentence on p. 55, around means ‘close to a number.’ The author knows that John began traveling sometime close to 1794, but she isn’t sure of the exact date.”
  • Scaffolded Instruction: “Make sure that children understand that John Chapman is the real name of Johnny Appleseed. Explain that the author primarily uses John Chapman’s real name because she is writing a factual story about his life. If she were writing a fictional story or a legend, she would be more likely to use his nickname, Johnny Appleseed.”

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

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

If/then sections are provided in the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook to support students. For example, in the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook on page 211 students Unlock the Task: Write a Biographical Sketch. Students break apart the task, answer questions about the task, and then restate the task. If/then statements are provided to monitor and support struggling writers. For example, “If …. Students are overwhelmed by the task of selecting a person to research and figuring out questions to ask, then … offer them a list of potential research subjects. Have students narrow their decision by answering questions such as: What makes them an important historical figure? What were some of their big ideas? What important actions did they rake? How did their actions change our country?”

To build speaking and listening skills the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook lists a Listening Skills Log on pages 329-330 and a Have a Discussion Routine and Rating Sheet on pages 335-336.

• Each Unit’s Leveled Text Instructional Plan addresses speaking and listening skills in the section titled After Reading on page TR68. During the Talk About It section, it states, “The activities in this section are designed to help students develop their understanding of the unit theme and enhance their listening and speaking skills by engaging in a group discussion.” Sentence frames are provided to help students express their ideas.
• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 7, students use the Think-Pair-Share Routine on pp. TR2, TR3 to practice speaking and listening. Teachers are reminded to make sure that students are using best practices for speaking and listening as outlined in the routine.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations for including extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

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

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

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

• In Part 1, Unlock the Text to Express and Extend after reading Snowshoe Hare’s Winter Home. The Extend section states, “Have students write a sentence or short paragraph explaining how Snowshoe Hare solved his problem. Then have partners share their sentences with each other. Remind students that each animal in the story has a signal that lets it know winter is coming. Have partners discuss what Snowshoe Hare’s signal is. How did Snowshoe Hare and the other hares prepare for winter?”

• In Part 2, Unlock the Writing on page 262 students are provided with a practice and a deeper practice when working with opinion texts. Students work with a partner to identify linking words in opinion pieces. The Teacher Edition states, “Ask students to list the linking words they find. Then instruct them to tell which reason and opinion each linking word connects. Students work in groups to brainstorm additional reasons for the topic of liking cheese pizza better than pepperoni pizza. Students work together to write a complete sentence that includes the reason. Challenge them to include a linking word.”

Opportunities for extension appear in small group. For example, on page TR7 in the Unit 1 Small Group Discussion Routine, teachers are provided with a Going Deeper activity once students are familiar with the routine. The directions state, “As children discuss the text, have the Fact Checker flag text evidence. The Summarizer can use this flagged evidence in a group summary.” It also states, “Provide the Elaborator with a list of questions that will encourage higher-level thinking.”

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

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the expectations for providing opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies. Students participate in partner and small group Think/Pair/Share, Whole Class Discussion, Small Group Discussion, Read Alouds, Shared Reading, Independent Reading, Text Clubs, and Benchmark Vocabulary Discussions for both Informational and Literary texts.

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

• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 3, the Teacher Edition states, “Have students turn to pages 18 and 23 and work in small groups to complete the graphic organizer. Use the Small Group Discussion Routine on pp. TR6-TR7 to have children discuss how the illustrations and descriptive details in the text help them understand the character. Check understanding by circulating among groups.
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 1, the Teacher Edition has students Turn and Talk, “After reading, have students turn to a partner and discuss this question using examples from the text: What three categories of information does the author provide about tornadoes? Use the Think-Pair-Share-Routine on pp. TR2-TR3. (Students should share that pp. 4-5 describe tornadoes, pp. 6-7 discuss the ways people study and classify tornadoes, and pp. 8-9 are about surviving tornadoes.)”