4th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for anchor texts being of publishable quality and worthy of careful reading. The texts address a range of interests, and the reading selections would be interesting and engaging for Grade 4 students. Many of the central (anchor) texts have won awards or are written by award-winning authors. Central texts include a variety of genres and consider a range of students’ interests including endangered species, detective work/mysteries, personal narratives, survival stories, cultural texts, early American exploration, Native American history, and scientific non-fiction. Text sets are also rich in academic language. Furthermore, texts present universal and multiple multicultural themes which integrate other content areas.

The following are texts that represent how these materials meet the expectations for this indicator:

• Unit 1: Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look is a humorous literary text that would be engaging and relatable to Grade 4 students.

• Unit 2: Surviving in the World’s Most Extreme Places is one of several published works by award-winning zoologist Ross Piper.

• Unit 3: The Buried Bones Mystery: Clubhouse Mysteries #1 is a literary mystery written by Sharon Draper, an award winning author, and is engaging for Grade 4 students.

• Unit 4: Pennsylvania (Portraits of States), by Dana Meachan Rau is a nonfiction text that includes features and descriptions that would engage Grade 4 students with things such as sidebars, photos, pie charts, and "fun facts" that are scattered throughout the chapters.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards. Each unit in Grade 4 provides students the opportunity to engage in paired core texts as well as leveled readers, independent reading, and supplemental texts. The materials contain 8 baskets of leveled readers and a basket of Hook Books that are intended to engage even reluctant readers. The baskets of leveled readers are not a required part of the core curriculum but provide students a 100 Book Challenge by rotating fresh reading materials that expose students to a variety of topics and genres. Materials also provide thematic text sets centered around science and social studies themes as well as literary text sets aligned to material topics. These text sets, organized as baskets, are designed to accompany units in the form of research labs.

Anchor texts include a mix of informational and literary texts reflecting the distribution of text types required by the standards. Texts include diverse topics and genres such as realistic fiction, a visual dictionary, science and social studies informational text, detective stories, personal narratives, classics, and historical fiction.

The following are examples of literary texts found within the instructional materials:

• Unit 1- Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look
• Unit 2- My Side of the Mountain by Jean C. George
• Unit 3- Encyclopedia Brown Cracks the Case by Donald J. Sobol
• Unit 4- The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller

The following are examples of informational texts found within the instructional materials:

• Unit 1- Food Chains and Webs by Andrew Solway
• Unit 2- Endangered Animals:100 Facts by Steve Parker
• Unit 3- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: For Kids by Thomas C. Foster
• Unit 4- Exploring the United States by Nancy Golden

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for texts having the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task.

ARC is designed with flexibility so that consumers can choose and interchange multiple text sets based on the topics and levels desired. Some accompanying task and resource materials are not text-specific so that they apply across multiple text sets and grade bands. The instructional year begins with a literacy lab that is intended to capture readers' attention with engaging text, though some of these texts fall qualitatively at the grade band as measured by Lexile, the materials include text complexity analyses and IRLA levels for these texts that show that in a more holistic assessment of qualitative and reader/task features, the texts meet the demand of the standards for text complexity. Students have access to numerous texts at multiple reading levels that are read in small and whole group settings as well as independently. The philosophy of the publishers is self-directed learning and reading through literacy and research labs.

Quantitative and qualitative information for anchor texts is provided in the Teacher’s Edition or online in SchoolPace, and the numerous text sets that accompany each unit are leveled according to the publishers framework--IRLA. The publishers state: “The Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA) is a unified standards-based framework for student assessment, text leveling, and curriculum and instruction. The IRLA includes every Common Core Standard for Reading, both in literature and informational text, as well as those Language standards key to reading success, for students in grades PreK through 12.”

From the Teacher's Edition: "The core novel is a grade-level novel in the genre that is exemplary in terms of both content and craft. The teacher uses the provided class set of this text to engage students in rich and rigorous in evidence-based discussions and writing about texts. The ARC team of educational experts selects the best option for the core text for each unit and each grade that meets the following requirements: At grade-level IRLA level, in print and in stock, exemplar for this genre at this level, broad appeal to a diverse group of students, mentor text-worthy writing passages, and reflects multiple perspectives/diversity."

Some examples of text complexity measures indicated by the materials include, but are not limited:

• In Unit 2, after engaging an exemplar text pack, students read anchor texts. One of these is My Side of the Mountain, by John Craighead George with a quantitative measure of 810L (only slightly complex) as well as qualitative measures, this text has an appropriate level of complexity.

• In Unit 4, students read core text Pennsylvania: Portraits of the States, by Dana Meachan Rau and Jonathan A. Brown. The text-complexity analysis does not provide a quantitative score but indicates that the text is moderately complex based on the qualitative analysis of meaning and language and very complex in knowledge demands.

• Each unit is accompanied by Book Boxes that provide a range of text complexities. Students work with these texts each day.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations that materials support students’ increasing literacy skills over the course of the school year. (Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band.)

ARC provides students with access to leveled texts which address a range of science, social studies, history, and literary topics across all grade bands. Rigor of text is appropriate in aggregate over the course of the school year, and students will engage with texts at varying levels from unit to unit.

The Publisher Notes explain that the leveled libraries provided with each unit will increase in complexity throughout the school year. The Field Guide (Teacher Manual) explains that students work independently in these libraries; however, teacher guidance supports them to continue to raise their reading levels. Students have access to multiple texts that measure below, at, or above grade level. Scaffolding is not text-specific, but focuses on the skills needed to access texts in that genre (informational text, fantasy novels, argument essays, etc.).

The Field Guide directs the teacher to “...read and discuss at least two related grade-level texts, one literature and one informational. (Texts may be drawn from a school/district’s existing texts and/or those supplied with this unit.)” While grade-level texts are recommended there is limited guidance to help schools or teachers choose grade-level texts, apart from the IRLA (Independent Reading Level Assessment Framework) system that accompanies the program.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectation that anchor (core texts) and series of connected texts are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. The American Reading Company (ARC) utilizes their own IRLA (Independent Reading Level Assessment) System, drawing on the three measures of text complexity, to level texts. “To determine reading level, every book is double-blind, hand-leveled using the three legs of text complexity and located on our developmental taxonomy of reading acquisition.” Any book found in the text boxes or thematic text sets has an identifying sticker on the cover to provide its IRLA placement.

An example of a text complexity analysis and purpose and placement for the core texts is as follows:

Title: Pennsylvania, by Dana Meachen Rau and Jonatha A. Brown

Text Complexity Level: Orange (5th Grade)

Quantitative: (Lexile) Not Available

Qualitative: Our qualitative analysis places this text at the 5th grade level because: Purpose/Structure: Moderately Complex. The organization is topical with each chapter dealing with a different Social Studies strand (Pennsylvania history, geography, economy, and government). Language: Moderately Complex. The text over all uses simple sentence structure, but with frequent use of academic vocabulary and discipline-specific terms. Knowledge Demands: Moderately to Very Complex. The text tries to rely on common, practical knowledge however some specific content knowledge related to History, US Government, and Economics is required.

Reader and Task: The breadth of topics discussed in this text (ranging from history and geography to economics and government) requires a robust knowledge base from the reader. Although some discipline-specific terms are explained, the abstract nature of most concepts (i.e., “The government has three parts, or branches.”) adds to the complexity of the text.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for supporting materials providing opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading. The instructional materials include opportunities for students to read daily across a volume of texts during various instructional segments including: Read/Write/Discuss Complex Text, Reader’s Workshop, and Independent/Collaborative writing.

Reader’s workshop includes a Read/Write/Discuss Complex Text segment. Students reread and discuss core text and respond to questions such as:

• Basic Comprehension: What is happening so far in this story?
• Inference: Why? What makes you think that?
• Reader Response: What is surprising, funny, confusing, etc.? Why? Do you like this story yet? Why or why not? Set the standard that students will use examples or details from the text to support all assertions.

Reader’s Workshop includes a daily independent reading time for self-selected texts. In addition to Literacy Labs and Research Labs for core content, materials provide thematic text sets that can be chosen across content areas and grade levels. Text sets cover literary and informational topics in science, social studies, and culture. These text sets are organized by color-coded buckets and the IRLA levels indicated by the publishers. Students also have access to independent reading box sets in the 100 Book Challenge. The publisher describes the challenge as: “Students read 30 minutes in school and 30 minutes at home. Quantity practice targets are set, monitored, and rewarded, ensuring every student adopts the independent reading routines of academically successful students.”

Materials include mechanisms for teacher's to monitor progress such as explicit guidance to determine student's IRLA and reading log sheets for independent reading. Students also have access to Research Lab Baskets that are organized by reading levels from which students select.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet expectations that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text dependent/specific, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text). Materials for the literacy and research labs provide graphic organizers and instructional support tasks for students to engage with text as well as collect textual evidence that builds toward a research topic or literary theme. The general format reading questions (Research Questions), graphic organizers. and instructional tasks are designed to be used across multiple thematic units and across grade levels.

The evidence from Units 1-4 listed below demonstrates tasks and questions that require direct engagement with texts but do not call out or connect to specific texts. Most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-dependent and require students to engage with the text directly and to draw on textual evidence to support what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text.

For example:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, Days 2-3, students use context clues and textual evidence to answer text dependent questions regarding new vocabulary: ”What might this word/phrase mean? What in the text supports your answer?”

• In Unit 1, Week 6, Days 1-2, students analyze a text’s structure by gathering evidence from an informational text and completing a graphic organizer.

• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 3, students are prompted to read independently to find interesting details to add to a class chart.

• In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 4, students work with partners to identify key details that support the main idea of a text.

• In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 1, students read independently to gather details and identify the setting of a text and complete a section of a graphic organizer pertaining to setting.

• In Unit 3, Week 4, Day 5, students write an essay in response to a text-dependent question regarding identifying a text’s central theme: “What is a theme of our Central Text? What key details does the author use to communicate this theme?”

• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 4, students write in response to text-dependent questions that prompt them to identify author’s point of view.

• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 3, students work with partners to reread a text and respond to questions around key concepts using textual evidence.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations that materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and activities that build to a culminating task that integrates skills to demonstrate understanding. Questions and tasks are organized for students to gather details or practice skills needed for the culminating task which integrates skills to demonstrate understanding. Culminating tasks require students to gather details or information using research questions and graphic organizers to write a story or report instead of utilizing specific texts.

Examples from the units include:

• In Unit 1, students examine and answer text-dependent questions around text structure that encourage increasing student knowledge to be able to create argument pieces of their own. For example, students use a self-selected informational text to analyze structure by answering the following question: “Locate an example of the Elements of Argument structure. Is it actually an argument? Why or why not?”

• In Unit 2, students select an endangered animal to research and answer general text-dependent questions such as: “Describe the biome in which this animal lives. What are the biggest survival challenges in this biome? What adaptations help the animal to survive in its biome?” Students gather information using graphic organizers to produce a culminating project including writing that demonstrates a deep understanding of the animal.

• In Unit 3, students examine the organization and structure of mysteries and gather textual evidence to complete a Plot/Conflict/Resolution graphic organizer in order to be able to write a short story as part of the culminating task.

• Unit 4, students answer text-dependent questions that prompt them to examine how authors engage readers in order to be able to engage their own readers as part of the culminating task, where students select a topic that they care about and write an opinion piece. Questions include: “What emotion does this story evoke? How? Consider content, language, and placement. Who is the author’s target audience? What makes you think that? Does the author’s story or example strengthen the opinion piece? Why or why not?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for evidence-based discussions that encourage the modeling of academic vocabulary and syntax.

There are many opportunities and protocols throughout modules and within lessons that support academic vocabulary and syntax. Units include practices that encourage the building and application of academic vocabulary and syntax including accountable talk routines and think pair share. Teacher materials support implementation of these standards to grow students’ skills.

Examples include:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, Day 1, students work in groups to identify and explain new vocabulary from text they are reading using a vocabulary-tiered graphic organizer.

• In Unit 1, Week 5, Days 1-2, students work with partners to analyze and discuss the structure of a narrative text that they are currently reading.

• In Unit 2, Week 6, Day 2, the teacher explains the three tiers of vocabulary, and students discuss the synonyms of various words during whole-group instruction.

• Unit 2, Week 7, Day 2, students use sentence frames as they review their writings as well as conduct peer reviews.

• In Unit 3, Week 4, Day 4, the teacher uses think aloud to model using the graphic organizer, Plot: Dialogue Analysis, to analyze dialogue in a text.

• In Unit 3, Week 6, Day 2, students work in small groups to discuss technical vocabulary and synonyms for the words that they identified in a text.

• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 2, students are asked to define the term behavioral adaptations and explain how these adaptations relate to the survival of species.

• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 2, students highlight tier 2 and tier 3 words from a text during whole-group discussion.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and evidence.

Speaking and listening tasks require students to gather evidence from texts and sources. Opportunities to ask and answer questions of peers and teachers about research, strategies, and ideas are present throughout the year. The curriculum includes protocols and graphic organizers to promote and scaffold academic discussions.

The following are examples of materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what is read:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, on Day 1, students read the core text and have a class discussion to identify what the author stated, why the author stated that, and what was interesting to them.

• In Unit 1, Week 1, on Day 2, students are prompted to discuss the kinds of informational texts they read and the reasons for reading them. Students begin to contribute to a chart entitled, Why We Read.

• In Unit 2, Week 2, on Day 2, students work in pairs to answer text-dependent questions about the topic, the main idea, and the key details using a 3-point practice rubric.

• In Unit 2, Week 2, on Day 5, students read the core text and discuss with a partner what was learned about the research question. Students also discuss the main idea of the text.

• In Unit 3, Week 6, on Day 1, students participate in a discussion group to identify and discuss effective examples of analogies.

• In Unit 3, Week 9, on Day 1, students publish and present their final project using various presentation formats such as Powerpoint, class/school website, and blog or newspaper/periodical.

• In Unit 4, Week 5, on Day 5, students work in groups to develop mini-debates. Each group separates into two sides (Pro/Con). Each side of students crafts a short argument for their position.

• In Unit 4, Week 6, on Day 1, students meet with the teacher in one-on-one writing conferences to discuss and identify opinion statements for the culminating task of writing an argument/opinion paper.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations that materials include a mix of on-demand and process writing and short, focused tasks. Students write both on demand and over extended periods throughout every unit. The focus, the research, and literacy labs are to collect textual evidence or information to compose an essay or extended composition piece

Examples of on-demand writing include:

• In Unit 1, Week 2, Days 1-2, students write a summary of an informational book that they are reading.

• In Unit 2, Week 4, Day 4, students are prompted to write a paragraph that includes the main idea and key details to show what they know about a nonfiction topic.

• In Unit 3, Week 3, Day 5, students are encouraged to identify and write about the theme as well as key details that were used to determine the theme of a central text.

• In Unit 4, Week 7, Day 5, students revise their opinion piece by adding and omitting transition words.

Examples of extended writing include:

• In Unit 1, Week 4, Days 4-5, students create supporting claims about author’s purpose from the core novel/informational text they are currently reading. They provide written responses to the questions: “What is the author’s purpose for writing this text? How does this purpose relate to his/her theme(s)? What evidence supports your thinking?”

• In Unit 2, Week 7, Day 2, students work on the revision process of their final project: writing an informational book and receiving feedback from a partner.

• In Unit 3, Week 6, Day 1, students revise their essay to make sure their argument includes powerful analogies. They add analogies to improve their opinion piece. The class participates in Author’s Chair: specifically, one student comes to the front of the classroom, sits in Author’s Chair, identifies writing goals, reads a short piece aloud, and receive suggestions.

• In Unit 4, Week 7, Day 3, students work on the revision process of their final project (an opinion piece) and review word choice with a focus on nouns and verbs.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence.

The following are examples of the different text types of writing across the units:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 4, students create their own About the Author page to use with pieces they will write and publish this year. This on-demand task asks them to write about themselves, sharing information that they would like others to know. (i.e., personal narrative)

• In Unit 1, students culminate this unit of study by publishing two pieces of writing, a narrative and an argument.

• In Unit 2, Week 8, Day 1, students pick one visual they think is especially informative and explain what information it communicates.

• In Unit 2, students conclude the unit of study by publishing an informational text on a researched topic that demonstrates their expertise.

• In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 3, students use the core novel to complete the following writing task, “Who will be the most important character in this book? Why? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.”

• In Unit 3, Week 2, Day 2, students describe the fictional protagonist from their independent books and begin designing their own protagonist using a graphic organizer as an aid.

• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 2, students are asked to respond to a prompt pertaining to viewpoint: “What is your point of view on (a key concept from this Research Question)? State an opinion and support it with evidence from today’s reading.”

• In Unit 4, Week 4, Day 1, students use a graphic organizer for their current reading, and they take notes related to a research question.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for the materials including frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information. Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Writing opportunities are focused around students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with sources. Materials provide opportunities that build students' writing skills over the course of the school year.

Students are required to write daily for 15 to 20 minutes using suggested writing prompts. Most writing prompts relate to text but some do not require evidence-based writing. The suggestions are divided into categories such as opinion/argument, personal nonfiction/narrative, fiction narrative, and informational.

Prompts are available from each category including the following::

• Students write an opinion/argument response to the prompt, “I agree/disagree with the author’s theme in ___ because ___. If everyone would just learn this one lesson ___, then ___.”
• Students write a personal/nonfiction narrative response to the prompt, “What important lesson have you learned in your life so far? Write the story of how you learned it.”

Other evidence-based writing opportunities include:

• In Unit 1, Week 2, Days 1-2, students use the core informational text to write a summary with textual evidence.

• In Unit 1, Week 6, Days 1-2, students use graphic organizers that have various argument structures to rewrite an argument piece that has a careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information.

• In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 5, students complete a graphic organizer that includes textual evidence to draft a short essay.

• In Unit 2, Week 6, Days 1-5, students use careful analyses and clear information from their research about animal adaptations to draft an informational book.

• In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 2, students are prompted to include textual evidence to write about the setting of a text.

• In Unit 3, Week 5, Days 1-5, students compare and contrast two mysteries from the core curriculum in order to write a comparative essay with a well-defended claim and clear information.

• In Unit 4, Week 5, Day 1, students review a text, collect textual evidence, and write notes related to a research question.

• In Unit 4, Week 6, Days 1-5, students use a graphic organizer and teacher guidance to draft an opinion piece from a research topic related to the United States that includes a careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information.