4th Grade - Gateway 2

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that texts are organized around a topic/topics or themes to build students’ knowledge and their ability to read and comprehend and analyze complex texts proficiently.

Module 1 contains text sets that may need extra support to link them together into one coherent topic. Anchor texts, supporting texts, daily tasks, and Performance Based Assessments are centered on the topic(s) for each module and unit. The units in each module are built around a central topic. In each unit, the anchor text and supporting texts center around the topic to help students understand vocabulary and read and understand complex text.

• As noted, in Module 1, students engage in a study on the topic of “Poetry and Poets and Becoming Writers.” The teacher may need to supplement the discussion to link these stories to specific topics versus the overall theme and topics about writing and poetry. In Unit 1, students analyze the literary text, Love That Dog, and closely read famous poems such as “The Red Wheelbarrow” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” Students prepare and practice a text-based discussion about the evidence of Jack being inspired by other poetry along with how his feelings toward poetry have changed since the beginning of Love That Dog. In Unit 2, students finish reading Love That Dog and take notes to answer the following question: “What inspires Jack to write poetry and where can you see evidence of this in his poetry?” Students read biographies about famous poets and consider what inspired them to write poetry and support their assertions utilizing evidence from their poetry. Students write an informative essay about what inspired a poet to write poetry and provide supporting evidence shown from his or her poetry. In Unit 3, students write original poems, create poetry presentation, and choose visuals to support their presentations.
• In Module 2, students engage in a study on the topic of “Animal Defenses.” In Module 2, students build background knowledge on animal defenses by reading several informational texts such as Can You Survive the Wilderness? by Matt Doeden, Venom by Marilyn Singer, “Fight to Survive!” and Animal Behavior: Animal Defenses by Christina Wilsdon. While reading these texts, students gather and document information through noting inferences and observations within their research notebooks. Later in the module, students synthesize and apply the information gathered in their own informational writing piece. In Unit 1, students build background knowledge about animal defenses along with how the defenses help animals survive. In Unit 2, students dig further into the informational text about animal defenses and write their own informative piece about animal defenses that will accompany their narrative writing in Unit 3. In Unit 3, students read a choose-your-own-adventure story titled Can you Survive the Wilderness. Students use the information that they learned about animal defenses to write their own version of a where animal defenses are at the core of the plot.
• In Module 3, students engage in a study on the topic of “The American Revolution.” In Unit 1, students closely read Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak and other informational texts about the American Revolution to build background knowledge about what happened throughout this time period along with the reasons that people became Loyalists or Patriots. In Unit 2, students analyze Divided Loyalties for character thoughts, feelings, and actions. Then, students write character analysis paragraphs. Additionally, students closely read excerpts of “The Declaration of Independence” and make connections to characters in Divided Loyalties. In Unit 3, students analyze varied opinion texts. Students write and revise broadsides from the Patriot and Loyalist perspectives about whether to support the American Revolution. Then, students participate in a text-based discussion on this topic.
• In Module 4, students engage in a study on the topic of “Responding to Inequalities.” The informational and literary texts introduce students to gender and racial inequality issues in the U.S. The primary text used in this module is The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach. In Unit 1, students read both informational and literary texts focusing on answering questions regarding injustices and closely analyzing the images for meaning and purpose. In Unit 2, students dig deeper in the literary text, The Hope Chest, and deepen their understanding or idioms, proverbs, and adages. 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. Students research ways kids can make a difference and take action. Students then create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) highlighting one of the ways students can take action in the world.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts.

The instructional materials require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts in order to make meaning and build understanding of texts and topics. Throughout the units, students independently and in collaborative pairs or groups, complete questions and tasks that require analysis of individual texts. The module lessons include close reading portions with questions that are sequenced and scaffolded, and the module lessons include tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of complex texts such as tasks requiring students to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in a text and writing tasks requiring students to write informative paragraphs analyzing the message or lesson in a story. Examples of learning targets with sets of questions found in the instructional materials include the following:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 3, during the task titled “What Makes a Poem a Poem,” students analyze the poem, “The Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carlos Williams and notice structural elements within the poem, identifying the corresponding characteristics of poetry such as structure, rhyme and meter, and imagery.
• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 8, students are asked to analyze various poems and find evidence that these are poem with questions like, “What characteristics of poetry did this poem have? What evidence do you see in this poem of what inspired William Carlos Williams?”

• The Module 2, Unit 1, Close Read of the text “Lying Low” from Animal Behaviors: Animal Defenses asks students coherently sequenced questions to help them analyze the details that best support the main idea of the text. Students are asked, first, to write the main idea in their own words and provide three supporting details. Then, the materials ask students to refer to paragraphs three and four and answer the questions, “What example does the author give to support the idea that large animals take advantage of the plants, rocks, and other parts of their habitat? According to the text, why is staying hidden for many hours not necessary for some animals?”
• In Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 1, students will analyze a choose-your-own-adventure story, “Can You Survive the Wilderness?” to write their own story. Some questions asked were “What did you notice about the format of Can You Survive the Wilderness? How does examining the format of this choose-your-own-adventure help us when writing our own narratives?”

• In Module 3, Unit 1, lesson 7, students begin the lesson by rereading “The Blacksmith’s Slave” from Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak. The focus for students is on the perspective of an African American slave during the American Revolution. “What does this page of the text tell you about what a slave is? From what you have read so far, how do you think the blacksmith’s slave’s freedom is different from the freedom the men who sit in the shop talk about? Is he a Patriot or a Loyalist?”
• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 10, during the Closing and Assessment part of the lesson, students work in pairs and use their analysis of Robert’s character during dinner in Act III, Scene 2 to write a first person narrative, as if they are Robert. “How can we set up the situation and let the reader know which of the Barton family is speaking? How does the narrator set up the scene? How did Robert feel when ...? What in the text makes you think that? How can we conclude the narrative? What happens at the end of the scene in Divided Loyalties?”
• In Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 1, students are reading and analyzing “William Barton’s Letter.” In this lesson they are focused on identifying William’s opinion and finding supporting evidence in the text to support his opinion. Students are asked to reread the first paragraph with a partner and locate the sentence that most clearly states William’s opinion. “Which sentence in this paragraph most clearly states William’s opinion? How do you know this statement is an opinion? Which sentence in this paragraph most clearly states a reason for William’s opinion? What evidence does William give to support his reason? Which sentence in this paragraph most clearly states a reason for William’s opinion? What evidence does William give to support his reason?”

• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 3, students are reading chapter 3 of The Hope Chest in triads and after reading, they are closely analyzing the images for meaning and purpose. “Look at the use of open space in this picture. What does this help you understand about the New York City street that Violet tumbled onto? Who can explain why your classmate came up with that response? What does it help you to understand about how Violet may have felt about New York City when she first arrived?” During the closing and assessment portion of the lesson, students are asked to make connections between informational text they have read and The Hope Chest. “What connections can you make between these excerpts of informational text and what you have read so far in The Hope Chest? How does this informational text help you better understand The Hope Chest?”
• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 13, students are writing their concluding paragraph by restating the theme and points of evidence from the proof paragraphs. “What can you learn from the way this theme is presented in The Hope Chest? Who else in the book said and did things that showed evidence of the theme you chose? Which other characters have said or done things to show evidence of this theme? What can you learn from this theme in The Hope Chest?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts.

The guiding questions and big ideas in the module overview and the individual unit lessons contain coherently sequenced sets of text-dependent questions that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across and within texts. Questions are asked of both single and multiple texts to integrate and build knowledge in order for students to reach the module’s learning goals. Lessons include sequenced sets of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge.

The Module 1 guiding questions are coherently sequenced to require analyses of the integration of knowledge and ideas, including how students synthesize their learning from the three units about what inspires poets to write poetry by presenting their own original poems inspired by something meaningful, along with a speech, including supporting visuals, about what inspired their poem and where the teacher can see evidence of this in their poem.

• In Unit 1, students analyze the structure of poems and the author’s meaning behind the poem, answering questions such as: “I can identify the characteristics of poetry in ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.’”
• In Unit 2, students build on author’s meaning and write to inform where a poet finds inspiration, answering questions such as: “What inspired Jack to write this poem? Where can you see evidence of this in the poem?” In Unit 2, Lesson 8, students read some of William Carlos Williams’ poetry to identify evidence of what inspires him to write.
• In Unit 3, students write their own poem and create a presentation explaining where they found inspiration for their poem. In order to complete this performance task, students must draw on the previous analysis of poets and poems from Units 1 and 2. In Unit 3, Lesson 6, students study the conclusion of multiple poems by answering, “What information has the poet included in the conclusion? Why?”. Then students write the conclusion on their own poem by answering the following: “What inspired you and why? How did you communicate this inspiration in your poem?”

The Module 2 guiding questions are coherently sequenced to require analyses of the integration of knowledge and ideas, including how students take their learning from throughout the units to write a choose-your-own-adventure story with animal defenses being an intrical part to the storyline.

• In Unit 1, students build background knowledge about animal defenses and how the defenses help animals survive. Students are going through the research process which gives them the opportunity to gather information. During Unit 1, the teacher poses questions such as: “What can you infer about animal defenses from the pictures and/or text on this poster? How do animals’ bodies and behaviors help them survive?”
• In Unit 2, students refer back to the research and information that was gathered during Unit 1 about animal defenses: “How did our work in Unit 1—research notebooks, informational texts, discussions about diagrams, and Science Talk—add to your understanding of animal defense mechanisms? The goal of Unit 2 is for students to dig in further to informational text about animal defenses in order to write an informational piece about animals and their defenses that will accompany their narrative writing in Unit 3. In Unit 2, Lesson 5, students use the Millipede: Organizing Research note-catcher to organize through categorization multiple pieces of evidence gathered from various sources. Some of the guiding questions used to help them organize the evidence are the following: “Can you figure out how to categorize the research you have collected? How could you label these columns to help you organize your information? Can you give an example that would fit that category?“
• In Unit 3, students will use what they learned about animal defenses and their informational writing as background knowledge while they read a choose-your-own-adventure mentor text titled Can You Survive the Wilderness? Students use the structure of Can You Survive the Wilderness? to create their own story where animals use their defenses.

The Module 3 guiding questions are coherently sequenced to require analyses of the integration of knowledge and ideas, including the points of view of Loyalists and Patriots in the American Revolution.

• In Unit 1, students read a text regarding the American Revolution and analyze the points of view of Loyalists and Patriots: “What is the topic of Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak? What word can you see in the word loyalist? The text says the Patriots were ‘speaking out for liberty.’ What does this mean?" In Lesson 5, students use the text, Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak to Think-Share-Pair about the following questions: “What does the title tell you this page is about? What does the first line, ‘We are journeymen, apprentices, merchants,’ tell you about Patriots? The text says the Patriots were ‘speaking out for liberty.’ What does this mean? What is liberty?”
• In Unit 2, students use their understanding of the points of view of Loyalists and Patriots to read a play and analyzing the characters and their reactions to events, “From what you have read about the characters, what connections are you making to the title Divided Loyalties? What are the significant events in Act I, Scene 2?” In Lesson 5, students closely read an excerpt of the Declaration of Independence to prepare for a text-based discussion about what characters from Divided Loyalties would think of it : “What happens in the U.S. on the Fourth of July? Why? What connections have you made between what happens on that date and what we have been learning about? What does it mean to declare independence? What did the colonies do?”
• In Unit 3, students read and analyze opinion text about the American Revolution. While reading the text, they are analyzing the structure of opinion writing and the opinions within the text. Synthesizing all the information that was learned throughout the module, students discuss their opinion of the American Revolution. Students must consider both the Loyalist and Patriot sides and decide which they would have supported if they lived in colonial times. They use their reasons and evidence from their research across the module to support their opinion. In Lesson 5, students read and analyze a model broadside using the Painted Essay structure to generate criteria for their own broadsides.

The Module 4 guiding questions are coherently sequenced to require analyses of the integration of knowledge and ideas, including:

• In Unit 1, students read both informational and literary text focusing on answering questions such as, “What does inequality mean?" Students dig deeper in the literary text from Unit 1, The Hope Chest, to determine the theme and summarize each chapter: "How does your understanding of this sentence add to your understanding of the chapter theme of injustice is inequality?” Students use their analysis of The Hope Chest to write their own essay that explains one of the major themes of the book. Students are required to use evidence and examples from the text to support their interpretation.
• In Unit 2, Lesson 2, students identify the similes and metaphors in the text: “Think about what happens when something falls. Does darkness actually fall? How does this description, ‘darkness had fallen,’ help you as a reader?”
• 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: “Can you identify a character in The Hope Chest who took action to make a difference?" Students research ways kids can make a difference and take action and then create a PSA highlighting one of the ways students can take action in the world.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts.

Opportunities to build vocabulary are found throughout the instructional materials. Vocabulary is taught both implicitly and explicitly, using words in the core and supplementary texts. As texts are read multiple times, students gain new vocabulary. Materials focus on elements of vocabulary, such as abstract or multiple meanings, connotation, relationships among words, and morphology. Definitions are provided in student-friendly language, and word meanings are taught with examples related to the text as well as examples from other contexts with which students would be more familiar. Throughout the modules and units, students discuss and clarify language of learning targets to build academic vocabulary.

Throughout the Modules, there is intentional vocabulary building from content-based text, attention to figuring out words from context, decoding, and an emphasis on academic (Tier 2) vocabulary. The Academic Word Wall (words one might find in informational texts on many different topics) is a permanent Word Wall that will be added to throughout the year. The Domain-Specific Word Wall will change from module to module, as the topic changes. Teachers will record words and definitions clearly in student-friendly language. Teachers may also record translations in home languages in a different color next to the target word or invite students to write the translations.

In the Curriculum Tools there is a section on Focus on Building Academic Vocabulary Protocols. These protocols include the following:

• Contextual Redefinition- students find unambiguous information in a text selection and synthesize it with the author’s intent. Students pay attention to other “keys” to word meaning such as grammar.
• Frayer Model- a four part graphic approach to analyzing and understanding vocabulary.
• Word Sort- this builds upon students’ background knowledge and experiences and works to organize and synthesize that knowledge.
• Vocabulary Square- this helps students to deepen their understanding of key words.
• List/Group/Label- this includes critical thinking for identifying relationships between words.
• Semantic Webbing
• SVES (Stephens Vocabulary Elaboration Strategy)- this is a vocabulary notebook that allows students to write down any new vocabulary word that they note.

The ALL Block gives students opportunities to practice with morphology of words as it relates to word meaning and syllabication patterns and more complex spelling patterns in a variety of activities, including vocabulary games, vocabulary squares, and Frayer Models.

"Vocabulary: Explicit vocabulary instruction is a key feature of our Grades 3–5 Language Arts Curriculum. Besides this explicit vocabulary instruction, students get a great deal of implicit instruction in general academic and domain specific vocabulary through exposure to many complex (and less complex) informational texts, and some literary texts as well. In the ALL Block students, have additional time to practice module-related word analysis through word study games and activities."

Language Dives are included throughout the modules and units. The purpose of the Language Dive to provide students with strategies to analyze, understand, and use the language. During a Language Dive, teachers and students slow down the reading of a text to deeply analyze the meaning, purpose, and structure of a specific part of the text. The Language Dive supports ELL students acquire language and help them to deconstruct complex text. Language Dives follow the routine of Deconstruct-Reconstruct-Practice. In the Deconstruct phase, teachers guide students to deconstruct a sentence for meaning and purpose. Students are guided into chunking the sentence to analyze the importance and purpose of the words used in the sentence. In the Reconstruct phase, students put the sentence back together and discuss possible variations of the sentence that could be formed and then analyze how the meaning and purpose changes with the varied sentences. In the Practice phase, students practice using different language structures (Curriculum Resources-Language Dives)

In the teacher notes for each lesson within a unit/module, there is a section titled “Vocabulary” and a Key: (L): Lesson-Specific Vocabulary, (T): Text-Specific Vocabulary (W): Vocabulary Used in Writing is used to breakdown the vocabulary students come in contact with in order to help the teacher instruct the vocabulary and to help students keep track of the type of vocabulary in their vocabulary logs.

Specific examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 3, students are given vocabulary logs and use the logs to collect new academic and topical vocabulary words in lessons and during independent reading.
• 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 an academic phrase. Students apply their understanding of subject-predicate structure as they complete future writing and speaking tasks. The Language Dive routine is critical in helping students to learn how to unpack complex sentences and write their own.
• In Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 2 (L): Lesson-Specific Vocabulary-cite, evidence, modal auxiliaries (L); (T): Text-Specific Vocabulary-physical, behavior, could, external, internal, toxic (T).
• In Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 7, in Work Time B, students participate in a Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from “An Incomplete Revolution.” The focus of this Language Dive is on identifying and understanding meaning of the sentence. Students apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence as they discuss the reasons for the Revolutionary War, particularly focusing on the perspective of an African American slave.
• Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 1 (L): Lesson-Specific Vocabulary-perspectives, influenced, opinion, reason, evidence (L); (T): Text-Specific Vocabulary-Patriot, determined, words, treated, Parliament, respect (T)
• Module 4: Word Study and Vocabulary: Students find antonyms and synonyms for words in the text. They analyze two academic vocabulary words and their affixes (using Vocabulary Trees) and practice using the suffixes -ment and -ness to make nouns.
• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Lesson Specific vocabulary words are synonyms, antonyms, inspired. Text Specific vocabulary words are hope chest, surreptitiously, unaccompanied.
• Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 5, in Work Time A, students participate in a Language Dive that guides them through the meaning of a sentence from The Hope Chest. The focus of this Language Dive is on using relative adverbs. Students apply their understanding of the meaning and structure of this sentence when using relative adverbs in their summaries and during the Mid-Unit 2 Assessment.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that materials support students’ increasing writing skills over the course of the school year, building students’ writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of the school year.

Students are supported through the writing process, and various activities are placed throughout units to ensure students' writing skills are increasing throughout the year. Students are encouraged to develop writing stamina by writing frequently and for various purposes. Students engage in activities that include reading and discussing writing similar to that which they are planning to write, examine and identify a range of text structures, and they are guided to assess the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing. Students are supported through the writing process with mentor text.

Each unit lesson contains a section titled “Down the Road” that outlines the writing structure of the module units. Feedback is provided through peers, the teacher, and self-evaluations to ensure that students’ writing skills are increasing throughout the year. Within each module, students produce, present, and publish writing pieces as part of a final project. Module units are scaffolded to provide increasing support and build students’ writing abilities culminating with the most advanced writing happening in the final module unit. At the end of each module, students complete a performance task, which is a writing piece.

Examples from each Module include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, students spend the unit deeply analyzing poems. They analyze the structure of poems and the author’s meaning behind the poem. This deep analysis prepares them for Unit 2, where they build on author’s meaning and write to inform where a poet finds inspiration. Both units are then synthesized together for Unit 3 where students write their own poem and create a presentation explaining where they found inspiration for their poem.
• In Module 2, the Unit Overview explains how students’ writing instruction is scaffolded to build their writing skills. The last unit of each module, Unit 3, includes the performance task which is an extended, supported writing task or presentation where students need to successfully bring together what they know about this topic, in this case, writing choose-your-own adventure stories, bringing together what they know about the armadillo and what defenses it has to help it survive (and what they know about writing). In order to do so, in Unit 1, students read, discuss, dramatize, draw, and write so that they acquire strong and specific content and background knowledge, as well as the literacy skills that they need to do so. Students learn to read closely, reread carefully for meaning, gather evidence, and develop a paragraph.
  • In Unit 2, students do more research and discuss with one another what defenses specific animals might have and they respond to a prompting question to write a full multi-paragraph essay about animal defenses. For homework throughout the module, students independently read research texts at their own level.
  • By Unit 3, students should be fully equipped to write their choose-your-own adventure stories about how the armadillo uses its defenses to survive.

• In Module 3, the Unit Overview explains that students work up to a performance task, in which students discuss their opinion of the American Revolution. They consider both the Loyalist and Patriot perspectives and decide which they would have supported if they had lived in colonial times. They consider their reasons and gather evidence from their research across the entirety of the module and they participate in collaborative discussions stating their opinion, giving reasons and evidence to support their point. The lessons in the module units build up students’ skills. For example, in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 4, the teacher guide explains that, at the beginning of Lesson 5, students will use the Loyalist paragraphs from Lesson 4 to help write a class paragraph about the Loyalists, which models what an effective paragraph about the Loyalists looks like. Students also research to gather information about who the Patriots were and what they believed in preparation for their Mid-Unit Assessment which will take place during Lesson 6.
• Module 4 focuses on responding to injustices. In Unit 1, students read both informational and literary text focusing on answering questions about the text and determining the theme. Students dig deeper in the literary text from Unit 1, The Hope Chest, to determine the theme and summarize each chapter. Students use their analysis to write their own essay that explains one of the major themes of the book. Students are required to use evidence and examples from the text to support their interpretation. Finally, 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. Students research ways kids can make a difference and take action and then create a PSA highlighting one of the ways students can take action in the world.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that materials include a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials.

Modules are divided into three units that build knowledge of a topic using multiple texts. Each module is designed for students to act as researchers and to gather details or ideas from texts throughout the unit to build a body of evidence for the culminating task. Students begin each module with whole class research followed by an individual research project. By the end of each module, students write a piece demonstrating their increased knowledge about their selected topic. Students are provided with daily independent reading, research, and discussion during every lesson in the module. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Throughout Module 2, students research about animal defense mechanisms.

• In Unit 1, students build background knowledge about animal defenses and how the defenses help animals survive by going through the research process. 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.
• Unit 2 begins with students referring back to the research and information that was gathered during Unit 1 about animal defenses and dig further into informational text about animal defenses and write their own informative piece about animal defenses that will accompany their narrative writing in Unit 3.
• During Unit 3, students will be 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 so they can write their own version of a choose-your-own-adventure story at the conclusion of the module. For their performance task, students plan, draft, and revise the introduction and one choice ending of the narrative with the support of both peer and teacher feedback.

Module 4 introduces students to gender and racial inequality issues in the United States during the first half of the 20th century. It also informs students about how the process of ratifying the 19th Amendment can show us how people were responded to gender and racial inequality at that time.

• In Unit 1, students begin reading The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach. Students also 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 literary text from Unit 1, The Hope Chest, to determine the theme and summarize each chapter. Students use their analysis to write their own essay that explains one of the major themes of the book. Students are required to use evidence and examples from the text to support their interpretation.
• Finally, 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. They research how students around the world have made a difference. At the end of the unit, students write PSAs encouraging others to make a difference, and they write a press release sharing with the local media what the class did to take action and the impact of their work.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

In the Modules, students engage in an independent reading protocol with independent research reading books that relate to the topic they are studying. Additionally, most homework assignments include independent reading and tasks that require students to produce evidence of reading. One of the five components of the weekly ALL Block, include Accountable Independent Reading/Volume of Reading. This is designed for students to have free choice in reading and read content-related texts at their independent reading level. During this time, they have student tasks card that they are required to complete and also sharing of their books to the group. Students are also accountable to independent reading through nightly homework. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Throughout all the modules, there are 5 components of the ALL Block and Independent Reading is one of the components. Accountable Independent Reading includes research reading books related to the topics of the units and free choice reading. Through research reading, students build background knowledge and vocabulary, both domain-specific and academic. Free choice reading builds knowledge and vocabulary, but primarily builds students’ motivation and love of reading. The ALL gives students additional time for both research and free choice reading.
• Each day in the ALL Block, students spend 20 minutes engaged in Accountable Independent Reading. The goal of this time is to provide additional time for independent reading at a range of levels, build more content and domain-specific knowledge, give some free choice reading (every other week), and build on students’ motivation and interests in hopes of creating a love of reading.
• During independent reading time, students read both research texts (related to the topic of learning challenges) and free choice texts (on any topic of their interest), and they practice completing a Student Task Card. They work with partners, and in small groups, to share new vocabulary and learning from their texts.
• During the Module lessons, students practice Accountable Independent Reading and read through 20 minutes of nightly homework where they not only read, but also respond to a prompt in their reading journal. In addition to responding in their reading journals, students are held accountable through peer and teacher discussions of their reading journals.
• Module homework includes both research reading and choice reading. Research reading is where the student is expected to independently research a topic by reading topic-related books of his or her choice for approximately 20 minutes each day and responding to a prompt of choice in the front of the independent reading journal. Choice reading is for students that would also like to independently read and respond to a book of free choice, using the back of the independent reading journal.
• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, an independent reading program is launched. Students choose independent research reading books and discuss why they chose those particular books in small groups. They continue to read different books throughout the lessons. The daily independent reading homework requires students to read and write in a journal answering different prompts.
• In Module 1, Unit 1, Independent Research Reading is launched. Students receive independent reading journals to record information about the time they spend reading, as well as to respond to prompts about their reading. They are given vocabulary logs for recording new vocabulary. For Modules 1, Module 3, and Module 4 students respond to the following reading research prompts: “What is the main idea of the text you read? What are some of the key details, and how do they support the main idea?”
• Throughout the Units in Module 2, students follow the independent reading routines set in Module 1. They select new texts based on the new topic for the Module, read them independently for homework, and engage in frequent research reading shares during the Module lessons for accountability. After every lesson, students’ homework is to select a prompt to respond to in the front of their independent reading journal.
• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 2, ALL Block, students follow a task card to independently read research texts (Module-related) for 10 minutes and log their reading in their independent reading journals.
• In Module 2, Lessons 1–7, homework focuses on research reading and determining the meaning of unfamiliar words using context and reference materials. In Lessons 8–12, homework focuses on finding connections between sentences and paragraphs of text in independent research reading texts. For example, research reading prompts in Module 2, Unit 2 include the following instructions: “From the pages you read in your research reading book, choose two paragraphs next to each other. Respond to this question: What questions do you have about frogs or frog adaptations after reading?” Examples of independent reading prompts throughout all 4 modules include: “What challenges are faced? How are they overcome? What is the main idea of the text? What are some of the key details and how do they support the main idea? What do the illustrations (photographs, maps) tell you? How do they help you to understand the words? What questions do you now have after reading? What would you like to learn more about? Why?”