Treasures PLC Team Members: Lisa Breen, Marilena Damiani, Irene Hines, Karen Hohmann, Rita Keahon, Michelle Krone and Susan Sheehy,

PLC Treasures Research Findings: Research finds that children can better understand story structure, if they know how it is organized. Organizational structure can help facilitate comprehension, hence our weekly assessment tests. This program is aligned with the 5 pillars of literacy (i.e. Phonemic Awareness, Phonics/Concepts about Print, Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension) and the Common Core Standards, which will also help prepare our students for the NJ ASK Assessment and help them go on as lifelong learners. Refer to handout: The Assessment Process

PLC Group’s Implementation Of Vocabulary Instruction With the new Treasures Program, we are now teaching formal vocabulary lessons connected to each story. Our PLC group is pre-teaching and providing vocabulary activities in a multi-sensory way on a weekly basis. This is occurring via technology, foldable books, and vocabulary dominoes. Research has verified that explicit and direct instruction in vocabulary, i.e. specifically teaching the meaning of new words, and teaching strategies for vocabulary building, also shows a positive impact on students’ language development, comprehension, fluency and long-term retention.

PLC Group’s Implementation Of Comprehension Strategies Comprehension strategies are explicitly taught in the Treasures Program throughout 3 different texts and genres throughout each week. For example, our comprehension strategies are: setting a purpose for reading, analyzing and identifying text structure, generating questions while reading, visualizing, and using graphic organizers (concept mapping). The specialists in our group have found that the graphic organizers are consistent across grade levels as well as in Treasures/Triumphs.

Assessment Components In Treasures Reading Program Diagnostic Assessment Teacher Book Student Weekly Assessment Teacher Book: Selection Tests & Weekly Assessment Tests Through vertical articulation we discovered that the Main Selection Weekly Assessments must be enhanced with extra material to provide more accurate data. For example, we have added a vocabulary page and a “Cold Read” Assessment to the weekly selection tests.

Assessment Components Implemented Teacher observation of retelling cards (second grade) Weekly assessment tests (story of week) “Dry read” assessment tests Pre-assessment (for children reading below grade level) Comprehension questions (target one or two in order to promote quality work) Guided reading groups with leveled readers Assessment inline with the NJ ASK (third grade) Goal : to use benchmark tests next September when we are using the whole program

Comparison From 2 nd to 3 rd Grade Treasures: Unit 4 Week 5 Sample of open ended question from second grade test: “How does the reader know that Mice and Bean is a fantasy? Explain your answer and support it with details from the story.” Sample of open ended question from third grade test: “According to Ellen Ochoa, what skills or traits are most important for an astronaut? Explain your answer and support it with details from the story.” We found that the second grade tests prepare the children for the more challenging third grade assessments.

Critchlow Verbal Language Scale This is a vocabulary assessment. Teacher gives a word and student responds with the opposite of that word. The assessment calls for very specific answers. Based upon our findings, the test did not provide valuable information about students’ true vocabulary ability.

Using Data To Drive Instruction: Vocabulary Our ESL students struggled with vocabulary. They needed extra instruction each day to be successful. Online Picture Vocabulary also helped struggling children to be successful. We felt that one positive aspect of this program is that it is heavy on vocabulary instruction. We now have daily vocabulary instruction- (ex. “Do Now” ) Our students have been noticing the learned vocabulary in other settings, but do not usually use it in their writing. This would be a goal for next year.

Comparison Of Treasures & Triumphs Two placement tests to determine the level of the student. This decides what program (Treasures or Triumphs) uses. Oral Reading Fluency – Useful Reading Comprehension – Gives same information as a running record Phonics Survey – Useful because nonsense words are used Triumphs selection tests do not have open ended questions as Treasures do. Triumphs has lessons for week 5 however, there isn’t a test that goes with week 5.

Treasures Supplements Created By PLC Group Added to the assessment tests- more questions on vocabulary Dominos Flip Books “Foldables” Story Review Papers