5th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1b. 

Materials reflect an uneven balance of literary and informational texts. Of the Shared Reading and ELA texts students read, 38% of the texts are informational and 62% of the texts are literary. Although the balance of text types is uneven, students read a wide and diverse range of genres, including biography, fantasy, realistic fiction, and historical fiction. Students do not have opportunities to read or listen to legends, fables, and dramas, as required by the standards. 

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

• Students read realistic fiction texts, such as Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech in Shared Reading, Module 1, Unit 1 and Half and Half by Lensey Namioka in Shared Reading, Module 4, Unit 1.

• Students listen to biographies, such as Keep On!: The Story of Matthew Henson: Co-discoverer of the North Pole by Deborah Hopkinson in ELA, Module 1, Unit 1 and The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane by Russell Freedman in ELA, Module 2, Unit 1.

• Students listen to poetry, such as “Messenger, Messenger” and “Hoops,” both by Robert Burleigh in ELA, Module 1, Unit 2 and “Long-Leg Lou and Short-Leg Sue” by Shel Silverstein in ELA, Module 3, Unit 1. 

• Students read nonfiction texts, such as Animal Cells and Life Processes by Barbara A. Somervill in Shared Reading, Module 1, Unit 2 and How Does a Waterfall Become Electricity? by Robert Snedden in Shared Reading, Module 3, Unit 2. 

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

• Of the 29 texts read and listen to, 11 or 38% are informational and 18 or 62% are literary texts.

• In Module 1, students read or listen to eight core texts, with four (50%) being informational and four (50%) being literary.

• In Module 2, students read or listen to seven core texts, five (71%) of which are informational and two (28%) of which are literary. 

• In Module 3, students read or listen to ten core texts, with two (20%) being informational and eight (80%) being literary.

• In Module 4, students read or listen to four core texts, all of which (100%) are literary.

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1c. 

The majority of the texts that the students chorally read, as well as the texts the teacher reads aloud have the appropriate level of text complexity for the grade. When the texts do not fall within the Lexile Stretch Band for the grade, the complexity of the qualitative and/or associated task measures make the text appropriate for the grade. Although the Shared Reading and ELA Lesson Plans include Lexile levels and genres for each text, materials do not provide qualitative or associated task complexity information. The Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual and the Shared Reading and ELA Lesson Plans outline the rationale for the educational purpose and placement of the texts included in the program.

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 the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 6, students choral read Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, which has a Lexile level of 770 and falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The text has a moderate qualitative complexity, due to its multiple layers/levels of complex meaning with abstract or figurative language with irony. The associated task is accessible. Students reread two chapters from the text and write about what they learn about Sal’s relationship with her mother. Students use quotes from the text to support their opinions. 

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 45, students choral read The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, which has a Lexile level of 750 and falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The text has a moderate qualitative complexity, due to its multiple layers of meaning and use of figurative language. The associated task is moderate. Students think about a character and write about whether the character was generally “good” or “bad” using evidence from the text to support their thinking.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 34, students choral read Ice to Steam: Changing States of Matter by Penny Johnson, which has a Lexile level of 640 and falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The text has a moderate qualitative complexity, as it requires some specific content knowledge to access the content of the text. The associated task is accessible. Students write a summary of a chapter using a provided introduction sentence. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 40, students listen to The Boy Who Loved Words by Rani Schotter, which has a Lexile level of 780 and falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band, making it quantitatively low as a read-aloud text. The text is qualitatively low, due to its largely simple structure, with no shifts in narration and chronological order. The associated task is moderate. The teacher and students write a two-paragraph compare/contrast piece using this text and the story of Johnny Appleseed.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 14, students listen The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane by Russell Freedman, which has a Lexile level of 1160 and falls within the Grades 6–8 Lexile Stretch Band, making it quantitatively appropriate as a read-aloud text. The text is qualitatively low and occasionally includes abstract or complex language. The associated task is accessible. The teacher and students write a summary of what they learned about the science of flight and factors that make flight possible. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 16, students listen to The Porcupine Year by Louise Erdich, which has a Lexile level of 840 and falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band, making it quantitatively low as a read-aloud text. The text has a moderate qualitative complexity, as it includes multiple layers of meaning, some shifts in point of view, and requires some cultural knowledge to access the text. The associated task is accessible. The teacher and students write a paragraph about what they think might have happened to Muskrat’s husband. 

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:

• The provided text complexity documentation is limited to Lexile levels. Materials do not provide qualitative or associated task complexity information. The accuracy of the provided quantitative measures was verified using MetaMetrics on The Lexile Framework for Reading site.

• The Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual includes a Choosing and Using Books section. Within this section of the manual, the Building A Culturally Responsive Text Collection and a Culturally-Sustaining Curriculum portion gives an overview of the changes the publisher made with regard to the texts included in the program: “We adopted a style guide in the curriculum to capitalize both Black  and White to represent the importance of racial identity and avoid the implication that white was the standard and Black an outlier. We adopted the  term multilingual to replace English language learner to celebrate home language as an asset.” Then, the manual explains grade-specific text selection changes or replacements. Rationales for text selection include choosing texts that fit the grade level themes, are engaging to students, and help build a more culturally responsive text collection. 

• The Module Overview page for the Shared Reading and ELA Lesson plans explains how the selected unit texts work together. For example, in the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, the Module Overview page contains the following information: “In Unit 1: History of Science, students will learn about some trials, tribulations, and accomplishments in the history of science as they analyze and explore the featured nonfiction texts. These two texts work together to reinforce students’ understanding of informative text structure and purpose through analyzing existing text. They also demonstrate the idea that the same theme can be expressed across multiple texts with varying topics.” 

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1d.

In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, the overall text complexity and the associated task measure generally increases throughout the year in order to support students’ literacy growth. In the beginning of the year, the Shared Reading quantitative complexity measure ranges from 770L–920L and ranges from 800L–950L by the end of the year. In the beginning of the year, the ELA quantitative complexity measure ranges from 460L–1080L and ranges from 770L–840L by the end of the year. The qualitative complexity measure remains relatively the same in Shared Reading and ELA. The reader and task measure increases in complexity in Shared Reading; however, the associated task complexity remains accessible in the ELA Lesson Plans, as the teacher either models or co-constructs the written response with students. Supporting teacher resources include suggestions to build background knowledge, discussion prompts, and scripted language, though these supports are often repeated throughout grades, modules, and lessons without variances in support relative to the complexity of the texts. Texts often span multiple lessons, appear in multiple associated tasks, and are grouped with other selections to build content knowledge.

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

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 770L–920L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from moderate to complex and the associated task complexity measure ranges from accessible to challenging. The overall complexity of texts ranges from moderate to complex. For example, students read Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (770L), which falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The qualitative complexity measure is moderate. The associated task complexity is moderate, as students write about how learning about the author’s craft and her other work helps them connect to her work in Walk Two Moons.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 750L–830L. The qualitative complexity measure is moderate and the associated task complexity measure ranges from accessible to challenging. The overall complexity of text ranges from moderate to very complex. For example, students read Oceans: All about waves, currents, the gravitational pull of the moon, and more! by Seymour Simon (1050L), which falls above the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The qualitative complexity measure is moderate. The associated task complexity measure is challenging, as students write a blurb about the text to try to convince someone to buy it. Students must use specific details from the text to support their opinion.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 640L–950L. The qualitative complexity measure for all texts is moderate and the associated task complexity measure ranges from accessible to challenging. The overall complexity of texts ranges from moderate to very complex. For example, students read How Does a Waterfall Become Electricity? by Robert Snedden (840L), which falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The qualitative complexity measure is moderate. The associated task complexity measure is accessible, as students write about why they “think making electricity from water will most likely be used more often in the future” and use evidence from the text to support their opinion.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 800L–950L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from low to moderate and the associated task complexity measure for all texts is challenging. The overall complexity of text ranges from complex to very complex. For example, students read The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick (950L), which falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The qualitative complexity measure is low. The associated task complexity measure is challenging, as students write about how Homer demonstrated courage in the story. Students must provide more than one example and use evidence from the text to support their statements.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 460L-1080L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from low to moderate and the associated task complexity measure for all texts is accessible. The overall complexity of texts is accessible to complex. For example, students listen to The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Schotter (780L), which falls below the appropriate Lexile Stretch Band for a Grade 5 read aloud. The qualitative complexity measure is low. The associated task complexity measure is accessible, as the teacher can either model or work with students to co-construct a response to the Respond Together prompt.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 920L-1160L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from low to moderate and the associated task complexity measure for all texts is accessible. The overall complexity of all texts is moderate. For example, students listen to The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis (920L), which falls below the appropriate Lexile Stretch Band for a Grade 5 read aloud. The qualitative complexity measure is moderate. The associated task complexity measure is accessible, as the teacher can either model or work with students to co-construct a response to the Respond Together prompt.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 850L–920L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from low to moderate and the associated task complexity measure for all texts is accessible. The overall complexity of texts ranges from accessible to moderate. For example, students listen to A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (920L), which falls below the appropriate Lexile Stretch Band for a Grade 5 read aloud. The qualitative complexity measure is moderate. The associated task complexity measure is accessible, as the teacher can either model or work with students to co-construct a response to the Respond Together prompt.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 770L-840L. The qualitative complexity measure for all texts is moderate and the associated task complexity measure for all texts is accessible. The overall complexity of all texts is moderate. For example, students listen to Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (770L), which falls below the appropriate Lexile Stretch Band for a Grade 5 read aloud. The qualitative complexity measure is moderate. The associated task complexity measure is accessible, as the teacher can either model or work with students to co-construct a response to the Respond Together prompt.

As texts become more complex, some scaffolds and/or materials are provided in the Teacher Edition (e.g., spending more time on texts, more questions, repeated readings, skill lessons).

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, throughout the year, the teacher and students follow the same reading routine. This routine does not differ according to the complexity of the texts students read. The Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual outlines the Shared Reading routine: “The teacher sets a purpose for reading the day’s new text portion, and immediately everyone begins reading chorally. The teacher interrupts once (or sometimes twice) to model a comprehension strategy, but choral reading resumes very quickly. At the end of the day’s segment, the teacher takes one or two minutes to talk about the initial purpose for reading, and then sets a new one. With that new purpose, students reread in partners, either reading chorally again or taking turns, page by page. The teacher interrupts this partner reading when time is up, and they all discuss the second reading purpose, moving right away to a discussion that reviews and deepens understanding of the day’s reading. The teacher brings closure by updating an ongoing anchor chart, highlighting text content and text structure. Finally, the teacher assigns written work, typically word study practice and a text-based written response, to be completed during the Differentiation Block.”

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, throughout the year, the teacher and students follow the same reading routine. This routine does not differ according to the complexity of the interactive read-aloud texts students listen to. The Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual outlines the ELA routine. This instructional block consists of two routines: the interactive read aloud and writing. Materials suggest the teacher use a document camera to display the illustrations if possible. Additionally, materials include recommendations for the use of chart paper to display vocabulary terms for informational texts and to create anchor charts that highlight the content and structure of the read-aloud texts. The teacher and students may add to these anchor charts during each lesson.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, the Respond Together prompt can either be modeled by the teacher, co-constructed with students, or completed by students independently. Although the Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual states that teachers can use the “extensive modeling language we have provided in writing instruction as a model for modeling,” materials do not provide modeled language for teachers to use.

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1e.

Students have opportunities to read and/or listen to a wide range of texts each day through shared reading, interactive reading, and self-selected reading experiences. Students read a number of texts across multiple lessons in each module; however, materials do not provide explicit guidance and support for teachers or students with regard to the independent reading in which students engage within a given lesson or unit or across the year. While materials include a pacing schedule for self-selected, gradual release, independent reading within the Differentiated Instruction block, this schedule does not hold students accountable for their independent reading. Rather, students complete a Book Recommendation chart to rate and recommend the book to classmates. The Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual notes time for students’ self-selected reading each day; however, materials do not provide explicit teacher guidance to support students with this instructional time beyond a Read and Rate chart for students to complete after they have finished reading a book.

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

• Across the four Shared Reading and ELA modules, students choral read and/or listen to 29 texts from a variety of text types and genres. For example:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher and class read an excerpt from the realistic fiction text Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 1, students choral read the historical fiction text The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 3, the teacher reads aloud the poems “Long-Leg Lou and Short-Leg Sue" by Shel Silverstein.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 6, the teacher and students engage in an interactive read aloud of an excerpt from The Porcupine Year, a historical fiction text by Louis Erdich.

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

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1 contains two units and a total of 45 lessons. Throughout the module, students read a total of three texts. In Lesson 1, students read Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech over the course of 30 lessons. Students typically choral read two chapters per lesson. In Lesson 31, students read Animal Cells and Life Processes by Barbara Sumervill over the course of seven lessons. Students typically choral read one chapter in each lesson. In Lesson 38, students read Plant Cells and Life Processes by Barbara Sumervill over the course of seven lessons. Students typically choral read between 1–2 chapters per lesson.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3 contains two units and a total of 35 lessons. Throughout the module, students read a total of three texts. In Lesson 1, students read Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis over the course of 20 lessons. Students typically choral read one chapter each lesson. In Lesson 21, students read How Does a Waterfall Become Electricity by Robert Snedden over the course of six lessons. Students typically choral read two chapters per lesson. In Lesson 27, students read Ice to Stream: Changing States of Matter by Penny Johnson over the course of eight lessons. Students typically choral read one chapter per lesson.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1 contains three units and a total of 45 lessons. Throughout the module, students listen to a total of five texts. In Lesson 11, the teacher reads aloud Keep On! The Story of Matthew Henson by Deborah Hopkinson over the course of two lessons. Students typically listen to 10 pages each lesson. In Lesson 20, the teacher reads aloud Rats Around Us by Rachel Eagen over the course of five lessons. Students typically listen to four pages each lesson. In Lesson 36, the teacher reads aloud Messenger, Messenger by Robert Burleigh during one lesson. In lesson 37, the teacher reads aloud Hoops by Robert Burleigh during one lesson. In Lesson 38, the teacher reads aloud The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Schotter over the course of three lessons. Students typically listen to 10 pages per session.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3 contains three units and a total of 35 lessons. Throughout the module, students listen to a total of seven texts, with the poems serving as paired selections and text sets. In Lesson 1, the teacher reads aloud “The Grackle” by Ogden Nash, “Pigeon” by Lilian Moore, and “Something Told the Wild Geese” by Rachel Field over the course of two lessons. Students listen to all three poems in the first lesson and share their opinions on which poem they liked most and why during the second lesson. In Lesson 3, the teacher reads aloud “Long-Leg Lou and Short-Leg Sue” by Shel Silverstein and “The Earth is a Living Thing” by Lucille Clifton over the course of two lessons. Students listen to one poem each lesson. In Lesson 5, the teacher reads aloud, Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky by Faith Ringgold over the course of four lessons. Students typically listen to 7–10 pages each lesson. In Lesson 13, the teacher reads aloud A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park over the course of 12 lessons. Students typically listen to one chapter in each lesson.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4 contains three units and a total of 45 lessons. Throughout the module, students listen to a total of two texts. In Lesson 1, the teacher reads aloud The Porcupine Year by Louise Erdich over the course of 16 lessons. Students typically listen to one chapter per lesson. In Lesson 23, the teacher reads aloud Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt over the course of 13 lessons. Students typically listen to one chapter in each lesson. There is insufficient 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:

• In the Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual, Understanding the Differentiated Instruction Block, Structures, materials include a sample rotation schedule, which includes 15 minutes of Self-Selected Reading each day. As part of the program’s gradual release model, students have the opportunity to read texts with teacher support, with teacher support waning to little or none over time. Once students finish a book, they can complete a Book Recommendation chart to rate their reading and recommend the text to other students. Students also have the option of completing a Read and Rate chart after they finish a book, though the materials indicate that this is “for teachers who want to meet with students to set independent reading goals,” so all students may not have the opportunity to benefit from this accountability structure.

• In the Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual, materials indicate that the Differentiated block allows students to freely read a wide range of text at each grade level; additional teacher guidance on implementing independent reading is limited. The manual includes a list of books as a suggested classroom library.

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1g. 

While materials include evidence-based discussion opportunities, such as whole class discussions, partner work, reading and rereading together, and co-created writing pieces, materials do not provide protocols for these activities nor is there guidance for how or when teachers should model speaking and listening techniques. Materials provide teachers with some support in facilitating these conversations; however, the same types of tips and support are duplicated throughout the materials. Additionally, while the Teacher Manual provides guidance around “Building and Using Norms for Participation in Discussion, the instructional lessons and student speaking and listening opportunities do not reference the accountable talk measures outlined in the document.

Materials provide limited 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:

• The Bookworms 2-5 Teacher Manual includes a section called “Building and Using Norms for Participation in Discussion” that is based on the norms for Accountable Talk. This section provides teachers with prompts and sentence stems to use in various group discussion structures, but these guidelines are not referenced within the instructional lessons to support students’ speaking and listening skill development.

• In the Bookworms 2–5 Teaching Manual, Understanding Shared Reading, materials include instructions for the Pair Share protocol students engage in. Each lesson has the same structure: “When partners are assigned, the daily routine is very simple. After word study, the teacher asks the pairs to spend 2–3 minutes discussing their answer to the previous day’s written response. This allows a transition, some authentic student talk, and a reentry into the text. Then the teacher sets a purpose for reading.”

• In the Bookworm 2-5 Teacher’s Manual, Repeated Oral Reading, materials include the following guidance on a provided shared reading protocol: “Our oral reading protocols require teachers to create purposeful student pairs. The procedure we use comes from a well-documented intervention called Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) (Fuchs, Fuchs, Mathes, & Simmons, 1997). PALS pairs are made with students ranked by achievement, typically by their oral reading fluency. Teachers split the class in half, and then assign the pairs.”

• In the Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual, Understanding ELA: Read Alouds, materials include a chart explaining what the discussion during the Interactive Read Aloud should look and sound like for students: “Students answer individually or in partners, but always orally.” Additionally, during the Discussion portion of the lessons, materials include the following note: “There is a final question to bring closure to the day’s assigned pages. Again, it can be answered by an individual, but it can also be answered individually between partners.”

• In the Bookworm 2–5 Teacher Manual, Repeated Oral Reading, materials include the following guidance on creating a shared reading protocol: “The resulting pairings all have a relatively more-fluent student paired with a relatively less-fluent student, but the fluency difference is controlled so that the most-fluent student (#1) is not paired with the least-fluent (#24). For teachers with an odd number of students, the most fluent student might remain unpartnered and either read alone or fill in for a student who is absent. For student pairs who have difficulty getting along, teachers will need to make pairing adjustments. Teachers can also create new pairs each quarter or whenever new data are available, but it is good to allow pairs to work together for an extended period so that they can become comfortable helping one another read and understand.”

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 4, students participate in a variety of evidence-based speaking and listening activities using the text Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, including discussing the previous lesson’s writing assignment, a partner discussion about the main character, rereading in partnerships, and a whole class discussion about questions such as, “Why do you think Sal feels that they need to rush? Give evidence for your opinion.,” “Why do you think Sal felt guilty that she was happy to see the newborn calf?,” and “How are Sal and Phoebe different when the strange boy comes to the door? Contrast these two characters.” While the materials provide these tasks and some directions for teachers and students, there is no evidence of a specific protocol used to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills.

• In ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Unit 1: Finding Courage, Lesson 3, students engage in a discussion around the questions, “How is stir the pot a play on words for Frances’ work? Tell why you think that.” and “What kind of intentions did Frances have for stirring the pot – good, or not-so-good? Tell why you think that. Be sure to use evidence from any parts of the text we’ve read today.” While the materials provide these tasks and some directions for teachers and students, there is no evidence of a specific protocol used to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills.

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

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 5, the teacher script framing students’ discussion of Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis is as follows: “Now that we’ve finished our first reading, let’s go back and talk about our First Focus. Remember that we were thinking about the problems that a 10-year-old on the lam would face.”

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 23, the Planning Notes section contains guidance on a variety of topics that support the discussion for the lesson. Considerations of how to address specific language and phrases within this portion of The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis include, “On page 88, Kenny compares their mother circling around Byron to ‘Indians circling the wagons again’ and continues to say that ‘this time it was Byron who had to be the white people.’ You might consider reading ahead to plan for any discussion that might arise from this comparison. You might also consider reminding students that it is no longer appropriate to say ‘Indians’ when referring to Native Americans and that using the term ‘Indians’ reflects the story’s time period.”

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 2, the Planning Notes provide support to teachers prior to the start of the lesson on the three poems, “The Grackle” by Ogden Nash, “The Pigeons” by Lilian Moore, and “Something Told the Wild Geese” by Rachel Field: “For today’s lesson, invite students to share their opinions on which poem they liked most and why. You might choose to have one student share at a time or to have students share in partners or small groups.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1h.

While materials include opportunities to support students’ speaking and listening about the texts students read and research, materials lack varied discussion strategies, guidance on how students should respond, and relevant follow-up questions and supports for teachers. The Teacher Manual indicates that teachers should provide relevant and more rigorous follow up questions as student discussions progress; however, materials do not provide a model to support teachers with implementation. Materials provide limited opportunities for students to engage in longer speaking and listening activities, such as presentations or oral research reports. Some of the reading opportunities are included only in Shared Reading or only in ELA lessons which does not allow for students to demonstrate what they are reading throughout the year.

Students have limited 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 the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher says to students, “Now that we’ve finished our first reading, let’s go back and talk about our First Focus. Remember that we were focusing on how Sal feels about moving and taking a trip with her grandparents. What clues did the author provide?”

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

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 22, students come together to share their research papers and get peer feedback. The teacher prompts discussion norms by saying, “Today you are going to share your paper with a group of peers that answered different questions than you. You will take turns reading your paper. After each person reads, the group may ask the writer questions. Be sure to be a good audience. You should be quietly listening with your eyes on the speaker, and your body still. You may begin sharing.”

• Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • No evidence found

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 by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 27, students discuss character motives and alibis as they continue reading The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. Students first track details in partner groups, then respond to whole group discussion questions such as, “Why do you think Turtle lied about her name? Or is her mother lying? Why did Chris want to know who got kicked?” Students do not pose specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion nor do they elaborate on the remarks of others.

  • In ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 8, the teacher says to students, “Now that we’ve finished the book, let’s pretend that Faith Ringgold, the author, is visiting our classroom. What are some good questions you’d like to ask her?” Although students pose specific questions, they do not respond to those questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion nor do they elaborate on the remarks of others.

• Review the key ideas expressed. Materials do not have opportunities for students to draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from the discussions. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 41, the teacher says to students, “I watched as you all added to the graffiti board charts from your notes you took during Shared Reading. You were all able to generate some relevant information that will be useful to you as you begin planning your compare/contrast paper tomorrow. Please find a partner from a different group and share some examples of information you were able to add to the charts.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 7, after listening to a portion of The Porcupine Year by Louis Erdich, students respond to the following Discussion question: “What do you think might have happened to the boys? Give your reasons!”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 12, students participate in a discussion based on their choral read of The Sun: All about solar flares, eclipses, sunspots, and more! by Seymour Simon. Then the teacher asks students, “What topics and details should we add?” as they continue working on a class-created anchor chart.

• Summarize a written 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 the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 13, after listening to a portion of The Single Shard by Linda Sue Park, students help the teacher “summarize what’s happened so far,” during the Discussion section of the lesson. The teacher and students then work together to create a class anchor chart of the most important events in each chapter.

• Summarize the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported by reasons and evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • No evidence found

• Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and 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:

  • No evidence found

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1j.

Materials reflect a 27/45/27 balance of opinion/informative or explanatory/narrative writing, which does not reflect the 30/35/35 distribution of writing modes required by the standards for Grades 3–5. Throughout the year, students receive explicit writing instruction and opportunities to write opinion, informative, and narrative pieces. Writing instruction occurs during the ELA Lesson Plans and often involves the teacher reading aloud a text and modeling “how to construct a well-written response” to a prompt. The interactive read-aloud often serves as a mentor text. Most writing opportunities connect to this text and occasionally connect to texts in the Shared Reading Lesson Plans.

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:

• Percentage or number of opportunities for opinion writing:

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, there are three opportunities for opinion writing and instruction. Three of eleven (27%) opportunities are opinion in nature.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, there is one opportunity for opinion writing. One of five writing opportunities for this module is opinion in nature.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, there are no opportunities for opinion writing.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, there is one opportunity for opinion writing. One of two writing opportunities for this module is opinion in nature.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, there is one opportunity for opinion writing. One of three writing opportunities for this module is opinion in nature.

• Percentage or number of opportunities for informative/explanatory writing:

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, there are five opportunities for informative/explanatory writing and instruction. Five of eleven (45%) opportunities are informative/explanatory in nature.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, there are two opportunities for informative/explanatory writing. Two of five writing opportunities for this module are informative/explanatory in nature.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, there is one opportunity for informative/explanatory. All writing opportunities for this module are informative/explanatory in nature.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, there is one opportunity for informative/explanatory writing. One of two writing opportunities for this module is informative/explanatory in nature.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, there is one opportunity for informative/explanatory writing. One of three writing opportunities for this module is informative/explanatory in nature.

• Percentage or number of opportunities for narrative writing:

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, there are three opportunities for narrative writing and instruction. Three of eleven (27%) opportunities are narrative in nature.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, there are two opportunities for narrative writing. Two of five writing opportunities for this module are narrative in nature.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, there are no opportunities for narrative writing.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, there are no opportunities for narrative writing.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, there is one opportunity for narrative writing. One of three writing opportunities for this module is narrative in nature.

• Explicit instruction in opinion writing:

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 6–10, the teacher models each stage of the process, with opportunities for students to work in partners or small groups to find reasons and evidence from the text.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lessons 26–35, the teacher models how to write an opinion piece about “doing what’s right” using a graphic organizer that includes an introduction, two reasons with support, and a conclusion. The teacher also models how to look for and use reasons and evidence to support an opinion.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lessons 36–40, the teacher models how to plan out a book advertisement, how to include supporting reasons and evidence, and how to revise and edit their writing. After the teacher models, students have time to work independently to practice these skills.

• Explicit instruction in informative/explanatory writing:

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 14–19, in Lessons 14 and 15, students learn the structure and elements of informative writing using model texts. During this lesson, the teacher focuses instruction on overall structure, gathering facts and definitions, and using quotes.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 41–45, the teacher models how to write a compare/contrast research project about cells, including how to use linking and transition words to connect ideas. The teacher models how to use a graphic organizer to plan the research project, which includes an introduction, two subtopics with details, and a conclusion.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lessons 33–45, the teacher models writing a research paper about the Civil Rights movement. The teacher models how to take notes from various sources; how to organize the report with an introduction, subtopics, and a conclusion; how to effectively research their topic; how to use transitions in their writing; and how to revise and edit their writing. After the teacher models, students have time to work independently to practice these skills.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lessons 9–12, the teacher models how to write a compare/contract research project about the Underground Railroad using a Venn diagram to take notes from an article that relates to a text previously read. The teacher models how to organize the research project using a graphic organizer that includes an introduction, two subtopics with details, and a conclusion.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lessons 17–22, the teacher models the steps of an informative research project. The teacher models how to generate a list of research questions; how to organize the report with an introduction, subtopics, and a conclusion; and how to effectively research their topic. After the teacher models, students have time to work independently to practice these skills.

• Explicit instruction in narrative writing:

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 1–5, in Lesson 1, the teacher does not provide any explicit instruction on writing narratives. The teacher walks students through how each of the elements from the checklist fits into the graphic organizer, with a focus on the introduction, linking words, and details to support the narrative.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 26–35, the teacher models how to write an adventure story using a graphic organizer to plan that includes the introduction, two or more events, and a conclusion. The teacher models how to make vivid, descriptive writing as students draft their adventure stories.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lessons 41–45, the teacher models writing about their reading and writing identity. The teacher models how to reflect back on their reading and writing over the past year; what to include in a personal narrative; how to organize their writing with an introduction, events, and a conclusion; and how to revise their writing by using effective word choice. After the teacher models, students have time to work independently to practice these skills.

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 ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lessons 36–40, students plan the beginning part of their advertisement using the book review checklist as a guide. Students focus on “drafting a book advertisement by adding supporting reasons and evidence in a creative way using a list of advertising techniques and the book review opinion writing checklist as a guide.”

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

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 27, students draft their opinion piece about “doing what’s right.” Students use a graphic organizer to organize their reasons and evidence.

  • Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 9, students work as a class to decide which linking words they want to use for each of the two reasons they included in their opinion piece.

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

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 29, students determine the best way to end their opinion piece about “doing what’s right.” Students determine whether to end their opinion piece with a quote, with a question, or with humor.

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

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

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 19, students practice organizing the information they found about the Trail of Tears into logical subtopics based on what is in their notes.

  • 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 the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 14–19, students use a graphic organizer to record details, quotations, and other information that is related to their topic.

  • Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lessons 9–12, students review a chart that includes linking words and phrases organized by comparing words and contrasting words.

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

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 15, students work together to evaluate an informative writing piece against the “Informative Checklist,” looking to see if the author uses definitions to help explain the topic.

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

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 41, students write the conclusion to their Civil Rights Research Paper by choosing one of the ways they learned to end an informative piece that goes beyond just repeating facts.

• 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 the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 26–35, students use a graphic organizer to help organize their narrative writing. The graphic organizer has an introduction section, event 1 section, event 2 section, and a conclusion section to help students write their narrative piece.

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

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 26–35, students participate in an activity to analyze the weight of specific details in order to identify which might need more or less focus. Additionally, the teacher shares pacing techniques that either slow down or speed up the pace. For example: “provide specific details; use dialogue that provides information about the characters and how they are feeling.”

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

    • In the ELA lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 30, students create a list of the events from [their] narrative and weigh each event using a 0-2 scale.” Then, students use at least one pacing technique from a chart containing three techniques to slow down the pace and three techniques to pick up the pace.

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

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 28, students revise their adventure story to include details so that the reader can visualize what is happening.

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

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 33, students learn about three techniques to conclude their narratives: “Reaction of a character or narrator, circle back to the beginning, visual image.” Students practice writing each of these three techniques and then choose the one that best fits their narrative.

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 the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 11, students use characters from Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, and the read aloud text, Keep On!: The Story of Matthew Henson: Co-Discoverer of the North Pole by Deborah Hopkinson to respond to the following question: “As we discussed before starting our book today, a person needs to be brave and well-prepared to explore a wild, new place or embark on a journey to a place they have never been before. Both Matthew Henson and the fictional character, Sal Tree Hiddle from Walk Two Moons, needed to be brave and well-prepared as they embarked on their journeys to The North Pole and Idaho, but in different ways. Let’s write about why they needed to be brave and well-prepared in different ways and for different reasons. We can use these sentence frames to help us: Matthew Henson needed to be brave and well-prepared for his journey to the North Pole because _________. Sal Tree Hiddle needed to be brave and well-prepared for her journey to Idaho because __________.”

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 26, the teacher uses Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis to model writing an opinion piece based on the theme “Doing What’s Right.” Teacher modeling includes, “Let me show you how you would make this plan without including the title and author. In the margin, I am going to write: the truth is the truth. Then in the first section I will restate my opinion and provide a detail or an example. For example, I will write: Bud, Not Buddy, lies most of the time, not right. I will also look for an interesting part or a quote from the text to draw my reader in.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 1l.

Materials include instruction of many grammar and language conventions standards, but there are limited opportunities for application in- and out-of-context. An explicit scope and sequence is not provided. Some grammar skills are referenced in the lessons, but there is a lack of explicit instruction and practice. Throughout the materials, grammar and conventions instruction and application are integrated into the writing process and shared reading plans. The program includes many opportunities for students to manipulate sentences with the teacher and write independently, but according to the Teacher Manual, there is not an expectation of the students to be able to identify parts of speech independently. When grammar and language instruction is included in lessons, instruction is often found only in the “Sentence Composing” section of instruction, which is an oral exercise completed by the teacher and does not allow for students to have practice with applying the grammar skills in writing. Additionally, verb tense is referred to often in the ELA lessons, but specific and explicit instruction in some skills are missing.

Materials include some explicit instruction of many grammar and usage standards for the grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections in general and their function in particular sentences.

  • Conjunctions:

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 21, the materials include instruction on the conjunctions because, since, and even though.

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 40, the materials include instruction on the conjunctions both/and, neither/nor, and either/or.

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 4, the teacher presents two sentences and asks students to think about how the two ideas are related. The teacher says, “Are they a list of similar information, is one causing the other, or are they contrasting? For contrast, we can use although or but. We can also use the conjunctions either and or. Let’s do both and see which communicates most effectively.”

  • Interjections:

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 2, the materials introduce interjections.

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 26, the materials introduce interjections to add emotion to a sentence.

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 27, the teacher shares a sentence and says, “We can see that this sentence is conveying emotion because of the use of the exclamation mark. Let’s expand with an interjection. An interjection is also a way to add emotion. It’s a single word, and it forms its own sentence.” The teacher models using the sample sentence, “Wow! The Ohio rest stop was really cool!”

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 2, the materials include instruction on interjections as an introductory word.

  • Prepositions:

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 23, the materials introduce prepositional phrases in the Expand.

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 25, the materials include instruction on prepositional phrases as an introductory element of a sentence.

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 15, the teacher shares a sentence and says, “Let’s think about time order here. Which happened first? We can use the preposition after to show that.”

• Form and use the perfect (e.g., I had walked; I have walked; I will have walked) verb tenses.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 5, students learn about perfect verb tense. The teacher shows the sentence, “The Wrights were surprised that the problem of balance and control had received so little attention.” Then the teacher says, ”Let’s look at the verbs here: were surprised and had received. These are in the past. What if we were there? (are surprised, has received). What if it’s the future? (would be surprised, had received). Remember that your verb tenses have to be coordinated, and they communicate important meaning.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 24, the teacher says, “Let’s practice those verb tenses again. This is clearly in the past. Let’s change the verb tense and explore the effects on the meaning. The verb is to jump. What if I want to express that this is a characteristic that is always true - jump? What if I want to say that it is something true - may or might jump? What if I want to express that it happened before something else - had jumped.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 14, the teacher says, “Let’s explore the verb tenses here: We have wondered, was asleep, and dreamed. These are communicating things in the past. If we want to communicate that this happens all the time, we have to change them (wonders, is asleep, dreams). If we want to talk about something in the future we gave to change the verbs (will wonder, will be asleep, will dream).”

• Use verb tense to convey various times, sequences, states, and conditions.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 36, the teacher uses the following sentence to show verb tenses: “Calvin Curbhopper rides into the day.” The teacher explains something happening always, yesterday, and in the present by stating, “Let’s think about verb tense here. The author is communicating that this happens always. She is making a statement that is timeless. What if I want to say that it is happening right this minute? (is riding). What if I want to say that it happened yesterday? (rode). What if I want to say that it will happen in the future (will ride or will be riding). In poetry, with very few words, an author can communicate a lot by simply changing the verb tense.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 5, students learn about perfect verb tense. The teacher shows the sentence, “I cannot but believe that we stand at the beginning of a new era, the Age of Flight.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 23, students explore the effects on meaning when verb tense is changed.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 25, the teacher says, “Let’s experiment with the verb tenses, both in the past. That signals that this event happened once. What if it happens every day? What if we don’t know whether it will happen for certain or not? What if we want to say something appended before something else?”

• Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 6, the teacher says, “Remember that your verb tenses have to be coordinated, and they communicate important meaning.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 13, students learn about changing shifts in verb tense. The teacher shows the sentence, “This is a statement that Wilbur made.” Then the teacher states, “Let’s paraphrase it, turning it from direct speech in quotations to a description. We will have to change the verb tenses to the past.”

  • No other evidence was found.

• Use correlative conjunctions (e.g., either/or, neither/nor).

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 40, students learn to change conjunctions to see how it changes the sentence. The teacher shows students the sentences, “Selig was a man now. Selig was also a myth.” The teacher instructs students, “Combine with the conjunctions both and and. See how neither and nor changes the meaning. See how either and or changes the meaning.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 4, the teacher tells students, “We can also use the conjunctions either and or. Let’s do both and see which communicates most effectively.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 13, students learn about using either and or. The teacher shows the sentences, “Matthew Henson could have stayed in Maryland. Matthew Henson could have left to start a life of adventure.” The teacher states, “There are two choices here. Let’s combine using either and or.”

• Use punctuation to separate items in a series.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 21, students learn about using commas in a series. The teacher shows the sentence, “Curious, affectionate, and smart, they are beloved pets in many families.” The teacher says, “We see three adjectives here, and they are separated by commas to show that they are items in a series. It’s an interesting sentence because the three adjectives are actually set off from an entire sentence—so even the third is followed by a comma.”

  • No other evidence was found.

• Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 24, it states, “Let’s show that with an introductory word: Fortunately or Unfortunately. When we start a sentence with a word like that, we set it off with a comma.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 25, students learn that the comma is used to separate an introductory element. The teacher gives the students the sentence, “For snakes and wild dogs, rats are tasty meals.” The teacher states, “This is an interesting sentence already. It starts out with a prepositional phrase that answers the question for whom. When we start a sentence with a prepositional phrase, we often set it off with a comma. It functions as an introductory element. Let’s expand with counter information. Start with even though.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 40, students use commas after an introductory element. The teacher shows students the sentence, “Selig was too tired to think.” The teacher instructs students to start a new sentence with the word nevertheless. The teacher states, “That word signals that, even though one thing was true, another thing happened. Start another new sentence with however. That word signals a contrast.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher says, “Authors use moreover to add more related details. We know that the pronoun it refers to the flu. So we should add to the front of the sentence, starting with the flu, and use moreover to link the two details. We will frame it with commas.”

• Use a comma to set off the words yes and no (e.g., Yes, thank you), to set off a tag question from the rest of the sentence (e.g., It’s true, isn’t it?), and to indicate direct address (e.g., Is that you, Steve?).

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 22, students use commas after an introductory element. The teacher shows the sentence, “He pointed up at a telephone wire.” The teacher states, “Let’s expand this by adding some dialog. Ask a question first, and then have a character answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and give a reason. I will show you how to punctuate that in case you want to use questions and answers in your writing. This is a good way to vary your pacing when you write.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 6, the teacher shows the sentences, “Get off the train, Be Be. I’ll tell Mommy and Daddy.” The teacher states, “Let’s punctuate these as dialog. Then let’s add Be Be’s answer. It advises us to show how to use a comma to punctuate these answers: Yes, I will. No, I won’t. Then add quotation marks and set off the speaker.”

• Use underlining, quotation marks, or italics to indicate titles of works.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 36, the teacher creates an anchor chart for parts of a book. The teacher explains how to use italics or underline to indicate the title. The teacher states, “Notice that I have used italics for my title. It’s hard to handwrite in italics. You can also underline. Italics or underlining are ways that we show our reader that we were finding information in a book. We mark the title of the book.”

  • No other evidence was found.

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

  • No evidence was found.

• Expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 13, students learn how to expand sentences. The teacher shows the sentence, “The flag hung limp and lifeless.” The teacher states, “Let’s add by telling what happened next. Add Suddenly, Then, and However.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 12, students learn that reduction is used to reduce phrases and details to help combine three sentences more effectively. The teacher gives these sentences: “It was the end of the week. Wilbur was granted permission to use the camp. The camp was a large military ground.” The teacher states, “Look at these three sentences. Which is most important? Let’s reduce the other two into phrases that we can add as details.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lessons 13-25, students complete the Combine and Expand exercises. In this activity, the teacher teaches the students to expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 11, the teacher says, “This is an awkward set of sentences. They definitely need to be combined. Think about the relationship of ideas. Are these two similar things? Does one cause the other? Are they in time order? Are they contrasting? Your choice of linking words has to be driven by meaning. Also be careful not to repeat yourself.”

• Compare and contrast the varieties of English (e.g., dialects, registers) used in stories, dramas, or poems.

  • No evidence was found.

Materials include limited authentic opportunities for students to demonstrate the application of skills in context, including applying grammar and convention skills to writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 17, the teacher models constructing a well-written response. The teacher states, “Help me write a note to Kenny giving him some advice about being teased. What are some strategies he might try?”

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lessons 13-25, students apply grammar and convention skills during the Combine and Expand exercises. This activity is oral and students are not writing.

• In the Student Workbook, Grade 5, students complete written responses.

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1m.

Materials include a cohesive year-long plan for students to interact with and build key vocabulary words in texts. The Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual outlines various vocabulary-teaching routines for teachers to use with students, along with how this is integrated into the Shared Reading and Differentiated Instruction blocks. The Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual also provides guidance on how the lessons support vocabulary development over the course of the year and explains the focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary as supported by key research. Materials provide opportunities for students to engage with vocabulary words multiple times within a text, however the vocabulary words do not repeat across multiple texts.

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

• In the Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual, Structures, materials include a table outlining routines and how instruction should look and sound for interactive read alouds in the ELA block. The vocabulary structure is as follows: “If the text is informational, vocabulary instruction comes before reading. The routines nearly always include visual support and should follow the plans closely. If the text is narrative, vocabulary instruction comes after reading. It is entirely oral, and uses a repetitive frame: Repeat the target word, tell a simple definition, tell how it was used in the reading, and then use a sentence frame to help students use the word in a new context.”

• In the Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual, Teaching Vocabulary, materials outline the various routines used during vocabulary instruction.

  • Labeled Diagram: “In this routine, we use an illustration from the book or one that can be simply drawn and either discuss labels already shown or add labels.” Lesson Plans include samples of labeled diagrams “for teacher guidance and reference.”

  • Simple Tree Diagrams: used “to show relationships among content words.”

  • Semantic Maps: “These tend to be structured with a central term, and characteristics or facets that are added over time as more information is provided in the text.”

  • Concept of Definition (COD) maps: used when introducing “terms that are members of a broad category. The maps can be drawn while describing the category membership…. You begin with the target term, then move up to its parent category, present a member of that category that is different from the central term, and then provide essential attributes and examples.” Lesson Plans include teacher guidance explaining “exactly how to construct and introduce the COD map.”

• In the Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual, Vocabulary and Comprehension, materials explain how vocabulary fits in the program’s approach to foundational skills instruction. The Differentiated Instruction block small group lesson plans follow a similar routine to that of whole group instruction. Students who meet oral reading fluency benchmarks read silently. After reading a fiction text, the teacher teaches students “two Tier 2 words found in the day’s text segment.” Before reading a nonfiction text, the teacher introduces students to “technical vocabulary using a simple chart or diagram to indicate how the words are related.” After reading, the teacher asks students inferential questions, referring “to vocabulary as needed to tie concepts to comprehension.”

Vocabulary is repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts) but does not repeat across multiple texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, before reading Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, the teacher introduces two vocabulary words, return and restore, and gives their meaning with examples to help students understand the meaning of the text. After reading, students use these words in a sentence. Students can use the words in the context of the text or create their own sentences.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 3, students begin reading Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. The teacher defines the words commence and depression. Later in the lesson, students write a response during which they “[u]se depression and commence in super sentences. You can choose to capture key details from today’s reading in your sentences, or you can choose to write your sentences using a different topic.” Students learn new words from the text in subsequent lessons. In Lesson 5, students participate in a Word Study Assessment, during which the teacher assesses spelling by calling out all of the vocabulary words from the week and assesses meaning by selecting half of the words for students to use in super sentences, which the teacher scores using the Grade 5 Super Sentence Rubric. The vocabulary words do not repeat across any other texts.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 19, students participate in an interactive read aloud of The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis. During the interactive read aloud, the teacher stops at the word frostbite and explains, “Frostbite is an injury that happens when one part of your body is exposed to extreme cold. People who work outdoors in cold weather have to be careful about frostbite. Frostbite can even cause you to lose your fingers or toes. In our book, Kenny’s mother believes that his thin Southern blood can cause him to get frostbite more easily than other people. He says, ‘I started wondering if frostbite really could do some damage to my hands.’ The truth is that Kenny’s blood was the same as anyone else’s, and frostbite could damage any person’s hands—any person, not just someone born in the South. Frostbite is an injury that occurs when part of your body is exposed to extreme cold. You can use that word: People have to be careful about frostbite when _________.” The vocabulary word does not repeat across any other texts.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 5, students participate in an interactive read aloud of The Porcupine Year by Louise Erdich. During the interactive read aloud, the teacher stops at the word bewildered and says, “Bewildered means puzzled and confused. The man looked bewildered when he tried to solve the problem. In the book, we read this about the porcupine: ‘He was like a naughty little boy, but very slow, and always when he turned to look up at her he seemed so sleepy and bewildered that she had to laugh.’ Bewildered means puzzled and confused. You can use that word: I was bewildered when _________. My brother looks bewildered when I ask him to ________.” The vocabulary word does not repeat across any other texts.

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). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual, Teaching Vocabulary, the program cites research conducted by Isabel Beck as the base for its approach to vocabulary instruction. During narrative texts, students focus on two Tier 2 vocabulary words each day. Research supports the teaching of these words “after reading because stopping for this instruction before or during reading would be distracting.” The manual notes the intentional selection of words that are “broadly useful,” “would likely come up in another text that students would read or listen to,” and “could become part of students’ oral vocabularies.” Materials include frame sentences to support students with using the vocabulary word themselves. Vocabulary work is oral. During informational read-aloud texts, students focus on tier 3 vocabulary words. Because these words are “typically associated with a specific content area,” the teacher introduces Tier 3 words to students “before they listen or as they encounter [the words] to enhance understanding.” Materials also note that Tier 3 words are introduced “in cluster, or semantic networks, whenever possible.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 1n.

The Grade 5 materials provide some opportunities for students to learn phonics, word analysis, and word recognition skills in the Shared Reading and ELA Lesson Plans as well as during Differentiated Literacy Instruction lessons. The Word Study section of the Shared Reading Lesson Plans include word analysis and word recognition strategies over the year. The word study instruction includes some irregularly spelled words. There is no clear scope and sequence for explicit instruction on morphology, but there is instruction on some words during some lessons. Much of this instruction is taught in isolation or out of context. Students may practice these skills in context during writing tasks and choral or partner reading, but instruction does not specifically align to including these skills in context. There is an assessment plan, but clear directions on supporting students who have not achieved mastery are not included. Follow-up instruction occurs in the Differentiated Literacy Block; however, it is not certain that all students will receive this instruction or be assessed by these means.

Materials contain some explicit instruction of irregularly spelled words, syllabication patterns, and word recognition consistently over the course of the year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 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 the 2-5 Teacher Manual, spelling and vocabulary instruction are merged into Word Study lessons. The words are selected for their importance to the day’s reading. They are presented explicitly for their syllable-type characteristics and their meaning. In a five-day series of lessons, the teacher gives two words each day for the first three days. A new practice routine, called Super Sentences, helps students use the words in novel contexts. On the fourth day, they review the words together. On the fifth day, there is a word study assessment on the fifth day where teachers assess for both spelling and meaning.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 4, the teacher underlines the prefix pan- in the word pandemic and explains the meaning of the prefix.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 7, the teacher explains that antebellum has two parts. The prefix ante- means “before,” and bellum means “war.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, the word return is taught. The teacher tells students that the prefix re- means “again.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 34, the Word Study section includes instruction on roots and affixes. The teacher states, “We can figure out what unicellular organisms are by breaking the words into its prefix, root, and suffix. The root is cell. We know what that is. The prefix is uni-. Uni- means ‘one’.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 27, students read a book involving the science of physics where they review the states of matter (solid, liquid, and gasses) by studying the syllable types. According to the Shared Reading Lesson, chunking words into syllables facilitates decoding. This instruction aims to build flexible strategies for attacking unknown words. The vocabulary words are divided into syllables, with the syllable type names. This syllable-type language should be used every day during Vocabulary instruction. These syllable-type divisions are not the same as the ones in a dictionary. Their purpose is to make spelling, especially vowel sounds, more transparent.

  • In Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 4 and 5, in Tier 2 Instruction in Word Recognition, on page 64, the book states, “Tier 2 instructional strategies build on the think-aloud strategy used in Tier 1 instruction, but include additional guided practice and every-pupil response. We have found optimal engagement when each child has his or her own word list. The model lessons included Appendix F contain 10 or 12 words for each day’s lesson, chosen for their common features. We recommend four simple instructional strategies: (1) marking up the words, (2) identifying syllable types, (3) reading the words with partners, and (4) reading the words chorally.” Because this is a differentiated instruction lesson, there is no certainty that all students will receive this instruction.

Some 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). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Student Workbook provides opportunities for regular written tasks, word study exercise, and the creation of Super Sentences. For example, in the Shared Reading Lesson Plans. Module 1, Lesson 3, Written Response, students are assigned to use respect and impress in Super Sentences.

• In Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 4 and 5, Instructional Planning, on page 66, a table lists 18 weeks of lessons for syllable types. In Week 1, there are compound words. In Weeks 2-5, there are prefixes and suffixes. In Week 7, there are closed syllables. In Week 8, there are open and closed syllables. In Week 9, there are closed, open, and VC-e syllables. In Week 10, there are r-controlled syllables. In Week 11, there are vowel team syllables. In Week 12, there is the consonant -le syllable. In Week 13, the focus is -ed and -ing. In Week 14, there is changing y to i or no change. In Week 15, there are combinations of syllable types in multisyllabic words. In Week 16, there is the accent and the schwa sound. In Weeks 17-18, there is the accent in two- and three-syllable words. Because this is a differentiated instruction lesson, there is no certainty that all students will receive this instruction.

• No other evidence was found.

Some 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. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Appendix B, includes a rubric for “Editing and Revision Assessment”. This rubric is used to assess a student’s application of skills in writing tasks. The rubric monitors the students’ work for including well constructed sentences, demonstrating appropriate use of descriptive language, spelling correctly, and closely approximating spelling of unknown or unfamiliar words and using strong interesting words.

• In the Teacher Manual, the 2-5 Grade Assessment plans state that word study assessments will occur every five days and be assessed by percent correct every five days.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 5, students’ spelling is assessed. The teacher calls out all vocabulary words from this week without segmenting into sounds or syllables. The teacher assesses whether students understand the meaning of these words by selecting half of the words for students to use in Super Sentences.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 15, the manual directs the teacher to call out a total of 15 words. Thirteen words come from the week’s word list, and two are unstudied transfer words. The manual states, “We add transfer words to ensure that teachers and students are focusing on patterns and not on rote memorization. The words are a mixture of base words and words with suffixes.”

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 25, students complete a Word Study Assessment that is scored with the Spelling Tool, Grades 3-5, Appendix B (page 539) and Super Sentence Rubric, Appendix A (page 536). This assessment pattern repeats weekly. Additionally, students complete a Written Response Assessment, where students must find an unfamiliar word in a text and use strategies to attempt to read and understand the word. This task is scored with the Written Response Rubric, Appendix A (page 537).

• In Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 4 and 5, Instructional Planning, on page 66, it states, “At the end of 18 weeks, we have a comprehensive outcome assessment. Part II of the Informal Decoding Inventory (Appendix E) has real words and nonsense words to test application of multisyllabic decoding strategies. This assessment is meant to be untimed. We have simplified our scoring interpretation since we first designed this assessment. These words are not taught in the intervention; they are true transfer words.” Because this is a differentiated instruction lesson, there is no certainty that all students will receive this assessment.

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 1o.

The Grade 5 materials include limited opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply phonics, word analysis, and word recognition skills independently in connected tasks. Students have opportunities to decode while using some explicitly taught word recognition and analysis strategies; however, these opportunities are often in isolation rather than with connected text. While connected texts are included in the Shared Reading and ELA Lesson Plans, the texts do not directly relate to the word recognition and analysis skills being taught and do not contain words related to that focus. Differentiated Instruction Block can be used to address skills students are missing; however, it is not guaranteed that all students will receive differentiated instruction.

Limited 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. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, the class reads _Walk Two Moons. _Before reading, the teacher introduces the vocabulary words return and restore by identifying the syllable types of the words.

• The Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 6, explains that Grade 5 Word Study uses syllable types as an aid to remembering spelling. Chunking words into syllables also facilitates decoding. The goal of this instruction is to build flexible strategies for attacking unknown words. The vocabulary words are divided into syllables, with the syllable type names provided. This syllable-type language is to be used every day during Vocabulary instruction. In this lesson, the vocabulary words ridge and trench are introduced. Students read about some of the important features of the oceans, such as the ocean floor, ridges, and trenches. Students decode these words and identify their syllabication patterns. Later in the lesson, students write super sentences using the words.

• In Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 4 and 5, Tier 2 Instruction in Fluency, Instructional Strategies, on page 87, the template for fluency practice lists for Day 1, “Activity: Multisyllabic decoding practice, if warranted.) Choral reading. Teacher’s role: Teacher reads the text with intonation and expression, modeling text processing. Students’ role: Students follow the teacher’s lead.” Because this is a differentiated instruction material, there is no certainty that all students will receive this instruction.

Materials include some tasks and questions that provide opportunities for students to access different foundational skills within the anchor text and supporting texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 35, the students use pigment and reproduce in super sentences. Students capture key details from the story in their sentences, or they may write their own sentences using different topics.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 6, students create Super Sentences using the newly taught vocabulary words. It is not explicitly stated that these sentences must connect to or reflect the study of the anchor or supporting texts.

• In the 2-5 Teacher Manual, page 50, the text states, “Students build on their single-syllable pattern knowledge to spell multisyllabic words beginning in grade 3.” The routine explains how students can decode, read and sort by syllabication type. This routine does not discuss students using these strategies when reading multisyllabic words in context.

• In the 2-5 Teacher Manual, page 76, the text states, “They (students with foundational skills deficits) will still benefit from Shared Reading, though, because they will be building background knowledge, specific vocabulary knowledge, grammatical knowledge, and text structure knowledge. Decide what is the most challenging task they can accomplish during choral reading (e.g., trace the text with a finger as the teacher reads, or whisper read at a pace slightly behind the teacher, as an echo). Then decide how to release slightly more responsibility to them during partner rereading.”

In Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 4 and 5, Tier 2 Instruction in Fluency, page 86, the text states, “We suggest that you choose an additional, different text to increase the number of words and sentences that students process successfully each day. In this way, they will do fluency work within their grade-level band and with a text that you have added for Tier 2 every day.” Because this is a differentiated instruction material, there is no certainty that all students will receive this instruction.

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 1p.

The Grade 5 materials include opportunities for students to read texts with purpose and understanding. Students engage in reading a variety of high-quality prose, but evidence does not exist for students reading poetry. Texts are often read chorally by the class, followed by partner reading. Students are not given opportunities to read texts independently. The students can hear fluent reading modeled for them by the teacher; however, the concept of fluency itself is not directly addressed or explicitly instructed. Evidence does not exist that students silently read in a meaningful way or that teachers monitor individual fluency and accuracy during the Shared Reading Lesson Plans systematically. The program has many opportunities to have students read authentic text, but it does not provide explicit instruction and assessment in fluency to the entire class. The Differentiated Instruction block can address some missing fluency skills per student; however, differentiated instruction is not guaranteed for every student.

Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate sufficient accuracy and fluency in oral reading fluency. There are no opportunities for students to demonstrate accuracy and fluency in silent reading in the core materials. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 26, pairs reread the final two chapters and think about why there are still problems creating hydroelectric energy.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 5, students reread Chapters 7 and 8 with a partner. While rereading, pairs should think about whether their plan for finding the hidden enslaved people will work.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 31, students read a text. Students first participate in a choral read and then move to partner reading. The teacher provides a reading focus and discussion questions. The teacher completes an anchor chart with students after reading, and ultimately students complete a written response. During the choral read, the teacher stops and models comprehension strategies to assist students in learning how to read with purpose and understanding.

Materials support limited 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. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

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

  • In the 2-5 Teacher Manual, page 59, the text details a set of routines for Shared Reading that combine “evidence based practices for developing text fluency and comprehension.” The oral reading protocols require teachers to create purposeful student pairs which have a “relatively more fluent student paired with a relatively less fluent student.” The routine followed includes students spending 2-3 minutes discussing their answers to the written response from the previous day. The teacher “sets a purpose for reading and begins choral reading. The teacher’s voice should not be too loud and the teacher’s reading rate and intonation should be natural.”

  • In 2-5 Teacher Manual, pages 59-63, describes the “Repeated Oral Reading” structure. The manual states, “The next set of routines in Shared Reading requires establishing routines and stamina rather than focusing on new technical knowledge. Overall, these routines combine evidence-based practices for developing text fluency and comprehension. They serve students with different achievement profiles at the same time, and they provide scaffolded access for all to the challenging books that are the heart of Bookworms.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, the first page lists all the texts used for Shared Reading, including multiple prose examples for successive readings. Poetry is not included.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 31, the students chorally read and then partner read eight pages from Half and Half.

  • In Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 4 and 5, Tier 2 Instruction in Fluency, Instructional Strategies, on page 88, the text states, “The first choral reading of the text will still allow the students to work on the dimensions of fluency….Also this concentrated attention to fluency building will guarantee that those students whose weak fluency has been a result of a lack of reading practice will get the practice they need.” Because this is a differentiated instruction material, there is no certainty that all students will receive this instruction.

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). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

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

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 2, the teacher models a “think aloud” during the choral reading to teach students to self-monitor when reading. The teacher states, “I need to self-monitor here. I don’t know what a whang-doodle is. So, I’m going to reread the paragraph and see if I can make it make sense. I think it must mean something bad, but I don’t need to know exactly what it is. I have to infer the word’s meaning based on the information around it.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 45, student pairs “reread by alternating pages or by rereading chorally.”

  • In Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 4 and 5, Later Fall: Build the Differentiation Model, on page 163, it states, “The multisyllabic decoding and fluency group includes those students whose weakness in fluency is partially explained by an inability to divide and decode multisyllabic words. For that reason, they begin their small-group lesson with targeted multisyllabic decoding practice. For fluency, they read new text each day, with strong teacher support through choral reading. After their small-group lesson, they continue this fluency focus by rereading that day’s selection with partners.” Because this is a differentiated instruction material, there is no certainty that all students will receive this instruction.

  • In Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 4 and 5, Later Fall: Build the Differentiation Model, on page 163, “The fluency and comprehension group includes those students whose weakness in fluency seems to stem from a lack of reading experience or practice rather than from weak decoding skills. For that reason, they read and reread texts in addition to their shared reading selection. Like the multisyllabic decoding and fluency group, the fluency and comprehension groups reads new text (a segment or chapter) each day, with strong teacher support through choral reading. After their small-group lesson, they continue this fluency focus by rereading the day’s selection with partners.” Because this is a differentiated instruction material, there is no certainty that all students will receive this instruction.

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with limited information of students’ current fluency skills and provide teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery of fluency. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the 2-5 Teacher Manual, page 36, the text includes a list of assessment opportunities for grades 2-5. External oral reading fluency screening is listed indicating the timing of Module 1, Lessons 6-14. The strategy is listed as words correct in one minute and risk status.

• In Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 4 and 5, Assessing Word Recognition, on page 39, it states, “The assessment strategy is simple: If a student in grades 4 or 5 is not meeting the beginning-of-year oral reading fluency benchmark, give the 10 items from the multisyllabic subtest. If that pronounces 8 or more items correctly, you can assume that providing a fluency intervention, without word-level instruction, is appropriate. If a student does not pronounce at least 8 items correctly, administer the vowel teams subtest. That subtest contains both real words and pseudowords, with specific scoring criteria for each. A student who passes the Vowel Teams subtest in Part I, but not the Multisyllabic Decoding subtest, will benefit from a small dose of multisyllabic decoding instruction in addition to fluency work.” Because this is a differentiated instruction material, there is no certainty that all students will receive this assessment and instruction.