Blueprint for Early Learning

Evaluation for 2.1
Materials are cross-curricular and integrated in an authentic way to support students’ unified experience throughout the day.

Materials offer some cross-curricular connections, but they are very limited. Most connections focus on the unit theme instead of academic content. Small group lessons are STEM-related and do not focus on the same learning domain each time. There are few true cross-curricular connections. Unit materials do not list multiple targeted Prekindergarten Guidelines for each lesson. Materials do not provide information to support teacher understanding of the domains and to support in planning student experiences based on their current level of development and learning. Some lessons do list a targeted learning domain and skill, but the outcome is not included. Domains are only partially covered, which does not support students’ unified experiences throughout the day.

Evidence includes but is not limited to: 

The materials provide a chart for each week that shows the teacher some arching focus for the “Greeting Time,” “Movement Time,” “Talk Time,” “Read-Aloud,” “Message Time,” “Small Group,” and “Reflection Time.”  The chart does not show how domains are integrated and connected.

In Unit 1, the teacher supports the specific theme of building a classroom community. In centers, the students are able to explore and make cross-curricular connections to the theme. In the “Dramatic Play” center, students act out familiar situations and experiences they’ve shared or observed with their own family. The Dramatic Play center supports students’ ability to build background knowledge through familiar experiences.  Students engage in related but varied experiences across multiple days. The book I Can Do It Myself is used on various days for students to make personal connections, discuss the characters’ feelings, and identify ways the characters can take care of themselves. In the “Message Time Plus” activity, the focus is on straight and curved lines, and the domain focus is “Geometry and Spatial Relations.” The material does not reference the “Writing” domain as an integrated domain, although students are given the opportunity to draw straight and curved lines.

In Unit 5, the teacher supports the intentional and purposeful theme of “life on the farm” through read-alouds, centers, and whole group activities. In the “Art” center, students paint pigs and other farm animals. In the “Library” center, students read aloud books about farms to stuffed animals. The centers allow students to make some cross-curricular connections to the farm and explore experiences on the farm. The nine read-alouds for the unit all focus on animals on the farm. The books include The Big Red Barn; G is for Goat; Polly and Her Duck Costume; and Go To Sleep in Your Own Bed. The read-alouds allow students to make cross-curricular connections to life on the farm. Students engage in some related experiences across multiple days. In the Week 1 “Writing” center, students draw and write about farm animals. In Week 3, students draw pictures and write letters to Polly as an extension for the read-aloud Polly and Her Duck Costume. During a small group activity, students discuss which container works best to transport eggs; the domain focus is “Scientific Inquiry and Practices.” Students also have the opportunity to share which tool worked best (“Language and Communication”) and record their thinking in their science journal (Writing). The material does not reference Writing or Language and Communication as integrated/connected domains.

In Unit 10, the teacher supports the writing of a classroom book. Students celebrate their learning and growth during their year in school and write about their favorite things about school. In the Art center, students make paper-chain decorations for a celebration. In the Dramatic Play center, students plan and set up for a party.  Students make invitations and gift bags and wrap gifts. The centers allow students to make some connections and explore different concepts. The materials do not include explicit connections to the Texas Prekindergarten domains, skills, and/or outcomes. In the Dramatic Play center, the center focus is planning and setting up for a party; the domain focus is “Fine Arts.” In the center, the students write invitations and write birthday cards.  The material does not reference the Writing domain as an integrated/connected domain for the Dramatic Play center.

Evaluation for 2.2
Materials utilize high-quality texts as a core component of content and skill integration.

There is no evidence of texts being strategically chosen to support the teaching of nursery rhymes or fairy tales for content or skill integration. While there are a variety of books by a variety of authors, there are not very many books by well-known children’s authors or early childhood favorites. The selections do, however, represent some range of cultures. Each unit includes nine read-aloud books that support the theme and are culturally relevant to a variety of students. Books are used to build on or connect with specific lessons throughout the units.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, the nine read-alouds contain both fiction and nonfiction books as a component of content and skill integration. Some titles include Friends at School, Little Blue Truck, Tyrannosaurus Wrecks, and Lots of Feelings. In the “Library” center, students read books that feature friendships. In the “Block” center, students read books about construction and building. In the “Art” center, students read books that feature artists and creative expression. The materials do not include a variety of classic children’s literature, early childhood favorites, and popular current titles. Diane Adams, the author of I Can Do It Myself, is an award-winning author. The materials also do not include additional books to develop reading comprehension or content and skill integration outside of the nine read-aloud books.

In Unit 5, there are a total of nine read-aloud books, all fiction. There are a variety of high-quality texts. A few titles include Big Red Barn, G is For Goat; and Out and About at The Dairy Farm. In the Library center, students read books about farms to support the theme and extend learning across curricular areas. These books are tied into the centers, math, science, read-aloud time, and small group time; however, the material does not include nonfiction books, poems, songs, or nursery rhymes.

In Unit 10, there are nine read-alouds that are theme-based and focus on reading comprehension. They consist of fiction and nonfiction books, such as All Kinds of Friends, When Pencil Meets Eraser, Run Wild, and Jabari Jumps. In the Library center, students read and explore stories about celebrations and read their favorite book or story with a partner. The book When Pencil Meets Eraser was named a “Best Children’s Book of 2019” by Parents magazine. The materials do not include additional books to support the theme and develop reading comprehension in other content areas outside of the nine read-aloud books. The materials do not include nonfiction books, poems, songs, or nursery rhymes.

Each unit includes nine recommended texts that support the theme. The texts are read two to three times and have specific lesson targets included with each reading. Materials contain numerous culturally relevant books. They showcase characters from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Evaluation for 2.3
Materials support developmentally appropriate practice across all content domains.

There are several multisensory lessons, but they do not have cross-curricular elements. Each unit only includes two or three center activity recommendations, and most still enlist teacher direction. Students’ choice is mentioned but not evident in unit lessons. Most lessons are taught directly and not balanced with indirect teaching. Most instruction is delivered in the teacher-led direct approach. Learning centers have student-led aspects; however, often, specific activities require on-site teacher direction.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide nine centers that allow for practice in math, science, technology, writing, print and book awareness, and language development. The teacher sets up “Library,” “Dramatic Play,” “Science,” “Technology,” “Writing,” “Block,” “Art,” and “Sensory Learning” centers. Most center activities require the teacher to initiate or guide them. The “Curriculum Guide” and “Foundational Guide” give teachers recommendations regarding group size and appropriate learning setting. 

During Unit 2, “Message Time Plus,” students explore purposeful play while learning about triangles. They also play a recognition game using other shapes and identifying whether the shape is a triangle or not. Students further explore triangles that occur in nature during their “Math” center time. In another activity, students use senses to describe a banana. As students pass the banana around, they explore it with each sense except taste. In the “Keep It Going” section, the teacher creates a banana observation station where students explore and observe a banana with a peel and one without. Students make note of changes to the fruit over time. These activities are teacher-directed. The “Talk Time” lesson includes a materials list to ensure that the teacher has access to chart paper and a marker to write down students’ ideas about staying healthy. During small group lessons, students use bear counters to compare amounts. The Keep It Going sidebar suggests the teacher should move the materials to the Math center to allow students to continue comparing quantities using bear counters; the teacher also adds spoons, tongs, and tweezers for students to use to pick up the counters. There are some purposeful activities that connect the domains to play and learning objectives; however, they are mostly teacher-directed.

During the Unit 4 Message Time Plus, students learn and practice learning objectives using the positional words on top of. In the Keeping It Going sidebar, materials encourage the teacher to join students at various centers and outside activities to help practice and reinforce recognizing and using positional words. During a small group lesson, students explore and investigate prisms. Students describe the prism during a teacher-initiated discussion. The “Centers” tab makes suggestions for setting up the learning center areas. Teachers include theme-related activities but also add materials that reflect students’ interests and learning needs, allowing for student choice in play. Nine centers are included; they allow for practice in math, science, technology, writing, print and book awareness, and language development. There is a limited balance between teacher-directed activities and free choice for the students to meet, reinforce, or practice learning objectives.  

During the Unit 6 Message Time Plus, students learn and practice the hard c sound. Following the Keeping It Going sidebar, the teacher extends the lesson by having students cut out magazine pictures that begin with the hard c sound. At the Sensory Learning center, students find items that begin with the hard c sound. During a small group lesson, students discuss ways to replace a missing bubble wand. The teacher provides a selection of materials, and the students explore and discover which materials can be used to make a bubble wand. Students create a bubble wand and then test if it works or not. The “Movement Time” lesson gives the teacher a list of specific materials needed for the activity. The teacher leads the students in a game where they move their body like a straw or a spoon. Many center activities require some teacher direction. For example, the Week 2 “Math and Table Toys” center activity requires the teacher to invite students to roll the dice and circle the matching number on the number line. Teacher guidance recommends and promotes student choice in theory, but the lessons do not show evidence of this.

Evaluation for 2.4
Materials fit within a developmentally appropriate programmatic structure.

The materials do not clearly specify whether they are for three- or four-year-old students. They do list some activities appropriate for four- and five-year-old children; however, it is not specifically stated in the materials.  They do not include scaffolding for three-year-old students. The lessons do include strategies for keeping students with short attention spans engaged and focused. Lessons do not list specifics or detailed instruction for full- or half-day programs, but they do encourage the teacher to make changes as needed.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The “Foundations Guide” includes a “Physical Development and Milestones” table in Chapter 2 to guide teachers in better understanding the gross motor development of three-, four-, and five-year-old children. The materials never list age specifics, but most lessons would be appropriate for four- and five-year-old students, as listed in the Prekindergarten Guidelines. The included “Correlations Guide” only lists four- to five-year-old guidelines, but it does not make specific note of this. Materials do not list the age for which the lessons are geared. If a teacher is not highly familiar with the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines, they would not know which age the lessons are written for or how to modify lessons for their specific age group.

The Foundations Guide provides an example of a recommended half-day and whole-day schedule to help guide the teacher in making instructional choices. The thematic units are set up for a whole-day learning environment and do not include best practices for half-day use. Materials do not explicitly guide the teacher in how to effectively use the materials in a half-day setting. Some units include a “Week at a Glance” recommended daily schedule. The materials state that the teacher can move or structure activities as needed, but they do not state whether it is for a full- or half-day program. This arrangement is used for each subsequent week in all instructional units.

The materials are intended for use primarily with four-year-old children, but this is not specifically mentioned. The materials do not include three-year-old specific scaffolding or instructional guidance. The lessons include strategies for maintaining short attention spans and helping keep students engaged, but specific ages are not mentioned.  

A Unit 2 read-aloud, Healthy Kids by Maya Ajmera, Victoria Dunning, and Cynthia Pon, includes “before, during, and after” questions to help keep children engaged and focused. For example, during the read-aloud, the teacher pauses, uses the sign language for I like, and says, “I am signing ‘I like’ because we are reading about a way that I like to take care of my body.” This models for students how they can react to the book appropriately and engage with the text (i.e., by communicating when they hear a way they like to take care of their bodies). Each question is scripted and book-specific.

A Unit 4 “Message Time Plus” lesson incorporates hands-on strategies to maintain attention spans and help students make a real-world connection to learn the word haul. At the end of the visual teaching of the word haul, the teacher demonstrates putting books in a crate that is attached to a rope. The teacher first models how to pull or haul the books; then, the students have an opportunity to try to haul the books. 

A Unit 6 small group activity provides direct instruction in an appropriate timeframe and includes a hands-on activity. The teacher connects the lesson with the read-aloud book Monsters Love Colors by Mike Austin to help build students’ background knowledge. The teacher guides the students to warm up their hands by doing hand exercises like squeezing and releasing their fingers. Layered questions encourage student involvement. Using two primary colors of paint, students create new colors. The teacher encourages the students to make predictions before mixing and then discuss with their partner how their experiment turned out after mixing.

Evaluation for 2.5
Materials include detailed guidance that supports teacher’s delivery of instruction.

Materials include some instructional strategies for the teacher to use during the lessons. Materials do not include information for the teacher that explains child development of skills. Visuals are not provided to help the teacher better understand skills development continuums. Materials provide some guidance for connecting students’ prior content knowledge and experiences to new learning.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

“BP Foundations” includes information for the teacher that explains the students’ development of skills. In Chapter 2, there is a table that addresses the physical development and milestones for a three-, four-, and five-year-old. For example, at age three, the student climbs well. At age four, the student cuts with supervision.  At age five, the student hops and skips. Chapter 2 also addresses the students’ cognitive and social and emotional development. For example, four- to five-year-old students are able to retell stories and sort and classify shapes and objects. In Chapter 3 of the “Curriculum Guide,” the teacher reads about several elements that are crucial when designing and implementing effective early literacy instruction. Elements should be developmentally appropriate, immerse the students in meaningful learning experiences, gradually release responsibility to the students, and utilize high-quality books for instruction and read-aloud daily. The material includes some teaching strategies that meet the needs for teaching prekindergarten skills. 

A Unit 2 small group lesson includes a list of counting strategies for the teacher to use to help encourage student success. To help students count accurately, the teacher models the strategies of touching and counting, lining up the objects and counting them, and moving the items as they are counted. The teacher connects learning to prior knowledge in another small group lesson. The teacher helps the students refamiliarize themselves with the “size” vocabulary words that they have previously learned, such as big, small, and tall. The teacher initiates a discussion about lining up in order of size. The class talks about how they would decide who was first (i.e., whether it would be tallest to shortest or reversed). The teacher then encourages the students to line their stuffed animals in order from tallest to shortest. The class discusses other ways to compare or arrange the stuffed animals.

A Unit 4 “Message Time Plus” uses a previously read book to support a rhyming lesson. The teacher points out that the book is a rhyming book, and certain words rhyme. A student volunteer shares what they know about rhyming words. As the teacher rereads parts of the book, the teacher asks students to listen for the rhyming words. Students share the rhyming words and help the teacher generate a new word that rhymes with the shared word. The teacher then draws a picture and writes a sentence using the new words. In a small group, the teacher extends the lesson, allowing students to remove and change beginning sounds in the ay family to make new rhyming words. The “Talk Time” lesson uses the previous read-aloud, The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier, to build prior background knowledge on the building process. The teacher uses the pages of the book to help students visualize and sequence the steps involved in engineering a building. Students discuss what needs to be done first, second, and third in the process. 

In a Unit 6 Message Time Plus lesson, the teacher introduces a strategy highlighting the letter x and its sound. During the lesson, the teacher writes a sentence using the letter x and guides the students in making the sound and reading the word relax in the message emphasizing the x sound. To extend the lesson and allow for individual exploration, the teacher initiates a “letter hunt” in the “Library” center. While the teacher reads a book, students listen for the x sound and find the letter in the book. In a small group lesson, the teacher connects to previous learning about scooping and tally marks. Working with a partner, students explore how many scoops of water will fill a specific container. One partner scoops water, while the other records the amount using tally marks in their science journal. After their container is full and they have recorded their number, students compare with another group and see if they have the same findings. At the end of the lesson, students compare this measurement activity with those done on previous days.

Evaluation for 2.6
Materials are supported by child development research on children’s development within and across all domains.

The materials reference some variety of trusted early educational resources but do not contain a list of cited research materials. The materials do not contain Texas-specific connections or teacher guidance regarding the diversity of languages spoken by children and families in many areas of the state.  There is no bibliography present.

Evidence includes but is not limited to: 

In the “Curriculum Guide,” Chapter 2 of the curriculum developed is supported by child development research.  Chapter 2 provides a synopsis of the cognitive, social, and emotional development of the student. Students’ cognitive development grows at a fast rate as they explore and interact with the world. Three- to five-year-old students are developing their ability to use symbolic thought, which is part of Piaget’s “Preoperational Stage” of cognitive development. The “Foundations Guide” makes note that the teaching and best practices parts of the materials come from a comparison of state early childhood standards, NAEYC, Head Start Outcomes, and other national organizations’ standards such as WIDA and DECCEC. The lessons allow teachers flexibility to adjust that plan based on the developmental needs of different learners in the classroom. Materials state that teacher language and actions should intentionally and clearly expose children to behaviors and skills without pressuring them to apply these concepts until they are developmentally ready.

Lessons are scripted and preplanned. Most lessons are developmentally appropriate in setup and plans, but they do not specifically identify the research behind the lesson plans. According to the Foundations Guide, the most effective teachers seek opportunities to learn about research-based strategies and pedagogy and then apply that learning in their classrooms. It is further stated that the support of coaches who help teachers with new strategies for teaching is critical to the success of their application. Research is mentioned numerous times, but the specific source is never given.

The Curriculum Guide cites research by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which is a known source in early childhood development. Other reported reputable sources known for early childhood development are Fountas and Pinnell with Literacy Beginnings and McGee and Ukrainetz with “Using Scaffolding to Teach Phonemic Awareness in Preschool and Kindergarten.” The research cited does not include a connection to Texas and the diversity of languages spoken by children and families in many different demographic areas of the state.

The material does not contain a bibliography in the Curriculum Guide. The Foundations Guide and “Original Curriculum Guide” make note of research-based learning practices, but they do not include a cited bibliography to support this information. Each unit references research-based teaching methods and best practices but does not include where the research came from. Guidance and understanding of early childhood development and the validity of the recommended approach is included in some activities within the units. 

In Unit 5, students have the opportunity to share their ideas during small groups, intentional read-aloud, and centers. During the read-aloud of the book Big Red Barn, to access prior knowledge, materials instruct the teacher to find out if students’ families have ever lived on or near a farm. If they have, teachers invite students to share their experiences.  

In Unit 10, during the read-aloud of the book Jabari Jumps, students make predictions about the cover of the book. Students then have the opportunity to share their predictions with the class in a language-rich experience.

Evaluation for 3.1
Materials include direct social skill instruction and explicit teaching of skills.

The materials include some support for teachers for partial lessons on self-concept skills, self-regulation skills, relationships with others, and self-awareness activities as laid out in the “Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.” Not all skills laid out in the “Prekindergarten Guidelines” are covered. There are some materials for some skills in Unit 1, but not in the remaining units. The materials do not provide guidance for teacher modeling of these concepts. The guidance for teachers in respecting cultural differences is not addressed. The use of appropriate texts to support social competencies was minimal. There was no direct correlation between texts and the development of competencies to understand and respond to emotions evident in any of the units. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials include some lessons on social skills such as self-concept, self-regulation, relationships with others, and social awareness.  For example, in Unit 1, the teacher models some social skills during the “Greeting Time” and “Talk Time” lessons, providing instruction of each skill within the Social and Emotional Development domain of the “Prekindergarten Guidelines.” Materials contain lessons targeting social and emotional skill development that follow the gradual release model. For example, in one “Greeting Circle” activity, students learn how to greet one another; in another Greeting Circle, students wave when they hear their name. During Talk Time, the teacher directly teaches self-regulation skills by modeling attention-getting signals that students will use. The materials provide some guidance for the teacher to model behaviors and routines for successful play in the learning centers. The materials guide the teacher to work with students in small groups to model how students will play in centers. For example, the teacher models how to share, how to listen for the signal, and how to stay in their center. 

In Unit 2, the materials include a few lessons to directly teach each skill within the Social and Emotional Development domain. Evidence can be found in the “Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines” correlation document that is included in the materials. Materials contain some lessons for targeted social and emotional skill development that follows the gradual release model. For example, the “Yoga Hammer Pose” from Unit 4 references thematic tools such as a hammer in gross motor activity. The teacher-led video demonstrates each step and shows two classmates following along correctly. 

Unit 4 materials include some texts that contain some cross-curricular connections and can be used to support the development of social and emotional skills. For example, the book My Friend Robot emphasizes the importance of working together to get things done. The Little Red Fort focuses on feelings and proud accomplishments. There are nine books in the unit, and they all are developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant. The characters are diverse and represent a variety of backgrounds; the stories are age-appropriate for prekindergarten children.

In Unit 5, during Talk Time, the teacher discusses the feeling of caring. She instructs the students to “find” the word pause and add the word pause to the “Mindful Moment” basket. The word pause will aid students in applying breathing techniques when needing to calm down. In Unit 10, the Talk Time activity instructs the teacher to use gestures, pictures, or directly translate the word in the students’ native language for the word feelings.

The guidance for teacher modeling does not include attention to cultural differences. The materials do not contain teacher guidance on how cultural differences could affect the development of specific skills. Unit 10 recommends that the teacher be consistent in routines and schedules to help students continue to develop social and emotional skills. Some recommendations are made for teacher modeling and the use of strategies to support skills. For example, during a “Gathering Time,” the teacher shows students how to use a modified version of “Simon Says” as a lesson to help students understand the concept of self-regulation and taking care of others.

Evaluation for 3.2
Materials include repeated opportunities for students to practice social skills throughout the day.

The materials reviewed include some repeated opportunities for students to practice social skills throughout the day. Read-alouds, whole-group activities, and activities where children respond by collecting and organizing data and practicing are not evident. There is a need for multiple activities and centers to be established. There are partial lessons on self-concept skills, self-regulation skills, relationships with others, and social awareness skills as laid out in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. Materials provide minimal opportunities to learn, practice, and apply these skills throughout the day, as most materials are environmental and may be hard to obtain. Some practice opportunities are authentically integrated throughout all other content domains. With materials being difficult to obtain, there may not be enough opportunities to learn and practice the skills, especially in other content domains. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Unit 1 contains lessons specifically for cleaning up and taking care of items during center time (self-regulation); however, this skill is not directly retaught in any other unit. In Unit 1, students learn how to greet one another and share. The material references teaching the “Power of 3” program. In The Power of 3, the activities flow through all the units and provide strategies to “Take Care of Ourselves,” “Take Care of Each Other,” and “Take Care of Our Environment;” however, there is no evidence of direct support for the teaching of this program in the “Teacher Guides.” In each unit, there is a reference to the Power of 3 charts that the teacher creates and adds to with the provided images. Power of 3 images are provided in the units, and there are directions on when to use them; however, there is no clear evidence of instruction for the teacher on how to teach and then practice the skill in different settings.

Unit 2 materials include guidance for the teacher to develop a responsive interaction style and to create a risk-free environment for children to practice social and emotional skills. For example, the materials include a “Spotlight on Social-Emotional Learning” page that directs the teacher to help the student learn coping or calming strategies in positive ways. The materials recommend the use of visuals and structures that help support students’ abilities to practice these skills and deal with social situations more effectively. For example, the materials include a “Feelings” chart with pictures that are always student accessible; the chart is used during specific lessons, in which the teacher adds new emotion words and encourages students to come up with other words that mean the same thing. For example, students help explain what it means to be upset and give synonyms, such as grumpy or mad. Social and emotional skills puppets are also used to model the concept. Students are encouraged to take turns and listen to their friend. This helps students recognize and understand the different perspectives of others. Material lessons have some social and emotional skills opportunities embedded in other content areas. For example, a movement lesson on following directions models taking turns and allows for practice of the concept. Taking turns is also encouraged during learning center times.

Unit 4 materials include teacher recommendations for giving students opportunities to practice directly taught skills in a variety of settings. For example, the teacher uses social and emotional skills puppets to model a lesson on persistence. The material recommends that the teacher encourage students to “keep on trying” new skills, such as opening items at lunch or stacking blocks during center times throughout the day. The “keep on trying” skill and picture is added to a chart for easy student access. For further teacher guidance, at the beginning of the unit, there is a recommendation page for better understanding of persistence and multiple ways to encourage students to keep on trying and to not give up. In Unit 4, the literature selection The Little Red Fort examines the emotional connections between Ruby, the protagonist, and her friends, before, during, and after they build the little red fort. Students are referred back to the feelings chart created earlier in the unit and take turns talking about how Ruby feels at different times throughout the building of the fort.

Unit 6 materials include lessons designed to develop other domain areas and incorporate connections to social and emotional skills through embedded learning opportunities throughout the day. For example, during a lesson on mixing things, students are given an opportunity to take turns practicing stirring the mixture. Material lessons provide opportunities for students to better understand themselves and the different ideas of others. During a read-aloud, the teacher is directed to ask students what types of items they would add to soup while being sensitive to possible cultural differences and making sure to use positive facial expressions and verbal cues.

In Unit 8, the students are given multiple opportunities to practice new skills in a variety of ways in different settings. In this unit, students have whole-group instruction, small-group instruction, and centers, which provide them with opportunities to practice new skills. In a “Message Time” activity, the students discuss trees in the whole group and then talk about trees during the read-aloud of The Busy Tree. The instructional material includes lessons or skills suggestions and materials to practice but does not reinforce skills in a variety of settings. The activity varies based on whole-group or small-group instruction, but there is no support for reinforcing skills outside of the classroom. While the materials provide opportunities to practice social skills in a whole group, a small group, and learning centers, recommendations for other settings are not included.

Unit 10 recommends visuals to help students practice and use appropriate social interactions. For example, during a read-aloud about sharing, the teacher uses the Power of 3 chart to remind students how to treat others. The chart contains visual aids to make the concept more concrete. After the story, the students are encouraged to turn and talk to a friend about the story lesson using appropriate sharing techniques and social skills.

The nonlinguistic visuals and charts that introduce and reinforce social skills could be used as visual accommodations in the classroom, but additional strategies to “Take Care of Ourselves” for Tier 2 or Tier 3 behavior could not be found. There is no direct guidance for the teacher. The teacher gives opportunities to practice, but everything is in the same classroom setting. The teacher does not reinforce the social skills in other settings. Every product used is environmental. Science asks for wool for student observation, but wool might be hard to find. Literature sources are scarce. Literature selections do not come with this program; campuses must purchase them separately. With materials being difficult to obtain, there may not be enough opportunities to learn and practice the skills, especially in other content domains.

Unit 10 recommends visuals to help students practice and use appropriate social interactions. For example, during a read-aloud about sharing, the teacher uses the Power of 3 chart to remind students how to treat others. The chart contains visual aids to make the concept more concrete. After the story, the students are encouraged to turn and talk to a friend about the story lesson using appropriate sharing techniques and social skills.

The nonlinguistic visuals and charts that introduce and reinforce social skills could be used as visual accommodations in the classroom, but additional strategies to “Take Care of Ourselves” for Tier 2 or Tier 3 behavior could not be found. There is no direct guidance for the teacher. The teacher gives opportunities to practice, but everything is in the same classroom setting. The teacher does not reinforce the social skills in other settings. Every product used is environmental. Science asks for wool for student observation, but wool might be hard to find. Literature sources are scarce. Literature selections do not come with this program; campuses must purchase them separately. With materials being difficult to obtain, there may not be enough opportunities to learn and practice the skills, especially in other content domains.

Evaluation for 3.3
Materials include ideal classroom arrangements that support positive social interactions.

Within the materials reviewed, there are some suggestions on where and what to place in the classroom or daily centers; however, teachers are not guided in how to arrange the daily learning centers to provide optimal teaching of social skills in the remaining units. There is some specific guidance for teachers to model practicing social skills in each of the centers. There are some suggestions on classroom arrangements; however, there are no directions or ways to set up the centers to teach social skills. There are no center management procedures or signs for centers. Materials provide some suggestions for how to engage students in classroom arrangement in order to promote student ownership of space.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide some specific guidance for practicing social skills in Unit 1, including in daily learning centers, but not thereafter. The instructional material only includes some guidance for classroom arrangement to ensure the practice of social skills. The materials provide the teacher with some guidance on items to put in each center as well as on areas in which to place the centers to promote social skills. A sample picture is included to show learning center arrangement, but clear details for setting up are not provided. Some center materials are suggested, but proper set up is not addressed. There are a few classroom pictures, but none of them illustrate a room or center arrangement. For example, in Unit 1, the “Block” and “Dramatic Play” centers are to be in an area that can be noisy, while the “Library” center should be in an area away from noise. In the Dramatic Play center, the teacher is making a home-environment simulation. The teacher is given some guidance to incorporate items such as phones, dishes, plates, and dolls to promote social skills. In Unit 8, the “Talk Time” activity provides a specific area of the room in which to practice social skills, but it does not provide clear instructions for the teacher. The Talk Time activity allows students to discuss animal homes. As students are arranged in a circle, all students participate in a “Greeting Time” activity. In the Greeting Time activity, the students talk about and discuss different animal features; however, there is no specific guidance or instructions for the teacher.

The materials provide some teacher guidance on classroom arrangement to support teacher-student and student-student interactions. There is also some evidence that supports a variety of classroom designs and sizes. One diagram is shown for how to set up the centers in the classroom. Unit 2 materials do not provide classroom arrangement examples for teachers. There are general recommendations about placing the “Art” center by the sink, but there are no specific teacher supports. Whole groups and small groups are mentioned in the learning materials, but setup instructions are not given. Materials provide a few examples or resources to help guide the teacher in creating spaces for strong social interaction. The materials include some information on the importance of proper classroom setup for enabling positive social interactions and skills practice. 

Unit 3 “Power of 3” anchor charts introduce “Act kindly” and “Throw away trash,” using child-created pictorials as illustrations. The teacher purposely models each chart throughout the day and revisits charts from past units so that children can use them for their own independent thinking and work. The “Sensory Table” center in Unit 3 supports positive social interactions by posting photographs and captions of children’s work; they are displayed in the center where the work occurred. The scripted lessons from the “Writing center” in Unit 9 ask four questions to help develop teacher-student and student-student interactions. Three of the four questions can be answered as yes/no, and one is an open-ended question; students can answer these scripted questions in one- and two-word phrases. 

The materials’ placement of the centers considers some factors and components of the physical space and its impact on students’ social development. The Art center is near a sink, which will allow easy access for students to get water to paint and for handwashing. The Block center is located in a big open space away from other centers to support noisy and quiet areas. The materials do not connect the use of physical space with a student’s social development. Though lessons are targeted for whole groups or small groups specifically, no mention is made of arrangement or location of students’ personal space, such as seating arrangements. In Unit 8, during the “Musical Numbers” activity, the teacher is asked to find a space where children can move about.  Unit 8 reminds students to look around their classroom while they are at the water fountain so that they can find items that begin with the /w/ sound. While the teacher is encouraged to set up a system to support clean-up time at the end of centers, there is no clear guidance for setting up a daily schedule or even a system of which centers are open on a weekly basis.

Some materials can be implemented fairly easily and effectively within a classroom arrangement that supports some positive social interactions, both in whole-group learning as well as small-group learning. This learning includes opportunities for academic instruction and some social interactions. Learners are able to make their own center choices for the day and are supported in cleaning up independently at the end of center time. Teachers work on self-regulation skills through the whole-group “Intentional Read Aloud Time;” the teacher is encouraged to teach the students simple signs, such as “I wonder” or “I remember,” so they are able to engage and interact with the story without blurting out. The teacher is sometimes encouraged to use techniques such as “Turn and Talk” during the read-aloud. There are “Daily Gathering Times,” which incorporate Greeting Time and Talk Time, which focus on guiding questions and daily reflections. 

In Unit 1, the materials guide the teacher in supporting and including social interactions within the lesson and activities. In the Talk Time activity, students discuss the “Feelings” chart with the teacher and discuss how each of the faces looks. There are whole-group and small-group lessons. During small groups, the teacher introduces the centers to the students; by the end of the week, students are able to choose their own center. The material guides teachers in supporting and including social interactions within the lessons and activities. Some of the Greeting Time, Talk Time, and “Movement Time” activities guide the teacher in supporting student social interactions.

Unit 2 materials do not state or mention support to guide the teacher in group arrangement to make the use of resources more effective. For instance, read-aloud opportunities are included, and the lessons direct teacher actions, but the actual arrangement or location for these opportunities is not mentioned. The materials provide examples of using whole-group settings as an opportunity for students to interact through a Turn and Talk activity. The Greeting Time and Talk Time for the classroom community are aligned with social interactions.

Materials provide some suggestions for how to engage students in classroom arrangement in order to promote student ownership of the space. In Unit 1, the teacher starts with five centers in the classroom, which include Art, Library, Writing, Sensory, and Block; there are many exploration activities. At the beginning of the year, minimal things are out within the classroom, which gives students an opportunity to explore and establish ownership of the space. Unit 1 also introduces students to a clothespin chart for center selection. The child’s name is written on the clothespin; however, it does not include a picture for students who are unable to recognize the letters in their name. The students’ capacity for each center is minimally addressed in only some centers. Center-specific rules charts that help maintain the required expectations are only addressed in some units. For example, in Unit 9, the Sensory center does not mention how to address water spills or clean-up procedures. In Unit 4, it is recommended that students are given an opportunity to collaborate in learning center additions or creations within the classroom arrangement, but nothing is mentioned about that in the initial set-up. In Unit 8, there are 10 centers that are arranged in a way to promote social interactions; students move from exploration to extensions of whole-group instruction skills incorporated into the centers. By the end of the school year, more centers are created, and centers are skill-based. The provided Power of 3 chart is set up to replace the typical rules chart; components of the chart are integrated into some of the lessons. 

Evaluation for 3.4
Materials include activities to develop physical skill and refine motor development through movement.

The materials include full lessons on developing physical skill and refining both fine and gross motor development through movement. The materials provide numerous daily opportunities for students to develop their gross motor skills through movement activities such as different exercise poses, moving activities with parachutes, and role-playing with their bodies. Fine motor activities are also evident through play with paint, modeling clay, and tangible materials in science units. Each lesson includes activities to refine motor development through play, movement, and tasks that do not require writing. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

There is a daily “Movement Time” in each unit, which is a whole group activity. Gross motor activity is also encouraged in other areas, such as “Greeting Time.” High intensity and low-intensity gross movement activities are included in the units. The activities alternate each week between high intensity and low-intensity activities; for example, the Hen pose appears in Unit 5, and the Pizza pose appears in Unit 7. The materials do not include a kit or special resources for students to practice gross motor skills. Parachutes, blankets, and other materials are suggested for use in the classroom, but they are not part of the included materials.

In Unit 2, the materials provide activities to promote gross motor skills. For example, the first two weeks of the unit include daily gross motor activities such as moving feet together and apart while jumping and playing and/or crawling under a blanket. The teacher is also given specific instructions on ways to help students at different movement levels. Most gross motor skills activities are included as separate lessons, but there are some integrated activities. The teacher models the song “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” using the corresponding movements. Authentic movement opportunities are embedded during instruction time; for example, the teacher guides the class in a math measurement activity that involves using blocks to measure how far children can jump. During a writing activity, students learn the word stretch and are encouraged to get up and stretch their bodies. 

Unit 5 includes activities to promote child movement that develops gross motor skills; this happens during Movement Time and “Message Time.” The Message Time activity calls for students to practice stumbling, which is the vocabulary word that is emphasized for the day. The Movement Time activity gives students the opportunity to practice strutting like a rooster. Activities that support gross motor skills are integrated within the lessons. 

During a lesson in Unit 6 on stirring, students are encouraged to make the stirring motion with multiple body parts. During a lesson on balancing, materials encourage the teacher to model how to balance on one knee with both hands or on both knees with just one hand. During a creative arts lesson, students use their feet to pretend to paint on the ceiling. 

In Unit 8, students move like a worm as an activity to support the content. Unit 8 suggests using a parachute (sheet or table cloth) to keep a plastic egg from falling as a gross motor skills activity.

Unit 9 references four thematic opportunities to practice jumping jacks, “moon lunges,” “moon rolls,” and other space movements found in Movement Time. The activities are incorporated while singing songs, such as “Floating into Outer Space,” and connect to unit vocabulary words, such as gravity. Students practice yoga poses related to the unit theme. The materials suggest that these yoga activities and poses be implemented in multiple school settings, such as the gym, playground, cafeteria, or classroom. A ten-minute Movement Time is built into the schedule each day.

In Unit 10, centers and Movement Time both encourage movement. The “Dramatic Play” center is set up as a “party time” center, which allows students to pretend to have a party. Daily Movement Time activities include the students playing “Simon Says,” which calls for an array of movements, and students moving a parachute up and down. There are creative arts lessons that allow for gross motor movements to different types of music, but this does not happen in other domains. The materials suggest including fine motor activities during instruction time with materials such as modeling clay and paint and activities such as pinching and grasping objects, pulling, cutting, and developing pencil grasp. The materials include “Brain Break” activities involving balance, crossing the midline, movement games, and outdoor and indoor games.

Evaluation for 3.5
Materials include activities that develop safe and healthy habits in students.

Materials include some activities that develop safe and healthy habits in students. Materials provide some teacher guidance on modeling safe and healthy habits for students. Materials provide some opportunities and activities for students to practice safety and reflect on safe and healthy habits. Some materials serve to communicate for both teachers and students the connection between physical and mental health. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

At the beginning of the year, in Units 1 and 2, students are learning how to develop safe and healthy habits while taking care of themselves. The “Talk Time” activity focuses on students learning how to be responsible for their safety within the classroom. In Unit 2, the focus is on healthy bodies, teaching concepts such as moving and taking care of the body, getting enough rest and sleep, and making healthy choices with nourishing foods. Each week in the unit targets a different healthy concept. The materials guide the teacher to set up a “Dramatic Play” center as a doctor’s office and recommend book titles related to the theme that can be placed in the “Library” center.

In Unit 7, there are some lessons and activities that help teachers present, model, and teach safe and healthy habits. The teacher uses songs to transition from Talk Time to “Message Time.” The song signals students to go to their appropriate spots and get ready for the lesson. The teacher models the procedure, allows students to practice and then lets students proceed to a center. 

The materials include some lessons and activities that help teachers present, model, and teach safe and healthy habits. During an interactive writing lesson, students are encouraged to share their favorite healthy snack. The teacher models and thinks aloud to help direct the students. Within a movement lesson that integrates a read-aloud story about a boy diving, there is a teacher note on the importance of regular exercise to student health. Two of the read-aloud times specifically target ways for students to practice staying healthy and active. For instance, one of the books explains how to take a mindful moment (deep breath and focus) before a gymnastic routine. During most “Movement Times,” the materials make recommendations on allowing enough movement space for students. Moving safely in their personal space is specified during a specific self-care lesson that is aligned with a “Simon Says” game. 

Some of the Unit 8 materials provide opportunities and activities for students to practice safe and reflect on safe and healthy habits while making a connection between physical and mental health. The “Did You Know” activity reminds students that regular exercise helps them develop strong muscles and bones.

In Unit 9, a small group STEM coding lesson asks students to move on a 4-by-4 grid to play “Get the Astronaut to the Space Station.” While building student interest, the lesson shares a card with a heart to remind students that astronauts have to stay in good shape and keep healthy when they are in space.

Evaluation for 4.1
Materials provide direct (explicit) instruction in developing students’ listening and speaking skills.

The materials provide numerous opportunities for students to strengthen their listening skills daily through planned learning centers and scripted activities using read-alouds and questioning techniques. The materials provide teacher guidance on modeling active listening for understanding using different games and well-rounded activities. The materials support and scaffold daily opportunities for students to listen for understanding in multiple settings, such as whole group settings, small group settings, and centers. The materials also provide opportunities for students to hear sounds, appropriate sentence structure, and grammar in a variety of contexts through read-alouds and anchor charts. Many opportunities are provided for students to hear conversations that follow conversation norms. The lessons provide support to the teacher for developing students’ listening skills. Teachers are guided with conversation starters, sentence stems, and recommendations for conversation through rich language opportunities.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In the beginning-of-the-year lessons, Unit 1 materials specify ways for the teacher to model and explain active listening for understanding. For example, during the first read-aloud, there are recommendations for the teacher to think aloud when looking at the pictures; the teacher also models active listening when listening carefully to the words. Unit 1 materials provide examples of think-alouds to support lesson understanding and active listening. For example, during read-aloud time, the materials recommend specific think-alouds for the teacher to share, using stems such as “I think” or “I’m thinking of.” Unit 1 materials recommend using visual supports to model active listening. For example, in the “Materials” section, teachers are encouraged to use anchor charts to promote a more effective, engaging, and child-friendly way to support learning and reinforce key language concepts.

During the “Talk Time” activity, the teacher models good listening skills in a multi-sensory way. For example, the materials suggest using a talking stick as a visual way to identify who is speaking and reinforce others’ responsibility to listen. After the teacher discusses patterns, in the “Building Understanding” small group activity, students are able to share what they notice about patterns. Opportunities for students to hear conversations occur with the read-aloud Friends at School; students are given an opportunity to share the things that they like and to listen to each other share. The teacher then gives students the opportunity to listen to conversations in a variety of classroom settings and models conversations connected to play behavior. 

Unit 2 materials provide opportunities to practice listening for understanding across multiple learning settings with daily scaffolding and support. For example, stem questions are included for the teacher to use in each learning center to engage students in theme-related discussion. Materials provide guidance for the teacher to recognize that children can demonstrate receptive listening in a variety of ways. For example, during a lesson on the five senses, materials encourage teachers to allow children to point to body parts instead of answering verbally; this involves multisensory practice and demonstration of listening skills. During “Greeting Time,” the students sing the song “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” while touching the specific body parts. Also in this unit, provided texts supply a variety of sounds and contain appropriate sentence structure and correct grammar. For example, the read-aloud book Hush! A Thai Lullaby incorporates appropriate sentence structure and grammar with predictable patterns, use of rhyme, and a variety of animal sounds to support listening skills. Provided theme-related activities support listening development and allow for continuous opportunities for students to hear relevant contextual language. There are many opportunities for the teacher to model conversations and conversation norms in a variety of settings. The materials give guidance on how to model conversation connected to play behaviors. 

In Unit 3, the “Continued Conversations” literature selections provide three additional question stems per book to encourage other ways of thinking and conversing for students. During “Movement Time,” students follow along and engage in a variety of listening exercises. For example, students play “Simon Says.” During small group time, students are asked to give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down in response to the question, “Is this a good container for the job?” The students are again asked for a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to identify a pattern during small group time. Appropriate sentence structure is modeled during the intentional read-aloud, where the teacher talks out loud about the things observed on the front and back cover of the book using the prompt “I see….” The teacher encourages the students to complete the sentence with something they see and then recaps and elaborates on what the student said.

In the middle-of-the-year lessons, Unit 4 materials provide different texts that have a variety of sounds, appropriate sentence structure, and correct grammar. For example, the read-aloud book Construction provides appropriate sentence structure and correct grammar while using construction equipment sounds for engagement and development of listening skills. The text also includes repetition and rhyme to support student listening skills. This includes theme-related activities that provide repeated opportunities to hear relevant language. Unit 4 materials also provide opportunities for the teacher to model conversations. In the “Tips” section of the “Library” center for Unit 4, teachers are encouraged to use different kinds of puppets in order to retell a familiar book that includes conversational dialogue and conversation norms. For “Read Aloud” lessons, materials include teacher notes and scripted conversation starters to guide the teacher in modeling conversations. The teacher is given guidance on how to model conversations connected to play behaviors. The materials recommend setting up theme-based learning centers to help practice language skills, such as adding puppets to the Library center for story retell.

Unit 6 materials include support for teachers to model think-aloud as a way to support understanding and active listening. For example, as the teacher draws bubbles, she describes what she is doing. Unit 6 materials also provide opportunities to practice listening for understanding across multiple learning settings. For example, during a Read Aloud lesson, the students turn and talk to a partner about their predictions about the book. The teacher is given guidance to recognize that students can demonstrate receptive listening in a variety of ways.

In the end-of-the-year lessons, in Unit 8, students are asked to “Keep on listening closely as we reread the rhyming book.” The teacher is directed to use voice to emphasize the forest rhyming words on each page. The teacher reads the next rhyming word and gives time for children to fill in the rhyming word. During “Message Time Plus,” the teacher writes a sentence on the whiteboard and sketches a picture. The sentence is written while the teacher talks about an activity that happened the day before. The sentence is referenced and read aloud during and after the lesson. 

In Unit 9, the “Keep It Going” activity asks students a question while they are waiting in line to play the listening game. The teacher says a word, then says a different beginning sound, and then encourages students to share the new word to check for understanding. Also in this unit, the teacher reinforces the concept that sentences are made of words. Students are asked to count the number of words in a sentence, and everyone counts the words together. 

Unit 10 materials include scripted teacher think-aloud opportunities to support lesson understanding and active listening for comprehension. During read-alouds, the materials include specific questions and recommendations for the teacher to use for the book. Unit 10 materials include recommendations for using visual supports and a think-aloud process to model active listening skills. For example, the teacher reads the book The Big Red Umbrella and models the thinking process to make sense of the book. The materials provide students with opportunities to practice listening for understanding. At the end of a memory name-matching game, the teacher asks students questions about their experience to check for understanding. This provides the teacher guidance in recognizing that students can demonstrate active listening in a variety of ways. Unit 10 materials also provide opportunities for the teacher to model proper conversations in a variety of settings. The students are given various opportunities to hear language related to the theme and relevant context. For example, the teacher uses puppets to demonstrate a conversation about problem-solving related to the “Animal Architect” theme. Children are then invited to suggest solutions and to “think through the effects of each option” discussed. 

Evaluation for 4.2
Materials provide guidance on developing students’ speaking skills.

Materials contain some teacher guidance on corrective feedback of students’ speech production, sentence structure, and grammar. There is little evidence of direct guidance on students’ speech production and speaking skills. Materials give some guidance on what the teacher should do if she is concerned about students’ lack of progress with speech production. Materials provide some guidance on developing students’ speaking skills with a few lessons and read-alouds. Materials provide some teacher guidance on setting up and facilitating activities that allow students to practice speaking; there is some support or guidance for students to work collaboratively to engage in discussion using conversation norms. There is some evidence of support of students’ language development through teacher- and peer-guided interactions. Materials focus more on teacher-student language than student-student opportunities to speak. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to: 

Beginning-of-the-year materials use both small and large groups to facilitate oral language activities. Materials provide guidance on organizing the environment to give opportunities for students to practice oral language authentically. Oral language is promoted during daily “Greeting Times,” open-ended questions, and independent learning areas. For example, the materials recommend that students read or retell a story to their stuffed animal. Some suggestions also include music as a way to improve speaking skills and speech production; embedded games and songs include “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” and “Going Bananas.” Most daily lessons include Greeting Times and “Movement Times,” which include music; music is also used for “Transition Times.”

Materials do not involve many grammar-focused modeling opportunities. There is some guidance to help the teacher understand the students’ development of language. For example, the materials offer teaching tips on various pages to guide the teacher in understanding language development. There is some guidance on ways to scaffold student responses for different verbal speaking abilities. However, materials do not offer true scaffolding tips for guiding students of varying verbal abilities. There are some suggestions on how to set up theme-related centers to support conversations.

In Unit 1, the materials provide support for teachers to scaffold children’s responses to questions based on their speaking skills. Unit 3 provides teacher guidance on setting up and facilitating activities that support students’ speaking skills. For example, the teacher transforms the “Dramatic Play” center to create a community store. Students receive paper bags and tell what they could do with the bags in the center; the teacher records the responses. Students use paper bags in the center as a way to encourage conversation. The conversation opportunities are extended: Children orally share their plans when transitioning to the center. The whole group, “Intentional Read-Aloud Time” activity provides open-ended questions and sentence stems to guide students’ oral responses. For example, after reading the book The Bus for Us, the teacher asks children to name the vehicles in the story, using “I see ….” as a sentence stem. “Continued Conversations” provide three additional questions per book for children to re-engage with books that have previously been read aloud to the class. There are not many activities that involve students talking to each other or discussing with their partners; many conversations are teacher-directed. 

Middle-of-the-year activities, such as “Talk Time,” allow students to practice conversations. For example, students make up their own story about little pigs building houses. The teacher begins the story, and when a child wants to add to the story, the teacher rolls a ball to that child. In the “Library” center, students are encouraged to use puppets to retell stories using repeated dialogue. Students also practice the chant “Everybody, stack your hands” and find a partner to act out the chant. When students have stacked their hands above their heads, they stop and greet their neighbor.     

In Unit 5, centers are set up to facilitate oral language activities. In the “Art” center, students create costumes based on the book Polly and Her Duck. Each center has a set of questions that the teacher can ask to facilitate oral language; yes-or-no questions and open-ended questions are provided. One question asks students why they chose a specific material to create their Polly costume. During center time, the teacher asks different levels of questions to engage students in rich conversation. The Dramatic Play center is set up as a home environment, which provides natural opportunities for language interactions in a low-anxiety setting. The center is then transformed into a construction site, where students work collaboratively. Before visiting the construction site, students work in small groups to build with empty boxes. The teacher is prompted: “Use what you know about each child’s language skills to include and extend their language.”

Unit 6 materials do not offer a variety of opportunities to model and support learning grammar. In this unit, materials do not mention guidance to support the teacher’s understanding of language development. There are some small group activities in this unit. The materials provide some ways to scaffold for various student verbal responses. The materials provide some teacher guidance on how to use all parts of the day to encourage student-teacher or student-student conversations, but the student-student conversations were not as evident. For example, during a Talk Time lesson, the teacher asks targeted questions about mixtures. Open-ended questions are provided to facilitate oral language and engagement; there is some instruction for when the students speak or produce language to answer.

In Unit 9, during the “Intentional Read Aloud” activity, teachers are asked to model their thinking out loud to support their student’s growing oral language skills. The song “Soaring in the Spaceship” is incorporated into Greeting Time, and a copy of the words is sent home for families to practice.

Unit 10 materials utilize some small and large groups to facilitate oral language activities. During a lesson on the word celebrate, students share how they celebrate and take turns discussing different types of celebrations. This idea is continued in centers and other work areas throughout the day. Unit 10 materials and lessons include some open-ended questions to respond to read-alouds or support students’ critical thinking skills. The materials include some teacher instructions on appropriate ways to support developmentally appropriate speech production and sentence structure. However, the materials only offer some oral language development tips, such as modeling conversation skills and providing opportunities for guided practice to increase children’s speaking skills. The materials do not lay out specific ways to target grammar practice through student speaking opportunities.   

Evaluation for 4.3
Materials support expanding student vocabulary.

The materials include a rich vocabulary list that is taught in direct relation to each of the units throughout the year. The materials include a variety of targeted strategies that strategically support vocabulary development.  Several lessons and activities are integrated and authentically embedded in content-based learning; this is implemented via charts, visuals, and interactive opportunities for vocabulary instruction. Students are supported in the acquisition of a variety of rich and robust vocabulary words that connect appropriately to each of the units.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

New vocabulary is directly tied to each theme and is age and sequentially appropriate. The “Unit Introduction” contains a list of words to be taught each week as well as a definition of each word. The words are also specifically referenced in the description of the books for each unit. The words are placed on a chart where they can later be made into a big book that can be placed in the “Library” center. The publisher states that children should be exposed to new information and robust vocabulary in an authentic context. The vocabulary focus during each unit is taught at various times throughout the day — during “Read Aloud” time and then again during “Message Time Plus.” 

In a Unit 1 “Talk Time” activity, the teacher defines the words problem and solving. The students then role-play classroom problems with puppets and offer solutions. Students get the opportunity to hear and practice the acquired language. In “Science” centers, students collect items from nature such as rocks and sticks. Students learn a wide variety of complex words related to each theme. For example, responsible, creep, and organized are taught explicitly. For the book Little Blue Truck, the vocabulary words of focus are muck and swerve. The materials provide a child-friendly definition for students to understand the meaning of these vocabulary words. The materials recommend the use of two vocabulary charts: one for new theme-related words and another for more common anchor words to help support all learners.

Unit 2 materials include examples of child-friendly definitions of new words. In a Read Aloud lesson for the book Healthy Kids, students are introduced to the word nourishing. The materials guide the teacher in using and teaching the word and in checking for understanding. Materials include meaningful ways for children to learn and use new vocabulary words in the correct context. Lessons and activities allow children to learn through experiences, such as acting out stirring when they are learning the word. Materials cover a balance of high-frequency words and new or rare words. Materials also use vocabulary words as a focus of instruction or for thematic relevance. Unit 2 contains many strategies for teachers to model a wide variety of rich and rare vocabulary words. The materials provide activities to support vocabulary development organized around a strong theme to allow students repeated opportunities to hear and practice language in the correct context. For example, the words doze, drowsy, lullaby, and cuddle are all related to the sleep theme of Healthy Kids. Teachers receive recommendations for vocabulary reinforcement during learning centers and lesson times.  The materials also include strategies for spiraling vocabulary throughout the year. One example of a teacher recommendation is to retire the word chart at the end of each unit, take a picture of it, and place it in the “Writing” center.

In middle-of-the-year activities, the progression of vocabulary development is age and sequentially appropriate. Definitions are child-friendly and reference past units. Students are asked to squat while walking on a path in Unit 3. The teacher models the sign for “I remember” to make a connection to the vocabulary word cinema found in Bear About Town. The teacher scaffolds the word cinema by asking students if they remember going to the cinema or movie theater. The teacher references that many words mean the same thing, such as movie theater and cinema. Vocabulary words are posted on a “Words We Are Learning” unit chart. An illustrated chart with the sentence “A tow truck pulls…” is posted in the “Writing” center for this unit.  

The “Words We Are Learning” section in Unit 4 states that “when children hear robust words in more contexts, they grow their own vocabulary in an authentic and meaningful way.” Teachers are encouraged to activate prior knowledge when teaching new vocabulary. For example, in Unit 5, during Message Time Plus, the new word is squeal; references are made to the sound a baby may make. In Unit 5, new vocabulary words are introduced during read-alouds and added to the anchor charts for the unit. The anchor charts are “Words We Are Learning,” “Parts of a Tree,” and “Nests.” Students are able to use the vocabulary words in centers and during classroom discussions. During Talk Time, students discuss what happens on a farm; the teacher explicitly teaches the words farm and animals using gestures and visuals to make the learning child-friendly.

In Unit 6, children learn and use new vocabulary words in the correct context in meaningful ways. For example, many vocabulary words introduced during read-alouds are supported by the text and by teacher guidance. The “Words We Are Learning” chart comes with recommendations on using visual supports to help young learners correctly use and practice words in different learning environments. Unit 6 materials include examples of child-friendly definitions of new words. A Message Time Plus lesson focuses on the word wise and connects it to a previous read-aloud book, Is That Wise, Pig? Children practice the word, and teachers receive guidance on review techniques. Materials use vocabulary words as a focus of instruction or for thematic relevance. The materials also provide an assortment of strategies to support the teacher in modeling a wide range of rich and rare vocabulary words. The materials suggest that the teacher be expressive and playful with new vocabulary so that when children hear the teacher using new words, they will attempt to use them as well. It is also suggested that the teacher use a voice or tone that matches the word, including in activities that support theme-based vocabulary development, where students hear and practice words in the correct context.

End-of-the-year strategies to support vocabulary development are integrated and authentically embedded in the materials. Materials also provide strategies to support teachers in modeling a wide variety of rich and rare vocabulary words. In Unit 8, teachers are reminded to use robust words, such as squish, in multiple contexts so that students grow their vocabulary in authentic and meaningful ways. Students revisit vocabulary words from prior units. Materials also include lessons and activities that support students learning through play and targeted experiences. For example, the word cherish is not only taught during a whole group lesson using visual aids but also through a home extension, where students bring pictures of something they cherish. The teacher uses the picture to create a web. There are examples of child-friendly definitions of new vocabulary words. For example, materials give the teacher clear guidance in teaching new words using actions or books to help create student connections.

Evaluation for 4.4
Materials support English Learners (ELs) in their development of English language skills and content knowledge.

Within the materials, each unit begins with a list of “Words We Are Learning” as well as a list of “Anchor Words” for multilingual students. Teachers are encouraged to use pictures, gestures, and a translator application to help with language acquisition. Teachers are encouraged to read books in both English and Spanish when possible. Teachers are encouraged to use layered questioning in center time as well as to send home family resources in both English and Spanish. Materials include appropriate strategies for supporting English Learners (ELs) in their development of English language skills and developmentally appropriate content knowledge. Material recommendations guide the teacher in providing support to ELs.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

At the beginning of the year, teachers incorporate children’s home languages and cultures; engage families; and support comprehension with pictures, gestures, and role-playing. Each unit encourages the teacher to use a translator tool to preview the Spanish version of the English words to be taught in each weekly lesson. Spanish-language resources to send home with students are also available for each unit. The use of cognates and cross-language connections is encouraged for vocabulary development. Teachers are encouraged to teach one to three pre-selected words from each book. It is suggested that centers and material are labeled with instructional vocabulary. Pictures are encouraged in order to support ELs.

In Unit 1, ELs are provided with various strategies to support their learning. When reading The Little Blue Truck, students are explicitly taught the meaning of the words help and helpful through gestures, pictures, and translation into the students’ native language. These strategies help to support comprehension of the thematic content. The “Words We Are Learning” section supports English language acquisition. EL students are invited to share words that they use at home in order to make connections to words they already know and to new English words.

In Unit 2, thematic learning supports ELs in making connections to new words. For example, the materials guide the teacher in understanding that ELs require connections with their home language; materials offer recommendations and teaching tips that involve using visuals or online translations to teach anchor words. Materials provide specific strategies for educators to use to support students learning English. One such strategy is when students learn to talk about feelings. The teacher labels the feeling picture in English and in the child’s home language. Materials suggest using a family source or internet translator to ensure correct language translation. The materials recommend teachers keep ELs’ stress to a minimum by using a playful, gentle tone and not forcing them to speak. Unit 2 materials also provide support to teachers for building on a student’s first language. While the materials recommend using photos to support vocabulary word acquisition, they do not supply the visuals for most lessons.

In Unit 3, during a read-aloud of Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep, students use the “Turn and Talk” strategy; they are matched with a partner who speaks the same home language and are reminded that thinking and sharing in both languages solidifies their learning. Multilingual students are asked to share words they use at home to make connections to the weekly key words that are introduced. Also in this unit, students are asked to share words they know mean the same thing in their home language (habitat — habitat). Teachers are encouraged to use gestures, pictures, or direct translation in Unit 3 “Gathering Time” and “Greeting Time” activities. Teachers are also encouraged to use an online translation tool to support comprehension of thematic content.

In Units 5 and 6, children’s home languages are integrated into instruction with interactive displays such as anchor charts to help them learn more effectively. Materials suggest allowing students to answer in their native language and then having an adult or peer translate what was said. If using a peer for this activity, this strategy strengthens language acquisition for the translator. Under the “Family Engagement” tab, the materials state that for multilingual learners, talking in their home language about ideas from the English classroom will help solidify and extend their learning. It is suggested that students who speak the same language work together in their home language. Unit 6 materials provide learning to support ELs in making connections to new words.

In Unit 8, during “Words We Are Learning,” teachers invite multilingual children in the class to share the words they use at home to make connections with words that will be introduced via the literature read-alouds. The anchor words for multilingual learners are theme-related and can be taught with pictures, gestures, and direct translation devices. Teachers are reminded that when students connect English words to words they already know, this supports their language acquisition.

Unit 10 materials provide support for teachers to help identify the importance of developing children’s vocabulary in both their native language and in English. In the “Teacher Notes” area, the materials tell the teacher that incorporating multilingual children’s home languages into instruction helps children learn more effectively.

Evaluation for 5.1
Materials provide opportunities for students to develop oral language skills, including through authentic text conversations.

There are a variety of texts of different genres included in each unit, and there is an opportunity for multiple readings and discussions of the texts throughout the day. There are a variety of activities that go along with each book that include opportunities for rich conversation, discussion of content, open-ended questions, exploration of academic skills, and writing. The lessons also include tips for the teacher to expand the learning in each specific section of the “Teacher Edition.” Materials provide opportunities for students to listen actively and ask questions through authentic text conversations and classroom discussions. All read-aloud opportunities include stop times to check for student understanding and/or to facilitate discussion. Most read-aloud opportunities include “Turn and Talk” activities to allow the sharing of information and ideas about the texts. The “Teacher’s Guide” recommends using multiple read-alouds to support consistent language learning opportunities.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

At the beginning of the year, in Unit 1, theme-related books are read aloud and incorporated into multiple centers; students are listening actively and responding to questions. The “Art” and “Block” centers include books that feature creative expression, which directly supports authentic peer conversations. The teacher uses sentence stems and questioning strategies to promote language with a variety of read-aloud texts. In Unit 1, after reading the book You Are Friendly, the teacher instructs students to recall ways to be friendly and then encourages them to share the ways that they like to be friendly, using the sentence stem “I like...” to support scaffolding their oral language development. 

In Unit 2, read-alouds include question starters to help students engage in text discussions. The read-aloud You Are a Lion recommends asking students to make predictions about other yoga poses in the book. Lessons include opportunities for children to share information and ideas about texts. The read-aloud Healthy Kids is utilized in lessons to target peer language about specific concepts such as dental care or visiting the doctor. In the “Message Time Plus” lesson, students create a classroom book (“We Take Care of Our Bodies”); they brainstorm and share ideas about taking care of themselves, which allows for collaboration between students. 

In Unit 3, thematic literature selections are read during the “Intentional Read Aloud” activity; students share information and ideas about texts. For example, during the read-aloud The Bus for Us, students are asked to discuss several jobs common to local communities. Students also discuss with each other what it means to act kindly and the importance of treating neighbors and other community members with kindness. The teacher asks the students questions before, during, and after the read-aloud. Peer-to-peer conversation stems are provided by the teacher. During the read-aloud, the teacher models a greeting by saying hello to the students.  The teacher then says, “In a moment, each of us will say hello to another member of our classroom community. Turn to your partner and use your new greeting.”

All read-aloud lessons provide intentional stopping points for the teacher to allow for student comments and questions related to the text. Unit 4 includes materials that support the students in contributing to class discussions about a text read aloud; materials provide several open-ended questions for the teacher to use.  The teacher models shared reading strategies from the story We Are Building, speaking slowly and clearly in order for students to hear each word on the chart. The teacher encourages students to “echo” along until they are able to say the words proficiently. In the Unit 4 read-aloud Homes of the World, students are given the opportunity to Turn and Talk with their partner about their favorite type of home. The Teacher’s Guide and learning center notes suggest the teacher should place theme-related books in each learning center to support student discussion related to the theme or idea.

Unit 5 and 6 lessons provide opportunities for students to develop oral language skills in authentic conversations around provided texts. There are a variety of genres included that the teacher can utilize, including poetry, alphabet books, rhyming books, and multicultural books. Strategies assist the teacher in providing authentic conversations; open-ended questions before, during, and after reading; Turn and Talks; discussion ideas; and opportunities for students to share their ideas related to texts.  

A variety of settings and activities are used at the end of the year to ensure that students are continuously engaging in authentic discussions and working collaboratively to listen, ask questions, and share information with the teacher or their peers. One strategy gives students the opportunity to actively listen and engage in a close activity by filling in the missing word. The units are consistent in providing ideas to give students opportunities to share information about different texts.

Evaluation for 5.2
Materials provide direct (explicit) instruction and opportunities for student practice in phonological awareness skills.

The materials use a research-based developmental continuum; however, there is not enough of an explicit phonological awareness scope and sequence as referenced in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. There are some opportunities for students to be introduced to letter sounds, rhyming, syllabication, onset/rime, and writing throughout the units. Some phonological awareness lessons can be seen in “Gathering Time” and “Intentional Read Aloud Time,” but the examples from evidence collected show only some interaction and experiences (oral production) with introduced sounds before students move on to letter-writing activities (phonics). The “Curriculum Guide” mentions that materials use prekindergarten standards from across the country, but the guide does not specifically mention any other research used to develop phonological awareness instruction.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Beginning-of-the-year instruction includes some phonological awareness activities embedded into the weekly lessons. Starting in Unit 2, “Message Time Plus” focuses on phonological awareness activities. The students are introduced to some letters and sounds weekly during this routine. This takes the place of “Morning Message” for teaching modeled writing and phonological awareness together. In Unit 3, the “Keep It Going” activities mention six phonological awareness activities, which include sound sorts, transitions, and sound searches. The teacher uses sorting mats to help students determine which objects begin with the /d/ sound and which objects do not. The “Pronouncing the Sound” alliteration activity reminds the teacher to say /d/ and not /duh/, and also to place a hand on the throat to feel the vibration when pronouncing /d/. In Message Time Plus for the letter P, during the “Beginning” portion, the teacher focuses on words that begin with the /p/ sound and then moves on to making and writing the letter P. In the “During” portion of the lesson, the teacher draws a pizza, references the /p/ sound, and then proceeds to draw another P. In the “After” portion of the activity, students describe objects in the classroom that begin with the /p/ sound by playing “I Spy.” The sound /p/, /p/, /p/ is incorporated in a transition activity at the end of the lesson. 

In another Message Time Plus activity, students learn about the /s/ sound. In the Beginning portion, students have two opportunities to practice the sound /s/: “What do you hear at the beginning of these words?” and “Does anyone in our class have a name that begins with the /s/ sound?” The During portion is a phonics/letter recognition activity for the letter S. The After portion gives students the opportunity to search for things in the classroom that begin with the /s/ sound. There is not a clear distinction between phonological awareness and alphabetic principle activities.

In Unit 5, phonological awareness skills focus on a few concepts like rhyming words, syllables, and letter sounds. The “Greeting Time” activity focused on rhyming words; students receive an animal card and have to produce a word that rhymes with their animal card. The Message Time activity focuses on the sentence “The cow is now in the barn.” The teacher focuses on the words cow and now. This lets students know that rhyming words have the same sound at the end. Students then generate words that rhyme with the word cow. In another Message Time activity, students identify how many syllables are in a word barn. In the Unit 5 book Go Sleep in Your Own Bed, students focus on syllables and how many parts are in the word stumbled. The word stumbled is then used in the Message Time activity to review syllables, providing some instruction for each newly acquired phonological awareness skill.

Towards the end of the year, in Unit 8, the teacher reads the book The Busy Tree and emphasizes the rhyming words throughout the book. The teacher pauses to give students the opportunity to fill in the rhyming word:  “I’m a tree, a busy TREE … come and …” (the teacher waits for children to say “see;” say /s/ if needed).  During “Gathering Time: Talk Time,” children blend onset and rime. The teacher makes a thematic connection to the animal architects students have been studying. The teacher isolates the onset and rime of the word worm and asks students to pronounce the word. Using the illustrations from Wonderful Worms, the teacher tries several more thematic words with the class, such as b-ug, b-ird, and r-oost. In the Unit 8 Message Time Plus, the teacher writes the sentence “The dog dug in the dirt.” Students are invited to read the message with the teacher. The teacher does not ask the students to count the number of words in the sentence. The teacher reminds students that there are a lot of /d/ words in the sentence and asks the students if they can think of a sentence that has lots of words that begin with a /d/. There is no evidence of a connection to alliteration or sentence segmenting, which are both components of phonological awareness. Alliteration activities are not mentioned in Units 1–5; they are scaled as the second level of the phonological awareness continuum from the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. 

At the end of the year, in Unit 10, phonological awareness skills focus only on ending sounds, onset and rime, and blending sounds. The Message Time activity focuses on onset and rime: Students listen to the onset (c) and the rime (ow) and then put them together to make the word cow. During Message Time, students are also given the task to blend two sounds together to make a word. The sounds /u/ and /s/ are blended to make the word us. Both the phonological awareness continuum from the materials and the Prekindergarten Guidelines scale the difficulty of sentence segmentation as the third-highest level out of six.  

Evaluation for 5.3
Materials provide direct (explicit) instruction and opportunities for student practice in alphabetic knowledge skills.

Materials provide literacy-rich centers that give the students an opportunity to extend their letter knowledge. Materials include some opportunities for students to learn and explore letters and their sounds. Though materials provide some learning opportunities, they do not follow a research-based, strategic sequence for the introduction of alphabetic knowledge. Letters are not taught in a predictable pattern as current research recommends.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials do not include an instructional sequence that supports the teacher in identifying which letters are taught throughout the year and in what order. A list is not available to guide the teacher in planning ahead for the next letter, and lessons are not consistent throughout the week. Various chapters of the “Curriculum Guide” offer suggestions for setting up a letter-rich classroom. For example, one section addresses centers and instructional items that can be placed in each center to encourage alphabetic knowledge; another section addresses literacy on the walls in the form of schedules, anchor charts, or word walls. The “Sensory Table” center allows students to search for magnetic letters and build words that they know, which provides rich, varied, and playful opportunities to experience, manipulate, and interact with letters. Alphabet books are mentioned as possible material for the “Writing” center, but they are not found in the materials.  

In Unit 1, students focus on the letters of their names, which provides exposure and interaction with multiple letters within a unit. There is not a sequential order for the teacher to introduce letter sounds and letters. In Unit 1, during small groups, students use magnetic letters to find the letters in their name and build their name. The Writing center is set up to encourage manipulation with magnetic letters to extend the learning. Students also use their names during a memory game. During small groups, students identify their own name through name cards on the table, which build off the letters in familiar words. 

In Unit 5, students focus on letters in farm animals’ names, which allows for exposure and interaction with multiple letters within a unit. The materials introduce the letter y during “Message Time.” The Message Time sentence is, “Yes, we like yoga.” Students find the ys in the sentence, circle them, and make the letter y with their arms when they hear a word that begins with the /y/ sound.  This provides direct instruction for each newly acquired letter and sound.

In Unit 8, during Message Time, students skywrite letters. In the Writing center, students paint-write letters to review the letters they have learned. Students are thus exposed to and interact with the letters within a unit.

In Unit 10, for a “Movement Time” activity, students play a parachute game based on the letters in their name: When the students hear the first letter of their name, they go under the parachute.

Evaluation for 5.4
Materials provide direct (explicit) instruction in print knowledge and concepts and opportunities for student practice.

Within the materials, there is some evidence of a research-based scope and sequence to assist the teacher in explicitly teaching print awareness concepts. The “Curriculum Guide” encourages the use of writing materials in all of the centers; it also offers tips on shared and interactive writing. However, there are minimal print awareness activities. “Message Time Plus” is the component of the day that exposes students to instruction for learning writing skills. Materials provide limited direct and explicit instruction in print knowledge and concepts and opportunities for student practice. Message Time Plus activities include opportunities to teach some print awareness concepts, but not all. Read-aloud opportunities are lightly used to reinforce learned print knowledge.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide some direct instruction in print awareness and opportunities to connect print awareness to books and texts. All unit materials provide Message Time Plus lessons; these use shared and interactive reading activities to demonstrate and discuss appropriate reading behavior. However, there is only limited evidence of books and texts used to explicitly teach print awareness.

Planned read-alouds include an introduction, questions, and prompts to use before, during, and after reading to help students develop comprehension and critical thinking skills, but they only support some developing knowledge about print. Materials include think-alouds, but they do not always point out print elements. The only text elements that are featured during read-aloud lessons are the illustrations, author, illustrator, and a few brief mentions of cover pictures. While the Curriculum Guide does not explicitly tell the teacher how to set up a print-rich environment, it does offer suggestions for adding print throughout the room. For example, it encourages the teacher to label items in the different centers, and it encourages teachers to make class books and to turn anchor charts with vocabulary into class books. The materials provide some opportunities for students to observe, engage with, and experience authentic print within the school day. For example, the unit “Library Setup” page recommends including big books as part of the reading materials so that students have a variety of print to explore. 

In Unit 1, the teacher models building the children’s names, focusing on letters as opposed to words. The Unit 1 materials provide some opportunities for students to observe, engage with, and experience authentic print within the school day. Before reading, teachers activate background knowledge and introduce the title of the book and the jobs of the author and illustrator. During the reading, materials provide questions and prompts, such as “What do you see the friends doing in the picture?” After the reading, there are additional questions to help children develop knowledge about print. A read-aloud activity focuses on matching facial expressions to different feelings.  

In Unit 2, students have opportunities to practice some print awareness skills in meaningful ways. For example, the materials suggest placing medical charts in the “Dramatic Play” center and grocery store ads in the “Writing” center to incorporate opportunities for children to play with print. Unit 2 materials also include recommendations for setting up a print-rich environment. For example, there is a recommendation to create a chart for new vocabulary words and anchor words for learners.

In Unit 3, students use self-stick notes to mark objects that begin with the letter p. Students also take photos of signs within the school, print them, and create a book of signs to read together at the “Library” center.

In Unit 4, activities include some reference to a developmentally appropriate continuum to explicitly teach print awareness skills. For example, Writing center materials guide the teacher in allowing students to share writing and post it in the classroom. This helps students understand the everyday functions of print in context to their experiences at school.

In Unit 5, materials guide the teacher to describe how to form the letter y; the teacher writes the letter on the board. Students then practice writing the letter in their hand, skywrite, and make the letter with their arms to model print awareness skills. The teacher adds words to their unit chart as they come across the words during the read-aloud. 

In Unit 6, in a Message Time Plus lesson, students create a class book about mixtures they have made, which allows them to use print for a meaningful purpose. The “Foundational Guide” recommends having a variety of environmental print available at student eye level. Materials recommend charts, schedules, and labels to support students through visual cues. The materials do not reference using a word or letter wall.

In Unit 7, in a Message Time Plus lesson, the teacher guides the students to write a sentence; students pause to focus on the period at the end. The “Intentional Read Aloud” provides some direct instruction for print awareness. During “Gathering Time,” the teacher encourages the students to listen for the sound of the letter /s/ and also discusses the letter orientation. 

In Unit 8, referencing the books Dig In and Wonderful Worms, the teacher shares different illustrations of the words garden and dirt. Next, the teacher writes the words garden and dirt on the whiteboard and illustrates each word. The isolated pictures promote an understanding of words that start with the letters d and g from the story. The activity then connects print awareness to the book and text by focusing on the sentence “The worm makes a tunnel.”

In Unit 10, students practice some print awareness skills in meaningful ways in the centers. In the Writing center, students write invitations; in the Dramatic Play center, students make birthday cards; in the “Technology” center, students take pictures of their friends and then write about them to create a class book.

Evaluation for 5.5
Materials include a variety of text types and genres across contents that are high-quality and at an appropriate level of complexity.

There is clear evidence of many different types of genres, interests, and opportunities for interaction represented in the materials’ text choices. As part of the curriculum, there are easy reading books, predictable textbooks, rhyming books, multicultural books, alphabet books, and counting books. The books are bright, colorful, and engaging for young learners. Songs, chants, and poems are included for each thematic unit. Overall, there is a diverse selection of engaging read-aloud books for each thematic unit and opportunities for students to interact with repeated readings and texts. Materials include a variety of text types that are at an appropriate level of complexity.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

At the beginning of the year, materials include texts with storylines and characters that are easy to understand and remember; these are utilized in a variety of ways to support multiple interactions with texts. The book Little Blue Truck is used various times to support multiple interactions with texts. One day, the book is used to make predictions. Another day, the book is used to discuss problems and solutions. The book Max Cleans Up is used to make predictions one day and practice comprehension on a different day, to support interaction with text. The books in the “Library” center provide students with a variety of texts for independent reading. Big books, board books, and interactive books are incorporated into the centers. In Unit 3, students are introduced to the characters Tess and Gus from the book The Bus for Us.  Later on in the unit, the teachers refer to Tess and Gus in a “Greeting Time” activity as the class sings the traditional song “The Wheels on the Bus,” which is full of repeated text. In this unit, students discover that “a song’s rhythm varies, while the steady beat is constant.” Rhythm helps children predict patterns. Patterning is an important concept in prekindergarten mathematics, science, and early literacy. The literature selection The Bus for Us helps reinforce an understanding of repeated literacy patterns and phrases to support children’s language development.

Text selection is at the appropriate level of complexity for students’ developmental level. Some examples appear in Unit 2 and include the text Yummy! Good Food Makes Me Strong! by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly, which is appropriate for three- to six-year-olds. The text contains real pictures to help illustrate the importance of healthy eating. Pages contain short sentences to support beginning-of-the-year attention spans. The purpose is easily understood.

The read-aloud text selections consist of an assortment of high-interest fiction and nonfiction books. There are a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction selections in every unit. The books Big Red Barn; Hey, Hey, Hay; and Go To Sleep in Your Own Bed are all fiction books. The books Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow?; 10 Things I Can Do To Help My World; and All Kinds of Friends are nonfiction books. Students have the opportunity to share their ideas through “turn and talks,” movement, and class discussions; these provide opportunities for students to interact with the stories. Students have many opportunities to engage with stories that are of good content, high quality, high interest, and appropriate difficulty levels. There are several repetitive poems, songs, nursery rhymes, and visual supports. Texts can be used for independent retelling and shared reading opportunities.

Materials encourage singing songs, poems, and chants when cleaning up centers, such as “If You’re Happy and You Know It” and "Hello Everyone.” In Unit 1, book selections are thematically connected to building a classroom community. The Library center incorporates books that accommodate children’s readiness, interests, learning styles, cultures, and home languages.

Teachers use purposeful environmental print throughout the classroom to support the development of print awareness. For example, the teacher places an eye chart, pain scale chart, and doctor’s forms in the “Dramatic Play” center to support the doctor’s office theme. Students share what they have learned in a math-and-science lesson when they build houses just like the little pigs. In Unit 4, “Using Environmental Print” invites children to use the room to help them write by referencing anchor charts, class-made alphabet books, and other class books.

At the end of the year, materials focus on thematic selections. For example, there is a focus on animal architects. The Library center has books on elements of nature; these are thematically connected to the focus. The read-alouds are also thematically connected and focus on animal habitats and things that live in the dirt and underground. The book Walter’s Wonderful Web is used various times during the Library center, “Read Aloud,” “Talk Time,” and “Message Time.” In the Library center, students have the opportunity to retell the story. Texts are content-rich and high quality and offer appropriate levels of complexity. Texts are interesting and engaging and cover a wide range of student interests.

Evaluation for 5.6
Materials use a variety of approaches to develop students’ comprehension of text read aloud.

Materials give students the opportunity to make predictions, ask and answer complex questions, and make connections to the texts read. Teachers use graphic organizers and questions before, during, and after reading aloud (across a variety of genres) to ensure students are comprehending the materials. The materials provide teacher guidance to teach and model predictions during the read-aloud and develop comprehension skills by asking questions. The materials also develop students’ comprehension of the text by incorporating the text into small group activities. Materials encourage students to make connections to the text by activating prior knowledge and connecting school and home to the text. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, the book Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat activates students’ background experiences with books. To make a personal connection to the texts, the teacher asks students about their at-home reading, such as “Who do you read books with?” and “What books do you like to read?” The book Friends at School encourages students to make connections by discussing things that they like to do at school. The book I Can Do It Myself allows students to make connections by sharing things that they can do themselves. The materials include guidance for the teacher to connect texts to children’s experiences at home and school to develop students’ comprehension of text read aloud. Following the guidance, the teacher models making predictions before reading a text. For example, before reading Little Blue Truck, students use the front cover and the title to predict or think about what might happen in this story. For the book Max Cleans Up, students make predictions about what they think Max would do next.

In Unit 3, the teacher reads aloud The Place Where You Live. Before reading, the teacher asks, “Are the community members being helpful to each other?” During the reading, the teacher asks, “How are the community members taking care of each other?” After the reading, the teacher asks students to think of different ways they can greet each other and people in their community. During “Talk Time,” students discuss experiences they have had with kindness (text-to-self connection), which relates to the text The Place Where You Live. The teacher incorporates the puppets Elijah and Sayeh into the lesson to provide various levels of questioning; questions include, “When have you been kind to someone?”

In Unit 4, the materials provide guidance to support the teacher’s understanding of using texts to teach and model predictions and inferences. For example, the read-aloud The Little Red Fort by Sonia Sánchez provides the teacher with detailed directions on modeling a prediction and encouraging students to make their own predictions. At the end of the read-aloud, the teacher is directed to ask inference questions. The teacher helps students identify and use basic text structures to develop comprehension of the text read aloud and compare and contrast.

The material also encourages the teacher to find out if students’ families have ever lived on or near a farm and to invite them to share their experiences; this allows students to make personal connections to texts to develop their comprehension. In Unit 6, with the read-aloud When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L. B. Deenihan, the teacher uses the picture on the cover to help students discuss how the main character feels. During the reading, the materials provide questions to help students make text predictions and keep them engaged. 

In Unit 10, the read-aloud She’s Got This by Laurie Hernandez features teacher instructions on questioning before, during, and after the story to help students develop comprehension skills. The teacher uses graphic organizers, such as anchor charts. Before reading Jabari Jumps, students make predictions based on the cover of the book. The teacher asks students what they notice and activates their knowledge about diving boards; students learn to make predictions. The materials use a variety of approaches to develop students’ comprehension skills. Students’ experiences are used to make connections to the read-aloud book. The materials provide teacher guidance for modeling and teaching students how to make predictions and inferences.

Evaluation for 5.7
Materials include appropriate strategies for supporting English Learners (ELs) in their development of emergent reading skills.

While materials explicitly teach vocabulary to support English Learners (ELs) and include a variety of books with multicultural students across the themes, the books are not specific to a culture. Materials include some strategies for supporting ELs in their development of emergent reading skills. Materials guide the teacher in using some visuals and home language support to help students develop skills. Some culturally relevant texts are recommended. Materials include picture cards to support phonemic awareness for ELs as well as some bilingual resources. The “Foundations Guide” suggests using pictures, drawings, or real objects as well as acting out the word to support learning the new vocabulary and concepts. The guide includes a section in Chapter 3 that targets the importance of a child’s culture and language and provides the teacher with strategies to engage and support the ELs’ level of comfort in the classroom, participation, and comprehension.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Every unit provides a newsletter titled “Keep It Going At Home,” which has a section called “Help Them Communicate.”  This letter is available in English and Spanish and provides tips to enhance conversations at home while making connections to each unit’s theme. Daily lessons also include “Family Engagement” pieces, marked by a red heart. Each unit provides a weekly “Family Resources” letter in Spanish, a hard copy of “Songs, Poems, and Chants” in Spanish, and video guides to help multilingual parents practice the yoga poses their students are learning at school. All units mention bilingual dictionaries, but no websites are recommended or provided.

In Unit 1, in the “Words We Are Learning” section, ELs are invited to share the words they use at home that are familiar to them; this allows them to make connections to words they already know and new English terms, supporting language acquisition. The “Anchor Words” section activates background knowledge from the students’ home language and gives them context for learning English. The “Dramatic Play” center allows students to role-play, helping bridge language proficiency by linking new interactions with familiar experiences. The materials use the strategy of layered questioning during discussions to support each student’s language abilities. The materials also suggest adding some yes-or-no questions as a beginning EL strategy.

In Unit 2, materials include strategies that use children’s knowledge of literacy in their primary language. For example, the “Anchor Charts” tab recommends adding home languages to anchor charts, schedules, and displays, using an online translation tool or the help of students’ families. The materials also include a variety of strategies to support ELs in developing emergent reading skills. For example, at the end of a “Talk Time” lesson, the materials include a teaching tip to explicitly teach the words sleep and bedtime using pictures, gestures, or a home language translation.

In Unit 3, the authentic cultural text The Place Where You Live / El lugar donde vives helps multilingual students make text-to-self connections.

In Unit 5, in a small group activity, students journal about a container that would best transport an egg. EL support strategies include helping students describe their drawings and recordings. Teachers explicitly teach vocabulary words to support ELs’ learning. The teacher introduces the words goat, farmer, animal, farm, and grow; students are immersed in the vocabulary words to support their learning of the concepts. 

In Unit 6, a “Message Time Plus” lesson includes pictures of objects that are dazzling or not dazzling to help students better understand the new vocabulary word. The lesson recommends allowing students who speak the same language to brainstorm ideas for a class book about mixtures. Materials encourage students to take the assignment home to receive family input as a way of supporting their home language with connections to ideas from the classroom.

Unit 7 includes the book The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk, which is a cultural rhyme. The “Curriculum Guide” suggests having the students learn cultural rhymes at home and then share the rhymes with the class.

In Unit 8, during the read-aloud Walter’s Wonderful Web, students use props, such as sticks, for story retelling. Also, Unit 8 refers to a vocabulary word determined; students are asked to think of other words that mean the same thing in English or in their home language.

In Unit 9, EL support materials remind teachers to teach the words space and travel using gestures, pictures, or direct translation; this supports emergent readers’ thematic content understanding. Materials encourage teachers to use humor to lower language learners’ affective filter, no matter their level of proficiency: “If children are learning that astronauts travel to outer space, name places they would not go — ‘That’s silly! Astronauts would not fly to the supermarket!’” EL support materials for Hey-Ho to Mars We’ll Go! ask teachers to explicitly teach the word planet using pictures, gestures, or direct translation to support comprehension. Materials also remind teachers that multilingual learners, whether they are ELs or completely fluent in English, “will benefit from talking with a partner who speaks the same home language.” For family engagement, teachers are reminded that when ELs talk with their family members in their home language about ideas from the English classroom, this will help solidify and extend their learning.  

Unit 10 materials include books that are culturally relevant to children. For example, the books She’s Got This by Laurie Hernadez, Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall, and All Kinds of Friends by Shelly Rotner offer students a variety of culturally relevant experiences to encourage a love for reading. After Jabari Jumps, students play with partners who speak the same home language. After the game, as an EL support strategy to develop emergent reading skills, students summarize playing the game and share with peers. In this unit, in a read-aloud lesson, an EL teaching tip recommends using pictures, gestures, role-playing, graphic organizers, and charts to make a new idea or word more understandable. Materials also recommend allowing students to use their home language to share thoughts and ideas.

Evaluation for 6.1
Materials include a variety of experiences through which students can engage with writing.

During “Message Time,” materials include direct instruction for the teacher to model how to write letters.  Materials include opportunities for children to generate independent writing in small groups and centers; they also include opportunities for group writing on shared experiences for the classroom book. Materials also include opportunities for drawing in centers; they support writing and drawing during writing activities. There are ample opportunities to write in response to reading; materials make explicit the connection between reading and writing by allowing students to contribute to charts and share ideas after the readings.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, Day 1, during “Message Time Plus,” the teacher explains the writing process through direct, explicit instruction. The teacher explains that she will be writing messages, labeling pictures, and inviting the students to read the written words with her. The teacher models opportunities for students to imitate adult writing: The teacher draws a picture of herself smiling and explains that drawing is one way to share ideas. Later in the unit, the teacher also writes words to go along with the pictures. For example, on Day 16, the teacher tells the students that both pictures and words convey meaning. The teacher draws a picture of a car, writes the word, and has the students read the word with her. The class then finds examples of pictures and words throughout the room. There are several opportunities for students to generate independent writing in centers. The “Teacher’s Guide” explains the materials needed in each center. Writing utensils and materials are listed in multiple centers for the unit. For example, in the “Block” center, the teacher places writing materials so that students can label their creations. In the “Math” center, there are writing materials to draw and label shapes or numbers. In the “Science” center, there are writing materials for the students to record their observations. In the “Technology” center, students are exposed to apps that include a drawing/writing opportunity.

In Unit 8, students have opportunities for group writing on shared experiences; for example, they participate in an interactive writing activity to create directions on how to plant a seed. In another lesson, during “Talk Time,” students engage in a shared writing activity with the teacher to create and write a recipe for mashed potatoes.  Students also create a classroom book by writing their own ideas about animal homes or dictating them to the teacher. Each student in the classroom contributes a page to the book, and the book is later added to the “Library” center. After reading the book Dig In, students recall what the boy found underground and add their response to a “ground mural.” After reading the book Wonderful Worms, students review how worms and people are the same and different, and the teacher charts the students’ ideas. There are opportunities for illustration and drawing with detail, which transfers to writing in the “Writing” center. Students use brown finger paint and paper plates to draw letters “in the mud.” Students also independently write thank-you cards to friends and family members. Teachers are asked to “confer with children on their writing.” Students write in response to reading, which makes explicit the connection between reading and writing. Also in this unit, during a Message Time Plus activity, the teacher writes the message “We crawl like bugs” and supports it with a drawing. After drawing the picture, the teacher describes her thinking and invites students to contribute, encouraging and supporting drawing.

In a Unit 10 Message Time Plus lesson, students share ideas and collaborate on the classroom book. The teacher plans aloud, writing a sentence about her favorite thing made by the class in the classroom. The teacher asks questions to help guide students. Students then write about their own favorite thing and include it in the classroom book. During independent writing, the teacher reminds students of the steps in planning their writing. In another lesson, the teacher draws a picture of herself and uses speech bubbles to illustrate a message. As the teacher draws the picture, she asks for student input on drawing hair, eyes, or accessories. In another activity, the teacher models writing a theme-related sentence and thinks aloud about the process. Students can contribute ideas but not imitate the teacher’s writing.

Evaluation for 6.2
Materials instruct students along the developmental stages of writing.

While the “Original Curriculum Guide” describes the stages of writing and provides ideas to help the teacher guide the students through the stages, there is not much evidence of the students engaging in authentic writing outside of writing the unit class book. The majority of the writing done in “Message Time Plus” is done by the teacher. The material provides some guidance for teachers on how to nudge students along the continuum for writing development by allowing students to contribute to the class book through writing or dictation to the teacher. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, students begin by writing straight and curved lines; this is the first point on the developmental continuum for writing development. Materials mostly follow the writing continuum, but they do not include the important interactive writing component in actual lessons. In small groups, students practice tracing their name with their finger and then writing their name. While the “Foundations Curriculum Guide” does not specify the stages of writing, the “Original Curriculum Guide” does. It lists seven stages: pre-emergent, early emergent, emergent, semi-phonetic, phonetic, transitional, and fluent. The guide describes the stages, behaviors the students typically engage in at each stage, and ideas on how to move students from one stage to another. There is also a section with ideas for helping English Learners in the writing stages.

Still in Unit 1, in a Message Time Plus activity, the teacher models drawing and writing to show text directionality. The teacher also draws a rectangle and triangle and then labels the drawings; for example, the teacher draws a car and labels it car. The material includes guidance for teachers on how to include appropriate student contributions to writing and the writing process, as specified by the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. For example, the teacher models writing a message and drawing a picture during a Message Time Plus activity. While the teacher may ask for ideas during the writing, there is limited opportunity for the student to participate by engaging in the actual writing. Also in this unit, during Message Time Plus, the teacher models the writing process in a student interview. Each student is interviewed by the teacher to create a class book about their interests. Teachers write the students’ responses to questions in front of the group, modeling as they write.

Unit 5 materials offer writing experiences and exposure, but they do not include teacher guidance in developmental writing stages, best practices for moving children along the continuum, or information on writing development in young children. During Message Time Plus, the teacher models how to write the letter k; the students then skywrite the letter k to practice. The teacher nudges students along the continuum of writing development: Students start to use writing intentionally during centers to express their ideas. In the “Science” center, students write their observations about their investigation of wool fabric. In the “Writing” center, students draw and write about farm animals and letters of the alphabet that begin with their names.  The majority of the writing done in Message Time Plus is done by the teacher. While the teacher may ask for ideas during the writing, there are limited opportunities for students to participate by engaging in the actual writing; therefore, contributions to the writing process as stated in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines are limited. 

In Unit 8, students can write their own ideas for the class book about animal homes, or they can dictate them to the teacher. If students dictate, the teacher models the writing process. The teacher is also able to model writing when creating anchor charts. During Message Time Plus, the teacher models writing by writing a message and drawing a picture. For example, on Day 11, the sentence is “The nest can keep eggs safe.” The teacher writes the sentence after drawing a picture. Also in this unit, in a Message Time Plus for science, students participate in an interactive writing activity to help write the word root. Materials remind teachers that when they “share the pen,” they help students with letter formation, letter-sound correspondence, and concepts of print. Unit 8 does not reference the developmental stages of writing. Although students have some opportunities to contribute ideas, the lessons do not include all stages of the writing process. The material includes guidance for teachers on how to include appropriate student contributions to writing and the writing process; however, this is mostly limited to the teacher modeling the writing and drawing a picture during Message Time Plus.

Evaluation for 6.3
Materials support fine motor development alongside and through writing.

While there are a variety of activities for fine motor development during the day in center time, students do not practice their fine motor skills on a variety of surfaces. There is also limited evidence of the teacher directly working with students to practice letter formation and pencil grip. The materials do not provide differentiation and guidance on how to develop students’ fine motor skills towards writing. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, the “Art” center provides a variety of paper types (newsprint, construction paper) and a variety of coloring tools (crayons, colored pencils, markers) for students to engage in free drawing. This allows students to practice their fine motor skills. The “Sensory Table” center has the teacher place objects in the water as “trash;” students fish out the objects using a pair of tongs. Also in the Sensory center, students use scoops and shovels to pick up sand. In the “Technology” center, students use their fingers to draw pictures on tablets and take pictures with the camera. Students also use writing tools in centers to develop fine motor skills. In the “Writing” center, students use writing tools to explore writing and drawing. In small groups, students practice tracing their name with their finger and then write their names. First, the teacher models writing the straight and curved lines; then, students practice writing straight and curved lines on the board.  

In Unit 8, materials suggest tools and surfaces for student writing experiences, such as construction paper, paper, crayons, markers, colored pencils, pencils, and watercolors. There are a variety of opportunities for children to develop their fine motor skills in centers; students use scoops, shovels, tweezers, eye droppers, and scissors. In the “Math” center, students use scissors to cut worms of various sizes. The students also use hole punchers to make holes in eggs. In the Sensory center, students use spoons, ladles, buckets, cups, and various other tools to scoop dirt. Students also use tongs, pipe cleaners, scissors, clothespins, and cups to dig up “worms.” Most units do not mention a “variety of writing surfaces” (including easels) for children to use when participating in writing experiences.

In Unit 10, Week 4, Sensory center activities allow students to strengthen wrist muscles through pouring. Students pour confetti into a variety of containers while searching for magnetic letters. This unit does not show evidence of differentiation. With the exception of using an easel to paint on in the Art center, the “Teacher’s Guide” does not suggest having the students write on a surface other than the table. While painting tools are used in several units, modeling clay is only used in one unit and solely for unstructured playtime. While there are a variety of activities for students to work on fine motor development during the day in center time, students do not practice their fine motor skills on a variety of surfaces. There is also limited evidence of the teacher directly working with students to differentiate instruction.

Evaluation for 7.1
Materials follow a logical mathematical continuum of concrete, pictorial, then abstract representations.

The materials’ “Teacher’s Guides” include a variety of mathematical supports and activities as well as adequate resources to accomplish the guidelines. Numerous activities allow the students to use nontraditional materials; students then generalize the skills, repeating the same activities using different materials. Materials recommend multiple manipulatives throughout lessons. Materials follow a logical mathematical continuum of concrete, pictorial, then abstract representations. Concrete components help represent the abstract math concepts being targeted. In a majority of the provided math lessons, materials recommend counting movements, using ten frames, or using other types of manipulatives. The teacher does guided lessons during “Morning Message Time;” she draws pictorial representations of the skill she is teaching, such as counting objects that tie back into the story that was read.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, during “Message Time Plus,” the teacher gives the students each a bag with linking cubes and has them touch and count the number of cubes, having them stop on the last cube to say the number.  When the children go to recess, the teacher encourages them to count objects, such as the swings, to see how many there are. The math center gives students the opportunity to explore items in the center, such as counting tools, pattern blocks, and number blocks. The activities use concrete representations, such as manipulatives and pictorials, to introduce math concepts. Students also work with abstract representations in centers. In the “Block” center, the students use blocks to build structures in the shape of tape lines.

In Unit 5, materials include the use of concrete representation, such as manipulatives and picture cards. In the “Math” center, students use dice to count and subitize. In another Math center activity, students use different concrete representations of geometric shapes to create a barn (supporting shapes). Making a barn with geometric shapes also allows students to work with an abstract representation to support geometry and spatial sense. 

In Unit 8, in the Math center, students use concrete manipulatives such as dice and measuring tools to support mathematical concepts. Unit materials recommend a variety of easy-to-come-by manipulatives. Students use blocks, number lines, pom-poms, and ten frames. Illustrations and picture representations are also often utilized in instruction. For example, during a small group lesson, students use dice to play a simple addition game: Two students take a turn rolling the die; after their turn, they count out the number of soccer balls. The game “Rocks and Numbers” allows students to pull number cards and count out the number of rocks, supporting counting skills. During “Talk Time,” students create shapes with yarn to support geometry and spatial sense.

Evaluation for 7.2
Materials promote instruction that builds on students’ informal knowledge about mathematics.

While materials do not contain a definitive formal assessment measure, some activities tie in real-world experiences and encourage daily use of math concepts. Students learn how to collect data, create a survey, and read the results. Students also use and explore nonstandard math objects while playing. The teacher reads aloud counting books and books that use mathematical concepts to help students see that math is all around us. Materials provide some guidance to set up the “Math” center to support student exploration in Unit 1, but this is not evident in the other units. Neither the “Teacher’s Guides” nor the “Curriculum Guides” explicitly offer guidance on doing formal or informal math assessments throughout the year.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, “Message Time Plus” and centers integrate math. During Message Time Plus, students explore numbers 1 through 3. Students orally count from 1 to 3 and focus on numbers in the message. During “Talk Time,” students play the game called “How many dots?” The teacher puts dots on a plate; students count them and say how many there are. The instructional materials give guidance to set up the Math center to support student exploration. Math center materials, as well as their place on the shelf, are all labeled. Another Message Time Plus focuses on circles. The instructional material rarely references making real-world connections in the classroom environment.

In Unit 5, a Message Time Plus integrates math with literacy and science. Students classify objects into “will grow” or “will not grow.” Math is also integrated during the read-aloud of the book Big Red Barn. Students pair the baby with the adult animal. The instructional material supports students in making connections between measurement and growth. During Talk Time, students help the teacher place plates with numbers in order from 1 to 10. The instructional materials give guidance to set up the Math center to support student exploration in Unit 1, but the classroom environment setup does not occur in other units. Math is mainly integrated with science and literacy and is not its own component. The material does not provide prompts for teachers to inquire about students’ mathematical knowledge, nor do teachers use the classroom environment and materials to explore concepts. Scaffolded instruction based on the needs of the students is missing.

In Unit 8, in the Math center, the instructional materials reinforce the “concepts of measurement” skill taught in prior units; students measure worms. During a small group activity, students play a game to support number and number sense skills: Students match quantities of rocks to numerals. The Rock Memory game is a more complex number and number sense activity. Students must be able to identify numbers in order to play the game. Materials provide a sidebar tip to let learning filter into the school day: Teachers can model positional words and encourage children to use them. Materials suggest that centers, transitions, and meals can become opportunities to describe where things are located.

Evaluation for 7.3
Materials intentionally develop young children’s ability to problem solve.

The instructional materials do not completely guide teachers in providing feedback to children’s questioning. There are layered questions; however, the guides do not coach the teacher in providing feedback after students answer the question. The materials occasionally recommend that learning centers be equipped with materials to encourage open-ended play and problem-solving skills.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, in the “Block” center, students use various materials, learn how the blocks fit together, and explore geometry and spatial reasoning. Students also use masking tape at this center to create simple shapes; they then build structures following the shapes. Students also count the sides of the shapes. In the “Math” center, students explore counting-and-number books, numbers, shapes, and patterns. Students use pattern blocks with some teacher guidance; they discuss what they know about pattern blocks and things they can build with them, building interest in math through a playful activity. Each center provides the teacher with questions to ask the students while observing them interact within the centers. Centers also recommend materials to connect students’ interests to the center. Materials embed questions during whole group instruction, small group instruction, and independent practice. During “Message Time Plus,” the teacher uses dice to encourage students to explore numbers; students learn to recognize mathematical problems in their environment.

In Unit 4, layered questions can be found in some of the activities, but materials do not reference sample student responses. In an  “After Activity,” students summarize information from a geometry, real-life read-aloud, Homes of the World; students also have the opportunity to ask their own questions. Teachers ask “I wonder” questions to determine which 3D look-alike shapes can be found in the environment. In “We Are Architects,” students spend time exploring their environment in search of 3D look-alike shapes. In a tool-sorting lesson, the teacher asks layered questions and open-ended questions, such as “How do you want to sort tools?” and “What feature do you want to choose?” This unit does not include checklists to check for understanding in order to guide instruction in future small group sorting activities. Students practice counting skills in a few lessons, including with picture books from the literature selection. When students build a stack of counting cubes, they are not asked to demonstrate one-to-one correspondence or cardinality; students simply compare the size of their stacks. Students are not asked to rearrange their cubes to determine if the amount changed or stayed the same. When counting activities are presented, the question stems do not reference counting milestones. Small group instruction is not built upon the child’s level of understanding; it focuses on a thematic teaching objective such as “Children match quantities of rocks to numerals.”

In Unit 10, a small group lesson includes a teacher’s tip on using the parallel talking technique to interact with students as they play the “Jabari Jumps” game. During the game, students use “plus” cards to move forward, or add, and “minus” cards to move backward, or take away. The goal is to be the first to reach the number ten on the number line (shaped like a diving board). In Week 2, the Block center setup includes an umbrella counting game, which embeds reenacting the main idea of the Day 9 read-aloud, The Big Umbrella by Amy June and Juniper Bates. Students use blocks that have their classmates’ pictures on them; they try to fit as many blocks under an umbrella as they can. They then count how many they were able to fit and try to come up with ways to fit in more. The small group lesson provides questions to help the teacher check for understanding while students play an adding-and-subtracting board game. Students warm up by counting as high as they can. As the teacher reintroduces the “plus” and “minus” number cards, she asks the students if the card means to move forward or backward and to explain why.

Most of the materials are limited in developing students’ capacity to ask thoughtful questions. Students’ capacity to recognize problems in their environment is limited due to minimal teacher support or guidance.  Although materials reference familiar materials in the classroom and the world outside the classroom, they are often difficult to find in the units.

Evaluation for 7.4
Materials build students’ number sense.

The materials contain games and activities to help with skills such as subitizing and numeral identification. Materials teach subitizing directly in Unit 1; however, they do not always revisit the skill in later units. Games start out simple but become more complex as the students become more comfortable with each game. The materials include some opportunities for students to participate in activities that build number sense through games, centers, and “Message Time Plus” activities. Materials encourage teachers to sing number songs but do not include any specific songs. The materials support some mathematical learning throughout the day in small groups, Message Time Plus, and centers. Materials sometimes use dice, dot cards, tally marks, and ten frames to help students easily see patterns in numbers. Though specific lessons do not revisit each concept, the teacher sidebar directives state that students should be exposed to skills practice frequently.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, a Message Time Plus activity introduces the rectangle. Students count the number of sides in a rectangle, a triangle, and a square. In the “Math” center, students link cubes and count them. Math is also integrated into the read-aloud Hooray for Hat; students count the animals on the cover of the book. During another Message Time Plus, students use their fingers to practice counting five objects. Students also practice by counting hats.

In Unit 2, a “Talk Time” lesson includes an early counting/subitizing game called “How Many Dots?” The materials direct the teacher to prepare paper plates with one to five dots arranged in a variety of positions. The teacher holds up the plate, and students hold up the same number of fingers. The teacher provides questions to check student thinking and understanding. This lesson is linked to a counting movement activity from earlier in the day. Small group lessons focus on helping students learn how to use ten frames; they also incorporate a numeral recognition component, using index cards with both numerals and a specific number of dots. A sidebar note recommends progressing to larger numbers or moving down to smaller numbers based on student needs. True teacher guidance on how to build students’ conceptual understanding is not in evidence.

In Unit 6, the Day 3 read-aloud is Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas, which focuses on one-to-one correspondence of up to ten items. The lesson begins by having students count to ten verbally. During the reading, students count the number of ingredients and answer provided questions on the concept of “one more.” Varied support for the teacher is difficult to find except for a few sidebars and notes.

Materials provide number sense lessons, but they are not always easy to find or revisited. Provided board games and number line games encourage the exploration of the “one more or one less” concept. Materials do not support mathematical learning throughout the day. Most lessons are set during specific times and are not embedded in other areas.

Evaluation for 7.5
Materials develop students’ academic math vocabulary.

The materials introduce and use math vocabulary in targeted lessons, but varied use outside the lesson is not in evidence. Students are exposed to academic math vocabulary, but it is not authentically reinforced throughout the day. Vocabulary scaffolds are not evident in unit materials. The materials do not give students the opportunity to practice vocabulary in authentic ways.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, the teacher joins the students in the “Math” center to discuss patterns in a small group activity. The teacher asks students to describe what they see and repeats key vocabulary. This procedure also occurs with linking cubes. Materials guide the teacher to use the words straight lines and curved lines when asking students to identify if a drawn line is straight or curved. During a “Message Time Plus” activity, the teacher reviews shapes. Students were introduced to the shapes in previous Message Time activities; the materials allow the teacher to repeat shape activities. Each student is given a shape card. Students have to name the shape and discuss their reasoning in naming the shape. In a small group activity, students compare objects such as crayons. Students compare the crayons’ shape, color, and length. Also in this unit, the teacher uses discussion prompts and questions to support informal conversations about math during centers, small group instruction, and whole group instruction. The activities consist of yes-or-no questions, questions that require gestures, and open-ended questions. While the materials do provide exposure to math vocabulary, they do not scaffold children’s development of academic math vocabulary.

In Unit 6, materials include two math concept read-alouds: Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas and How to Wash a Wooly Mammoth by Michelle Robinson. Is That Wise, Pig? focuses on one-to-one correspondence to 10 and counting up. How to Wash a Wooly Mammoth illustrates the use of tally marks to count step-by-step instructions. Most of the math lessons use vocabulary explicitly, but very few read-aloud opportunities focus on math concepts. The small group lesson on volume encourages the teacher to model and use the words count, fairly, and tally marks. The teacher reminds students to measure the sand fairly by making sure each scoop has the same amount. The Day 8 Message Time Plus teaches and models the term sphere. Materials allow students to explore the shape, emphasizing the use of its name. Students explore concrete objects and decide if each object is or is not a sphere. The teacher uses bubbles to offer a real-world connection to the word. There is no suggestion to help students during informal learning opportunities or observations.  Materials provide limited guidance for identifying math vocabulary in read-aloud stories and songs. Math vocabulary is stressed and used during lessons.

In Unit 8, the teacher is reminded to reference geometry words from Unit 1. The literature selection, Walter’s Wonderful Web, introduces the shape and word diamond. The age-appropriate term is rhombus. The word non-standard is used one time in the Math center; students measure paper worms with standard and non-standard units. The unit does not explain how to line up manipulatives from the beginning to the end of an object for a correct measurement. The correct vocabulary math term adding on is referenced one time in the introduction, but it is not mentioned in any of the small group math lessons. 

Materials are limited in developing students’ academic math vocabulary. There are not enough repeated opportunities to hear math vocabulary in the units. Although there are some opportunities to practice using math vocabulary, the guidance for teachers on how to scaffold and support students’ development and use of academic math vocabulary is limited.

Evaluation for 8.1
Materials build science knowledge through inquiry-based instruction and exploration of the natural world.

Materials provide opportunities in all the units for the students to explore the scientific process, explore and use scientific tools, make observations both inside the classroom and outside the classroom, and record observations in a journal. The day is set up so that students are able to explore in a variety of centers as well as engage in inquiry-based learning during large group and small group activities.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, the teacher uses observation and questioning techniques in the “Science” center to spark students’ curiosity and help them learn about the world around them. The teacher includes items from nature that students help to collect. The teacher also adds items that encourage tinkering so that children can take apart items, put them together, or create their own. Students are introduced to basic scientific tools, such as a balance scale and magnifying glasses; they use the tools to explore the items. The teacher asks open-ended questions, such as “How would you sort these materials?” and “Which item do you think is heavier or lighter?”  Students also use the magnifying glass to observe their hands during a small group lesson. Also in Unit 1, the Science center includes books specific to science inquiry for students to explore. The teacher sets the stage for scientific learning by teaching students that using our senses can help us make observations, get information, and make predictions about the world around us.

In Unit 7, Week 3, students plant seeds. In the “Technology” center, students can record the growth of the plants by taking photographs on a digital camera, use a drawing app to make drawings of the plants, or make a class book. Materials encourage students to observe and question their environment. After the class reads Up, Down, and Around, they discuss things that grow in the ground, developing students’ ability to communicate ideas. Then, students look in the ground outside to find things that grow, take photographs, and label what they find. Materials encourage the teacher to plant a garden with quick-growing herbs or vegetables that the students can watch and study outside. 

In Unit 10, Day 18, the read-aloud Run Wild by David Covell guides the teacher to facilitate a discussion about living things. Students make predictions about the types of living things the book characters might find when running outside. After the story, the teacher initiates a discussion about how the children in the book played and explored nature around them. Students share with a partner what they would like to see and do outside. During the read-aloud Me… Jane, by Patrick McDonnell, the teacher introduces the word environmentalist and explains what an environmentalist does. Before, during, and after the reading, students share their thoughts and ideas about the story. The words environmentalist and habitat are emphasized through teacher questioning. At the “Sensory” center, the teacher provides paper, scoops, spoons, tape, pom-poms of various sizes and colors, plastic containers, and tongs. Students use the paper and tape to create funnels and transfer pom-poms from a container to the sand table using their preferred tools. The teacher encourages the students to actively observe the plants and animals around them and invites them to feel their connection to these living things in their immediate environment. Materials provide inquiry-based instruction that allows students to share thoughts and ideas in a variety of ways.

Evaluation for 8.2
Materials build social studies knowledge through study of culture and community.

Materials provide some opportunities for the students to interact as consumers in centers. Materials teach diversity in a limited scope with a few books; the bulk of the instruction occurs during Unit 7. Materials include some exploration of community helpers, limited to the specific unit theme. Social studies lessons are informally touched upon through read-aloud opportunities, but they are not explicitly taught throughout each unit. Materials only mention flags in a sidebar note; they are not covered in an actual lesson. A sidebar briefly mentions the Pledge of Allegiance; it is not explicitly targeted for a lesson about flags. There is no evidence of the students learning about the flags or reciting the pledges.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

There is no evidence, in either the “Teacher’s Guides” or the “Foundation Guide,” of opportunities for students to recite the pledge or identify flags. At the beginning of the year, students learn about being a member of a class community. For example, during Week 1, students learn about the concept of classroom jobs. Materials do not list specific jobs, leaving this up to teacher discretion.

The Unit 2, Day 1 read-aloud Healthy Kids by Maya Ajmera, Victoria Dunning, and Cynthia Pon focuses on the healthy habits of children around the world. The teacher asks questions before, during, and after the reading to help students make connections with how children around the world keep active. Teachers ask students to share ways they stay active to keep healthy. The unit offers a variety of culturally relevant books, but it does not explicitly cover identifying how families are the same and different. During a “Talk Time” activity, students vote on which food they would like to explore with their five senses in a future lesson. During a small group lesson, students use all of their senses (except taste) to explore and describe items of food. In a future lesson, students explore the taste option. Materials informally touch upon the concept of time when describing past, present, or future lessons. Materials do not teach the concept of futuristic settings. The only way future events are targeted is through lesson connections and students’ community helper role-play. Most past events are introduced through read-aloud opportunities. The Day 10 “Message Time Plus” targets consumer buying. The teacher displays shopping bags and grocery store circulars to help students discuss shopping and creating a list of items needed to make a banana-and-yogurt smoothie. Materials only briefly teach students about consumers in these three chapters.

In Unit 5, in the Dramatic Play center, students pretend that they are on a farm. Students discuss what they might do on the farm and take on the role of a farmer. The teacher can provide additional, optional props for students to create a barn and chicken coop. In the “Block” center, students discuss the different types of houses in which animals live. The teacher shows students pictures of different animal homes and then encourages them to build the structures with blocks. Also in Unit 5, the teacher teaches the routine of “find and pause.” The teacher instructs the students to get comfortable and close their eyes, take a deep breath in, and let a long breath out. The teacher emphasizes the pause and adds the breathing technique to the “mindful basket.” During a Talk Time, students compare their baby photos to their recent photos. Students connect how they were babies and have grown and changed to the present. Unit 5 materials do not support the idea of consumers or explore the roles of consumers in the community; students also do not explore and identify how people and families are alike and different; and materials do not provide instruction on city, state, and country.

During a Unit 10 Talk Time lesson, the teacher guides the students in a discussion about taking care of the classroom environment. Students discuss ways they take care of indoor and outside spaces in their community. Unit 10 materials do not include explicit social studies lessons. The unit read-aloud lessons give students opportunities to explore cultural and ethnic differences in an informal way. For example, the Day 6 read-aloud All Kinds of Friends by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly showcases a variety of children from different ethnic backgrounds playing with their friends. It also shows examples of different ages, sizes, and abilities. The read-aloud Me… Jane, by Patrick McDonnell, focuses on the early life of Jane Goodall and her dreams of helping and working with animals. While reading, the teacher asks questions and points out Jane’s feelings and observations about her world. The teacher asks students if they would like to be an environmentalist like Jane. When the teacher re-reads the same story, students make connections to Jane’s feelings about living creatures and discuss how they could be like Jane in their environment. The materials do not explicitly teach or focus on past, present, and future events. Children learn the concept of time through routines and schedules alone.  Unit 10 materials do not show evidence of introducing or exploring the concept of consumers in the community.

Evaluation for 8.3
Materials expose children to fine arts through exploration.

The materials for the indicator meets the conditions for exposing children to fine arts through exploration. There are opportunities for dramatic play, art, music, and movement in every unit, in a variety of areas across the day. Some of these allow students to engage in a variety of play opportunities. An “Art” center provides different materials and creative prompts from unit to unit. There are daily opportunities during “Gathering Time” to sing and/or move. Students use a variety of art mediums throughout the day, including instruments, as recommended in the “Original Curriculum Guide.” Suggested art activities allow for open-ended exploration; students engage in creating art.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 3, students have daily experiences with multiple mediums. During “Gathering Times”/“Greeting Times,” students sing and dance to “Hello Neighbor,” a rhyme used throughout the unit. Students also sing and dance to “Hello Neighbor” in Spanish. The teacher asks children who speak other languages how they say hello; students add their greeting to the song. In the Art center, students create using “messy materials;” they drive toy cars through paint to create lines, circles, and other shapes in a novel way. Layered questions for this activity include “When you mixed two colors, did it make another color?” “How is painting with cars different from painting with brushes?” and “What did you notice about the marks the cars make?” Materials also remind teachers that the “Science Journals” provide an opportunity for students to draw what they are thinking. In the literature selection The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk, students discover a new rhyming version of the song “The Wheels on the Bus.”

In Unit 5, throughout Week 3, students have multiple daily experiences with mediums such as dance, music, dramatic play, painting, sculpture, drawing, and movement. After reading the story Polly and Her Duck Costume, students create costumes for Polly from a variety of materials. In the “Science” center, students create musical instruments out of rubber bands and containers of various sizes. During Gathering Time, to go with the unit, students learn the song “Old MacDonald” as well as numerous variations. Students are engaged in the process of creating rather than the product that is created through a variety of art projects. For example, students create pig paintings, utilize plastic eggs and paint to make an art piece, and create costumes with a variety of materials. 

In Unit 8, students work with “messy” supplies in open-ended activities. In the Art center, students paint with feathers. Students also paint oval-shaped paper eggs, referencing the literature selection The Nest Is Noisy!  The teacher provides crayons, markers, and pencils as drawing materials in the Art center and for the mural project “What Lives Underground?” Students also work with cardboard tubes, boxes, pieces of fabric, tissue paper, and twist ties to build a bird’s nest; this is connected to the thematic literature selection Bird Builds a Nest. Materials provide layered questions, such as “What do you notice about the lines the feathers make?” and “What is the same or different about painting with a feather and a paintbrush? Some materials emphasize the students’ engagement in the process of creating rather than the product that is created.

Evaluation for 8.4
Materials include technology applications.

Each unit includes a “Technology” center related to the theme. There is no evidence to show that technology is included in all content areas. Some activities are too multi-stepped for prekindergarten students and are not age-appropriate. Students have opportunities to use a variety of digital tools, but this is limited to the technology center only. There is no teacher guidance in understanding the appropriate use of screen time and interactive use of technology.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, students play in the Technology center and explore materials. The teacher guides the students on how to open and navigate applications and programs that are available to them. The teacher also instructs proper handling and care for each device to ensure safe behavior. Suggested apps consist of audiobooks, writing or drawing programs, letter/sound activities, number and counting games, and ebooks. In the Technology center, students have the opportunity to explore tablets, computers, listening devices, and headphones. 

In Unit 4, in the Technology center, students use a tablet, computer, or a writing or drawing app to open and explore a variety of blueprint plans available online. Materials recommend the teacher should first use a search engine to find blueprints and then guide the students to them. An added step of pasting into a word document may not be age-appropriate. The activity requires more teacher modeling to be age-appropriate. Unit 4 does not include recommendations for using technology to support and enhance student learning. The unit does not include teacher guidance to ensure technology is used to enhance learning and not distract from it.

In Unit 5, in the Technology center, students find or draw images of animal life cycles on the farm. Students pick a farm animal to study, and the teacher instructs them on how to save the image from the internet and paste it into a word document. Students are reminded about how to open writing and drawing apps to create their own animal pages. The technology opportunities are not age-appropriate.

The materials do include technology, but its use is limited to one center and is not integrated throughout various content areas. Technology is used appropriately to enhance the unit theme, but it is not used extensively to reinforce academic lessons. Evidence does not show the use of interactive whiteboards or digital storytelling equipment for instruction.

Evaluation for 9.1
Materials include developmentally-appropriate diagnostic tools (e.g. formative and summative progress monitoring) and guidance for teachers, students, and administrators to monitor progress.

The materials include some assessment tools, but they do not include math, social and emotional skills, or health-and-wellness assessments or checklists. Materials do not include assessment tools that allow students to evaluate their own work. The materials state that more assessments can be found on the online portal, but this is not available at present. The formal assessments give some teacher directions to assure correct administration. While there is an informal checklist at the end of each unit for the teacher to assess what the students learned in the unit, there is no evidence of a portfolio system or parent questionnaires being used. The “Foundations Guide” references an assessment component in the “Resources” section of the website; however, these documents were not accessible.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

There is no evidence of a formal assessment within any of the units. At the end of each unit, there is a checklist with all the content points from that unit. This is an informal observation guide for the teacher to document a student’s progress on the skills that were taught in the unit. This is meant to be an ongoing document and includes a place to take anecdotal notes. The “Curriculum Guide” has some formal assessments for writing, print concepts, phonological awareness, letter recognition, letter sounds, and phonics and alphabet knowledge.  The materials include formal assessment measures designed to support the teacher in understanding whether the child has age-appropriate reading readiness skills. The formal assessment for phonics and alphabet knowledge assesses if students are able to name the letter and produce the sound of the letter or if they give no response. Informal assessments include assessing the students’ responses during story readings and assessing students’ story retelling. The material assessments are designed to measure what students can do independently as well as what they can do with assistance from others.  The materials include tools that support the teacher in gathering information in a variety of settings, including one-on-one, small group, and large group. Informal assessments include the teachers using anecdotal notes based on observations. There is not any evidence of a screening measure to support the teacher in understanding whether students have age-appropriate school readiness skills. For example, the “Assessing the Student’s Responses During Story Readings” on page 96 suggests using the assessment for one student or a small group. The assessment tools do not include resources or recommendations for engaging families in providing input and also understanding assessment results.

Informal and formal diagnostic tools are only designed to measure the emergent literacy reading, language and communication, and emergent literacy writing content areas and process skills outlined in the Prekindergarten Guidelines. In the Curriculum Guide, informal assessment checklists are the diagnostic tools used for vocabulary, print concepts, letter knowledge, etc. Vocabulary development can be assessed informally by transforming the “Blueprint Scope and Sequence for Vocabulary Objectives” into a student checklist to note behaviors that the teacher observes in the classroom. Phonics can be informally assessed during and after lessons. The teacher is instructed to jot down anecdotal notes as observations. For example, the teacher writes notes or indicates the date of the observation on the whole class checklist of phonics objectives, which is included in “Blueprint for Early Literacy.” The Foundations Guide includes a “Spotlight on Using Data to Inform Instruction,” which focuses on small group informal assessments. It is recommended that the teacher use an “Observation Binder” to help in recording anecdotal notes and observations about each student. All small group lessons include a sidebar section called “Listen/Look For.” These are questions to guide the teacher in observing and taking notes. The “Original Curriculum Guide” contains a variety of assessment tools. This includes anecdotal note sheets, checklists, and specific concept assessments. The formal assessments give teacher directions to assure correct administration.

The materials do not include opportunities for the students to track their own progress and growth. The Original Curriculum Guide contains several assessments and checklists, but it does not include assessment tools that allow students to evaluate their own work. All evidence shows teacher-led assessments, anecdotal notes, and checklists. A self-reflection sheet is included for teachers, but there is nothing to encourage student self-reflection. The teacher guides say to use the resources on the website to gather and analyze information about student progress; however, there is no access to those resources at this time. There is no evidence of the use of portfolios with the students in this program.

Evaluation for 9.2
Materials include guidance for teachers to analyze and respond to data from diagnostic tools.

Within the materials, there is no evidence of recommendations to support teachers in adjusting instruction to meet students’ needs based on data from assessments in each domain. There are several literacy assessments, but other domains are not covered. A limited number of lesson extensions or modifications can be found in teacher sidebars, but these are not consistent throughout all lessons.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Though the materials contain a variety of assessments and anecdotal note templates, there is no evidence of recommendations to support teachers in adjusting instruction to meet students’ individual needs based on data from assessments in each domain. Materials do not include assessments for each domain. Most assessments are literacy centered. The “Original Curriculum Guide” recommends teachers preview the materials with their own students in mind and make adjustments in their language and teaching moves based on the needs and interests of their students, but there is no explicit guidance on how to accomplish this. There is some evidence of adjustment guidance in the actual lesson plans, but they do not mention the use of anecdotal notes to guide these adjustments. There is no evidence of teacher support for understanding the progression of skill development. In Unit 2, Day 3, during “Talk Time” on number sense, the teacher initiates a game called “How Many Dots.” The teacher shows the students a paper plate with a specific number of dots. The students are given two seconds; the teacher turns around the plate, and students need to tell the teacher the number of dots. Under the “More on How Many Dots” sidebar, materials guide the teacher on making adjustments according to students’ needs. Teachers can add more or fewer dots, depending on the students’ acquisition. In Unit 4, Day 18, in a small group lesson, students use their own building design to build a house strong enough to withstand a strong wind. Under the “Supporting Individual Learners” sidebar, materials guide to help students problem solve and make adjustments if their design does not work the first time; however, there is no way to evaluate this. 

The Original Curriculum Guide states that the teacher will need to take time to collect and analyze the diagnostic assessment results after administering an assessment to each student in order to plan for instruction. The page includes a sample of possible results (Table 16.3) and ways to interpret the results. Further down in the “Implications for Instruction” section, the teacher is guided in understanding the sample results. This type of guidance is offered on a limited basis. The “Literacy” assessments that are included do include guidance for interpretation, but this guidance and the assessments available do not cover all domains and outcomes. The “Foundations Guide” states that data, or the collection of information about children’s learning, is an essential tool that teachers use to adapt their lessons to meet the instructional needs of the classroom. Materials recommend teachers use an “Observation Binder” to take and keep ongoing anecdotal notes. They state that more assessment tools can be found in the online portal; however, this is not currently accessible for review.

The Original Curriculum Guide states that meeting in small groups requires teachers to know what they need to teach, how to modify instruction, and how to use assessment data or observation notes; however, there is limited information on how to modify lessons for students’ individual needs. A limited number of instructional strategies are found in the lessons under sidebar notes. There is no evidence of this being done consistently throughout each lesson. The guide includes a writing assessment that guides the teacher in learning about students’ writing strengths and weaknesses using the “Stages of Writing” rubric. Materials do not provide a variety of resources or teacher guidance. There are a few strategies and activities to address students’ needs, but they are limited to a few sidebar notes found sporadically throughout the materials. They are not consistent. In the Unit 6, Day 3 read-aloud, Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas, the teacher guides the students to count specific ingredients in the story. A sidebar note guides the teacher in extending the number sense lesson by using other books or items to count, but this is limited. The materials contain limited teacher guidance; it is not given in a clear, organized manner. The curriculum guides do not help the teacher understand the progression of skill development or how to use assessment data to drive instruction.

While the materials include some literacy assessments, they do not show evidence of including guidance for administrators to support teachers in planning for instruction to respond to data. The materials do not show evidence of online support to help administrators analyze data to design targeted programmatic and professional development. There is no evidence that shows the materials include recommendations or templates to develop action plans that support targeted child intervention or plans for content area professional development to support areas of identified need. The materials do not include information to help administrators make informed choices. There is limited evidence of administrator support. 

Evaluation for 9.3
Materials include frequent, embedded opportunities for monitoring progress.

While there is an informal assessment used at the end of each unit to monitor the progress being made over a four-week time period, there is no formal assessment used at least three times per year. Materials do not include guidance for assessing skills in authentic situations. Not all domains are covered in the provided assessment materials. Most assessments target literacy skills. Math, science, social and emotional skills, and health-and-wellness domains are not covered in the formal assessment.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Units do not contain routine and systematic progress monitoring opportunities that accurately measure and track student progress. At the end of each unit, there is a checklist with all the concept points from that unit. This is an informal observation guide for the teacher to document a student’s progress on the skills that were taught in that unit. This is meant to be an ongoing document and includes a place to take notes. This informal assessment includes all areas, including social and emotional skills, math awareness, and phonological awareness concepts. However, there is not a section for either fine motor or gross motor skills. This informal assessment can be used across the day and in multiple areas such as small groups or centers; however, it does not suggest a timeline of when to use the assessment. The “Original Curriculum Guide” contains anecdotal note sheets that support the teacher in recording specific dates and learning behaviors throughout the year.

Assessments found in the Original Curriculum Guide do not include a separate assessment guide, but materials do include some assessment timetables. For example, the materials state that the “Concept of Print” assessment needs to be done a minimum of three times a year: at the beginning of the year, at the end, and three more times in between, if time allows. The timeline for the “Phonological Awareness” assessment is laid out similarly. There is evidence of an informal assessment used at the end of each unit; however, there is no evidence of a formal assessment that is used to monitor progress with frequency. The “Foundations Guide” references a formal assessment that can be accessed on the website; however, these materials are not accessible at this time.  

Materials include formal and informal assessments, but they do not explicitly guide the teacher in administering progress monitoring assessments at a frequency that is age and skill-development appropriate. The assessment materials do not guide the teacher in recognizing that young children experience growth and learning at uneven and sometimes unpredictable rates.

Evaluation for 10.1
Materials include guidance, scaffolds, supports, and extensions that maximize student learning potential.

Materials include some guidance, scaffolds, supports, and extensions to help maximize student learning potential while meeting the needs of all learners. Materials give some opportunities for targeted instruction and activities for all levels of learners. Materials provide some scaffolding activities for different levels of students. The instructional materials support some extension activities throughout the year as a method for maximizing student learning potential. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials include some guidance and recommended instruction for students who struggle to master content. In the “Overview” section and Unit 1, the instructional materials make literacy accessible to children with varying skill levels, background knowledge, and language abilities. In Unit 3, supplemental texts give students a visual perspective of the use of maps and help to create a personal connection to the topic of communities and neighborhoods. Materials guide the teacher to include a variety of ways to say hello and neighbor to ensure the inclusion of all students. Teachers use community photos during small group activities to help make the concept more concrete. The materials provide questions for students that are based on the students’ language skills; teachers receive scaffolding instructions based on the students’ ability to answer guiding questions. Activity modeling and ideas for accessing prior knowledge are apparent in several of the content areas as well as in some “Read Aloud” sections. The materials include a “Before the Activity” section to give teachers the opportunity to develop precursor skills necessary to connect to the content. The “Check Point List” assesses the needs of struggling learners in order for teachers to guide classroom instruction. Teachers use non-linguistic pictures and classroom chart visuals to access all learners. The theme guide includes a monthly ongoing learning project, which provides opportunities for children to explore and apply new learning. The teacher’s guide includes examples of engaging centers that are directly connected to the curriculum themes. 

The materials include some guidance and recommended instruction for students who have mastered the content. In Unit 8, picture cards are used as visuals. The picture cards are authentic, real-world pictures that give students a clear visual understanding of a word. Family resources provide opportunities to practice and discuss lessons at home. The center activities also provide teachers with open-ended questions to ask students as an extension of students’ learning. In Unit 6, materials include recommendations for enrichment for students that have mastered the concept of counting the syllables in a word; these students can move on to blending words. Center details are included in each unit, with a list of materials required to set up that center.        

In Unit 10, materials include games to allow for movement and mastery of the concepts. For example, materials recommend a game on shape sorting incorporating movement. Vocabulary words for the unit are available at the beginning of each unit, and anchor charts are embedded in each unit. The Unit 10 gradual release model (“I do, we do, you do”) could be more specific to the individual task level.   

The materials provide some additional enrichment activities for all levels of learners. “Keep It Going” activities are listed for each week for different content areas. The teacher guide lists and describes different centers that can be introduced to students based on the theme. The centers provide additional activities where children can explore and extend new learning.

Evaluation for 10.2
Materials provide a variety of instructional methods that appeal to a variety of learning interests and needs.

The materials include some instructional methods that appeal to a variety of learning interests and needs. A variety of instructional approaches are used to engage students in mastery of content. The bulk of the instruction happens during whole-group activities throughout the day. The materials lack guidance for developmentally appropriate instructional strategies. The materials support some types of practices, such as guided whole-group activities, with some structure to achieve effective implementation.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials support some types of practices, such as guided whole-group activities, with some structure to achieve effective implementation. In Unit 1, the materials use multiple teaching styles to address the needs of multilingual, visual, kinesthetic, social learners, and learners who are working on prerequisite skills. The materials give opportunities for whole-group instruction, small-group instruction, and center time for the students to collaborate with one another. The materials allow students hands-on experiences, charts and pictures for visual learners, and talk time and collaboration for social learners. The materials vary between teacher-led activities and student-centered activities. In Unit 4, materials include supplemental texts to help support direct instruction and activate student interest. Texts support the unit theme and assist in student-driven learning opportunities and further exploration of the concepts. Open-ended questions are suggested for use during teacher observations at learning center areas. 

In Unit 3, there is a thematic literature list; however, none of the books are moved into learning centers to develop additional language experiences and child-led learning. There are no picture-word cards or visuals in centers to reinforce the developmentally appropriate levels of language and vocabulary needed to enhance center development and play. Anchor charts with pictorials, words, and photos reinforce visual learners’ understanding. Whiteboards, puppets, and other purposeful manipulatives provide multiple instructional approaches to teach thematic units in multiple groups and center experiences. Also in Unit 3, there are daily whole-group times, which allow for music time, conceptual knowledge, movement time, and daily reflections. Different centers are launched each week, but centers change from week to week. There is no evidence that all centers are accessed daily. “Message Time,” vocabulary and letter instruction, is a whole-group activity. Materials do not provide recommendations for flexible grouping; for example, small groups are organized by unit themes and not by the developmental needs of each student.  

In Unit 5, each unit contains a project for the students to work on; however, materials do not specify when this should occur; it is unclear if this is a guided or an independent activity. Each of the centers designated for the unit, as well as the week, has a list of materials as well as the expected outcome for the children to achieve. In Unit 8, materials include support to help the teacher create theme-driven learning centers and activities. Specific materials are suggested to further expose students to previously taught concepts and allow learning extensions.

In Unit 10, materials support the gradual release model as an instructional approach. Students start in the “Greeting Circle,” then the teacher shares the mini-lesson (“I do”), read-aloud, small group (“We do”), and centers (“You do”). The instructional material gives students ample opportunities for independent practice through centers. The materials integrate project-based learning opportunities to encourage student collaboration. The thematic learning centers offer lessons and ideas each week and allow students some opportunities to practice or create a product.

Evaluation for 10.3
Materials include supports for English Learners (EL) to meet grade-level learning expectations.

The instructional materials include some accommodations for linguistics commensurate with various levels of English language proficiency; they use gestures, pictures, and direct translations. The materials sometimes use the students’ first language as a means to develop linguistic, affective, cognitive, and academic skills in English by allowing students to share ideas using their home language or English. The “Foundational Guide” and the “Original Curriculum Guide” offer some teacher guidance in using the home language to help English Learners (ELs) acquire the new language. Units include some tips and supports for guiding the teacher in helping students with language acquisition. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Chapter 3 of the Foundational Guide makes recommendations for using students’ home language to support English acquisition. The guide offers the following scaffolding technique for ELs: ELs who are not completely fluent in English benefit from talking with a partner who speaks the same home language. The guide also suggests nonverbal signals, concrete objects, and other visuals, along with strategic grouping or pairing with other students. These supports can be found throughout the units.

In Unit 1, materials offer the strategy of adding some yes-or-no questions for beginning ELs. The “Dramatic Play” center offers various questioning styles depending on the students’ level of English language proficiency.  Students can answer questions with gestures, such as pointing to an item. Students can also answer an open-ended question such as “What kinds of chores do your family members do in your home?” During the “Talk Time Plus” activity, classroom jobs are introduced to the class. To give ELs a better understanding of the word jobs, depending on different English language proficiency levels, the teacher uses gestures, pictures, or direct translations as strategies. During a “Talk Time” activity, ELs are supported with visuals and prompts when asked questions to get to know their peers. The “Library” center includes books that feature ELs’ home language; this can allow students to use their first language as the foundation for developing skills in English. In a “Message Time Plus” activity on straight lines and curved lines, the teacher uses gestures as a form of scaffolding to support ELs. During small groups, students learn how to join a center. To support ELs, the teacher demonstrates and acts out the process. During “Greeting Time,” students learn the chant “Higgity Piggity,” ELs have the opportunity to participate silently or according to their level of comfort. 

In Unit 8, the “Supporting Multilingual Learners” section mentions layered questioning in the “Build Experience” section of the math game “Rocks and Numbers.” Students try to match an index card with a number to the set of rocks that matches that number. Using layered questioning, teachers scale the discussion to each child’s language ability: Students can respond using gestures, one-word responses, or open-ended responses, identifying and subitizing numbers and counting.

In Unit 10, the prompted questions allow teachers to use their knowledge of the students’ language skills to ask questions. Yes-or-no questions for beginning ELs include “Do you want to use red paper?” Open-ended questions for more advanced ELs include students describing the pattern that they want to make. The material sequences lessons in a way that supports children at varying levels and allows for repetition that is playful and interactive. Students share ideas with one another during Talk Time, Greeting Time, and read-alouds. Students also interact and role-play during centers and whole group instruction. In end-of-year activities, ELs are given the opportunity to add words to the unit chart using words in their home language or in English. ELs also share things that they do to celebrate, using their home language or English; this strategy uses students’ first language as a means to develop linguistic, affective, cognitive, and academic skills in English.

Evaluation for 11.1
Materials include year-long plans and supports for teachers to identify needs of students and provide differentiated instruction to meet the needs of a range of learners to ensure grade-level success.

While there are a scope and sequence and a “Correlations Tab” for the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines, the correlations document is hard to reference because it is divided by domains, and the links to the units are not currently active. There is no evidence of a vertical alignment document. There are cross-curricular activities in some of the lessons and centers, but not in all of them. The materials provide an alignment to the Prekindergarten Guidelines on the “Resources for Texas” page.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials include a cohesive, year-long plan to build students’ concept development and consider how to vertically align instruction that builds year to year. At the beginning of each unit, there is a section that shows the connections from previous units as well as connections to future units. For example, in Unit 3, one of the overarching themes is “Animals,” and the Teacher Edition (TE) makes the connection to Unit 5 (“Farm”) and Unit 8 (“Animal Architects”). The TE has a section at the end of each unit that previews the theme for the next unit. In the “Original Curriculum Guide,” there is a scope and sequence that shows the unit in which each concept is covered. At the end of each unit, a “Teaching Point Checklist” shows the skills taught to go along with the scope and sequence. On the website, there is a Correlations Tab that directly links the skills taught to the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. However, the correlations are arranged by domains and not by units; also, at this time, the links to take you to the section that goes with the guideline are not working. There is no evidence of a vertical alignment document that goes with the program.

The “Scope and Sequence” in the appendix of the Curriculum Guide shows the skills that are taught in each unit and how the skills are spiraled back in other units throughout the year. The skill of counting from 1 to 10 and beyond is taught in Units 1–10. Recognizing rhyming words is taught in Units 2–10. Words in a sentence are taught in Units 9–10. Isolating the beginning sound in a word is taught in Units 5–10. By teaching skills in multiple units, materials allow repeated opportunities for reviewing and practicing knowledge and skills in all domains.

The material does not include guidance that supports the teacher in understanding the vertical alignment for all content domains of the K–2 TEKS. There is no evidence that the thematic units or topics of study connect to concepts taught in kindergarten to support students through background knowledge from prekindergarten.

Materials provide review and practice of knowledge and skills in all domains throughout the span of the curriculum. There is some evidence of concepts being taught and practiced simultaneously. During “Message Time Plus,” students are working on concepts such as counting or other math skills as well as phonics or letter-sound correspondence. In the Unit 3 Day 15 Message Time Plus, students sort vehicles by the number of wheels and create a graph. While writing the title of the graph, materials guide the teacher to focus on the formation of the letters. There are multiple opportunities in a variety of activities to practice skills and concepts.

In Unit 5, during “Greeting Time,” students learn and sing “Old McDonald;” during the rest of the week, they create new lyrics using unit vocabulary. In Unit 5, students play the game “Horse on the Farm.” Students roll a die and move across the game board that many times to get the horse to the hay. Students explore numbers 1–6 from the “Math” domain focusing on the numbers and number sense skill. In Unit 7, in the “Dramatic Play” center, materials guide the teacher to set up a store area for students to explore buying and selling items. In the “Sensory” center, students use a variety of seeds, tweezers, and tongs to collect, sort, and count. 

Evaluation for 11.2
Materials include implementation support for teachers and administrators.

The “Scope and Sequence” in the appendix is not set up to serve as a map for sequencing the instruction towards end-of-the-year outcomes. It does not guide the teacher in planning for differentiating instruction for students needing extra support in specific skills or learning domains. The materials do offer supports to help the teacher implement the lessons correctly. Each unit lesson is color-coded and organized in an easy-to-use way. Lessons are also scripted, and each lesson contains a materials list and teacher instructions for making items ahead of time. Materials do not include resources and guidance to help administrators support teachers in implementing the materials as intended. Materials pacing does not allow for all content areas to be met consistently.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The only reference to the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is in the included “Correlation Document” that shows the correlation between the guidelines and the unit lessons; this is located in “Resources for Texas.” The “Original Curriculum Guide” includes an appendix with a Scope and Sequence, but it is not set up to serve as a map for sequencing the instruction towards end-of-the-year outcomes. The included scope and sequence pages list the learning concepts and the units that cover them, but they do not include an organized chart that clearly details which knowledge and skills are introduced and which are reviewed within each unit. They do not outline concept focal points or how the plans support students at different stages of development. There is no teacher guidance for understanding the progression across the early childhood continuum or in planning for differentiating instruction for students needing extra support in specific skills or learning domains.

Support to help teachers implement the materials as intended is somewhat limited. Chapter one of the “Foundations Guide,” “Anything Is Possible,” gives a brief description of what the materials look like in use throughout a typical day, but it does not offer a true “Getting Started Guide.” The beginning of each unit includes a unit overview, weekly guiding questions, a unit at a glance, and connections to other units. Each unit provides a description of unit projects, anchor charts, and new center features. Each unit also offers a list and description of read-aloud books for the unit. The material starts each week with a “Week at a Glance” feature. The lessons are color-coded for easy accessibility. Songs are available in digital format to support ease of use. Materials do not include posters, manipulatives, or other lesson support materials. All support materials are teacher produced, donated, or printed from digital resources. Most lessons include a make-and-take section or a materials section to help the teacher prepare for instruction. Most lessons are scripted, so materials support the teacher in understanding how to teach the lessons.

The materials do not include resources and guidance to support administrators in understanding appropriate learning environments, structures, and materials that support the learning of prekindergarten-age students; however, chapter six of the Foundations Guide does give an idea of how an early childhood classroom should be set up and how to choose the best materials for fostering the development of Pre-K skills. The materials do not include resources and guidance for administrators to evaluate the classroom environment nor help to recognize best instructional practices.

The materials include ten themed units that provide four weeks of lessons each, which would cover an entire school year. However, the materials offer opportunities to learn and work on some Pre-K development skills and skip over others. For example, there are multiple language learning occasions that are revisited throughout the year. Math concepts, on the other hand, are often targeted a few times and not repeated regularly enough to ensure mastery of skills.

Evaluation for 11.3
Materials provide implementation guidance to meet variability in programmatic design and scheduling considerations.

Within the materials, a “Writing Stages” chart helps guide teachers in understanding the writing stages continuum, but little is mentioned about developmental progression in other areas. The teacher is not given insight into why lessons are done in a specific order. The materials include sample schedules to help the educator know how to implement a half-day program. There are no templates or lesson planning support.  There are some basic program and scheduling designs in the program.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The material does not include strategic guidance on implementation that would ensure that the sequence of content is taught in a manner consistent with the developmental progression of skills. There is a “Scope and Sequence” in the appendix of the “Curriculum Guide,” but it is not detailed or sequenced. The scope and sequence do not inform the teacher on the developmental progression of skills; it simply states which skills are taught in which units. Some of these skills are addressed in multiple units. The units teach the letters in non-alphabetical order, but there is no list provided to show the order in which they are taught. There is no evidence of numeracy being taught in sequential order; math concepts are not a daily focus in this program.

In the “Original Curriculum Guide,” there is a half-day and full-day schedule. The full-day schedule is from 8:15 AM–3:00 PM; the half-day program is from 8:15 AM–12:00 PM. Both schedules include arrival/greeting and breakfast, “Morning Meeting,” “Circle Time,” “Center Time,” “Message Time Plus,” small group activities, outdoor play, and “Read Aloud”/“Closing Meeting.” The materials include lessons and activities designed for each component of the daily schedule as recommended by the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. These lessons are designed for a full-day of instruction with recommendations for programs operating a half day. The “Foundations Guide” gives samples of a full-day and half-day schedule; however, the Teacher Edition (TE) does not explain how the lessons look different for half day versus full day. There is no evidence of a lesson plan template in the Foundations Guide; however, materials do reference that the TEs contain daily lessons for each area. The schedule can be customized for individual classroom needs, but the materials do not include support to assist with adaptation.

Evaluation for 11.4
Materials provide guidance on fostering connections between home and school.

Within the materials, there are some family engagement tips in both the “Original Curriculum Guide” and the “Foundations Guide.” Many unit lessons include recommendations for the teacher to add at-home extensions for family involvement purposes. Each unit includes both English and Spanish parent letters to keep parents informed and give them the opportunity to further their child’s understanding of a specific concept.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Chapter 5 of the Foundations Guide targets family engagement by supporting the relationships between teachers and families. “Spotlight: Six Principles of Family Engagement” showcases the six most important family engagement principles as determined by NAEYC and “Pre-K Now.” These can help guide the teacher in making meaningful connections to the students’ families. Page 16 includes several tips for positive family communications. There are also tips for helping parents collaborate in their child’s education. At the end of each unit, materials invite families to join the class in celebrating the unit completion. Each unit includes both English and Spanish family invitations located on the “Family Resources” page. The materials also recommend creating a family bulletin board. Throughout the unit, a red heart in the “Family Engagement” sidebar indicates additional tips, such as “Look Up! Children are learning about the sky. When you are outside, or from a window, look up at the sky. What colors do you see?”

In Unit 2, materials include a parent letter that makes recommendations for parents to keep classroom learning going by reading a book with rhyming words and pointing out the words as they are read. Materials also suggest parents help children come up with more vocabulary words.

In Unit 4, Day 4, “Message Time Plus,” a sidebar note recommends teachers help families support the students’ understanding of building materials at home by printing the “What Is Made of Wood?” treasure hunt cards for at home-use. The content examples from the Family Engagement sidebar in Unit 4 include one for vocabulary, two for physical development, one for social studies, and one for science.

In Unit 6, Day 13, Message Time Plus, a Family Engagement sidebar recommends teachers download and print the unit’s “Featured Class Book” note to send home for children to share and brainstorm ideas with their family members about making mixtures.

There is no evidence of an online portal with resources that parents can access at home to enrich the students’ learning, nor are there ideas for family engagement nights. However, there are paper resources to send home to families in both English and Spanish.

Evaluation for 11.5
The visual design of student and teacher materials (whether in print or digital) is neither distracting nor chaotic.

The materials’ teacher’s guides are color-coded to help support locating specific lessons. Teacher tips are not consistently used nor consistently labeled in all areas throughout the materials. Materials provide only a small number of visual aids for student support with content acquisition. The supplied visuals are clear, and instructions are easy to follow, but they are limited in number. Student materials are labeled by week and lesson.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In each unit, the materials include an index that guides teachers to locate important information for lesson planning and implementation. The index is divided into topics such as “Centers,” “Appendix,” “Digital Online Resources,” “Week at a Glance,” and lessons and books in the unit. The “Charts” section includes the charts that will be used for the unit; for example, there is a “Feelings” chart, a “Power of 3” chart, and a “Readers Can Say” chart. There are pictures to show examples of centers, charts, and the “Social-Emotional Learning” spotlight. In centers, materials provide examples of materials to put in the centers, examples of products of the center, and how the center should be set up. 

Pictures and graphics are supportive of student learning and engagement without being visually distracting.  Each unit includes some authentic colored pictures as resources, but this does not include vocabulary support. Teachers produce most visual aids for lessons and vocabulary word support. The few pictures and graphics provided in the materials are easily identifiable by students and support concept acquisition. The “Original Curriculum Guide” states that the materials include five big books for interactive shared reading activities, modeling the use of concepts of print, and demonstrating the reading process and strategies that readers use. These can be easily seen by students in a whole group setting.