4th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that anchor texts are of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading and consider a range of student interests.

The texts provide content that is relevant and interesting to students. The literary texts portray fascinating stories through vivid illustrations and quality writing that would be of interest to students. The texts cover a variety of cultures and concepts including science. Anchor texts in the majority of chapters/units, and across the yearlong curriculum, are of publishable quality. Anchor texts consider a range of student interests and are well-crafted and content-rich, engaging students at their grade level. Examples include:

• Module 1:
  • A River of Words by Jen Bryant has brightly colored illustrations in the book that are simple but catch students’ attention. The text has sentences that a student in Grade 4 would be able to read and the story talks about a boy who goes on adventures and explores different areas around him. The text contains such academic vocabulary as “slipping” and “sooth” to enhance student learning.
• Module 2:
  • Can You Survive The Wilderness? by Matt Doeden helps students to learn about a variety of places around the world, including Alaska, Australia, and the Washington Cascades. It is an informative text that is designed to keep students engaged while learning interactively about different topics.
  • Venom by Marilyn Singer contains engaging text features, such as colored font for headings and compelling photos for poisonous animals. The text includes a creative play on words.
• Module 3:
  • Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak by Kay Winters is written in a poetic style to convey life in colonial times. The end pages contain illustrated maps of Boston in 1773. There are descriptive adjectives and verbs such as “gloomy,” “wealthy,” “linger,” and “sag.”
• Module 4:
  • The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach is a chapter book about the nineteenth amendment. The text contains creative chapter titles such as “It All Comes Down to Tennessee.” The writing has clear, descriptive wording and phrasing such as “soft-collared shirt,” “dwarfed by the enormous arched ceiling,” and “the woman’s face was drawn and gray.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

Students have the opportunity to read a mix of informational and literary texts. Genres include poetry, letters, a chapter book, and informational articles. There are no opportunities for students to read myths.

The following are examples of informational texts included within the materials:

• Module 1: “Expert Group Poet Biographies: Robert Frost” by
• Module 2: Venom by Marilyn Singer
• Module 3: “Loyalists” by The New Book of Knowledge
• Module 4: “Ten Suffragists Arrested while Picketing at the White House” from America’s Story from America’s Library

The following are examples of literary texts included within the materials:

• Module 1: Love that Dog by Sharon Creech
• Module 2: Can You Survive the Wilderness? by Matt Doeden
• Module 3: Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak by Kay Winters
• Module 4: The Hope Chest by Caroline Schwabach

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

Many texts reviewed have Lexile scores above the Grade 4 range; however, the texts have qualitative features such as pictures or illustrations to help support student comprehension. Texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task. Anchor texts are placed at the appropriate grade level. Examples include:

• Module 1:
  • "Love that Dog" by Sharon Creech is a poem and; therefore, does not have a Lexile. This text is a literary piece that does not have a quantitative measure because it is written in free verse style, which has unconventional punctuation. The text has multiple meanings that require students to read the entire text to discern some of the hidden meanings while other information within the text allows the reader to infer the meaning immediately. The text is not predictable and requires students to be able to understand what the backstory is and when Jack is in the backstory. Students have to be able to infer that this does not occur in real time, rather it is something that Jack has experienced prior, making it complex, at times, for students. The vocabulary and simple sentences make this text accessible for students to read, but, at times, the punctuation makes it difficult for students to understand the meaning in the text.
  • "A River of Words" by Jen Bryant has a Lexile of 820. The meaning and purpose of the text is moderately complex. The purpose of the text is to show the connection between William Carlos Williams’s life and his poetry. The text structure is moderately complex and is written in sequential order. The text includes numerous visuals, including images of William’s poems and drafts. The language features are moderately complex and include metaphors and some academic language in the author’s note. The knowledge demands are slightly complex. While some historical references are made, students should be familiar with the majority of the references in the text.
• Module 2:
  • Animal Behaviors: Animal Defenses by Christina Wilsdon falls in the 4-5 complexity band and does not have a Lexile score. Students read excerpts from the book. According to the publisher materials, meaning and purpose, text structure, knowledge demands, and language features are moderately complex. The language is explicit and easy to understand, but the concepts presented are somewhat abstract. The text primarily uses simple and compound sentences with some complex constructions. Many academic and domain specific words are introduced, but most can be defined from context and examples.
• Module 3:
  • Divided Loyalties: The Barton Family during the American Revolution by Gare Thompson is a play and does not have a Lexile score. Readers infer the central message from the character’s dialogue and interactions. The text structure is moderately complex since the play is chronological with complex characters and subplots. The language features are moderately complex with historical references that may be difficult to interpret. The knowledge demands are moderately complex since the text has many references to historical events.
• Module 4:
  • The Hope Chest by Caroline Schwabach has a Lexile of 800. The meaning and purpose is moderately complex as scenarios across the text allow students to make connections about the meaning. There are multiple levels of meaning in the text. The text structure is moderately complex with complex characters, and there are subplots throughout the text that increase the complexity. The language features are moderately complex with figurative language, idioms, and vocabulary specific to time and place. The knowledge demands are very complex since the text is set in the early 1900s in the South, and the experiences portrayed are uncommon to most readers.

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

As the year progresses, questions and tasks build literacy skills and student independence. Lessons contain scaffolding and Universal Design for Learning to support students’ increasing literacy skills. Throughout the Modules, the teacher reads aloud each of the complex texts. Students reread sections of the texts. There are few opportunities for students to read the grade level complex texts in the Modules independently without a prior teacher read aloud.

• In Module 1, students hear and reread poems. Students analyze poems and free verse texts such as: "Love That Dog," "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," "The Pasture," and "River of Words." With teacher guidance, note-catchers, and anchor charts, students analyze the structure of poems and the author’s meaning behind the poem. This analysis prepares them for Unit 2, where students build on author’s meaning and write to inform where a poet finds inspiration. During an expert group, students read a short biography about a poet. Units are then synthesized together for Unit 3 where students write their own poem drawing on the previous analysis of poets and poems.
• In Module 2, students build background knowledge on general animal defenses through close readings of several informational texts such as Animal Behavior: Animal Defenses, Venom, and The Fight to Survive. Students are supported in understanding Animal Behavior: Animal Defenses through read aloud by the teacher and rereading to complete close readings that focus on vocabulary and identifying main ideas and details. The Fight to Survive text is within the grade-level band; however, all elements of the text are moderately complex and students will need support in understanding the relationship between the focus of the article, the subsections and the examples given. While reading, students practice drawing inferences as they begin their research and use a research notebook to make observations and synthesize information. During Unit 3, students hear and reread a choose-your-own-adventure story, titled Can you Survive the Wilderness. This text is used throughout the unit as a model for students to use so they can write their own version of a choose-your-own-adventure story.
• In Module 3, students hear and reread texts about the American Revolution and dig into the points of view of Loyalists and Patriots. The texts include, Divided Loyalties, American Indians and the American Revolution, and The Declaration of Independence. The complexity in the texts is high because students have to develop strategies for navigating language and meaning complexity through close readings. The text also refers to ideas and historical events that may be unfamiliar to students. While reading the text, students are supported in analyzing the structure of opinion writing and the opinions within the text.
• In Module 4, Unit 1, students in triads begin reading The Hope Chest. Since the text requires background knowledge of key historical events and cultural elements of the early 1920s, as well as a general understanding of the process for approving constitutional amendments, students are supported in their literacy skills by peers and the teacher. Students hear and close read informational primary and secondary accounts of real-life responses to inequality and compare and contrast the information in both. In Unit 2, students dig deeper in The Hope Chest to determine the theme and summarize each chapter.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that anchor and supporting texts provide opportunities for students to engage in a broad range of text types and disciplines as well as a volume of reading to achieve grade level reading proficiency.

In the materials, students access a variety and volume of texts that support students’ ability to read at their grade level. There is a Required Trade Book Procurement List and a Recommended Texts and Other Resources List. These lists contain a range and volume of informational and literary texts that students read during Module lessons. Throughout the Grade 4 sequence, students are exposed to a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts. Students study literary, fiction, and poetry texts in depth, as is the case with their analysis of Love That Dog in Module 1 and in Module 2 when students read informational texts for the purpose of writing their own research paper. Other opportunities include close reading strategies to support student learning and readers theatre activities. During the Module lessons, students can participate in Accountable Independent Reading as part of homework and during the ALL Block, students participate in a rotation of Independent Reading for 20 minutes. During this time, the teacher checks in with students to see how they are progressing towards their reading goal.

Instructional materials identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in reading a variety of texts to become independent readers and/or comprehenders and a volume of reading as they grow toward reading independence at the grade level. Examples include:

• In Module lessons, students participate in Close Reading, which provides students with the opportunity to read complex texts.
  • In Module 1, Unit 1, students begin to build their close reading skills by reading the novel in verse, Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, and analyzing how the main character, Jack, feels in response to events that happen in the story. Alongside Love That Dog, students closely read and analyze the poems Jack reads and describes, including "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost. They analyze the poems to determine a theme and to identify characteristics of poetry in order to effectively summarize the poems.
  • In Module 2, Unit 1, they build background knowledge on general animal defenses through close readings of several informational texts. Students read closely to practice drawing inferences as they begin their research and use a research notebook to make observations and synthesize information. Students will continue to use the research notebook, using the millipede as a whole class model. They begin to research an expert group animal in preparation to write about this animal in Units 2 and 3, again using the research notebook.
• During the ALL Block, students read 20 minutes. The purpose of their reading alternates each week with one week focused on research reading and the following week focused on reading for pleasure.
• In Module 1, students learn about Accountable Independent Reading. Students are taught the structures of Accountable Independent Reading. Independent Reading is assigned for homework most nights. Teachers and students work together to set an independent reading goal, the teacher will check in once or twice a week to see how the student is progressing with their goal. Sample lessons for launching independent reading are also provided in the Module 1 Teacher Guide.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text dependent/specific, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text).

Each module includes a set of trade books that students use throughout the lessons. Materials for the lessons and ALL Block provide graphic organizers and instructional support tasks for students to engage with the text and to collect textual evidence, building toward a performance task. Students are directed to make connections not only across texts, but also across units and lessons. Texts are used significantly during lessons focused primarily on writing. While most questions, tasks, and assignments draw the reader back into the text and support students’ literacy growth over the course of the school year, there are some questions, tasks, and assignments can be accomplished without use of the text.

The materials include graphic organizers that assist students in Close Reads of their text and citing evidence for specific questions or tasks they are asked to complete. Tasks for various lessons within each unit include teacher-led close reading of content-based text and text-dependent questions along with a focus question to drive a series of sessions on a complex text. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 3, students listen to a recording and follow along in their text to the poem, “The Red Wheelbarrow.” Students sketch what they heard and answer questions about the poem using evidence from the text to support answers.
• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 6, students complete a close reading using the Close Read Note-catcher “A River of Words, Author’s Note.” They answer the question, “What inspired William Carlos Williams to write poetry?” using text evidence from the close read.
• In the Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Close Read for the text “Fight to Survive,” students answer various text-dependent questions, such as “What external structure do both the millipede and armadillo use to survive? Underline evidence from the text to support your answer.” Students must refer back to the text to respond to each question during the close reading portion.
• In Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 1, students engage in the purpose of the lesson by reading a choose-your-own-adventure story titled, “Can you Survive the Wilderness.” This text is used throughout the unit as a model for students to use, so that they can write their own version of a choose-your-own-adventure story. Students analyze the text to determine the structure and apply it to their own writing.
• In Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 3, students hear a read aloud from the text “Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak.” Students analyze the vocabulary with the support of text features, “What is a ___________ midwife/barber/wigmaker/blacksmith/clockmaker/silversmith’s apprentice? How do you know? What do the pictures tell you?” and deepening their comprehension of the events in the text. During “Closing and Assessment,” students are directed to determine topic and theme of the text through answering the following questions: “What is a topic? What is a theme? What is the topic of Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak?” Students complete an exit ticket with the following question: “What is the theme of Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak? What big idea does the author want you to take away?” After completing the exit ticket, students discuss responses with peers.
• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 5, students close read an excerpt of the “Declaration of Independence” in order to participate in a text-based discussion about what the characters from the text “Divided Loyalties” would think of it. Students are asked the following questions: “What does it mean to declare independence? What did the colonies do? What would the character think of this excerpt? Based on his situation, would he agree? Why or why not?” Students work in small groups to discuss their responses to these questions. While participating in the discussion, students jot down questions and thoughts that they have as peers speak on sticky notes. After the initial discussion, the sticky notes are collected and added to a class anchor chart. Then, groups circulate around the room to look at the notes and continue to discuss what they see. The teacher brings students back together again to talk about what students learned about the topic through the class discussion. The teacher asks, “What did you learn from the discussion? How did the discussion change your thinking?”
• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 6, students read Chapter 5 of the text, “The Hope Chest.” There is a focus in this lesson on idioms, adages, proverbs, determining theme, and summarizing the text. The teacher begins the lesson by reading Chapter 5 aloud and draws students’ attention to the language used in the chapter. The teacher asks, “What is slang? What is an example of slang that you can think of?You’ve heard the term angelinas quite a few times since the beginning of the chapter. What can you infer angelinas are?” After reading the chapter, students utilize silent chapter reflection time to determine the gist of the chapter. Next, the teacher moves the lesson towards determining theme. The teacher asks, “What is a theme? How do you know what a theme of a text is? What themes have you seen so far? Which messages or main ideas keep coming up in the first five chapters that are relevant to the real world outside of the book? Is there anything the book is teaching you or helping you understand about life?” Student-suggested themes are recorded on chart paper. During “Closing and Assessment,” students review the themes and return to the text to find supporting evidence.
• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 11, students analyze the text, “The Hope Chest,” in order to determine theme. In Lesson 10, they use the text to identify evidence they will use in their writing to support the theme that they have determined for the text. In this Lesson, students begin to write the paragraph incorporating the evidence from the text. Students answer the following questions: “What does elaborate mean? What does it mean to elaborate on evidence in an essay? What is the first proof paragraph about? Look at your first piece of evidence for your first character. How does this show evidence of the theme you are writing about? What about this evidence makes you think of the theme you have chosen?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for having sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent/specific questions and tasks build to a culminating task that integrates skills (may be writing, speaking, or a combination).

Materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and activities that build to a culminating task which integrates skills to demonstrate understanding. Culminating tasks require students to gather details or information using text-dependent questions, anchor charts, and graphic organizers to write a specific genre of writing at the end of each Module. Each Module has a final Performance Task. Performance tasks are designed to help students synthesize and apply their learning from the unit in an engaging and authentic way. Culminating tasks are rich and provide opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and are able to do using speaking and writing.

The Module 1 Performance Task requires students to write an original poem. Students also write a speech about the inspiration behind their poem and note where the reader/listener can locate this evidence within their poem. This culminating task includes supporting visuals. In Unit 1, Lesson 3, students read and analyze "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams. Students identify the characteristics within the poem that they add to the “What Makes a Poem a Poem?” anchor chart. Students spend the unit deeply analyzing poems. They analyze the structure of poems along with the author’s meaning behind the poem. Students answer questions such as: “How does Jack feel when he says any words can be a poem? Why do you think so? What is the theme of this poem? What is the main idea or message the poet wants you to take away?” This deep analysis prepares students for Unit 2, where they build on author’s meaning and write to inform where a poet finds inspiration. Units 1 and 2 are synthesized for Unit 3 where students write their own poem and create a presentation explaining where they found inspiration for their poem. To synthesize this unit, the teacher asks the following questions: “What inspired you to write poetry, and where can you see evidence of this in your poem? How did you communicate this inspiration in your poem? What do you hope your audience will take away? Why?”

The Module 2 Performance Task requires students to write a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Animal Defense Mechanisms Narrative. In this culminating task, students blend their research of animal defense mechanisms with narrative writing. The narrative begins with a short informational piece describing the student’s animal and its defense mechanisms. Then, students write a narrative in which their animal is featured as the main character. In Unit 1, Lesson 4, students complete a KWL graphic organizer to document their research of the defense mechanisms of animals. Students record information that they have gathered from a close reading of “Lying Low” and “A Life in Hiding” from Animal Behavior: Animal Defenses. In Unit 3, Lesson 3, students determine and share the audience and purpose of the narrative component of their writing piece. Students use their research notes to complete the Character Profile graphic organizer.

The Module 3 Performance Task requires students to discuss their opinion of the American Revolution. Students are required to consider both sides, Loyalist and Patriot, and decide which they would have supported if they had lived in colonial times. In Unit 1, Lesson 10, students independently write a summary of American Indians and the American Revolution. Students analyze the role and perspective of the Native Americans during the war through answering questions such as, “How does your understanding of this sentence add to your understanding of the effect of the war on American Indians?” In Unit 2, Lesson 10, students write in pairs about Robert in Act III, Scene 2 of Divided Loyalties. Students complete the Point of View handout about Robert and use this analysis to write a first person narrative as if they were Robert. In Unit 3, Lesson 3, students discuss the following: “How do people today share their opinion? How might people have shared their opinion during the American Revolution, before things like Twitter and blogs existed?” Students analyze the structure of opinion writing and the opinions within the text, which will then be used to write their own opinion. In Lesson 6, students use the Opinion Writing Graphic organizer and focus on stating an opinion that is supported through reasons and evidence. In Lesson 7, students draft their opinion introduction, which is followed by writing the body paragraphs in Lessons 8 and 9, and the conclusion paragraph in Lesson 10.

The Module 4 Performance Task focuses on responding to injustices and requires students to work as a class to share the results of their action plan by writing a press release. Within their report, students include what they did, when and where it occurred, the results, and the impact. In Unit 2, Lesson 9, students analyze the model of one of the themes from The Hope Chest. Students independently answer the following prompt: “Write an essay that explains one of the major themes of the book. Use evidence and examples from the text to support your interpretation.” In Unit 2, Lesson 13, students consider the how characters in The Hope Chest and Violet and the suffragists took action on the issue of women’s right to vote. Students use their analysis of The Hope Chest to write an essay that explains one of the major themes of the book. Students use evidence and examples from the text to support their interpretation. In Unit 3, students use what they read in Units 1 and 2 to find inspiration for how kids can take action and make a difference. To deepen their analysis, students respond to the following questions: “Can you identify a character in The Hope Chest who took action to make a difference? Describe how the character’s actions made a difference. Reread this text. Who took action? How did she take action? How did Daniel Vasquez contribute to a better world?” Students research ways that kids can make a difference and create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) to highlight one of the ways students can take action in the world.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials providing frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small groups, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

The materials provide frequent opportunities and protocols throughout Modules and within lesson components for evidence-based discussions such as Turn-and-Talk, Think-Pair-Share and text-based discussions such as Socratic Seminars and Collaborative Discussions that support academic vocabulary and syntax. In the supporting materials, graphic organizers such as Academic Vocabulary Form and Domain-Specific Vocabulary Form and an Affix List are provided for students to use in their writing and speaking activities. Units include practices that encourage the building and application of academic vocabulary and syntax including total participation routines and Think-Pair-Share. Teacher materials support implementation of these standards in a clear and direct manner. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, the Teacher Guide explains that this lesson is the first in a series of two lessons that include built-out instruction for strategic use of the Think-Pair-Share protocol to promote equitable and productive conversation. Students use this protocol to discuss inferences regarding the Module topic. The Teacher Guide explains that this lesson uses cold calling as a total participation technique. Students participate through cold calling when discussing what it means to infer a topic.
• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 6, “During Work Time B, students participate in their first Language Dive, which guides them through the meaning of three lines from ‘dog.’ The conversation invites students to unpack complex syntax—or ‘academic phrases’—as a necessary component of building both literacy and habits of mind” (p.97).
• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 2, the Teacher Guide explains that students use the Think-Pair-Share protocol to discuss, “What questions should we try to answer as we research animal defense mechanisms?” Students try to answer the guiding question “How do animals’ bodies and behaviors help them survive?”
• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 11, the teacher focuses “students on the Discussion Norms anchor chart from Module 1. Ask them what it looks/sounds like to effectively participate with peers, listening for ideas such as: Wait my turn to speak, so I am heard, or Don’t shout/speak too loudly, or Make sure everyone gets a turn to speak, or No one person does most/all of the speaking, or Use information from the text to support my ideas, etc.” (p. 152).
• In Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 2, in the opening of the lesson, the teacher uses “equity sticks” to call on students to speak to the following questions: “How do animals’ bodies and behaviors help them survive? How can a writer use his or her knowledge on a topic to inform and entertain?” Students focus on how writers use their knowledge to entertain by writing a narrative choose-your-own-adventure story.
• In Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 7, students use the Think-Triad-Share protocol while analyzing the text “An Incomplete Revolution.” Each triad is given a number from 1–5. Each triad reads a different section of the text to determine the gist and the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases:– 1 will read the Opening four paragraphs up to “The Struggle Begins” subheading; – 2 will read “The Struggle Begins”; – 3 will read “An Offer of Freedom”; – 4 will read “Patriot Soldiers”; – 5 will read “Free at Last.”
• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 5, the Text-Based Discussion is used to determine the character reactions to the "Declaration of Independence"– “What would the character think of this excerpt? Based on his situation, would he agree? Why or why not?” Students are in small groups of four or five and participate in a text-based discussion about the opinions of Robert and William about the excerpt of the "Declaration of Independence." Students are reminded that the purpose of the discussion is for them to talk to each other and learn more about the opinions each of them has about the story and why.
• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 8: Excerpt of “The Suffragists: From Tea-Parties to Prison,” students take one minute to look at the text. Turn and Talk answering the questions include “What do you notice? What do you wonder?” Students use the Think-Triad-Share protocol to answer questions about the text. Specifically, students answer the following questions: “What is the gist of this text? What is it mostly about? From the text, who do you think the people are?”
• In Module 4, students work with a reading triad to select two characters whose actions in the book have repeatedly shown evidence of that theme. Students use the evidence on the anchor chart for their theme and choose two characters for which there are multiple pieces of evidence of that theme. Students use the work that they complete with their triads in the essays that they write.

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

The individual lessons throughout the module units support students’ speaking and listening about what they are reading and researching. Each module overview outlines the Speaking and Listening standards that will be targeted throughout the unit and each lesson contains routines to engage students in speaking and listening. Unit lessons require students to share out their reflections and engage in follow-up questioning. Collaborative routines are included in the daily lessons along with protocol explanations and discussion structures described in the lesson section titled “Teacher’s Notes.” Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, the Teacher Guide instructs that students will participate in the Infer the Topic protocol by engaging with the texts they will be reading throughout the module, including the module guiding questions, targeting Speaking and Listening Standard 4.1.
• In Module 1, Unit 3, Lesson 13, students present their poems and visuals and explain the inspiration behind the poems. Students practice the listening and speaking standards through these presentations. After all students have presented, the teacher engages students in reflection by asking, “What was a highlight of this presentation for you? Why?”
• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 2, the Teacher Guide explains that students will use their Animal Defenses research notebook and Listening Closely note-catcher on pages 2-3 to record running notes during their read-aloud. Students share aloud and the teacher answers clarifying questions with the use of equity sticks. Students read the text twice and answer the question, “How do animals’ bodies and behaviors help them survive?” Students Turn-and-Talk, and the teacher then uses equity sticks to call on students for an answer to the discussion question: “What was the gist of these pages.”
• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 12, students conduct a science talk using the Preparing for a Science Talk anchor chart and Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart. They emphasize respect and remind students they discuss their ideas with one another, may have different ideas, and need to be respectful of each other’s thinking. Teachers “direct students to begin the Science Talk Round 1. Use the Grade 4 Collaborative Discussion checklist during the discussion to monitor student progression toward the learning targets. Quickly redirect and support students as needed but avoid leading the conversation. Remind students that their questions and comments should be directed to one another, not the teacher.”
• In Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 7, students complete reading for gist jigsaw of “An Incomplete Revolution.” Students work in triads to complete the reading of the text. Each triad is given a number from 1–5. For each section, the triad determines the gist and the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases:– 1 will read the Opening four paragraphs up to “The Struggle Begins” subheading; – 2 will read “The Struggle Begins”;– 3 will read “An Offer of Freedom”; – 4 will read “Patriot Soldiers”; – 5 will read “Free at Last.” After approximately 8 minutes, students rotate around the room to share their gist and the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary with those who have read other sections of text.
• In Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 3, students complete a Poster Walk using a total participation technique. Students study “broadsides” and how they were used during the Revolutionary War. The teacher informs students that the broadsides were written over 200 years ago and may include letters, words, phrases, and symbols that are not used today. Students walk around the room, and look and write comments on the broadsides. After the Poster Walk, students return to one broadside and read the comments written on it. The teacher uses total participation when posing the question, “What patterns or themes did you notice in all of the Poster Walk posters?”
• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 7, students read chapter 6 of The Hope Chest in reading triads. When done reading, students work with their triads to discuss the gist of the chapter and a possible theme. Students share out their thinking when the teacher asks, “Are there any new themes you are noticing now?” Triads locate text-based evidence for the suggested themes, “What evidence can you find for any of the themes we have identified so far?” Again, students share out and the information is collected and added to a class anchor chart.
• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 13, students work in triads to make connections to real life events using conversation cues. Students begin by looking at page 261 and reading through page 265 of The Hope Chest. Students are asked, “What does it tell you about the author’s opinion of these people when it says, ‘History has been too polite to record the real people’s names’?” Students share out answers to this question. The teacher then uses the conversation cue, “Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why?” to spark more discussion around the topic. Students are asked, “What does this paragraph tell us about the history of women’s right to vote? How does this informational text help you better understand The Hope Chest?” After students respond, the teacher uses a different conversation cue, “Who can tell us what your classmate said in your own words?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g., multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate.

There are opportunities for on-demand writing, process writing, and short, focused projects through a variety of instructional tasks. Students develop drafts for each individual paragraph or portion of a writing product over the course of several lessons. Students also spend time on self-revisions, targeted peer-critiques, and publishing of their work using digital resources and technology. The teacher provides direct instruction to guide students through the writing process, requiring them to analyze good writing models from the text sets they read. The writing lessons included in each module are based on text(s).

On-demand writing occurs each day when students write to what they have read in various formats. Intentional instruction (focus statement, checklist, etc.) is included to support students in writing to meet the criteria. Materials include short and longer writing tasks and projects and are aligned to the grade-level standards being reviewed. Examples of writing include note-catchers, graphic organizers, short answer, or paragraph construction.

Examples of writing include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 8, students are asked to summarize a poem and compare poetry and prose. They are reminded that they read “The Pasture” in the previous lesson and then teacher rereads the text aloud as a reminder. Students are to use the anchor charts they have been using in the lessons in this unit so far and refer to them during this assessment.
• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 4, students write an informative paragraph answering this focus question: “What inspires Jack to write poetry, and where can you see evidence of this in his poetry?” Students use their note catchers about “What Inspires Poets to Write Poetry?”. Students are asked to use accurate and relevant details and explain how each detail is evidence of what inspired Jack. “Remind students that for the mid-unit assessment, they are choosing just one of those inspirations to write about: either how his dog, Sky, or other poets inspired him.”

• In Module 2, Unit 2, Lessons 1-12 provide students opportunities to learn to use writing in order to inform. Students spend the initial portion of the unit, Lessons 1-4, conducting research to gather information for their informational writing. In Lessons 5-7, students organize and categorize their research and begin planning by synthesizing their research. In Lessons 8-9, students craft their introduction and proof paragraphs. In Lesson 10, students revise their work for supporting details and word choice. Students close out the unit by editing for conventions and completing an on-demand writing assessment on “Writing an Informative Text about Puffer Fish Defense Mechanisms.”
• In Module 3, the End of Unit 2 Assessment is on-demand narrative writing. For Part I, students write a short, first person narrative explaining what a character from Divided Loyalties is thinking and feeling at a specific point in a scene. In Part II, students answer selected response and short answer questions.

• In Module 3, Unit 3, Lessons 6-10, students complete a process writing of a Broadside. In Lesson 6, students analyze a model of a Broadside and begin planning their own. In Lesson 7, students write the introduction paragraph for their Broadside. Students analyze the model and focus on forming and using prepositional phrases. For Lessons 8 and 9 students are working on their proof paragraphs. Students again use the model as a guide, and then write their paragraphs using evidence and details collected from the information and research. Lastly, in Lesson 10, student write the concluding paragraph of their Broadside. In the concluding paragraph, students are summarizing and restating the information from throughout the writing.

• In Module 4, for the Mid-Unit 2 Assessment, students complete two parts of the assessment. First, students read a chapter of The Hope Chest and answer short response questions about similes, metaphors, idioms, adages, proverbs, relative pronouns, and relative adverbs. In Part 2, students summarize events in the chapter showing evidence of a theme, citing evidence to support the chosen theme.
• In Module 4, for the End Unit 2 Assessment. students write an on-demand literary essay to respond to the following prompt, “The Hope Chest explores several themes. Write an essay that explains one of the major themes of the book. Use evidence and examples from the text to support your interpretation.” Students rely on their knowledge of the text from previous lessons and discussions.
• In Module 4, students work through a process writing in Unit 2, Lessons 10-13. In Lesson 10, during “Work Time A,” students plan the introduction of their essays. Part of the introduction should include two characters from The Hope Chest whose actions show evidence of the theme. Students should reference the evidence from the text that they will use in their essays that show each character’s actions in relation to the theme. In Lessons 11 and 12, students are writing the proof paragraphs for their essay. These paragraphs explain how the two characters’ actions support the theme of the text. Students include specific details and evidence from the text. In Lesson 13, students are writing the concluding paragraph for the essay. The concluding paragraph should include a summary of the reasons and evidence that the actions of the characters support the theme of the text.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. According to the curriculum map, provided at the beginning of each module, opinion writing is not addressed until Module 4. Each unit includes a multiple writing lesson and students engage with multiple genres and modes of writing. Throughout the modules students learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Every unit throughout the modules contains a minimum of 4-6 lessons during the unit that focus on developing the skills for producing a particular text type of writing. Materials provide experiences in writing across different genres, including narrative, informative, and opinion writing. Opportunities to address text types of writing that reflect the distribution by the standards include, but are not limited to:

• The Module 1, Unit 3, Lessons 1-11 provide students opportunities to address writing poetry.
• In the Module 1 Performance Task, students are asked to take their learning about what inspires poets to write a poem inspired by something meaningful. In the second part of the performance task, students write a speech about what inspired their poem.
• The Module 2, Unit 3, Lessons 1-15 provide students opportunities to address writing narrative texts. For example, in Lessons 8-13, students write a narrative choose-your-own-adventure story.
• The Module 2 Performance Task gives students a chance to use their research of animal defense mechanisms for narrative writing. Students use their research about a specific animal as the foundation for a choose-your-own-adventure story. The narrative story starts with a short informative paragraph describing the animals and their defense mechanisms. Then students write a narrative in which their animal is featured as the main character facing a dangerous predator which forces them to use their defense mechanism.
• The Module 1, Unit 2, Lessons 3-14 provide students opportunities to address writing literary essays. For example, in Lesson 3, students write an informative paragraph about what inspires Jack to write poetry in the book, Love That Dog. During Lessons 9-14, students write a literary essay, beginning with analyzing a model to scaffolding the writing from introduction to conclusion to revising their essay. In Unit 2, Lesson 5, students complete: Finding the GIST and Unfamiliar Vocabulary: A River of Words Note-catcher.
• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lessons 9-13, students analyze a model literary essay about William Carlos Williams using the Painted Essay structure in order to write their own literary essays. Each lesson takes students through different parts of writing the essay, beginning with the introduction, draft paragraphs, and conclusion.
• In the Module 1, Mid-unit 2 Assessment, students are asked to write an informative paragraph to answer the question, “What inspired Jack to write poetry and where is the inspirational evidence in his poetry?” Students use notes from the unit to write an informative paragraph.
• The Module 2, Unit 2, Lessons 1-12 provide students opportunities to address writing informative texts. For example, in Unit 2, Lesson 1, students complete a KWEL chart on Animal Defense Mechanisms. In Unit 2, Lesson 8, students begin drafting the introduction for the informative piece of their performance task.

• In Module 3, Unit 3, students read and analyze opinion text about the American Revolution. While reading the text, they analyze the structure of opinion writing which will then be used to write their own opinion. In Lesson 6, students begin using the Opinion Writing graphic organizer, first focusing on stating an opinion that is supported through reasons and evidence. In Lesson 7, students draft their opinion introduction which is followed by writing the body paragraphs in Lessons 8 and 9, and the conclusion paragraph in Lesson 10.
• In Module 4, Unit 3, Lesson 9, students write a public service announcement after researching text in previous lessons. “In this lesson, students write the body and conclusion paragraphs for their PSAs. They first analyze these paragraphs in the model PSA and compare them to the body and conclusion for the broadsides written in Module 3. They then use their planning from Lesson 7 to complete their PSA drafts.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials including frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information appropriate for the grade level.

Writing opportunities are focused around students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with sources. Materials provide opportunities that build students' writing skills over the course of the school year. Examples include:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 11, students prepare for a text-based discussion by completing “Preparing for a Text-Based Discussion Note-catcher.” For each question, they are instructed to write the evidence and elaboration.
• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 4, teachers explain to students that before they begin the mid-unit assessment, “they will be rereading pages 73–86 in Love That Dog to look for more evidence for the focus question: What inspires Jack to write poetry, and where can you see evidence of this in his poetry?” (pg. 228).
• In the Module 2 Mid-unit 2 Assessment, Part 1, students watch a video and take notes. Then they paraphrase the video. In Part 2, students read a text about how some animals use their shells to protect themselves. They answer selected response text-dependent and short answer questions, demonstrating their ability to cite evidence, determine the main idea, identify supporting details, and determine the meaning of unknown words.
• In Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 8, students complete text-dependent questions such as: "Which side were the black slaves on in the American Revolution? Use details from the text to support your answer (RI.4.1). According to the text, why did both sides need black slaves to fight in the American Revolution? Use details from the text to support your answer (RI.4.1)."
• In the Module 3, Mid-Unit 2 assessment, Part 1, students read Act II, Scene III of Divided Loyalties and answer selected response and short constructed response questions about the text. They also write a descriptive paragraph about the character, Mary, in this scene of the play. In Part II, after reading a line of the Declaration of Independence, students participate in a text-based discussion, responding to the question, “In your opinion, what would the characters in Divided Loyalties think of this line? Would they agree with the ideas in this excerpt? Why or why not?” Students use evidence and reasons from the text to support their opinion.
• The Module 4, lessons and unit assessments build upon each other to gradually increase students’ writing abilities. In Unit 1, students work on answering questions about literary text by reading Chapter 4 of The Hope Chest and answering selected and short response questions about the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases, and their synonyms and antonyms. Then, in Unit 2, students work on summarizing the events in a chapter and then writing a literary essay about a theme. In Unit 3, students work on researching and writing an opinion piece, ultimately drafting a script for a new PSA about the importance of kids taking action in which they clearly state the opinion that it is important for kids to take action to make a difference in one’s community and providing reasons to support their opinion with facts and details from their research.
• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 9, students are given the following prompt to answer in writing: “The Hope Chest explores several themes. Write an essay that explains one of the major themes of the book. Use evidence and examples from the text to support your interpretation.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials including explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context.

Opportunities to learn language standards are in the Module lessons including Language Dives and lessons in the ALL Block. Materials include instruction of all grammar and conventions standards for the grade level. Examples of practice with language standards include:

• L.4.1a
  • In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 6, students learn about relative pronouns. The teacher tells students that a relative pronoun is a specific type of pronoun. During a Language Dive Practice, students select from the relative adverbs where, when, and why to fill sentences such as: “I’m sure we can find a park ___ we can go for a run.”
• L.4.1b
  • In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 11, students learn about possessive verb tense. During Language Dive II, the teacher focuses on the following sentence: “Also, I am worried about William, whom we will be leaving behind.” During practice, students change the sentence from the future progressive to the present progressive and then to the past progressive.
• L.4.1d
  • In Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 11, the teacher writes two phrases on the board: “a small, red bug” and “a red, small bad.” Students discuss: “What kind of words are red and small?” Which one of these two phrases is correct?” Students view the Adjective Order handout and use it to describe bears and pencils with adjectives in the correct order.
• L.4.1e
  • In Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 7, the teacher distributes the Prepositional Phrases handout. Students learn that a prepositional phrase is a group of words that describes the relationship between a noun or verb and another noun following the preposition. The teacher shares three examples from the handout. Students underline a sentence with a prepositional phrase from the Model Broadside: Quaker Perspective.
• L.4.1f
  • In Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 11, during Work Time, Mini Lesson: Recognizing and Correcting Fragments and Run-on Sentences, students review what a complete sentence is by reading their Writing Complete Sentence handout. Students share a complete sentence from their literary essay draft identifying the subject and predicate. The teacher explains that if a sentence is not complete it is either a fragment or a run-on sentence and models revising a sentence. Volunteers repeat the process. Students revise and edit their paragraph.
• L.4.1g
  • In Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 11, the teacher displays and distributes the Frequently Confused Words handout. The teacher instructed on its and it’s. Then the teacher asks: “What other words can you think of that writers might frequently confuse?” Students practice correcting words in sentence such as: “Won of our beliefs is to treat everyone equally.”
• L.4.2a
  • In Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 11, during Work Time C, the teacher models how to edit for spelling, punctuation, and capitalization of the millipede convention-less paragraph. The teacher can use a think-aloud such as: “I know that one of the rules for capitalization is to be sure the first word of each sentence is capitalized.” Students then participate in the Editing Stations.
• L.4.2c
  • In Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 11, during Work Time, Mini Lesson: Using Commas before Coordinating Conjunctions, the teacher writes, “They have many body segments. Two pairs of legs are on each segment.” And “They have many body segments, and two pairs of legs are on each segment.” Students discuss how the sentences are the same and different then explains simple sentences and compound sentence asking which flows better. Using the Parts of Speech anchor chart and the Coordinating Conjunctions handout with the acronym FANBOYS, students discuss coordinating conjunctions, compound sentences, and run-on sentences.
• L.4.2d
  • In Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 11, during Work Time C, the teacher models how to edit for spelling, punctuation, and capitalization of the millipede convention-less paragraph. The teacher can use a think-aloud such as “I’m not sure if I spelled the word decaying right in this sentence in the first paragraph: ‘They roll into balls and eat leaves or decaying vegetation.’ I think it ends with a suffix. I’m going to look at my Affix List and see if there’s a suffix on here that I hear in the word decaying. On this handout, I see the suffix -ing! That’s how the word decaying ends. I’ll circle ‘decayin’ on my draft with a colored pencil from this station and write -ing above it.” Students then participate in the Editing Stations.
• L.4.3a
  • In Module 1, Unit 3, Lesson 3, the teacher helps students select words for precisely. The teacher asks: ““What does precisely mean? If we are precise about how we do something, how do we do it?” (We are very exact.) Students may need to use a dictionary to determine the meaning of this word. “What is an antonym for the word precise? Remember that an antonym is a word that means the opposite.” Then during a Mini-Lesson, students look for words that could be improved to convey the ideas more precisely. The teacher models changing the word red. Students work in triads to change wording of Model for Critique: Poem.
• L.4.3c
  • In Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 2, in Levels of support, to provide lighter support, a teacher may need to support students’ understanding of the difference between formal and informal writing. The teacher will invite students to create a T-chart and collect examples of formal and informal writing.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that materials, lessons, and questions provide instruction in and practice of word analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

Grade 4 materials include instruction and practice in Word Study and Vocabulary that occurs as a component of the five components in the ALL Block. During each cycle, students have two teacher- guided sessions and two independent heterogeneous grouping sessions, which provides students the opportunity to participate in 20 minutes of Word Study and Vocabulary 4 times a week, every other week. The emphasis of Word Study and Vocabulary is context-driven word study. The Your Curriculum Companion states that “readers in intermediate grades benefit from a more contextualized approach to teaching phonics and word recognition" (p. 85). There is an increased focus on morphology of words related to word meaning. The Your Curriculum Companion describes Word Study and Vocabulary as working with words from complex texts and use of vocabulary protocols, routines, and tools to figure out meaning of new words (p. 87). When these trees were used, they provided an opportunity for students to analyze the prefix, root, and suffix of academic vocabulary words in a connected text and to use those words, and words like them, in their own sentences. In the Modules, there are some opportunities for students to analyze words when words are being added to the Academic Word Wall. Ongoing word analysis assessments are not used over the course of the Grade 4 sequence.

Some and varied opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis skills in connected texts and tasks. Examples include:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 11, students learn how to figure out the meaning of elaboration. Students use their Affix List to identify the suffix in the word elaboration. The teacher asks: “Using the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart, what strategy could you use to determine the meaning of elaborate?”
• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 7, students focus on the word impenetrable from the text, “Fight to Survive!” Students discuss with a partner the following question: “Is there a word or part of a word within this word that you recognize? The teacher underlines the word penetrate. The teacher points out the suffix -able. The teacher asks: “What do you think the suffix -able means? How does it change the meaning of the word? When you add the suffix -able to penetrate, you get penetrable. What does that mean?”
• In Module 3, Unit 2, Week 2, Day 2, ALL Block, students use a vocabulary tree to analyze the prefix, root, and suffix for the word destructive in the context of a line from the Declaration of Independence.
• In Module 4 Unit 1, Week 2, Day 2, ALL Block, students use a vocabulary tree to analyze the word reinforcements from the text, The Hope Chest.