Wonders Materials Adaptation Project

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The 2017 Wonders Materials Adaptation Project (MAP) provides guidance for streamlining the 2017 Wonders literacy program in grades K-6. The recommended adaptations elevate the best Wonders materials while supporting additional modifications for college- and career-ready instruction. Each grade level’s MAP contains an introductory overview, Week at a Glance (WAG) Planning Template and specific Rules of Thumb for handling all instructional components of Wonders.

This guidance aligns with the expert findings of Comparing Reading Research to Program Design: An Examination of McGraw Hill Education’s Wonders, an Elementary Literacy Curriculum  published in the summer of 2021. This review focused on this same edition: Wonders 2017/California Wonders. Following the MAP guidance offered here will help teachers who use Wonders maximize the positive and effective elements of the materials, while avoiding the pitfalls caused by the overwhelming amount of content in the bloated curriculum.

The Foundational Skills Guidance Documents offer concrete definitions and examples of the most pressing foundational content taught to kindergarten and first grade students, with a focus on phonemic awareness and structured phonics.  They include suggestions for implementation, guidelines for assessment, and enhancements that can work as a complement to the resources included in Wonders.  Making use of this guidance will help fill some of the holes the experts found when they reviewed the foundational skills elements of Wonders 2017/California Wonders.

Summary​ ​of​ ​Recommended Instructional​ ​Modifications​:

  • Always​ ​support​ ​foundational​ ​skills.​ ​ALWAYS.
  • Elevate​ ​the​ ​best​ ​texts...they’re​ ​there!
  • Let​ ​rereading​ ​of​ ​less​ ​complex​ ​texts​ ​happen​ ​outside​ ​of​ ​whole​ ​group​ ​instruction​ ​(in​ ​small​ ​groups​ ​or​ ​independently).
  • Cut​ ​to​ ​the​ ​heart​ ​of​ ​the​ ​instructional​ ​purpose​ ​of​ ​the​ ​lessons​ ​(avoid​ ​extraneous​ ​activities​ ​or​ ​questions).
  • Build​ ​knowledge​ ​and​ ​vocabulary ​whenever​ ​possible!
  • Reduce​ ​the​ ​number​ ​of​ ​transitions​ ​your​ ​students​ ​have​ ​to​ ​make​ ​each​ ​day.