[eatteachlove]

My district is looking at moving to a new reading series that is CCSS aligned. We're having presentations about Pearson's Reading Street, HM's Journeys, and McGraw Hill's Wonders. Anyone up for sharing pros/cons?

Right now we use Harcourt Trophies and as a K teacher, it's waaaayyy too easy and slow. The read alouds actually say "Pre-K" on the back of them and we teach letters through April. I'd love a series where the texts are age and developmentally appropriate, and the phonics instruction is a little more fast paced. There's always going to be some sweet-and-lows you've gotta slow down for, but the majority of kinders need a little more of a faster pace than Trophies.

In the other grades (1-4) I know that a good thing about Trophies is that it is skills based. So the tests aren't about the story and comprehension questions at the end of the week, rather they're asking students to apply what they know about inferencing, comparing, etc.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Squirl]

Oh. My. Gosh! My last district adopted Reading Street, and it was AWFUL!!! I left the district before they adopted the CCSS, so I don't know if it aligns well with that, but the basal itself was hated by all of us that used it. (Granted, I taught 4th in my last district... If I'm not mistaken, the lower primaries liked it a little more than we did.)

I've heard good things about Journeys, but mostly that it works well with the Daily 5 plans. I've never actually seen the reading series, though. As for Wonders, I didn't know they were still publishing that one. Lol We use Houghton Mifflin (which is not on your list, I know), and I dislike it a lot too. I'm having the same problem with HM in first as you mentioned that you were having with Trophies in you Kinder class. The tests in HM are based on skills and strategies, though. I like that about it.

[kckrzy]

We adopted the new Reading Street 2011 edition and it is aligned to CC. The lessons/skills are challenging and spiral throughout the year. We adopted it K-5 and have been very pleased with it. The kids love the stories and beg to read everything in the book! The series has a great online tech piece where the students can play vocabulary games and take the weekly tests online. You can't go wrong with the new Reading Street!!

[mes]

We adopted the 2011 Reading Street this year. none of our teachers like it.

[fishingforfun]

Our district purchased EVERY piece of Reading Street. Most of the district hates it!