Learn how Foundations A-Z supports teachers with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction that includes flexible opportunities to advance in essential knowledge building to maximize student learning!
Built on the Science of Reading, Foundations A-Z focuses on bringing knowledge building into the classroom as foundational skills are being taught.
Why does knowledge building matter?
Research tells us knowledge leads to more knowledge! The ultimate goal is to help students build a foundation of understanding and assign meaning to concepts present in the world they live in.
Make the most of every instructional minute by using knowledge-rich titles for learning to read. Per research-based best practices, enhancing vocabulary, refining foundational skills, and increasing conceptual knowledge are best achieved through daily engagement with a variety of texts on content area topics, including social studies, civics, and more.
Foundations A–Z takes a comprehensive approach to knowledge building, as activating prior knowledge and acquisition of foundational skills takes place simultaneously. Using this solution, teachers are able to achieve maximum efficiency with their time and students begin drawing connections from day one.
In grades K-2, students build knowledge primarily through exposure to content-rich texts read as part of foundational skills lessons.
In grades 3-5, students are exposed to more complex foundational skills and expand the breadth and depth of content.
Let’s take a closer look.
Every unit in Foundations A-Z leads with a topical question that represents content from across the curriculum. That question is broken down further in the modules.
The first lesson of each module introduces the module question in Set the Stage, where students activate prior knowledge of the topic, as well as relevant vocabulary.
The module question is reinforced in every lesson of the module.
To continue to build knowledge and understanding about the lesson’s topic, students are exposed to a variety of texts centered around the module’s question and unit topic.
With Foundations A-Z, students will be exposed to both grade-level texts and decodable books or passages that build on the unit topic.
At the end of the module, students revisit the module question, demonstrating what they’ve read through a variety of activities.
By the end of the unit, students have been exposed to at least eight compelling texts that have helped build understanding of the unit topic.
Students have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge using discussion and writing activities.
After being exposed to the subject matter, writing helps to bring it all together by demonstrating understanding and increasing knowledge retention.
Foundations A-Z supports teachers with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction that includes flexible opportunities to advance in essential knowledge building to maximize student learning!
Embedded Professional Development is always available to support educators in making the transition to Science of Reading-based instruction.
With the powerful duo of Foundations A-Z and Raz-Plus, educators have endless possibilities to extend student content area knowledge with additional topic-related resources that support all the essential literacy strands.
You now have the opportunity to deliver quality foundational skill and knowledge building instruction to your classroom.
Learn more today!
