This post is for a series called “Quick Guide to Benchmark Advance,” which helps teachers with the basics.
Disclaimer: Materials may vary based on what your district purchased and where you are located. These are the materials I have available to use in my classroom, and I am based in CA.
The materials are consistent in K-1 and then change once the students get to second grade. Then, they are consistent for grades 2-6. There are a ton of components included in the program! I recommend approaching this list slowly and little by little.
K-1 Teachers
- READING
– Read-Aloud Handbook: for your daily read-alouds where you model metacognition
– Big Books:
– Shared Reading: used all three weeks
– Mentor Read Aloud: used in week 1
– Extended Reads: used in weeks 2 and 3
– My Shared Reading: this is a student consumable book where students practice annotating and close reading - SMALL GROUP
– Leveled Readers: small books in sets of 6 used during guided reading time with students who share similar reading levels. Teacher guides are included in the bags of books and are online.
– Reader’s Theatre Books: texts that are great for fluency practice. These have leveled roles, so groups of heterogeneous readers can use them together. Teacher guides are found in the Reader’s Theatre Teacher Handbook. - PHONICS
– Sound Spelling Cards, Frieze Cards, Picture Word Cards, HFW Cards, Alphabet Chart, and Letter Cards
– Advancing Phonics Skills: book with additional phonics lessons
– Decodable Books: small readers for practicing specific phonics patterns
– Heidi Songs Videos: clips for phonics instruction found on Benchmark Universe, assignable to students
– ePocket Chart: an online tool for customizing phonics lessons
– Interactive Learning Games: online games that you can assign to students to play independently
– ePosters: additional posters found online - WRITING
– Daily writing lessons in your TRS
– Process Writing Handbook: additional writing support with tons of lessons - BLACKLINE MASTERS
– Click on the “Practice” tab on Benchmark Universe
– Grammar, Spelling & Vocabulary Activity Book, Additional Decodable Practice, Handwriting Practice Pages, Phonics & HFW - ELD
– TRS and Texts for English Language Development: hardcover books that scaffold students into the whole class text. The whole class text is broken down with additional pictures. - INTERVENTION
– These vary by grade level. They come as teacher handbooks and are also found online under the “Intervention” tab.
2-6 Teachers
- READING
– Read-Aloud Handbook: for your daily read-alouds where you model metacognition
– Texts for Close Reading: student consumable for close reading, annotating, and word study - SMALL GROUP
– Leveled Readers: small books in sets of 6 used during guided reading time with students who share similar reading levels. Teacher guides are included in the bags of books and are online.
– Reader’s Theatre Books: texts that are great for fluency practice. These have leveled roles, so groups of heterogeneous readers can use them together. Teacher guides are found in the Reader’s Theatre Teacher Handbook. - WORD STUDY
– “Word Study” weekly text: found in the Texts for Close Reading student book
– Sound Spelling Cards
– ePocket Chart: an online tool for customizing phonics lessons - WRITING
– Daily writing lessons in your TRS
– Writing and Language Handbook: additional writing support with tons of lessons - BLACKLINE MASTERS
– Click on the “Practice” tab on Benchmark Universe
– Grammar, Spelling & Vocabulary Activity Book, Cursive Pages, Text-Evidence Questions - ELD
– TRS and Texts for English Language Development: hardcover books that scaffold students into the whole class text. The whole class text is broken down with additional pictures. - INTERVENTION
– These vary by grade level. They come as teacher handbooks and are also found online under the “Intervention” tab.
Click on the links below to read the other
blog posts included in this “Quick Guide” Series.
A MESSAGE BEFORE YOU BEGIN: This is a good message to keep in mind as you get started
SUPPLY LIST: A short list of items you may want to purchase for your students
WHOLE VS. SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION: What everyone is doing and using in whole and small group time
PLANNING: Tips for planning a unit and week effectively
TEACHER TIPS: Advice from teachers who are already using the program
