Kindergarten - Gateway 2

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria that texts are organized around a topic/topics to build students knowledge and vocabulary which will over time support and help grow students’ ability to comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten provide a variety of texts throughout the units which are organized around specific topics and that include a wide range of literary and expository texts to build students’ knowledge and vocabulary. Literary topics include Familiar Stories with predictable patterns and illustrations, Falling in Love with Authors and Illustrators which includes works by award winning authors such as Grace Lin, Monica Brown, and Jerry Pinkney.  Social Studies topics include, Biographies of Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, science themes of weather in The Beauties of Fall, The Beauties of Winter as well as life science in Understanding Earth: Life Cycles.  In addition to gaining content knowledge, vocabulary is embedded throughout including literary terms, as well as targeted vocabulary to enhance understanding.   

• Unit 1 is organized around a theme of being part of a community.
• Unit 2 is organized around familiar texts with predictable texts.
• Unit 3 is organized around the topic of Fall and fall harvests.
• Unit 4 is organized around the works of five authors,  Grace Lin, Yuyi Morales, John Parra, Monica Brown and Jerry Pinkney. 
• Unit 5 is organized around the topic of Winter. 
• Unit 6 is organized around the biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks.
• Unit 7 is organized around the topic of dinosaurs.
• Unit 8 is organized around the topic of Life Cycles.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language (words/phrases), key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts in order to make meaning and build understanding of texts and topics.

Throughout the units, students complete questions and tasks that require analysis of individual texts.  They are provided multiple opportunities to analyze language in stories and passages, identify key ideas and details, and examine the structure of passages, pictures and texts as they relate to the unit topic.  Scaffolding is provided to students and the rigor of the material increases over the course of the year. Examples of sets of questions found in the instructional materials include, but are not limited to the following:

• In Unit 1, Lesson 7, while referencing the text, I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont, students are asked to use illustrations to help them figure out how the girls feels by asking, “How can you tell from the pictures that the little girl likes herself?”
• In Unit 2, Lesson 4, using the text, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury and Michael Rosen, students are asked to, “Analyze why the author and illustrator switch between color and black-and-white illustrations, by close reading a text to identify key details about author’s craft.”
• In Unit 3, Lesson 2, using the text, Fall Weather: Cooler Temperatures by Martha E H Rustad, students explore weather and patterns of fall while, “Scholars observe the weather daily, record the temperature, and discuss what types of clothing they would wear based on the weather.”
• Unit 4, Lesson 9, Nino Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales the lesson objective specifies: "Describe Nino and what lesson he learns by describing characters and major events in a story."
• Unit 5, Lesson 6, Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, has a target task: "How does the author use descriptive language to help a reader understand the owl hunt? Give an example." 
• In Unit 6, Lesson 9, using the text, National Geographic Kids: Rosa Parks by Kitson Jazynka, students are asked to, “Explain why Rosa Parks was influential and what lessons we can learn from her, by stating a claim and providing supporting evidence from multiple sources.”
• In Unit 7, Lesson 2,  using the text, Fossils Tell of Long Ago by Aliki, students sequence events, “What is the first thing that happened to the fish? What happens next? How are the first and second steps connected?”
• In Unit 8, Lesson 6, after reading the text, How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan, students are asked, “How does what we learned from this book match with our predictions from yesterday?”

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria that materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectations for materials containing a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts.  Each of the units center around a topic or theme with embedded text dependent questions throughout. Students work with multiple texts throughout the materials that require them to analyze information, build knowledge and demonstrate understanding of material, often using discussion, graphic organizers, and illustrations that draws upon textual evidence by identifying key details, comparing and contrasting texts.

•  Unit 1, Lesson 9, The Crayon Box That Talked by Shane Derolf as a Target Task asks students “What do the crayons learn about each other at the end of the story? Why is this important?” requiring students analyze information in the text.
• Unit 2, Lesson 2, Jump, Frog, Jump! by Robert Kalan asks students to “Explain how the illustrations with Jump, Frog, Jump! help you better understand the story, by using the text and illustrations to retell key details from the text.”
• Unit 3, Lesson 11, The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons — Stop at Pilgrims asks students “What was this text mostly about? What are three or four things you learned from this book?” requiring referencing and analyzing the text.
• Unit 4, Lesson 23, The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney, asks students “How does Jerry Pinkney use the illustrations to help a reader understand what happens in The Lion & the Mouse?”
• Unit 5, Lesson 11, Wolves by Gail Gibbons asks students to “Describe why the author states that wolves are not cruel, by retelling key details in a text and describing the connection between ideas in a text. “
• Unit 6, Lesson 15, Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo, A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. by David A. Adler, Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport, I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Kadir Nelson, A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson, This Is the Dream by Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander students are asked to, “Compare and contrast all Martin Luther King Jr. biographies by identifying basic similarities and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).” 
• Unit 7, Lesson 17, Dinosaur Roar by Paul and Henrietta Stickland asks students to “Use descriptive words to describe a dinosaur by asking and answering questions about key details and words in a text.” 
• Unit 8, Lesson 36, Recycle! A Handbook for Kids by Gail Gibbons asks students to “Explain why it is important to recycle cans and plastic and what would happen to the environment if cans and plastic weren’t recycled, by describing the connection between events and information in a text.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectations that the questions and tasks support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic through integrated skills (e.g., combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).  Within the materials, there are opportunities for students to demonstrate comprehension and knowledge of a topic or topics through completion of culminating tasks. In many instances, students are asked to produce work that shows mastery of several different standards (reading, writing, speaking and listening) at the appropriate grade level. 

• Unit 1, Lesson 3, after reading, Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen, students are asked to, “Draw and write about what they will do to be a good listener in the classroom. After students have had time to work, they share their work with the entire class.”
• Unit 2, Lesson 14, the Teacher Guide states, “Have the class decide on their favorite texts for the unit and explain why. Scholar explanations should include connections to a retell and repetition to show understanding of key unit skills. Then either as a class or in small groups, participate in multiple dramatic and interactive read-alouds of the favorite texts. When reading, have scholars read and act out the parts of the text that include repetition.”
•  Unit 3, Lesson 9, students are asked to, “Complete a leaf-related project by using details from multiple texts to show understanding of leaves.” Activities include, “Going on a walk and finding leaves, making their own leaf men and telling a story with the leaves, leaf rubbing, etc.”
• Unit 4, Lesson 17, students are asked to, “Participate in a class discussion on where John Parra gets his inspiration and what he likes to illustrate. Write an opinion piece about which John Parra story is your favorite and why by stating an opinion and supporting it with a reason.”
•  Unit 5, Lesson 14, students are asked to, “Explain what animals need to survive the winter by using a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to retell what they learned about animals in winter.”
• Unit 6, Lessons 15 and 16, students are asked to, “Compare and contrast all Martin Luther King Jr. biographies by identifying basic similarities and differences between two texts on the same topic.” The Teacher Guide further states that this task will, “Correspond with the writing/discussion scholars will have in lesson 18.”
• Unit 7, Lesson 16, students are asked to, “Research and learn about the dinosaur, specifically what made the dinosaur different from other dinosaurs and how the dinosaur’s body parts helped it survive. Create a visual and written report about the dinosaur. Scholars should then share what they learned in partners or with the class.”

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria that materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts.

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet expectations for including a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts. Opportunities to build vocabulary are found throughout the instructional materials. There are established routines for teaching vocabulary including a seven step process that includes repetition, definition, part of speech, examples in context as well as other word concept knowledge.  Vocabulary instruction calls for students to think about the meaning of words and definitions are provided in student-friendly language. Word meanings are taught with examples related to the text as well as examples from other, more familiar contexts. Every unit provides instruction in literary terms as well as text based content vocabulary. Strategies for teaching students how to understand meanings of unknown words are also embedded and include using context, word parts, literal and figurative language as well as traditional classroom resources.

• Unit 1, Lesson 4, students brainstorm helpful words for the classroom.  Then, the Teacher Guide states, “After reading, give scholars a collection of words to sort into helpful and kind or hurtful and unkind.”
• Unit 2, Lesson 5, the vocabulary over, under around and through is embedded in the lesson using the text, We’re Going on a Lion Hunt by David Axtell.
• Unit 3, Lesson 9, students, “Review all vocabulary to complete a leaf-related project by using details from multiple texts to show understanding of leaves.”
• Unit 4, Lesson 5, the directions state, “Grace Lin says 'a magical aroma filled the air.' Using the picture and word clues, what does the word 'aroma' mean? How do you know?”
• Unit 5 students, “Start by exploring generic weather words and then transition into winter-specific words” as they pretend to be meteorologists and learn about weather forecasts.
• Unit 6, Lesson 7, vocabulary is embedded in the topic of Jim Crowe laws using the term boycott.  The text based questions ask, “What is a boycott? Why did African-Americans decide to boycott?”

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria that materials include a progression of focused, shared research and writing projects to encourage students to develop knowledge and understanding of a topic using texts and other source materials.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten contain a progression of research and writing projects that allow for students to develop knowledge and understanding a topic using various texts and source materials. At the end of many units, there are projects that require students to review, analyze and synthesize their understanding of specific topics culminating into a final project or activity.  Throughout the units there is a progression of tasks that build student knowledge using reading, writing, and speaking/listening skills. Examples of culminating activities include but are not limited to varied oral and dramatic presentations, reports, interviews, and labs. 

•  Unit 1, Lesson 15, students are asked to draw and write, “How can you make the classroom a joyful place to be?”  The Lesson Notes state, “This will be used as a benchmark for where scholars are on the writing about reading rubric and will be used to guide feedback and instruction in unit 2.”
• Unit 2, Lesson 14, the culminating activity/project has students, “Decide on their favorite texts for the unit and explain why.”  The Teacher Guide states that, “Scholar explanations should include connections to a retell and repetition to show understanding of key unit skills. Then either as a class or in small groups, participate in multiple dramatic and interactive read-alouds of the favorite texts.”
• Unit 3, Lesson 9, the students, “Complete a leaf-related project by using details from multiple texts to show understanding of leaves.”
• Unit 4, Lesson 28, students are given the choice of three projects that will, “Synthesize everything that they have learned from the course of the unit.”  These include, “Creating an author/illustrator commercial, plan an interview with their favorite author, or create an award for the author.”
• Unit 5, Lesson 21, the students use data collected throughout the unit to, “Create a weather forecast that describes what weather is like in the winter and how it impacts different living things, by sharing observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.”
• Unit 6, the Unit Summary states, “After reading multiple biographies, scholars will then compare and contrast the ways in which the authors present points in both texts.”
• Unit 7, Lesson 16 states, “The focus of this lesson is on participating in either a class or individual research project. This lesson can be spread across as many days as needed.  Gather a collection of additional dinosaur texts, either from the same series as lessons 11–15 or from beginning readers that are closer to scholar reading levels.”
• Unit 8, Lesson 4, students are asked to complete a project/lab to, “Determine the characteristics of living, nonliving, and dead things by participating in a hands-on activity that challenges scholars to observe and make connections about scientific concepts”

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria that materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

The Text Consumption Guidance document provides the rationale for independent reading and explains that during independent reading, students gain independence by reading a text on their own that requires them to use all of the strategies learned in class. During independent reading, students actively annotate and make meaning of the text with limited support from the teacher or peers. The materials suggest that independent reading can be used at the end of the lesson as independent practice, on days when the majority of the text is accessible and/or there are features of the text students need to practice accessing independently, or at the beginning of the lesson to allow time for independent analysis before a close-read or a discussion.