Kindergarten - Gateway 1
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Focus & Coherence
Gateway 1 - Partially Meets Expectations | 57% |
|---|---|
Criterion 1.1: Focus | 2 / 2 |
Criterion 1.2: Coherence | 0 / 4 |
Criterion 1.3: Coherence | 6 / 8 |
The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially meet the expectations for Gateway 1. The materials do not meet the expectations for focusing on major work of the grade and only partially meet the expectations for coherence. While the instructional materials do not assess above grade level standards, they also do not allocate a large enough percentage of instructional materials to major standards of the grade. Many strengths are found and noted in the coherence criterion, and the instructional materials meet some of the quality expectations for coherence. Overall, the instructional materials do not allocate enough time to the major clusters of standards for Kindergarten to meet the expectations for focus.
Criterion 1.1: Focus
The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectations for assessing grade-level content. Standards assessed are clearly identified in "Data Driven Decision Making," and each item assessed is correlated to a Kindergarten standard. Overall, the instructional materials do not assess content from future grades within the summative assessments provided for each chapter.
Indicator 1a
The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectations for assessing grade-level content. Overall, the instructional materials do not assess content from future grades within the summative assessments provided for each chapter.
- In the planning guide there is a section called "Getting Ready for First Grade." Planning resources for this are described on pages 40 and 41, and the section is aligned to Grade 1 CCSSM, which is clearly identified. Students are not being assessed on the content.
- Standards assessed are clearly identified in a textbox titled "Data Driven Decision Making." For an example, see chapter 4, page 226A in the teacher edition.
- Each item assessed is correlated to a standard. For example, test item 6 assesses standard K.CC.A.2, as listed on page 226A.
- The assessment for chapter 8, question 11, addresses students' ability to write numbers above 20, which is an expectation for Grade 1, but the question aligns to K.CC.A.1 because of counting to 100 by 10s.
Criterion 1.2: Coherence
Students and teachers using the materials as designed devote the large majority of class time in each grade K-8 to the major work of the grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten do not meet the expectations for spending the large majority of class time on the major clusters of the grade. In Kindergarten, about 85% of the instructional materials should address the major work of the grade. Go Math Kindergarten consists of 12 chapters, and only eight (about 67%) address major work of the grade. Overall, the instructional materials allocate a large percentage of instructional time to clusters of standards that are not major work of Kindergarten.
Indicator 1b
Instructional material spends the majority of class time on the major cluster of each grade.
large majority of class time on the major clusters of the grade. Overall, the instructional materials allocate a large percentage of instructional time to clusters of standards that are not major work of Kindergarten.
- In Kindergarten, approximately 85% of the instructional materials should address the major work of the grade.
- Go Math Kindergarten consists of 12 chapters. Eight (about 67%) address major work of the grade.
- Four of the 12 chapters (about 33%) address supporting work of the grade. The four units that are supporting work have some counting and writing of numbers up to 20.
- Chapter 10 focuses on the supporting cluster of data interpretation. Chapters 11 and 12 focus on geometry, which are additional clusters.
Criterion 1.3: Coherence
Coherence: Each grade's instructional materials are coherent and consistent with the Standards.
The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially meet the expectations for being coherent and consistent with CCSSM. The instructional materials have a portion of content designated for Kindergarten that is partially viable for one school year, and they also give students extensive work with grade-level problems. The instructional materials have only some of the supporting content enhancing focus and coherence simultaneously, but they do have materials foster coherence through connections at a single grade. Overall, the instructional materials for Kindergarten exhibit characteristics of coherence as noted in indicators 1E and 1F, and for the entire criterion, the instructional materials partially meet the expectations.
Indicator 1c
Supporting content enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by engaging students in the major work of the grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially meet the expectations for having the supporting content enhancing focus and coherence simultaneously. Overall, the instructional materials miss opportunities to connect non-major clusters of standards to major clusters, and as a result, the supporting content does not always engage students in the major work of Kindergarten.
- Chapter 11 treats measurement separately from the major work of the grade level.
- Chapter 9 mostly treats the supporting content separately, but there are three lessons (9.6, 9.8, and 9.10) that support the major work of counting and writing the corresponding number.
- Chapter 10 mostly treats the supporting work separately with the exceptions of lessons 10.3 and 10.4.
- Chapter 12 mostly treats the supporting work separately with the exceptions of lessons 12.4 and 12.5.
Indicator 1d
The amount of content designated for one grade level is viable for one school year in order to foster coherence between grades.
The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially meet the expectations for having the amount of content designated for one grade level as viable for one school year. Overall, the amount of time needed to complete the lessons is appropriate for a school year of approximately 170-190 days.
- The suggested pacing for Kindergarten is between 130 and 160 days (depending on which parts are included) according to the pacing chart provided in each chapter on the pages labeled "Chapter at a Glance," which includes assessment days in the series.
- Additionally, if time permits there is a unit preparing for Grade 1, which has 25 days total in the unit.
- Given the instructional materials not allocating enough time to major clusters of the grade as addressed in indicator 1B, these instructional materials would have to be supplemented with other materials, which means these materials may not be viable for one school year.
Indicator 1e
Materials are consistent with the progressions in the Standards i. Materials develop according to the grade-by-grade progressions in the Standards. If there is content from prior or future grades, that content is clearly identified and related to grade-level work ii. Materials give all students extensive work with grade-level problems iii. Materials relate grade level concepts explicitly to prior knowledge from earlier grades.
The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectations for having materials that are consistent with the progressions in CCSSM. Overall, the materials give students extensive work with grade-level problems, and grade-level concepts are explicitly related to prior knowledge from earlier grades. Also, the materials develop according to the grade-by-grade progressions, with non-grade-level content clearly identified.
- Each chapter identifies grade-level work, and how it ties into previous and future grades. For example, see chapter 1, teacher's manual, page 9J.
- Off-grade-level material is captured in the end-of-year resource guide in the teacher edition's planning guide.
- Additionally, at the beginning of each chapter, there is a connection to the learning progressions (see chapter 5, page 227J for an example) that identifies in the progression what students should do at grade level and what students will do in Grade 1 (this is a consistent structure throughout the program).
- Each chapter has a page titled "Learning Progressions and Content Standards," which highlights the learning progressions as well as the standards before and after the grade level. Chapter 5, teacher edition, page 227J is an example.
- RTI activities are provided for work in tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3. Differentiated instruction is clearly mapped out.
- There are 99 lessons covering approximately 160 days of instruction; 96 provide work with grade-level problems.
- Students are assessed on prior knowledge at the beginning of each chapter. For example, see chapter 1, teacher's manual, page 10. In addition, a graphic on page 9J shows skills before Kindergarten.
- Each chapter begins with a page intended to "review prerequisite skills;" it provides two activities to prompt prior knowledge.
Indicator 1f
Materials foster coherence through connections at a single grade, where appropriate and required by the Standards i. Materials include learning objectives that are visibly shaped by CCSSM cluster headings. ii. Materials include problems and activities that serve to connect two or more clusters in a domain, or two or more domains in a grade, in cases where these connections are natural and important.
The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the expectations for having materials foster coherence through connections at a single grade. Overall, the materials do include learning objectives that are visibly shaped by CCSSM cluster headings, and the materials connect two or more clusters in a domain or two or more domains in a grade when appropriate.
- Each lesson contains a section titled "Lesson at a Glance," which states the Common Core State Standards, MPs and learning objectives. For an example, see chapter 2, lesson 2.1, teacher's manual, page 81A.
- There is evidence that the cluster headings were used to shape the objectives. For example, chapter 1 is titled "Represent, Count and Write Numbers 0-5."
- Materials connect domains where they are natural and important. The beginning of each chapter clearly defines where these connections take place.
- In chapter 2, lesson 2.2, students are asked to both count the number of objects and to compare them, K.CC.B and K.CC.C, respectively.
- Chapters 1 and 4 connect counting and cardinality with operations and algebraic thinking.
- Chapter 7 connects counting and cardinality with numbers in base ten.