Kindergarten - Gateway 2

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially 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.

Kindergarten materials consist of six units. Some units are built around a topic and the texts that students read build knowledge and vocabulary towards learning of that topic. Other units are based on a theme and texts that students read are related to that theme. The unit topics/themes are sometimes lacking depth and as a result the texts used in the lesson parts are not always strongly related to the topic/theme. The lessons do sometimes provide structured instructional tasks leading to students’ ability to complete a PROJECT that is aligned to the unit topic/theme.

The texts within a unit are typically organized around a topic, but in some situations the texts do not relate to the given topic. For example, in Unit 2 students are learning about the topic “Reading About Then and Now,” but an entire lesson focuses on the seasons in the year without relating it back to the topic. Some of the topics are vague, such as Unit 4, which focuses on “Reading about the World and Each Other.” Units that do not have a unit project do not have a guiding question or culminating task to help determine if the students are building knowledge on the given topic. The texts provided are not ample to help the students build knowledge and work towards reading complex text.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, the focus is “Homes.” Throughout Unit 1 students are reading texts, engaging in discussion with their Learning Guide and writing about the homes. Some examples of these instructional tasks focused on building understanding of homes:
• In Unit 1, Lesson: Little Pip Loses Her Way, Part 5, students find details about another animal in Where Is Home, Little Pip? and use pictures and words to show the Learning Guide the animal’s home.
• In Unit 1, Lesson: A Home for a Crab, Part 1, after reading A House for Hermit Crab students draw pictures that answer these questions. “Where does Hermit Crab live? In what type of house does Hermit Crab live in?”
• In Unit 1, Lesson: Is a Pond a Good Home?, Part 2, students write or dictate a list of details about what ponds look like.
• In Unit 2, the focus is “Reading About Then and Now.”
• In Unit 2, Lesson: Life in the Little House, Part 1, students read Life in the Little House, a story about a what a house experiences over time. In Unit 2, Seasons in a Year, Part 1 students read Four Seasons Make a Year. This text focused on the changing seasons, and the tasks incorporated throughout this lesson focused on finding key details and finding the meaning of unknown words. This text does not build knowledge on the topic “Reading About Then and Now.”
• In Unit 2, the unit focuses on “Reading About Then and Now.” Throughout the course of the unit, students read four texts: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton, Four Seasons Make A Year by Anne Rockwell, Farming Then and Now by Charles R. Smith Jr., and The Old Things by Diana Noonan. Three of these texts focus on the topic for the unit, and this is a limited number of texts for a unit’s worth of materials.
• In Unit 3, the focus is “Weather.” Throughout Unit 3 students are reading texts, engaging in discussion with their Learning Guide and writing about the weather. Some examples of these instructional tasks focused on building understanding of weather:
• Before beginning Unit 3, Weather in the World, students watch and listen to the video Big Rain Cloud and think about what the video teaches about how rain happens.
• After reading of Come On, Rain!, in Unit 3, Lesson: Hoping for Rain, Part 2, students talk about the answers to these questions with the Learning Guide: “Why do Tessie and Mamma want it to rain? How does Mamma feel about the weather? How does Tessie feel when she sees gray clouds rolling in?”
• In Unit 3, Lesson: Snow Day!, Part 7, students will pick two kinds of weather, brainstorm words that describe each kind of weather and write a short sentence about each kind of weather.
• In Unit 4, the unit focus is “Reading About the Worlds and Each Other.”
• In Unit 4, Lesson: Apple Pie 4th of July, Part 1, students read “The Crayon Box That Talked.” This text shows is an example of a poem, and all the tasks associated with this text have the students identify features of a poem and rhyming words.
• In Unit 4, Lesson: Apple Pie 4th of July, Part 2 students read the poem “Kids.” This poem discusses how kids are similar and different, but they all like to have fun. The tasks associated with this text mostly focus on what makes "Kids" a poem and rhyming words.
• In Unit 5, the focus is “Patterns and Structures.” Throughout Unit 5, students read texts, engage in discussion with their Learning Guide, and write about patterns and structures. Some examples of these instructional tasks focused on building understanding of this topic:
• In Unit 5, Patterns and Structures, students complete a project that includes two different patterns, sentences that describe the two patterns, drawings of the two patterns, and ideas for their own simple pattern.
• In Unit 5, Lesson: Let’s Visit Jack’s Garden, Part 1, students look at pages 10–17 in Jack's Garden and identify the four steps in the life cycle of a plant.
• In Unit 5, Lesson: Plant Patterns, Part 3 – After reading Plant Patterns students think about these questions: “What kind of pattern is the writer describing? How do pictures help you understand words in the text?”
• In Unit 6, the focus is “Exploring Communities.”
• In Unit 6, Lesson: Adventures in Town, Part 7, students read On the Town: A Community Adventure. The tasks associated with this text ask students to determine how words and pictures give details about the characters, setting, and events in the story.
• In Unit 6, Lesson: Adventures in Town, Part 8, students read the poem “Our Block.” Students determine if the pictures relate to the text, as well as looking at rhyming words. Both these texts relate to communities.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially 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 questions posed throughout each unit require students to return to text selections in order to recall details, analyze various aspects of the text, and evaluate characters’ actions and motivations. Question sets are sequenced coherently within each lesson to support students in understanding story elements, structure, author’s purpose, perspective, and craft. Some sets of questions and tasks promote building knowledge on a topic, but others do not and would need supplementation by the teacher to support students in learning more than a surface understanding of the material.

Examples of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that do not consistently build knowledge include the following. In these examples, the questions and directions focus on surface reading comprehension and/or reading strategy practices.

• In Unit 1, Lesson: A Home for Crab, Part 4, LEARN Card, students reread parts of both stories Where Is Home, Little Pip? and A House for Hermit Crab. They discuss the following questions with their Learning Guide: “Both Pip and Hermit Crab are wandering around. Why? Are they happy to be wandering around? What does Pip ask the whale? What does Hermit Crab ask the sea anemone? How does Pip feel at the end of the story? Why? How does Hermit Crab feel at the end of the story? Why?”
• In Unit 2, Lesson: What is This?, Part 2, LEARN Card, students listen to pages 2–7 in The Old Things and talk about these questions with the Learning Guide: “Why can’t Gran take all her things with her? What can you tell about how to play records from the photograph on page 4?” Then, in Part 5, from the LEARN Card: Students will compare and contrast two texts about the same topic. They read part of Farming Then and Now and The Old Things and think about these questions: “How are the details in the two texts the same? How are the details in the two texts different?” In Part 6, LEARN Card, students talk about these questions with the Learning Guide: “Look at the photographs on pages 12 and 13 of Farming Then and Now. What do they show you about the meaning of the words “shearing a sheep?” Look at the letter Tom wrote Gran on p. 15 of The Old Things. What clues can you find about whether it was easy or hard for Tom to write the letter with the pen?” Then, in Unit 2, What Is That?, Part 7 students complete the following task to check for mastery, “You have been reading Farming Then and Now and The Old Things. You will use what you have learned about comparing and contrasting to tell how the details in these texts are alike and different.”
• In Unit 6, Lesson: Places to Go, Part 2, LEARN Card, students fill in an Ask and Answer Questions Chart. Under “Questions” they write a question they have about the topic and then find the answer in the text. In Part 5, from the LEARN Card: Students compare and contrast two books. They reread On the Town: A Community Adventure and Places in My Neighborhood. After they read, they talk about these questions with the Learning Guide: “What is the main topic of Places in My Neighborhood? How is the topic of this book like the main topic of On the Town: A Community Adventure?”
• In Unit 6, Lesson: The City Never Sleeps, Part 1, LEARN Card, students use a Three-Column Chart to show where they found details about the characters in While I Am Sleeping. In Part 3, LEARN Card, students read pages 14–24 of While I Am Sleeping and talk about these questions with the Learning Guide: “Where does the story take place? What details tell you this? When does the story take place? What details tell you this?” In Part 4, LEARN Card, students use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast Neighborhood Walk: City and While I Am Sleeping.

Some sequences of questions and tasks are organized to support students' building knowledge of a topic and in integrating this knowledge in tasks. For example, the following samples lead students to knowledge about the world while they are engaging with close reading. 

• In Unit 2, Lesson: What Are the Seasons in a Year?, Part 2, LEARN Card, students listen to the Learning Guide read pages 30–35 of Four Seasons Make a Year and discuss the answers to these questions: “Which flowers bloom in spring? Look at the pictures on pages 30–31. How do the words connect to the pictures?”
• In Unit 2, Lesson: Where Does Food Come From?, Part 3, students work on comparing and contrasting using the text Farming Then and Now. The materials tell the student: “Now, complete a Compare and Contrast Venn diagram. Label the left circle 'Then,' the right circle 'Now,' and the shared space between them 'Both.' Under 'Then' write details about farming in the past. Under 'Now' write details about farming in the present. Under 'Both' write a detail that was the same then as it is now.” In Part 5, students listen to the Learning Guide read pages 12–13 of Farming Then and Now and talk about the questions: “How many people does it take to shear a sheep today? What is different about how people shear sheep today and how it was done long ago?”
• In Unit 5, Knowing Patterns and Structures, students read several text to learn that patterns are everywhere. And for their project they create their own pattern and describe it. In Unit 5, Lesson: Flowers Grow from Seeds, Part 1, students read The Tiny Seed and answer the following questions: “How does being a tiny help the tiny seed? What does the tiny seed finally become?” In Part 5, students listen to their learning guide reread pages 18-25 of The Tiny Seed. “What do the seeds become?” Students look at the illustrations on pages 24-25 and answer the question: “How do they help you understand what is happening in the story?” Then, in Part 6, students follow along as their learning guide rereads pages 26-29 of The Tiny Seed and answer the following questions: “How does the tiny seed change again? How do the pictures help you understand events in the story?”

Some sequences include support for building knowledge, although the teacher may have to provide supplements and/or revision to the lesson to assure the focus on the topic is clear to the students while they are completing other tasks. 

For example, in Unit 3, Lesson: Wonderful Weather Words!, Part 5, LEARN Card, students reread What Will the Weather Be? and Weather Words and What They Mean and answer the following questions: “How are the topics of both books alike? How are they different? Both books talk about weather fronts. Which book tells more about fronts?” The questions are surface level but may be engaged further to encourage students to share their knowledge from these texts about weather. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially 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 Kindergarten curriculum materials offer some opportunities for students to interact with and build academic vocabulary words in and across texts. Vocabulary is introduced at the start of almost every lesson in some units, but rarely referred back to during the instruction across the lesson parts. Word learning strategies are the focus of the Benchmark Vocabulary lessons throughout some units to increase student independence when coming to unknown words in text. The Calvert Grade K instructional materials do not provide guidance for the Learning Guide that outlines a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component and there are limited opportunities for students to learn, practice, apply, and transfer words into familiar and new contexts. Examples of vocabulary outlined include:

Vocabulary Words

• In Unit 1, Lesson: A Home for a Crab, Part 1, students are given a list of vocabulary words contained in the text. The Learning Guide is told to read the LEARN card to the student, which contains the list of vocabulary words. At the end of this part of the lesson, students use describing words to give details about the characters in the text. While students may utilize some of the vocabulary words in their description, there is not instruction for the student or Learning Guide for them to do so.
• Unit 2, Lesson: Life in the Little House, Part 1, Vocabulary List: country, curious, buds, swell, brook, carriage, cellars, stories, shabby, shutter, frost, harvest, gasoline, glance, twinkled
• Unit 4, Lesson: Let’s Make Music!, Part 1, Vocabulary List: drumsticks, rattles, important, instrument, world, bells, note, memory, stomp, hum, strips, wrap, decorate

High Frequency Words:

• In Unit 2, Lesson: What Are The Seasons In A Year?, Part 3, High Frequency Words, the student directions state, “Look at this word: have. Listen as your Learning Guide reads the word to you. Sound out the word with your Learning Guide. Now, look at this word: is. Sound out the word with your Learning Guide. Write these words down three times each. Then, tell your Learning Guide a sentence that uses each word.”

Benchmark Vocabulary:

• In Unit 2, Lesson: What Are The Seasons In A Year?, Part 5, Benchmark Vocabulary, student directions state, “Sometimes, readers find words that they do not know. Sometimes, they can find clues about the meaning of the word in the text. Another way to find the meaning is to look in a dictionary. Find the word crackle on page 52 of Four Seasons Make a Year. Work with your Learning Guide to find the meaning of this word from clues in the text."
• In Unit 6, Lesson: Adventures in Town, Part 8 Benchmark Vocabulary, student directions state, “Sometimes readers find words they do not know. Sometimes, they can find clues about the meaning of the word in the text. Another way to find the meaning is to look in a dictionary. Find the word listening on page 29 of On the Town: A Community Adventure. Work with your Learning Guide to find the meaning of this word from clues in the text.”

Application of vocabulary activities:

• In Unit 2, Lesson: Where Does Food Come From?, Part 4, as readers come across words they do not know, they are instructed to find clues about the meaning in the text or pictures. If they does not work they are instructed to find the meaning in a glossary or dictionary. Students are instructed, “Fill out a chart with your Learning Guide about words in Farming Then and Now. Now, complete a Word Meanings chart. Start with a Three-Column chart. Use these column headings: Word, Meaning, What I Did. Under 'Word' you should write words you do not know. Under 'Meaning' write the meaning of the word. Under 'What I Did' write how you found the meaning.”
• In Unit 3, Lesson: Hoping for Rain, Part 1 students are given a list of vocabulary words (squinting, listening, soothe). The only directions provided are for the teacher to read the LEARN card aloud, which has the vocabulary words listed at the bottom. Then, in Unit 3, Hoping for Rain, Part 5 students are given the following prompt under the “Benchmark Vocabulary” heading: “You may have read new words in the last part of the story. Do you know what racket, wordless, or sparkles mean? Reread the sentences in the story that contain those words. Can you figure out what they mean? Work with your Learning Guide to look up the words. Then, write a sentence for each.” The Learning Guide is given the page numbers where these words appear, a definition for each word, and sample sentences for the words.
• In Unit 3, Lesson: Hoping for Rain, Part 7, students practice finding the meaning of unknown words by looking in the text to determine the meaning of senseless and spoonful. Students then create a Word Part and Meaning Chart where students separate the word from the “word part” (suffix) to help determine what the words means. These words were in the text that students were reading, but they were not introduced to the student before reading the text, or at other points throughout the lesson.
• In Unit 4, Lesson: Apple Pie 4th of July, Part 3, as readers come across words they do not know they are instructed, “Touch the word customers on page 14. You can ask, 'What does customers mean?' Then, look for clues. You can see people and money in the store. You can read the words 'for soda and potato chips.' These clues show that customers are people who buy things at a store. Touch more words that are new to you. Ask, 'What does that word mean?' Look for clues in pictures and from words you do know. Try breaking the words into smaller parts that you do know. You can also look up the words in a dictionary. Talk with your Learning Guide about what these new words mean. You can keep track of new words in a T-Chart. Write 'New Words' at the top of the page. Then, write 'Word' at the top of the left column. Write 'Meaning' at the top of the right column. When you find a new word, add it to your chart. In the right column, draw a picture or write a sentence that will help you remember what it means."
• In Unit 5, Lesson: Super Swirls, Part 3, students are asked to act out some of their vocabulary words. The prompt states, “Act out the meanings of the words swirl, twist, and curl. Then, look on pp. 42–43 for the words cling, grasp, and hold on. How are they similar in meaning? How are they different? Act out these words.” The Teaching Notes provides some examples to the Learning Guide about how students may act these words out. Students are then told, “Now, choose three words from this activity. Write a sentence for each one in your ELA Journal. Your Learning Guide can help you. Be sure to start your sentences with a capital letter and end with a period. Check that you spell all the words correctly.” The Learning Guide is provided with sample sentences using these words.
• In Unit 6, Lesson: Adventures in Town, Part 6, as students come across words they do not know, they are instructed, “Sort words into groups to help them understand the meanings of the words. Groups are called categories. You will use a Word Categories Chart to place words from the story into categories. Now, complete a Word Categories chart. Start with a Three Sorting Circles Graphic Organizer. Charlie and Mama go to many places. They meet many people. They do many things. Write 'People' at the top of one circle. Write 'Places' and 'Things' at the top of the other two circles. Write at least two more words or phrases in each circle that are related to the people, places, and things from the story.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially meet the criteria that materials include a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials.

Units include some projects that incorporate research skills. Texts read throughout the given unit are at times, used to complete projects. Students complete projects that encourage them to utilize skills learned and develop knowledge of some texts and some sources. While opportunities for students to develop research skills are present, students do not necessarily need to analyze a topic in order to complete the project. There are opportunities for students to engage with print and digital materials through the LEARN Cards to increase their skills in order to pursue answers to questions related to the content.

In Unit 1, Show: Tell About Your Home, Part 1, students work on their project. The instructions say, “You have read about a few different settings. You have gathered information about them and words that describe them. Now, you will use those words and your knowledge of your home to draw a picture of it.” Students practice research skills to collect information; however, they do not need to use information from sources to complete this project.

In Unit 3, Project: Weather in the World, students create a weather book containing four sentences and illustrations. Throughout the course of the unit, students read about weather and weather-related stories before creating their own weather book.

In Unit 5, Lesson: Let’s Visit Jack’s Garden, Part 1, students learn about opinion writing and how writers use research to find facts and details about a topic. The student task states, “Now, you will find facts and details about gardens in the story, Jack’s Garden. Your topic is garden tools. Your topic question is: What kind of tools do you need to make a garden? To answer the topic question, look at the pictures on pp. 6–7. These show the tools Jack used to make his garden. Would you use the same tools? Make a list of the tools you would use for your garden. Write the list in your ELA Journal.” This is an example of a short research project but students do not necessarily need to use information from the text to create the list.