2nd Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for  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.

Grade 2 materials include anchor texts that are of high interest and engaging to students. Many cultures are represented within the anchor texts and are varied within content areas as well. The anchor texts are examined multiple times for several purposes and are used to expand topics and essential questions, build vocabulary, and prompt writing.

Texts are of high quality, including rich language and engaging content. Accompanying illustrations are of high quality as well, supporting students' understanding and comprehension of the associated text. Examples of texts that fit this category include, but are not limited to the following:

• In Unit 2, Week 2, students read Wolf! Wolf! by John Rocco. This fable has a clear beginning, middle, and end and it also has a problem and solution structure. It is told in the third person. It includes dialogue and the illustrations clarify and add information to the fable.  It is an engaging text with rich language and quality illustrations. 
• In Unit 2, Week 2, students read Baby Bears by Bobbie Kalman. This expository text is clearly developed. The author organizes the text into several sections. Each section has its own heading. Photos with captions clarify or add information to the text. A diagram with labels shows how cubs grow up. The layout of text and photos with captions varies from page to page. The vocabulary is mostly familiar with some discipline-specific vocabulary (e.g., nurse, the Arctic, omnivore). 
• In Unit 4, Week 3, students read April Rain Song, Rain By Langston Hughes and Elizabeth Coatsworth. This is a free verse poem that relies on a fair amount of repetition. It is structured into three stanzas. There may be a few unfamiliar words in the poems (e.g., gutter, still, pattered, sill). 
• In Unit 5, Week 2, students read Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio. This fiction text demonstrate how U.S. elections work through the story of a grade-school election. The text is moderately complex as the story is told sequentially from the beginning when Grace wants to run for president through the election process to become class president. The text structure includes several unique features, such as text inside boxes that are outlines of individual states, and text in word balloons. These features help break up the text into fun and manageable chunks. 
• In Unit 5, Week 3, students read A Call to Compost by Author Unknown. This persuasive article is clear and presented early in the text, about whether to compost or not. The text also offers other features of nonfiction text such as sidebars, photos with captions, sections with heads, and a chart. The text also includes  domain-specific vocabulary such as: landfill, food waste, recycle, garbage, compost, fertilizer, pollute, environment, ban, fine, pass.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level. Genres and text types are varied and represented throughout the school year.  Texts include a mix of informational and literary texts, including poetry and fables. 

The following are examples of literature found within the instructional materials:

• In Unit 1, Week 2, Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan 
• In Unit 2, Week 3, Wolf, Wolf! By John Rocco
• In Unit 5, Week 4, Brave Bessie by Eric Velasquez
• In Unit 4, Week 1, Dear Primo by Duncan Tonatiuh
• In Unit 6, Week 3, The Contest of Athena and Poseidon by Author Unknown

The following are examples of informational text found within the instructional materials:

• In Unit 4, Week 3, Into the Sea by Author Unknown
• In Unit 6, Week 1, The Life of a Dollar Bill by Author Unknown
• In Unit 5, Week 5, The Problem with Plastic Bags by Author Unknown

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for texts (including read-aloud texts and some shared reading texts used to build knowledge and vocabulary) have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade level according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and a relationship to their associated student task. Read-aloud texts at K-2 are above the complexity levels of what most students can read independently. 

Instructional materials provide opportunities for students to listen to grade-level appropriate texts during Shared Reading and Literature Anthology. Texts included have the appropriate level of complexity based on their quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and student task. 

Texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task and anchor texts are placed at the appropriate grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 3, Literature Anthology, Baby Bears by Bobbie Kalman. This text has a quantitative measure 500 Lexile. Students need specific domain knowledge for a full understanding of the text. The text has varying text structures which include question and answer. The graphics and text features are essential to understanding the text, which makes the text more complex. 
• In Unit 3, Week 4, Literature Anthology, “Mr. Putter and Tabby See the Stars" by Cynthia Rylant. This text has a Lexile level of 580L. The meaning/purpose and structure as moderately complex. Language and knowledge demands are slightly complex.
• In Unit 4, Week 1, Literature Anthology, Dear Primo: A letter to My Cousin by Duncan Tonatiuh. This text has a quantitative measure of 600 Lexile. The  knowledge demands are slightly complex. Structure and Language is moderately complex. 
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 3, Expository Text, Money Madness by David Adler. This text has a quantitative measure of AD500 Lexile. Students need specific domain knowledge for a full understanding of the text. The graphics and text features are essential to understanding the text. Also, the author’s purpose moves from explicit to implicit, which makes the text more complex.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria that support materials for the core text(s) provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to support their reading at grade level by the end of the school year. 

The Grade 2 materials provide opportunities for students to engage with a range of texts including nonfiction, realistic fiction, poetry and fables. Throughout the week, students interact daily with two to three texts on the same topic during whole group and small group instruction, including Shared Reading, Paired Selections for small group instruction, Anchor Texts, Interactive Read-Alouds, Leveled Readers, and Literature Big Books. Materials contain lessons and resources for read-alouds, guided reading, and independent reading. Throughout the week students also engage in a close reading of a text. In a typical week, on Day 1, students spend 20 minutes with the interactive read-aloud, 20 minutes with the shared reading, and 25 minutes in small groups, and on Day 2, students spend 50 minutes with the shared read and close reading and 30 minutes in small groups. On Day 3, students spend 40 minutes reading the anchor text and 40 minutes in small groups, and on Day 4, students spend 50 minutes reading the anchor text and 60 minutes in small groups. Finally, on Day 5, students spend 35 minutes rereading the anchor text and 60 minutes in small groups. 

Instructional materials identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in reading and listening to a variety of texts to become independent readers at the grade level and engage in a volume of reading as they grow toward reading independence. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, students engage in reading:
• Interactive Read-Aloud (fantasy): “The New Kid” (unknown author)
• Shared Reading (fantasy): “Little Flaps Learning to Fly” (unknown author)
• Decodable Readers: “Spot and Fran” (unknown author) and “Why Not Grin?” (unknown author)
• Anchor Text (fantasy): Help! A Story of Friendship by Holly Keller
• In Unit 3, Week 5, students engage in reading:
• Anchor Text (expository) “Many Ways to Enjoy Music” (Time Magazine article)
• Interactive Read-Aloud (expository text): “Why People Drum” (unknown author)
• Paired Reader: “A Musical Museum” (Time Magazine article)
• Shared Reader (expository text): “They’ve got the Beat!” (Time Magazine article)
• Decodable Reader: “Luke’s Tune” (unknown author), The Sounds of Trash by Susan Evento and “Musical Expression” (unknown author) 
• In Unit 4, Week 3, students engage in reading:
• Interactive Read-Aloud (expository text): “Earth Changes” (unknown author) 
• Shared Reading (expository text): “Into the Sea” (unknown author) 
• Anchor Text (expository text): Volcanoes by Sandra Markle 
• Paired Reader: “To The Rescue” (unknown author)
• Decodable Reader: “More Fun Than A Hat”, “Just For Fun”, “Cheer Up, Dot”, “Deer, Steer and Ibex” and “Watching and Hearing Animals” (unknown author) 
• In Unit 6, Week 1, students engage in reading:
• Interactive Read-Aloud (expository text): “Keep the Change” (unknown author)
• Shared Reading (expository text): “The Life of a Dollar Bill” (unknown author)
• Anchor Text  (expository text): Money Madness by David A. Adler

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-based, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text).

The materials provide opportunities for students to engage with the texts. Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to use text-based evidence when answering  questions or completing tasks in correlation to the text they are reading or listening to. These opportunities are included in the Literature Big Book, Shared Read, Interactive Read-Aloud, Reading/Writing Companion and Paired Selections.

Instructional materials include questions, tasks, and assignments that are mainly text-based over the course of a school year. Examples include, but not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Week 5, Day 1, Teacher Edition, Whole Group, Shared Read, Cats and Kittens by author unknown, the teacher reminds students that compare-and-contrast text structures require the reader to notice how the author compares and contrasts characters, settings, and events. Students look at Literature Anthology, Dear Primo, and the teacher asks, "How are Carlitos and Charlie similar?  What are Carlitos and Charlie doing on pages 318-319? How is what they are doing the same? How is it different?" The teacher has the students look at pages 328-329. The teacher prompts the students, “This is the first time the author puts the words of the two cousins across two pages. Why does the author spread the text across both pages?" 
• In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 1, Teacher Edition, Whole Group, Shared Read, Lighting Lives by author unknown, students are asked to read the first paragraph, and  asked, "Which details tell about how people use solar panels? What might be the purpose of this paragraph? Why might this be important?" 
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Day 5, Teacher Edition, Whole Group, Anchor Text, Literature Anthology, Mr.Putter & Tabby See the Stars by Cynthia Rylant, the teacher asks,  "Why does Mrs. Teaberry like to feed Mr. Putter “most of all”? How does the repetition of the word she on page 247 help you understand how Tabby feels about the night?" 
• In Unit 5, Week 2, Day 8, Teacher Edition, Whole Group, Literature Anthology, The Prince’s Frog by author unknown, the teacher asks these questions, "Why does Peter give the frog a dish of water and capture flies? What do these actions tell you about Peter? How do you know how Peter feels about the frog as it eats the flies?"

Teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation of text-dependent writing, speaking, and activities. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Week 4, Day 6, Reading/Writing Companion, Analyze the Prompt,  the teacher discusses with students, “What is the author asking you to do?” and then rereads sections. Students use evidence from previous notes about characters, settings and events and complete a graphic organizer citing evidence from the words and illustrations in the text.
• In Unit 5, Week 2, Day 6, Literature Anthology, Brave Bessie by Eric Velasquez, the teacher models using the text feature of a timeline to understand the character’s accomplishments. The students use the Reading/Writing Companion to cite text evidence on graphic organizers using the same timeline and text.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials containing sets of high-quality sequences of text-based questions with activities that build to a culminating task which integrates skills to demonstrate understanding (as appropriate, may be drawing, dictating, writing, speaking, or a combination).

Throughout the program, the materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-based questions and activities that build to a culminating task. Units are broken into genre studies that extend for two weeks and at the end of the two weeks, students are given the opportunity to reflect on their learning. Each unit has a final performance task, which is called the Weekly Wrap-Up. It is designed to help students demonstrate their understanding of the essential question. Students complete the Weekly Wrap-Up in their Reading/Writing Companion. This culminating task is the same each week.

Some specific examples of what students learn and how they demonstrate their knowledge of the topic at the end of the week include:

• In Unit 2, Week 5, students learn about poems and animals. On Day 5, students reflect on their learning from the week. Students begin by reflecting on the essential question and discuss what they love about animals. Students  read through their notes, annotations, and responses from each text before responding to the question, “How do the poets of the poems you read help you understand how they feel about animals?” Questions and tasks that support this culminating task, include, “How does each poet show what is special about the animals in the poems? What do we learn about camels in the third stanza? What does the poet tell us about how bats sound in the first and second stanzas?”
• In Unit 3, Week 5, students learn about expository texts and music. On Day 5, students reflect on their learning from the week. Students talk with a partner about an image in their Reading/Writing Companion and then respond to the prompt, “From the selections and the Japanese print, I have learned that expressing yourself through music can mean...” Questions to support the culminating task throughout the week include, “Why do all the singers need to keep rhythm? How does the author help you understand what being in the chorus is like for the students? What additional information does the caption give you?”
• In Unit 5, Week 5, students learn about persuasive texts and rules. On Day 5, students begin by reading the poem, “At the Table,” and discuss how manners are rules for families. Students complete the prompt, “The selections I read and the poem show me that rules are important because...”. Questions and tasks that support this culminating task include, “What two reasons does the author give to support not banning plastic bags? Do you think composting should be a law or a choice?”

In Week 6 of every unit, students complete a spiral review and show what they know from the entire unit versus just the one week. An example of this follows:

• In Unit 4, students learn about expository texts and poems. After reading the text, “Rivers of Ice,” students demonstrate their understanding by answering, “What makes a glacier move? Which part of the passage helps you understand how glaciers are made?” Students read the poems, “How to Wait” and “Against the Wind,” and answer, “What is the main message or lesson of the two poems? What word in ‘Against the Wind’ means the opposite of nice?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials providing frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small groups, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

The materials provide students opportunities to engage in evidence-based discussions using academic vocabulary in whole class, small groups, and peer-to-peer. Opportunities are seen throughout the units in the Think-Aloud, Talk About It, Collaborative Conversations, and Vocabulary Picture Cards routines.

For example: 

• In Unit 1, Week 1, Days 1-5, Whole Group, Shared Read, Reading/Writing Companion, Maria Celebrates Brazil by author unknown, Academic Language, Visualize, the teacher is prompted to remind students to use the words to create pictures in their minds about the parade. The teacher then models visualizing the photographer using text evidence. The teacher thinks aloud, “I read that Maria saw a woman with a camera. The woman hurries and scurries; those words tell me she is moving fast. Then she takes a picture of Maria. I think she was hurrying to get a picture of Maria before the parade passed." The teacher asks students what other words help them visualize the parade. 
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 1, Talk About It, Collaborative Conversations, teachers are prompted to suggest that as children engage in partner, small group, and whole class discussions, they are encouraged to follow discussion rules by taking turns speaking. They are reminded to, "Wait for a person to finish before they speak. They should not speak over others. Quietly raise their hand to let others know when they would like a turn to speak. Ask others to share their ideas and opinions so that all children have a chance to share.”
• In Unit 2 Week 2, Day 10, Whole Group, Independent Writing, Present Your Work, Reading/Writing Companion, page 25, the students read the Presenting Strategies Checklist, which includes items such as "make contact with the audience and cite the reliable sources you used."  Located within the classroom materials for this lesson is a video about “How to Give a Presentation,” which showcases students giving strategies about speaking and listening. It is not written in the teacher’s instructions, just featured as classroom material. Students are grouped in partners or small groups to rehearse their presentations.  Students are reminded that they will be listening to other students’ presentations. The teacher reviews and models the behaviors of an effective listener. A listening checklist is suggested to the teacher to share with the students.
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Whole Group, Shared Read, Reading/Writing Companion, Starry Night by author unknown, Academic Language, the academic language,  moonlight, nighttime, daytime, is introduced by the teacher to the students during the Essential Question. The teacher explains that during nighttime, it is dark outside and the sun does not light the sky, but sometimes there is light from the moon. The students then describe the moon. A sample answer is provided, “Moonlight is the light we see from the moon at night.” 
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Oral Language, the teacher uses the Define/Example/Ask routine to present the oral vocabulary words: exactly, present, report, telescopes, and total. 
• Define: Exactly means without any mistake. (Cognate: exactamente) 
• Example: The clock showed exactly eight o’clock. 
• Ask: Why would you need to measure your feet exactly? 
• Define: When you present something, you show or tell about it before an audience. (Cognate: presentar) 
• Example: Lillian will present her report about dolphins to the class. 
• Ask: Show and tell how you would present a new friend to your class. 
• Define: When you give a report, you tell or write about something you’ve heard. 
• Example: The class enjoyed listening to Kara’s report about dolphins. 
• Ask: What would you like to write a report about? 
• Define: Telescopes make things that are far away seem closer and larger. (Cognate: telescopio) 
• Example: Telescopes are useful for looking at the stars. 
• Ask: Describe what telescopes can help you see. 
• Define: Total means the whole or entire thing. (Cognate: total) 
• Example: Max spent the total amount of his money. 
• Ask: What is the total number of apples you will buy? Continued on the same day, eight new words are introduced in the mini lesson, “Words in Context,” using the visual vocabulary cards to introduce the words.
• In Unit 5 Week 3, Day 1, Whole Group, Under Collaborative Conversations, the teacher is prompted to notice that as children engage in partner, small group, and whole group discussions, they should be encouraged to always look at the speaker, listen actively to the speaker, respect the speaker by not interrupting and repeat others’ ideas to check understanding.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading (or read aloud) and researching (shared projects) with relevant follow-up questions and supports.

The materials provide opportunities for students to partake in listening and speaking activities about what they are reading through responding to evidence-based questions prompted by the teacher, as well as whole group and partner share. Collaborative conversations are encouraged throughout each unit. Students also have opportunities to discuss what they are researching. 

For example: 

• In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 5, Whole Group, Realistic Fiction Expert Model, Reading/Writing Companion, page 26, students discuss with partners, “How does the author shows the characters’ feelings at the end of the story?” Students write their answers to the discussion in their Reading/Writing Companion.
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 1, Talk About It, Essential Questions, teachers ask, “How is the larger bird different from the smaller one? How are the two birds the same?” The  children discuss these questions in pairs or groups. The teacher models how to use the graphic organizer to generate words that can describe how the two penguins in the picture are alike and different. Small groups then develop ideas by using prior knowledge to discuss baby animals that they have seen or read about. Groups are asked to use as many words from the organizer as possible in their discussion.
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Whole Group, Shared Read, Reading/Writing Companion, “Starry Night” by author unknown, on Day 2, for Craft and Structure, the academic language includes  fiction, character, setting, dialogue, and narrator.  The teacher asks the students, “How does the author show that Mr. Cortes feels differently from the class about the homework?" 
• In Unit 5, Week 3, Whole Group, Day 1-3, Shared Read, Reading/Writing Companion, A Difficult Decision by author unknown, Academic Language, point of view, character, and dialogue, the children work in pairs to write a few sentences about Wyatt’s point of view and how it changes from the beginning to the middle to the end. 
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 1, Introduce the Topic, Talk About It, the teacher reads the essential question, “How do we use money? What goods does your family buy with money? What services does your family purchase?" Students discuss answers in pairs. The teacher models using the graphic organizer to list items a family might buy. The teacher reminds students of the Collaborative Conversation protocol for asking and answering questions. As students engage in partner, small group, and whole group discussions they are encouraged to, “ask questions about ideas that are unclear, wait a few seconds after asking a question to give others time to respond and answer questions using sentences, not one-word responses.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing grade-appropriate writing (e.g. grade-appropriate revision and editing) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate.

Instructional materials provide students with opportunities for students to write daily. For example, on Days 1 and 2 of a typical week, students are active participants in both shared writing and evidence-based independent writing using the texts from the week. On Days 3, 4, and 5, students work through the writing process where they using practice application of  a writing skill, citing textual evidence, revising, editing, and publishing a piece of writing.

Materials include a mix of both on-demand and process writing that covers a year’s worth of instruction. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 4, Write to the Prompt, the teacher guides students to review their notes and plan their writing. The students reread the prompt, “Describe how where Pip lives affects what he does.”  Students write a draft using evidence from the text and making inferences. Students are encouraged by the teacher to use supporting details from the text to tell more about Pam’s plan. Sentence frames are available if needed for the students to use. “Before Pam’s plan, the girls ____. After Pam’s plan, the girls _____.”
• In Unit 2, Week 5, Independent Writing, Anchor Text, Fun With Maps by author unknown, students write about the anchor text using the prompt, “Why does the author show different kinds of maps? What does this help us to understand about maps?”  Students look for clues in the text and maps and take notes in their Writer’s Notebook to respond to the prompt. Students then write a response to the prompt as a draft, using evidence from the text.  Sentence frames are available, if needed, for the students to use. Students work over three days to write the rough draft, proofread, revise, edit, publish and evaluate their work.
• In Unit 3, Weeks 1 and 2, Writing Process, students write a personal narrative. Students begin the writing process with a brainstorm, drawing and writing ideas. They write a personal narrative about a about a time they helped others. Students plan their writing using the Reading Writing Companion, page 28, to  respond to the sentence starters, “I helped when I_____. I wanted to do this because______. I felt_____.” Students plan the sequence of their story. The teacher advises, “Write details about your personal narrative in sequence. Tell what happens in the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of your narrative.” Students write a draft of the narrative. 
• In Unit 3, Week 5, Anchor Text, From Cows to You by author unknown, students write to the prompt, “Based on From Cows to You, which job in the milk process would you rather have? Why?” The students write their draft, and  check to make sure they responded to the prompt. Students proofread and edit their work and create a final draft.  On Day 5, students present their work and self-evaluate with the Reading Writing Companion, page 157. 
• In Unit 4, Week 3 and 4, Teacher Edition, Realistic Fiction, Writing Process, using the Reading Writing Companion, page 29, students read a letter and discuss the character's feelings about the party. Students brainstorm ideas for making the character's voice stronger so readers can better understand their feelings. Student point out the words, descriptions, and punctuation they added or changed to show how the narrator feels. The teacher reviews voice, story structure, and descriptive details, asking students to share points from their draft, if their answer is yes to the following questions:
• Does your story begin by introducing a main character and two locations? 
• Does the character, or narrator, tell the story in first person? 
• Do you include descriptive words and details to show the character’s feelings?
• Do you use exclamation marks to show when the character is excited? 
•  Does your main character include descriptive details about two locations? 
•  Is your story written in the form of a letter?

Students then revise their drafts with a focus on voice.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing (year-long) that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

Instructional materials provide opportunities for students to write narrative, opinion, and informative pieces throughout the year. Each writing lesson has a purpose for writing, a teaching and modeling section, and examples/rubrics to guide students through shared and independent writing.  Materials provide opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply different genres/modes of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standard.

Examples of narrative writing include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Week 3, students write a personal narrative. Students focus on including a beginning, middle, and end, and writing with paragraphs. 
• In Unit 3, Week 2, students write a personal narrative about a time they helped others. Students complete this writing task over the course of several days and use the text, “Landing on Your Feet” (unknown author), as a mentor text. 

Examples of informational writing include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Week 2, students write their own expository essay about how a baby animal grows by explaining the sequence of events. 
• In Unit 5, Weeks 1 - 4, students write a biography. They study biographies and go through a several-week process of brainstorming, drafting, and publishing a biography about a hero. 
• In Unit 6, Week 4, students write a research report about banks using the text, Money Madness by David Adler to guide their research and report. 

Examples of opinion writing include, but are not limited to: 

• In Unit 1, students have the option of writing a book report where they share their opinion about something they have read. This is an option in the Extend Your Learning section of the Reading/Writing Companion. 
• In Unit 3, Week 5, after reading the text, Many Ways to Enjoy Music, students explain why that is a good title for the selection. Students use text evidence to support their opinion. 
• In Unit 5, students write a persuasive article in their Reading/Writing Companion. They begin by studying, ”A Call to Compost”, which is a persuasive essay. Students write about something they would like to change at school.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials including regular opportunities for evidence-based writing to support recall of information, opinions with reasons, and relevant information appropriate for the grade level.

Instructional materials provide opportunities for students to write and support their writing with evidence for the texts that they are reading. During shared writing, students learn and practice new writing skills and how to provide support using evidence from the text. Students also write opinions on books they have chosen to read and use text evidence to explain their opinion.  

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Shared Read, Reading Writing Companion, Maria Celebrates Brazil, students are asked to find evidence of the character’s changing feelings through the course of the story. On pages 4, 6, and 7, students are asked to circle the text evidence. On page 11, students answer the question,  “How does the author show that Maria’s feelings change at different parts of the story?” 
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Shared Read, Eagles and Eaglets by Author Unknown, students respond in writing to the prompt, “How does the author use facts and text features to explain how an eaglet becomes an eagle?” The teacher says, “Let’s reread to find facts and details about how an eaglet grows and changes to become an adult eagle. Taking notes will help you write your response.”
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Days 1-5, Starry Night, by Author Unknown, students use text evidence to write to the prompt, “How does the author show that the sleepover was different from what the girls expected? Think about what the girls say and do.”  The teacher rereads and models locating details and dialogue that tell how the girls feel. The teacher continues with a think-aloud and the students use sentence starters to form their responses.
• In Unit 5, Week 5, Days 1-5, students write a persuasive essay using an expert model. They read the selection, A Call to Compost, by author unknown, and cite evidence to answer questions, such as, “How does the author try to get the reader to change his or her mind or take action?” 
• In Unit 6, Week 3, Anchor Text, Respond to Reading, Write About the Author Text, after reading the story, The Contest of Athena and Poseidon by Pamela Walker, students respond to the prompt, “How does the author use dialogue to help you understand why the citizens choose Athena as their patron?” Students reread the text to see how the author uses dialogue to help answer the prompt. Students use the provided sentence starter in their Reading Writing Companion, page 52, to respond to the prompt.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials include explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context. 

Instructional materials provide opportunities for the teacher to explicitly teach each grammar objective and provide guided practice. Materials also include multiple opportunities for students to independently practice each new skill. The grammar focus is connected to the independent writing tasks. In addition to the grammar focus, each week of each unit includes a spelling focus, which provides opportunities for students to practice the conventional spellings of words with common spelling patterns and irregular spelling patterns. Students have opportunities over the course of the year to apply newly learned skills both in and out of context.

Materials include explicit instruction of all grammar and conventions standards for the grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Students have opportunities to use collective nouns (e.g., group).
• In Unit 2, Week 3, Day 3, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains that a collective noun names a group of people, animals, or things. The teacher displays and reads aloud: herd of deer, class of second graders, pile of rocks. The teacher explains that herd, class, and pile are collective nouns and they are not capitalized. The teacher displays the sentences and guides students to identify proper nouns, common nouns, and collective nouns. Students work in a small group to write three collective nouns on a piece of paper. Students take turns choosing a piece of paper and describing the collective nouns using common and proper nouns. The other students try to identify the collective noun based on the description.
• Students have opportunities to form and use frequently-occurring irregular plural nouns (e.g., feet, children, teeth, mice, fish).
• In Unit 2, Week 4, Day 7, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher reminds students that a plural noun names more than one person, place, or thing and that some irregular plural nouns change their spelling to name more than one. Others don’t change at all. The teacher writes pairs of sentences and partners complete the second sentence with the correct irregular plural noun. Students work in a small group and write five plural nouns, including irregular plural nouns. Students take turns selecting a noun and saying it aloud. The others in the group say the singular form of the noun.
• Students have opportunities to use reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).
• In Unit 5, Week 4, Day 7, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains that reflexive pronouns refer to the subject of a sentence and use -self if the subject is singular or -selves if the subject is plural. Myself, herself, and themselves are reflexive pronouns. Partners work together to orally generate sentences using pronouns myself and ourselves. Students talk about what they do after school by themselves or with others. For example: 
• Students have opportunities to form and use the past tense We raked the leaves our ___. (selves) I practiced for the game by my___. (self) of frequently occurring irregular verbs (e.g., sat, hid, told).
• In Unit 4, Week 3, Day 1, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher reminds students that verbs are often words that describe an action and to form the past tense of verbs, we usually add -ed: look, looked; walk, walked. The teacher also explains that the verbs go and do have special forms in the past tense. They are called irregular verbs. Partners orally generate sentences using the present and past tense irregular verbs go/went and do/did. Volunteers share their sentences. One partner writes a sentence using go and the second partner writes a sentence for do. Partners exchange sentences and create went/did sentences.
• Students have opportunities to use adjectives and adverbs, and choose between them depending on what is to be modified.
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 1, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains that an adjective is a word that describes a noun, or a person, place, or thing. Adjectives can tell what kind or how many. The teacher models identifying adjectives that tell what kind. Groups of students take turns using adjectives that tell what kind to describe different objects. The students begin with the word ball. The teacher asks, "How many different adjectives can you use with ball?" The teacher goes on to other objects, such as flower, dog, and house.
• In Unit 6, Week 4, Day 7, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains that an adverb can tell where an action took place. The teacher displays sentences and underlines the adverb and the verb. The teacher models identifying the adverb in the sentences. Pairs of students work together to write two sentences each that include an adverb that tells where an action occurred. Students exchange sentences and identify the adverb. Volunteers share their sentences with the class.
• Students have opportunities to produce, expand, and rearrange complete simple and compound sentences (e.g., The boy watched the movie; The little boy watched the movie; The action movie was watched by the little boy).
• In Unit 1, Week 5, Day 1, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains that expanding sentences helps make writing sound better and more interesting, because when you expand a sentence, you add more details. The teacher writes and displays: The boy rides the bike. The teacher models how to expand the sentence by adding information about the subject or predicate and explains that the sentence can be expanded three ways: "Tell more about the subject, add details to the predicate, or add to the subject and the predicate."  Partners generate and expand sentences. One partner offers a subject. The other provides a verb. Partners take turns expanding the sentence by adding details. Volunteers share their sentences. 
• Students have opportunities to capitalize holidays, product names, and geographic names.
• In Unit 2, Week 3, Day 4, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher reminds students that a proper noun begins with a capital letter. The teacher introduces the capitalization of months and days and explains that the names of months and days always begin with a capital letter because they are proper nouns. 
• In Unit 4, Week 3, Day 3, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains that a proper noun names a specific person, place, or thing and that the names of people, cities, states, countries, and continents are all proper nouns. Months and days of the week are also proper nouns. A proper noun always begins with a capital letter. The teacher displays and reads aloud the sentences. Students capitalize proper nouns.
• Students have opportunities to use commas in greetings and closings of letters.
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Day 3, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains that letters have special punctuation. The greeting (the beginning of a letter) and the closing (the end of a letter) both begin with a capital letter and a comma is used after the greeting and closing. The teacher writes a brief letter on the board and reads it aloud. The teacher guides the students to tell where to use capital letters and commas. Groups of students talk about someone they would like to write a letter to and each group writes a two-sentence letter, punctuating it correctly. On Day 4, students proofread and correct errors in a letter.
• Students have opportunities to use apostrophes to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives.
• In the Teacher Edition, Unit 2, Week 5, Day 2, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher reviews that a possessive noun shows who or what owns or possesses something. The teacher guides the students to form the possessive of cats: The cats claws are sharp. (cats’) The teacher repeats the process for plural nouns not ending in s: (geese, geese’s). Pairs of students write down five singular nouns each and each student takes a turn choosing a noun and stating the plural of the noun, and then the possessive form. The students write a sentence with the plural possessive noun and read it aloud.
• In Unit 4, Week 4, Day 6, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains contractions. “A contraction means the same thing as the two words we put together, but it’s shorter. Some contractions are formed by combining a verb with the word not.” The teacher models combining verbs with not, taking away the /o/, and placing an apostrophe in place of the missing /o/. The teacher writes and displays do and not. Students guide the teacher in forming the contraction don’t. Small groups of students write four or five sentences using contractions with not. Students take turns reading a sentence aloud but replacing the contraction with the two words used to form it.
• Students have opportunities to  generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
• In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 7, during the Spelling portion of the lesson, the teacher reviews words with short o and long o sounds. The teacher reads each sentence, repeats the review word, and asks students to write the word. Students trade papers with a partner to check their spelling.
• Students have opportunities to consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct spellings.
• In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 7, during the Expand Vocabulary portion of the lesson, the teacher models how to use a print dictionary to determine the meaning of an unknown word using guide words and alphabetical order to find the word. The teacher discusses how to read the pronunciation and definition. Partners look up an unknown word and read the definition to determine its meaning. The students write the definitions of the words in their writer’s notebook.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for 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 for application both in and out of context.

Grade 2 materials provide opportunities for explicit instruction in phonics during the Word Work portions of the lessons. This includes teacher modeling, guided practice, and opportunities for students to practice the skills independently. Students are given ample opportunities to build, blend, and manipulate letters and sounds to make words. Within the Word Work part of lessons, explicit instruction is given in phoneme addition, deletion, and substitution. 

Lessons and activities provide students opportunities to learn grade-level phonics skills while decoding words (e.g. distinguish long and short vowel sounds, apply spelling-sound relationship on common words, decode two-syllable words with long vowels). Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Students have opportunities to distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words.
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 2, during the Phonics portion of the lesson, the teacher displays Word-Building Cards n, o, t, e and models how to generate and blend the sounds to say the word. The teacher says,  "This is the letter n. It stands for /n/. This is the letter o. It can stand for /ō/. This is the letter t. It stands for /t/. The letter e is silent. Listen as I blend these sounds together: /nnnōōōt/. Let’s read the word: note." The teacher continues to model how to blend words with drop, clock, smoke, drove, and globe. The teacher points out the silent e in the long-vowel words. The teacher repeats the routine with children with block, cone, not, hope, stone, flop, top, and rode. The teacher guides students and gives feedback until students can work on their own.
• Students have opportunities to know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
• In Unit 5, Week 4, Day 6, during the Phonics part of the lesson, the teacher displays the Straw Sound-Spelling Card. The teacher explains that the sound is /ô/ and /ô/ sound can be spelled with the letters aw. The Teacher repeats for /ô/ spelled a, au, augh, al, and ough using ball, sauce, caught, talk, and thought. The teacher has students practice connecting the letters a, aw, au, augh, al, ough to the /ô/ sound by writing them. Students independently practice words with variant vowel /ô/ using Practice Book page 396.
• Students have opportunities to decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels.
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 3, during the Phonics portion of the lesson, the teacher says, "Let’s listen to words that have two different syllable types." The teacher displays cards labeled Closed Syllable and Open Syllable and reviews examples of each syllable type. The teacher says, "I will write and say a word: basic. I'll point to the syllable I want to identify and hold up the correct card. When I say basic, I point to the first syllable, ba. The vowel sound is the last sound in the syllable, the long vowel /ā/. So ba is an open syllable. When I say sic, I hear the short vowel /i/; the syllable ends in a consonant. Sic is a closed syllable." The teacher repeats, contrasting the syllables within the words unit, began, protest, spinal. The teacher distributes cards labeled Closed Syllable and Open Syllable. The teacher guides practice and gives corrective feedback to pairs as needed.
• Students have opportunities to decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.
• In Unit 4, Week 1, Day 3, during the Structural Analysis portion of the lesson, the teacher writes the words unkind, refill, distrust, peaceful, and sleepless. The teacher points out that each of these words has either a prefix or a suffix. The teacher reviews that prefixes and suffixes are word parts that are added to root words to change the root words' meanings. The teacher points out and defines the prefixes in the first three words and points out and defines the suffixes in the last two words. The teacher helps the students blend the words displease, resell, helpful, unreal, and shapeless and asks students to identify each prefix or suffix and tell the meaning of each word.
• Students have opportunities to identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.
• In Unit 4, Week 3, Day 4, during the Phonics part of the lesson, the teacher explains that the /ôr/ sounds can be represented by the letters or, ore, and oar. The /är/ sounds can be represented by the letters ar. The teacher displays the Word-Building Cards h, a, r, d. The teacher and students blend the sounds together and read the word: /härd/, hard. The teacher changes the d to m. The teacher explains that they made the word harm and has students read the word together. Students use the Word-Building Cards to continue building with harsh, harp, sharp, shark, stark, stork, store, shore, chores, tore, more, wore, rewore, worn, born, torn, torch, porch, and pork. Once students have built the words, the teacher dictates the words to students and they write the words on a piece of paper. Students can work with a partner to check their word lists for spelling.

Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonics instruction to build toward application. Examples include, but not limited to:

• In the Grade 2 Scope and Sequence, the Phonics focus is listed for each unit of study. The materials begin with short vowel review, blends and a short vowel, long vowel comparison.  As the units progress, the materials move into r-controlled vowels. The units culminate with variant vowels and short vowel digraphs.
• Unit 1: short a, short i, short e, short o, short u, two- letter blends (r,-,s-,t-,l-) , short a, long a_e, short i, long i_e
• Unit 2: short o, long o_e, short u, long u_e, words with soft c and soft g, three-letter blends (scr, spr, str, thr, spl, shr)
• Unit 3: long a (a, ai, ay, ea, ei, eigh, ey), long i (i, y, igh, ie), long o (o, oa, ow, oe), long e, (e, ee, ea, ie, y, ey, e_e), long u (u_e, ue, u, ew)
• Unit 4, silent letters (wr, kn, gn, mb, sc), r-controlled vowels (er, ir, ur, or), r-controlled vowels (or, ore, oar, ar, are, air, ear, ere), diphthongs (oy, oi), variant vowels (oo, u, u_e, ew, ue, ui), variant vowels (oo, ou, u), variant vowels (a, aw, au, augh, al, ough), short vowel digraphs (ear, ou, y)

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

Grade 2 materials provide explicit instruction in print concepts, text structure, and text features to assist in comprehension of the text. Students are given ample opportunities to write letters and extend handwriting concepts.  Within the Reading/Writing Companion lessons, explicit instruction is given in the words that authors use that allow the reader to determine the structure of the text which helps students’ understanding of the text. Teachers develop anchor charts with and by students as a way to capture the information and use as a reference for future lessons.

Students have 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, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 2, Day 8, during the Reading/Writing Companion portion of the lesson, the teacher reads aloud the model chart on Reading/Writing Companion on page 29. The teacher and students discuss how one event leads to the next. The teacher says, "Since the back gate is open, Annie’s puppy escapes. Because the puppy is gone, the parents have to look for the dog." The teacher asks students if it would make sense to begin the story with Gina holding the puppy. The teacher tells students that authors think carefully about how to order events. They often use sequence words to help readers follow the order. The teacher and students discuss the sequence words first, next, and last and students fill in these words on the chart. Student volunteers name the characters and the setting. 
• In Unit 2, Week 3, Day 2, during the Reading/Writing Companion portion of the lesson, the teacher reads the first paragraph and asks students, “What problem does the boy have at the beginning of the story?” The teacher models a Think-Aloud: "I read in the first paragraph that the shepherd boy is not fond of his job. He wants something wonderful to happen and that nothing ever does. I also read, in the second paragraph, that the shepherd boy watches the clouds to stay busy. This makes me think that the shepherd boy is bored. That is his problem." Students share the text evidence that helps them identify the shepherd boy’s problem. 
• In Unit 2, Week 3, Day 3, during the Comprehension portion of the lesson, the teacher explains to students that stories have different elements. A character is a person or animal in a story. The setting is where and when the story takes place. The plot is the key events that happen in a story. Often, the plot includes a problem that the characters need to solve. The ending usually tells how the characters solved or tried to solve the problem. The teacher models how to identify the problem in the beginning of a story. Students work in pairs to identify steps the character takes to solve the problem and add them to the graphic organizer and then identify and record the solution. 
• In Unit 4, Week 1, Day 2, during the Reading/Writing Companion portion of the lesson, the teacher tells the students that they can compare and contrast the events in a story.
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 1, during the Reading/Writing Companion portion of the lesson, the teacher conducts a Think-Aloud: "As I read, I find a problem: The boy is not sure if the book is worth the price to purchase. This is a problem because the boy is not sure if he should buy the book. I can look at the steps the boy takes to solve the problem. I see that the boy reads the back of the book and thinks about the price. This is the first step the boy takes to solve the problem. What is the next step the boy takes to solve the problem?" 

Materials include frequent and adequate lessons and activities about text features (e.g. title, byline, headings, table of contents, glossary, pictures, illustrations). Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 1, during the Reading/Writing Companion portion of the lesson, the teacher uses the Reading/Writing Companion on pages 6-7 and reads the first paragraph and the caption. The teacher guides students through finding information to answer questions in a caption.
• In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 2, during the Reading/Writing Companion portion of the lesson, the teacher models identifying and using the text features on page 6. The teacher points out the photograph of the people and explains that photographs help show who or what is described in the text. The teacher reads the caption aloud and explains that it gives more information about the photograph and helps readers better understand the text. Partners look at the photographs and caption on pages 4 and 5 of Lighting Lives. 
• In Unit 3, Week 5, Day 2, during the Reading/Writing Companion portion of the lesson, the teacher models identifying and using the text features in They’ve Got the Beat! The teacher tells students that previewing text features can help them make predictions about what they will read. The teacher reminds students that a bar graph uses bars. The bars help readers compare numbers or amounts. Authors use bar graphs to compare information between groups. The teacher points out the bar graph and reads the title and labels. Students repeat after the teacher. The teacher asks, "What is the topic of this bar graph?" Student volunteers add this text feature and information about it to the expository text anchor chart.
• In Unit 5, Week 1, Day 2, during the Reading/Writing portion of the lesson, the teacher models identifying and using the text features on page 4 of César Chávez. The teacher points out the word drought on page 4 and explains that the author has put this word in bold print because it is important to help us understand the topic. The teacher tells students that scanning a text for bold words is one way they can quickly locate important information. The teacher then points out the timeline and reminds students that a timeline shows the dates of important events in the order in which they happened. The teacher asks, "Why did the author include a timeline in this biography?" The teacher uses the timeline to locate the important events that happened in César’s life in 1942. Students add information to the biography anchor chart.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for 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.

Throughout the course of the year, students have frequent opportunities to purposefully read on-level text during Shared Reading, where the teacher sets a purpose for reading and students return to the purpose during the reading discussion. Students are provided frequent opportunities to read text with fluency during Reader’s Theater. The teacher first models reading the text with fluency for students and then students are provided multiple opportunities during the week to practice the text for their assigned role with fluency, including accuracy and rate. Students also have opportunities to read with fluency during Small Group instruction. During Word Work lessons, that are included in daily instruction, students have opportunities to read, spell, and write high-frequency words and words with inflectional endings.

Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to purposefully read on-level text. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Students have opportunities to read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
• In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 1, during Shared Reading, before students begin to read, the teacher asks them to think about the Essential Question. Students think about what they want to know about the story. They write their questions in the left column on page 2. As students read, they jot down interesting words and key details from the text.
• In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 1, during Shared Reading, before students begin to read, the teacher asks students to think about the Essential Question and what they know about helping in a community, and then sets a purpose for reading. As students read, they use the left column of page 2 to note their questions, list interesting words they would like to learn, and identify key details from the text. 
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 1, during Shared Reading, before students begin to read, the teacher asks students to think about the Essential Question, what they know about money, and then sets a purpose for reading. As students read, they use the left column of page 2 to note their questions, list interesting words they would like to learn, and identify key details from the text.

Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate sufficient accuracy, rate, and expression in oral reading with on-level text and grade-level decodable words. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Students have opportunities to read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
• In Unit 2, Week 6, Day 1, during Reader’s Theater, the teacher models reading the song as the children follow along in their scripts. The teacher models fluently reading the play, and reads each part emphasizing the appropriate intonation and expression. The teacher points out that Act I has several interjections, words usually added to the beginning of sentences to show feeling, such as hey, yeah, well, and oh. The teacher models how to read these words with expression. The teacher assigns roles. Each day, students practice their parts. The teacher pairs fluent readers with less fluent readers. The pairs echo read or choral read their parts. As needed, the teacher works with less fluent readers to mark pauses in their script using one slash for a short pause and two slashes for longer pauses. Throughout the week, students work on the Reader’s Theater Workstation Activity Card 26. Once students have practiced reading their parts several times, they practice performing the script. The teacher reminds students to read the interjections with expression, showing how the character feels.
• In Unit 4, Week 6, Day 1, during Reader’s Theater, the teacher models reading the play as students follow along in their scripts. As the teacher reads each part, the teacher states the name of each character, and reads the part emphasizing the appropriate phrasing and expression. The teacher assigns roles. The students practice their parts in the play. The teacher pairs fluent readers with less fluent readers. Pairs echo read or choral read their parts. The teacher works with less fluent readers to mark pauses in their scripts using one slash for a short pause and two slashes for longer pauses. Throughout the week, students work on the Reader’s Theater Workstation Activity Card 26 for more practice. Once students have practiced reading their parts several times, they then practice performing the script. At the end of the week the students perform their play.
• In Unit 5, Week 1, Day 2, during Whole Group Fluency, Cesar Chavez, the teacher reminds children that reading with phrasing means grouping words together so the meaning of the text is clear. The teacher says to “remember to pay attention to punctuation marks as you read. They tell you where to pause. A comma tells you take a short pause, and end punctuation (a period or question mark) tells you take a longer pause. As we read and understand text, we can adjust our voices in response to the punctuation.” The teacher reads a paragraph, emphasizing pauses signaled by commas and end punctuation. The teacher models reading with accuracy, good intonation, and at an appropriate rate and asks students what they noticed as the text was read with phrasing. The teacher has groups work together to practice reading with good phrasing. The teacher reminds students to read with accuracy, or to say all the words correctly, and to read with good phrasing, pausing in response to the punctuation. The teacher listens to the groups, providing corrective feedback as needed.
• Students have opportunities to practice and read irregularly spelled words. Examples include, but are not limited to:
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 2, during Whole Group Decodable Reader, the teacher reviews with children the words with short o and long o: o_e, as well as the high-frequency words that they will find in the decodable reader At Home in Nome. The teacher guides students to reread At Home in Nome. The teacher points out the high-frequency words and the words with short o and long o: o_e.  Reread the Book: On page 3, students point to each word, sounding out the decodable words and saying the high-frequency words quickly.
• In Unit 3, Week 2, Day 6, during Decodable Reader, the teacher reviews the words and letter-sounds that students will find in the decodable reader. The teacher reviews the high-frequency words also, apart, begin, either, hundred, over, places, those, which, and without and reminds students that i, y, igh, and ie can stand for the /ī/ sound. Students read the selection, “High in the Sky.”
• In Unit 4, Week 3, Day 4, during Decodable Reader, the teacher reviews the /ôr/ sound spelled or, ore, and oar and the /är/ sound spelled ar, as well as the high-frequency words everyone, outside, people, and together that children will find in the Decodable Reader. The teacher guides the students in rereading Just for Fun! and points out the high-frequency words and the words with /ôr/or, ore, oar and /är/ar. The class rereads the book and the students point to each word, sounding out the decodable words and saying the high-frequency words quickly. If students struggle sounding out words, the teacher models blending for them.
• In Unit 5, Week 3, Day 1, during Decodable Reader, the teacher reviews the words and letter-sounds that students will find in the Decodable Reader. The teacher reminds students that the variant vowel /ü/ can be spelled oo, u, u_e, ew, ue, and ui and that the variant vowel /u/ can be spelled oo, ou, and u. The teacher points to the title of the folktale and asks students to sound out each word with the teacher. The class begins to read the story, Soon the North Wind Blew. On page 24, students point to each word, sounding out decodable words and saying high-frequency words quickly. If students need support reading decodable words, the teacher models blending.
• Students have opportunities to recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 1, during the Decodable Reader portion of the lesson, the students read the story, At Home in Nome. On page 2, the teacher asks students to point to each word, sounding out decodable words and saying high-frequency words quickly. If students need support reading decodable words, the teacher models blending for them. If students are having difficulty with high-frequency words, the teacher rereads the word in isolation and then in context. On Day 2, the students reread the Decodable Reader, At Home in Nome. 
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 3, during the Decodable Reader portion of the lesson, the teacher reviews the high-frequency words family and school. The teacher guides students as they read the selection,
•  At Home in a Pond. On page 8, students point to each word, sounding out the decodable words and saying the high-frequency words quickly. If students need support reading decodable words, the teacher models blending for them. If students are having difficulty with high-frequency words, the teacher rereads the word in isolation and then rereads the high-frequency word in context. On Day 4, the students reread At Home in a Pond.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials, questions, and tasks providing systematic and explicit instruction in and practice of word recognition and analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

Grade 2 materials provide students multiple opportunities to apply word analysis and word recognition skills to connected tasks through the use of decodable readers and the Literature Anthology. During the Shared Reading lessons, the teacher often models and points out current phonics skills that students are working on as well as model fluent reading. Decodable readers provide students with an opportunity to decode words with current and past phonics skills as well as high-frequency words. Students participate in a Shared Writing activity that allows them to apply phonics skills and high-frequency word practice. Students often respond to a prompt related to the text and complete these in their Reading/Writing Companion. 

Materials support students’ development to learn grade-level word recognition and analysis skills (e.g., apply spelling-sound relationship on common words, decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels, decode words with common prefixes and suffixes) in connected text and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to: 

• In Unit 1, Week 3, Day 1, during Word Work, the teacher displays Word-Building Cards d, r, i, p. The teacher says, "This is the letter d. It stands for /d/. This is the letter r. It stands for /r/. This is the letter i. It can stand for /i/. This is the letter p. It stands for /p/. Listen as I blend the sounds to say the word: /drrriiip/, drip." The teacher continues by modeling the words block, slick, sled, and trap and points out the two-letter blend in each word. The teacher displays the Phonics/Fluency Practice chart and reads each word in the first row, blending the sounds. For example, /ssssllliiip/, slip. Students blend each word with the teacher. The teacher prompts students to read the connected text, sounding out the decodable words and gives corrective feedback if students need further support.
• Do not slip on the grass.
• We will pick the crop.
• Trent went west on a trip.

The teacher begins to read the story Spot and Fran. On page 28, students point to each word, sounding out the decodable words and saying the high-frequency words quickly. If students need support reading decodable words, the teacher models blending for them. 

• In Unit 2, Week 3, Day 2, during Word Work, the teacher reviews the words and letter-sounds that children will find in the Decodable Reader. The teacher reviews the high-frequency words almost, buy, food, out, pull, saw, sky, straight, under, and wash and also reviews with students that the letters dge, ge, lge, nge can stand for the /j/ sound and that the letter c can stand for the /s/ sound. The teacher points to the title of the selection and has students sound out each word. If students need support reading decodable words, the teacher models blending. If students are having difficulty with high-frequency words, the teacher rereads the word in isolation and then in context.
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Day 1, during Word Work, the teacher displays Word-Building Cards s, o, a, p and models how to blend the sounds: "This is the letter s. It stands for /s/. These are the letters oa. Together they stand for /ō/. This is the letter p. It stands for /p/. Listen as I blend these sounds together: /sssōōōp/. The word is soap." The teacher continues modeling blending with the words cold, low, and doe. The teacher displays the Phonics/Fluency Practice chart and reads each word in the first row, blending the sounds. For example, say: /nnnōōō/. The word is no. Students blend each word with the teacher and prompts students to read the connected text, sounding out the decodable words.
• Moe ate toast and oats.
• The coach told Joan she made a goal!
• Joe put on his coat to go out in the cold snow.

The teacher begins to read the story Three Goats and a Troll. On page 37, students point to each word, sounding out the decodable words and saying the high-frequency words quickly. If students need support reading decodable words, the teacher models blending. 

• In Unit 4, Week 1, Day 1, the teacher models by writing the words repack, unhappy, and disobey. The teacher underlines the prefix in each word and explains that a prefix can be added to the beginning of a word to make a new word. The prefix re- means “again,” the prefix un- means “not,” and the prefix dis- means “opposite of.” The teacher models how to define repack, unhappy, and disobey, based on each prefix and root word.  The teacher uses the same procedure with the words hopeful and spotless to discuss the suffixes -ful (full of) and -less (without) Students write the following words: useful, unmade, painless, disagree, rewrap. Students identify each prefix or suffix and tell the meaning of each word.

Materials provide frequent opportunities to read irregularly spelled words in connected text and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 1, during Word Work, the teacher reviews words and letter-sounds that students will find in the Decodable Reader and reviews the high-frequency words because, cold, family, friends, have, know, off, picture, school, and took. The teacher reminds students that inflectional endings –ed and -ing can tell about actions now and in the past. The teacher points to the title of the story, and has students sound out each word together. The teacher asks, "What do you see in the picture? Why do you think the girl is waving to her friends in the school bus?" The teacher begins to read the story At Home in Nome. On page 2, students point to each word, sounding out decodable words and saying high-frequency words quickly. If students need support reading decodable words, the teacher models blending for them. 
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Day 1, during Word Work, the teacher displays the High-Frequency Word Cards and uses the Read/ Spell/Write routine for each word. The teacher points to and says the word better. The teacher says, "This is the word better. Say it with me: better. The word better is spelled b-e-t-t-e-r. Spell it with me. Let’s write the word in the air as we say each letter: b-e-t-t-e-r."  The teacher points out any irregularities in sound-spellings, such as the /ü/ sound spelled o in the word who. Partners create sentences using each word. Students identify the high-frequency words in connected text and blend the decodable words.
• Joe is much better today.
• A group of kids played tag.
• Ken has a long bus ride.
• May I have more grapes?
• Only one fish is in the bowl.
• It is our time to play ball.
• The race has just started.
• Joan has three gifts for us.
• Who is on the phone?
• I won’t go without you.

The teacher begins to read the story Three Goats and a Troll. On page 37, students point to each word, sounding out the decodable words and saying the high-frequency words quickly. If students are having difficulty with high-frequency words, the teacher rereads the word in isolation and then in context.

• In Unit 5, Week 5, Day 1, during Word Work, students identify the high-frequency words in connected text and blend the decodable words.
• I don’t really need anything.
• How many children are in a class?
• Everybody likes that music.
• Let’s play ball instead of cards.
• Write your name on the top of your paper.
• Do you know which person is Dan?
• Nya has a lovely singing voice.
• We ate a whole watermelon!
• The woman rode her bike to work.
• Write some words on the card.

The teacher begins to read the selection, Don’t Dread Rules! On page 46, students point to each word, sounding out decodable words and saying high-frequency words quickly. If students are having difficulty with high-frequency words, the teacher rereads the word in isolation and then in context.

Lessons and activities provide students many opportunities to learn grade-level word recognition and analysis skills while encoding (writing) in context and decoding words (reading) in connected text and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Week 4, Day 8, during Word Work, students identify the high-frequency words in connected text and blend the decodable words.
• Does the baby look like me?
• How early did we get here?
• I went to see him eight times.
• It isn’t time for lunch yet.
• Did you learn to sing it?
• Seven is less than eight.
• Did you start the game yet?
• I know these are my pants.
• Let’s try to make a cake!
• We can walk to school.

The teacher points out any irregularities in sound-spellings, such as the /ī/ sound spelled y in try. Students independently practice the high-frequency words using Practice Book page 144. The teacher adds the high-frequency words to the cumulative word bank. Partners create more sentences using the words. 

• In Unit 5, Week 1, Day 1, during Structural Analysis, students are reminded that a plural noun names more than one person, place, or thing. The teacher explains that most nouns are made plural by adding -s or -es to the end. The teacher writes the sentences: The child saw a mouse. The children saw mice. The teacher points out that the nouns child and mouse are irregular. The words change spelling in the plural. The teacher explains that some nouns are the same in the singular. The students read these sentences: I saw a fish and a deer at the park. I saw five fish and two deer at the park. The teacher points out that the nouns fish and deer are the same whether they are singular or plural. For guided practice, the teacher writes the following words: mice, child, men, mouse, man, foot, feet, children. Students identify whether each noun is singular or plural. Then students  use each word in a sentence.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials support ongoing and frequent assessment to determine student mastery and inform meaningful differentiation of foundational skills, including a clear and specific protocol as to how students performing below standard on these assessments will be supported.

Instructional materials provide opportunities throughout the entire program on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis to assess students’ mastery of foundational skills and to progress monitor student growth. Students are assessed at the end of each unit using a summative unit assessment of designated skills taught during that unit that include phonics, phonemic awareness, comprehension, and fluency. Teachers are provided with guidance on how to use the data from the assessment to provide flexible grouping and differentiated learning experiences. Teachers are instructed to use running records every four to six weeks to monitor students’ word reading fluency and application of decoding skills. Teachers are also provided a detailed assessment guide that describes the purposes and uses of all assessments in the program that are available to determine student proficiency. 

Multiple assessment opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate progress toward mastery and independence of foundational skills. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Placement and Diagnostic Assessment, page xvii, the materials explain that beyond the initial placement of students into the appropriate Wonders level of materials, students need to be tested periodically to determine whether they are progressing at grade-level or at a faster pace. The program suggests that teachers administer these progress monitoring or benchmark tests on a regular schedule throughout the year: fall, winter, and spring, or over a regular period of time, such as every four to six weeks. A chart is provided for general testing scheduling guide.

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information on students’ current skills/level of understanding. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In the Placement and Diagnostic Assessment, page xii and xiii, the materials explain how to group students based on student results for the Grade 2-3 Placement Assessments: Oral Reading Fluency Assessment, Reading Comprehension Tests, Sight Word Fluency Assessment (if applicable), Phonics Survey Subtests (if applicable). Students who score in the 50th percentile or higher on the Oral Reading Fluency Assessment AND 80% correct or higher on the Reading Comprehension Tests begin instruction with Wonders On Level materials. Students who score below the 50th percentile on the Oral Reading Fluency Assessment OR 60% to 79% correct on the Reading Comprehension Tests begin instruction with Wonders Approaching Level materials. For students who score below the 50th percentile on the Oral Reading Fluency Assessment AND 60% to 79% correct on the Reading Comprehension Tests begin instruction with Wonders Approaching Level materials. For further leveling clarification/confirmation, teachers administer the Phonics Survey Subtests to students who are struggling with decoding. Otherwise, the teacher administers the Sight Word Fluency Assessment. Students who score 80% correct or higher on the majority of the Phonics Survey Subtests OR Less than 40 correct words on the Sight Word Fluency Assessment continue using the Wonders Approaching Level materials. Students scoring below 60% correct on the majority of the Phonics Survey Subtests OR Less than 40 correct words on the Sight Word Fluency Assessment require focused, intensive instruction. It is suggested to place students in Wonders Approaching Level materials and engage students using appropriate lessons from intervention materials. Students who score below 60% correct on the Reading Comprehension Tests require focused, intensive instruction. Students should be placed in Wonders Approaching Level materials and use intervention materials.
• In Unit 5, Week 6, Day 5, the teacher has the opportunity to administer additional assessments to gather data on students’ progress using the following assessment tools and options:
• Fluency: Conduct assessments individually using the differentiated passages in Fluency Assessment. Children’s expected fluency goal for this Unit is 90-110 WCPM with an accuracy rate of 95% or higher.
• Running Records: Use the instructional reading level determined by the calculations for regrouping decisions. Children at Level 20 or below should be provided reteaching on specific Comprehension skills.
• ELL Assessment: Assess children’s English language proficiency and track children’s progress using the McGraw-Hill English Learner Benchmark Assessments. This resource draws from a variety of contexts to evaluate social and academic language proficiency. These assessments also can be used for placement to achieve an optimal learning experience for new children.

Materials support teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery in foundational skills. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In every unit, week, and day, materials include Small Group Differentiated Instruction lessons for students who are placed in Approaching Level, On Level, and Beyond Level for phonemic awareness, phonics, high-frequency words, and leveled reading.
• In Unit 1, Week 5, Day 5, under progress monitoring, teachers are provided a variety of online tools to analyze data and receive suggestions for reteaching and intervention. For example: 
• "Make data-based grouping decisions by using the following reports to verify assessment results. For additional support options for your students, refer to the reteaching and enrichment opportunities.
• ONLINE ASSESSMENT CENTER
• Item Analysis Report
• Standards Analysis Report
• DATA DASHBOARD
• Recommendations Report
• Activity Report
• Skills Report
• Progress Report"

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials, questions, and tasks providing high-quality lessons and activities that allow for differentiation of foundational skills, so all students achieve mastery of foundational skills.  

Instructional materials provide opportunities for the teacher to differentiate foundational skills lessons through the small group differentiated instruction for each unit, week, and lesson. Students are provided multiple opportunities throughout daily experiences to practice foundational skills and concepts learned throughout the whole group instruction and opportunities to apply learning during small group differentiated instruction. Foundational skills are differentiated with the  leveled text selection for each group that include On Level, Approaching Level, Beyond Level, and ELL. 

Materials provide high-quality learning lessons and activities for every student to reach mastery of foundational skills. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In the Tier 2 Intervention Phonemic Awareness Teacher Edition, Lesson 103, the students participate in activities for final phoneme in a blend deletion. The teacher first explains that when you delete a phoneme at the end of a word you can end up with a new word. The teacher models breaking a word into its sounds and deleting the final phoneme and says the new word. If students struggle with identifying sounds, the teacher has the students put counters in each box to represent each sound and then take away the final counter to delete the final phoneme. The students practice deleting the final phoneme in words and identifying the new word. The students then practice applying this skill independently.
• In the Tier 2 Intervention Phonics/Word Study Teacher Edition, Lesson 87, the students participate in activities for r-controlled vowel /ar/, as in star. The teacher models identifying the /ar/ at the end of star and articulating it correctly for students. The teacher models blending words with /ar/, such as; far, jar, art, hard. The students and teacher practice blending words with /ar/ together. Then students practice applying this skill independently.
• In Unit 5, Week 4, Day 7, during Small Group Differentiated Instruction for Beyond Level readers for the leveled text The Lost Kitten, there is a section in the lesson called Differentiate and Collaborate that provides activities to do with the book beyond the lesson. 
• "Be Inspired: Have children think about The Lost Kitten and other selections they read. Ask, "What do the texts inspire you to do?" Use the following activities or have partners think of a way to respond to the texts. 
• Give a Speech: Have partners discuss the characteristics of a good citizen. Then have them write a speech explaining what it means to be a good citizen and telling children what they can do to be good citizens."

The students practice their speeches and then deliver them to the class. 

• "Write a Letter: Have children think about people in their community who are good citizens. Have them write a thank-you letter to one of them for helping the community."

Materials provide guidance to teachers for scaffolding and adapting lessons and activities to support each student’s needs. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 4, Day 8, during Whole Group Word Work, the teacher reviews adding -ed and -ing and reminds students that the use of -ed is to show something happened in the past and -ing is something happening now. The teacher explains that sometimes when -ed is at the end of a word, it makes the /t/ sound. The Approaching Level Group uses the Differentiated Passage to separate root words from endings to figure out the meanings of words. The On Level Group uses the Differentiated Passage, A Bicycle Built for Two, and students work with partners to use their knowledge of root words and endings to determine the meanings of the following words: turned, oiled, climbed. In the Beyond Level Group, students use the Differentiated Passage to find the meanings of various root words. 
• In Unit 4, Week 3, Day 3, during Small Group Differentiated Instruction, students in each level read a leveled text called Earthquakes. Each group reads the leveled text with phrasing as a focus. In the Approaching Level Group, the teacher models reading the sentences on page 6, one at a time. Students chorally repeat. The teacher points out how to group words together as you read and pause between the groups of words. Students apply phrasing when they practice reading with a partner. In the On Level Group, the teacher models reading the sentences, one at a time. Students chorally repeat. The teacher points out how to pause after end punctuation and commas for correct phrasing. Students practice applying phrasing by repeated readings with a partner. The teacher provides feedback as needed. For students in the Beyond Level Group, the teacher models reading the first two paragraphs on page 2 with correct phrasing and reads the rest of the page, while the students read along. Students practice applying phrasing by reading the passage with a partner. 

Students have multiple practice opportunities with each grade-level foundational skill component in order to reach mastery. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 5, Week 4, Day 7, during Structural Analysis, the teacher models and reminds children that when they see a vowel team in a long word, such as au or oy, the letters that make up the team must stay together in the same syllable. This can help them decide how to divide up, or chunk, an unfamiliar word to figure out how to pronounce it. The teacher writes the word awkward and reads it aloud. The teacher draws a vertical line between the k and the w that follows it and reads each syllable. The teacher reminds students that each syllable has one vowel sound, and circles the letters that make each vowel sound. The teacher draws attention to aw and continues modeling with the word eastern. The teacher provides guided practice and additional practice with students by writing the following words: raincoat, yellow, squawking, joyful, spoiling. Students draw a line to divide each word into syllables and circle the vowel teams. Students independently practice vowel-team syllables using Practice Book page 398.
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 1, students in the Approaching, On Level, and Beyond Level Groups have multiple opportunities within the Whole Group and Differentiated parts of the lessons on Days 1-4 to practice and use the following words both in and out of context: door, front, order, probably, remember, someone, tomorrow, what’s, worry, and yesterday.