Benchmark Advance, 3-5
2022

Benchmark Advance, 3-5

Publisher
Benchmark Education Company
Subject
ELA
Grades
3-5
Report Release
01/01/2023
Review Tool Version
v1.5
Format
Core: Comprehensive

EdReports reviews determine if a program meets, partially meets, or does not meet expectations for alignment to college and career-ready standards. This rating reflects the overall series average.

Alignment (Gateway 1 & 2)
Meets Expectations

Materials must meet expectations for standards alignment in order to be reviewed for usability. This rating reflects the overall series average.

Usability (Gateway 3)
Meets Expectations
Key areas of interest

Foundational skills are the beginning processes of reading for students in grades K–5. This score represents an average across grade levels reviewed for: print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency.

This score is the sum of all points available for all foundational skills components across all grades covered in the program.

The maximum available points depends on the review tool used and the number of grades covered.

Foundational Skills
24/24

This score represents an average across grade levels reviewed for: integrated reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language, and promotion of mastery of grade-level standards by the end of the year.

Building Knowledge
88/96
Our Review Process

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Additional Publication Details

Title ISBN
International Standard Book Number
Edition Publisher Year
Benchmark Advance 2022 Gr. 4 Classroom Package Print and Digital 1-Year 9781078689489
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Report for 4th Grade

Alignment Summary

The Benchmark Grade 4 materials meet the expectations of alignment to the Common Core ELA Standards. Materials include instruction, practice, and authentic application of reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language work that is engaging and at an appropriate level of rigor for the grade.

4th Grade
Alignment (Gateway 1 & 2)
Meets Expectations
Gateway 3

Usability

24/25
0
15
22
25
Usability (Gateway 3)
Meets Expectations
Overview of Gateway 1

Text Quality and Complexity and Alignment to the Standards with Tasks and Questions Grounded in Evidence

While some anchor texts are of high-quality, consider a range of student interests, and support knowledge building related to the topic and unit essential question, some texts do not provide enough content, lack complexity and depth, or do not provide engaging illustrations. Texts have an appropriate level of qualitative complexity, with most ranging from moderate to high complexity. Text complexity varies across the year but does not necessarily build over the course of the year. Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading, and the majority of questions and tasks are text-specific, text-dependent, and require evidence from the text. Materials include regular opportunities for students to engage in discussions with the class or partners. Students engage in a variety of genres of writing tasks, and materials include explicit instruction for all grammar and usage standards for the grade level.

The Program Support Guide provides a one-page Year-Long Vocabulary Development Plan. Materials provide a consistent progression of phonics and word recognition lessons over the course of the year, including a Scope and Sequence of phonics and word recognition skills and Phonics and Word Recognition Quick Checks that assess a range of phonics and word recognition skills. Materials include explicit instruction, modeling, and student practice in all areas of fluency.

Criterion 1.1: Text Quality and Complexity

14/18

Texts are worthy of students’ time and attention: texts are of quality and are rigorous, meeting the text complexity criteria for each grade.

Materials support students’ advancing toward independent reading.

While some anchor texts are of high-quality, consider a range of student interests, and support knowledge building related to the topic and unit essential question, some texts do not provide enough content, lack complexity and depth, or do not provide engaging illustrations. Units contain a variety of text types and genres including legends, folktales, drama, fantasy, fairy tales, personal narrative and essays, realistic fiction, science fiction, opinion/editorials, various poetry, and informational texts based on social studies and life science concepts. Anchor texts range from 700L–1040L, with the majority of texts falling within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. Texts have an appropriate level of qualitative complexity, with most ranging from moderate to high complexity. Text complexity varies across the year but does not necessarily build over the course of the year. While modeling of skills is present in most lessons, the time for modeling and practice is very brief and the skills change from day to day without providing sufficient practice and reinforcement. Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading. The anchor texts provide some range of text types, with the majority of texts being informational science or social studies texts. More varied text types are included in the small group instruction Building Knowledge Text Sets.

Indicator 1A
02/04

Anchor texts are of high quality, worthy of careful reading, and consider a range of student interests.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1a. 

While some anchor texts are of high-quality, consider a range of student interests, and support knowledge building related to the topic and unit essential question, some texts do not provide enough content, lack complexity and depth, or do not provide engaging illustrations. High-quality texts include engaging pictures, colorful illustrations, character relationships and motives, and rich vocabulary. Each unit begins with two short read paired texts and two extended reads. Some anchor texts are rich in figurative language, domain-specific vocabulary, and directly support student growth in vocabulary for the unit topic. Some anchor texts are short excerpts of larger published works and range from short reads to extended reads; however, some excerpts lack the depth for students to grow their understanding of story elements and are not of significant length to provide an engaging text for readers. Each unit concludes with a read aloud poem as the final anchor text. The poetry selections are used for one mini-lesson with the majority of poems published and written by a diverse representation of well-known poets, classic and modern. The selected poems generally do not directly support the essential question and may require additional inferences from students. 

Some anchor texts are of high-quality and consider a range of student interests, are well-crafted, content rich, and engage students at their grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 4, students read a realistic fiction excerpt, “The Reeds and the River,” from the novel Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan, a published Chinese children’s literature author. Rich in figurative language, the text is of high interest for students as it shares the observation of nature through a youthful perspective and diverse cultural lens. 

  • In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 4, students read the fantasy “How Dorthy Saved the Scarecrow,” an excerpt from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The text includes colorful illustrations, rich language, and engaging characters.

  • In Unit 3, Week 2, Days 1–4, students read an informational social studies text “THe State Government and its Citizens” by Lisa Simone. The text is content rich with domain-specific vocabulary and text features that illustrate multiple ways in which the government influences individual lives. 

  • In Unit 4, Week 1, Day 1, students read the realistic fiction text “Here Boy,” an excerpt from Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. This text is an award winning book and the excerpt includes colorful illustrations with a variety of character types shown. The characters are also engaging to the readers.

  • In Unit 6, Week 3, Day 5, students read the poem "Humanity" by Elma Stuckey. This text is of high quality, includes topics with which students can identify, and considers a range of student interests. Thought-provoking and containing thematically rich issues, this poem focuses on looking beyond race and to a person's humanity. 

  • In Unit 8, Week 3, Days 1–2, students read the narrative nonfiction text "The Eruption of Vesuvius" by Pliny the Younger. This first hand historical account has some complex vocabulary and could be a topic of high interest as it discusses ancient Rome.

  • In Unit 10, Week 1, Days 4–5, students read the informational science text "Benjamin Franklin: The Dawn of Electrical Technology" by Laura McDonald. This text is of high quality and has a timeline that extends understanding. It contains some domain-specific vocabulary and black and white illustrations.

Some of the anchor texts are not high-quality, well-crafted, content rich and engaging for students at their grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 5, Week 3, Day 5, students listen to a read-aloud poem “Sun Tracks,” which is labeled as “a traditional Choctaw poem” with no author identified. The poem features an illustration of a Native American dancer in regalia and discusses the connection between humans and nature but does not relate to the unit topic. Though labeled Choctaw, there is no verified author or source to support this.  

  • In Unit 8, Week 1, Day 1, students read the informational science text “Earthquakes” by Kathy Furgang. This is a very short, condensed read about earthquakes. The text packs in information on how earthquakes occur, seismographs, and how Earth’s surface shifts. The text is overly packed with information and academic vocabulary; however, the text is too short to build understanding for the unit topic, and the illustrations are not quality enough to support student understanding of the text. For example, the image of the seismograph is not clear enough to see what it is and to help students understand how it works. 

  • In Unit 9, Week 2, Days 1–4, the extended read text is “Natural Resources and Workers” by Alexandra Hanson-Harding. The text is for informational purposes only and does not provide an exemplary writing style or text quality that would make it worthy of four days of instruction.

Indicator 1B
04/04

Materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 1b. 

Each of the 10 units contain a variety of text types and genres including legends, folktales, drama, fantasy, fairy tales, personal narrative and essays, realistic fiction, science fiction, opinion/editorials, various poetry, and informational texts based on social studies and life science concepts. Across the core texts for all units, there is a 54/46 balance of literary and informational texts. This does not include the read aloud poem at the end of each unit because the lesson and tasks associated are not directly connected to the unit purpose or skills.  The majority of units focus completely on either literary or informational.  Units 1, 3, and 9 provide mixed text types for students to cross-reference. 

 

Materials reflect the distribution of text types/genres required by the grade- level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Week 2, the extended read text is a personal essay ”Starting Off” an excerpt from Mississippi Solo by Eddy L. Harris. 

  • In Unit 2, Week 1, during small group instruction, students read the historical fiction text Finding Jacob by Francis E. Ruffin.

  • In Unit 3, Week 1, students read a science fiction text, “The First Town Meeting” an excerpt from The People of Sparks by Jeanne Du Prau. 

  • In Unit 4, Week 1, during small group instruction, students read the graphic story The Girl Who Met the Greatest Lawman by Joel Christian Gill.

  • In Unit 5, Week 3, the Reader’s Theater text options are both literary texts: a realistic fiction text Oh, Those Sentence-Changing Mixer-Uppers by Amanda Jenkins and a play One Giant Leap by Katherine Follett

  • In Unit 6, Week 3, during whole group instruction, students read the folktale Estrella and the Emerald Ring by Alma Flor Ada.

  • In Unit 7, Week 2, the extended read text is an informational text, The Chinese Railroad Workers by Hao Zou. 

  • In Unit 8, Week 2, during whole group instruction, students read the informational social studies text Volcanoes by Brett Kelly.

  • In Unit 9, Week 1, the short read text is a pair of narrative poems: “César: ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can" by Alexandra Hanson-Harding and "Who Could Tell" by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. 

  • In Unit 10, Week 1, during small group instruction, students read the informational opinion/argument text Opinions About Maglev Trains by Kathy Furgang.

Materials reflect an approximate 50/50 balance of informational and literary texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Overall the materials include 22 informational core texts and 19 literary core texts for a 54/46 balance.

  • Unit 1 contains 4 core texts with 50% being literary and 50% being informational.

  • Unit 2 contains 4 core texts with 100% being literary.

  • Unit 3 contains 4 core texts with 50% being literary and 50% being informational.

  • Unit 4  contains 4 core texts with 100% being literary.

  • Unit 5 contains 4 core texts with 100% being informational.

  • Unit 6 contains 4 core texts with 100% being literary.

  • Unit 7 contains 4 core texts with 100% being informational.

  • Unit 8 contains 4 core texts with 100% being informational.

  • Unit 9 contains 5 core texts with 60% being literary and 40% being informational.

  • Unit 10 contains 4 core texts with 100% being informational.

Indicator 1C
04/04

Core/Anchor texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to documented quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task. Documentation should also include a rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 1c. 

Anchor texts range from 700L–1040L, with the majority of texts falling within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. Texts have an appropriate level of qualitative complexity, with most ranging from moderate to high complexity. The qualitative complexity of texts spans dimensions such as complex sets of events and characters that require an understanding of the time period, complicated plots, time shifts, and unfamiliar vocabulary including academic and domain-specific words. The Program Support Guide provides a text complexity analysis and rationale for purpose and placement.

Anchor/core texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Week 3, Days 1–4, the extended read text is “The Secret Spring” (890L), a realistic fiction excerpt from The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Though the quantitative measure is well within the mid-range of the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band, the qualitative complexity measure is high. The purpose of the text is to reveal character through dialogue and thoughts. The text includes formal language; complex sentences, some of which contain challenging pronoun/antecedent references; and some unfamiliar vocabulary. Students identify and analyze the figurative language in the text such as similes. Then, students complete a writing prompt analyzing how the theme of conflicts between nature and people is treated across texts in the unit. 

  • In Unit 4, Week 3, Day 1, students read "Training" (810L), an excerpt from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. The quantitative complexity is within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The text has a very complex qualitative rating due to its domain-specific words and knowledge demands. After analyzing character and point of view in the excerpt, students write a short essay to compare how the texts in the unit address the topic that animals have thoughts, feelings, and personalities like humans. 

  • In Unit 6, Week 1, Days 2–4, students read “Sugar Maple and the Woodpecker '' (700L) by Joseph Bruchac and “The Valiant Little Tailor” (790L) by Brothers Grimm. The quantitative complexity for “Sugar Maple and the Woodpecker” falls just below the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band, while the quantitative complexity for “The Valiant Little Tailor'' falls on the low end of the band. The qualitative complexity for each text is moderate and substantial, respectively. which has Lexile level 700 and the total qualitative measure is moderate complexity. After describing characters and analyzing theme in each text, students work in pairs to analyze how the patterns of events in both texts lead to a solution that is connected to each story’s theme. 

  • In Unit 10, Week 1, Days 4–5, students read the short read, “Benjamin Franklin: The Dawn of Electrical Technology” by Laura McDonald. This informational science text has a Lexile level of 1040, which falls well outside the Lexile Stretch Band Range and national student norms for Grade 4. This text conveys key details of Benjamin Franklin’s major discovery that lightning is a form of electricity, along with some information about his other achievements through both firsthand and secondhand accounts. This short read text is of medium complexity and incorporates primarily compound and complex sentences with significant extensive domain-specific vocabulary that encompasses scientific language and concepts and its use of formal 19th-century speech. 

Anchor/Core texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by an accurate text complexity analysis and a rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Materials include a separate text complexity document for both anchor texts and small group texts. The text complexity documents are accessible as PDFs for each grade in the digital Program Support Guide under the tab for Text Complexity Analyses and Rationales for Purpose and Placement. 

  • The Teacher Resource System for each unit also includes introductory materials including a Guide to Text Complexity section that provides an accurate summary of the quantitative and qualitative data for each anchor text in the unit. This guide contains an overall qualitative text complexity measure based on a color-coded system with levels of low complexity, moderate complexity, substantial complexity, and highest complexity. The guide shares a brief statement on the four qualitative measures of each text: Purpose and Levels of Meaning, Structure, Language Conventionality and Clarity, and Knowledge Demands.

  • The accuracy of the provided quantitative measures was verified using MetaMetrics or determined using the Lexile Text Analyzer on The Lexile Framework for Reading site. The accuracy of the provided qualitative measures was verified using literary and informational text rubrics.

Indicator 1D
02/04

Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band to support students’ literacy growth over the course of the school year.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1d. 

The Lexile levels of the anchor texts range from 700–1040. Text complexity varies across the year but does not necessarily build over the course of the year. The texts with the highest quantitative measures are all informational texts containing domain-specific vocabulary with the purpose of knowledge building. While modeling of skills is present in most lessons, the time for modeling and practice is very brief and the skills change from day to day without providing sufficient practice and reinforcement. While the extended read texts in Weeks 2 and 3 of each unit allow for multiple reads, throughout each unit the routines, time frames, and expectations for reading and analyzing texts are similar and do not necessarily change based on the complexity of the text, making it difficult to determine how the materials will build independence in the reader throughout the year.

The complexity of anchor texts students read provides some opportunity for students’ literacy skills to increase across the year, encompassing an entire year’s worth of growth. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  •  In Unit 1, the anchor texts range from 740L–890L. Throughout the unit, students practice comprehension strategies, including finding key details and determining the main idea. In Week 1, Lesson 4, the teacher collaborates with students to create an anchor chart to identify the process for determining the main idea. Then the teacher models determining main idea using a paragraph from the student text and a graphic organizer. In Week 2, Lesson 4, students read “Starting Off”(740L), an excerpt from the personal essay Mississippi Solo by Eddy L. Harris. This text is rated substantially complex overall with a difficult qualitative complexity spanning text structure, language, and knowledge demands. The teacher directs students back to this text and uses paragraphs 1–7 to model how to complete a key details and main idea chart. Then, students have six minutes to practice with a partner and complete the chart for paragraphs 8–12. During the Share and Reflect portion of the lesson, teacher guidance states, “[A]sk partners to discuss with each other why it is important to explain how details support a main idea. Ask one or two students to share with the class.”  During independent work, students “write an explanation of how the key details they identified support their main idea.”

  • In Unit 5, anchor texts range from 950L–980L. During the unit, students practice finding text evidence to support the main idea and distinguishing important from unimportant key details. In Week 2, Lesson 4, students practice summarizing the text by finding text evidence that supports the main idea. The teacher models this process using paragraph 2 of “Who’s Driving?” (980L), an opinion text by Amanda Polidore. During Guided practice students continue adding text evidence to support the main idea of each paragraph. During independent time, students pick a paragraph to summarize using this process. In Week 3, Lesson 1, students read “Rise of the Drones” (950L), an opinion text by Dang Nguyen and Max Prinz. Students underline important details and circle details they consider unimportant. Students explain why the details are important or unimportant in the margins of the text. 

  • In Unit 10, anchor texts range from 850L–1040L. In Week 2, Lesson 1, students read “The Power of Electricity” (910L), an informational science text by Kathy Furgang. During the first read, students spend five minutes reading and annotating paragraphs 1–9 while looking for key details or context clues. In Lesson 4, students work with a partner to complete this task: “Reread paragraph 1 of ‘The Power of Electricity.’ Identify and then underline the key details in your text. Use these key details to summarize the main idea of the paragraph.” Then, students have two minutes to share how the details helped them summarize the paragraph’s main idea. During independent time, “students choose another paragraph and annotate the key details” and “write a few sentences that explain the main idea of that paragraph.” 

As texts become more complex, some appropriate scaffolds and/or materials are provided in the Teacher Edition (e.g., spending more time on texts, more questions, repeated readings, skill lessons). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Week 1, students engage in a mini-lesson to identify key details and find the main idea of the text “A Bird’s Fee Lunch” by John Burroughs. The teacher guides students in identifying key details. As a group, the teacher and students generate a possible main idea sentence. 

  • In Unit 2, Week 1, the teacher uses the text “Dorothy Meets the Scarecrow” by William F. Brown to model making inferences. The teacher models with a think aloud: “When I infer something, I use details in a text and what I already know to understand something the author doesn’t tell me directly…” Students then read a section and use the “Annotate, Pair, Share” strategy to draw inferences as they read. Teacher guidance recommends scaffolding based on student need. The scaffolding suggestions, which are located in the margin of the lesson, are not text-specific and are the same for every unit.

  • In Unit 6, Week 2, students independently read and annotate Hercules Quest by Nathanial Hawthorne. Students then discuss the text with a partner. Guidance directs the teacher to monitor students’ discussions and provide support, if necessary. 

  • In Unit 10, Week 1, students read “Seattle: Up and Down-and Up Again” by Alexandra Hanson-Harding. The teacher reminds students to “monitor your comprehension and draw on the strategies you know to help you stay focused and read with understanding.” 

Indicator 1E
02/02

Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to support their reading at grade level by the end of the school year, including accountability structures for independent reading.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 1e.

Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading. The anchor texts provide some range of text types, with the majority of texts being informational science or social studies texts. More varied text types are included in the small group instruction Building Knowledge Text Sets. Each unit also includes a novel study that is recommended but not required for independent reading. 

Materials provide support for the teacher to foster independent reading; however, the prompts frequently focus on comprehension strategies. Materials provide independent reading procedures but many are not built into the program framework. The program includes “independent reading mini lessons;” however, there is no schedule or guidance available for teachers to know when to teach these mini lessons. Accountability systems for independent reading include a reading log and corresponding family letter. Materials provide a recommended amount of time students should spend reading, along with a schedule to provide students adequate opportunities to engage in independent reading; however, there is no information on the volume of reading students should do during this time. The Pacing Guide in the Teachers Resource Guide for each unit delineates implementation formats for 90-minute, 120-minute, and 150-minute blocks. For the implementation of the program within a 90-minute reading block, the Read Aloud is removed and the time for small group and independent reading time is combined to 15 minutes or less which would significantly reduce the volume of reading for students, as time allotted for the Building Knowledge Text Sets is reduced. 

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities and support for students to engage in reading a variety of text types and genres. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Across Units 1-10, the anchor texts include personal essays, realistic fiction, informational life science and social studies texts, biographies, fantasy, dramas and plays, opinion texts, editorials, journals, personal narratives, myths, legends, science fiction, folktales, and narrative poetry. 

  • The Building Knowledge Text Sets (in which not every student will access all texts) include fantasy, realistic fiction, journals, social studies texts, biographies, plays, memoirs, procedural texts, opinion, travelog, drama, historical fiction, life science, legends, narrative nonfiction, graphic stories, folktales and personal narrative texts. 

  • In Unit 1, Week 1, Days 1-3 students read the informational personal essay “A Bird’s Free Lunch” an excerpt from The Wit of a Duck and Other Papers by John Burrows. In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 4 students read the realistic fiction text “The Reeds and the River” from Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan. In Unit 1, Week 2, Days 1-4 students read the informational personal essay “Starting Off” from Mississippi Solo: A River Quest by Eddy L Harris. In Unit 1, Week 3, Days 1-2 students read the realistic fiction text “The Secret Spring” from The Yearling by Majorie Kinnan Rawlings. In Unit 1, Week 3, Day 5 students read the traditional Inuit poem Delight in Nature.

  • In Unit 5, Week 1, Days 1-3 students read the informational opinion editorial letter Humans and Robots Can Work Together by Eleanor Hahn. In Unit 5, Week 1, Day 4 students read the informational opinion editorial letter Robots Will Take Professional Jobs by Michael Cavanaugh. In Unit 5, Week 2, Days 1-4 students read the informational opinion text Who’s Driving by Amanda Polidore. In Unit 5, Week 3, Days 1-3 students read the informational opinion text Rise of the Drones by Dang Nguyen and Max Prinz. In Unit 5, Week 3, Day 5 students read a traditional Choctaw poem Sun Tracks. There is a selection of informational texts for small group reading and one science fiction text.

Instructional materials identify opportunities and support for students to engage in a volume of reading. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Students read 50 anchor texts over the course of the year. 20 of these texts are short reads, 20 are extended reads, and 10 are poems. Additionally they read 30 vocabulary practice texts and 10 reader theater texts. Students listen to a read aloud for 10-15 minutes daily.

  • Within a school day students listen to a read-aloud for 10-15 minutes, engage with an anchor text, and participate in small group and/or independent reading. 30-40 minutes of independent reading time is suggested per day.

  • The Weekly Comprehensive Literacy Planner includes a section titled Independent Reading & Conferring. While materials offer independent reading selections, the teacher is also prompted within the lesson for students to use this time to complete the whole group reading and task. Each day has a focus task for independent reading including “Set Personal Learning Goals,” “Read Independently,” Begin the Blueprint,” “Read the Vocabulary Practice Text,” or “Create a Decision Making Guide.” The planner provides these teacher recommendations for independent reading:

    • Ensure that all students read independently to build volume and stamina.

    • Confer with a few students on their text selections, application of strategies, and knowledge building tasks.

    • See additional independent suggestions (including the Research and Inquiry Project) on the Unit Foldout. 

  • In Unit 9, during a three week time period, students read two short reads; an informational social studies text Seattle: Up and Down - and Up Again by Alexandra Hanson-Harding and a narrative poem Cesar: Si Se Puede! Yes We Can and Who Could Tell by Carmen T Bernier-Grand. Students read two extended texts; an informational social studies text Natural Resources and Workers by Alexandra Hanson-Harding and a narrative poem “Dust Dance” from Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. In addition they read the narrative poem My People by Grace Nicols. Students participate in daily independent and/or small group reading.

There is sufficient teacher guidance to foster independence for all readers (e.g., independent reading procedures, proposed schedule, tracking system for independent reading). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The teacher edition includes daily Reading and Responding lessons to be used with the anchor texts.

  • Materials provide a list of trade books for read alouds that could also be used as recommendations for students during independent reading time.

  • Materials include a weekly reading log for both at home and at school, as well as a family letter that coincides with the home reading log.

  • Materials offer additional resources to support the teacher with fostering students’ independent reading; however, some of these resources are not a part of the core program or are not incorporated into the daily framework. These materials include:

    • Independent reading mini lessons are provided but information as to when to do them is not included.

    • The Teacher Edition provides Review and Routines which includes independent reading routines. The routines provide information as to what to do during independent reading. They do not provide information for setting up procedures or expectations. Materials also do not provide information on the volume of reading students should be doing during this time.

    • The Additional Resources section includes a Managing Your Independent Reading Guide. This  resource includes teacher guidance on conferring periodically or as often as possible with students. The “Conferring with Students'' section explains what a reading conference is, why teachers should have them and a general idea of how to run one. This section does not give teachers guidance on how to grow independent readers during a conference.

    • Each unit provides a student ebook for recommended independent reading; however, materials do not provide text-specific guidance, student tasks, or accountability measures for the ebook.

Criterion 1.2: Tasks and Questions

16/16

Materials provide opportunities for rich and rigorous evidence-based discussions and writing about texts to build strong literacy skills.

The majority of questions and tasks are text-specific, text-dependent, and require evidence from the text. Materials include regular opportunities for students to engage in discussions with the class or partners. The discussion protocols fall primarily under the following two protocols: Turn and Talk and Constructive Conversations. These discussion opportunities are frequent in the materials and vary in purpose. In some units, students engage in whole group presentations. Materials provide opportunities for on-demand writing and longer process writing tasks throughout the school year. Students engage in a variety of genres of writing tasks including, but not limited to, informative/explanatory, opinion, narrative, and poetry. Materials provide a balance of required writing throughout the year. Students engage in writing to respond to text, build knowledge, write essays, and create products. The majority of units feature text-based prompts or process writing prompts that explicitly require students to gather and use evidence from either anchor texts or outside sources such as websites. Evidence-based writing instruction occurs during writing lessons and includes intentional modeling, practice, and analysis. Materials include explicit instruction for all grammar and usage standards for the grade level. Instruction on grammar and usage occurs in context within anchor reading texts and in grammar lessons provided in the writing block. The Program Support Guide provides a one-page Year-Long Vocabulary Development Plan which provides the focus word list for each week. Vocabulary relates to the Unit’s theme or topic and appears in the texts and activities students engage in during the lessons.

Indicator 1F
02/02

Most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-specific and/or text-dependent, 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).

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 1f. 

The majority of questions and tasks are text-specific, text-dependent, and require evidence from the text. Activities such as Build, Reflect, Write; Extended Thinking Questions; Apply Understanding; Share and Reflect; Constructive Conversations, and Guided Practice accompany the anchor texts for Short Reads and Extended Reads. When completing many of these tasks, students must use textual evidence to support answers to questions and discussions, both independently and collaboratively. Each unit also includes text-specific questions during which students synthesize or compare and contrast information across texts. 

The Teacher’s Resource System for each unit provides implementation and follow up support for text-dependent questioning and discussion. The Teacher’s Resource System also includes text-dependent questions and tasks for the teacher to use during mini-lessons and small group instruction. The student ebook for each unit’s anchor texts also includes text-dependent questions in the Apply Understanding and Build Knowledge sections after each text. Writing prompts that build toward the unit culminating task are also typically text-dependent. Materials include possible responses for many questions or discussion prompts posed during the mini-lessons. The Small Group texts also include text-dependent questions; however, due to the choice in literacy block length and needs of students, some students may not have the opportunity to respond to all of the text-dependent questions during small group time.

Text-specific and text-dependent questions and tasks support students in making meaning of the core understandings of the texts being studied. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Week 2, Lesson 8, students focus on key details and making meaning as they read “Starting Off” from Mississippi Solo by Eddie L Harris. Students close read the text to explain the meaning of similes and metaphors. After a teacher model, students work in small groups to respond to this prompt: “Reread paragraphs 5–6. Underline the metaphors. Use them to create a mental image of the lake. Then describe the lake and its surroundings in your own words. Write your description in the margin of the text.”  Then, during independent work, students write a response to the following prompt: “Reread paragraph 8. Underline the similes or metaphors. What is the writer describing? Describe it in your own words.”

  • In Unit 5, Week 2, Lesson 8, students read “Who’s Driving?” by Amanda Polidore. During one of the close reads, students respond to the following Apply Understanding question: “Reread paragraphs 8 and 9 of ‘Who’s Driving?’ What would be the effects of unregulated driverless cars? How do the author’s points in these paragraphs support her overall opinion? Annotate text evidence that supports your answer.” Then, in the Build Knowledge Across Texts section, students respond to the following prompt: “Reread ‘Who’s Driving?’ and ‘Robots Will Take Professional Jobs.’ Based on the texts, would you select a driverless car and a robot doctor over a human driver and a human doctor? Write your opinion, and support it with evidence from both texts.”

  • In Unit 10, Week 3, Lesson 9, after rereading Benjamin Franklin: The Dawn of Electrical Technology by Laura McDonald and Two Forgotten Electrical Inventors by Alexandra Hanson-Harding, students independently write a response to the following Apply Understanding question: “What qualities does a person need to make important scientific discoveries? Integrate evidence from the lives of Benjamin Franklin, Nikola Tesla, and Hertha Marks Ayrton to support your ideas.” 

Teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation of text-based questions and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • In Unit 1, Week 2, Lesson 5, guidance supports the teacher with setting a purpose for the lesson on summarizing a text: “In a summary, we give a broad description of who and/or what the text is about, including the main idea. But we don’t try to relate all the details.” Students write a summary of A Bird’s Free Lunch by John Burroughs. Materials include a model summary for teacher use. 

  • In Unit 4, Week 3, Lesson 7, during Constructive Conversation students work with a partner to reread “Training,” an excerpt from Black Beauty” by Anna Sewell, and infer whether Black Beauty’s master is a kind man or a cruel one using evidence from the text to support their inference. Materials include the following possible response to support the teacher: “Inference: Black Beauty’s master is a kind man. Evidence: “My master said he would break me in himself, as he should not like me to be frightened or hurt” (Paragraph 2), “My Master gave me some oats as usual, and after a good deal of coaxing he got the bit into my mouth.” (Paragraph 5)” Materials also include additional support and extension ideas.

  • In Unit 7, Week 1, Lesson 13, teachers engage in a rereading of “Building the Transcontinental Railroad” by Max Prinz and model how to locate text evidence to support an argument. The teacher’s guide provides a script for modeling going back to the text to find the supporting evidence: “The evidence in paragraph 2 supports the claim because it shows that the American government and two companies had to get involved to create this project.”

Indicator 1G
02/02

Materials provide frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 1g. 

Materials include regular opportunities for students to engage in discussions with the class or partners. The discussion protocols fall primarily under the following two protocols: Turn and Talk and Constructive Conversations. These discussion opportunities are frequent in the materials and vary in purpose. Guidance for teachers and students includes a question for the teacher to pose, possible student responses, and generic protocol directions through the use of the “Guidance for Effective Classroom, Small Group and Partner Discussion in the Review and Routines Guide.” Most notably, the materials provide a breakdown of each protocol in the “Speaking and Listening Protocols” document found in the Additional Materials section. 

Materials provide varied protocols to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Multiple opportunities to Turn and Talk throughout each unit and the year. These Turn and Talks vary on their structure and their purpose. 

  • Each unit contains Discuss the Blueprint lessons. These lessons include a Constructive Conversations component. The directions remain the same throughout the units and the school year. 

  • Under Additional Resources for each unit, materials provide a Real-World Perspectives Supporting Constructive Conversations reproducible for use with the corresponding lesson of the unit. This reproducible tells students the different parts of a Constructive Conversation and includes sentence stems for student use during each part. According to the reproducible, the five parts of a Constructive Conversation include state ideas; clarify ideas; support and build up ideas; introduce, clarify, and support a second idea; and evaluate and compare ideas. The reproducible includes 5 Respectful Conversation Tips and a Build Knowledge Word Bank. The reproducible starts with the first 3 parts of the conversation and adds the fourth and fifth step as the year progresses. The Build Knowledge Word Bank changes from unit to unit.

  • In the Launch materials, students learn about being an active listener during the Day 2 mini lesson. “Conduct a brief discussion about what people do to be active listeners. List suggestions given by students on the anchor chart. Some important things to include could be as follows: - Have eyes on the speaker, - Maintain a quiet body, - Use appropriate expression to show interest, - Be patient while the speaker chooses what to say. Give enough wait time - Think carefully about what the speaker is saying.” 

  • In the Research and Inquiry guide for teachers, the margin on page 10 provides Options for Presenting for student use. The options are the same for each research project and the following is provided:

    • “There are many ways that students can share with one another. Choose one that works well in your classroom setting.

    • Whole group: Students can present to the entire class.

    • Small group: Break students into groups of 3–4 to present to one another.

    • Partnerships: Pair students up to share their projects.

    • Video: Students can film their presentation and share them on a digital platform.

    • Visits: Students can visit other classrooms to share what they have created and learned, or guests can join you in the classroom in person or virtually.

    • Out in the World: If the inquiry project is one that would be useful for others, students can mail or email the project.”

  • In Unit 1, Week 3, Lesson 14, the teacher reviews the “Rules of Conversation” anchor chart. The Rules listed include:

    • Give the speaker eye contact.

    • Show interest by nodding occasionally and smiling.

    • Let everyone have a chance to talk.

    • Value others’ thinking.

    • Ask questions if you don’t understand.

    • Speak clearly and listen attentively.

  • In Unit 3, Week 3, Lesson 14, students engage in a Constructive Conversation to work as a group to discuss their Blueprint and “how the government impacts people’s lives” After the group discussion, each group “shares the highlights of their conversation with the whole group.”

  • In Unit 9, Week 1, Lesson 3,  students engage in a discussion with a partner on how the intended audience impacts their multimedia presentation. Teacher guidance includes, “Have students work in pairs to discuss what the purpose of the mentor presentation is, and who its intended audience might be. Students should be prepared to present details and examples from the video to support their reasoning.” 

Speaking and listening instruction includes facilitation, monitoring, and instructional support for teachers. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In the Teacher Resource material, under the Additional Materials section for each unit, materials include a document that provides general teacher guidance on “Maximizing the Quality of Classroom Constructive Conversations.” This guidance is the same throughout all units across the year.

    • For example, the resource states, “Teachers and students can better understand how to improve conversations with the tools that accompany the Benchmark Advance program. The first tool, the ‘Conversation Blueprint,’ is a visual guide to help teachers scaffold students’ conversations. This tool shows the structure of the two main types of conversations that should happen during lessons. The tools especially designed for students are the Think-Speak-Listen Flip Book…” These tools offer sentence systems for various skills within a conversation.”

  • The Discuss the Blueprint Constructive Conversations lessons include an Observational Checklist for Constructive Conversations for teacher use. Guidance in the Observational Checklist includes: “As peers engage in conversation, use the questions below to evaluate how effectively they communicate with each other. Based on your answers, you may wish to plan future lessons to support the constructive conversation process.” Questions include, “stay on topic throughout the discussion?, listen respectfully?, build on the comments of others?”

  • In Unit 3, Week 3, Lesson 4, students complete a close read of “Stanley’s Release,” an excerpt from the book Holes by Louis Sachar. During the Constructive Conversation: Partner section of the mini-lesson, students close-read part of the text and analyze it together. Materials provide guidance for teachers on how to respond to the conversations they hear: “To provide additional support or extend the experience, use Reinforce or Reaffirm the Strategy. Then call on a few students to share their answers to the close reading question with the whole class.”

  • In Unit 6, Week 1, Lesson 7, in Connect Skills to Knowledge: Turn and Talk, teacher guidance includes, “Pose questions that require students to use their knowledge of determining a theme to focus on Enduring Understanding 4 from the Knowledge Blueprint (Analyzing how characters confront challenges helps reveal a story’s theme). Ask partners to share ideas using words from the Build Knowledge Word Bank. Invite a few students to share their ideas.” 

  • In Unit 9, Week 2, Lesson 4, students read “Natural Resources and Workers” by Alexandra Hanson-Harding. During the Constructive Conversation section of the mini-lesson, students discuss their annotations of the key details that help them find the main idea of the text. The margin of the Teacher’s Resource System provides an Observation Checklist for Constructive Conversation: “As peers engage in close reading, use the questions below to evaluate how effectively they communicate with each other. Based on your answers, you may wish to plan future lessons to support the constructive conversation process. Do peers…

    • stay on topic throughout the discussion? 

    • listen respectfully? 

    • build on the comments of others appropriately? 

    • pose or respond to questions to clarify information? 

    • support their peers?” 

Indicator 1H
02/02

Materials support students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and evidence.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 1h. 

Throughout the year, students typically have the opportunity to engage in speaking and listening daily, including opportunities to speak in whole group, partner, and small group settings. In some units, students engage in whole group presentations. These opportunities include speaker and audience expectations in the form of teacher directions and anchor charts. The materials provide partner sharing and small group discussion opportunities during the majority of speaking and listening tasks. Students complete a Knowledge Blueprint graphic organizer during the unit and hold a class discussion on what they learned at the end of the unit; the Knowledge Blueprint is expanded upon throughout the unit. Materials include opportunities to implement agreed upon rules for discussions, partner and small group work, and to guide students on answering questions about a speaker. While the materials do provide opportunities for students to address all of the Speaking and Listening standards, some of the activities are optional or at the discretion of the teacher. 

Students have many opportunities over the school year to demonstrate what they are reading through varied speaking and listening opportunities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 2, Week 2, students engage in a partner discussion to make inferences about the character in the text. “Have students read pages 14–15 together, focusing on Wendy. Encourage students to use the details to draw inferences about Wendy’s character and personality (e.g., from the stage direction ‘politely,’ they can infer Wendy has good manners).” 

    • In Unit 10, Week 1, students engage in a Constructive Conversation to discuss a section of the texts. “Reread paragraphs 1–4. Identify one claim the author makes about the effect of the blackout as well as one claim she makes about the cause. Cite the evidence the author provides to back up each of these claims.” 

  • Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 5, Week 3, students engage in a Constructive Conversation with a partner to “[r]eread paragraphs 3–5 of ‘Cage the Machines’” and respond to the following discussion prompt: “How does the author use text structure to describe the purpose of FAA regulation, or rules? Underline text evidence that supports your answer.” The teacher informs students that “[t]heir conversations should focus on the question, and they should respectfully work together to help each other find details to answer the question.” 

  • Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • Although visual displays are included in presentations, such as in Unit 9, Week 2, Lesson 11, students are not required to add audio recordings to presentations. 

    • In the Grade 4 Reader’s Theater Handbook, Unit 5, Lesson 1, Discuss Staging, the materials indicate that the teacher should “consider whether to video- or audiotape the performance to post on a sharing website or add to students’ portfolios.” While teachers have the option to have students create audio recordings, it is not a requirement in the core materials.

    • In Unit 8, Week 3, Lesson 5, the teacher models how to add an illustration or diagram, including a caption, to a research report. During independent time, students work in completing the final draft of their research report with illustrations. 

Speaking and listening work sometimes requires students to utilize, apply, and incorporate evidence from texts and/or sources. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 7, Week 3, during the Real-World Perspectives: Constructive Conversations task, students work in small groups to discuss the following questions:

      • “What did you learn about the transcontinental railroad-and about yourself- from your journal entry?

      • Were the experiences you included similar to or different from the experiences of the people you read about?

      • What new thoughts about the Essential Question do you have?”

Students “[s]hare, clarify, and build up ideas with [their] group” during the discussion. 

  • Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 7, Week 2, students engage in a Constructive Conversation with a partner to compare the experiences of Chinese workers in two different texts. Students ”[r]eread paragraphs 6–8 of ‘Building the Transcontinental Railroad’ and paragraphs 9–10 of ‘The Chinese Railroad Workers.’ Compare the experience of the Chinese rail workers to that of other Americans after the completion of the transcontinental railroad. Underline key events and details in each selection.” Then students share their responses with another partner group. 

  • Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 2, Week 3, students engage in a Constructive Conversation with a partner to compare the text and an oral narrative of the text: “Compare your experience of listening to ‘Peter’s Shadow,’ a novel, to your experience of listening to ‘Peter Meets Wendy,’ a drama. How did the experience of listening to the two versions compare to reading them? What were the advantages and drawbacks of hearing the texts read aloud?”

  • Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In the Research and Inquiry Project Teacher’s Guide Grade 4, Unit 4, Step 5, students present their research projects to the class. The materials direct teachers to say, “Listeners: After the presentation, you will be asked to identify the reasons and evidence the presenter provided to support particular points about the animal. So pay close attention to the speaker and think carefully about what you hear.”

  • Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 10, Week 2, students participate in a Constructive Conversation. While working with a partner, students “[r]eread paragraph 1 of ‘The Power of Electricity.’ Identify and then underline the key details in your text. Use these key details to summarize the main idea of the paragraph.” 

Indicator 1I
02/02

Materials include a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g., multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 1i. 

Materials provide opportunities for on-demand writing and longer process writing tasks throughout the school year. Mini-lessons provide students with direct instruction, guided practice, and independent time for writing. Students engage in a variety of genres of writing tasks including, but not limited to, informative/explanatory, opinion, narrative, and poetry. At the end of each text or text set, students have opportunities to write in response to text and are required to cite text evidence in their response. With multi-day writing tasks, the teacher models various revision and editing strategies and students have time to revise and edit their writing. Materials provide guidance for digital opportunities with some writing tasks. Materials also include additional guided inquiry projects aligned with unit(s) topics that can be incorporated within the unit. 

Materials include on-demand writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, Week 1, students write a 1–2 paragraph summary when responding to questions in the Apply Understanding section: “How would you summarize the three paragraphs of ‘The First Town Meeting’ on page 8? Write a summary, citing details from the text.” Later, students summarize the entire text. Students use summarizing and synthesizing anchor charts to assist them in their tasks. 

  • In Unit 6, Week 3, during the Write to Demonstrate Knowledge section, students write 1–2 paragraphs about their knowledge of the unit’s topic, “How do we overcome obstacles?”

  • In Unit 10, Week 3, students reread the Enduring Understandings from the unit. Then, students write a response to each one, referring to specific knowledge from the unit and their culminating project, a questionnaire about electricity. 

Materials include process writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. Opportunities for students to revise and edit are provided. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, Week 3, students engage in a mini-lesson in order to revise their opinion essay for effective words. Teachers model three examples of how the writer added a word or a phrase for a specific effect using the mentor text. Students then work with a partner to mark sentences in their essays that are bland or vague. Then students work on revising their essays. 

  • In Unit 5, Week 3, students engage in a mini-lesson to revise their opinion essay to include domain specific vocabulary. Teachers model how to include domain-specific vocabulary with the model text. Then students work with a partner to create a list of possible domain-specific words for their topic. Finally students revise their essay to add domain-specific words. 

  • In Unit 7, Week 1, students work on planning a historical fiction piece. The teacher models using a Brainstorming Chart that includes; Time Periods, Story Ideas, and What Readers Might Learn. Using a Brainstorming Chart students discuss their story ideas with a partner. During Independent Writing time students continue developing their historical fiction stories. Students work on their historical fiction piece through Unit 7, Week 3, when students use computers to create final copies of their piece.

Materials include digital resources where appropriate. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • All units include Build-Reflect-Write eNotebooks for student use when responding to the close reading text Apply Understanding questions and Culminating Activity Enduring Understanding questions, as well as when completing Build Vocabulary tasks, Build Grammar and Language tasks, and graphic organizers for their Research and Inquiry project.

  • In Unit 3, Week 3, students use computers to write the final drafts of their essays. Materials also include a Keyboarding Practice Lesson that can be given to students who need to practice keyboarding proficiency. 

  • In Unit 9, Week 1, the teacher models note taking from a website. During Guided Practice, students work with a partner to use the same web page to practice answering a research question. During independent time, students use online resources to begin their research.

  • In Unit 10, Week 2, students may create their final draft of their Cinguin on the computer. The teacher reminds students “to consider using special features, such as an interesting or colorful font, a border, and an illustration or photograph to enhance the poem’s effect.”

Indicator 1J
02/02

Materials provide opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 1j. 

Across the year, students engage in a variety of writing text types through many different types of writing activities. Materials include an entire unit on text-based prompts and a unit on process writing for each of the writing types. The Program Support Guide includes a K-6 Year-Long Writing Scope and Sequence indicating which writing types and standards are the focus of each unit. There is a balance between writing in response to texts as well as process writing on a topic aligned to the unit focus. The writing mini-lessons occur daily and each unit utilizes multiple anchor charts, checklists, and graphic organizers called planning guides to support and guide students through each writing process. The majority of units include mentor texts for students to analyze before writing their own pieces. 

Materials provide multiple opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply different genres/modes/types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The following percentages or number of writing opportunities for opinion writing encompass the writing types and prompts from the writing mini-lessons across the year but do not include the daily text-based questions:

    • Approximately 28% of the writing in Grade 4 is opinion writing. Students have opportunities to engage in opinion writing as the focus of Unit 2 and Unit 5. In Unit 6, Week 3, students also use opinion writing for a text-based prompt. 

  • The following percentages or number of writing opportunities for informative/explanatory writing encompass the writing types and prompts from the writing mini-lessons across the year but do not include the daily text-based questions:

    • Approximately 36% of writing in Grade 4 is informative/explanatory writing. Students have opportunities to engage in informative/explanatory writing as the focus of Units 1, 3, 8, and 9. Both the Research Project in Unit 8 and the Multimedia Project in Unit 9 are informational. In Unit 6, Week 2 students also use informative writing for a text-based prompt.

  • The following percentages or number of writing opportunities for narrative writing encompass the writing types and prompts from the writing mini-lessons across the year but do not include the daily text-based questions:

    • Approximately 36% of writing in Grade 4 is narrative writing. Students have opportunities to focus on narrative writing in Unit 4 and Unit 7. In Unit 6, Week 1, students also use narrative writing for a text-based prompt. This percentage also includes the poetry writing students do in Unit 10.

  • Explicit instruction in opinion writing:

    • In Unit 2, students engage in opinion writing to a text-based prompt. Week 1 students analyze a response to a mentor writing prompt based on two texts. The teacher models opinion writing using the Opinion Essay Checklist. In Week 2, students receive their prompt: “After reading “Dorothy Meets the Scarecrow'' and “How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow,” write an essay in which you give your opinion about which selection, the narrative of the play, better helped you understand the scarecrow’s character. The teacher uses a Character and Details Chart and the Opinion Essay Planning Guide and is prompted to “model how you organize your ideas by combining and categorizing evidence and reasons that support your opinion.”

  • Explicit instruction in informative/explanatory writing:

    • In Unit 3, students engage in process writing to complete an informative/explanatory essay. In the opening writing lesson, the teacher tells students, “In this unit, you’ll have the opportunity to plan, research, draft, revise, and edit an Informative/Explanatory Essay about a problem the government helps solve. Today we’ll read a writing checklist together, and then we’ll brainstorm problems or topics we can research and write about.” The teacher uses the checklist and the provided “Informative/Explanatory Essay” anchor chart to help students break down the process. Week 1 focuses on selecting credible sources and tracking information gathering. 

  • Explicit instruction in narrative writing: 

    • In Unit 7 students plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish historical fiction narratives. In Week 1, the teacher shares the Historical Fiction Writing Checklist and the Historical Fiction Anchor Chart and explains them to students. The teacher models selecting a historical time period and setting. With a partner students discuss interesting time periods and begin imagining characters or story ideas. Students continue to plan, draft, revise, and edit their historical fiction narrative through Week 3, when students check paragraphing, set margins, and publish.

Different genres/modes/types of writing are distributed throughout the school year. 

  • Students have opportunities to engage in opinion writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

    • Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 5, Week 1, the teacher models brainstorming, choosing credible sources, and organizing an opinion essay. In Mini-Lesson 11 teachers display an Opinion Essay anchor chart and models how to start with your opinion, then list reasons to support that opinion, and finally gather evidence. During independent time students organize their reasons and evidence on their own planner. 

    • Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 5, Week 2, the teacher explains why a writer “needs to persuade readers with facts and ideas that provide support for their opinion” by taking details and facts from research to support opinions.  During independent work time, students draft their opinion essays by adding research from their notes into their essay.  

    • Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 2, Week 3, the teacher models revising the mentor opinion essay by adding words and phrases for effect.  Students work in pairs to mark sentences in their drafts that are “bland or vague” and talk about where they could add words or phrases to “make their reasoning stronger and more precise.”  During independent work time, students revise their texts, looking for “opportunities to add transitions, modal auxiliary verbs, and emphasize words or phrases.”

    • Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 2, Week 1, the teacher models restating opinions in a concluding statement or paragraph in an opinion writing piece.  During independent writing time, students write a new conclusion to the mentor essay that “conveys a similar message in a different way.”

  • Students have opportunities to engage in informative/explanatory writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 3, Week 2, the teacher models introducing a topic for an informative/explanatory essay about the government’s response tod disease outbreaks.  Students work with a partner to review interesting details that they may be able to use in their own introductions.  During independent work time, students begin to draft their introductions.  

    • Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 8, Week 2, the teacher models developing body paragraphs that include a main idea and supporting details. Students work in pairs to review their drafts and discuss the main idea of each section and how they can add details to support the main idea.  During independent work time, students add details to their writing to support the main idea.  

    • Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 8, Week 2, the teacher models using linking words and phrases to connect ideas and sentences in a research project.  The Students work in pairs to review their drafts and look for places where linking words and phrases would improve their writing.  During independent work time, students review their drafts and add linking words and phrases to help improve the flow of their writing and how ideas relate to one another.  

    • Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 3, Week 3, the teacher models how to make writing stronger by using domain specific vocabulary.  Students work with a partner to make a list of domain specific vocabulary they can add to their writing and discuss the effect that each word would have on their essay.  During independent work time, students revise their essays to use domain specific words correctly.  

    • Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 3, Week 2, the teacher models providing a concluding section for the model essay related to how the government deals with disease outbreaks.  Students work with a partner to discuss ideas for their individual concluding paragraphs.  During independent work time, students draft their essays, including their concluding statements or sections.  

  • Students have opportunities to engage in narrative writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 4, Week 1, the teacher models how to use text details to understand a character’s voice and enhance a story.  Students work in pairs to read paragraphs and add more details to develop the narrator’s voice.  During independent work time, students add additional details to their writing to “reveal the narrator’s voice and what those details tell the reader about the character.”

    • Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 7, Week 2, the teacher models using details and description to bring the stories to life.  Students work in pairs to review their work and decide where they can add descriptive details to further develop their writing.  During independent work time, students add descriptive details to their individual writing pieces to add understanding, interest, and cohesion.  

    • Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 4, Week 3, the teacher models using transitional words and phrases “to make the sequence of events clear for readers and to help show the relationship between ideas in the passage.”  Students review their work to determine where they can add transitional words and phrases.  During independent work time, students revise their individual narratives to add transitional words and phrases.  

    • Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 4, Week 3, the teacher models using sensory details and descriptive language to “convey the experience more precisely.  This helps the reader more easily visualize the scene because I’ve shown them exactly what the science looks like, how Cracker and the man behave, and how Cracker feels.”  During independent work time, students revise their narratives to include sensory details.  

    • Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

      • In Unit 4, Week 3, students write a new ending to a narrative text. “At the end of “Something Uneasy in the Air,” Cracker snarls at the stranger in uniform. Write a continuation of the narrative, describing what might happen when the soldier leaves with Cracker. Be sure to use what you have learned about the setting, characters, and plot in the excerpt.” 

Where appropriate, writing opportunities are connected to texts and/or text sets (either as prompts, models, anchors, or supports). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Week 1, teachers model how to write a main idea statement. Then students work with a partner to practice writing a main idea statement. Then, students write a main idea statement from their independent reading texts. 

  • In Unit 4, Week 1, students answer the question “Think about the mental images you made of Cracker as you were reading. What two adjectives would you use to describe Cracker? Use text evidence to support your choices. “

  • In Unit 9, Week 1, students “...write a paragraph that discusses how “Seattle Up and Down—and Up Again” and “César: ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!” present two different views of the economy.”

Indicator 1K
02/02

Materials include frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 1k. 

The majority of units feature text-based prompts or process writing prompts that explicitly require students to gather and use evidence from either anchor texts or outside sources such as websites. Evidence-based writing instruction occurs during writing lessons and includes intentional modeling, practice, and analysis. Teacher modeling typically uses graphic organizers or anchor charts, think-alouds, and underlining in the text where to find evidence. Each unit includes three writing prompts and 1–2 longer writing texts in which students must use text evidence in their responses. 

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 9, the teacher models how to use evidence to form an opinion. Lesson guidance is as follows: “Create and display a three‑column Develop an Opinion Chart showing text excerpts from the play and the narrative. Read aloud the excerpts from ‘Doing What Comes Naturally.’ Model how you use the evidence to form your opinion.” Materials include a script and sample three-column chart for teacher use to support modeling. 

  • In Unit 6, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 8, the teacher models how to state an opinion and reasons that support the opinion. After reviewing the Mentor Writing Prompt with students, the teacher models how to deconstruct the prompt and address the prompt using the Mentor Planning Guide. Then, the teacher models how to reread the Mentor Source Text to find an example that supports their reason and adds this information to the planning guide. Materials include a script and sample Mentor Planning Guide for teacher use. 

  • In Unit 8, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 3, the teacher models how to create an effective and engaging introduction when writing an essay. The teacher uses the Modeling Text to model how to “[create] an introduction that presents the main idea of your essay to your readers in an engaging and interesting way.” Materials include a script and sample introduction for teacher use. 

Writing opportunities are focused around students’ recall of information to develop opinions from reading closely and working with evidence from texts and sources.

  • In Unit 2, Weeks 1–3, students read two texts, including a mentor writing text, and respond to a text-based opinion prompt: “After reading ‘Dorothy Meets the Scarecrow’ and ‘How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow,’ write an essay in which you give your opinion about which selection, the narrative or the play, better helped you understand the scarecrow’s character.” Students use the Character and Details chart to analyze the texts to compare the different types of information from both texts before planning their essay response. 

  • In Unit 5, Week 2, students “[r]eread paragraph 10 of ‘Who’s Driving?’” and write 1–2 paragraphs in their notebook or e-notebook in response to the following prompt: “Why does the author introduce an argument for driverless cars? How does she use it to support her overall opinion? Identify the text evidence that supports your answer.” The bottom of each writing page in the e-notebook contains the following checklist: 

    • “State an answer to the question.

    • Cite specific evidence from the texts to support the answer.

    • Check spelling, grammar, and punctuation.” 

  • In Unit 9, Week 3, students integrate information from two texts when writing 1–2 paragraphs in response to the following Applying Understanding task: “What causes greater hardship for workers—nature or society? Use information from at least two texts in this unit to support your opinion.”

Indicator 1L
02/02

Materials include explicit instruction of the grade-level grammar and usage standards, with opportunities for application in context.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations of Indicator 1l.

Materials include explicit instruction for all grammar and usage standards for the grade level. Student practice opportunities are designed to lead to mastery of the standards. Instruction on grammar and usage occurs in context within anchor reading texts and in grammar lessons provided in the writing block. Student practice is included in Grammar in Context lessons, the Phonics and Word Study Resource Book, and the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook. The Grammar & Spelling Activity Book contains opportunities to further reinforce students’ skills through guided practice, scaffolded learning, independent work, in class or for homework. Students routinely apply grammar and usage standards to their writing. All grammar lessons require students to return to their writing to edit for recently-taught skills, and students edit their writing for appropriate usage. 

Materials include explicit instruction of all grammar and usage standards for the grade level. For example:

  • Use relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why).

    • In Unit 5, Week 2, Lesson 7, the teacher indicates the lesson focus is on relative adverbs (where, when, why). The teacher displays a chart and reviews the relative adverb and the reference (place, time, reason). 

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 5, Week 2, students write their own sentence containing a relative adverb that refers to time, place, or reason. 

    • In Unit 5, Week 3, Lesson 5, the teacher indicates the lesson focus is on relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that). The teacher displays a chart with the relative pronouns and the noun they refer to (people, animal, or thing). The teacher models how to identify the relative pronoun in a sentence. 

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 5, Week 3, students write a set of sentences using a different relative pronoun in each sentence. 

  • Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb tenses.

    • In Unit 3, Week 2, Lesson 13, the teacher models forming and using the present progressive tense. The teacher displays the Verb Tense Chart and reviews that verbs in the present tense describe something that is happening now, verbs in the past tense describe something that happened in the past, and verbs in the future tense describe something that will happen in the future. “The present progressive tense describes a continuing action in the present.”

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 3, Week 2, students write their own sentences using a verb in present progressive tense to describe a continuing action happening now. 

    • In Unit 4, Week 1, Lesson 8, the teacher reviews present progressive tense and introduces past progressive tense using the past tense of the verb to be. 

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 4, Week 1, students write their own sentence using a verb in past progressive tense to describe a continuing action that happened in the past. 

  • Use modal auxiliaries (e.g., can, may, must) to convey various conditions.

    • In Unit 2, Week 2, Lesson 7, the teacher displays and reads a list of common modal auxiliary verbs and discusses their contributions to the meaning of a sentence.

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 2, Week 2, students write their own sentences using a modal auxiliary verb. 

    • In Unit 6, Week 1, Lesson 8, the teacher reminds students they have learned about modal auxiliaries in previous lessons and that a modal auxiliary verb helps express the action of the main verb in a sentence and contributes additional meaning. The teacher displays and reads modeling text “Sugar Maple and Woodpecker,” modeling the different meanings of can. “In sentence one, can expresses ability. She “is able” to play the piano. In sentence two, can expresses permission: You “are allowed” to go to recess.”

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 6, Week 1, students write their own sentences using the modal auxiliary can to give permission or suggest a possibility. 

  • Order adjectives within sentences according to conventional patterns (e.g., a small red bag rather than a red small bag).

    • In Unit 1, Week 3, Lesson 8, the teacher discusses using multiple adjectives and models the thinking process about the correct order. The teacher indicates when multiple adjectives appear in text, commas separate the adjectives. The teacher models revising a sentence to include multiple adjectives. The teacher asks students to revise a sentence using two adjectives in the correct order. During independent writing, students look for opportunities to add adjectives. The teacher confers with students during independent and small group conferring and comments on the use and order of adjectives in student writing. 

    • In Unit 1, Week 1, Lesson 14, the teacher tells students that when multiple adjectives are used before a noun, they must follow the following order: number, quality (or opinion), size, shape, age, color, origin, material, purpose. The teacher uses the modeling text to read and discuss adjectives in the correct order. Students write a sentence about their school that uses three adjectives in the correct order. Students write two or more sentences containing sequences of adjectives in the correct order. 

  • Form and use prepositional phrases.

    • In Unit 1, Week 1, Lesson 8, the teacher models identifying prepositional phrases in sample sentences. The teacher displays and reads paragraph 3 from “A Bird’s Free Lunch” in Observing Nature. The teacher points out that all the prepositional phrases in the sentence answer the question where?.

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 1, Week 1, students write their own sentences using two prepositional phrases to describe the location of something. 

      • In the Grammar and Spelling Activity Book, Unit 1, Week 1, students complete seven cloze sentences. Each sentence has two prepositional phrase choices; students circle the correct prepositional word and write the word on the blank line in the sentence. 

      • In the Grammar and Spelling Activity Book, Unit 1, Week 3, students complete the following activity: “Underline the prepositional phrase in each sentence. Then, circle the question that the prepositional phrase answers.”

  • Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.

    • In Unit 1, Week 3, Lesson 11, the teacher reminds students about sentence fragments. The teacher displays three sentences, identifies the sentence fragment, and models how to correct the fragment in the first two sentences. The teacher asks students to work with a partner to identify the fragment in the third sentence and share how to correct it. During independent work time, the teacher reminds students to look for sentence fragments in their drafts. The teacher confers with students and comments on the presence or absence of sentence fragments in their drafts. The teacher leads students through a guided practice identifying and correcting fragments. 

    • In Unit 8, Week 2, Lesson 13, the teacher models identifying sentence fragments and run-on sentences saying, “A complete sentence must include a subject and a verb. If either of those are missing, the result is a sentence fragment. A run-on sentence is made of two independent clauses, but these clauses are not connected by a contraction or punctuation.” Students work with a partner to read four additional sentences and identify the sentences as a run-on or fragment. Students work with their partners to revise the sentences into complete sentences. The teacher confirms the student responses in a whole group discussion.

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 8, Week 2, students write a complete sentence that contains a subject and verb. 

  • Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their).

    • In Unit 4, Week 2, Lesson 7, the teacher defines homophones and indicates that words can sound the same when reading and attention to spelling and meaning is required when writing. The teacher reviews spelling and use of the words to, too, two.

    • In Unit 4, Week 2, Lesson 13, the teacher models identifying the frequently confused word in “Ready to Race” saying, “The word sew in sentence 1 sounds exactly the same as the word so, spelled s-o, but the two words have different meanings. I know the word spelled s-e-w means to stitch pieces of fabric together with needle and thread, and the word s-o means “for that reason.” This sentence talks about stitching, so I know the correct word is sew, spelled s-e-w. I’ll look up the two words in the dictionary, just to make sure.”

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 4, Week 2, students write their own sentences correctly using a frequently-confused word. 

  • Use correct capitalization.

    • In Unit 7, Week 1, Lesson 8, the teacher reviews capitalization, including “proper nouns, the first letter in a sentence, the beginning of a line of dialogue, the pronoun I, and titles.” 

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 7, Week 1, students use correct capitalization to write a sentence containing two proper nouns.

  • Use commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.

    • In Unit 3, Week 3, Lesson 8, the teacher indicates, “quotation marks are used to quote text from other sources.” The teacher points out a sentence and states, “there are quotation marks around the quote.” Students practice identifying the placement of quotation marks in three additional sentences in the modeling text. Students revise their writing draft and note or revise the proper use of quotations for citing text in their draft. 

    • In Unit 7, Week 1, Lesson 14, the teacher reviews using commas and quotations in dialogue. The teacher displays text and states, “whatever words are spoken by a character need to be placed between quotation marks.” The teacher indicates commas should be used to denote speaker tags and before the end quotation mark. During guided practice, students revise capitalization and punctuation in three sentences; two sentences include dialogue needing commas and quotation marks. 

  • Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.

    • In Unit 7, Week 3, Lesson 5, the teacher reviews using commas and states commas are used in “coordinating conjunctions to combine independent clauses.” The teacher provides an example sentence and points out the clauses and the use of the comma.

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 7, Week 1, students write a compound sentence using a comma before the coordinating conjunction. 

    • In Unit 8, Week 3, Lesson 5, the teacher indicates “we put a comma before a coordinating conjunction when we connect two independent clauses” and defines independent clauses. The teacher displays a sentence with a coordinating conjunction and points out the comma. A student volunteer explains the use of the comma in a compound sentence. 

      • In the Grammar and Spelling Activity Book, Unit 8, Week 3, students complete the following activity: “Write a compound sentence using the two simple sentences and the coordinating conjunction in ( ). Be sure to include a comma in the appropriate place to join the sentences.”

  • Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.

    • In Unit 4, Week 1, Lesson 1, Phonics and Word Study Resource Book, the teacher writes the words mailbox, rubber band, and time-out. The teacher reviews compound words. Students sort a list of words into a chart headed open, closed, and hyphenated. Students complete a spelling pre-assessment of compound words. Students sort the words into the spelling chart. 

    • In Unit 9, Week 3, Lesson 1, Phonics and Word Study Resource Book, the teacher writes fair, scare, and tear. The teacher reviews /âr/ words and underlines the /âr/spelling in each word. Students sort a list of words into a chart headed air, ear, and are. Students complete a spelling pre-assessment of /âr/words. Students sort the words into the spelling chart. 

    • In Unit 10, Week 1, Lesson 5, The teacher reviews spelling changes for doubling the final consonant, dropping a silent e, changing y to i, and adding es instead of s. The teacher leads students through the guided practice of identifying how to spell words with specific added endings.

      • In the Grammar and Spelling Activity Book, Unit 10, Week 1, students complete the following activity: “Write the spelling words for which the given ending rule applies; drop the final e; drop the final y; double the final consonant.”

  • In the Spelling Reference Guide, during mini-lessons, students explore a variety of spelling reference material, look up words in a dictionary, and use a definition to help check and correct spellings.

  • Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.

    • In Unit 7, Week 3, Lesson 11, the teacher models revising and editing writing to make it stronger. The teacher explains the purpose of choosing and using precise language, “Conveying your ideas precisely helps readers better understand what is happening in your historical fiction stories.” Students work with a partner to identify sentences in their writing needing editing for precision. Students review their partner’s drafts and discuss unclear sentences.

    • In Unit 9, Week 2, Lesson 7, the teacher defines shades of meaning and indicates “authors use precise words to more clearly describe events, actions, and emotions.” The teacher displays vague and precise words and discusses each group of words. The teacher shows a sentence and models how to revise the sentence with more precise language. 

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 9, Week 2, students write their own sentences using precise words to clearly describe events, actions, and emotions. 

  • Choose punctuation for effect.

    • In Unit 6, Week 1, Lesson 6, the teacher explains to students that one way writers add interest to and express feelings in their writing is with punctuation. The teacher asks a volunteer to read the sentence “The next day was the big event” adding either an exclamation mark, a question mark, or a period in the end. The teacher guides students to discuss how the meaning and feeling of the sentence change with each punctuation mark.

      • In the Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, Unit 9, Week 2, students write their own sentences using punctuation for effect.

    • In Unit 6, Week 2, Lesson 7, the teacher models using exclamation points in sentences and explains how the punctuation affects the sentence meaning. The teacher guides students through noticing exclamation points and question marks in dialogue. The teacher displays a sentence for students to edit with a partner. Students summarize their learning about punctuation.

  • Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion).

    • In Unit 4, Week 3, Lesson 3, the teacher models how dialogue makes readers feel involved in the scene because it draws them in. “The other thing is that dialogue calls for more informal English. Good dialogue reflects the way that people actually speak to one another, which is most often informally. I would never use informal English when writing an essay, but I would use it for dialogue.” Students work with a partner to discuss “how they might include dialogue that sounds realistic” and they share their ideas. During independent writing, students draft a fictional scene. The teacher encourages students to use dialogue. 

    • In Unit 8, Week 3, Lesson 11, the teacher reminds students that writing an essay has a formal and serious tone compared to conversational English. During guided practice, students identify phrases in two sentences that represent informal English and revise the sentences. Students look for their use of informal English in their drafts and revise as needed. 

  • Materials include authentic opportunities for students to demonstrate application of skills in context, including applying grammar and convention skills to writing. For example:

    • In Unit 2, Week 1, Lesson 14, students write a paragraph with two or more compound sentences using conjunctions and commas during independent writing time.

    • In Unit 3, Week 3, Lesson 8, after a review of the rules for punctuating direct quotations in a nonfiction text, students edit their informative essays to ensure correct punctuation of quotations. 

    • In Unit 8, Week 3, Lesson 8, after reviewing the rules for forming possessive nouns, students edit their research projects to ensure the correct use of possessives, using the Making Possessives Chart as support.

Indicator 1M
02/02

Materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 1m. 

The Program Support Guide provides a one-page Year-Long Vocabulary Development Plan which provides the focus word list for each week. Vocabulary relates to the Unit’s theme or topic and appears in the texts and activities students engage in during the lessons. Each unit focuses on different types of vocabulary development including Language of Instruction, General and Domain-Specific Vocabulary, and Word Study/Spelling. Within these focuses, students have opportunities to work with vocabulary including, but not limited to, context clues, determining meaning through roots and affixes, drawing, and acting out words. The digital Program Support Guide includes an expanded version of the Vocabulary Development Plan. Anchor text and close reading texts have selected vocabulary identified and provide brief opportunities for students to define and/or exemplify the words. Vocabulary is explicitly taught before reading each anchor text in various ways.

The Additional Materials section provides several graphic organizers such as a Concept Map or Frayer Model for vocabulary acquisition. Materials also provide a Vocabulary Development Tool that includes graphic organizers and a one-page explanation of the Define/Example/Ask routine which is the main vocabulary routine highlighted in each unit. Materials also provide a Multilingual Glossary that includes a definition, example, and image for each of the focus words for the units. 

Materials provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Materials include a year-long vocabulary development plan which lists the explicitly taught words by units and weeks. The list identifies the words as Tier 2 or Tier 3 words. While this document is labeled as a plan, it is a one-page list of words per unit.

  • The digital Program Support Guide includes an expanded version of the Vocabulary Development Plan. This plan highlights the vocabulary development research base and the key types of vocabulary instruction used in the materials.

  • The Teacher’s Resource System includes a Vocabulary Development section for each unit. This section provides a two-page overview of the Build Knowledge Word Bank, Language of Instruction, General Academic and Domain-Specific words, graphic organizers, and Word Study/Spelling supports. The Build Knowledge Word Bank lists the words that are explicitly taught in the first lesson of each unit and repeated throughout. The Vocabulary Development section also provides a chart that includes the Tier 2 and Tier 3 words that are found in each text. Materials highlight words that are explicitly taught at the beginning of each week and include images of the graphic organizers used to teach these words. Each identified word also includes the page number on which it appears in the student text. 

  • Materials provide a Vocabulary Development Tools resource. This resource contains printable vocabulary tools, including an analogy graphic organizer, a concept map, a Frayer model, a vocabulary word study log, vocabulary routines, and making meaning with words. There are two protocols in the Vocabulary Routine section: Define/Example/Ask and a Kate Kinsella routine. During the Kate Kinsella routine, the teacher introduces the word and provides verbal practice for students, and then students engage in written practice. 

  • Materials include Vocabulary Routines that the teacher can use to introduce vocabulary words. The routine that is stated in the teacher lesson plans is Define/Example/Ask; however teachers can choose to use the Academic Vocabulary Routine provided in Vocabulary Routines. While the directions for these routines state that teachers should review vocabulary every day, the actual lesson plan does not allot time or provide guidance on vocabulary review other than in the lessons where vocabulary is introduced or when the skill is vocabulary-related. Additionally, teacher guidance for using vocabulary words that are not explicitly taught is unclear.

Vocabulary is repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts) and across multiple texts.

  • The Vocabulary Development Plan notes that the Build Knowledge Vocabulary “words and phrases may or may not appear in the unit texts that students read. They were chosen to provide conceptual language that supports the unit topic and Enduring Understandings and for students to use as they communicate and grow their word knowledge within and across grades.” For example, In Unit 5, Unit Resources, Vocabulary Development, the Building Knowledge vocabulary words and phrases are automation, develop, impact, efficient/efficiency, society, and technology. The terms automation and efficiency appear in “Humans and Robots Can Work Together” by Eleanor Hahn. Develop, impact, society, and technology do not appear in any of the unit texts that students read. 

  • In Unit 5, the focus is on Technology for Tomorrow. In Week 1, Lesson 1, the teacher explicitly teaches the Build Knowledge Vocabulary, which includes the words develop, efficient/efficiently, technology, society, automation, and impact. In Unit 7, the focus is on The Transcontinental Railroad. In Week 1, Lesson 1, the teacher explicitly teaches the Build Knowledge Vocabulary, which includes the words advances, communities, expansion, devastating, impact, and settle. Students use these words to discuss the concepts and themes and they occur in multiple texts, tasks, and discussions across the unit. Students encounter the word impact when they read the text, “The Railroad’s Impact in Native Americans” by Odia Wood-Krueger. After reading the text, in the Build Toward the Culminating Task activity, students respond to a prompt that asks them, “Think about how the railroad impacted Native Americans, their land, their communities, and their way of life.”

  • In Unit 6, Week 3, Lesson 1, during Build Vocabulary/Preview the Text, students learn four vocabulary words using the Define/Example/Ask routine. They encounter these words as they read the text “Estrella and the Emerald Ring” by Alma Flor Ada. The teacher states, “Tell students that during independent time, they will encounter the Week 3 words again by reading the Vocabulary Practice Text on page 25 of the Texts for Close Reading and by completing vocabulary activities in their Build-Reflect-Write e-notebooks.” Some of these activities include answering vocabulary questions related to the Vocabulary Practice Text, answering questions connected to students’ experiences with the vocabulary words, playing a game, creating captions and labels with vocabulary words, and writing a poem with a vocabulary word.

Attention is paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and to high-value academic words (e.g., words that might appear in other contexts/content areas). 

  • In each unit, the Vocabulary Development tab within Unit Resources illustrates the vocabulary terms students will cover. Materials note that the Build Knowledge Word Bank terms “are explicitly introduced in Mini-Lesson 1, practiced each week in Texts from Close Reading “Build Vocabulary” activities, and used orally and in writing as students construct the Knowledge Blueprint, discuss the Essential Question and Enduring Understandings, and complete-building tasks.” The General Academic and Domain-Specific words “appear in this unit’s Texts for Close Reading selections. Highlighted words are explicitly taught during First Reading mini-lessons each week. Students encounter these words again as they read the weekly Vocabulary Practice Texts.” Because explicit instruction focuses on the highlighted words, many of the General Academic and Domain-Specific words listed are not addressed.

  • Each unit includes a Vocabulary Practice Text for each week. This short new text focuses on some of the vocabulary words from the anchor texts. Students read these texts independently and complete vocabulary tasks in their Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebooks. 

  • In Unit 3, Week 1, students engage in a mini-lesson where they read “Solving Problems” by Lisa Benjamin. At the beginning of this mini-lesson, the teacher uses the Define/Example/Protocol to introduce two vocabulary words from the text: relief funds and crisis. The teacher defines a crisis as a “...major problem or dangerous situation.” Then, the teacher provides an example, “An electrical blackout is a crisis for any town or city.” Finally, the teacher asks students to turn and talk to their neighbor to answer the question, “What sort of thing would cause a crisis for a single person?” 

Criterion 1.3: Foundational Skills

08/08

Materials in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language targeted to support foundational reading development are aligned to the standards.

Materials provide a consistent progression of phonics and word recognition lessons over the course of the year, including a Scope and Sequence of phonics and word recognition skills and Phonics and Word Recognition Quick Checks that assess a range of phonics and word recognition skills. Materials include tasks and questions that provide opportunities for students to access different foundational skills within the anchor texts and supporting texts. Materials include explicit instruction, modeling, and student practice in all areas of fluency. The materials include explicit instructional routines for rate, accuracy, and expression, including teacher modeling and student practice.

Indicator 1N
04/04

Materials, questions, and tasks address grade-level foundational skills by providing explicit instruction in phonics, word analysis, and word recognition that demonstrate a research-based progression.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations of Indicator 1n.

Grade 4 materials provide a consistent progression of phonics and word recognition lessons over the course of the year. The materials include a Scope and Sequence of phonics and word recognition skills and Phonics and Word Recognition Quick Checks that assess a range of phonics and word recognition skills. The materials indicate that the Quick Checks may be given at the beginning, middle, and end of the year or as needed to inform core instruction or intervention. Tasks and questions in the materials progress in a logical sequence that leads to the application of skills. Materials provide explicit instruction in grade-level phonics and word recognition skills and provide regular practice decoding multisyllabic words using a repeating Reading Big Words Strategy. Routines for decoding and building automaticity of reading multisyllabic words occur in each unit. Teachers use assessments to drive instruction and to help students make progress toward mastery. While all necessary assessment components are present, navigation of the multitude of related but separate assessment pieces is not streamlined. Teachers monitor students’ writing for phonics skills and provide additional instruction and practice, as needed.

Materials contain explicit instruction of irregularly spelled words, syllabication patterns, and word recognition consistently over the course of the year. For example:

  • Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.

    • In Unit 8, Week 2, Phonics and Word Study Lesson 1, the teacher introduces the Greek and Latin Roots geo, archae, rupt. The teacher explains each root and writes six words on the board, asking students to sort the words into columns. The teacher provides students with a word study sheet with 50 words with the same roots, and students chorally read the words. The word study sheet contains an additional 50 words for additional practice. The materials indicate the teacher should transfer the skill while reading by “noticing and decoding words with the skill while reading.”

    • In Unit 8, Week 2, Lesson 8, students reread a text about volcanoes. The text includes the words erupted, eruption.

    • In Unit 9, Week 3, Lesson 2, the teacher models using the Reading Big Words Strategy to decode words with the variant vowel sound /âr/. Students read “Dust Dance” by Karen Hesse and chorally read lines 13-24. The teacher pauses and models decoding the phrase “tearing up.” Students read “Dust Storm Days” in the Word Study e-Book to gain fluency and automaticity with variant vowel /âr/ words. 

    • In Unit 10, Week 1, Lesson 5, the teacher displays words: running, restored, factories, classes, and models dividing each word into syllables to sound it out. The teacher models categorizing the words as double the final consonant, drop the silent e, change y to i, add -es. The teacher displays words and endings. Students work in partners to spell each word and sort into categories. The teacher and students chorally read “Power Restored in India” on page 5 of The Power of Electricity. The teacher points to the word consuming and models using knowledge of spelling patterns and context clues to decode, pronounce, and define the word.

All tasks and questions are sequenced to application of grade-level work (e.g., application of prefixes at the end of the unit/year; decoding multi-syllable words). For example: *Note: Look for the sequence of skills over the course of the year

  • In the Scope and Sequence, materials outline the following sequence of phonics and word study skills: long and short vowels, syllable types, compound words, hard and soft g and c, r-controlled vowels, adverb suffixes, variant vowels, adjective suffixes, diphthongs, prefixes, homophones, Greek and Latin roots, noun suffixes, adding endings with spelling changes. For example:

    • In Scope and Sequence, Unit 2 introduces long vowel words, and Units 3 and 4 introduces open syllables and compound words.

    • In Scope and Sequence, Unit 6 introduces adverb and adjective suffixes and Units 8-10 introduces Greek and Latin Routes.

  • In Unit 5, Week 1, My Word Study Book 1, students sound out and read words that contain multi-syllables. Examples include grasshopper, engine, and calcium. Each word is pronounced with the teacher, practiced independently, and timed reading with a partner.

  • In Unit 8, Week 1, Lesson 1, students read and spell words with negative prefixes  (de, un-, in-, im-, and dis-). The skill is transferred to reading with the students decoding words while reading and revising writing using the spelling pattern.

Multiple assessment opportunities are provided over the course of the year to inform instructional adjustments of phonics, word recognition, and word analysis to help students make progress toward mastery. For example:

  • In Assessments, Phonics and Word Recognition Quick Checks, materials include 116 Quick Check assessments. The materials contain a Quick Check to Intervention Resource Map that indicates which intervention lessons correspond to specific Quick Check skills. 

  • In Grade 3-6 Phonics and Word Recognition Quick Checks, Quick Check 47, students read twelve words and draw a line to separate the words into syllables. 

  • In Grade 3-6 Phonics and Word Recognition Quick Checks, Quick Check #49, students are shown a grid of words containing three words in each row for a total of 12 words. Students point to each word and read it aloud, then draw a line to divide the word into syllables: tickle, marble, uncle, settle, eagle, noble, ankle, bundle, needle, candle, temple, bottle.

  • In Unit 5 Teacher’s Resource System, Intervention and Reteaching Resources, a guide indicates phonics and word recognition quick checks assessment results for hard and soft c, g and r-controlled vowels, correlate to re-teaching phonics and word recognition Lessons 6-9.

Indicator 1O
02/02

Materials include opportunities for students to practice and apply grade-level phonics, word analysis, and word recognition skills.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations of Indicator 1o.

Grade 4 materials offer opportunities for students to apply grade-level phonics, word analysis, and word recognition skills. Materials include tasks and questions that provide opportunities for students to access different foundational skills within the anchor texts and supporting texts. The weekly lesson pattern includes independent practice using a word study text that contains words targeting the week’s phonics or word analysis skill. Phonics and word analysis lessons provide students an opportunity to apply the skill to the core text with teacher guidance. During recurring weekly phonics and word study lessons two and three, students engage in two readings of the week’s accountable text targeting newly-taught or reviewed skills. 

Multiple and varied opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to learn, practice, and apply phonics, word analysis, and word recognition skills in connected tasks. For example:

  • In Unit 5, Week 2, Phonics and Word Study Resource Book: Lesson 3, students practice decoding r-controlled vowels: ar, or, oar, ore in multiple ways. First students review spelling sound correspondences using the r-Controlled Vowels Chart. Students work in pairs to identify the r-controlled spelling and sounds in each word. Students complete a closed sort using category cards: ar, or, oar, ore and word cards: acorn, adore, barn, coarsely, export, galore, horse, market, oars, orbit, shark, stars, store, surfboard, uproar, word.

  • In Unit 7, Week 1, Lesson 5, the teacher models dividing six words with /ou/ and /oi/ sounds into syllables and sounds them out. Students practice reading six additional words. Students read “The Golden Spike” e-book “to develop fluency and automaticity with words containing the sound /ou/ or /oi/. 

  • In Unit 8, Week 2, Lesson 2, students independently read “The Mount Saint Helens Volcano” in the Word Study e-book to develop fluency and automaticity with words with Greek and Latin roots. The teacher reminds students to monitor their accuracy and comprehension.

Materials include tasks and questions that provide opportunities for students to access different foundational skills within the anchor text and supporting texts. For example:

  • In Unit 1, Week 2, Lesson 2, after a lesson on long and short e syllables, students read the second paragraph of the core text, “Starting Off”, which contains the words near, need, register, before, outlet, begins, and reason. Students read the text chorally, and the teacher pauses to model decoding and determining the meaning of the word register. Students read the word study text “Waiting for Spring” independently to gain fluency and automaticity with words containing long and short e syllables.

  • In Unit 3, Week 1, Lesson 5, students review open syllables and the Reading Big Words Strategy “Solving Problems” from pages 4-5 of Government in Action. The teacher models flexible use of syllable division using the words: human, humid, relabel, depended, tiger. The teacher guides students to use the Read Big Words Strategy to decode words: Caribbean, financial, inflation, hurricanes, agency. The teacher extends the learning throughout the week using lessons 1-5 in the Phonics and Word Study Resource Book. Students turn to page 4 and chorally read, the teacher pauses and models analysis of the word financial. Students apply understanding of open vowels in “Saving Yellowstone” in the Word Study e-book to develop fluency and automaticity with open syllable words.

  • In Unit 7, Week 2, Lesson 2, the teacher models reading five words with the prefixes trans-, pro-, sub-, super-, inter-. Students practice reading, adding prefixes to words, and they discuss the meaning of the words. Students chorally read paragraph nine of the text, and the teacher points out the word transcontinental and models using knowledge of prefixes to sound out the word and determine its meaning. During independent work time, students read The Pony Express “to develop fluency and automaticity with words containing prefixes.”

Indicator 1P
02/02

Instructional opportunities are frequently built into the materials for students to practice and achieve reading fluency in order to read with purpose and understanding.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations of Indicator 1p.

Grade 4 materials include explicit instruction, modeling, and student practice in all areas of fluency. The materials include explicit instructional routines for rate, accuracy, and expression, including teacher modeling and student practice. Students engage in multiple readings of the core text and accountable texts each week. The materials support using context and decoding strategies to confirm understanding and word meaning. The materials indicate how to use quick checks to determine fluency. A resource map suggests Instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery of fluency. The resource map references specific lessons to focus on reading with understanding, intonation, and expression. 

Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate sufficient accuracy and fluency in oral and silent reading. For example:

  • Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

    • In Unit 5, Week 3, Phonics and Word Study, Lesson 2, the teacher guides students through a whisper read of the accountable text “Stargazers.” Students read the text chorally. The teacher asks students comprehension questions about the text. Students respond and underline words and phrases in the text to support their answers. 

    • In Unit 6, Week 1, Lesson 2, students practice reading a text focusing on changing inflection, intonation, pitch. During independent work time, students reread the text to note three connections to the text. 

    • In Unit 9, Week 1, Phonics and Word Study, Lesson 2, the teacher guides students through a whisper read of the accountable text “Take Action for Rainforests.” Students read the text chorally. The teacher asks students comprehension questions about the text. Students respond and underline words and phrases in the text to support their answers. 

Materials support reading of prose and poetry with attention to rate, accuracy, and expression, as well as direction for students to apply reading skills when productive struggle is necessary. For example:

  • Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.

    • In Unit 1, Additional Resources, Instructional Routines and Strategies, the materials provide instructional routines in areas of fluency: Inflection/Intonation - Pitch, Volume, Stress; Speed/Pacing - Slow, Varied, Fast; Dramatic Expression - Characterization/Feelings, Anticipation/Mood; Phrasing - Units of Meaning in Complex Sentences, Dependent Clauses; Confirm or Correct Word Recognition and Understanding; Short Pauses; Full Stops; High-Frequency Word Phrases. Each routine includes teacher modeling along with explicit instruction and student practice. 

    • In Unit 2, Week 2, Lesson 1, the teacher reminds students that fluent reading requires pausing at the end of sentences. The teacher uses the fluency routine to model reading the core text with pauses after sentences, and students practice. 

    • In Unit 4, Week 1, Lesson 2, the teacher indicates fluency includes reading with expression. The teacher uses a fluency routine and asks students to re-read the text with a partner during independent work time. 

    • In Unit 4, Week 5, Lesson 12, students reread to build fluency by reading a poem with a partner during independent time. Students may also listen to and read along with the audio-assisted ebook or listen to a recording. 

Materials support students’ fluency development of reading skills (e.g., self-correction of word recognition and/or for understanding, focus on rereading) over the course of the year (to get to the end of the grade-level band). For example:

  • Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

    • In Unit 5, Week 1, Lesson 10, the teacher reminds students that fluent readers monitor their comprehension as they read. If they come to a passage they don’t understand, they should reread a sentence or paragraph out loud to support comprehension. The teacher rereads paragraph 2 from “Robots Will Take Professional Jobs” in Technology for Tomorrow and models using the Read Out Loud to Support Comprehension Fix-Up Strategy.

    • In Instructional Routines, Fluency Routines, the teacher uses a routine to guide students to read words correctly and make “sure that the words they read make sense in context.” The routine includes the teacher modeling how to confirm the meaning of a word, students choral-reading the same section, and students rereading the text while paying “attention to word parts.”

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information of students’ current fluency skills and provide teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery of fluency. For example:

  • In Unit 7, Week 1, Lesson 5, the materials indicate “you may also wish to have students complete” Quick Checks 35 or 36 and 37 or 38. 

  • In Assessments, Fluency Quick Checks, the materials include ten Grade 4 assessment passages that can be used to assess oral reading accuracy, reading rate, and fluency (phrasing, intonation, and expression). The passages are identified by Lexile, and students read passages at their instructional reading level. For example:

    • In Fluency Quick Check #36, Climates in the United States, students complete a fluency quick check with the teacher on how many words read per line. To determine fluency mastery, students are assessed on oral reading accuracy, reading rate (words per minute), and comprehension.

    • In Fluency Quick Check #37, The Beach, students complete a fluency quick check with the teacher on how many words read per line. To determine fluency mastery, students are assessed on oral reading accuracy, reading rate (words per minute), and comprehension.

  • In Assessments, Fluency, the Fluency Quick Check Resource Map provides a map of fluency intervention lessons that match each fluency skill and quick check. The directions for assessment outline how to assess each skill and determine whether a student needs intervention lessons. 

  • In Assessments, Fluency Quick Checks, the Additional Teacher Resources section contains alternate fluency assessments, including fluency rubrics, fluency self-assessments, reader’s theater self-assessments, performance assessments, and oral presentation assessments.

Overview of Gateway 2

Building Knowledge with Texts, Vocabulary, and Tasks

The majority of texts are organized around a topic to build students’ knowledge and vocabulary; however, some units focus on a theme rather than a topic. The K–6 program focuses on ten knowledge strands that repeat across grade levels, and materials provide opportunities for students to answer questions that support knowledge building. All units conclude with a culminating activity based on the unit’s Essential Questions that develops throughout the unit. Materials include writing instruction aligned to grade-level standards, including explicit writing instruction and application opportunities aligned to the distribution of writing text types called for in the standards. Materials include instruction, questions and tasks, and assessments aligned to grade-level standards. The scope and sequence provides a year-long plan with structured core instruction. Each activity within the lesson includes a time frame to complete all of the components; however, there is not sufficient time to complete the tasks in the allotted time.

Criterion 2.1: Building Knowledge

22/24

Materials build knowledge through integrated reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language.

The majority of texts are organized around a topic to build students’ knowledge and vocabulary, which over time, supports and helps grow students’ ability to comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently; however, some units focus on a theme rather than a topic. The K–6 program focuses on ten knowledge strands that repeat across grade levels and addresses topics including “Government and Citizenship,” “Perspectives in Literature,” and “Earth Science.” Materials include anchor texts with accompanying Mini-Lessons in which students discuss and write their answers to text- dependent questions or tasks that address word choice, text structure, academic and figurative language, main ideas, and key details of the text. Materials provide opportunities for students to answer questions that support knowledge building. All units conclude with a culminating activity based on the unit’s Essential Questions that develops throughout the unit. Students learn about a topic or theme that is integrated throughout close readings and knowledge building texts; however, access to knowledge building texts cannot be ensured for all students as these readings occur during small group instruction. Most culminating tasks involve multiple literacy skills; however, the tasks follow a standard format that does not vary across the year. Materials include writing instruction aligned to grade-level standards, including explicit writing instruction and application opportunities aligned to the distribution of writing text types called for in the standards. Materials include both short embedded research tasks and longer research projects.

Indicator 2A
02/04

Texts are organized around a cohesive topic(s) to build students’ ability to read and comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 2a.

The majority of texts are organized around a topic to build students’ knowledge and vocabulary, which over time, supports and helps grow students’ ability to comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently; however, some units focus on a theme rather than a topic. The K–6 program focuses on ten knowledge strands that repeat across grade levels and addresses topics including “Government and Citizenship,” “Perspectives in Literature,” and “Earth Science.” Topics and themes are vertically aligned across K–6 to support knowledge building from year to year. Each unit lasts three weeks and contains Shared Reading, Mentor Reading, and Extended Reading texts related to the same topic; however, without using the small group Knowledge Building texts, which cannot be guaranteed for all students, students do not read enough texts to build knowledge of the unit topics. During whole group instruction, students engage in reading, writing, and discussion around the topic or theme and essential questions throughout each unit. Each unit includes a Knowledge Blueprint that serves as an anchor document throughout the unit. Tasks and questions are designed to build knowledge of the topic or theme throughout the unit to help students complete the Knowledge Blueprint.

Some texts are connected by a grade-appropriate cohesive topic/line of inquiry. Some texts build knowledge and the ability to read and comprehend complex texts across a school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 5, texts are organized around the topic, “Technology for Tomorrow” to answer the essential question “How do we make decisions about developing new technology?” In the Building Knowledge Plan Year-Long Plans, publishers indicate that the purpose of the texts is “showcasing opinion texts,” as the unit addresses the “big idea that technology can be controversial and have both positive and negative effects.” The texts support the Enduring Understandings for Unit 5: “Technology can be controversial and have both positive and negative impacts on society. We design and develop robots to do many jobs efficiently. Automation continues to change how we live and work. Society's needs, as well as other motivations, drive the development of new technologies.” Texts in the unit include, but are not limited to:

    • In Week 1, the short reads are “Humans and Robots Can Work Together” by Eleanor Hahn and “Robots Will Take Professional Jobs” by Michael Cavanaugh, editorials with differing opinions about robots in the workplace. Students practice distinguishing between important and unimportant information and supporting opinions as they begin crafting their own opinion essay.

    • In Week 2, Extended Read 1 is “Who's Driving?” by Amanda Polidore. This selection gives a more in-depth opinion with opposing viewpoints on driverless cars. 

    • In Week 3, Extended Read 2 is “Rise of the Drones” by Dang Nguyen and Max Prinz. This text shows two opposing opinions within a single text. To close the unit, students listen to the read aloud text "Sun Tracks" (author not cited), a Native American poem. Students discuss their Knowledge Blueprint and use it and the unit texts to answer questions about the benefits and challenges of using technology.

  • In Unit 8, texts are organized around the topic “Earth Changes” to answer the essential question, “How does access to resources influence people’s lives?” In the Building Knowledge Plan Year-Long Plans, publishers indicate that the purpose of the unit is to build “knowledge about two major Earth-change events—earthquakes and volcanoes—through two genres.” The texts support the Enduring Understandings for Unit 8: “Earthquakes are caused by shifts in Earth's tectonic plates. The sudden release of energy moves in waves through Earth’s crust, shaking Earth's surface. Volcanoes form when magma from within Earth's upper mantle works its way through Earth's crust. Eruptions of hot lava, gas, and ash are caused by pressure beneath Earth's surface. Natural disasters are sudden and violent events that can threaten people’s lives and change Earth's surface. People can study the forces that cause natural disasters to better understand them and respond to them. Natural disasters are emotional experiences for those who live through them and are often the subject of firsthand accounts.” Texts in the unit include, but are not limited to: 

    • In Week 1, the short read texts are “Earthquakes” by Kathy Furgang, an informational text explaining what happens in an earthquake, and “In Mexico City,” an excerpt from A History of My Mexico City Home, in Earthquakes by Francisco Goldman. The second short read is a firsthand account of two earthquakes in Mexico City. Students begin their Knowledge Blueprints as they respond to the question, “How do Earth’s natural processes impact our lives?” 

    • In Week 2, the Extended Read 1 is “Volcanoes” by Brett Kelly, a more in-depth read explaining this scientific event.  Students practice drawing inferences and synthesizing information from two texts. 

    • In Week 3, the Extended Read 2 is “The Eruption of Vesuvius” by Pliny the Younger. This selection offers students a descriptive firsthand view of this event in history. The unit finishes with a read aloud of “Negotiations with a Volcano” by Naomi Shihab Nye. Students discuss their Knowledge Blueprints and complete a Venn Diagram to compare volcanoes and earthquakes.

Some texts are connected by a theme. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2 texts are organized around the topic, “Characters’ Actions and Reactions.” In the Building Knowledge Plan Year-Long Plans, publishers indicate that the purpose of the unit is “to allow students to study characterization in two genres: fiction and drama. By reading excerpts from novels and plays that tell the same stories, students can compare how characters are shown across the genres.” The texts examine the essential question, “How do we reveal ourselves to others?” The texts support the Enduring Understandings for Unit 2: “Writers can tell the same story in more than one genre, such as a drama and a novel or short story. Characters' actions and reactions influence a story’s plot, as well as other characters. Real-life actions and reactions have effects on real events and people. Writers intentionally choose characters' words and actions to reveal the characters to the reader.” Texts in this unit include, but are not limited to:

    • In Week 1, students read “Dorothy Meets the Scarecrow” from The Wiz by William F. Brown and “How Doroty Saved the Scarecrow” an excerpt from the original novel by L. Frank Baumand. Students begin their Knowledge Blueprint on what the characters’ words and actions are and the end result. 

    • In Week 2, students read “Peter Meets Wendy” from Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie and add to their Knowledge Blueprint.

    • In Week 3, students read “Peter’s Shadow” from Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie to compare two pieces by the same author that address the same event but with different genres. To wrap up the unit, students listen to the read-aloud poem “You are Old Father William” by Lewis Carroll and analyze the use of descriptive language. Students demonstrate their knowledge in constructive conversations and independently write one to two paragraphs to demonstrate their knowledge of the essential question and enduring understandings.

Indicator 2B
04/04

Materials require students to analyze the key ideas, details, craft, and structure within individual texts as well as across multiple texts using coherently sequenced, high quality questions and tasks.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 2b.

Materials include anchor texts with accompanying Mini-Lessons in which students discuss and write their answers to text- dependent questions or tasks that address word choice, text structure, academic and figurative language, main ideas, and key details of the text. Within the Mini-Lesson students frequently hold Constructive Conversations which include text-based prompts. Daily lessons, close-reading texts, and the student e-Notebook include opportunities for students to respond to questions. Strategies and Skills incorporate the language of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Most questions and tasks fully align to the Strategies and Skills and correlated standard, while other questions and tasks partially align to the correlated standard.

For most texts, students analyze key ideas and details (according to grade-level standards). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, the Strategies and Skills page of the Teacher Resource System indicates that students will learn about explaining events or ideas in a text within a problem/solution structured text. For example:

    • In Week 2, Lesson 4, students read “The State Government and Its Citizens” by Lisa Simone. Students practice identifying key details to determine the main idea. The teacher briefly models this, referring to the Determine the Main Idea anchor chart. Students then practice the skill with a partner to complete a graphic organizer for a section of the text. 

    • In Week 2, Lesson 8, students close read “The State Government and Its Citizens” by Lisa Simone and discuss their responses to the following Constructive Conversation prompt: “Reread paragraph 2. Explain how the Constitution helped solve the problem of states needing help with issues that affect only the people in a particular state.” During independent time, students write a response to the first Apply Understanding question, which refers to a sidebar in the text: “Reread the passage from The Federalist written by James Madison. What problem did the Constitution solve by giving the power to declare war to the federal government and not to the states? Make an inference as to why this power was given to the federal government.”

  • In Unit 8, the Strategies and Skills page of the Teacher Resource System indicates that students will refer to details and examples in the texts to draw inferences and summarize the text.  Although students identify key details and summarize texts, students do not “[d]etermine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details,” as required by the standards. For example:

    • In Week 2, Lesson 4, students summarize the nonfiction text Volcanoes by Brett Kelly. During the Constructive Conversation, students work with a partner on the following task: “Reread the section “Inside Earth” and the diagram and caption on page 13. Identify and underline key details about volcanoes. Discuss the key details you underlined and then write a summary of the section in the margin of your text. Summarize in your own words.” During Apply Understanding, students independently read paragraphs 8–9 of “A Famous Eruption,” annotate key details, and write a summary of the section.

For most texts, students analyze craft and structure (according to grade-level standards). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, the Strategies and Skills page of the Teacher Resource System indicates that students will use context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words.  For example: 

    • In Week 1, Lesson 12, students read “Dorothy Meets the Scarecrow ''a brief excerpt from The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical (music by Charlie Smalls, book by William F. Brown). The teacher models understanding how words in a text signal emotion, actions, or states of being: “Reread paragraphs 2 and 4. Use context clues to identify and explain the differences between the words ‘gazed’ (paragraph two) and ‘looking’ and ‘see’ (paragraph four).” During Guided Practice, students “[r]eread paragraphs 4 and 14 [and use] context clues to identify and explain the differences between the words ‘surprised’ (paragraph 4) and ‘puzzled’ (paragraph 14).” The mini- lesson concludes with a Turn and Talk, during which students “[i]dentify the words and phrases the author uses in paragraph 4 to reveal that while a living scarecrow is unusual, the one Dorothy and Toto meet doesn’t frighten them.” During independent work, students write a response to the following Apply Understanding question: “What is a connection to other texts or to real life that you made as you read ‘How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow’? Which details helped you make the connection?” This question does not connect to the lesson focus or correlated standard that addresses determining the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.  

  • In Unit 9, the Strategies and Skills page of the Teacher Resource System indicates that students will describe the overall structure of events in a text (cause/ effect).  For example:

    • In Week 1, Lesson 4, students reread the text Seattle: Up and Down—and Up Again by Alexandra Hansom-Harding. During the Constructive Conversation section, students use text structure to help develop an answer to the following  question: “What caused Seattle’s economy to grow over the years? Cite specific cause/effect text structures you used to develop your answer.”  Students share with the class how identifying and understanding cause/effect text structure helped them understand why and how Seattle’s economy grew.  During the Apply Understanding section of the lesson, students write a paragraph identifying one economic cycle and explain how it impacted Seattle. Students should cite one related cause and effect in their response.

Indicator 2C
04/04

Materials require students to analyze the integration of knowledge within individual texts as well as across multiple texts using coherently sequenced, high quality text-specific and/or text-dependent questions and tasks.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 2c.

Materials provide opportunities for students to answer questions that support knowledge building. Each instructional day includes a reading mini-lesson designed to build content knowledge and practice literacy skills and strategies using the anchor texts. Each week, the student e-book also includes a Build Knowledge Across Texts question in which students respond to a prompt to synthesize information or analyze multiple texts. The majority of questions included in the Constructive Conversation, Apply Understanding, and Build Knowledge sections require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas within individual texts, as well as across multiple texts. Questions connect to topics or themes and texts for each unit, allowing for analysis through discussion and writing tasks. Materials provide questions and prompts in direct teaching mini-lessons, small group or paired tasks, and independent work time. 

Most sets of questions and tasks support students’ analysis of knowledge and ideas. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, the Strategies and Skills introduction in the Teacher Resource Systems indicates that students will interpret information presented visually:  sidebars, charts, and photos. For example:

    • In Week 1, Lesson 7, students practice interpreting information presented visually and quantitatively in a text. The short read text is “Solving Problems” by Lisa Benjamin, a text which includes pictures with captions, a sidebar, and a pie chart. After a brief teacher model, students use the Annotate, Pair, Share method to “[r]eread paragraph 2 as well as the sidebar, ‘Helping After Irma.’ Identify information in the sidebar that connects to information in the text. Underline the related details in both places.” Then, students participate in a Turn and Talk about one of the following questions: 

      • “According to the information in the text, sidebar, and pie chart, which branches of government contributed to repair hurricane damage like that shown in the photo on page 5?” 

      • “How did the text and text features of ‘Solving Problems’ add to your understanding of the ways that all levels of government provide services that promote the well‑being of society?”

During independent work, students answer this Apply Understanding question, “What is the important information in the sidebar ‘Helping After Irma’ on page 4? Cite the important details you found and explain how you distinguished them from unimportant information.” This question does not support students “explain[ing] how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears,” as required by the standards. 

  • In Unit 9, the Strategies and Skills introduction in the Teacher Resource Systems indicates that students will explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support points in a text. For example:

    • In Week 2, Lesson 10, students read “Natural Resources and Workers” by Alexandra Hanson-Harding and examine how an author uses evidence to support an author’s position. Students work with a partner to “evaluate how well the author supports her claim that Texas lost total control of the oil industry starting in the 1930s. Cite specific reasons and evidence in your answer.” Then students complete a Turn and Talk to answer the following question: “The author makes the point that the state of Texas was ‘forever changed’ when oil was struck at Spindletop in 1901. How have the economy and communities in Texas been influenced and shaped by the resources discovered there?” Finally, students independently respond to the following prompt: “Evaluate how well the author supports her claim that Florida’s climate brought resources, jobs, and businesses to the state. Cite specific evidence and reasons in your answer.”

Most sets of questions and tasks provide opportunities to analyze across multiple texts as well as within single texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • In Unit 2, the Strategies and Skills introduction in the Teacher Resource Systems indicates that students will compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes in stories. Although students compare and contrast the characters and structure of the texts, students do not “[c]ompare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures,” as required by the standards. For example:

    • In Week 1, students read two versions of the same story: “Dorothy Meets the Scarecrow, ''a dramatic script excerpt from The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical (music by Charlie Smalls, book by William F. Brown), and a prose excerpt from the original book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. After reading both texts, students complete two writing tasks to analyze across both texts. Students respond to the following prompts: 

      • “Short Read 1 and Short Read 2 both feature Dorothy and the Scarecrow. How do the play and the story present the characters differently? Cite text evidence to support your answer.” 

      • “Think about the play format. Compare the excerpt from The Wiz to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. How does a dramatic script differ from traditional prose? Write down two ways.”

  • In Unit 10, the Strategies and Skills introduction in the Teacher Resource Systems indicates that students will integrate information from two texts to speak knowledgeably on a topic. For example:

    • In Week 2, Lesson 12, students closely read “Power Restored in India” by Abby Leiberman and “The Power of Electricity” by Katie Furgang, two texts that include descriptions of blackouts that occurred almost 50 years apart. After closely reading, students search for similarities and differences in the causes and effects and use what was learned to synthesize information. 

    • In Week 3, Lesson 9, students integrate ideas in the texts “Benjamin Franklin: The Dawn of Electrical Technology” by Laura McDonald and “Two Forgotten Electrical Inventors” by Alexandra Hanson-Harding. Students engage in a discussion to answer the following question: “How would our world be different without the contributions of Benjamin Franklin, Nikola Tesla, and Hertha Marks Ayrton? Integrate evidence from ‘Benjamin Franklin: The Dawn of Electrical Technology’ and ‘Two Forgotten Electrical Inventors’ to support your ideas.” Then students work independently when responding to the question, “What qualities does a person need to make important scientific discoveries? Integrate evidence from the lives of Benjamin Franklin, Nikola Tesla, and Hertha Marks Ayrton to support your ideas.” 

Indicator 2D
04/04

Culminating tasks require students to demonstrate their knowledge of a unit's topic(s) through integrated literacy skills (e.g., a combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 2d.

All units conclude with a culminating activity based on the unit’s Essential Questions that develops throughout the unit. Students learn about a topic or theme that is integrated throughout close readings and knowledge building texts; however, access to knowledge building texts cannot be ensured for all students as these readings occur during small group instruction. Most culminating tasks involve multiple literacy skills; however, the tasks follow a standard format that does not vary across the year. The format includes holding a Constructive Conversation about the central topic/essential question and completing a Write to Demonstration Knowledge task, which entails responding to each Enduring Understanding in the unit. The culminating task, conversations, and writing take place across the last two days of the unit. Students begin planning their culminating task product during a mini-lesson; however, students are typically expected to complete the task for homework or during independent time. On the last day, students hold a Constructive Conversation about the unit topic during the whole group time, and then complete the Write to Demonstrate Knowledge independently. 

Culminating tasks are evident across the year and multifaceted, requiring students to demonstrate mastery of several different standards (reading, writing, speaking, listening) at the appropriate grade level, and comprehension and knowledge of a topic or topics through integrated skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, Week 3, students begin working on their culminating task product which is writing a short plan to solve a community problem by choosing a level of government to help. Materials provide a model paragraph about keeping a park trail clean for student use. The Build Toward a Culminating Task section in Lesson 10 includes this question, “What levels of government do you think should solve your community problem? Why?” For independent work and homework, students complete their plan. In Lesson 14, students complete the remaining culminating task activities, including holding a Constructive Conversation about the essential question and what they learned about government and influence in daily life. During independent time, students complete the Write to Demonstrate Knowledge portion of the task on each Enduring Understanding listed for the unit. As students write a response in their e-notebook for each understanding, the directions for the task prompt students to use the texts they have read and the research they have done for their Research and Inquiry Projects. 

  • In Unit 6, Week 1, students complete the first step of their culminating task, which is to “write a plan to overcome challenges.” Students engage in a discussion about the challenges the characters faced in the week’s reading selections and how each story presented the challenges. Then students identify the challenges, determine if they were real challenges, and list two of the challenges that real people might face. Materials provide a Choose Challenges to Write a Plan strategy for students needing more support. In Week 2, Lesson 14, students discuss the challenges Hercules faced and how the human challenges are presented differently in another text. Students then look over the reading selection and write down qualities that helped the characters overcome the challenges. In Week 5, Lesson 10, students discuss what made this week’s reading selection a quest, how the selections presented positive and negative traits, and how this compares to the Hercules quest. Then students think about the qualities that helped the characters overcome challenges and choose one trait to focus on. Students complete the tasks for homework. Directions for the task include creating a step-by-step plan on how the focused character trait can help to overcome challenges. Students must include the trait and how it is helpful and describe a challenge that this trait would help overcome. Students use the Blueprint and text annotations in the unit wrap-up. 

  • In Unit 10, Week 1, students complete the first step of their culminating task, which is to “create a questionnaire.” Students engage in a discussion about the massive blackout in India and how “Benjamin Franklin used science to change the way people thought in the 1700s.” Then, students identify three questions they might ask people about electricity. might face. Materials provide an Ask Questions About Electricity strategy for students needing more support. In Week 2, Lesson 14, students discuss why people need electricity, ways to convert electricity, and Fujimura’s ideas from the week’s reading selections. Then students think about not having electricity and brainstorm two or three questions about how people might deal with no electricity. In Week 3, Lesson 10, students discuss Hertha Marks Aryton and her “contribution to the field of electricity,” including the AC current. Then, students brainstorm and write two questions about inventors in the field of electricity. Students complete the task for homework. Directions for the task include narrowing down their questions, creating a questionnaire in an easily usable format, and giving it to three to four people. Students use the Blueprint, text annotations, and questionnaire in their economic choice to complete the unit wrap-up.

Indicator 2E
04/04

Materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to achieve grade-level writing proficiency by the end of the school year.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 2e.

Materials include writing instruction aligned to grade-level standards, including explicit writing instruction and application opportunities aligned to the distribution of writing text types called for in the Standards. Writing mini-lessons occur daily for at least 15 minutes depending on the instructional time block used. Each unit focuses on writing in response to text-based prompts or process writing. The program uses a repetitive instructional process, rubrics, and protocols for all writing across grade levels. In addition to mentor texts, materials provide instructional resources for teacher use such as anchor charts, writing checklists, modeling scripts, and potential  student responses. 

Materials include writing instruction that aligns to the standards for the grade level and supports students’ growth in writing skills over the course of the school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Materials include a K–6 year-long writing plan in the Program Support Guide. This one-page plan provides a brief overview of each unit writing focus, the Research and Inquiry Project, and on-demand opportunities in the reading materials. The Program Support Guide also includes a Skills Scope and Sequence that indicates which writing types students will focus on each week.

  • Writing instruction follows a repetitive process. During Week 1, the teacher and students analyze a mentor writing text, and the teacher models various skills. Although short writing mini-lessons include teacher modeling and guided practice, the lessons do not embed time for students to write, peer review, revise, and publish work. Students are expected to complete these tasks during independent time. During Week 2, the teacher continues modeling skills students will need as they begin planning and drafting a writing product. During Week 3, students finalize, revise, and publish their work. While materials provide rubrics for peer and teacher evaluation, these rubrics are the same across all grades.

  • The distribution of writing modes required by the standards is as follows: 30/35/35 opinion/informative or explanatory/narrative writing. Materials reflect an approximate 28/36/36 balance. Each unit focuses on one type of writing. 

    • In Unit 1, there are 15 lessons on informative/explanatory writing, leading students to use facts and evidence to plan, draft, revise, and edit informative essays on a prompt related to observing nature.

    • In Unit 2, there are 15 lessons on opinion writing, leading students to state opinions about characters and support their opinions with evidence from the text.

    • In Unit 3, there are 15 lessons on informative/explanatory writing, leading students to write an informative/explanatory essay on a topic related to government.

    • In Unit 4, there are 15 lessons on narrative writing, leading students to write their own narratives.

    • In Unit 5, there are 15 lessons on opinion writing, leading students to write an opinion essay on a technology related issue. 

    • In Unit 6, there are 15 lessons on writing to text based prompts: informative/explanatory, opinion, and narrative writing.  

    • In Unit 7, there are 15 lessons on narrative writing, leading students to write a narrative.

    • In Unit 8, there are 15 lessons on research writing, in which students choose a topic related to Earth Science, select sources, and plan, draft, revise, and edit texts, incorporating facts and details from the sources. 

    • In Unit 9, there are 15 lessons in which students conduct research, create a multimedia presentation, and present it to their peers.  

    • In Unit 10, there are 15 lessons on poetry writing. In which students study mentor poetry and draft, revise, and edit their own poems.  

Instructional materials include a variety of well-designed guidance, protocols, models, and support for teachers to implement and monitor students’ writing development. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Each unit provides daily mini-lessons for writing which include teacher modeling supports, anchor charts, writing checklists, mentor writing prompts and source texts, strategies, graphic organizers, and additional instructional materials. Materials follow a similar design, lesson template, pacing structure, and protocol list across Grades 3–6. The mini-lessons occur daily but recommend short time frames for instruction. Lesson language and expectations for writing are similar across all grades. For example: In Unit 5, the additional materials include an opinion essay writing checklist, a two-column chart, a sources checklist, a note-taking chart, and a rubric.  

  • Each Unit Assessment includes a 4-Point Assessments rubric. The rubric is consistent across all the writing tasks, with only the type of writing changing. For example, the rubric for the informative/explanatory essay is listed below. The rubric for the opinion essay is exactly the same with the exception of the change in writing type from “informative/explanatory” to “opinion.”

    • “It is clearly organized and effectively incorporates details from sources.

    • It has all of the features of informative/explanatory writing. 

    • The writer follows rules of grammar and sentence structure.

    • The writer follows conventions of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.”

Indicator 2F
04/04

Materials include a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 2f.

Materials include both short embedded research tasks and longer research projects. At the end of each unit, students have the opportunity to complete a three-week Research and Inquiry Project for the first four units and a six-week project in the remaining six units. Research projects follow six steps: Choose, Explore, Interpret, Create, Present, and Reflect. Materials include explicit instruction on a progression of research skills according to grade-level standards. The research tasks and research projects are not embedded in the instructional plan for the daily lessons. Recommendations for incorporating the projects in the curriculum include using small group/independent time, homework, and other content time such as the science or social studies instructional block. Some units include shorter embedded research tasks, such as researching topics for writing and evaluating sources, that usually connect to the unit’s writing tasks.  

 

Research projects are sequenced across a school year to include a progression of research skills that build to mastery of the grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Students recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • Guidance for the Research and Inquiry Projects for each task includes six mini-lessons focused on the following topics: Choose, Explore, Interpret, Create, Present, and Reflect.  

      • Step 1: Choose: The focus of this mini lesson is on choosing a topic.   The teacher introduces the project, sets a purpose, guides topic choice, introduces the Research and Inquiry Project Tool, sends off, and wraps up.  

      • Step 2: Explore: The focus of this mini lesson is on students generating questions and gathering sources. The teacher sets a purpose, guides question design and source selection, sends off, and wraps up.  

      • Step 3: Interpret: The focus of this mini lesson is on researching and taking notes. The teacher sets a purpose, guides research and fact gathering, sends off, and wraps up.  

      • Step 4: Create: The focus of this mini lesson is on designing and constructing the research project. The teacher sets a purpose, guides design and creation, sends off, and wraps up.

      • Step 5: Present: The focus of this mini lesson is on sharing and building knowledge together. The teacher sets a purpose, guides preparing and presenting, sends off, and wraps up.

      • Step 6: Reflect: The focus of this mini lesson is on assessing and self-reflecting. The teacher sets a purpose, guides self-assessment and self-reflection, sends off, and wraps up. These six steps are repeated for each of the Research and Inquiry Projects completed with little variation, other than the topic. For example:

        • In Unit 1, the research project is to create a field guide entry by researching something in nature, gathering facts, creating and designing a field guide entry, presenting their project, and then reflecting. In Mini Lesson 2, the teacher models generating questions and exploring sources. The teacher guides question design and source selection during a think aloud using the Question, Search, and Decide strategy. This strategy “helps design guiding questions, search for reliable and trustworthy sources, and choose which sources will be most useful.” First, the teacher chooses a sentence step and adds the topic. Next, the teacher confirms this guiding question does not have a yes/no answer. The teacher then models searching through the sources available with the guiding questions in mind, choosing sources they think will be useful. Finally, the teacher models narrowing the sources by reviewing the sources with the guiding questions in mind and picking two sources they think will best help answer the guiding questions. In Mini Lesson 3, the teacher models researching and taking notes during a think aloud using the Read, Interpret, Jot strategy.  The teacher models reading a source, thinking about whether the information helps answer the guiding question, and writing down the information if it fits the guiding question.  

      • In Unit 4, the research project is to create a project that includes facts and details about an animal that appears in and at least two visual displays. In Mini Lesson 2, the teacher models generating questions and exploring sources. The teacher guides question design and source selection during a think aloud using the Question, Search, and Decide strategy. This strategy “helps design guiding questions, search for reliable and trustworthy sources, and choose which sources will be most useful.” First, the teacher chooses a sentence step and adds the topic. Next, the teacher confirms this guiding question does not have a yes/no answer. The teacher then models searching through the sources available with the guiding questions in mind, choosing sources they think will be useful. Finally, the teacher models narrowing the sources by reviewing the sources with the guiding questions in mind and picking two sources they think will best help answer the guiding questions. In Mini Lesson 3, the teacher models researching and taking notes during a think aloud using the Read, Interpret, Jot, Categorize strategy. The teacher models reading a source, thinking about whether the information helps answer the guiding question, writing down the information if it fits the guiding question, and sorting the facts and details into the appropriate categories.   

      • In Units 9–10, the research project is to create a multi-media report on a chosen city of the world. In Mini Lesson 2, the teacher models generating questions and exploring sources. The teacher guides question design and source selection during a think aloud using the Question, Search, List, and Decide strategy. First, the teacher chooses a sentence step and adds the topic. Next, the teacher confirms this guiding question does not have a yes/no answer. The teacher then models searching through the sources available with the guiding questions in mind, choosing sources they think will be useful. After that, the teacher models listing the available sources and including needed information for citations. Finally, the teacher models narrowing the sources by reviewing the sources with the guiding questions in mind and picking two sources they think will best help answer the guiding questions. In Mini Lesson 3, the teacher models researching and taking notes during a think aloud using the Read, Interpret, Jot, Categorize strategy. The teacher models reading a source, thinking about whether the information helps answer the guiding question, writing down the information if it fits the guiding question, and sorting the facts and details into the appropriate categories. In Mini Lesson 4, the teacher models designing and constructing the research project using the read, create, list strategy. As part of the list section, the teacher models citing sources by making a list of the print and digital sources listed. 

Materials support teachers in employing projects that develop students’ knowledge of different aspects of a topic. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Each unit contains a Knowledge Blueprint in which the students gather information related to the Enduring Understandings for the unit. While reading each text, the students add information to the Blueprint. The information added to the Blueprint builds over the course of each three-week unit, allowing students to build knowledge on the unit topic from various sources. The Blueprint also contains critical vocabulary that is used and referenced various times throughout the unit.

  • The Research and Inquiry Projects include the following teacher supports:

    • Research and Inquiry Project Tool for students to complete as they plan their project. The teacher can use the tool to focus students on the research step they are on. The tool can be interactive; the teacher can write notes or reminders to students during the project. The teacher can also use the tool to assess students at the end of the research project.

    • Strategy bank tools that explain the various strategies included in the mini lessons, such as Talk, Jot, Choose; Question, Search, Decide; Read, Interpret, Jot; Read, Design, and Create; Plan, Present, and Ask; an Question, Remember, Jot

    • Addressing the needs of multilingual learners

    • Making time for research and inquiry

    • How to group students:  Flexible grouping to promote learning

    • Using the Research and Inquiry Project Tool to support and assess students

  • In Unit 3, Week 1, the teacher conducts a mini-lesson on evaluating online sources. Materials include a script to support the teacher with modeling how to evaluate sources. The script directs the teacher to display the Sources Checklist and go over the vocabulary of the chart; terms include expert, reliable, and up-to-date. The teacher explains that an expert would have knowledge about the topic; sites from a government, education, and nonprofits would likely be reliable; and the most current material will also most likely be reliable. 

Materials provide opportunities for students to synthesize and analyze content tied to the texts under study as a part of the research process. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Students conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

    • In Unit 5, Week 1, students write an explanatory essay about an opinion related to the area of science or technology. In Lesson 3, students begin their research by brainstorming topics. Teachers guide the brainstorming session by giving students the Opinion Essay Writing Checklist Topic anchor chart. This anchor chart provides students with a checklist as they research and write their essays. In Lesson 6, students find and evaluate sources to use for their research.  In Lesson 9, students take notes from online sources.   In Lesson 11, students take information from their note taking chart and plan how to organize this information in their opinion essay planning guide.  In Week 2, Lesson 6, students incorporate their research into their essay to support their opinion.  In Week 3, Lesson 13, students complete their opinion essay.  

    • In Unit 7, Week 1, students begin research in order to write a historical fiction piece. In Lesson 6, students brainstorm possible time periods for their writing. The teacher models the brainstorming process by displaying a three-column chart with the headings Time Period, Story Ideas, and What Readers Might Learn. In Lesson 9, students work independently with sources to “...flesh out the setting of their stories with accurate historical details.”  In Lesson 11, students organize information from their research.  In Week 3, Lesson 13, students complete their writing piece.  

  • Students draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 1, students write an explanatory essay in which they describe the appearance and behavior of woodpeckers, based on relevant facts and details from “A Bird’s Free Lunch” and “The World of Woodpeckers.” In Week 1, Lesson 6, students use the two texts to find facts and details related to the topic.

    • In Unit 8, Week 1, Lesson 9, students engage in a lesson on how to take notes from a print source. Teachers display a Modeling Research Notes Chart and then models finding relevant information from a credible source and then how to correctly write a direct quote and paraphrasing notes. Students then engage in guided practice and during independent time they begin collecting notes on their topic. In Lesson 9, students engage in a lesson on how to take those notes and organize them for their research project. Teachers model by using a Planning Guide and saying, “ Let’s look again at some of the notes I took for my research project. I want to present my information in the order that makes it easiest to understand. As I arrange my notes, I’m going to identify where each fact should go in my essay. My second note addresses what a blizzard is. That’s good information for an introduction, so I’ll place that information first. My third note also describes something about blizzards, so I’ll put that one next. That leaves my note that tells a story about a blizzard in Iran.” Students engage in guided practice and then in their independent time they begin to organize and plan with their notes.

Criterion 2.2: Coherence

06/08

Materials promote mastery of grade-level standards by the end of the year.

Materials include instruction, questions and tasks, and assessments aligned to grade-level standards. Materials include 10 units over the course of the year. Each unit encompasses three weeks of lessons. Each daily lesson is designed to take roughly 60–65 minutes. Materials provide alternative options for 150-, 120-, or 90-minute literacy blocks. The scope and sequence provides a year-long plan with structured core instruction. Each activity within the lesson includes a time frame to complete all of the components; however, there is not sufficient time to complete the tasks in the allotted time.

Indicator 2G
04/04

Materials spend the majority of instructional time on content that falls within grade-level aligned instruction, practice, and assessments.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 2g.

Materials include instruction, questions and tasks, and assessments aligned to grade-level standards. Students have opportunities to answer questions about illustrations, plot, and characters. Students practice activities such as comparing and contrasting charts, retelling details, and answering standards-aligned questions about texts. At times, students focus on comprehension strategies that may not align to standards. Although the reformatted Correlation of Benchmark Advance to the Common Core Standards chart illustrates when standards repeat across the year, it is unclear which learning target aligns to the instructional content and questions and tasks within each lesson. 

Over the course of each unit, the majority of instruction is aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • All Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are taught in the school year according to the reformatted Correlation of Benchmark Advance to the Common Core Standards chart. Materials use general learning goals rather than CCSS, which sometimes focus on skills that are implied within the standards. It is unclear which portions of the lesson align to the learning goals listed.       

    • In Unit 1, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 4, during the Model portion of the lesson, the teacher reads paragraphs 1–7 of “Starting Off” by Eddy Harris and creates a three-column chart with the headings Paragraphs, Key Details, and Main Idea. The teacher models how to distinguish between relevant and less relevant details. The teacher states the main idea and explains how the details support it. During the next lesson, the teacher models summarizing the text. This instruction aligns to RI.4.2: “Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.”

    • In Unit 5, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 1, after using the Define/Example/Ask routine to introduce words from the text, “Rise of the Drones” by Dang Nguyen, the teacher introduces the purpose of the lesson: “For an argument to be valid, or logical, a writer must back up claims with evidence. Today we will read two sides of an argument and evaluate whether the writers have included important information that is on-topic and supports and develops a position.” Students read and annotate the text and hold a brief conversation with a partner about important and unimportant details from the text. The teacher models a fix-up strategy: read more slowly and think about the words. The fix-up strategy does not align to a grade-level standard. 

    • In Unit 7, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 5, the teacher models how to identify compare and contrast text structure. While modeling how to respond to the practice task, the teacher circles signal words in “Rail Tycoons” by ___ that help them understand the chronology. The teacher also circles the word Despite, as it “signals that a contrast will follow” the paragraph’s first sentence. The teacher identifies comparisons and contrasts throughout the text. This instruction aligns to RI.4.5: “Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.”  

Over the course of each unit, the majority of questions and tasks are aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Questions and tasks are mostly aligned to the skills addressed in each of the lessons. While many of the skills support the standards, not all skills are standards-aligned. Students typically answer one or two leading questions during the lesson and two to three questions independently per core text. Questions are not labeled according to the standards and teachers would have to determine the alignment on their own.

    • In Unit 1, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 12, during Guided Practice, students explain  how similes and metaphors contribute to meaning while reading portions of “The Reeds and the River” by Cao Wenxuan, translated from the Chinese by Helen Wang. Students use the Why Do You Think That protocol while working with a partner to respond to the following prompt: “Reread paragraph 5 to identify and analyze another example of figurative language. What two things does the author compare? Does he use a simile or a metaphor, and how do you know?” This task is aligned to L.4.5a: “Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.”

    • In Unit 4, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 14, students have a constructive conversation. They use the questions in the “Real-World Perspectives:Constructive Conversation” section on page 30 of Understanding Different Points of View to have the conversation in a small group. They need to share and clarify their ideas, and build upon the ideas of others. This task is aligned to SL.4.1: “Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

    • In Unit 9, Build-Reflect-Write, under Apply Understanding, students answer the question, “Think about the mental images you made of Cesar Chavez as you read What two adjectives would you use to describe him? Cite text evidence to support your choices.” This question does not align with grade-level standards.

Over the course of each unit, the majority of assessment questions are aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Teacher materials include a Weekly and Unit Assessment tab that includes the print version of three assessments for each unit. Materials also provide an Answer Key and Item Rationales document that indicates the DOK level, standard alignment for each assessment question, and rationales for correct and incorrect answers. Occasionally, the standard listed does not fully align to the assessment question. 

    • In Unit 3, Week 1, Assessment, students read a short informational text about keeping restaurant kitchens safe. Question Three is a two-part multiple choice question aligned to RI.4.1 and RI.4.5. Part A asks “What overall structure does the author use to organize information in this passage?” and Part B asks “Which sentence from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?” Part A of the assessment question aligns to RI.4.5: “Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.” Part B of the assessment question aligns to RI.4.1: “Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.”

    • In Unit 10, Unit Assessment, students read two short passages and answer multiple-choice, short answer, and longer response writing items including, but not limited to:

      • “How would electric trucks change shipping in the United States, and how would electric race cars change car racing? Write two or three sentences to explain. Use details from both passages to support your answer. (DOK 3, RI.4.9)” This assessment question aligns to RI.4.9: “Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.”

      • “Write a cinquain poem about a form of transportation or any other interesting subject. Be sure to follow the format of a cinquain. Also use vivid adjectives and strong verbs to describe your subject. (DOK 4, W.4.3)” This assessment question does not align to W.4.3: “Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.”

By the end of the academic year, standards are repeatedly addressed within and across units to ensure students master the full intent of the standard. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • RL.4.2 is taught in Units 2, 4, 6, 7, and 8 according to the reformatted correlation chart: “Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.”

    • In Unit 2, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 4, students summarize a text. The teacher models how to summarize a drama by summarizing the introduction through page four. During guided practice, students work in pairs to “Read the text from where Dorothy asks ‘What do you want brains for?’ on page 4 to the end. Underline story details, and then summarize that portion of the text. What conflict is resolved in this part of the text? What is the theme?” During independent time, students summarize a previously read text. 

    • In Unit 4, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 4, during Guided Practice: Annotate, Pair, Share, students read and annotate paragraphs 5–9 of “Ready to Race” by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Students look for and summarize key events. Then, students “write a theme based on details in their summaries and the summary [they] created during modeling.”

    • In Unit 8, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 12, students reread stanzas 2–4 in “Negotiations with a Volcano” by Naomi Shihab Nye and “underline clues that support the poem’s theme.” While in their partner groups, students discuss their annotations and “reflect on how this poem adds to their understanding of how Earth’s natural processes impact people’s lives.” While students determine the theme of the poem, they do not summarize the text. 

  • RI.4.4 is taught in Units 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10 according to the reformatted correlation chart: “Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.”  

    • In Unit 3, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 2, students chorally read paragraphs 36–39. The teacher pauses the choral reading, points to the word apparently, and models how to use context clues to define the word. The teacher reminds students to use their “knowledge of common word parts, such as vowel‑r syllables, and context clues to sound out and determine the meanings of unfamiliar words as they read this week.”

    • In Unit 7, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 4, students use context clues to determine the meaning of domain-specific words. During a Constructive Conversation, students “[r]eread paragraphs 6–7 of ‘The Chinese Railroad Workers.’ Identify and annotate context clues that help you determine the meaning of the words roadbed and blaster. Identify whether the context clues are restatements or definitions.” During independent time, students use context clues to determine the meaning of the words testifying, exclusion, and banned

    • In Unit 10, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 12, during Constructive Conversation, students “[r]eread paragraphs 3–6 of ‘Benjamin Franklin: The Dawn of Electrical Technology,’ [by Laura McDonald] and annotate the context clues that help [them] determine the meaning of the words conducted, hypothesis, and spark.” Afterwards, students use the context clues to write definitions of the words and check their definitions using a dictionary. 

Indicator 2H
02/04

Materials regularly and systematically balance time and resources required for following the suggested implementation, as well as information for alternative implementations that maintain alignment and intent of the standards.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 2h.

Materials include 10 units over the course of the year. Each unit encompasses three weeks of lessons. Each daily lesson is designed to take roughly 60–65 minutes. Materials provide alternative options for 150-, 120-, or 90-minute literacy blocks. The scope and sequence provides a year-long plan with structured core instruction. Each activity within the lesson includes a time frame to complete all of the components; however, there is not sufficient time to complete the tasks in the allotted time. Additionally, many tasks are pushed into independent or small group time and according to their time frame, those two time periods include many tasks from the core lesson. Materials also provide optional activities, such as Research and Inquiry Projects, a Novel Study in each unit, and Media Literacy lessons, but there is limited guidance on how to schedule these into instruction. Additionally, the time needed for implementation may not be feasible within a 90- or 120-minute block. Although materials recommend assessments for each unit, materials do not dedicate time for their administration. The Comprehensive Literacy Planner for each week indicates that assessments can be given “at the end of the week,” but there is not a specific time frame built in for their administration. 

Suggested implementation schedules and alternative implementation schedules align to core learning and objectives. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Materials contain a Comprehensive Literacy Planner for each week within a unit. The Comprehensive Literacy Planner lays out the Read-Aloud, Phonics and Word Study Lessons, Comprehension Lessons, Writing & Language Lessons, Small-Group Reading Ideas, Independent Reading & Conferring Ideas, Independent Writing & Conferring Ideas, and Assessment recommendations. Although the planner gives a suggested time frame for lessons, the planner does not include time frames for small group and independent work.

  • The Comprehensive Literacy Planner includes the following guidance for Small-Group Reading: “Meet with small groups of students to: scaffold reading behaviors and strategies using small-group texts, teacher’s guides, and prompting cards, build fluency using the reader’s theater scripts and Readers Theater Handbook lessons, Revisit complex texts in Texts for Close Reading, See additional small-group suggestions on the Unit Foldout.” Under Independent Reading & Conferring the Planner provides this guidance: “During independent time: Ensure that all students read independently to build volume and stamina, Confer with a few students on their text selections, application of strategies, and knowledge building tasks, see additional independent suggestions (including the Research and Inquiry Project) on the Unit Foldout.”

Suggested implementation schedules cannot be reasonably completed in the time allotted. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Materials provide pacing options for 150-, 120-, and 90-minute literacy blocks. Each option includes suggested time frames for the Read Aloud, Reading and Word Study, and Writing and Grammar lesson components.

    • 150-Minute Literacy Block

      • Read-Aloud: 15 minutes

      • Reading and Word Study: 75 minutes

      • Writing and Grammar: 60 minutes

    • 120-Minute Literacy Block

      • Read-Aloud: 10 minutes

      • Word Study: 60 minutes

      • Writing and Grammar: 50 minutes

    • 90-Minute Literacy Block

      • Reading & Word Study: 50 minutes

      • Writing & Grammar: 40 minutes

  • Within those three pacing options the time allotted for Reading and Word Study is 75 minutes, 60 minutes, and 50 minutes, respectively. Reading and Word Study includes the Comprehension and Word Study Mini-lessons and Independent and Small Group time. Three days a week, the Reading and Wordy Study portion of the day includes 45 minutes of planned lessons. According to the pacing options given for the above literacy blocks that would leave 35, 15, and 5 minutes of Independent/Small Group time, respectively. Students also receive tasks to complete during independent time or for homework. 

  • The implementation schedule for each Unit provides a time frame of 60-65 minutes for each part of the daily lesson.

    • Read Aloud: 10 minutes

    • Reading and Vocabulary Mini-lessons: 15 minutes per lesson

    • Small-Group Lesson:10–15 minutes per group

    • Writing and Language Mini-lessons: 15 minutes

    • Word Study Mini-lessons: 15 minutes 

    • Assessments are listed, but materials do not include a suggested time frame for their administration.

  • In Unit 1, Week 2, Mini-lesson 12, the suggested time to complete this portion of the lesson is 15 minutes. The teacher spends one minute engaging students’ thinking. Then, the teacher spends six minutes modeling how to answer a close-read question. . Students have six minutes to work with a partner to answer a close-read question. Then, students come back together as a group and share and reflect for one minute. During the last minute of the lesson, the teacher goes over the section that students will complete independently. 

  • In Unit 6, Week 2, Day 3, the Comprehensive Literacy Planner includes teaching Mini-lesson 7 and 8 and Phonics and Word Study Lesson 2. These three lessons require a total of 45 minutes. Students also receive two tasks to complete during independent time. 

Optional tasks may distract from core learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:  

  • In the Research & Inquiry Projects Teacher Guide, the Making Time for Research & Inquiry section provides suggestions for incorporating Research & Inquiry into the school day. One option suggests building Research & Inquiry into the small-group time. Materials list a possible schedule for this option, and all of the options take 15 minutes out of small group time. A second option entails completing the bulk of the work at home, once daily instruction concludes. The third option recommends pushing the project into science or social studies instructional time, with the selected content area dependent upon the best correlation for the project. 

  • Materials include cursive writing practice pages, but the practice pages do not appear to have specific lessons associated with them.

  • Materials contain a Media Literacy Handbook. This resource contains lessons introducing students to types of media, messages, and uses. Guidance notes, “This handbook acts as a lesson bank that can be used in any order, depending on need and interest.”

  • Materials include a novel for conducting a Novel Study. Resources to support this instruction can be found in the Novel Study tab of the digital platform. The digital version of the novel contains a Teacher Resources icon at the top of the page. Clicking here launches the Novel Guide, which contains three sections: Guide at a Glance, Novel Plot Summary, and Student Guide. This guide provides the Lexile level of the novel, three reading options—independent, partner, peer group—and pacing suggestions. The Student Guide section includes various supports, such as planners, writing prompts, and charts, for student use before, during, and after reading. 

  • Materials provide resources to conduct Book Clubs. The schedule section of Small Group and Independent Resources describes cycling between a common novel for a few weeks, Book Clubs for about three weeks, and individual books for a few weeks. Materials provide ideas for mini-lessons, selecting books, and running the Book Clubs; however, materials do not provide lessons for conducting Book Clubs.

Optional tasks are meaningful and enhance core instruction. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Materials include Intervention Teaching Guides for Comprehension, Phonics & Word Recognition, Fluency, and Language. The Introduction for teachers states, “Benchmark Advance Intervention is intended for students who need extra support to master grade-level skills. It offers reteaching and additional practice to reinforce instruction in the core program.” The intervention lessons parallel the instruction in the core program and are designed to last 15 minutes.

  • Materials contain a Grammar, Spelling & Vocabulary Activity book. The resource links to each week’s grammar and spelling/vocabulary focus and includes four practice pages for each week. The pages provide practice for the targeted goals, as well as a review of previously taught skills. The introduction states, “The activities are designed for flexible use in the classroom.”

  • Research and Inquiry Projects connect to the unit topics and themes and support the building knowledge requirements in each unit. For example, the Unit 3 topic is “Government in Action,” and students “[r]esearch a public service,” during the Research & Inquiry Project.  

  • Research and Inquiry Projects do not always strongly connect to skills and standards in the unit. For example, in Unit 1, students focus on many narrative standards while exploring the interactions of characters and nature. During the Research & Inquiry Project, students create a field guide entry for something in nature, paying attention to the specific facts and details about their selection. 

  • Optional materials connect with the unit topic or theme and essential question. For example, Unit 6 theme and essential questions are about confronting and overcoming challenges. The small group texts include but are not limited to, “The Big Race” by Jerry Craft, a book about a character overcoming challenges. The program lists trade books that support the topic and essential questions including, but not limited to, “The Mighty Miss Malone” by Christopher Paul Curtis. This story highlights a family dealing with the challenges of The Great Depression. 

  • Optional materials connect with the unit’s overall standards focus. For example, the Unit 6 focus standards examine characterization, theme, and comparing and contrasting texts, and the small group text “Hana on Stage” by Robert Liu-Trujillio focuses on making inferences about a character and determining a theme. 

  • Materials include optional Read-Aloud Extending Activities; however, these activities are generic and are the same for every unit. For example, some activities include “Character Reflection,” during which students write words or phrases that they are thinking about the character. After sharing their thoughts with a partner, students create a list poem with the words and phrases. 

  • Although the lessons are primarily for building fluency, the optional Reader’s Theater materials connect to each unit’s topic or theme and essential question. For example, the Unit 2 theme is about characters’ actions and reactions. During the text “The Toad Bridegroom” by Staci Swedeen, students answer questions about the characters and the choices they make in the text, such as “How do Joo-Chan’s daughters react when he says, ‘One of you must marry Toad?’“

Overview of Gateway 3

Usability

Materials include guidance for teachers to support what they should present to students, including mini-lesson details for the Inquiry projects, conferring with students, writing, and introducing text. Materials provide supports for teachers to develop their understanding of grade-level concepts and concepts beyond the grade or course.

Materials provide standards correlation resources at the program, unit, and lesson level. The Benchmark Advance and Benchmark Universe platforms include several components that explain the program’s instructional approaches and research base. Interim Assessments, Weekly Assessments, Unit Assessments, and Performance Assessments contain correlated standards and a rationale for assessment items. The assessments series includes varied item types that build and allow students to demonstrate the full intent of standards. The Program Guide includes a Supports for Exceptional Learners document which provides detailed guidance for teachers when supporting the diverse learning needs of English learners, students with special needs, and high-ability learners. The Program Support Guide includes a one-page Supports for Exceptional Learners document that contains the supports provided for English Learners, Students with Special Needs, and High-Ability Learners. Students have some opportunities to read and view materials and assessments that depict individuals of different genders, races, ethnicities, and other physical characteristics. The provided resources include background information for teachers about other languages, but the resources do not provide teacher guidance on how to incorporate student home language to support students in learning ELA.Materials integrate technology, including interactive tools, such as eBooks and interactive learning games, in ways that engage students in the grade-level/series standards.The visual design of the materials is not distracting and supports student learning and engagement, and the layout of the materials is consistent across units and grade levels.

Criterion 3.1: Teacher Supports

09/09

The program includes opportunities for teachers to effectively plan and utilize materials with integrity and to further develop their own understanding of the content.

Materials include guidance for teachers to support what they should present to students, including mini-lesson details for the Inquiry projects, conferring with students, writing, and introducing text. Materials provide supports for teachers to develop their understanding of grade-level concepts and concepts beyond the grade or course. The Program Support Guide and the PD Training: Curriculum Resources tab on the Benchmark Universe dashboard include resources to bolster teacher understanding of program-specific instructional components, such as constructive conversations and speaking and writing response protocols, and broader ELA-specific concepts, such as phonics and metacognition. Materials provide standards correlation resources at the program, unit, and lesson level. Unit- and lesson-level standards correlation resources, such as Strategies and Skills to Build Knowledge, Suggested Language Objectives, and Learning Goals, use language from the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) but do not explicitly state the standards to account for end users who may not follow the CCSS. Materials include a Home/School Connections letter for each unit which can be found in the Home-School section of the digital platform. The letter is available in six languages and explains the knowledge building concept and includes activities for families to do, but it does not include information about the ELA skills and strategies students will work on in the unit. The Benchmark Advance and Benchmark Universe platforms include several components that explain the program’s instructional approaches and research base. Materials provide and reference research-based strategies for skilled reading, comprehension, writing, and assessment. Materials provide a comprehensive list of materials from within the curriculum that are needed for instruction in each lesson.

Indicator 3A
02/02

Materials provide teacher guidance with useful annotations and suggestions for how to enact the student materials and ancillary materials to support students' literacy development.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 3a. 

Materials provide guidance for teachers embedded within the lessons and ancillary material. Materials provide support including what to do, what materials to use, models of scripts, completed charts, and a list of the additional materials provided. In the lesson, there are clear directions that lay out each step of the lesson and scripting in blue font for teachers. Learning goals are provided for the week and each lesson. 

Materials provide comprehensive guidance that will assist teachers in presenting the student and ancillary materials. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Materials provide teachers with overviews and highlight instructional supports and instructional routines. Each unit has an overview section that provides teachers with a broad view of the program and resources provided in the curriculum including, but not limited to, the content knowledge alignment, pacing options, and sample literacy blocks, and digital and print components.

  • Within each unit is a section for unit resources that include overviews such as strategies and skills, intervention and reteaching resources, vocabulary development, and suggested language objectives. For example, the components at a glance provide a visual organization for the materials for that unit broken down by week. This includes the materials for the read-aloud, reading and vocabulary mini-lessons, small-group reading, writing, and language lessons. The right-hand side includes an additional list of the resources found in the Digital Learning Portal.  

  • After the introductory section, materials are then broken down by each week, and each week has a Learning Goal tab that provides teachers with an overview of the learning for that week that includes skills and strategies to build knowledge, spelling words, and vocabulary. There is also a Comprehensive Literacy Planner that breaks down each day with a broad overview that is the same for the whole week. For example, in Unit 1, Week 1, Day 1, in the section for small-group reading it lists 

“Meet with small groups of students to: 

  • Scaffold reading behaviors and strategies using small-group texts, teacher’s guides, and prompting cards.

  • Build fluency using the reader’s theater scripts and Readers Theater Handbook lessons.

  • Revisit complex texts in Texts for Close Reading.

  • See additional small-group suggestions on the Unit Foldout.”

  • In each lesson, materials provide teachers with a guide for that lesson. The guide includes a screenshot and link to the student materials, the learning targets, a breakdown of the lesson components with a teacher script that includes time requirements, what to do and say, as well as questions and prompts for that lesson. For example, in Unit 7, Week 2, Lesson 3, guidance for the 1-minute Engaging in Thinking includes, “Display the Historical Fiction Anchor Chart. Tell students they will continue to develop their historical fiction stories. Set the focus for today’s lesson.” Then in blue font, materials include a model script for teacher use: “In this lesson, we will start drafting our historical fiction. We will focus on how our stories should begin and work on introducing our main character or characters, describing the setting, and setting up the conflict in our stories.”

Materials include sufficient, useful annotations and suggestions that are presented within the context of the specific learning objectives. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Materials provide scripts when modeling and moving through the lesson. For example, in Unit 4, Week 1, Lesson 6, the lesson focuses on analyzing characters and events. Materials provide the following teacher script in blue: “For the new fictional scene you’ll write, you’ll have to look closely at the characters and events to determine how to draft the continuation of the story. Today, I’ll show you how I organize ideas about the characters and events for my new fictional scene using a chart, and then you’ll practice.” Then lesson guidance directs the teacher to model creating a Character and Events Chart. The teacher models using the dog and the boy and says, “I’m looking for details from the text that tell me about the characters and how they react to events in the story. I’ll note their actions, thoughts, feelings, and dialogue in a chart. Taking notes like this of the characters, setting, and story events is going to help me to write a scene that logically follows the plot. First, I’ll take notes about the dog. The narrator tells us in great detail what the dog looks like, how he acts, and even how she imagines he thinks and feels. I’ll note some of the most descriptive text in my chart. As for the narrator, she’s confused at first by everything, but after watching the scene unfold, she takes action. She wants to protect the dog. I’ll note the text that shows this.” Materials provide an example of a completed chart in the teacher’s guide. 

  • Materials provide an Instructional Routine and Strategy guide for each unit. For example, in the Fluency Routine, the guide states, “...fluent readers convey meaning by stressing important words and letting their voices rise and fall.” Then, teachers read a short section with a flat tone and reread it with prosody. Next, the teacher says, “Turn and talk to a partner. How did your understanding of the characters change during my second reading?” Then students practice fluent reading during choral reading. This strategy repeats across all 10 units and does not vary based on the genre of the text students read. 

  • The Building Knowledge Topic Library contains a teacher's guide that includes, but is not limited to, an overview with a Lexile and summary, a Building Reading Behaviors section which include strategies and supports, and a Deepening Understanding section. Each section includes teacher scripts, questions, sample questions, and a rationale. For example, the teacher’s guide for the text “Coyote Tales” includes the following sample model: “I think the most interesting character in “Coyote Goes to the Dance” is the little girl who helps Coyote get the skull off his head. I think she is interesting because she comes up with a good plan that will help Coyote, but it also teaches Coyote a lesson.” Materials also include a professional development tip from Adria Klein, “Think about the cultural relevance and diversity represented in the book, and use this knowledge to meet the range of needs in your classroom.”

Indicator 3B
02/02

Materials contain adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade-level/course-level concepts and concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 3b.

Materials provide supports for teachers to develop their understanding of grade-level concepts and concepts beyond the grade or course. The Program Support Guide and the PD Training: Curriculum Resources tab on the Benchmark Universe dashboard include resources to bolster teacher understanding of program-specific instructional components, such as constructive conversations and speaking and writing response protocols, and broader ELA-specific concepts, such as phonics and metacognition.

Materials contain adult-level explanations and examples of more complex grade/course-level concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The PD Training: Curriculum Resources includes a number of supports for teachers to develop their understanding of grade-level concepts:

    • “Maximizing the Quality of Classroom Constructive Conversations” by Jeff Zwiers, Ed.D., an informational resource that explains the two common types of conversations that take place in the classroom and the instructional supports the materials provide to support students with those conversations

    • Speaking and Writing Response Protocols by Wiley Blevins, Ed.M., which explains speaking or writing frame scaffolds that teachers may use as part of a gradual release model to support students with discussions and writing tasks throughout the year 

  • Instructional Spotlights, which includes training videos on Building and Assessing Fluency, Managing an Independent Reading Program, and Instructional Tips for differentiation and small groups, foundational skills, social-emotional learning, whole group instruction, and writing  

Materials contain adult-level explanations and examples of concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Program Support Guide includes skills development content to support teachers with improving their foundational skills knowledge:

    • “Phonics and the Way to Meaning” from Phonics in Motion by Wiley Blevins, Ed.M., a chapter excerpt that explains what brain research tells us, what the research means, explicit and systematic teaching, and an overview of key phonics research

    • The Essential Role of Metacognition in the Science of Reading by Peter Afflerbach, PhD, an article which defines metacognition and its connection to reading science research

  • The Teachers’ Professional Learning Library section of the PD Training: Curriculum Resources includes content to support teachers with improving their understanding of interactive writing, phonics and word study, reading assessments, and reading fluency. 

Indicator 3C
02/02

Materials include standards correlation information that explains the role of the standards in the context of the overall series.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 3c.

Materials provide standards correlation resources at the program, unit, and lesson level. Unit- and lesson-level standards correlation resources, such as Strategies and Skills to Build Knowledge, Suggested Language Objectives, and Learning Goals, use language from the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) but do not explicitly state the standards to account for end users who may not follow the CCSS. The Program Scope and Sequence also utilizes language from the CCSS in the Weekly Skills and Strategies section for each unit across the year. The revised Correlation to the Common Core State Standards document explicitly lists the CCSS and the unit in which the standard is taught. This document also indicates primary and secondary citations for each standard, as well as where the standard is addressed in the program’s ancillary materials. The Skills Development section of the Program Support Guide includes an additional scope and sequence document. This document uses language from the CCSS, categorizes the skills and strategies addressed in the program at the unit- and week-level, and indicates when skills and strategies are first introduced and subsequently revisited.    

Correlation information is present for the ELA standards addressed throughout the grade level/series. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Program Support Guide includes a Correlation to the Common Core State Standards document. This document outlines the standards in reading, writing, speaking and listening, fluency, and vocabulary, the teacher resource citations, and where that standard is addressed. 

  • The Program Scope and Sequence includes a visual document that outlines the essential question, unit readings, weekly readings, and weekly skills and strategies across the year. The Weekly Skills and Strategies section uses language from the standards to describe the comprehension and vocabulary strategies and the writing and grammar skills addressed. For example, in Unit 6, Week 2, the vocabulary skill listed is “Compare and Contrast the Treatment of Similar Themes,” which aligns to RL.4.9.  

  • In the Unit Resources section of each Teacher’s Resource System, materials provide a Suggested Language Objective document that lists the connection to state content standards and WIDA language development standards. The document states the objective of what students should know and be able to do using student-friendly language.

Explanations of the role of the specific grade-level/course-level ELA standards are present in the context of the series. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Unit Resources section of the Teacher’s Resource System contains a Strategies and Skills to Build Knowledge document that outlines which Metacognitive Strategies, Fix-Up Strategies, and Comprehension to Build Knowledge skills students are working on, as well as the week in which the strategies and skills are taught. The document also outlines whether the skill is introduced, revisited, or assessed on the unit assessment. 

  • Each unit contains a Learning Goals document that outlines the standards-based skills that students are working on in that unit for foundational skills, metacognitive skills, comprehension, vocabulary, writing, grammar, and speaking and listening. For example, in Unit 4, Week 2, one of the Comprehension to Build Knowledge skills listed is “Compare and Contrast Points of View,” which aligns to RL.4.6. 

Indicator 3D
Read

Materials provide strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

Materials include a Home/School Connections letter for each unit which can be found in the Home-School section of the digital platform. The letter is available in six languages. The letter explains the knowledge building concept and includes activities for families to do, but it does not include information about the ELA skills and strategies students will work on in the unit. Activities include a Topic Connection, a Vocabulary Connection, a Comprehension Connection, and a Word Study Connection. Materials also include a Parent/Caregiver letter that can be found in the Managing Your Independent Reading Program Reproducible Resources. Guidance indicates that this letter be sent home at the beginning of the school year, as the letter informs parents about reading their child should be doing at home. The letter lists several ways to share the books with their child and it also includes suggestions for talking about the book, reading the book, and writing about the book. The Parent/Caregiver letter is also available in Spanish.

Materials contain strategies for informing students, parents, or caregivers about the ELA program. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Unit 1 Home/School Connections letter states, “This year, our fourth grade students will build literacy and language skills by participating in ten cross-disciplinary units of study in our Benchmark Advance Program…. In our first unit of study, ‘Observing Nature,’ your child will learn how different writers respond to the natural world.” 

Materials contain suggestions for how parents or caregivers can help support student progress and achievement. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Materials provide a Supporting Your Student Remotely Module. This resource includes “videos that guide parents on creating a learning environment.”

  • The Unit 4 Home/School Connections letter includes four suggested activities to do at home, one of which is the Topic Connection: “Pet Project—For those of you with a pet at home, take the opportunity to explore our pet’s point of view. Write a short illustrated picture book with your child to describe what it is like for that pet to live with you.”

  • The Parent/Caregiver Letter found in the Managing Your Independent Reading Program states, “You can help your child practice reading. Here are several ways to share the books with your child.” Some ways listed include, but are not limited to, “ask your child about the title and author, talk about the pictures on each page, listen as the child reads the book to you, have your child predict what might happen next and explain why, and ask your child to write or draw something about the book.”

Indicator 3E
02/02

Materials provide explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 3e.

The Benchmark Advance and Benchmark Universe platforms include several components that explain the program’s instructional approaches and research base. Many of the provided components include videos and demos to support teachers with understanding the instructional approaches. Materials provide and reference research-based strategies for skilled reading, comprehension, writing, and assessment. 

Materials explain the instructional approaches of the program. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Benchmark Advance digital platform includes a Reviewer’s Multimedia Guide to Benchmark Advance. This resource includes videos explaining the program’s instructional approaches to reading, vocabulary, writing, speaking and listening, and assessment in Grades K–2 and Grades 3–6.  

  • The PD Training: Curriculum Resources tab in the Benchmark Universe platform includes several components to support teachers with understanding the various instructional approaches of the program:

    • The Program Overview includes short videos that explain the instructional framework of the unit topic text sets, foundational skills, reading and writing, responsive teaching, and the program’s spiral design of instruction. 

    • The Grades 3–6 Program Review includes explanations and demo videos of the instructional design routines; read alouds; whole group, phonics and word study, reading, and writing mini-lessons; small group instruction; independent work time; and assessment.  

    • The Instructional Concepts module includes explanations of the program’s approach to vocabulary development in Grades 2–6.  

  • The Additional Resources tab in each unit includes an Instructional Routines and Strategies document. This document explains the instructional routines for read alouds, vocabulary, spelling, and fluency. 

Materials include and reference research-based strategies.

  • The PD Training: Curriculum Resources include a Research Foundations module. This module explains the research that supports the program’s approach to word recognition and decoding; language comprehension which includes background knowledge and vocabulary; reading comprehension; writing, including handwriting, spelling, and composition; and assessment.

Indicator 3F
01/01

Materials provide a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 3f.

Materials provide a comprehensive list of materials from within the curriculum that are needed for instruction in each lesson. If the teacher needs examples of articles, texts, or resources, those items are not called out in the provided materials list; those materials are listed in the lesson details and the modeling script provided for teacher use. The Additional Materials bank for each unit details the items needed for each lesson, including but not limited to, the mentor text, writing prompts, vocabulary charts, note-taking guides, glossaries, and close reading questions. Materials also provide a bank of generic graphic organizers such as T-charts, concept maps, and Frayer Model. The Additional Materials section of the digital platform contains a digital folder that includes all of the supporting materials for each unit. 

Materials include a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support the instructional activities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 3, the lesson includes the following list of materials needed:

    •  Student Writing Prompt

    • Opinion Essay Writing Checklist

    • Opinion Essay Anchor Chart

    • Unit 2 Week 2 Cursive Handwriting Practice Page

  • In Unit 6, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 6, the lesson includes the following list of materials needed:

    • Mentor Planning Guide

    • Student Planning Guide

    • Mentor Writing Prompt

    • Student Writing Prompt

  • In Unit 9, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 4, the lesson includes the following list of materials needed:

    • Constructive Conversation Task

    • Grade 4 Comprehension Quick Checks, pages 52–53

Indicator 3G
Read

This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.

Indicator 3H
Read

This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.

Criterion 3.2: Assessment

10/10

The program includes a system of assessments identifying how materials provide tools, guidance, and support for teachers to collect, interpret, and act on data about student progress towards the standards.

Interim Assessments, Weekly Assessments, and Unit Assessments contain correlated standards and a rationale for assessment items. The Performance Task Assessments contain a rationale for assessment items and consistently include all standards and practice information for the grade or course level. Materials provide multiple opportunities to assess student learning and include informal and formal assessments which can be administered throughout the year to inform teachers of the learning and progress of their students. The assessments series includes varied item types that build and allow students to demonstrate the full intent of standards. Materials provide Weekly and Unit assessments in print and e-assessment format. While the e-assessments include digital tools that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessments, the print versions do not include assessment accommodations.

Indicator 3I
02/02

Assessment information is included in the materials to indicate which standards are assessed.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 3i.

Interim Assessments, Weekly Assessments, and Unit Assessments contain correlated standards and a rationale for assessment items. The Performance Task Assessments contain a rationale for assessment items and consistently include all standards and practice information for the grade or course level. 

Materials consistently identify the standards and practices assessed for formal assessments and include all standards and practices for the grade or course level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Interim Assessment is administered four times a year. Interim Assessment 1 is administered twice, once as a pre-test and once as a post-test. Interim Assessment 2 assesses standards taught in Units 1–3. Interim Assessment 3 assesses standards taught in Units 1–6. The Interim Assessment includes an answer key that lists the ELA standards assessed for each item. 

  • The Performance Task Assessments may be administered after Units 2, 5, and 8. The performance tasks are based on standards taught in previous lessons and include a writing task. The answer key includes standards for each item. 

  • The rubrics provided to assess the Performance Task Assessment writing tasks identify the overarching Writing standard and identify the assessed Writing and Language sub-standards. The Evidence of Genre Characteristics and Grammar and Conventions columns of the provided rubric contain varied lists of elements for each scoring range. These lists use language from the Writing and Language sub-standards and the answer key identifies the standards assessed. 

  • Weekly Assessments are administered at the end of each of the three weeks within each unit. The assessments include an item rationale with the standards assessed for each question. 

Indicator 3J
04/04

Assessment system provides multiple opportunities throughout the grade, course, and/or series to determine students' learning and sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 3j.

Materials provide multiple opportunities to assess student learning. Materials include informal and formal assessments which can be administered throughout the year to inform teachers of the learning and progress of their students. The Interim, Performance Task, Weekly, and Unit Assessments include item rationales for incorrect and correct answers. Materials provide teacher guidance for reteaching and reassessing strategies and skills.

Assessment system provides multiple opportunities to determine students' learning and sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Benchmark Universe materials provide multiple methods for assessment including forms and checklist for informal assessments, Interim Assessments, Quick Checks, Weekly and Unit Assessments, and Performance Tasks. 

  • Each unit includes two weekly assessments and one cumulative unit assessment.  Each of these assessments contains an answer key and item rationale that indicates the standard being assessed for each assessment item, as well as explanations of correct and incorrect responses.

  • Each unit includes a Build Knowledge Evaluation Tool, a rubric designed to help teachers “evaluate students’ demonstration of knowledge gained during the unit.”  This assessment tool follows a four-point scale that rates students on their knowledge blueprint, their culminating task, and how they demonstrated knowledge through writing.  Each unit also includes an exemplar of student work that meets expectations for demonstration of knowledge gained.

  • The Language and Comprehension Quick Checks assess students on language and reading skills. Materials include two forms of each assessment, and the assessments may be administered more than once during the year. Guidance notes that the Quick Checks “are intended as formative assessments to help you monitor students’ progress and adapt instruction to individuals’ needs.” 

Assessment system provides multiple opportunities to determine students' learning and suggestions to teachers for following up with students. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Overview section of the Informal Assessments guide outlines the program’s Assessment, Teaching, and Learning cycle: “Meaningful, ongoing, and multifaceted observation is the heart of the evaluation process. Since observations must occur in authentic contexts, utilize your whole-class and small-group reading time to document students’ efforts to: join collaborative conversations; ask and answer questions; react to prompts; contribute ideas for graphic organizers; process texts; problem-solve new words; apply targeted skills and strategies; act out and/or talk, draw, or write about books. Use the information you gain to differentiate instruction by developmental reading behaviors and characteristics, metacognitive and comprehension strategy needs, instructional reading levels, fluency, and vocabulary understandings.”

  • The Overview section of each Interim Assessments and Performance Task guide includes guidance on how to use the results from each type of assessment. Materials note that the main purpose of the Interim Assessments is “to monitor progress.” Guidance directs teachers to “look for steady progress from the beginning of the year to the end” when evaluating students’ scores. Next steps for Interim Assessments includes general suggestions such as, “Identifying which items the student answered incorrectly can help determine whether more focused instruction on particular standards or skills is needed.” and “Reviewing a student’s assessment with the student may also be helpful. It can provide an opportunity for students to see which questions they answered incorrectly and why their answers were incorrect.” Next steps for Performance Task assessments is as follows: “After scoring a Performance Task, review each student’s results to see how well he or she performed on each part: the selected-response questions and the writing prompt. Some students will perform well on the first part but not the second, and this information can be valuable in planning further instruction. When reviewing students’ responses, you may want to refer to the state standards indicated in the Answer Keys to identify areas that require additional instruction.”

  • The Weekly and Unit Assessments include a section that describes ways to use the assessment results. Guidance includes suggestions such as, “Identifying which items the student answered incorrectly can help determine whether more focused instruction on particular standards or skills is needed. For example, a student may answer questions about Key Details and Main Idea correctly but have trouble with questions that require Making Inferences or Comparing and Contrasting. Instruction for this student in the next week or following unit may require more focus on these two strategies.” 

  • The Introduction section of the Language Quick Checks and the Comprehension Quick Checks include guidance on using the scores to provide students support. If students score between 80%–100%, the teacher should “[m]ove on to the next Quick Check or skill.” If students score between 66%–80%, guidance is as follows: “Consider administering the Quick Check again. Continue monitoring the student during future Quick Checks.” If students score below 66%, the teacher should “[u]se additional resources shown in the Resource Map to provide the student with opportunities to remediate skills.” The skills assessed in the Language Quick Checks Resource Map align to the Writing and Language Handbook, and the skills assessed in the Comprehension Quick Checks align to the Benchmark Advance Intervention Reading lessons. 

  • Each unit includes a Small Group Texts for Reteaching Strategies and Skills document. This document lists small group texts that are aligned to the metacognitive strategies and comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency skills for each unit’s scope and sequence. The teacher may use these texts to reteach skills and strategies during small group instruction. 

  • Each unit includes an Intervention and Reteaching Resources document. This document lists specific strategies and skills taught in the unit and guides the teacher to specific resources for reteaching, practice, and assessment of those skills.

Indicator 3K
04/04

Assessments include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level/course-level standards and shifts across the series.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 3k.

Materials include assessments that measure the standards. The assessments series includes varied item types that build and allow students to demonstrate the full intent of standards.  

Assessments include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level/course-level standards across the series. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The materials provide a K-6 Informal Assessments resource. This assessment resource includes developmental checklists, independent reading observation checklists, records and checklists to use in small group instruction, retelling assessments and rubrics, and writing rubrics and checklists.

  • Each unit includes three assessments: a Week 1 Assessment, a Week 2 Assessment, and a Unit Assessment. The Weekly Assessments mostly include multiple choice and evidence-based selected response item types. The Unit assessments include the same item types, as well as one compare and contrast constructed response question. 

  • Materials include Interim Assessments and Performance Task assessments. The Overview section of the Interim Assessments and Performance Task guide notes, “All of the reading questions in the Interim Assessments are selected-response items. The Grades K–1 assessments only use multiple-choice items with three answer choices. In Grades 2–6, all of the questions in the Interim Assessments and Performance Tasks consist of several different selected-response item types….Both the Interim Assessments and the Performance Tasks include an extended-response writing prompt.” Grades 2–6 Interim Assessment item types include multiple choice, multiple response, evidence-based selected response, hot text, matching, and drag and drop. The item types for Grades 2–6 Performance Tasks are as follows: “The assessment component for each grade offers three Performance Tasks: one narrative task, one informative/explanatory task, and one opinion/argumentative task. Each task has two parts. Part 1 presents two or three sources (reading passages or videos) for students to read or view and a set of three to four selected-response questions. Part 2 provides an extended-response writing prompt.”

Indicator 3L
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Assessments offer accommodations that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment.

The digital versions of the Unit Assessments, Performance Tasks, and Interim Assessments provide some universal accommodations that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment. These universal accommodations include a line reader, magnifier for diagrams and illustrations, increasing or decreasing text size, and ability to change the screen color. The Custom Features Tab includes an e-Assessment category which provides screenshots and explanations of the tools provided on the digital assessment platform. Digital materials also provide an introduction video for student use on how to navigate the test and how to access the assessment tools. 

Materials offer some accommodations that ensure all students can access the assessment (e.g., text to speech, increased font size) without changing the content of the assessment. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Students can increase font size in the e-assessments. Materials provide an introductory video for students that shows them how to access this accommodation.

  • Students can select a magnifier from the toolbar on the e-assessments. In the settings tab, students can also adjust the contrast of the screen by changing the background from white to a selected color. 

  • Select assessments that are audio-enabled provide audio support. 

Materials include some guidance for teachers on the use of provided accommodations. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Additional Resources section of each unit includes an Access and Equity document that provides teachers with information about teaching Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners; however, this document primarily provides instructional routines and strategies rather than assessment accommodations.  

  • There was no evidence of teacher guidance on the use of the provided assessment accommodations found in the materials. 

Criterion 3.3: Student Supports

05/06

The program includes materials designed for each student’s regular and active participation in grade-level/grade-band/series content.

Materials provide specific strategies and support for students with special needs within the whole group lessons and indicate these tips using a key icon in the lesson section where support may be provided. Materials provide limited extension opportunities for students who read, write, speak, and/or listen above grade level to engage with literacy content and concepts at a greater depth. Materials contain some multi-modal opportunities for students to question, investigate, sense-make, and problem solve using a variety of formats and methods. Although materials indicate which tasks pair or partner groups, materials do not provide guidance on how and when to use specific grouping strategies. The Program Support Guide includes a one-page Supports for Exceptional Learners document that identifies the supports provided for English Learners, Students with Special Needs, and High-Ability Learners. Materials, including texts and assessments, depict characters and individuals of varying ages, genders, races, and ethnicities. Materials typically present these diversities in a positive light. Materials do not provide sufficient opportunities for teachers to draw upon student home language to facilitate learning. The provided resources include background information for teachers about other languages, but the resources do not provide teacher guidance on how to incorporate student home language to support students in learning ELA. Materials also provide a Contrastive Analysis of English and Nine World Languages document; however, the use of this resource is optional.

Indicator 3M
02/02

Materials provide strategies and supports for students in special populations to work with grade-level content and to meet or exceed grade-level standards that will support their regular and active participation in learning English language arts and literacy.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 3m.

Materials provide specific strategies and support for students with special needs within the whole group lessons. Materials indicate these tips using a key icon in the lesson section where support may be provided. Materials also include various support documents, such as the Benchmark Advance 2022: Supports for Exceptional Learners document and the Access and Equity document, that provide generalized strategies applicable to any lesson. These generalized supports are the same across Grades 3–6. 

Materials regularly provide strategies, supports, and resources for students in special populations to support their regular and active participation in grade-level literacy work. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Benchmark Advance 2022: Supports for Exceptional Learners document includes features of the program that support English Learners, students with special needs, and high-ability learners. Program supports for students with special needs include, but are not limited to, Unit Intervention/Reteaching Resources and Access Features. This support document is the same for K–6.

  • In the Additional Resources tab of each unit, the Access and Equity document provides general guidance on planning and delivering instruction for students with disabilities including:

    • Get to know your students with disabilities as individuals.

    • Utilize the Individual Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan.

    • Build collaboration between the general education and special education teachers.

    • See Accommodating Students with Special Needs Throughout the Literacy Block to learn more about how to differentiate instruction using the specially designed features in Benchmark Advance

  • The Accommodating Students with Special Needs Throughout the Literacy Block document provides general suggestions to support students with special needs during the literacy block. Suggestions include, but are not limited to:

    • Provide visual cues such as photos, illustrations, gestures, and facial expressions.

    • Provide sentence frames.

    • Allow students to write or draw to express their ideas during discussions.

    • Based on your observations, adjust the content and pace of instruction.

    • Allow partner or buddy reading and discussion while creating annotated notes.

  • The Apply Understanding section of most lessons includes specific strategies for working with students with special needs. Materials indicate these supports using a key icon with the word Access written on the key. 

    • In Unit 2, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 2, the Access tip states, “ Allow students to read the text with a partner. If students have trouble supporting their inferences with text details, have them discuss it with a partner. If necessary, allow them to complete the vocabulary practice activities with a partner. In addition, students can complete Draw Inferences from Text Quick Check A or B in Grade 4 Comprehension Quick Checks.” 

    • In Unit 5, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 6, the Access tip states, “Work with a small group of students who need support. Reread their drafts with them, helping them notice areas that could benefit from more support. Assist them in developing new Internet search terms.” 

    • In Unit 10, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 6, the Access tip states, “Have students work with a peer or an adult to identify the descriptive words that help convey the topic of the modeling poem.“

Indicator 3N
01/02

Materials regularly provide extensions to engage with literacy content and concepts at greater depth for students who read, write, speak, and/or listen above grade level.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3n.

Materials provide limited extension opportunities for students who read, write, speak, and/or listen above grade level to engage with literacy content and concepts at a greater depth. Most opportunities occur during small group or independent reading activities and do not appear to be specific extension opportunities for above-level learners. Some instructional lessons include Reinforce or Reaffirm the Strategy If/Then Suggestions. Materials include various support documents, such as the Benchmark Advance 2022: Supports for Exceptional Learners document and the Access and Equity document, that provide generalized strategies applicable to any lesson. These generalized supports are the same across Grades 3–6. Materials include some instances of additional work for above-level learners, such as extended writing requirements for the Research and Inquiry Projects.

Materials provide limited opportunities for advanced students to investigate the grade-level content at a higher level of complexity. Materials include some instances of advanced students doing more assignments than their classmates. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Benchmark Advance 2022: Supports for Exceptional Learners document includes features of the program that support English Learners, students with special needs, and high-ability learners. Program supports for high-ability learners include Reinforce or Reaffirm the Strategy If/Then Suggestions, Novel Study Units , Knowledge Building Topic Libraries for Independent Reading, Text Evidence Question Cards for Titles in Knowledge Building Topic Libraries, and Read-Aloud Extension Activities. These options appear to be available to all students. Materials do not provide a distinction between alternatives for above-level learners and all learners.

  • Week 2 and Week 3 Close Reading lessons include Reinforce or Reaffirm the Strategy If/Then Suggestions. These suggestions include reinforcing or extension prompts that the teacher may offer based on how students respond to the lesson tasks. For example, in Unit 4, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 10, the suggestion states if “Students independently compare and contrast how each story is told . . .” then “extend a challenge task, time permitting: Reread the final paragraphs of both selections. Compare the feelings the main character has for the animal in each paragraph based on the narrator’s comments.” It is unclear if the suggestions are for above-level learners or for students who have mastered the lesson task or skill. 

  • In the Additional Resources tab of each unit, the Access and Equity document provides general guidance on planning and delivering instruction for students who are advanced learners. The document includes suggestions for recognizing advanced learners and tips for differentiating instruction. The bulleted suggestions are repeated recommendations using the same materials listed in the Benchmark Advance 2022: Supports for Exceptional Learners document.

  • In Unit 2, Step 1 for the Research and Inquiry Project, Research Tales from Other Countries, includes an Extend option for exceptional learners. The option recommends students use three tales instead of two to complete the project: “Some students, such as advanced learners, may wish to expand their topic focus by selecting a movie that has both a book and a play version. Their review could include a comparison of the movie, book, and play.”

Indicator 3O
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Materials provide varied approaches to learning tasks over time and variety in how students are expected to demonstrate their learning with opportunities for for students to monitor their learning.

Materials contain some multi-modal opportunities for students to question, investigate, sense-make, and problem solve using a variety of formats and methods. Materials leverage the use of various formats, including discussions and presentations. Students share their thinking with the class, and write in response to their reading and conversations. While materials provide opportunities for students to reflect, self-assess their work, and receive feedback, students do not have opportunities to monitor and move their own learning.  

Materials provide some multi-modal opportunities for students to question, investigate, sense-make, and problem-solve using a variety of formats and methods. Materials leverage the use of a variety of formats and methods over time to deepen student understanding and ability to explain and apply literacy ideas. Students have opportunities to share their thinking and apply their understanding in new contexts but do not have opportunities to demonstrate changes in their thinking over time. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Each unit or unit pair includes a Research & Inquiry Project that is designed to deepen students’ knowledge of the unit topic. During the Step 1: Choose mini-lesson, students use the Talk, Jot, Choose strategy to select a research focus. During the Step 2: Explore mini-lesson, students use the Question, Search, Decide strategy to find trustworthy and reliable sources. During the Step 3: Interpret mini-lesson, students use the Read, Interpret, Jot strategy to “research and gather facts and key information about their topic.” During the Step 4: Create mini-lesson, students use the Read, Design, Create strategy to make their final product. During the Step 5: Present mini-lesson, students use the Plan, Present, Ask strategy to share their final product with their peers. Project guidance directs the teacher to choose the presentation option that works best in their classroom setting. Presentation options include whole group, small group, partnerships, filming the presentation and sharing it on a digital platform, visiting another classroom to share their presentation or inviting guests to join the classroom virtually or in person, and mailing or emailing the presentation to a local business, organization, or community center who may find displaying the project useful.    

  • At the end of each week, students build knowledge of the unit topic as they respond to guiding questions and use information from unit texts to record what they learned about each Enduring Understanding. After completing the Knowledge Blueprint at the end of Week 3, students participate in a culminating task to demonstrate their knowledge. Culminating tasks typically entail a small group Real World Perspectives: Constructive Conversation, a very brief time to share and reflect, and an independent writing task.

Materials provide for ongoing review, practice, self-reflection, and feedback. Materials provide multiple strategies, such as oral and/or written feedback, peer or teacher feedback, and self-reflection. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Students use the Research & Inquiry Project Tool and their Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebooks for reflection and feedback. After selecting a research focus, students “reflect on why they chose the topic and ask themselves if this is a topic they really care about.” After students begin researching and gathering facts and information about their selected topic, they “reflect on whether the facts relate to their guiding questions.” After students present their final research and inquiry project to the class, they reflect on “how their presentation went” and what went well about their presentation. The teacher uses the Important Notes or Reminders column to provide students with feedback during each step of the Research & Inquiry Project. During the Step 6: Reflect mini-lesson, students use the Question, Remember, Jot strategy to self-assess and self-reflect on the Research & Inquiry Project process and the knowledge they gained.      

  • The Informal Assessments manual includes opinion, informative/explanatory report, and personal narrative writing checklists for student use in Grades 2–6. Students typically self-assess their work during the final writing lesson of the unit.  

  • Some writing lessons include an Independent and Small-Group Writing and Conferring inset. This guidance supports teachers with observing students and providing support during writing tasks. For example, in Unit 1, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 11, students edit fragments in their informative/explanatory essays. The Independent and Small-Group Writing Conferring guidance is as follows:

    • Directive Feedback: Fragments are sometimes acceptable in certain sorts of writing, but they do not belong in an informative/explanatory essay.

    • Self-Monitoring and Reflection: This sentence is incomplete. There is no subject. Who collects piles of nuts?

    • Validating and Confirming: This is good. You have complete sentences throughout the essay, with very clear subjects and verbs.     

Materials provide a clear path for students to monitor and move their own learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • No evidence found

Indicator 3P
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Materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

Although materials indicate which tasks pair or partner groups, materials do not provide guidance on how and when to use specific grouping strategies. Within instructional lessons, students transition between whole group and partner or pair activities, such as Constructive Conversations; Guided Practice; Annotate, Pair, Share; and Share and Reflect. Students rarely participate in small group settings outside of small group instruction. 

Materials provide for varied types of interaction among students. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Each lesson includes opportunities for whole group, partner, and independent interactions. These grouping interactions occur during each daily lesson. For example, in Unit 3, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 4, students describe text structure. The lesson beings in a whole group setting, with the teacher modeling how to find the problems and solutions described in the text “Solving Problems” by Lisa Benjamin. After the whole group lesson, students work in pairs during the Guided Practice: Annotate, Pair, Share portion of the lesson. Students “reread the paragraph on page 5 as well as the caption next to the photo,” underline the problem, circle a solution, and “star the key words and phrases that helped them identify this information.” After students share their work with the whole group, they independently “write about a problem in their community” and “describe their solution to fix the problem.”

Materials provide limited guidance for the teacher on grouping students in a variety of grouping formats. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Review and Routines for Beginning the School Year materials include a few strategies for partnering students into pairs. On Day 1, the teacher uses Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up to create partner groups. On Day 2, the teacher lines up students according to their birthday month and uses that line to create partner groups. It is unclear when the teacher should use the Review and Routines materials, as they are not referenced in instructional lessons.

  • In Unit 1, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 9, students have opportunities to work in partner groups during the Constructive Conversation: Partner section of the lesson. Partners reread “The Reeds and the River” from Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan and “The Secret Spring” from The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. In their partner groups, students find evidence, jot down their ideas, and share their responses to the discussion prompt. During the Share and Reflect portion of the lesson, students work with a partner and “reflect on how this close reading experience deepened their understanding of how to learn about characters in literature.” Although materials provide guidance on discussion protocols for each activity, materials do not provide guidance on how to partner students.  

  • In Unit 8, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 7, using the text “Earthquakes” by Kathy Furgang, students work with a partner on the following guided practice task: “Examine and interpret the diagram below the map on page 4 as well as the photo of the seismograph on page 5. Determine which paragraph in the main text relates to each graphic feature and how each feature helps you understand something not explicitly described in the main text.” During the Connect Skills to Knowledge: Turn and Talk portion of the lesson, students work with a partner to respond to a question that requires them “to use their knowledge of graphic features to focus on Enduring Understanding 1 from the Knowledge Blueprint (Earthquakes are caused by shifts in Earth’s tectonic plates. The sudden release of energy moves in waves through Earth’s crust, shaking Earth’s surface).” Although materials provide guidance on a discussion protocol for guided practice, materials do not provide guidance on how to partner students during either activity.  

Indicator 3Q
02/02

Materials provide strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to meet or exceed grade-level standards to regularly participate in learning English language arts and literacy.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for Indicator 3q.

The Program Support Guide includes a one-page Supports for Exceptional Learners document. This document contains a three column list that identifies the supports provided for English Learners, Students with Special Needs, and High-Ability Learners. The resources listed for English Learners include supplemental materials or supports that also apply to all students, such as the sentence stems for Constructive Conversations, Ways to Scaffold the First Reading, and Flipbooks. Materials include Integrated English Language Development (iELD) strategies, instructional supports that are specifically designed to help students meet or exceed grade-level standards, in the margins of the teacher-facing lesson materials for teachers. These supports include lesson-specific, multi-level strategies, sentence stems, and prompts for multilingual learners. Additionally, the Research and Inquiry Project guide includes an Addressing the Needs of Multilingual Learners section and lesson-specific multilingual learner supports, which include the sidebar features for multilingual learners in each of the seven standard mini-lessons. These lessons are not embedded in the core instructional plan and are up to the teacher’s discretion and time allowance. 

Materials provide strategies and support for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to meet or exceed grade-level standards through regular and active participation in grade-level literacy work. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Supports for Exceptional Learners document lists the supports the materials provide for English language learners. Supports include Unit Introduction Videos, Suggested Language Objectives, Integrated English Language Development strategies, Ways to Scaffold the First Reading, Language Transfer Supports, Supporting Constructive Conversation sentence stems, Thinking-Speak-Listen Flipbooks, a Multilingual Glossary, Home Connection Letters, and a Contrastive Analysis of English and 9 World Languages document. 

  • Within each unit, the majority of the reading mini-lessons include a light orange text box labeled Integrated ELD (iELD). These Integrated English Language Development supports include three levels of scaffolding for student responses: Light Support, Moderate Support, and Substantial Support. The supports typically include sentence stems and additional scaffolds for student use when writing in response to or discussing questions about the texts they are reading. For example, in Unit 5, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 1, as students read “Rise of the Drones” by Dang Nguyen, they distinguish between important and unimportant information to determine an author’s opinion. The Integrated ELD (iELD) text box provides this recommendation for Light Support: “ During reading, have partners pause after every paragraph, retell, and then decide which information relates to the regulation of drones. Help as needed. Display frames for partners to use in their responses: The detail about ___ is/isn’t important because it supports/doesn’t support the author’s claim that ____.”

  • The Research and Inquiry Project guide includes a one-page document,  Addressing the Needs of Multilingual Learners, and lesson-specific multilingual learner supports. This document is the sole place in which the program shares its perspective on multilingual learner support: “Keeping our multilingual learners in the forefront of our practice is critical to the equity work that we, as educators, embrace on a daily basis. We have the power and responsibility to create responsive learning conditions in order for all of our students to express themselves and build independence.”

Indicator 3R
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Materials provide a balance of images or information about people, representing various demographic and physical characteristics.

Materials, including texts and assessments, depict characters and individuals of varying ages, genders, races, and ethnicities. Materials typically present these diversities in a positive light. Materials include images and information with people of various demographics but do not include images and information with people of various physical characteristics. Depictions of individuals with different abilities was limited to characters with glasses on some of the individuals; these individuals were usually teachers and scientists. Though characters in illustrations represent various racial and ethnic backgrounds, there is an overlap on the depiction of people throughout the program’s grades. For example, Grades 3 and 6 feature texts about Rosa Parks which use the same images, but materials rarely address any other Civil Rights topics or leaders. Grades 3, 4, and 5 each have a text on César Chavez, but there is not a text on any other Hispanic leader. Materials also contain few core texts written by or about Native Americans. 

Materials and assessments sometimes depict different individuals of different genders, races, ethnicities, and other physical characteristics. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • In Unit 2, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 1, the Unit Opener video includes individuals of differing races and genders, including two individuals in wheelchairs. 

  • In Unit 10, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 1, students read “Two Forgotten Electrical Inventors” by Alexandra Hanson-Harding and learn about Hertha Marks Ayrton and her contributions to science. This selection features the sole depiction of a female scientist and inventor in the unit.  

Materials and assessments balance positive portrayals of demographics or physical characteristics. Materials avoid stereotypes or language that might be offensive to a particular group. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 4, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 1, the front cover of the Texts for Close Reading book, Understanding Different Points of View (author not cited) depicts a young African-American female sitting on a skateboard. The texts within the book include illustrations of a Vietnamese family and an abstract illustration of African-American musicians. 

  • In Unit 6, Week 1, during the assessment, students read a legend from China and a folktale from Armenia. 

  • In Unit 8, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 1, the front cover of the Texts for Close Reading book, Earth Changes (author not cited), contains two photos of communities that have had a natural disaster. Both photos show people of color in destroyed communities. 

Materials sometimes provide representations that show students that they can succeed in the subject, going beyond just showing photos of diverse students not engaged in work related to the context of the learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 7, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 1, students read “The Chinese Railroad Workers” by Hao Zou and learn about Chinese immigrants’ contributions to the transcontinental railroad and the discrimination they endured.

  • In Unit 9, the Texts for Close Reading selection is Resources and Their Impact (author not cited). When introducing the essential question for the unit, materials include an image of farmers. It is unclear if any of the farmers depict individuals of different genders, races, or ethnicities. Texts include a selection on César Chavez and his fight to improve the conditions of farm workers in California; the text is written by the award-winning, Puerto Rican writer and poet Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. The Texts for Close Reading selections also include “They Were My People,” a poem about slaves working “to the rhythm of the sunbeat.” This selection is authored by Guyana native Grace Nichols.   

Indicator 3S
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Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student home language to facilitate learning.

Materials do not provide sufficient opportunities for teachers to draw upon student home language to facilitate learning. The provided resources include background information for teachers about other languages, but the resources do not provide teacher guidance on how to incorporate student home language to support students in learning ELA. The Teacher Resource System includes a Social-Emotional Learning & Culturally Responsive Perspectives document; however, this document is not embedded within the daily lessons nor does it reference student home language. While the Integrated English Language Development (iELD) box within applicable lessons includes suggestions for differentiation and support, this resource does not address ways to help students incorporate their home language into their ELA learning. Although materials provide Home/School Connections letters in six different translations, the letter provides families with limited information such as the unit, vocabulary, and text students will engage with for the week; it does not present multilingualism as an assessment in reading. The Access and Equity resource does not offer guidance on leveraging home language, cultural knowledge, communities, and diversity as assets. Additionally, the suggested language objectives do not advise using a student's home language to facilitate literacy learning. 

Materials provide limited suggestions and strategies to use the home language to support students in learning ELA. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Informal Assessments manual includes developmental and individual reading behavior checklists, one of which is the Observation Checklist of First-Language Reading Behaviors and Experiences. This developmental checklist includes a list of six observable Literacy Behaviors and Experiences. Guidance directs the teacher to “[u]se this checklist to help you identify the level of support each of your new ELs may need.” The teacher rates each behavior or experience as yes, no, or do not know. Materials provide the following guidance to inform next steps: “If the student does not exhibit age-appropriate reading behaviors in his or her first language, you will need to provide intensive support and instruction in both English language and literacy. If the student demonstrates age-appropriate reading behaviors in his or her first language, the student is likely to make rapid literacy progress directly correlated with English-language development.” Although three of the observable behaviors and experiences address students’ home language, materials do not provide guidance or suggestions for teachers to use the home language to support students with their ELA learning. The Literacy Behaviors and Experiences are as follows: 

    • Student has attended school on a regular basis.

    • Student can show how a book is read.

    • Student recognizes familiar illustrations and photographs from literature.

    • Student can read in his or her first language.

    • Student can write in his or her first language.

    • Student can find first-language cognates in English texts.

Materials present multilingualism as an asset in reading, and students are explicitly encouraged to develop home language literacy and to use their home language strategically for learning how to negotiate texts in the target language. Teacher materials include guidance on how to garner information that will aid in learning, including the family’s preferred language of communication, schooling experiences in other languages, literacy abilities in other languages, and previous exposure to academic or everyday English. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • No evidence found

Indicator 3T
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Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning.

Materials provide limited guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon students' cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning. Some Grammar in Context lessons include Language Transfer Supports. Materials also provide a Contrastive Analysis of English and Nine World Languages document; however, the use of this resource is optional. Materials contain a Social-Emotional Learning & Culturally Responsive Perspective document; however, most of the questions and guidance miss opportunities to draw upon students’ linguistic or ethnic backgrounds. Materials include some prompts during which students talk about themselves and things they like to do with friends or at home. Other than language differences, linguistic and convention differences were not acknowledged in the materials. Materials include some instances in which the teacher might state that a word means hello in another language. The Access and Equity resource does not offer guidance on drawing upon students' cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning. Rather, it offers general strategies such as the use of visuals (photos, diagrams with labels, illustrations), manipulatives, realia (real objects), hands-on activities, total physical response (TPR), gestures, graphic organizers, sentence frames, and other accommodations that minimize language barriers and maximize comprehension of the concepts. Sections of the materials provided in multiple languages are limited to a Multilingual Glossary and Home/School Connections letters that are offered in multiple languages. Materials provide some opportunities for students to feel acknowledged during tasks based on customs of other cultures. 

Materials make some connections to the linguistic, cultural, and conventions used in learning ELA. Materials make some connections to the linguistic and cultural diversity to facilitate learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Materials include Language Transfer Supports in some Grammar in Context lessons. These supports are intended “to identify transfer issues some Els may have.” For example, in Unit 2, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 5, students use the excerpt “Peter’s Shadow” from Peter and Wendy by J. M. Barrie to review subject/verb and pronoun/antecedent agreement. The Language Transfer Support is as follows: “In Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Haitian Creole, verbs are not inflected for person and number (Everyone cook food. She have a large cat.).”  

  • Materials provide a Contrastive Analysis of English and Nine World Languages document which identifies similarities and differences between English and nine other languages. This is an optional resource for teacher use to inform instruction to support students’ understanding of how English works in ways that are similar to or different from usages in their home language. The document can also serve as a scaffolding support for students. The document encourages teachers to “identify and capitalize on students’ existing language skills.” This resource is not connected to or referenced in instructional lessons.

Materials include teacher guidance on how to engage culturally diverse students in the learning of ELA. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • No evidence found

Materials include some equity guidance and opportunities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Additional Resources tab of the Teacher Resource System includes an Access and Equity document. This document includes the following guidance: “Remember to think about the many aspects of the individual (culture, age, first language, socioeconomic level, and more). For example, wait time is both a common accommodation for students with disabilities who need additional time to process information and for English Learners who require additional time to process the second language.”

Materials include some opportunities for students to feel “acknowledged,” such as tasks based on customs of other cultures; sections provided in multiple languages such as the glossary, digital materials, family letters; etc. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Each unit includes a Multilingual Glossary that contains the vocabulary for that unit. The glossary provides a picture, definition, phonetic pronunciation, audio clip of pronunciation, part of speech, definition, and the word in a sentence. The written form of the vocabulary word is available in Arabic, French, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

  • Materials provide Home/School Connections letters in each unit. The letters are available in six different languages: English, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, and Arabic.

Materials include some prompts where students are encouraged to share how they (or their parents) do things at home or use information to create personal problems, etc. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 2, the Social-Emotional Learning section of the Social-Emotional Learning & Culturally Responsive Perspectives document addresses empathy, as students read “A Bird’s Free Lunch” by John Burroughs. Teacher guidance includes, “Discuss ways that humans can turn their empathy for wildlife into action.” The instructional lesson includes an inset directing teachers to “[u]se the discussion prompts on pages 6–7 to engage students and make connections to their experiences and perspectives.” 

  • In Unit 8, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 10, the Culturally Responsive Persepctives section of the Social-Emotional Learning & Culturally Responsive Perspectives document addresses health, as students read “In Mexico City” from “A History of My Mexico City Home, in Earthquakes” by Francisco Goldman. Teacher guidance includes, “Ask students to share what their family does to stay healthy or communicate about each other’s health and safety. Have they experienced serious situations where health and safety were the major priority?” The instructional lesson includes an inset directing teachers to “[u]se the discussion prompts on pages 120–121 to engage students and make connections to their experiences and perspectives.”

Indicator 3U
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This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.

Indicator 3V
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This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.

Criterion 3.4: Intentional Design

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The program includes a visual design that is engaging and references or integrates digital technology, when applicable, with guidance for teachers.

Materials include digital tools for both teacher and student use including, but not limited to annotation tools such as a digital pen, digital highlighter, and digital post-it notes. Materials have limited digital technology for student and teacher communication. Teachers can monitor students' work and progress and leave feedback and notes using digital tools built into the e-Notebook. Teacher collaboration is limited to the ability to share customized e-Book materials with other teachers at that school or in that district. Materials have a visual design that supports learning and is not chaotic nor does it distract from student learning. The teacher and student materials are consistent in layout and structure within and throughout the units and across each grade. The Benchmark Universe Dashboard homepage includes a Benchmark Academy section with PD about curriculum resources. The training tab includes Benchmark Universe How to Videos, such as Tech Talks and e-Assessment Teacher and Administrator Modules on assigning, previewing, and grading assessments as well as navigating the reports.

Indicator 3W
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Materials integrate technology such as interactive tools, virtual manipulatives/objects, and/or dynamic software in ways that engage students in the grade-level/series standards, when applicable.

Materials include digital tools for both teacher and student use including, but not limited to annotation tools such as a digital pen, digital highlighter, and digital post-it notes. Materials can also be activated to provide audio for words, sections, or the entire text. Materials include a digital pocket chart for whole group, small group, or individual students that comes with ready-made digital cards. The eBooks do not include digital tools for manipulation such as drag and drops, sorts, or organizers. Interim, Unit, and Weekly assessments are digitized and once completed can produce standards-based reports at the student, class, school, and district level. The materials can be filtered and assigned individually. Although teachers and students can customize some digital materials for local classroom use, materials do not include guidance for customizing at the district or school level. 

Digital technology and interactive tools, such as data collection tools, simulations, and/or modeling tools are available to students. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Benchmark Universe e-Books include interactive tools for teacher use when modeling and for students to use when reading. Features include a zoom tool, a pen/highlighter tool, an expandable margin for capturing notes, and audio read by a person with a speed adaptation feature. The audio tool can read the whole section or individual words when activated. Materials also include tools so students can add a digital post-it, a shape, or a screen shade.

  • The e-Book includes additional tools for teacher use, including ways to customize the text and add videos, blank pages, or hyperlinks.

  • Materials provide e-Assessments for the Weekly, Unit, and Interim Assessments. The reporting platform provides teachers with assessment data, such as a standards-based report that shows teachers which standards were not met. Digital assessment reports are available at the student, class, school, and distinct levels. The reporting platform also includes a feature to create groups based on the results of the assessments. 

Digital tools support student engagement in ELA. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Materials include a Texts for Close Reading e-Book, Knowledge Building Library e-Book, Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, and a Word Study Practice Text e-Book that provide students with an interactive experience through the use of digital tools. Digital features include audio support and annotation/note taking.  

  • Materials provide an e-Pocket Chart that can be used to work with students on activities such as word building, sorts, and sentence building. This feature includes digital cards of letters, word parts, words, punctuation, and images. 

Digital materials can be customized for local use (i.e., student and/or community interests). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The digital Benchmark Universe Library is arranged by filters, materials, and two digital storage sections: Bookshelf and Assignments. Teachers can drag and drop lessons and/or materials into the two digital storing tiles to customize their resources and to share them with other teachers. 

Indicator 3X
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Materials include or reference digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other, when applicable.

Materials have limited digital technology for student and teacher communication. Teachers can monitor students' work and progress and leave feedback and notes using digital tools built into the e-Notebook. Teacher collaboration is limited to the ability to share customized e-Book materials with other teachers at that school or in that district. 

Materials include or reference some digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other, when applicable. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Teachers can monitor students' work and leave feedback or notes for individual students, in the Build-Reflect-Write e-notebooks

  • The Texts for Close Reading for each unit includes an e-Book that can be customized. Teachers can share customized pages of the e-Book with teachers at the same school or district.

Indicator 3Y
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The visual design (whether in print or digital) supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject, and is neither distracting nor chaotic.

Materials have a visual design that supports learning. The design is not chaotic nor does it distract from student learning. The teacher and student materials are consistent in layout and structure within and throughout the units and across each grade. The Teacher Resource System consistently includes headings that signal when support is available for a specific purpose, as seen in the following section headers: Engage, Model, Guided Practice, Connect to Knowledge Turn & Talk, and Apply to Understand Build Knowledge. Teacher materials include icons and links to Additional Materials as well as student text icons to click on to connect to the student text. Materials are typically error-free. 

Images, graphics, and models support student learning and engagement without being visually distracting. Images, graphics, and models clearly communicate information or support student understanding of topics, texts, or concepts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Materials balance the use of blank space on home and landing pages in the Teacher Resource System, as well as in the student My Reading and Writing eBook. 

  • Materials consistently use the same icons throughout each grade and unit, including student-facing instructional activities.

  • Teacher support and guidance is clearly and consistently labeled throughout units which include Access suggestions, Integrated English Language supports, sample student responses, and sample anchor charts.

  • Each unit includes a Unit Opener video that supports student learning and engagement for the upcoming unit. For example, in Unit 10, The Power of Electricity, the Opener Video introduces the idea of  scientific discoveries, including the discovery of electricity and how it affects us today and the Unit’s  essential question, “Where do scientific discoveries lead us?”

Teacher and student materials are consistent in layout and structure across lessons/modules/units. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The Benchmark Advance homepage contains links to program resources, the Teacher’s Resource System, and instructional resources. Resources can be filtered by grade level and unit. 

  • Each unit homepage contains the following tabs: 

    • Overview, Unit Resources, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, and Additional Resources

  • Each unit section contains a drop down menu with more tabs. 

    • The Overview section includes the following tabs: Content Knowledge Alignment, Vertical Progression of Knowledge-Building Unit Topics and Essential Questions, Author & Consultant Team, About the Program, Pacing Options and Sample Literacy Block, and Digital and Print Components.

    • The Unit Resources section includes the following tabs: Unit Opener, Strategies and Skills, Unit Components at a Glance, Intervention and Reteaching Resources, Guide to Text Complexity, Social-Emotional Learning & Culturally Responsive Perspectives, Vocabulary Development, Pathways to Knowledge, Research and Inquiry Project, and Suggested Language Objectives.

    • Each Week contains a Weekly Resources tab and a Mini-Lessons tab. 

    • The Additional Resources section includes the following tabs: Instructional Routines and Strategies, Constructive Conversation, Speaking and Writing Response Protocols, Reading Big Words, Managing an Independent Reading Program, Recommended Trade Books, Text Evidence/Close Reading Answer Key, Real-World Perspectives: Supporting Constructive  Conversations, Small Group Texts for Reteaching Strategies and Skills, Guide to Text Complexity, Access & Equity, and Contrastive Analysis.

Organizational features (Table of Contents, glossary, index, internal references, table headers, captions, etc.) in the materials are clear, accurate, and error-free. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Materials are typically free of errors; however, some icons in several units appear to have broken links and provide an error message on the digital platform rather than open the student text. 

  • Unit 7 also includes a discrepancy between instructional videos. The video linked in the teacher resources is different from the video linked in the Unit Opener videos. The video linked in the Teacher Resources is “Developing a Nation” and the video linked in the Unit Opener videos is “The Transcontinental Railroad.”

Indicator 3Z
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Materials provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning, when applicable.

The Benchmark Universe Dashboard homepage includes a Benchmark Academy section. This section includes a PD Training: Curriculum Resources tab.  The training tab includes Benchmark Universe How to Videos, such as Tech Talks and e-Assessment Teacher and Administrator Modules on assigning, previewing, and grading assessments as well as navigating the reports. The Benchmark Advance homepage includes student how-to videos on accessing assignments, navigating the digital platform, and using eBook tools and distance learning resources. 

Materials provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning, when applicable. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The PD Training: Curriculum Resources support teachers with understanding the program and its associated resources. The Tech Talks support teachers with navigating eBook tools and features, customizing resources, sharing and accessing customizations, assigning resources, and managing assignments. 

  • The PD Training: Curriculum Resources and the Benchmark Advance landing pages house student how-to videos. These videos support students with accessing assignments, navigating Benchmark Universe, and using eBook tools and distance learning resources. 

  • The Benchmark Advance homepage includes a Distance Learning Printable Packet Options section. This section includes resources to support student and parent engagement and offers educators strategies to support online student learning. Materials include a three-part video series designed to help parents support their students with the program at home. Materials also include a three-part video series for teachers to support them with starting distance learning, engaging asynchronous and synchronous small group and whole group lessons, and providing and monitoring feedback to students.  

  • Within each unit, the Overview section includes a Digital & Print Components tab. This document outlines which items are digital and which items are print. Additionally, the document explains how the teacher can use the components to support student learning.