Kindergarten - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation 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.

Throughout the Kindergarten materials, the anchor texts included are all published or of publishable quality.  Each module contains three weeks of instruction focused around a text set, which consists of about eight texts centered around the module topic. Anchor texts are of various genres. They contain colorful photographs and/or vibrant illustrations, which match the words in the texts. The texts contain rich academic vocabulary and help students analyze language and author’s craft. Texts are engaging and often relatable in content. All the texts are appropriate for Kindergarten students.

Examples of anchor texts that are of publishable quality and worthy of careful reading and listening and consider a range of student interests include: 

• In Module 1, students listen to Schools Around the World by Clare Lewis, which is a published informational text with rich photographs that show cultural differences in lifestyle, clothing, transportation, technology, and cuisine. It also has text features such as a table of contents, index, glossary, and a map that supports comprehension. 
• In Module 3, students hear Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman, which is a published informational text about key community players such as firefighters and veterinarians. The text contains photographs to help students connect to the text.
• In Module 4, students listen to Germs Are Not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick, which is a published informational text that provides tips for children on how to stay healthy. It is an engaging story while building knowledge.
• In Module 5, students listen to Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall, which is a published fiction text with colorful illustrations that support the story. It contains figurative language and pictures to help identify how the character feels. It also has a powerful message for students that doing something new can be scary, but it is important to overcome fears to accomplish goals. 
• In Module 7, students listen to Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees by Betsey Chessen and Pamela Chanko, which is a published text with a repetitive structure to aid in understanding. It contains rich vocabulary and photographs that support the text. 
• In Module 8, students listen to Planting Seeds by Kathryn Clay, which is an informational text that is of publishable quality since it explains how plants grow and who grows them, which aims to build knowledge.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

Instructional materials include a mix of informational and literary texts throughout each module. In Read Aloud Books and Big Books, there are 29 fiction texts, 28 informational texts, 4 poems, 3 folktales, 4 biographies, 1 persuasive piece, 1 play, and 1 song. There are also videos to supplement the reading throughout the modules. While modules tend to include more literary texts than informational texts, students receive an equal distribution of text types and genres required by the standards throughout the year. 

Specific examples of literary texts in the program include:

• Module 1: Students listen to Kindergarten Kids by Stephanie Calmenson, which is poetry about what children discover in Kindergarten.
• Module 2: Students listen to Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, which is a fictional story about celebrating differences and individuality. 
• Module 3: Students listen to A Piece of Home by Jeri Watts, which is a fictional story about the power of community when a family relocates from Korea to West Virginia. 
• Module 4: Students listen to Stretch by Doreen Cronin, which is a rhyming story that shows all the ways animals move. 
• Module 5: Students listen to The Little Red Hen on Stage by Karen Knapstein, which is a play about the traditional folktale with a slight twist. 
• Module 6: Students listen to Take Me Out to the Yakyu by Aaron Meshon, which is a fictional story about United States history and traditions.
• Module 7: Students listen to Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena, which is a fictional story about a character named Nana who shows tough love to CJ and shows him how to embrace spontaneity and the beauty in every day. 
• Module 8: Students listen to Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell, which is a fictional story about a grandfather who works with his grandchildren to harvest the crops in his garden to make a stew. 
• Module 9: Students listen to Welcome Home, Bear by Il Sung Na, which is a fictional story about a bear who lives in a beautiful forest but is bored living in it. 

Specific examples of informational texts in the program include:

• Module 1: Students listen to Schools Around the World by Clare Lewis, which is an informational text about schools around the world. 
• Module 2: Students listen to Being Different Rocks! by Judith Bauer Stamper, which is a persuasive text about celebrating differences and individuality. 
• Module 3: Students listen to Map My Neighborhood by Jennifer Boothroyd, which is an informational text about a granddaughter who makes a map of her neighborhood for her visiting grandmother. It includes the steps to make a map, including drawing symbols, making a key, and adding a compass rose. 
• Module 4: Students listen to Being Fit by Valerie Bodden, which is an informational text that teaches the essentials of living healthy, including eating right and exercising. 
• Module 5:Students listen to Emmanuel’s Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson, which is a biography about the perseverance of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah and his 400-mile bike ride across Ghana. 
• Module 6: Students listen to Martin Luther King, Jr. by Marion Dane Bauer, which is a biography that includes information about United States history and traditions. 
• Module 7: Students listen to Look-Alike Animals by Robin Bernard, which is an informational text about how children learn how to look closely and discover facts about different types of animals. 
• Module 8: Students listen to Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner, which is an informational text about the million things that are in a garden, both above ground and below it. 
• Module 9: Students listen to Why Living Things Need Homes by Daniel Nunn, which is an informational text that shows the importance of homes for all living things, including people and animals.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that 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. 

The texts within the Kindergarten materials are appropriate for students based on their quantitative measure, qualitative measure, and reader and task. Read-aloud texts are above what students can read independently, which is appropriate for read-alouds at this level. All read-alouds are within the appropriate range for a read-aloud, and the qualitative measures range from slightly complex to moderately complex. 

Examples of appropriately complex texts in the Kindergarten materials include:

• In Module 1, Lesson 6, students listen to A Squiggly Story by Andrew Lauren, which has  a Lexile measure of 490 and is considered moderately complex. The text shifts between two different storylines and has a plot that is difficult to predict. The text is used as a read-aloud to discuss the characteristics of fiction and to identify characters, setting, and main event.
• In Module 2, Lesson 18, students listen to My Friends by Taro Gomi, which has a Lexile measure of 470 and a qualitative measure that is slightly complex. The text is appropriate, as it is engaging and includes a predictive and repetitive text structure that helps students experience reading success. The vocabulary is mostly simple and familiar, and the theme is clear but not explicitly stated. 
• In Module 3, Lesson 3, students listen to Map My Neighborhood by Jennifer Boothroyd, which has a Lexile measure of 420 and is considered moderately complex. The text is used as a read-aloud and is sequential. The text includes some complex subject-specific vocabulary terms such as location, symbol, and compass rose. 
• In Module 4, Lesson 11, students listen to the fairy tale Jack and the Hungry Giant by Loreen Leedy, which has a Lexile measure of 510 and is considered moderately complex. It is a twist on a classic fairy tale and includes colorful illustrations and dialogue. 
• In Module 5, Lesson 11, students listen to Ish by Peter Reynolds, which has a Lexile measure of 510. The text is considered moderately complex due to the abstract themes and unfamiliar vocabulary terms. It also contains figurative language and multiple-meaning words. 
• In Module 6, Lesson 1, students listen to the song “America the Beautiful” by Katharine Lee Bates, which does not have a Lexile measure but is considered exceedingly complex. There is a large amount of teacher support to help students with the meaning of the text as well as illustrations to help with understanding the advanced vocabulary.
• In Module 7, Lesson 8, students listen to Look-Alike Animals by Robin Bernard, which has a Lexile measure of 410 and is considered slightly complex. This Big Book read-aloud has an easy-to-follow pattern that shows different pairs of animals that look alike. The language is mostly simple, and students look closely at the photographs and listen carefully to learn information from the text.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ literacy skills (comprehension) over the course of the school year through increasingly complex text to develop independence of grade-level skills (leveled readers and series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels). 

Throughout the year students are exposed to increasingly complex texts that help them achieve grade-level independence. In Kindergarten, students listen to both Big Books and Read Aloud Books that increase in complexity. Read Aloud Books have Lexile measure ranges from 130 to 770 and help build students’ knowledge, academic vocabulary, and understanding of texts. The Big Books are more accessible and often repetitive, with an intention to teach print concepts and help develop students’ understanding between oral language and printed language. These texts have Lexile measures ranging from 50 to 740. The combination of the two types of texts that increase in complexity help students develop independence of grade-level skills. 

In the beginning of the year, Read Aloud Books for Kindergarten are 60% slightly complex and 40% moderately complex, while at the end of the year the Read Aloud Books are 33% slightly complex and 66% moderately complex. The Lexile measure ranges at the beginning of the year are from 130 to 540 and toward the end of the year, the range is 220 to 660. Big books are similar. In the beginning of the year, Big Books for Kindergarten are 100% simple or slightly complex and at the end of the year, the Big Books are 78% slightly complex, 9% moderately complex, and 9% very complex. The Lexile measure ranges at the beginning of the year are 250-470 and at the end of the year, the Lexile measure ranges from 140-740. 

In addition to an increase in reading levels and complexity levels for Big Books and Read Aloud Books, reading skills also increase over the course of the year. Examples include:

• In the beginning of the year, during Module 2, Lesson 8, students learn about theme and are taught that theme is the lesson the character learns. In the story I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont, students identify the simple theme. Then in Module 5, Lesson 18, students determine the theme of the text Emmanuel’s Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson and use inferences to determine it.
• In the beginning of the year, students draw pictures of characters such as in Module 1, Lesson 3, after listening to Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk. Then in Module 3, Lesson 8, students listen to The Alphabet From the Sky by Benedikt Gross & Joey Lee.  In addition to drawing a picture of each character, students also write words that describe each character. Then towards the end of the year, students listen to Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose in Module 7, Lesson 18, and draw a line to match the character action to the character's opinion. Students also draw a picture to show the characters’ reasons for their opinions.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation that anchor texts (including read-aloud texts in K-2) and the series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis.

The publisher provides a text complexity analysis for the Kindergarten materials that includes quantitative information, qualitative information, and reader and task considerations. The text analysis for all of the anchor texts are found in the Preview Lesson Texts section of each module. 

Examples of information provided in this text complexity analysis include:

• In Module 2, Lessons 18 and 19, students read My Friends by Taro Gomi. According to the publisher, this text was selected because children find the fun, colorful illustrations engaging, and the predictive and repetitive text structure helps them experience reading success. The Lexile Measure is 470 and it is considered slightly complex. According to the publisher, “the vocabulary is mostly familiar and simple. The theme is clear, but not explicitly stated. The language is predictable. Each page uses the same contribution to show the new skill the girl learns.”
• In Module 7, Lessons 6 and 7, students hear I Know the River Loves Me by Maya Christina Gonzalez. The publisher explains that the text explores the unique fulfillment of communicating with nature and inspires children to form their own special connections. The text is given a Lexile measure of 440 and a moderate complexity rating due to the simple and familiar vocabulary, but the fact that the river is heavily personified may confuse the students.
• In Module 9, Lesson 11, students hear A Day and Night in the Desert by Caroline Arnold, which has a Lexile measure of 660. The text is moderately complex due to the language including challenging vocabulary and figurative language. The text helps teach students how to set a purpose for reading a text, identify the central idea in an informational text, and use text features to learn information about a topic. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation 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. 

Kindergarten materials include a range and volume of opportunities throughout the day for students to engage with texts. Students engage with a variety of books during whole-group read alouds, small group instruction, and independent reading. In Kindergarten, materials include Big Books, Read Aloud Trade Books, a student reader, Start Right Readers (decodable texts), and foundational skills practice books. Students spend time engaging with texts in whole-group instruction, small-group and guided reading instruction, and independent work. Texts are also read during Writing Workshop as a mentor text. Students and teachers often read books multiple times for different purposes including getting the gist about the text, practicing a reading skill, having an academic discussion, or taking notes and writing about the text. 

Kindergarten students are provided with 45 to 60 minutes a day of small group and independent reading time. During this block, students go to various literacy centers where they can practice reading leveled readers and decodables with partners or independently. There are also guided reading lessons, targeted skill practice, and targeted language development. Kindergarten lessons include building fluency through Shared Reading, Echo Reading, and building automaticity of “Words to Know.”

Specific examples of how the range of text types, as well as volume of reading help students to achieve grade-level reading proficiency include:

• In Module 1, Week 1, the teacher reads aloud Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk. During small group time, students may watch a video text set or read fiction texts centered around the essential question, “What will I discover in kindergarten?” There are texts for buddy rhymes for students to complete during this time as well. Students are also given the option to explore alphabet books or draw and write about their favorite part of the Big Book.
• In Module 3, Week 1, students listen to two informational texts and are given two decodable texts about the topic of community heroes. In Lesson 1, the teacher reads aloud the text Places in My Community by Babbie Kalman, and students learn about characters and setting. Students then practice in the reading corner while they read to a “fuzzy friend.”
• In Module 6, Week 1, students practice four different reading skills during center time including whisper reading, responding to texts, partner reading, or book talk. In partner reading, students take turns reading aloud to a partner and in book talk, students draw a picture of their favorite part of their book. Students then take turns telling each other about their favorite parts.
• In Module 8, Week 4, students listen to one read-aloud fiction book, one informational Big Book, and two decodable books. In Lesson 18, How Does Your Salad Grow? by Francie Alexander is read aloud to students. Students also use choral reading to read Rice Is Nice, by Opal Reese in their decodable.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation 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).

Throughout the year, the materials include questions and tasks that encourage understanding of key ideas of texts read aloud to students. Questions include both explicit questions and inferences. Text-dependent questions and tasks are located in the read-alouds and the shared reading sessions. They are also located in the myBook and the Tabletop Minilessons for English Language Development. 

Specific examples of text-based questions and tasks include:

• In Module 1, Lesson 2, after listening to Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk, students turn and talk and discuss what “Keisha Ann do[es] during dress-up time.”
• In Module 2, Lesson 12, students listen to the story Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, and while listening to the story, students are asked, “How is Wilbur different from other naked mole rats.” 
• In Module 3, Lesson 2, after listening to Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman, students are asked to give a summary of the text. The teacher supports the students in this task by asking them to identify the central idea and provide two details.
• In Module 4, Lesson 16, while reading Getting Rest by Sian Smith, students are asked, “What are some of the ways that sleep can help your body?”
• In Module 5, Lesson 9, students engage in a shared reading of the text The Little Red Hen On Stage by Karen Knapstein and are asked to use text clues to “describe the Little Red Hen.” Questions to support this task include “What does she do?" "What does she say?" and "What words can we use to describe her?”
• In Module 6, Lesson 1, students listen to the poem “America the Beautiful: Together We Stand” by Katharine Lee Bates, and then are asked about what the poem [is] describing.  They are also asked, “How does the poem show that America is special?” 
• In Module 7, Lesson 6, students listen to the text I Know the River Loves Me by Maya Christina Gonzalez, and after listening to pages 8 and 9 during a small-group reread, students are asked the following: "What does the text say the girl does?" "How do people feel about things they run to?" and "So how do you think the girl feels about the river?"
• In Module 8, Lesson 4, students hear the text Planting Seeds by Kathryn Clay and after rereading pages 8 to 13, students are asked , "What is the text describing on these pages?" Also they are asked if the steps need to happen in a specific order.
• In Module 9, Lesson 17, after listening to Red Knit Cap Girl to the Rescue by Naoko Stoop, students are asked what they see in the picture that shows a storm after hearing pages 18 and 19.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation 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).

Each module in Kindergarten ends with a culminating task. Each anchor text has lessons, which include text-based questions and tasks that support students in completing the culminating task. All culminating tasks involve synthesizing the knowledge of a topic learned throughout a module. Many tasks involve acting, drawing, and finishing sentence frames for writing. 

Examples of culminating tasks found within the modules include but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, the culminating task requires students to reflect on the module topic by thinking about some of the ways children can spread kindness in school. Students then share one new way they learned to show kindness using the sentence frame, “I can be kind by…”  Lessons throughout the module that prepare students for this task include in Lesson 6, students discuss how to be polite when making new friends. 
• In Module 2, students write one reason why they are “one of a kind” as a culminating task. Students complete the provided sentence frame and draw a picture to show what makes them special. Some of the questions and tasks leading to this task include, “What are some of the ways that people are different and special in Being Different Rocks! by Judith Stamper?" (Lesson 3) and “What are some ways the frog, pig, and mouse in ABC I Like Me! by Nancy Carlson are special?” (Lesson 8). In Lesson 18, students discuss the theme of liking themselves after hearing Tiny Rabbit’s Big Wish by Margarita Engle. 
• In Module 3, students focus on what makes a community and are tasked with writing a thank you letter to someone in their community. Prior to completing this task, students are reminded that they have talked about different people in their community (Lesson 6), read about how neighbors and family members work together in Quinito’s Neighborhood by Irna Cumpiano (Lesson 6), and wrote about how they help in their community (Lesson 11). 
• In Module 5, the culminating task requires students to reflect on the essential question of what it means to try hard and then to identify a goal for something they want to learn by writing, “I can’t...yet” statements. Lessons throughout the module that prepare students for this task include: In Lesson 6, students discuss how they help at school and at home. In Lesson 16, students discuss people who make a difference, such as Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah in the text Emmanuel’s Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson. 
• In Module 6, students write about how America is beautiful as a culminating task. Students complete a sentence frame and draw a picture that explains what makes America beautiful. Some of the questions and tasks leading to this task include: In Lesson 6, after listening to Take Me Out to the Yakyu by Aaron Meshon, “What is special about baseball in the United States?”In Lesson 16, students discuss how characters celebrate the Fourth of July in Apple Pie 4th of July by Janet S. Wong.
• In Module 7, students act like scientists and zoom in on the environment and complete an observation log as a way to reflect on the essential question, “What can I learn when I look closely?” Prior to beginning this culminating task, students are reminded that they read Look-Alike Animals by Robert Bernard, which is a book about animals that seem alike until you look more closely (Lesson 8) and wrote a five senses poem after looking at an object closely (Lesson 16).

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation 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.

Throughout the Kindergarten materials there are ample opportunities for students to engage in evidence-based discussions following a variety of protocols. Protocols include Turn-and-Talks between two students and Think-Pair-Shares for both small-group and whole-group instruction. In Kindergarten, students also use Thumbs-Up or Down during listening activities to give opinions. All anchor texts are introduced with a similar format in Kindergarten. The teacher introduces the book, a skill, and a purpose for listening and then students use a Turn-and-Talk prior to listening to the text. The teacher then reads the story, and students answer questions about the story with a Turn-and-Talk. After the text is complete, the students engage in a discussion using a Think-Pair-Share. 

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies book, there is a section on how to engage students in a discussion. Subtopics include aspects of a conversation, focusing on listening and speaking skills, and best practices for facilitating discussions. Teachers are also directed to use the Discussion Routine in the Teacher’s Guide in order to facilitate conversations about the texts. Part of this routine includes how to initiate a conversation, add details in a conversation, respond in a complete sentence, and stay on topic. 

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies Book, the Turn-and-Talk Protocol includes the following steps:

1. Turn toward your partner.
2. Look your partner in the eye.
3. One partner talks while one partner listens.
4. Switch!

In the Guiding Principles and Strategies book, the Think-Pair-Share protocol includes the following steps:

1. Think (children think about the question)
2. Pair (share ideas with a partner)
3. Share (share with the whole group)

For discussions of texts, the Teacher’s Guide provides an anchor chart with Voice Levels. Guidelines include:

1. Teacher introduces the discussion question. (For example-How do you help at home or school? - Module 5)
2. Teacher teaches and models a specific discussion skill. (For example-A partnering voice is just loud enough for your partner to listen to you. Teacher models and students give a thumbs up if the teacher is using a partnering voice-Module 5)
3. Partners take turns discussing the question.
4. Pairs share in the whole-class setting. 

Some specific examples of students engaging in evidence-based discussions using the above protocols include:

• In Module 3, Lesson 16, while listening to A Piece of Home by Jeri Watts, students Turn-and-Talk to discuss, “What is Hee Jun’s family doing?” and “How does Hee Jun feel at his new school in West Virginia?”
• In Module 4, Lesson 13, students listen to the text Edible Colors by Jennifer Vogel Bass, and before listening to the story, students Turn-and-Talk to discuss what they see on the cover. Then after the story, students use a Think-Pair-Share to answer, “What did you learn about fruits and vegetables?”.
• In Module 9, Lesson 2, students listen to Why Living Things Need Homes by Daniel Nunn, and while listening to  the text, students are prompted several times to Turn-and-Talk about questions such as “What does it mean to be 'safe from the weather'?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation 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.

Materials include multiple opportunities for students to answer questions and ask follow-up questions about read-aloud texts. The Interactive Read Aloud sessions incorporate numerous opportunities for students to listen to their teacher read the text, listen to their peers answer questions, and speak about what they learned about the text.

Specific examples of opportunities for students to speak and listen to what they are reading through read-alouds with relevant follow-up questions include:

• In Module 1, Lesson 16, students listen to Schools Around the World by Clare Lewis, and while listening, students turn and talk to answer questions such as “What is the same about the schools in the pictures?” and “What is different about the schools in the pictures?” After listening to the text, students turn and talk to discuss what they learned about schools around the world and subjects children around the world discover or learn at school.
• In Module 2, Lesson 6, students listen to I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont and discuss if the girl gets upset by someone calling her a name and what makes each of them special. 
• In Module 3, Lesson 2, students listen to Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman and after listening to the story, students turn and talk to answer questions such as "What is the central idea of these pages?" and "Why do people in a community work?"
• In Module 4, Lesson 8, students listen to Stretch by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin and get with a partner to engage in a Think-Pair-Share. Questions include “What are some of the ways that the animals stretch?” and “How can I be my healthiest me?”
• In Module 5, Lesson 1, students listen to Jabari Jumps by Gala Cornwall and at various points while listening to the text, the teacher stops to ask questions. Students turn and talk to answer questions such as “Why does Jabari think he’s ready to jump off the diving board?” and “Why does Jabari say ‘tomorrow might be a better day for jumping'?”
• In Module 6, Lesson 3, after listening to America the Beautiful by Katharine Lee Bates, students participate in a Think-Pair-Share to answer the question “What do you see in the illustration that matches the text?” 
• In Module 7, Lesson 13, students listen to Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees by Betsey Chessen and Pamela Chanko, and then students engage in a Think-Pair-Share while discussing questions such as “What are some ways that Jane studies the chimpanzees?”
• In Module 8, Lesson 1, students listen to Plants Feed Me by Lizzy Rockwell, and the teacher asks questions during the read aloud to check for understanding. Examples of questions include “What is the author describing on these pages?” and “How do plants become food?”
• In Module 9, Lesson 4, students complete an interactive research project after listening to the text Why Living Things Need Homes by Daniel Nunn. Students work in pairs to collect information about why foxes’ homes are special, and students turn and talk to discuss the topic, central idea, and key details.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation 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.

Within the Kindergarten materials, there is a Writing Workshop section for each module that always begins with a mentor text. During this time, students receive skill-based mini-lessons and spend time with process writing, including all of the steps from prewriting to publishing and sharing. In addition, the Kindergarten myBook offers many opportunities for students to produce on-demand, short writing tasks in response to reading. The materials cover a year’s worth of writing instruction. 

Students participate in process writing throughout the year in Writing Workshop. Students take several weeks to complete one piece. While process writing is found in every module, some specific examples include:

• In Module 2, students work on narrative writing by drawing and labeling the characters and setting of a narrative before engaging in an interactive writing where students help plan, organize, and draft a narrative about naming a pet. Students also learn to revise and edit the class narrative. 
• In Module 3, students are introduced to informational writing, and they write an informational letter to a new community member by responding to the prompt, “What is our community like?” Over the course of the first ten lessons, students complete a shared writing about a place in their community, including writing facts, drawing pictures, and planning details using a graphic organizer. By the end, students publish the letter, address the envelope, and present. 
• In Module 4, students research the topic, one way to exercise. Students make a research plan and then take notes by completing a graphic organizer. Students then create the report that includes three key details.  Then they revise and edit using an Editing Checklist. Students write a final draft, and present it to their classmates. 
• In Module 7, the students spend four weeks collaborating to generate ideas, research, and complete an inquiry-based project where they create a Five Senses poster. Students complete research, use a graphic organizer to write a list of items, and create their poster with a title and sentence for each object. Students present at the end, and then write a reflection of the experience.
• In Module 8, students spend the first five lessons writing a shared opinion piece about the class's favorite fruit or vegetable.  They plan using a graphic organizer, draft using interactive writing, and revise by adding a detail. Then students write another opinion piece about the topic of which animal they think best helps a garden grow. They complete a graphic organizer by sharing their opinion with two reasons.  They then write a draft, give peer feedback using sentence frames, and present to the class. 

Throughout the year on-demand writing is found in the myBook, which gives students an opportunity to respond to the read-aloud via drawing and writing. Examples of this include:

• In Module 1, Lesson 5, students draw and write a sentence about one thing they can do in school. 
• In Module 2, Lesson 3, students listen to I am Rene, the Boy by Rene Colato Lainez, and then they draw the problem and solution of the story. 
• In Module 3, Lesson 3, after reading Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman, students draw or write the key details that support the central idea of Places in My Community. Students complete a graphic organizer with sections labeled for each key detail. 
• In Module 4, Lesson 3, after reading Being Fit by Valerie Bodden, the students draw or write two key details that support the idea of being fit. 
• In Module 5, Lesson 10, students compare and contrast two versions of The Little Red Hen by completing a Venn diagram with a partner and then writing their response. 
• In Module 6, Lesson 3, students listen to the text America the Beautiful: Together We Stand by Katharine Lee Bates, and students pick one line from the text and draw a picture to show the meaning of the line. 
• In Module 7, Lesson 15, after reading Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees by Betsey Chessen and Pamela Chanko, students write about one thing they learned about Dr. Jane Goodall, and then draw a picture of her.
• In Module 8, Lesson 3, after reading Plants Feed Me by Lizzy Rockwell, students draw a picture of each step of how a seed becomes a plant. They also write one sentence for each step, using signal words like first, next, then, and last.
• In Module 9, Lesson 15, students write about another animal in The Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming. Before writing, partners discuss some questions to help students with the on-demand writing task found in myBook.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation 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 frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply what they have learned about narrative, opinion, and informational writing. Each module includes writing lessons about the text that they read. In addition, students are taught about the three genres in Writing Workshop, where they engage in longer pieces over the course of three weeks. 

Narrative writing prompts are found in myBook after reading a text as well as in Writing Workshop Modules 2, 5, and 7. Specific examples include:

• In Module 2, Lessons 1-5, students engage in a class narrative about naming a pet after listening to the story I Am Rene, the Boy, by Rene Colato Lainez.
• In Module 3, Lesson 15, after reading Bo and Peter by Betsy Franco, students respond to the on-demand writing prompt, “Draw something you and your friend like to do together. Write about what you and your friend like to do together. We like to ______.”
• In Module 5, students write stories about a time they were nervous. This is a whole-class writing project. Students also write about a time they helped someone, something they practiced, and about not giving up. 
• In Module 7, students write a creative story about an animal. 

Informational writing is found in myBook after each text as well as in Writing Workshop Modules  3, 4, 6, and 9. Specific examples include:

• In Module 2, Lesson 18, after listening to Tiny Rabbit’s Big Wish by Margarita Engle, students write the theme of the book and draw Tiny Rabbit at the end of the story in their myBook.
• In Module 3, students write about how they help others in their community. 
• In Module 4, Lessons 6 to 10, students plan, draft, revise, and edit a research paper about one way to exercise after listening to Get Up and Go! by Nancy Carlson.
• In Module 6, students write a book on how to play their favorite game with minimal teacher support. 
• In Module 9, students write research reports about an animal’s home and what makes it special. Students use the text Why Living Things Need...Homes by Daniel Nunn to help them brainstorm ideas, plan, write, and revise a research report about an animal’s home. 

Opinion writing is found in myBook as well as in Writing Workshop Modules 1 and 8. Specific examples include:

• In Module 1, students write class opinion pieces that tell what they like about Kindergarten. Students draw and label a favorite classroom activity and share reasons why they like that activity. The teacher then uses interactive writing to write reasons they like an activity and revise their writing by adding details. 
• In Module 7, Lesson 20, after reading Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose, students respond to the on-demand writing prompt, “Would you squish the ant? Why or why not?” Students place a check next to either “I would squish the ant” or “I would not squish the ant.” Then students write a reason for their opinion and draw a picture that shows what they would do.
• In Module 8, students work independently on their opinion writing in response to the prompt, "What should we grow in a school garden?"

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation 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. Evidence-based writing in Kindergarten requires students to draw to show their understanding of the text, fill in sentence stems, and write on their own.

Each module in the Kindergarten materials contains writing lessons that require students to use evidence from texts read aloud. Students respond to the texts in their myBook by either drawing a picture, completing a sentence frame, dictating a response, or writing an answer. 

Specific examples of evidence-based writing found throughout the materials include:

• In Module 1, Lesson 3, students listen to Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk, and then draw a picture of the characters and the setting of the story. 
• In Module 2, Lesson 13, after listening to Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, students use a graphic organizer to draw the problem in one box and the solution in the other box.
• In Module 3, Lesson 3, after listening to Places in My Community by Bobbie Kalman, students draw or write three key details that support the central idea of the story in a graphic organizer. 
• In Module 4, Lesson 18, after listening to Getting Rest by Sian Smith, students use the graphic organizer in their myBook to identify the central idea and key details of the story.
• In Module 5, Lesson 10, students write to compare and contrast two versions of The Little Red Hen. 
• In Module 6, Lesson 20, after watching the video I Have a Dream, students finish the sentence, “America is beautiful because...” Students also draw a matching picture.
• In Module 7, Lesson 15, after listening to Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees by Betsey Chessen and Pamela Chanko, students write a sentence about one thing they learned about Dr. Jane Goodall and draw a picture of her. 
• In Module 8 of Writing Workshop, students listen to Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner and then write about which animal that helps gardens is the most important. Students state their opinion and provide two different reasons from the text to support their opinion. 
• In Module 9, Lesson 10, after listening to the shared reading of Black Bears by JoAnn Early Macken, students write three facts about black bears and draw a picture for each fact.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten Into Reading meet the expectation 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. 

Students have multiple opportunities to practice all language standards over the course of the instructional sequence. Grammar lessons follow a consistent I do, We do, You do format to provide numerous practice opportunities for students to reach mastery. Skills are explicitly taught, with clear teacher instructions. Students are provided numerous practice opportunities both in and out of context. Each module has lessons that incorporate writing skills and focus on the grammar and convention standards for the grade level. The lessons incorporate the language of the standards to allow for teachers and students to become familiar with that specific language. Students have opportunities to practice grammar and conventions skills in isolation during whole-group instruction with Display and Engage projectables and sentence prompts that students and teachers work on together, independently in context during the lesson with printables provided, and then practice applying the skills as they edit their writing drafts throughout the year. Each grammar and conventions lesson Kindergarten through Grade 2 is similarly structured with color coding, teacher modeling, partner sharing, completing graphic organizer/chart, and engaging in oral language practice.

Materials include explicit instruction of all grammar and conventions standards for the grade level. For example:

Students have opportunities to print many uppercase and lowercase letters.

• In Module 1, Lesson 3, page T53, students learn how to write the uppercase and lowercase letter c. The teacher models and provides explicit instructions, such as “Start just below the top. Curve back and around.” 
• In Module 1, Lesson 4, page T 63, the teacher explicitly models how to write letters  (letter Ee) while describing the strokes. Students have the opportunity to practice writing letter Ee in the air, their palms, and on small dry-erase boards. Students have additional independent practice of letter writing with the  Know It, Show It workbook. This routine continues with all of the letters in the alphabet through Module 1 Lesson 14.
• In Module 1, Lesson 15, page T194, the teacher displays an uppercase letter card, and students use choral response to identify the letter.  The teacher asks students to write and reveal the matching lowercase letter. The teacher reveals the lowercase letter card for students to check their work.  

Students have opportunities to use frequently occurring nouns and verbs.

• In Module 1, Lesson 5, page T76, the teacher reviews nouns using the anchor chart, reminds students that a noun can be the first name of a person starting with an uppercase letter, and explains that common nouns representing people start with a lowercase letter. The teacher helps the students brainstorm a list of common nouns. Then, students practice  identifying people’s names that start with a capital letter.  
• In Module 3, Lesson 16, page T206, the teacher presents an anchor chart with People, Places, and Things. The teacher reads a Big Book, and students identify people, places, and things on each page. Students have additional practice with new ways to organize groups on the chart. The teacher reads the Read Aloud Book and the students look for words to place on the People, Places, and Things chart.
• In Module 8, Lesson 14, page T186, the teacher reviews examples of past and present tense verbs with students and tells the class, “Remember, we add -ed to the end of most action words to tell about something that already happened.” Students complete an independent activity in their Writer’s Notebooks where they circle the correct verb tense to complete a sentence. 

Students have opportunities to form regular plural nouns orally by adding s or es (e.g., dog, dogs; wish, wishes).

• In Writing Workshop, Lesson 2.3.1, page T238, the teacher reminds students that most plural nouns end in s; however, if the noun ends in s, x, ch, or sh, the plural ends in es and uses the example, box-boxes. Students practice adding es to nouns. Students then edit a writing draft using es for plural nouns. 
• In Module 5, Lesson 12, page T164, the teacher shows students several examples of sentences, some containing a singular noun and some that contain a plural noun. Students practice identifying and correcting a sentence that is written incorrectly on the chart. Students then complete a corresponding practice page with a partner in their Writer’s Notebook. 

Students have opportunities to understand and use question words (interrogatives) (e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how).

• In Module 9, Lesson 4, page T66, the teacher reminds students how writers research to look for information that answers their questions and projects the 5Ws Anchor chart. The teacher tells students that these question words (who, what, when, where, why) are used to learn more about the world. The teacher points to each of the question words, students say and spell the words chorally, and the teacher explains the purpose of each question word. The teacher creates a question wheel organizer, writes a topic at the top, and models how to generate questions for each of the 5 Ws.  Students create and write questions in the Writer’s Notebook and turn and talk to share questions.  
• In Module 9, Lesson 4, page T66, the teacher reviews the Five W’s with students. The class and the teacher work together to generate a list of questions based on a topic. The teacher is provided with the following prompt to use: “Let’s think of questions to learn more about foxes’ homes. For What?, we could ask, 'What do foxes use to build their homes?' or 'What are foxes' homes called?'" Students then work to generate their own questions based on a research topic. 

Students have opportunities to use the most frequently occurring prepositions (e.g., to, from, in, out, on, off, for, of, by, with). 

• In Module 6, Lesson 4, page T66, the teacher reminds the students that they have already learned the words to and for. The teacher projects the Display and Engage Grammar 6.1a chart. The teacher circles prepositions and underlines the nouns they connect. In We Do, students use the Write and Reveal method to practice to and for. In You Do, the students engage in independent practice using the Writer’s Notebook. 
• In Module 7, Lesson 4, page T66, the teacher explains that the words in and out are prepositions. The class then works together to determine whether in or out belong in a series of sentences. For example, “The toys are __ the closet.” Students complete a similar activity independently in their Writer’s Notebooks in which they are given three sentences and circle either in or out to complete the sentence. Students then write their own sentence using either in or out. 

Students have opportunities to produce and expand complete sentences in shared language activities.

• In Module 4, Lesson 12, page T164, students learn about ending sentences with periods. The teacher tells students, “Writers use periods to tell where a complete thought ends.” At the end of the lesson, students complete a page in their Writer’s Notebooks to “Write a telling sentence. Start with an uppercase letter. Put a period at the end.” 
• In Module 4, Lesson 16, page T206,  the teacher models examples and non-examples of how to ask and answer a question using complete sentences. The students are given the opportunity to practice using  Partner Up to take turns asking and answering questions using complete sentences. 
• In Module 8, Lesson 4, page T66, the teacher reads sentences aloud from the Read Aloud Book and explains how each sentence is a complete sentence.  The teacher then projects the Display and Engage, reading sentences aloud and identifying and underlining the subject and identifying and circling the verb. The teacher works with students to underline the subject and circle the action in other sentences.  The teacher reads a sentence aloud, and students give a thumbs up or down to identify if the sentence is complete or incomplete. Students then complete Writer’s Notebooks page 102. 

Students have opportunities to capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I.

• In Module 4, Lesson 14, page T186, the teacher introduces the idea of a sentence and explains why writing complete sentences is important. The teacher explains what a complete sentence includes and models example sentences, pointing out the features of a complete sentence, including the need to start with an uppercase letter and end with an end mark. The teacher guides students to practice identifying components of a complete sentence and underlines the subject and circles the verb.  Students then complete a chart in their Writer’s Notebooks by writing a person or thing, action word, and end mark.  
• In Module 5, Lesson 4, page T66, students learn about the pronouns I and me. The teacher tells students, “The word I tells me the sentence is about the writer. When I is a word, we always use an uppercase letter.” The class works together to select I or me to complete sample sentences. Students complete a similar activity in their Writer’s Notebooks and write their own sentence using I or me. 

Students have opportunities to recognize and name end punctuation.

• In Module 4, Lesson 12, page T164, the teacher explains that “writers use an end mark called a period to show the end of a ‘telling sentence.’” The teacher then explains that “writers use periods to tell where a complete thought ends.” There is a connection to the Read Aloud Book: Jack and the Hungry Giant to model that the first sentence ends with a period. In We Do, students turn and talk to decide where periods go. The students have additional practice in Writer’s Notebook page 54 where they write where periods go. 
• In Module 7, Lesson 14, page T186, the teacher models how to correctly read sentences with exclamation marks in the book, Not a Box. The teacher displays and reads more examples to students and tells the class, “The exclamation mark tells us it is an 'exciting sentence' that the writer wants us to read with strong feeling: ‘We won!’ Did you hear me use my ‘big voice'?” The class practices together choosing either an exclamation mark or a period to end a series of sentences. Students complete a similar activity in their Writer’s Notebooks. 
• In Module 9, Lesson 5, page T76, students learn about using question marks to end sentences. The teacher tells students, “Writers use question marks to let readers know they are asking a question.” Students also practice correct intonation when reading sentences that end with a question mark. Students complete a page in their Writer’s Notebooks to practice identifying the question word in sentences and write their own asking sentence. 

Students have opportunities to write a letter or letters for most consonant and short-vowel sounds (phonemes).

• In Module 1, Lesson 12, page T162, the teacher says the letter name and sound for u.  Students repeat the sound and keyword using choral response. Students share names that begin with the letter u. The teacher teaches the upper and lowercase letter strokes. Students write the letters in the air and then practice using Know It, Show it. 
• In Module 5, Week 2,  page T 91, the teacher uses the Letter Sounds routine to teach the consonant v. In the Practice Handwriting segment of the lesson, the teacher models how to write the letter for both uppercase and lowercase, and the students practice forming the letter v using Know It, Show It.
• In Module 6, Lesson 1, page T31, students learn about the letter z and the /z/ sound. As part of the lesson students complete a Know It, Show It page to practice writing uppercase and lowercase z, words with z, and sentences with z. The teacher models writing the letter for students. 

Students have opportunities to spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships.

• In Module 3, Lesson 5,  page T 73, the teacher tells the students they will practice writing words with short i. The teacher says the first word and the students repeat it, then tells the students that the word has only one syllable so it only has one vowel sound and uses the word in a context sentence. The students then use Write and Reveal on small dry-erase boards to write the word.  The process is repeated with the remainder of the words provided.  
• In Module 4, Lesson 20, page T252, the teacher reviews blending onsets, rimes, and phonemes into words.  The teacher dictates words with consonants w and j.  Students write the words and reveal and chorally spell the words together to check.  
• In Module 5, Lesson 20, page T253, students practice spelling words with q and x. After writing the word on their own, the teacher writes the word on the board and children have the opportunity to check and correct their work. Students practice writing the words box, fox, mix and quit.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten Into Reading meet the expectation 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.

Lessons follow the Gradual Release Model of I Do, We Do, You Do. This lesson format provides students with explicit opportunities to learn and practice phonological awareness and phonics with each applicable foundational skills standard. The materials incorporate songs, poems, Read Aloud Books, picture cards, photo cards, decodable texts, games, worksheets, and online resources for introduction of concepts and/or additional practice of skills. The Foundational Skills Scope and Sequence provides an overview of the progression of skills. Foundational skills instruction is cohesive and builds as skills advance through the year. 

Students have frequent and adequate opportunities to learn and understand phonemes (e.g., produce rhyming words, segment syllables, blend onsets and rimes, pronounce vowels in CVC words, and substitute sounds to make new words). For example:

 Students have opportunities to recognize and produce rhyming words:

• In Module 7, Lesson 2, page T40, students sit in a circle and play a game to identify as many rhyming words as they can for each word. The teacher says a word and then goes around the circle with each student sharing a word that rhymes with the teacher’s word. Students complete Know It, Show It to practice producing rhyming words independently. 

Students have opportunities to count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words:

• In Module 1, Lesson 19, page T242, the teacher tells students they will be blending the syllables in their names. The teacher models with his/her name. The teacher uses a student’s name and asks students to use choral response to blend the syllables. The teacher states: “I can say your names in syllables. Listen: Chris-ti-na. When I put the parts back together, I get Christina.” The teacher repeats with other student names.

Students have opportunities to blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words:

• In Module 4, Lesson 17, page T220, the teacher models how to blend the onset and rime of the word nose. The teacher continues to orally say the onset and rime of words, and then the class puts the sounds together to form a word. The words used include: toes, lip, hand, feet, chin, hip, head, leg, hair, knee.

Students have opportunities to isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.

• In Module 6, Lesson 2, page T40 ,the teacher tells students, “Let’s play a game. I will say a chant about a word. When I point the mic at you, tell me the ending sound of the word. Let’s try one together.” The teacher pretends to hold a microphone and then says, “Listen: When I say buzz, you say /z/! Buzz! /z/ Buzz! /z/.” The teacher repeats the activity with the following words: zap, ran, moon, brave, fizz, mop, pass, home, zoom.

Students have opportunities to add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes) in simple, one-syllable words to make new words:

• In Module 9, Lesson 14, page T182, the teacher tells students, “We can change a sound in a word to make a new word. Listen: class, I can change the ending /s/ to /p/ to get the word clap.” The teacher then models changing hut to hug. The teacher says the word hut and students use choral response to change the word to hug. This process repeats for six words.   

Lessons and activities provide students adequate opportunities to learn grade-level phonics skills while decoding words (e.g., one-to-one correspondences, long and short sounds with common spellings, and distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying sounds of the letters). For example:

Students have opportunities to demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant:

• In Module 2, Lesson 5, page T73, the teacher displays Alphafriend Cards for T and B and reviews the sounds. “Remind children that the letter t makes the sound /t/ as in the word tiger and the letter b makes the sound /b/ as in bear. Have children repeat the sounds and words.” In Brainstorm, there are various practice activities. The students continue practicing sounds /t/ and /b/ with Know It, Show It Page 53. 

Students have opportunities to associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels:

• In Module 8, Lesson 1, page T31, the teacher uses the letter sounds routine to teach the long /a/. The teacher introduces the long vowel sound and displays the Alphafriend card. The teacher plays the Alphafriend video, and students wave when they hear the name, April Acorn. The teacher pronounces the long vowel sound, and students repeat. The teacher displays the picture card gate and writes gate on the board. Students read the word chorally and the teacher underlines the a and e. The teacher explains that the e at the end of the word is magical because it makes the vowel say its name. 

Students have opportunities to distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ:

• In Module 7, Lesson 7, page T101, students distinguish between the /sh/ and /ch/ sounds. Students turn and talk to generate words that begin with /sh/ or /ch/. The teacher correctly spells the word. Using a word sort with a shell picture card for the digraph /sh/ and a chain picture card for the digraph /ch/, students pick and point to identify in which column the word belongs.

Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonological awareness instruction to build toward application. For example:

• Students start in Module 1 with learning about the consonant sounds /m/ and /s/. In Module 2, students begin learning about /t/, /b/, /n/, /d/, /c/, /p/ and the short and long /a/ vowel sounds. 
• Over the course of 9 modules, students practice phonemic awareness skills each lesson:
• In Module 1, students identify words in sentences, identify rhymes, identify syllables, and blend syllables.
• In Module 2, students identify syllables, segment syllables, identify and produce rhymes, blend syllables, and blend onsets and rimes.
• In Module 3, students identify and produce rhymes, identify initial sounds, recognize alliteration, identify final sounds, blend onset and rimes, and segment words into onset and rime.
• In Module 4, students identify initial sounds, recognize alliteration, identify medial vowel sounds, produce rhymes, blend onset and rimes into words, and blend phonemes into words.
• In Module 5, students blend phonemes into words, produce rhymes, identify final sounds, identify medial vowel sounds, isolate initial sounds, and segment words into onset and rimes.
• In Module 6, students isolate final sounds, blend phonemes into words, segment words into onset and rime, segment words into phonemes, and isolate medial vowel sounds.
• In Module 7, students produce rhymes, segment words into phonemes, blend phonemes into words, and segment words into phonemes.
• In Module 8, students blend phonemes into words, segment words into phonemes, isolate final sounds, isolate mediate vowel sounds, add syllables, and delete syllables.
• In Module 9, students add syllables, delete syllables, add phonemes, delete phonemes, and substitute phonemes. 

 Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonics instruction to build toward application. For example:

• In Module 1, students are working on building their alphabet knowledge by identifying and forming the 26 letters of the alphabet. At the end of the school year, students are learning about more complex patterns such as long e spelled ee and the digraphs /th/ and /wh/. 
• Over the course of 9 modules, students practice phonics instruction each day within the foundational skills portion of the lesson.  
• In Module 1:
• Week 1, students identify and form letters A to F.
• Week 2, students identify and form letters G to P.
• Week 3, students identify and form letters Q to Z.
• Week 4, students learn the sounds for consonants m/s.
• Module 2: 
• Week 1, students learn the sounds for consonants t/b.
• Week 2, students learn the sounds for short a and long a.
• Week 3, students learn the sounds for consonants n/d. 
• Week 4, students learn the sounds for consonants c/p.
• Module 3: 
• Week 1, students learn the sounds for short i and long i.
• Week 2, students learn the sounds for consonants r/f.
• Week 3, students learn to read inflection -s /s/ and -s /z/ (nouns).
• Week 4, students learn to read inflection -s (verbs).
• Module 4: 
• Week 1, students learn the sounds for consonants g/k.
• Week 2, students learn the sounds for short o and long o.
• Week 3, students learn the sounds for consonants l/h.
• Week 4, students learn the sounds for consonants w/j.
• Module 5
• Week 1, students learn the sounds for short u and long u.
• Week 2, students learn the sounds for consonants v/y.
• Week 3, students learn the sounds for short e and long e.
• Week 4, students learn the sounds for consonant q /kw/ and consonant x.
• Module 6: 
• Week 1, students learn the sound for consonant z.
• Week 2, students learn to read consonant blends: st/sp/sl/sn.
• Week 3, students learn to read consonant blends: initial cl/fl and final st/nd.
• Week 4, students review short vowels and consonant blends.
• Module 7: 
• Week 1, students learn to read digraphs: final consonants -ss, -ff, -ll, -zz, and final -ck.
• Week 2, students learn to read digraphs: initial sh/ch.
• Week 3, students learn to read digraphs: initial th/wh.
• Week 4, students review double final consonants, final -ck, and digraphs.
• Module 8: 
• Week 1, students learn to read vowels long a/i (VCe Pattern).
• Week 2, students learn to read vowels long o/u (VCe Pattern).
• Week 3, students learn to read long e.
• Week 4, students learn to read consonants c/s/ and g/j/.
• Module 9: 
• Week 1, students review consonants and short vowels.
• Week 2, students review consonant blends and short vowels.
• Week 3, students review digraphs and short vowels.
• Week 4, students review consonants and long vowels.

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

Materials include teacher modeling, guided practice, and questioning to provide students the opportunity to practice and master print concepts. Letter identification and formation are addressed during the first module by introducing students in how to write all 26letters, upper and lowercase, in the first 14 lessons. Print concepts are taught during shared reading lessons across the course of the school year. All print concepts, including alphabetic knowledge and directionality are reviewed in the module lessons throughout the year. 

Examples of materials that include frequent and adequate lessons and multimodal activities for students to learn how to identify and produce letters include but are not limited to the following:

• In Module 1, students learn how to form all 26 letters. In Module 1, Lesson 3, page T53, students learn how to write a capital and lowercase c. When showing students the Alphabet card, the teacher says, “This is uppercase C and lowercase c. What letter? (C) Say it with calm voices. (C) Now wild voices. (C).” After discussing the c, the teacher models and explains how to write the uppercase letter C, “Start just below the top. Curve back around.” The teacher is instructed to, “Have children repeat the strokes chorally while they first 'write' the letter in the air and then 'write' the letter in the palm of their hands.” The teacher explains how to form a lowercase c. Using the Know It, Show It page, students practice forming capital and lowercase letters.  
• In Module 1, Lesson 13, page T174, students are introduced to the letter w. The teacher says the letter name and sound and shares names that begin with the letter. The teacher teaches the uppercase letter strokes, and students repeat the strokes while writing the letters in the air, on the palms of their hands, and then on the dry erase board.  Students practice printing using the Know It, Show It page.  
• In Module 1, Lesson 5, page 73, the teacher projects Display and Engage Alphabet Knowledge 1.1a and points to each letter as he or she sings the traditional alphabet song. The teacher sings again slowly and a third time quickly. The teacher plays the Alphafriends theme song a few times and asks students to sing along. The teacher reviews the week’s letters by displaying each Alphabet card, saying the letter name and asking students to repeat the letter name. The teacher projects Display and Engage: Alphabet Knowledge 1.1c, pointing to each letter from left to right while students name them chorally. The teacher points to letters at random and selects students to read the letters aloud. The teacher says one letter at a time, and students use the write-and-reveal routine to practice writing each uppercase and lowercase letter from memory.  

Examples of materials that include frequent and adequate tasks and questions about the organization of print concepts (e.g., follow words left to right, spoken words correlate sequences of letters, letter spacing, upper- and lowercase letters) include but are not limited to the following:

• Students have opportunities to follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page:
• In Module 4, Lesson 4, page T60, the teacher reviews how to read from left to right, top to bottom. The teacher asks students where they should begin reading. The teacher reads aloud, modeling how to read from left to right. The teacher reads aloud the next line, pointing out how to move from top to bottom.  
• In Module 1, Lesson 7, page T103, the teacher previews the pre-decodable text and asks students to Think-Pair-Share to make predictions.  The teacher reviews the words to know. Students point to the title, author, and illustrator as the teacher reads aloud. Students individually whisper read one page at a time.  The teacher guides the group to use choral reading to reread each page. The materials remind the teacher to model, turning the pages one at a time, from right to left.  
• Students have opportunities to recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters:
• In Module 5, Lesson 12, page T161, students practice blending sounds together to form words. The teacher starts by placing one letter card up at a time and sounding the word out with students. Students practice blending the following words: red, fed, hen, pen, ten and wet. 
• Students have opportunities to understand that words are separated by spaces in print:
• In Module 6, Lesson 9, page 120, during Shared Reading, the teacher uses the Big Book Song Take Me Out to the Ballgame and reminds students that words are separated by spaces. The teacher states, "There is one word, a space, and then another word. The spaces between words show where they stop and start.” The teacher identifies each word and space in the first two lines of the song by stating “When I point to a word, say 'word.' When I point to a space, say 'space.' Ready? (word, space, word, space . . .).”
• Students have opportunities to recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet:
• In Module 1, Lesson 10, page T133, students review identifying letters in the alphabet. Students practice singing the alphabet song to different tunes. The class practices identifying each capital letter of the alphabet on the chart. Students use a second chart to practice identifying lowercase and uppercase letters g to p. Students have two Know It, Show It pages to continue their practice.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectation 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.

Instructional materials provide consistent opportunities  for students over the course of the school year to read grade-level decodable words and high-frequency words through decodable texts. High-frequency words or “words to know” are included in weekly lessons to provide students with decoding practice to build toward mastery. Students practice reading as the teacher models. Lessons to introduce high-frequency words provide students with numerous opportunities to learn the new words. Students see the word, hear the word, say the word, spell the word, and write the word. There are multiple opportunities for students to develop automaticity of grade-level words through the decodable readers. 

Examples of materials that include multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to purposefully read emergent reader texts include but are not limited to the following:

• Across the materials, the Foundational Skills lessons component of the reading lesson consistently incorporate a 20-minute decodable text routine to read the decodable reader. The routine has four steps: 
• Step 1: Preview the Text 
• Step 2: Read the Text Together
• Step 3: Reflect on Reading
• Step 4: Read with a Partner 
• In Module 2, Lesson 18, page T234, the teacher uses the decodable text routine to read See the Cat Nap. The teacher previews the text by reading a page aloud to introduce the text. Students use Think-Pair-Share to share responses. The teacher reviews the consonant c and and words to know. Students point to the title and author as the teacher reads aloud. After students whisper-read each page of the text, the group chorally reads each page, one page at a time. The teacher asks students to turn and talk to answer questions to demonstrate understanding of the text: 
• What is the text about? 
• What are the cats doing? 
• What is the softest thing the cats nap on? 
• Which word rhymes with nap? 
• With which animal does the cat nap?
• In Module 3, Lesson 4, page T64, the students read the decodable text, Sid Bit It! Before reading the text, the teacher has the students make predictions about what will happen and asks students, “Who do you think can help Sid with his hurt tooth?” Students whisper-read the story one time and then chorally read the story. The teacher asks students several questions about the story to highlight purpose and understanding and then has students partner-read the story. 
• In Module 6, Lesson 7, page T102, the Start Right Reader, Meg and Snip, reviews the consonant blends sn, sl, sp, st, and high-frequency words come, if, from, and stop using the four-step decodable text routine. There is a Word Work portion of the lesson during which the teacher helps the students review the consonant blends again and re-read the text chorally and complete a Word Hunt activity, in which they put their thumbs up when they find the word her. The Teacher Tip “Tap it Out!” reminds students to tap each word as they read.

Materials that support students’ development of automaticity and accuracy of grade-level decodable words over the course of the year include but are not limited to the following:

• In Module 2, Lesson 7, page T101, the teacher models by placing one letter up at a time to blend sounds together. The teacher points to the letters to model scooping (for blending) and sweeping (reading quickly). The teacher models the word at, and students practice with the word am. 
• In Module 8, Lesson 3, page T54, the teacher uses the decodable text routine to read Lime Cake. The teacher introduces the story, and students use Think-Pair-Share to make predictions. The teacher reviews long /a/ and long /i/ vowel sounds and words to know. Students point to the title, author, and illustrator as the teacher reads aloud. The students individually whisper-read the text one page at a time and then chorally read together as a class. 
• In Module 9, Lesson 13, page T173, the students review short vowels and digraphs. The teacher displays a chart with three lines of words to blend and one sentence. The teacher starts by modeling how to blend the first line and then has students practice blending. Multiple methods, e.g., choral reading, silent reading, and having volunteers read words, are used to have students read the remainder of the words. Words students blend include shell, shed, chin and chill. 

Students have opportunities to read and practice high-frequency words. The materials provide an instructional sequence to foster students’ competence in reading common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does). For example:

• In Module 4, Lesson 10, page T134, the teacher reviews the words to know by displaying each word, reading it, spelling it. Students repeat the word. Students turn and talk and use the word in a sentence. A reading game played with word rings calls for one partner to read the words on the ring and the other to count the number of words read. The teacher sets a timer, and students read as many words as possible in one minute. Partners switch roles and repeat.  
• In Module 7, Lesson 14, page T183, the teacher distributes pre-cut letters a, e, h, n, t, th, and wh and reviews the names and sounds as the students say them and trace them. Then, the teacher says the word that, and uses it in a sentence, “That is Jarrod's hat.” The teacher uses letter cards to create hat on a pocket chart and tells the student to substitute sounds to create the new words that, than, then, and when.
• In Module 2, Lesson 5, page T74,  the teacher reviews the current and past week’s words to know. The teacher displays each word card (by, I, my, to), reads the words, students repeat the word, and the teacher uses the word in a sentence. The teacher places the word cards in a large jar. Students pull a card out of the jar and show the word to the class. Students read the word aloud. The student points to the word on the wall and reads it aloud. The group spells the word chorally. The process continues until the jar is empty.

The materials reviewed for Into Reading Kindergarten meet the expectation 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.

The application of word analysis and word recognition skills are a consistent part of the Kindergarten lesson routine. During shared reading lessons, the teacher is given foundational skills lessons that link taught phonics concepts to phonics skills and word work lessons linked to high-frequency words. Decodable readers are provided that connect to weekly phonics skills with taught high-frequency words highlighted in yellow throughout the text. An additional high-frequency word review activity is found at the end of each decodable text. In the Link to Small-Group Instruction, teachers are provided with instructional moves that link phonics skills students are working on mastering to the story being read. Weekly decodable reader lessons include an interactive writing activity relating to the story to provide students with the opportunity to apply phonics and high-frequency skills to their work.

Materials support students’ development learn grade-level word recognition and analysis skills (e.g., one-to-one correspondences, syllable segmentation, rime and onset recognition, long and short sounds with common spellings, and distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying sounds of the letters) in connected text and tasks. For example:

• In Module 3, Lesson 13, page T174, prior to reading the decodable text Cans in Bins, the teacher reviews the inflection -s with students. At the end of the text, students go on a picture hunt for the words bins, cans, and mats. 
• In Module 4, Lesson 16, page T210, the teacher tells the students they will be playing a game. “Blend the sounds to figure out a way to stay healthy. Listen: /h/ /ŏp/. When I put the sounds together, I get the word hop! We can hop to stay fit!” The teacher gives several more examples, asking the students to blend the sounds and say the words.
• In Module 6, Lesson 14, page T180, the teacher uses echo reading to read aloud the text Presidents’ Day, focusing on author's purpose. The same text is utilized to practice words to know and consonant blends in context by finding words to know. Students spot and spell words to know and find words with fl- and -nd.  

Materials provide frequent opportunities to read high-frequency words​ ​in connected text and tasks. For example:

• In Module 4, Lesson 14, page T184, the teacher reviews the high-frequency words that are in the text Kids Hid. The words are, lot, not, and was are highlighted in yellow throughout the text. At the end of the text, students review high-frequency words using echo reading and speed reading. 
• In Module 5, Lesson 2, page T42, students read the decodable text Nuts, Not Rugs! Before reading the text, the teacher reviews the Words To Know, but and want, that will be in the story. These words are highlighted in yellow when used throughout the text. 
• In Module 8, Lesson 20, page T254, the teacher reviews the Words to Know, all, into, make, and time, with word cards. The teacher reads the words and students repeat them, read and spell them aloud, and then write the words on index cards. Next, the teacher uses the word cards, along with a picture card and punctuation card, to build a sentence. Using choral response, the students read the sentence together. The students then use Think-Pair-Share to build sentences with the cards. 

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. For example:

• In Module 2, Lesson 9, page T123, the teacher tells the students they will build words with short a. Students are given pre-cut letters a, b, m, S, s, and t. The teacher says am and students repeat it chorally.  The teacher then gives directions to substitute letters to make new words. An example is as follows, “Change the m to t. What's the new word?, Now add b to the beginning of the word. What's the new word?”
• In Module 4, Lesson 6, page 107, students are given a list of eight words, and they write them under either the Short o or Short i column. The words listed are: mop, sit, cot, bit, dip, dog, rip and got. 
• In Module 9 Lesson 15, page T193, the teacher tells the students they will practice writing sentences. The teacher gives the students the first sentence, and they repeat it chorally. Students then use the Write and Reveal process to write each word in the sentence. The teacher then writes the sentence on the board and students read it chorally as the teacher points to each word. Students then check and correct their spelling. The teacher repeats the process with a total of four sentences.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten Into Reading meet the expectation 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.

Materials include module assessments, intervention assessments, weekly assessments, and benchmark assessments.  At the beginning of the school year, the teacher screens all students. Students who struggle will take additional diagnostic assessments to determine whether specific instruction is needed. All students take weekly assessments and module assessments over the course of the school year. Module Inventories are provided to assess struggling students. Benchmark reading assessments are provided to assess students’ reading accuracy and reading comprehension. Intervention assessment materials include Administering and Scoring Guides that provide specific goals for assessments throughout the year with advice for teachers on how to proceed if students are not meeting the goals provided. Formative assessments, through weekly and module assessments, determine students’ mastery of skills and provide online data to direct the teacher towards reviewing, teaching, and differentiation. A link to the Foundational Skills and Word Study Studio provides specific lessons per standard with interventions available to the teacher.

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. For example:

• Intervention Assessments are screening, diagnostic, and progress-monitoring assessments designed to identify students who are at risk for reading difficulties and provide recommendations on the amount of support students are likely to need during reading instruction. Students’ proficiency is measured in foundational skills such as words in a sentence, blending syllables, segmenting syllables, recognizing rhyming words, producing rhyming words, categorizing rhyming words, blending onset and rime, segmenting or isolating initial sounds, isolating final sounds, isolating medial sounds, identifying phonemes, categorizing phonemes, deleting phones, adding phonemes, and substituting phonemes to guide the teacher in creating flexible groups and monitoring students’ progress.. 
• In the Module 2 Inventory, students are assessed on their ability to identify syllables, segment words into syllables, blend syllables into words, identify rhymes, produce rhymes, blend onsets and rimes into words, read grade appropriate high-frequency words, decode using understanding of letter patterns, text direction, and concepts of a word. The assessment is completed one-on-one with the teacher. An answer key is provided.  
• In Module 8, Week 2, an assessment is provided. The teacher reads a passage aloud, and students answer a variety of comprehension questions about the passage. The assessment continues with students circling the correct word when given three options. For example, on item 2, students circle the word home when given the three choices, him, home, and come, from which to choose. 

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information on students’ current skill/level of understanding. For example:

• In the HMH Into Reading Overview, Maximize Growth Through Data-Driven Differentiation and Assessment, page txiii, the types of assessments and progress monitoring are defined. Three types of assessments are included: Adaptive Growth Measure and Guided Reading Benchmarks (given 3 times per year), Module Assessments (given 9 times per year), and Ongoing Feedback from daily classroom activities including formative assessments (weekly assessments, performance tasks, independent reading, skills practice, usage data, teacher observation, running records, and inquiry and research projects).  
• All Intervention Assessments, Screeners, Diagnostics, and Progress Monitoring Assessments have exam Administering and Recording, and Summary Recording forms. Inside the Administering and Scoring the Assessments document, there are interpretation guidelines that provide goals and student performance level expectations for Diagnostic exams. For example, under Goals for Interpreting Concepts of Print Inventory for Kindergarten, it states that if a student scores 1 to 13 in this category, the student has a limited understanding of print concepts, a score of 14 to 20 is emerging understanding, and 21 to 28 is the goal for developed understanding (page T19). There are Instructional Descriptions and Recommendations provided. 
• Under the Data and Reports tab for Reading and Language Arts, various reports are available to the teacher for online assessments taken by students throughout the year. Assessment Reports are provided that contain student data on assessment proficiencies, assessment averages, and individual student test scores. The Standard Report itemizes questions and responses by standard, student, and domain. This report provides the number of test items along with student averages and a link to available resources throughout the modules for the specific standard. There is also a Student Growth Report that monitors students’ online assessment growth throughout the year. 

Materials support teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery in foundational skills. For example:

• In Module 2, Lesson 11, page T150, the lesson on identifying rhymes includes teacher directions for students needing additional support. One section, labeled Correct and Redirect, directs the teacher to choose a familiar rhyming poem or song if a student is struggling to identify rhymes. The teacher reads the rhyme, then repeats it, omitting the rhyming word, and has the student complete the rhyme. The second section, labeled Small-Group Instruction, asks the teacher to observe as students identify rhymes. Targeted skills practice is provided both for students who need support and for students who can correctly identify rhymes.
• In the Intervention Assessments Guide, there is a section on Recommendations for Data Driven Instruction Guide. In this section, teachers are provided with a chart that shows steps they should take if a student is struggling. Each skill provides four steps, with descriptions for each. The four steps are 1. Identify student needs, 2. Teach to the need, 3. Scaffold the core, 4. Monitor progress. For example, if a student is struggling with letter identification, step 2 states, “TEACH TO THE NEED: Administer the corresponding lessons in Foundational Skills and Word Study Studio, choosing from sessions 1 to 31.” 
• The Administering and Scoring Assessments document provides teachers with guidance for students who are not meeting their Progress Monitoring goal. “For phonics errors, provide additional word-blending activities using word lists that feature target phonics skills. For errors in recognizing high-frequency words, supply brief cumulative lists (approximately ten words) of high-frequency words to read and reread with increasing speed and accuracy.”

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten Into Reading meet the expectation 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.  

Students have multiple opportunities within each lesson to master grade-level foundational skills. Throughout the modules, teachers are provided with suggestions to address the needs of English Language Learners, students who may need additional support, or students who may need an extension of the concept. Differentiation suggestions are incorporated both as in-the-moment ideas that the teacher could use with the whole class and as ideas that would involve pulling a small group of students later to revisit a concept. Table Top Minilessons are included to support differentiation for students in need of additional instruction on specific topics. Students below level receive small-group instruction options for differentiation in targeted skill practice for foundational skills and Correct and Redirect prompts in daily lessons. Materials incorporate opportunities to support or extend skills with If/Then small group instruction prompts in lessons and Literacy Center work. Students at or above grade level expectations are provided independent practice during small-group instruction times in Literacy Centers that provide independent and collaborative work ideas. 

 Materials provide high-quality learning lessons and activities for every student to reach mastery of foundational skills. For example: 

• In addition to the Foundational Skills block of 40 to 50 minutes, options for differentiation are provided during the daily 45 to 60 minute block for Small Group Instruction. The options for small groups include guided reading with leveled readers, targeted skills practice for foundational skills, or targeted language development. Small group Strategic Intervention Options can be found in Tabletop Minilessons: Reading and Online Foundational Skills and Word Study Studio lessons. 
• In Module 3, Lesson 1, page T30, a Correct and Redirect section is included to provide guidance to teachers in supporting students who are struggling to identify rhymes.  Additionally, a small-group instruction section is included with suggestions provided both for students who struggle to identify rhyming words and those who correctly identify rhyming words.  
• In Module 7, Lesson 2, page T41, when students are practicing blending sounds, the teacher is provided with visuals for how to make the correct hand motions to help students blend the sounds. Teachers are provided with clear instructions such as, “1. Say the first letter and sound. Display Letter Card r and point to it. What is the letter? (r) What sound? (/r/).” 

Materials provide guidance to teachers for scaffolding and adapting lessons and activities to support each student’s needs. For example:

• In Module 2, Lesson 5, page T72, the Phonological Awareness lesson for Reviewing, Identifying, and Segmenting Syllables provides the teacher with three different adaptations for counting syllables. First the students drum out syllables in a word. Then the students place counters as they say each syllable, and in Correct and Redirect for students who continue to experience difficulty with the concept, the student is to hold up a finger for each syllable segment. 
• In Module 6, Lesson 5, page T72,  when learning about Isolating Sounds and Blending, there is a purple Correct and Redirect box that informs teachers that “[i]f children need support with blending sounds, extend the sounds as you say the parts. Listen: (/fff/ /aaa/ /nnn/). What word? (fan).” 
• In Module 7, Lesson 11, page T156, the teacher is provided with options for differentiation for small-group instruction. Guided reading group texts are identified.  A Table Top Minilesson is listed as a resource for supporting students. The lesson targeted skill practice is identified as isolating initial sounds with suggestions to support and  extend students’ ability to isolate initial sounds.
• In Module 8, Lesson 1, page T31, students are learning about the Long a sound. A callout box provides the following support tip, “Children whose first language is Cantonese or Hmong may need support pronouncing the long vowel sound /ā/.  Say the sound several times and play the Articulation Video. Point out that your mouth is more open for /ă/ than for /ā/. Show picture cards for words with /ā/. Have children chorally repeat the word, say the medial sound, and then say the whole word again. (gate, /ā/, gate).” 

Students have multiple practice opportunities with each grade-level foundational skill component in order to reach mastery. 

• The Foundational Skills Scope and Sequence documents numerous review opportunities with foundational skills over the course of the school year. For example, short vowels are either taught or reviewed in the following modules: 
• Module 2, Week, 2 (short a)
• Module 3, Week 1 (short i) 
• Module 4, Week 2 (short o)
• Module 5, Week 1 (short u) 
• Module 5, Week 3 (short e) 
• Module 6, Week 4 (short vowel review) 
• Module 7, Week 4 (short vowel review)
• Module 9,  Weeks 1, 2 and 3 (short vowel review) 
• When learning about beginning sounds in Module 6, practice opportunities with this skill include: 
• In the Word Work Literacy Center, students cut out and sort pictures based on the beginning sounds st/sp, sl/sn, and cn/fl. 
• In Module 6, Lesson 1, page T30, students practice identifying the beginning sound in the following words: zig, zag, fuzz, buzz, zap, jazz, zone, and zoom. 
• In Module 6, Lesson 1, page T32, students complete a beginning sounds word sort for the sounds /s/ and /z/. As a class, students think of words that start with these sounds, and then sort them into the correct column. 
• In Module 6, Lesson 3, page T54, students complete a beginning sounds word sort with the sounds /s/ and /z/. Afterwards, students complete a Know It, Show It page to circle all the pictures that start with the z sound. 
• In Module 6, Lesson 4, page T63, students practice changing one sound at a time, using letter cards, to form new words. Two of these changes involve changing beginning sounds. For example, when students change zip to lip they are told, “Change the beginning sound to make the new word, lip.” Later, when students change Liz to quiz, they are told, “Change the beginning sound to make the word, quiz.” 
• In Module 7, Week 1, students use the Start Right Reader decodable books, Ducks and Hop In, Jill! to practice in context using the phonics skill of the week Double Final Consonants and ck (ff,ss,ll,zz), as well as the Word to Know words of the week off, will, down, so.
• In Module 8, Lesson 18, page T232-T235, a lesson plan is provided for deleting syllables and soft c/g.  The correct and redirect section provides ideas for students who are struggling with deleting syllables. English Learner Support with basic vocabulary is included for students needing light, moderate, and substantial language support with soft c and g.  A decodable text allows students to apply the phonics topic to text.