4th Grade - Gateway 1

 The materials reviewed for Grade 4 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 20, students choral read A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson by Michelle Y. Green, which has a Lexile level of 860 and falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The text has a moderate qualitative complexity, due to its discipline-specific content knowledge and occasional figurative or abstract language. The associated task is moderate. Students write in response to a prompt about whether they think Mamie’s story might bring more people to love baseball as much as she does using events from the text to support their reasons. 

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 32, students choral read Blood on the River: Jamestown 1607 by Elisa Carbone, which has a Lexile level of 880L and falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The qualitative complexity is moderate, as the text includes multiple layers of meaning, figurative language, and historical references. The associated task is moderate. Students use the words ruckus and makeshift in super sentences; the sentences may include key details from the text or the sentences can be about a different topic. Students also respond to two questions about a character’s actions. 

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 37, students choral read My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian, which has a Lexile level of 880 and falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The text has a low qualitative complexity rating, due to its largely simple narrative structure. The associated task is moderate. Students use the information that has been provided by the author to write five questions that they will answer later on in the story. 

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 1, students choral read Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin, which has a Lexile level of 810 and falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The text has a high qualitative complexity, as it includes four different stories set in long-ago China. The associated task is challenging. Students make inferences and support their inferences using evidence from the text. Students also write in response to a prompt in which they compare and contrast two of the stories from the text, telling two ways that the stories are similar and two ways that the stories are different. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 5, students listen to Earthquakes: All about Earth’s crust, colliding plates, tsunamis, and more! by Seymour Simon, which has a Lexile level of 1020 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 contains somewhat complex language that is occasionally unfamiliar, archaic, discipline specific, and overly academic. The associated task is moderate. The teacher and students collaboratively write a paragraph about a diagram in the text, using details from the text, as well as a simile and the words plate, crust, and mantle. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 5, students listen to Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, which has a Lexile level of 1020 and falls within the Grades 6–8 Lexile Stretch Band, making it quantitatively appropriate as a read-aloud text. The text has a moderate qualitative complexity, due to its single layer of complex meaning and few point of view changes. The associated task is challenging. The teacher and students write in response to a prompt in which they put themselves in the place of the main character and use details to explain how they might feel and what they might experience. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 27, students listen to Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic by Ginnie Lo, which has a Lexile level of 800 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, due to its complex layers of meaning and use of figurative language and potentially unknown references and allusions. The associated task is challenging. The teacher and students discuss what message the author and illustrator shared with readers and write one to two sentences to summarize the sentence, using evidence from the text to support their thinking. 

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 Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, the Unit Overview section of the Module Overview page contains the following information: “In A Strong Right Arm, they will reinforce their understanding of narrative text structure, author's craft, figurative language, and character growth and relationships, and learn how one Black woman navigated life in the 1950s and early 1960s in the United States as she worked to achieve her dream of playing professional baseball. Then in Love, Amalia, students will continue refining their understanding of narrative structure and character growth and relationships as they read about how Amalia navigates a series of changes within her Mexican-American family, with her best friend, and at school.” 

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 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 860L–940L and ranges from 810L–880L by the end of the year. In the beginning of the year, the ELA quantitative complexity measure ranges from 550L–1010L and ranges from 660L–980L by the end of the year. The qualitative complexity measure remains relatively the same in Shared Reading and ELA. The associated task measure increases in complexity in Shared Reading; however, the associated task complexity measure 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 provide 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 860L–940L. The qualitative complexity measure for all texts is moderate and the associated task complexity measure for all texts is challenging. The overall complexity of texts is very complex. For example, students read A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson by Michelle Y. Green (860L), which falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The qualitative complexity measure is moderate. The associated task complexity measure is challenging, as students explain why Mamie’s story might bring more people to love the game of baseball as much as she does using events from the text to support their reasons.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 800L–880L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from low to moderate and the associated task complexity measure for all texts is moderate. The overall complexity of texts ranges from moderate to complex. For example, students read Blood on the River: Jamestown 1607 by Elisa Carbone (880L), which falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The qualitative complexity measure is moderate. The associated task complexity measure is moderate, as students write about why they think the author chose to end the book that way using evidence from the text to support their opinion.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 680L–880L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from low to moderate and the associated task complexity measure ranges from moderate to challenging. The overall complexity of text ranges from complex to very complex. For example, students read Tangerine by Edward Bloor (680L), which falls below the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The qualitative complexity measure is moderate. The associated task complexity measure is challenging, as students imitate the author’s craft when writing a short chapter about one of the characters from the text.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 810L-880L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from moderate to medium 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 The Amazing Life of Benjamin Franklin by James Cross Giblin (880L), which falls within the Grades 4–5 Lexile Stretch Band. The qualitative measure is moderate. The associated task complexity measure is accessible, as students pretend that they are Benjamin Franklin and write a new saying.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 550L–1010L. 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 Go Straight to the Source: Super Smart Informational Strategies by Kristin Fontichiaro (550L), which falls below the appropriate Lexile Stretch Band for a Grade 4 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 2, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 920L–1150L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from low to moderate and the associated task complexity measure for all texts is accessible. The overall complexity of text ranges from accessible to moderate. For example, students listen to My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen (1150L), which has an appropriate Lexile level for a Grade 4 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 3, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 720L–1020L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from low to moderate and the associated task complexity measure for all texts is accessible. The overall complexity of text ranges from accessible to moderate. For example, students listen to Alabama Moon by Watt Key (720L), which falls below the appropriate Lexile Stretch Band for a Grade 4 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 4, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 660L-980L. 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 Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster by Debra Frasier (820L), which falls below the appropriate Lexile Stretch Band for a Grade 4 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.

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 4 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 23 texts from a variety of text types and genres. For example:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 3, students choral read an excerpt from A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, a biography by Michelle Y. Green.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 32, students choral read The Amazing Life of Benjamin Franklin, a biography by Michael Dooling.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 11, students listen to an excerpt from Earthquakes:All About Earth’s crust, colliding plates, tsunamis and more!, an informational text by Seymour Simon.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 1, students focus on author’s craft as they participate in an interactive read aloud of the realistic fiction text, Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster by Debra Frasier.

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 one unit and a total of 38 lessons. Throughout the module, students read a total of two texts. In Lesson 1, students read A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson by Michelle Y. Green over the course of 20 lessons. Students typically choral read five pages per lesson. In Lesson 21, students read Love, Amalia by Alma Flor Ada and Gabriel M. Zubizarreta over the course of 18 lessons. Students typically chorally read 5-10 pages each lesson.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4 contains two units and a total of 38 lessons. Throughout the module, students read a total of two texts. In Lesson 1, students read Starry River of the Sky over the course of 30 lessons. Students typically choral read one chapter in each lesson. In Lesson 31, students read The Amazing Life of Benjamin Franklin by James Cross Giblin over the course of seven lessons. Students typically choral read five pages per session.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1 contains three units and a total of 38 lessons. Throughout the module, students listen to a total of three texts. In Lesson 11, the teacher reads aloud Earthquakes: All About Earth’s Crust, Colliding Plates, Tsunamis, and More! by Seymour Simon over the course of four lessons. Students typically listen to about five pages per session. In Lesson 16, the teacher reads aloud Go Straight to the Source: Super Smart Information Strategies by Kristin Fontichiaro over the course of four lessons. Students typically listen to one chapter per session. In Lesson 31, the teacher reads aloud Roanoke, The Lost Colony by Jane Yolden and Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple over the course of seven lessons. Students typically listen to 10 pages per lesson.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4 contains four units and a total of 37 lessons. Throughout the module, students listen to a total of six texts. In Lesson 1, the teacher reads aloud Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster by Debra Frasier over the course of three lessons. Students typically listen to six pages per session. In Lesson 9, the teacher reads aloud Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins by Carole Boston Weatherford over the course of four lessons. Students typically listen to 10 pages in each lesson. In Lesson 13, the teacher reads aloud a portion of Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World by Susan Hood over the course of one lesson. In Lesson 14, the teacher reads aloud The Moon Book: New and Updated by Gail Gibbons over the course of six lessons. Students typically listen to five pages per lesson. In Lesson 20, the teacher reads aloud Moth and Wasp, Soil and Ocean: Remembering Chinese Scientist Pu Zhelong’s Work for Sustainable Farming by Sigrid Schmalzer over the course of four lessons. Students typically listen to seven pages per lesson. In Lesson 24, the teacher reads aloud Auntie Yang’s Soybean Picnic by Ginno Lo over the course of four lessons. Students typically listen to five pages per session. 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 4 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 A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson by Michelle Y. Green, 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 “How did Mamie feel when the policeman asked if softball was too tough for her, and the boys all laughed? How do you know she felt this way?,” “Why did Mamie think she was like no baseball player Sarge had ever seen?,” and “Why wasn’t Mamie scared when Officer Campbell told her to wait outside?” 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 the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 3, students engage in a discussion of Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World by Susan Hood and respond to 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 1, Lesson 1, the teacher script framing students’ discussion of the text, A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson by Michelle Y. Green, is as follows: “The author has chosen to write this book in first person. When we see first person in a fiction text, we know that means that the book is written as though the characters are speaking directly to the reader. When we see first person in a biography, this means the book is written as though the real person the book is about is telling their story directly to us. As you reread with your partner today, think about this question: How did the author use written language in a way that makes us feel like Mamie is sitting in the room with us and telling us her story?”

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 1, as students discuss Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World by Susan Hood, materials include the following Teaching Tip : “To summarize students’ partner discussions, you might choose to: Verbally summarize students’ partner discussions by saying something like, ‘I heard a lot of interesting ideas about clues for this poem’s structure. One idea was ______________. Another good idea I heard was ____________.’ Make a written list/summary of students’ partner discussions by asking a few students to share their discussions while you note important points on an anchor chart, which you might want to call ‘Structure Clues for ‘The Storyteller.’’”

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 31, students discuss elements of strong presentation skills. Teacher guidance is as follows: “Give students 1–2 minutes to discuss” and then say, “As I was listening I heard you say you need to speak clearly, speak in complete sentences, and ‘know your stuff.’" Afterwards, the teacher might use the Teaching Tip to continue this work: ‘Teaching Tip: Refer to a ‘strong presentation skills’ anchor chart if you have one, or consider creating one that lists the three items mentioned above.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 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 22, students “discuss written responses from [the] previous lesson with a partner.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 3, students work in small groups to determine whether short texts from a teacher-provided text set are narratives. After students have time to discuss, lesson guidance directs the teacher to bring the class back together and have students share “why they think the texts are or are not narrative examples.”

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

  • No evidence found

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

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

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 21, the teacher directs students, “As you reread with your partner today, think about this question: How does the author help us learn more about Abuelita, Amalia’s grandmother?”Students do not pose specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, or make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 2, students give and receive peer feedback on introductions to their mystery story. During the Sharing portion of the lesson, the teacher prompts, “I read some interesting and attention-grabbing introductions today. Find someone who you have not worked with recently and share your introduction with them. Provide feedback to your partner that may help to enhance their introduction even more.” It is unclear whether students pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information or make comments that link to the remarks of others.

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

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 13, students read Tangerine by Edward Bloor. During the Pair-Share portion of the lesson, students discuss the following question with a partner,”Paul’s mother has done something very specific to help him. Think about the character traits you have been assigning to her. Is her action consistent with those traits, or inconsistent? Provide evidence for your opinion.”

  • In ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 29, the teacher asks students “What’s your impression of the book after two chapters?” After they discuss as a class, the teacher adds to the class anchor chart and states, “Let’s start our anchor chart with characters and their traits. Then each day we will update with the most important events.”

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

  • No evidence found

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

  • No evidence found

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

  • No evidence found

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 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. The teacher routinely identifies the parts of speech. Although the rubrics assess grammar and convention skills such as commas in addresses, some skills are never explicitly taught. Additionally, students complete writing prompts in the student workbook but do not routinely apply specific grammar skills.

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

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

  • Relative Pronouns:

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 10, students learn about the relative pronoun who. The teacher states, “‘The parties began to fight.’ Let’s use some sophisticated pronouns. In the sentence, parties is actually referring to groups of people. If we want to tell more about the parties, we can begin with the pronoun who. Who competed in the election? Who joined the revolution? What other phrases can you come up with beginning with who? We will insert these phrases after the word parties.”

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 3, the teacher shares a sentence and says, “Notice the word that at the beginning of the second line. The word that is an example of a relative pronoun. A relative pronoun is a word that refers to a noun mentioned previously. In this line, the relative pronoun that refers to the noun diet. Is there other relative pronouns we could use in place of that?”

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 3, Sentence Composing Teaching Tip states, “The relative pronoun who fits in the second line. For the third line, students could choose from two relative pronouns: that or which.”

  • Relative Adverbs:

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 20, students learn about the relative adverb when. The teacher states, “We learn from documents all the time. Let’s add a phrase starting with when. We can add it to the beginning, to the end, or just after the verb learn. If we insert after the verb, we need to use commas before and after. Let’s try each place and see what sounds best to us.”

    • No other evidence was found.

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

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 10, students learn about progressive verb tenses. The teacher begins with the sentence, “When you describe what you ______, be careful to do just that: ______. Now let’s change the verb tense to be more precise. When you describe what you are ______, be careful to do just that: describe. When you describe what you were ______, be careful to do just that: describe. When you describe what you will be ______, be careful to do just that: describe.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 29, the teacher presents a sentence and says, “I want it to sound like she’s right in the moment, so we need to use the present progressive tense. To change takes to its present progressive form, we need to remove the -s, drop the final e, and then add -ing, to make the word taking. Then, we need to add a helping verb just before taking. For progressive present tense in this sentence, since Molly is singular, we need to use the helping verb is, like this …” The teacher continues and asks, “What helping verb would we use with taking to change it to progressive past tense? Progressive future tense?”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 13, materials state, “Now let’s try using the progressive form of the verbs we came up with. The verbs we just came up with are all past tense. To change them to past progressive tense, we need to do two things. First, we need to add a helping verb in front of our action verb. Since our subject is the pronoun I, we need to use the helping verb was to make sure we have subject-verb agreement. Then we need to add the suffix -ing to each action verb.”

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

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 20, students learn about modal auxiliaries. The teacher begins with the sentence, “What can you learn about the person? What if I changed  can to might? How would that change the meaning? What if I changed can to may? How about must? What _____ you _____ about the person?”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plan, Module 2, Lesson 30, the teacher presents a sentence and says, “But what if we want to indicate the probability of something happening instead? Or permission? Or obligation? To do that, we need to change the verb shows to its room form show, and then put a modal auxiliary verb in front of it. Some examples of modal auxiliary verbs are can, could, may, might, must, ought to, have to, should, will, and would. I’ll show you how this works.” Later the teacher says, “What are some auxiliary verbs we can use with show to indicate probability? Let’s try it again, but this time we’ll indicate obligation. Remember to add the modal auxiliary verb first, then change the verb shows to its root form show.”

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

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 22, the teacher states, “There are two adjectives that describe the dog. Would we say a black big dog or a big black dog? The order is important here. So now let’s write one. We’ll use two adjectives to describe a dragon. What combinations of adjectives would make sense?”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 24, the teacher guides students to determine how to order adjectives based on size and color.

• Form and use prepositional phrases.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 20, the teacher states, “When you order is a phrase that tells when. It has a noun and a verb, but it can’t be the subject and verb of our sentence - it’s a phrase telling when. At the menu and at a restaurant are both prepositional phrases. They contain nouns, but they can’t be the subject.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 10, students learn about using prepositional phrases. The teacher begins with the sentences, “The meal was turkey. They cooked the turkey in the backyard. They cooked the turkey in a barbeque.” The teacher states, “We can combine it into one much more elegant sentence. Combine the first two first. Turn the second sentence into a phrase containing only new information: ‘The meal was turkey cooked in the backyard.’ Now do the same with the final sentence: ‘The meal was turkey cooked in the backyard in a barbeque.’ Prepositional phrases added to a kernel sentence can avoid a lot of unnecessary repetition.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 37, the teacher shares a sentence and says, “Let’s look first for a subject and verb. Towards the bunk room is a prepositional phrase telling where. I started back is actually a kernel sentence. It has a subject and verb.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 40, the teacher explains how to add prepositional phrases to add details by telling where or why something occurs.

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

  • Fragment:

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 32, the teacher shares the fragment, “To hold it until new colonists could arrive.” The teacher states, “This is clearly a fragment. Hold is a verb, but it is used with to, and that turns it into a detail telling why. So, we need a subject and a verb that could make sense there.”

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 1, students learn about fixing a sentence fragment. The teacher begins with the fragment, “Community champion for children,” and says, “This line from the poem is a fragment. Let’s make it a complete sentence, and then expand it. To do that, we’ll need a subject and predicate. For our subject, we can use the person this fragment is describing. That’s Pura! Then we can convert this fragment into a predicate by adding a verb in front of it. Here is one way we could do that: ‘Pura Belpré was a community champion for children.’”

    • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 52, the teacher shares a sentence and says, “This is a fragment. It is telling something happened, but it doesn’t have a subject and a verb. We have to fix it with a complete sentence at the beginning or end.”

  • Run-Ons:

    • No evidence was found.

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

  • No evidence was found.

• Use correct capitalization.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 5, the teacher states, “You have to capitalize the first word after the quotation marks.”

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

  • In the ELA Lessons plans, Module 1, Lesson 31, the teacher explains that the authors wrote words in quotation marks because they tell someone used those exact words that the author wrote. The teacher states, “If you look closely, you can see that the authors put the word discovered in quotation marks. I’ll read that part again: ‘The European settlers felt they had discovered the New World.’ When you put a word in quotation marks like that, sometimes it is like saying, ‘Hey, they used that word, not me.’ Why is it such a tricky word?”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 10, the teacher tells students, “Before we expand this, let’s take a look at the punctuation. It’s direct speech, so the actual words the daddy says are enclosed in quotation marks. In a regular sentence, we would end with a period. Since we have to tell who is speaking, we substitute the period with a comma. The comma goes inside the quotation marks.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 22, the teacher tells students, “We need to remember to use quotation marks correctly here. Since we will be copying them straight from the text, I can say….” The teacher uses quotations to use the words from the text.

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

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 5, students learn about conjunctions. The teacher gives students the sentences, “The plane increased speed and swooped up. Brian’s stomach swooped down.” Then the teacher states, “Are those two similar ideas or are they in contrast? The subjects are different, so we will have a comma and a linking word. Which words provide the most meaning?”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 20, there is script for teachers to teach students to combine three simple sentences into one compound sentence by using the subject once and listing the three predicates in a series separated by commas and using the conjunction and.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 24, materials state, “We always need a comma before using a conjunction like so in the middle of a sentence.”

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

  • No evidence was found.

• Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 11-15, students complete the Expand exercise. In this activity, the teacher teaches students to select words and phrases for effect.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 4, students practice choosing precise words. The teacher gives students the sentences, “The pilot was having a heart attack. The pilot slammed into the seat one more time.” The teacher states, “We have a repeated subject here, so we may have to substitute with the pronoun he. Which of these statements caused the other? If we combine with the words since or because, we put the linking word before the statement that provides a cause. That is a very precise signal to the reader about our meaning. Then we can decide on the order. Either statement can go first, but there is a difference in punctuation.”

• Choose punctuation for effect.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 32, students learn about choosing precise words. The teacher gives students the sentence, “The colonists suspected Indians had killed him.” The teacher states, “We can make this sentence much more informative. What proper noun is replacing the pronoun him?”

  • In the ELA Lesson plans, Module 3, Lesson 18, Imitate, the teacher rewrites the following sentence as a direct speech: “Storing live fish to eat later had been a major breakthrough, he thought.” The teacher states, “Let’s rewrite this as direct speech, with Brian telling about it instead of thinking. We’ll have to change the word thought. What if we used boasted to show that he is proud? Start your statement with I. Let’s practice our punctuation if we set off the quote in the beginning and the end.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 11, Sentence Composing, the teacher guides students to add dialogue with punctuation at the end of a sentence.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 27, the teacher says, “I chose an exclamation point because Oldest Uncle was saying something funny, so he probably said it with great enthusiasm.”

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

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 12, the teacher says, “Remember, though, that he is a famous author and we should use formal English in our questions as a sign of respect for his work.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 10, the teacher explains the author’s choice to use informal language because the story is told from the point of view of a child. The teacher guides the students to change the language to be more formal. The teacher says, “The author is using informal language here because the story is told from the point of view of a child. If we were to make this language more formal, how would we change it?”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 12, the teacher says, “Let’s write at least three. We need to remember to present them in an order that makes sense and use the formal English that a professional journalist would use.”

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 1, Lesson 13, the teacher says, “Let’s write one paragraph that tells about today’s diagram. We need to make sure we use the words plate, crust, and mantle. We also need to give details, and let’s try to also use a simile.”

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lessons 11-15, 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 4, students complete written responses.

• The 2-5 Teacher Manual, pages-204-211, contains the Writing Scope and Sequence for Grade 4.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 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, students begin reading the fiction text, A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson by Michelle Y. Green. Before reading, the teacher defines the terms universe and mentioning, during the Word Study portion of the lesson. Materials also include a Teaching Tip inset that addresses using syllable types to remember spelling and to facilitate decoding. After reading pages 3–10 of the text, students “[u]se universe and mentioning in super sentences,” during the Written Response. Students can “capture key details from today’s reading in [their] sentences,” or they can “write [their] sentences using a different topic.” Students review all vocabulary words for the week in Lesson 4. In Lesson 5, students complete Word Study Assessment 1, during which the teacher calls out the vocabulary words from the week and selects half of the words for students to use in super sentences to assess meaning. The vocabulary words do not repeat across any other texts.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 37, students begin reading the fiction text, My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian. Before reading this text, the teacher informs students that they will “use a different strategy for building vocabulary.” Each day, students select three words drawn by the illustrator, Jake Tashjian. Students then write a definition in their own words, as well as a super sentence. Students look through pages 1–9 of the text and select three vocabulary words. Afterwards, the teacher chooses two words from each students’ list to use in the weekly Word Study Assessment. During the Written Response, students “combine information from three sources: Jake’s picture, his mother’s words in the story, and a dictionary definition that [they] look up.” Through Lesson 48, students select three vocabulary words each day. Because students self-select vocabulary words, it is unclear whether vocabulary words repeat across other texts.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 13, students participate in an interactive read aloud of Earthquakes: All About Earth’s Crust, Colliding Plates, Tsunamis, and More! by Seymour Simon. During the interactive read aloud, the teacher reads the word seismograph and stops to discuss what it means with students: “Seismos is the Greek word for earthquake, and graph means writing. So that combination makes sense, doesn’t it? A seismograph makes a written record of an earthquake.” The vocabulary word does not repeat across any other texts.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 4, students participate in an interactive read aloud of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. After providing the students with background knowledge, the teacher says, “One word from our book is lurched. What word? To lurch means to move suddenly without control. If I tripped on the sidewalk, I might lurch forward. In this chapter, we read that ‘the plane lurched slightly to the right and Brian looked at the pilot.’ To lurch means to move suddenly without control. You can use that word: When I tripped, I lurched and _______ . If I see someone who lurches, I ________.” 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 4 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 1n.

The Grade 4 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 Lesson Plans. 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 of some words during some lessons. While the teacher may periodically mention some phonics, word analysis, and word recognition skills during lessons, there is no evidence of student opportunities for guided practice, independent practice, or application. Students may practice these skills in context during writing tasks and choral or partner reading, but instruction does not specifically include 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 ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 14, the teacher says, “I see an interesting root word here. Graph means ‘writing’. So, seismographs are instruments that ‘write’ down what is happening in an earthquake.” Students think of a list of other words that have the root graph.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 18, the teacher writes the word decade on the board. The teacher says, “We can use what we know about the meanings of word parts to help us understand the meaning of a whole word. Then we can use that word’s meaning to help us understand and make inferences about what we have read. Let me show you what I mean.” The teacher then uses the word decode and underlines dec. “Let’s use what we know. The root dec means ten.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 22, the teacher instructs on the word reassure. The teacher states, “The prefix re- means ‘again’.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher instructs on the word discontent. The teacher states, “The prefix dis- means ‘not’ or ‘the opposite,’ and content means ‘to be happy’.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 2, the teacher reads a sentence and points out that the word disability starts with the prefix dis, which means “lack of” or “not.” The teacher explains the base word is ability.

  • 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 includes 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 syllables 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.

• 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, page 36 includes an Assessment Plan: Grades 2-5. This provides details of the assessment plan for Grades 2-5, including the types of assessments, the frequency of the assessments, and the strategy for administering and scoring the assessments. The plans state that word study assessments will occur every five days and be assessed by percent correct.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 5, students complete a Word Study Assessment that is scored with the Spelling Tool Grades 3-5, Appendix B (page 564), and the Super Sentence Rubric, Appendix A (page 552). This assessment pattern repeats weekly.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 40, Word Study Assessment, the teacher assesses spelling by calling out all the following vocabulary words from this week, without segmenting into sounds or syllables: monarchy, succession, ceremony, scurrying, coronation, heirs, and taxes. 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 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 4 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 1o.

The Grade 4 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 begins to read A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie Peanut Johnson. When introducing vocabulary for the lesson, the teacher identifies the syllable types in the words universe and mentioning.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 2, the class reads Blood on the River: James Town 1607. Before reading, the teacher introduces the vocabulary words pawn shop and prophecy by sharing the syllable types of the words.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 1, students learn whimpering and noxious. Students learn to identify the syllable types of which the words are made up. Additionally, students are later required to create Super Sentences using the new vocabulary words.

• In the 2-5 Teacher Manual, the text explains how students build on their single-syllable pattern knowledge to spell multisyllabic words beginning in Grade 3. To help students master the doubling principle, they choose lists of base words with specific patterns, and help students practice adding suffixes to them across the week. Since they still want students to generalize rather than memorize, they again use the strategy of sorting. Sorting requires students to analyze the characteristics of base words with similar structures and then look for patterns when adding suffixes.

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 1, the text advises in a Teaching Tip, “Grade 4 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”.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 24, students are asked to use caravan and retaliate in Super Sentences. Students can choose to capture key details from today’s reading in their sentences, or they can choose to write sentences using a topic of their choice.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 1, 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 4 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 1p.

The Grade 4 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 systematically monitor individual fluency and accuracy during the Shared Reading Lesson Plans. Materials include many opportunities for 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 2, Lesson 2, the teacher says to students, “As you reread with your partner today, think about why you would not want too many gentlemen on this trip.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 3, the teacher says, “As you reread with your partner today, think about this question: How did the author use descriptive language to show us how hot it was, both in The Village of Clear Sky and in Madame Chang’s Story of the Six Suns?”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 26, 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 reading, the teacher stops and models comprehension strategies to assist students in learning how to read with purpose and understanding. The teacher states, “I am going to stop here and make an inference because it will help me to understand what Rendi has just realized.”

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 two to three minutes discussing their answers to the written response from the previous day. The teacher then “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 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 2, Lesson 20, student pairs reread by alternating pages or by rereading chorally.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 26, the students chorally read and then partner read 11 pages from Starry River of the Sky.

  • 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 25, during the choral read, the teacher stops and states, “I need to self monitor … I have to pay attention while I’m reading in case I start misinterpreting the text.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 13, the teacher says, “There are old-fashioned words in the primary source document here. As we read today, think about what they mean in more modern language as we read this chapter. Use context to figure out what they mean in this text.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 23, the teacher says, “As you reread with your partner today, try to feel the soccer game and what it meant for Paul.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 36, students are asked to “find one word from the text that you can’t understand. Write the word. Use context clues to guess the meaning and write your guess down. Check the definition in a dictionary. Put a check next to the definition if you are correct. Fix the definition if you need to add more or change it. Reread the sentence from the book that the word is in. Write the word in a new sentence.”

  • 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.