3rd Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 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 3 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 ocean predators, personal narratives, survival stories, cultural texts, natural disasters, traditional tales, and scientific non-fiction. Text sets are 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: Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark is written by an award winning author, Mary Pope Osborne. This text is a high-interest literary text.

• Unit 2: I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005, by Lauren Tarshis is a historical non-fiction text that recounts the author’s survival adventure through one of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history. This is a selection from the I Survived series published by Scholastic.

• Unit 3: It’s Not About the Pumpkin, by Veronika Martenova Charles includes engaging versions of the story Cinderella. The text is written in short, easy phrases with carefully selected vocabulary and illustrations to engage the reader.

• Unit 4: Wobbly Walruses, by Charles Rotter is content-rich and engaging. This volume from the Nature Book series presents facts about walruses for young readers. Each two-page spread has one page of text next to a colorful, full-page photograph. The wide margins and double-spaced, large print give the book a simple, clean format, and the text is clear and informative. The easy-to-use layout and bright color photographs will appeal to students.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the expectations for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards. Each unit in Grade 3 provides students the opportunity to engage in core texts and read-alouds as well as leveled readers, independent reading, supplemental texts. The materials contain 8 baskets of leveled readers and a basket of Hook Books that are intended to engage even reluctant readers. 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 and supplemental 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, poetry, science and social studies informational text, traditional tales, personal narratives, classics, and historical fiction.

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

• Unit 1- Knights and Castles, by Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne
• Unit 2- Weather, Poems for All Seasons, by Lee Bennett Hopkins
• Unit 3- BigFoot Cinderrrrrella, by Tony Johnston and James Warhola
• Unit 4- Under Water Andrew Lost 5, by J.C. Greenburg

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

• Unit 1- Life in the Middle Ages, by Louise Park
• Unit 2- Meteorology, The Study of Weather, by Christine Taylor- Butler
• Unit 3-What is Culture? by Bobbie Kalman
• Unit 4- Wobby Walruses, by Charles Rotter

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 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 1, Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark, by Mary Pope Osbourne falls below the grade level band according to its quantitative measures. This literary fiction book has a Lexile measure of 240. While the text includes a simple text structure and falls below the grade band, the vocabulary is complex, which places it appropriately in Grade 3.

• In Unit 2, in addition to the core pack for Climate and Weather, students read anchor texts such as I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005, by Lauren Tarshis. With a Lexile of 560 this text falls within the expectations of the grade band. This is a historical non-fiction text that recounts the author’s survival adventure through one of the most destructive hurricanes in the U.S..

• In Unit 3, It’s Not About the Pumpkin, by Veronika Martenova Charles is not accompanied by a quantitative measure. Though labeled an easy read, the qualitative measure provided by the publishers indicates that the book is moderately complex due to double narratives.

• In Unit 4, the core text Wobbly Walruses, by Charles Rotter has a quantitative score of 590L. This text is an engaging read for students.The associated student tasks add complexity to the text.

• 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 3 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 3 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: Ocean Food Webs in Action, by Paul Fleischer

Text Complexity Level: Black (4th Grade)

Quantitative: 510L (2nd-3rd)

Qualitative: Lexile underestimates the difficulty of the text because: Purpose/Structure: Moderately Complex. The text’s seemingly straightforward purpose (ocean food webs) in fact adds to its complexity. It attempts to use ocean food webs as an organizing structure to teach other concepts (i.e., marine ecology, marine plants, marine animals, human impact upon marine life), thereby compounding its complexity. Language: Moderately Complex. The text over all uses simple sentence structures. However, regular use of academic vocabulary requiring background knowledge from the reader adds to its complexity. Knowledge Demands: Moderately Complex. The text requires discipline-specific content knowledge related to oceans, animals, plants, and basic chemistry concepts, which present a challenge to readers.

Reader and Task: The text attempts to be less complex through the use of very short sentences. However, the multiple objectives of its purpose (teaching about marine life through ocean food webs) as well as the regular use of general academic vocabulary (i.e., burrow, creatures) and domain-specific terms (i.e., carbon dioxide, gas, starch, nutrients) all add significantly to the complexity of the text.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 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 Read Aloud.

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 3 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 1, Day 3, students are asked to draw on textual evidence to respond to the following basic comprehension and inference questions. Basic Comprehension: “What is happening so far in this story?" Inference: “Why? What makes you think that?”

• In Unit 1, Week 5, Day 1, students compare and contrast the story elements of the Magic Tree House books that they have read.

• In Unit 2, Week 3, Day 3, students identify the topic of a text and locate and identify details and images that tell more about the topic.

• In Unit 2, Week 7, Day 1, students reread a connected text and identify the main idea and key details.

• In Unit 3, Week 2, Day 4, students draw on textual evidence in order to participate in a literary debate. Students are given the following prompt to debate: “Which supporting character is most important to this novel? Why?” Teachers are provided with the structures that encourage the inclusion of textual evidence for the debate such as, "I Couldn’t Disagree More: A student/group stands and states his/her/their opinion. Another student stands and disagrees, using reasons to support why they disagree. A third student then stands and decides who is more convincing and why. The game then starts over with a new student."

• In Unit 3, Week 4, Day 2, students participate in a shared reading activity which includes flagging quotes to use to describe and analyze conflicts, resolutions, and their relationship to theme.

• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 4, students examine and identify evidence from the text to answer text- dependent questions around the author’s point of view.

• In Unit 4, Week 4, Day 2, students are guided to determine an author’s point of view and purpose and explain their thinking with evidence from the text.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 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 use previous responses to general text-dependent questions such as: “What do you know so far about the characters in the books in this series? What do you notice about the settings of books in this series? What do you notice about the events of books in this series?” and graphic organizers that examine characters, settings, plots, and other story elements found in texts from the Magic Tree House series in order to help with the creation of their own Magic Tree House narrative.

• In Unit 2, students complete graphic organizers and answer general text-dependent questions that encourage them to examine the details and conclusions of previously-read informational texts in order to be able to write an informative essay on weather and climate.

• In Unit 3, students read traditional stories then complete graphic organizers and general text-dependent questions about story elements in order to prepare them to write a traditional tale of their own.

• In Unit 4, students select a marine animal, answer text-dependent questions, and complete graphic organizers to gain knowledge that includes information about its physical characteristics, behavior, classification, lifestyle, habitat, ecosystem, and food web. Students use this information to produce an opinion piece and participate in a formal debate.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 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 1, Day 1, students are asked to discuss the text they are reading with a partner through the discussion technique Think Pair Share.

• In Unit 1, Week 2, Days 2-3, students reread a section of the core novel to identify new vocabulary and use context clues to create synonyms.

• In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 5, students read author introductions, examine a rubric that identifies elements of great introductions, and discuss as a whole class which author did the “best job” with their introductions and provide rationales.

• In Unit 2, Week 4, Day 4, students identify a word to add to the class glossary to conclude the lesson. The class glossary is a chart that includes words that they are responsible for being able to define and use correctly.

• In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 4, students share with partners the plot of a story and identify the main problem or central conflict of the story.

• In Unit 3, Week 6, Days 2-3, students review a Powerful Language chart to discuss word choice and syntax as well as discuss how tone is affected by different language decisions.

• In Unit 4, Week 3, Day, 3, students engage in accountable talk as they identify and extend new learning of the day’s research question.

• In Unit 4, Week 6, Day 5, students work with a partner to read and discuss their conclusions and to determine if they need to add or delete anything from the writing piece.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 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 3, on Days 2-3, students work in pairs to identify and discuss the setting of a series they are reading. Students add to a chart which identifies texts with similar settings.

• In Unit 1, Week 5, on Day 4, students reread a passage of a core novel. Students discuss and analyze author’s word choice by locating strong, interesting, and/or beautiful words. Students identify synonyms and discuss similarities and differences between related words.

• In Unit 2, Week 1, on Day 1, students are asked to read and discuss the most interesting or surprising parts of a text with a partner as well as discuss what is confirmed or contradicted from prior knowledge during the second reading of the text by completing a chart which displays this information.

• In Unit 2, Week 7, on Day 2, students engage in a close reading of an informational text and share with partners the main idea and key details.

• In Unit 3, Week 1, on Day 3, students analyze characters by collecting textual evidence and then determining who the most important characters are in the text. Students write opinion pieces based on the collected information. Students read written opinions aloud to partners, who use rubrics to provide feedback.

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

• In Unit 4, Week 1, on Day 2, students read a text on a particular topic and share what was learned. Students also share the author’s opinion with a partner.

• In Unit 4, Weeks 8-9, students participate in formal debates to demonstrate their abilities to present their expertise through oral argument.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 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 1, Day 3, students write a short persuasive piece that must include three details that support their opinion.

• In Unit 2, Week 3, Day 1, students are guided, working in pairs to take notes using bullet points and key words, and then cite sources to collect information for the Final Project which includes writing and publishing an informational book.

• In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 2, students are prompted to use the core novel and respond in writing to complete the following task: “What about the setting will be most important to this book? Why? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.”

• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 1, students use key words, phrases, bullets, and cite sources to write a response to the research question. Students review notes for accuracy.

Examples of extended writing include:

• In Unit 1, Week 6, Days 1-3, students use a mentor informational text as a model and begin drafting their own informational text.

• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 4, students are provided with a three-point practice rubric that defines a proficient answer to respond to the following questions: “Which research topic is most interesting to you? Why?”

• In Unit 3, Week 8, Day 2, students revise their short story, focusing on the sequence of events.

• In Unit 4, Week 6, Day 1, students determine the opinion and write the first draft of an argument that they will utilize for their opinion pieces.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 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 use their heart maps to respond to the prompt, “Today you will write about something on which you are already an expert. This might be a sport, a video game, an author or series, how to take care of a pet, or how to make something. Make sure you include relevant facts that demonstrate your expertise.”

• In Unit 1, students are applying different genres of writing; students culminate the unit with the publication of two pieces, fiction and informational.

• In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 4, students write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide a sense of closure.

• In Unit 2, Week 3, Day 3, students complete a thinking map to identify and write about various elements of a text, including identifying the topic and main idea.

• In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 3, students complete a literary analysis relating to character genre.

• In Unit 3, Week 2, Day 2, students participate in a character study and write to describe the protagonist of their independent reading book.

• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 2, students respond to a writing prompt to demonstrate their current expertise in the key concepts of the research question.

• In Unit 4, students conclude this unit of study by producing an opinion piece pertaining to a topic of choice.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 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, “Something that would make this book much better is ___ because ___.”
• Students write a personal/nonfiction narrative response to the prompt, “When have you been treated the way that ___ was treated by ___ ?” This response is relating an experience from the text to a student’s personal experience.
• Students write a fiction narrative response to the prompt, “Imagine yourself as ___’s (main character's) best friend. How would the story be different with you in it?”

Other evidence-based writing opportunities include:

• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 1, students create a three-point response using a practice rubric and evidence from the text. The teacher models how to use the rubric to write a three-point answer, including how to use the text evidence to prove the veracity of the facts.

• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 2, students complete a graphic organizer that includes the questions, “What did you learn?” and “What evidence supports what you learned?”

• In Unit 3, Week 3, Day 1, students read and use a short piece of informational text, collect evidence to identify the factual basis of elements found in the core text, and complete a graphic organizer page.

• In Unit 3, Week 5, Days 1-5, students compare and contrast two texts about traditional tales in order to write a comparative essay with a well-defended claim and clear information.

• In Unit 4, Week 1, Day 1, students use a recently-read text to take a position on something, and write an explanation using textual evidence.

• In Unit 4, Week 6, Days 1-5, students draft an opinion piece from a research topic related to marine life that includes a careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information.