Research Connections
See how the CCSS, The Big Five Research Findings, and Read Well K-2 interface. High—priority standards are taught explicitly and to mastery. Trace the cumulative review on essential skills. The chart below demonstrates the rigor with which the RWK-2 series provides not only exposure but instruction and practice.
Common Core State Reading Standards |
The Big Five Research-Based Findings |
Read Well |
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WHERE |
HOW |
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RWK |
RW1 |
RW2 |
Read Well Activities |
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Print Concepts |
One or more of these activities is included in each unit listed. |
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Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print. |
RWK Whole Class* Units 1–26 & Review RWK Small Group* Units A–15 |
RW1 Units 1–15 |
Finger Tracking, Sentence Scramble, Smooth and Bumpy Blending (left to right blending) |
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Phonological Awareness |
Phonemic |
One or more of these activities is included in each unit listed. |
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Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds in words. |
Blending |
RWK Whole Class* Units 1–26 & Review RWK Small Group* Units A–20 |
RW1* Units 1–15 |
Stretch and Shrink |
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Segmenting |
RWK Whole Class* Units 1–26 & Review RWK Small Group* Units A–15 |
RW1* Units A–3 RW1 Spelling Units 1–34 |
RW2* Spelling Units 1–34 |
Sound Counting, Whiteboard Dictation, Spelling Dictation |
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RWK Whole Class* Units 4–26 & Review |
RW2* Units 1–34 |
Songs, Poems, Rhyming Games, Rhyming Words |
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Phonics and Word Recognition |
Phonics |
One or more of these activities is included in each unit listed. |
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Apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. |
Letter-Sound Knowledge |
RWK Whole Class* Units 1–26 & Review RWK Small Group* Units A–20 |
RW1 & Plus* Units A–50 RW1 Spelling* Units 1–34 |
RW2 & Plus* Units 1–25 RW2 Spelling* Units 1–30 |
ABC Cheer, ABC Poems, Letter Books, Scrapbook Art, Sound Card Practice, Sound Ladders/Race Tracks, Sound Practice, Sound Review, Accuracy and Fluency Building—Mixed Practice, Sound Dictation |
Letter-Sound Blending |
RWK Whole Class* Units 1–26 & Review RWK Small Group* Units A–20 |
RW1 & Plus* Units A–50 |
RW2* Units 1–25 |
Smooth and Bumpy Blending, Shifty Word Blending |
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Letter-Sound Segmenting |
RWK Whole Class Units 1–26 & Review RWK Small Group Units 1–5 |
RW1 Units 1–15* Units A–3 RW1 Spelling* Units 2–34 |
RW2 Spelling* Units 1–34 |
Sound Counting, Spelling Dictation—Pattern Words, Skill Work—Hearing Sounds |
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Rhyming Words and Sound Substitution |
RWK Whole Class Units 1, 3–7, 9–12, 14–25 RWK Small Group Units 6–8, 10–11, 13–20 |
RW1 & Plus Units 3–50 RW1 Spelling Units 4–34 |
RW2 Units 1–25 RW2 Spelling Units 1–30 |
Accuracy and Fluency Building—Rhyming Words, Skill Work—Rhyming Words, Spelling Dictation—Pattern Words that Rhyme, Pattern Words With Sound Substitution |
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Irregular Words |
RWK Whole Class* Units 3–20 RWK Small Group* Units 5–20 |
RW1 & Plus* Units 5–50 RW1 Spelling* Units 6–34 |
RW2* Units 1–25 RW2 Spelling* Units 1–30 |
Tricky Word Practice, Names and Places, Spelling Dictation—Tricky Words |
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Multisyllabic Words |
RW1 & Plus Units 5–50 RW1 Spelling Units 19, 22–34 |
RW2 Units 1–30 RW2 Spelling Units 2–34 |
Accuracy and Fluency Building—Multisyllabic Words, Word Endings, Compound Words, Morphographs and Affixes, Related Words, Reading By Analogy, Open Syllables, Spelling Dictation—Multisyllabic Pattern Words |
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*Daily practice is provided.
Common Core State Reading Standards |
The Big Five Research-Based Findings |
Read Well |
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WHERE |
HOW |
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RWK |
RW1 |
RW2 |
Read Well Activities |
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Fluency |
Fluency |
One or more of these activities is included in each unit listed. |
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Read emergent texts with purpose and understanding. (Emergent text is defined in Appendix A as “Texts consisting of short sentences comprised of learned sight words and cvc words; may also include rebuses to represent words.) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. |
Accuracy |
RWK Small Group* Units 1–20 Fully Decodable Text |
RW1 & Plus* Units 1–50 Fully Decodable Text Ready for Uncontrolled Trade Books |
RW2* Units 1–12 Fully Decodable Text RW2 & Plus* Units 13–25 Transition to Trade Books |
Unit Mastery Assessments (Decoding and/or ORF) Gradually increasing to 98% Accuracy by RW1 Unit 38 |
Expression and Prosody |
RWK Small Group* Units 9–20 |
RW1 & Plus* Units 11–50 |
RW2* Units 1–25 |
Underlined Phrases, Expressive Reading, Focus on Expression, Short Passage Practice (model, guide, independent practice) |
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Rate (gradually increasing rate requirements across programs) |
RWK Small Group Units 6–20 21–45+ wcpm |
RW1 Units 6–38 24–99+ wcpm RW1 Plus Units 39–50 80–110+ wcpm |
RW2 Units 1–20 80–122+ wcpm RW2 Plus Units 21–25 132+ wcpm |
Repeated Readings—Choral, Whisper |
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Vocabulary Acquisition and Use |
Vocabulary |
One or more of these activities is included in each unit listed. |
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The vocabulary standards focus on understanding words or phrases, their relationships, and their nuances on acquiring new vocabulary, particularly academic and domain-specific words and phrases. Program Note: Vocabulary is pretaught. Vocabulary is also taught within the context of reading. Selected words are used within and across units and across programs. Depth knowledge is developed with selected words across levels. |
Useful Words |
RWK Whole Class Units 1–26 (e.g., fact, insect, protect) RWK Small Group Units 1–20 (e.g., disability, |
RW1 & Plus Units 1–50 (e.g., fact, mammal, extinct) RW1 Composition Units 1–34 (e.g., fact, mammal, extinct) RW1 Spelling Units 1–34 (e.g., fact, mammal, extinct) |
RW2 & Plus Units 1–25 (e.g., fact, fiction, endangered, extinct, ancient, insist, ordinary) |
Read Alouds, Story Reading, Comprehension and Skill Work |
Preteaching |
RWK Whole Class Units 5–7, 11–14, 16–26 RWK Small Group Units 1–20 |
RW1 & Plus Units 5–50 RW1 Composition Read Alouds Units 1–5, 8, 10–11, 13, 15–16, 19, 22–23 |
RW2 & Plus Units 1–25 |
Read Alouds—Introducing the Story, Introduce the Vocabulary Word, Story Reading—Introducing Vocabulary |
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Illustration (or photos) of Words |
RWK Whole Class Units 7–8, 10–13, 16, 19, 22–24 RWK Small Group Units 1–20 (e.g., disability, insect) |
RW1 Units 1–38 (e.g., fact/fiction, shed, molt) |
RW2 & Plus Units 1–25 |
Story Reading—Introducing Vocabulary, Comprehension and Skill Work—Alphabetical Order and My Picture Dictionary (illustrate), Vocabulary and Alphabetic Order (illustrate the word) |
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Repetition and Extended Use |
RWK Whole Class Units 1–26 & RWK Small Group Units 1–20 |
RW1 & Plus Units 5–38 RW1 Composition Units 1–30 RW1 Spelling Units 1–34 |
RW2 & Plus Units 1–25 RW2 Spelling Units 1–30 |
Read Alouds (in context), Story Reading (in context), Comprehension and Skill Work—Story Comprehension, Vocabulary and Alphabetic Order (define, write a sentence, illustrate), Characterization, Crossword Puzzles, Personal Response (written paragraphs—try to use the snazzy word) |
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Formulate Definitions |
RW2 & Plus* Units 8–10, 14–23 |
Now You Try It (define a word) |
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*Daily practice is provided.
Common Core State Reading Standards |
The Big Five Research-Based Findings |
Read Well |
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WHERE |
HOW |
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RWK |
RW1 |
RW2 |
Read Well Activities |
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Key Ideas and Details |
Comprehension |
Thematically Related Fiction/Non-Fiction |
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1. Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
2. Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lessons.
Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
3. Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text. |
Question Answering |
RWK Whole Class* Units 1–26 RWK Small Group* Units 1–20 |
RW1 & Plus* Units 1–50 RW1 Composition Read Alouds* Units 1–30 |
RW2 & Plus* Units 1–25 |
Read Alouds—Interactive, Duet Stories—Decodable and Read Aloud Hybrids, Student Story Reading—Embedded Questions, Think and Talks, Comprehension and Skill Work—Story Comprehension |
Question Asking |
(Preteaches: |
RW1 Recommended for Read Alouds Units 1, 5, 7–8, 10–11, 13, 17–18, 24–27, 31–32, 36–38 RW1 Composition Read Alouds Units 1, 5, 11–12 |
RW2 & Plus KWL Units 5, 10, 12–14, 16 Writing Questions Units 17, 22 |
Modified KWLs (What do you think you know? What would you like to learn? What did you learn?), Comprehension and Skill Work—Write a Riddle, Asking Questions |
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Story Mapping (character, setting, problem, action, conclusion) |
RWK Oral Retell/Story Units 5, 7–11, RWK Small Group Units 1–20 |
RW1 & Plus Oral Retell/Story Map Units 1–6, 8–10, 12–21, 23–26, 29, 32, 34–36 Written Story Map Units 23–32, 34–37 Written Story Units 39–44, Characterization Units 39–43, 46 |
RW2 & Plus Written Story Maps/Retells Units 1, 3–9, 11, 17–18 Characterization Units 2, 8, 11, 16–18, 21–22, 25 |
Story Summaries (oral retells), Oral Retell Books, Pocket Chart Retells, Comprehension and Skill Work—Story Maps, Written Retells, Character Webs, Characterization, Genre and Vocabulary, Composition—Character Maps, Story Maps |
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Summarization |
RWK Whole Class KWL Units 7, 8, 12 RWK Small Group Oral Fact Summary Units 1–2, 8–9, 12, 19–20 |
RW1 & Plus Oral Fact Summary Units 7, 11, 22, 28, 30, 37 Written Fact Summary/Report Units 30–31, 33, 36–38, 45, 48–49 |
RW2 & Plus Written Fact Summary/Note Taking, Reports Units 1–3, 5, 7–8, 10, 13–14, 17 |
Modified KWLs (What We Learned), Fact Summaries (Comprehension and Skill Work—Main Idea, Main Idea and Supporting Details), See Integration of Knowledge and Ideas, Item 8 |
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Craft and Structure |
Comprehension |
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4. Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
Ask and answer questions to clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text. |
Question Asking and Answering |
RWK Whole Class Feelings/Senses Units 2 (see), 3 (hear), 5–10, 13–26 RWK Small Group Units 2–3, 5–10, 12–17, 19–20 |
RW1 & Plus Feelings/Senses Units 1–9, 12–16, 17–18, 20–21, 23–29, 31–32, 34–38 Rhyming Poems Units 39–42, 45–48, 50 |
RW2 & Plus Ask and answer questions about the meaning of words. Units 1–25 |
Story Reading—Embedded Questions, Comprehension and Skill Work—Story Comprehension, Rhyming Poem—Cloze/Multiple Choice |
5. Identify who is telling the story at various points in the text.
Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustration and information provided by words in a text. |
Answering Questions and Graphic Organizers |
RWK Whole Class Information from Illustrations/Photos Units 1–26 RWK Small Group Units 1–20 |
RW1 & 1 Plus Information from Illustrations/Photos/Graphic Organizers Units 1–50 |
RW2 & Plus Information from Illustrations/Photos/Graphic Organizers Units 1–50 |
Read Alouds—Interactive, Duet Stories—Decodable and Read Aloud Hybrids, Student Story Reading—Embedded Questions, Comprehension and Skill Work |
*Daily practice is provided.
Common Core State Reading Standards |
The Big Five Research-Based Findings |
Read Well |
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WHERE |
HOW |
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RWK |
RW1 |
RW2 |
Read Well Activities |
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Integration of Knowledge and Ideas |
Comprehension |
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6. Use the illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting or events, or its key ideas. |
Illustrations and Graphic Organizers |
RWK Whole Class Units 1–26 RWK Small Group Units 1–20 |
RW1 & Plus Units 1–50 |
RW2 & Plus Units 1–25 |
Read Alouds—Interactive, Duet Stories—Decodable and Read Aloud Hybrids, Student Story Reading—Embedded Questions, Think and Talks, Comprehension and Skill Work—Story Comprehension |
7. Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text. |
Graphic Organizers (hierarchy: main ideas and supporting details) |
RW1 & Plus Graphic Organizer Main Idea and Supporting Details Units 39–50 |
RW2 Main Idea Units 1–7 Graphic Organizer Main Idea and Supporting Details Units 8–20, 22–25 Sequence of Events, Cause/Effect Units 5, 7, 10, 12, 18–21, 24 |
Story Reading—Questions, Comprehension and Skill Work—Main Idea and Supporting Details, Sequence of Events/Cause and Effect |
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8. Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
Identify the basic similarities and differences between two texts on the same topic. |
Graphic Organizers (matrix) |
RW1 & Plus Story Comparison (Matrix) Units 39–40 |
RW2 Story Composition (Matrix) Units 5, 8, 12, 14 |
Storybook—Story Comparison, Comprehension and Skill Work—Story Comprehension |
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Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity |
Comprehension |
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9. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently. |
RWK Small Group Units 4–20 Emergent Reader Text |
RW1 Units 1–23 Not Applicable Units 24–38 Readability Range** .08 to 2.8 RW1 Plus Units 39–50 1.7 to 5.4 |
RW2 Units 1–20 Readability Range** 1.9 to 4.6 RW2 Plus Units 21–25 Readability Range** 2.7 to 5.1 |
Over 50% of text includes informational text. Units are built thematically—frequently pairing nonfiction and fictional text in read alouds and student reading. |
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**Flesch-Kincaid Readability