By: Dr. Lori Jones Director of Curriculum and Instruction/ Gillette Principal

 Providing students with a differentiated instructional program which will support the reading and writing skill development of each child.  The components of a balanced literacy approach are as follows: read aloud, guided reading, shared reading, interactive writing, shared writing, reading workshop, writing workshop, grammar/conventions, and word study.

 Balanced literacy is implemented through the Reading and Writing Workshop Model. The teacher begins by modeling the reading/writing strategy that is the focus of the workshop during a mini lesson. Students read leveled texts independently or write independently for an extended period of time as the teacher circulates amongst them to observe, record observations and confer. At the culmination of the workshop session, selected students share their strategies and work with the class.  Through the Writing Workshop Model, the students are taught spelling and grammar instruction.

 In grades K-2, our district uses the Superkids Reading Program.  The Superkids Reading program is a core literacy curriculum for kindergarten through second grade that teaches all aspects of reading seamlessly integrated with language arts.  Built on scientific research and proven pedagogy, it combines rigorous instruction with highly motivating materials.

 Systematic, Explicit Instruction: The Superkids Reading Program is a system of instruction. The step-by-step lessons build skills systematically as children progress from kindergarten through second grade, creating confident readers.  Decodable Text: As children learn new phonetic elements, they immediately apply these skills to engaging decodable literary and informational text. By second grade, children have learned the phonetic elements necessary to read text that isn't phonetically controlled.  Integration: Superkids integrates reading, spelling, handwriting, grammar, and composition into one program.  Motivation: Children love the engaging Superkids characters. Each character has a unique personality and interests. The Superkids stories capture the universal experiences of childhood.  By the time they finish the program, students have acquired the linguistic understanding required to develop into a fully literate individual. After Superkids, third-graders can read on grade level with accuracy, fluency, and understanding in any reading program.

StudentSeptember Level Grade Level Equivalent June Reading Level Grade Level Equivalent Increased Levels 1AAPRE-KK C1M D1.1N310 4C1L2.69 5E1.2M2.98 6G1.5O3.38 7BK.5I1.87 8C1J27 9F1.4K AKF BK.5G J2O AAPRE-KD J 2 N34 15K 2.3 O K 2.3 O F 1.4 J24 18A K D K2.3N33 20AKC12

 In grades 3-5, our district will use the Reading Fundamentals program.  Reading Fundamentals has a central mission to develop, expand, and enhance the skills, strategies, and tools students can use to make meaning of and interact with text. Reading Fundamentals Units of Study exist inside a balanced literacy framework. Within this framework, there are opportunities to read to students (mentor texts), to read with students (shared texts), and to have students read independently (books and other texts at their independent reading levels).

 Anchor/Mentor Texts (5–6 mentor texts and 3–13 short shared texts)  Common Core State Standards Alignment and Correlation Chart (inclusive of comprehension strategies)  Unit Introduction  Interactive Read-Aloud Lessons (8–10)  Mini-Lessons (6–12)  Transition to Independent Reading and Guided Practice  Conference Questions (Independent Reading and/or Writing)  Lesson Extensions  Appendices  Assessments

 READING FUNDAMENTALS NOTEBOOKS  What's included in each Reading Notebook for grades K–8:  Unit-specific short shared texts and documents  Unit-specific appendices and  Lined notebook paper for student note-taking and writing.  SHORT SHARED TEXT COLLECTION  What's included in each short Shared Text collection for Grades K–8:  Texts to support grade-specific genre and content literacy units of study  Texts representing various genres: fiction, essay, biography, feature article, poetry, and primary source documents such as speeches, reports, and letters  Texts representing a variety of authors, cultures, and content and  Texts that are aligned to complexity requirements.  DIGITAL RESOURCES  Digital appendices  Short shared texts  Digital assessments  Sample student work  Classroom environment photos and  Multimedia and Internet resources to engage students.

 Schoolwide's Guided Reading Collections are grounded in research-based best practices and the gradual release of responsibility model. They include high-quality, carefully selected fiction and nonfiction texts, model guided reading lesson plans, and more. Unique leveled collections are available in print and digital formats and can be combined for blended learning.  Each classroom will receive a classroom library of leveled readers for grades K-5.

 Components  Teacher's Manual  Model guided reading plans by level  High-quality, carefully selected texts  Balance of fiction and informational texts  PRINT GUIDED READING COLLECTIONS  6 unique, authentic print titles (from various publishers) per guided reading level (levels A–Q)  6 copies of each title (36 books)  Organized by individual reading level  DIGITAL GUIDED READING COLLECTIONS  6 unique digital titles on Zing! (from various publishers) per guided reading level (levels A–Q)Zing!  Unlimited simultaneous access to texts  Organized by individual reading level  eLearning (interactive, instructional supports) built into every text  Assessment tools that provide 4 options for assessing students' understanding

 In grades 3-5, our district uses the Writing Fundamentals program.  Schoolwide's Writing Fundamentals Units of Study have a central mission to improve students' writing by providing explicit instruction that focuses on demonstrating why writers write and how writers communicate their ideas effectively. In order for students to write with power and purpose, the Writing Fundamentals units use quality literature and informational texts to provide authentic examples of various genres and text types.

 Anchor/Mentor Texts (5–10)  Student Benchmark Pieces  Common Core State Standards Alignment and Correlation Chart  Unit Introduction  Interactive Read-Aloud Lessons (5–6)  Mini-Lessons (15–20)  ELL Supports  Conference Questions (Independent Writing)  Lesson Extensions  Appendices  Assessments (Formative and Summative)

 In our district, grades 3-5 will be using the Fundamentals of Grammar and Conventions program.  To build a foundation for college and career readiness in language, students must gain command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics as well as learn other ways to use language to convey meaning effectively.  A core tenet of The Fundamentals of Grammar and Conventions is that the teaching of grammar and conventions is most successful when presented in context and not in isolation.  This foundation explicitly aligns with Common Core Instructional Shifts that emphasize text-dependent classroom experiences.

 In our district, grades 3-5 will be using the Spelling Connections program.  Spelling Connections is a K–8 spelling curriculum founded upon over 30 years of research. It's effective; instead of relying solely on memorization or a single strategy like word sorting, Spelling Connections incorporates multiple strategies for teaching spelling, not simply assigning it, in just 15 minutes of instruction per day.  Cross-trains the brain to connect spelling with thinking, phonics or vocabulary, reading, and writing.

 7 full days of PD as opposed to the common 1- 2 day  Utilize Curriculum Monday’s for collaboration amongst teachers  Send teachers to local school districts using the program for site visits  Involve the Reading Specialist for teacher support

 NGSS are updated for grades 6-8 as per the state requirements for September.  We have provided the middle school science teachers with a PD opportunity this summer at Raritan Valley Community College titled “Get Ready for the NGSS!”

 Grades K-2 Balanced Literacy  Grades 3-5 Balanced Literacy  STEM  Grade 8 Math and Geometry  We will use the Rubicon Atlas Curriculum template and will provide training for the teachers.