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

The Grade 4 materials include Interactive Read-Aloud and Shared Reading that function as anchor texts texts, and these do not reflect a 50/50 balance of literary to informational texts. The Interactive Read-Aloud and Shared Reading texts are disproportionately literary. When considered together, they do not reflect a balance between informational and literary texts required by the standards. 

Materials partially reflect the distribution of text types/genres required by the grade level standards. Examples include:

• Interactive Read-Aloud, Text Set: Fairy Tales, Beauty and the Beast by Jan Brett

• Interactive Read-Aloud, Text Set: Poetry, On the Wing by David Elliott

• Interactive Read-Aloud, Text Set: Memoir, The Scraps Book: Notes from a Colorful Life by Lois Ehlert

• Interactive Read-Aloud, Text Set: Friendship, Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship: Stories from India by Chitra Soundar, legend

• Interactive Read-Aloud, Text Set: Biography: Artists, Mary Cassatt: Extraordinary Impressionist Painter by Barbary Herkert 

• Guided Reading, Lurking Deep Below Lake Monsters, no author, expository nonfiction

• Book Club, Eight Dolphins of Katrina: A True Tale of Survival, by Janet Wyman Coleman, nonfiction

Anchor texts do not fully reflect a 50/50 balance of informational and literary texts. Examples include include:

• Interactive Read-Aloud: 65% literary, 35% informational - 77 literary and 41 informational.

• Shared Reading: 66% literary, 34% informational - 25 literary and 13 informational. 

• Total: 65% literary, 35% informational

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

The Grade 4 materials provide opportunities for students to engage in a variety and volume of reading; however, teacher guidance and protocols to foster independence are limited. There is no provision to ensure that students are regularly engaged in reading grade-level text. While students do have access to a wide range and volume of texts, structures to establish and foster independence are not evident throughout the materials. Students listen to texts, read aloud together in groups, and read independently throughout the program. Students listen to texts in the Reading Minilessons and Interactive Read-Alouds. Students read independently in the Independent Reading program and Book Clubs. 

Accountability and tracking is limited to a downloadable reading log listing the title and author of the book and a check box to indicate completion of the text. No other method of accountability is present. Texts are not organized with built-in supports/scaffolds to foster independence because students and teachers can choose what to read within their assessed level at any time.

Instructional materials provide opportunities and supports for students to engage in reading a variety of text types and genres to become independent readers at the grade level. Examples include:

• Interactive Read-Alouds: In the System Guide, Suggested Time Frame for Literacy Opportunities, directions state that teachers read aloud to students each day from an Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set. The Interactive Read-Aloud text sets include four to six texts that are read aloud to the students. There are 25 text sets for Grade 4 for a total of 120 books, including both fiction and nonfiction genres.

• Guided Reading: In the System Guide, Suggested Time Frames for Literacy Opportunities, directions state that the teacher meets with three to four Guided Reading groups each day. Each Guided Reading group is composed of students reading at approximately the same level. There are 200 guided reading titles available for Grade 4 spanning F&P Levels N-V. 

• Book Clubs: Each student has read or listened to the same book prior to taking part in literature circle conversations about the book. Teacher guidance suggests that most students will be able to read the books independently, but that some students may need to have it facilitated by audio recording or another student reading it aloud. Book Clubs are suggested to be held once a month for 20-30 minute.

Instructional materials identify some opportunities and supports for students to engage in a volume of reading. Examples include:

• The Interactive Read-Aloud Session lasts approximately 15 minutes at the start of the literacy block. There are 120 texts included that comprise 25 Interactive Read-Aloud Text Sets,

• The Reading Minilessons last approximately 5-15 minutes. 

• During the next 60-minute block of instructional time, students are engaged in one or more of the following:

  • Teacher-led Guided Reading Groups (20-25 minutes each). There are 200 Guided Reading Text titles included in the program. 

  • Book Clubs (20-25 minutes each) include 32 text titles organized into eight text sets. 

  • Individual conferences (3-5 minutes each). 

  • Students not involved in these groups take part in independent reading or write in a Reader’s Notebook. The lesson ends with a five minute Group Share.

• The proposed schedule of independent reading is 45 minutes daily while the teacher conferences with students using Conferring Cards. There is not a set number of texts a student will read during independent reading due to the flexible nature of how leveled texts are assigned to students. There are no recommendations regarding the suggested number of texts students should be reading across each unit or the year as a whole. 

Teacher guidance is limited to foster independence for all readers (e.g., independent reading procedures, proposed schedule, tracking system for independent reading). Examples include:

• In the System Guide, a general plan is provided for how to implement independent reading, but not a specific lesson plan. Directions suggest that teachers introduce students to independent reading through book talks, listen while individual students read a portion of a book, observe student’s control over their reading, and confer individually with students. The directions do not state how often these should take place. 

• In Reading Minilesson 2, LA.U1.RML2, Share, directions state how independent reading is woven into lessons: “following independent reading time, gather students together in the meeting area to talk about their reading.” 

• In the Reading Minilessons, Management Umbrella 3, Getting Started with Independent Reading, the following lessons are included: 

  • MGT.U3.RML1 focuses on how to work during independent reading time where students are provided guidance on how they will mostly read silently during silent reading time with some time spent conferencing and some spent writing. Writing about what they read is an optional activity. Suggestions are provided for students on how they might take notes on their thoughts as they read.

  • MGT.U3.RML2 focuses on different approaches students might use to choose a book to read.

  • MGT.U3.RML3 focuses on how students can determine if a book is on an appropriate level for them to read.

  • MGT.U3.RML4 focuses on reasons students may have for abandoning a book and when it is appropriate to do so.

  • MGT.U3.RML5 focuses on helping students understand how to keep their independent reading books and materials organized. 

• Each Independent Reading book has a Conferring Card on different genres of fiction texts. They provide a brief introduction of the book, a summary for teachers who may not have read the book, and key characteristics of the book that the teacher may wish to focus on, general prompts that can be used with fiction texts, and academic vocabulary for teachers to begin using in conferring with students to build student experience with the academic language. Suggestions are provided in the System Guide to extend thinking beyond the book with a notation that it is optional and can be modified: "Occasionally you may want to encourage students to expand their thinking about the book through writing or drawing. Choose or modify a Writing About Reading prompt that would best support and extend a student's understanding of the text." 

• In the System Guide, directions are provided for individual conferences and state that the teacher can have “brief conversations, between a young reader and an expert reader, [that] help you expand a student’s thinking about what makes a ‘good’ book.” Teachers use Conferring Cards during the conferences.

• In the System Guide, directions state that when students discover a book they like, “point them to similar books in your classroom or school library to encourage more independent reading.” It also states that students should be allowed to choose books by topic of interest, not reading level: “Students read books of their choosing. Minilessons, brief conferences, and opportunities to share ideas support students’ learning.”

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

The Grade 4 materials provide questions that are text-specific and text-dependent; however, the questions do not require students to return to the text to answer them, nor are the students required to provide text evidence to support their responses. The materials provide inconsistent support for students in making meaning of the topics being studied through teacher support accompanying the Interactive Read Alouds.There are some general pieces of instruction for teachers but not specific directions to assist students. Some questions that serve as writing prompts provide sample student answers but do not include any specificity in what students should be providing in their answers. In the Interactive Read Alouds, teachers are provided with some support for planning and implementation of text-based questions and tasks through the inquiry task cards and the lesson folder.

Text-specific and text-dependent questions and tasks provide some support for students in making meaning of the core understandings of the texts being studied; however, students are not consistently required to return to the texts to provide support for their responses. Examples include:

• In the Interactive Read Aloud, Text Set: Friendship, students listen to The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson and verbally answer: “I wonder why Mama says it is not safe to climb over the fence. Who is narrating the story? What makes you think that? Why do you think the author chose to tell the story from the perspective of a young African American girl? An act of resistance shows someone’s refusal to accept something. Sitting on the fence was an act of resistance. What did Clover and Annie refuse to accept?” Students are not directed to return to the text to support their responses.

• In the Interactive Read Aloud, Text Set: Illustrator Study: Floyd Cooper, students listen to These Hands by Margaret H. Mason and verbally answer: “Who are the characters in this story? What can you tell about their relationship so far? What does Grandpa teach Joseph about in this story?” Students are not directed to return to the text to support their responses.

• In the Interactive Read Aloud, students listen to The Other Side and in the Discuss the Text, verbally answer teacher-directed questions: “Now that you’ve heard the whole story. Let’s talk about the fence and why it is important in the story. Who can tell us what a symbol is? In what ways is the fence a symbol of segregation? What does Annie mean by, ‘Someday somebody's going to come and knock this old fence down?’” Students are not directed to return to the text to support their responses.

• In Book Clubs, Text Set: Author/Illustrator Study: Patricia Polacco, students read Mrs. Mack by Patricia Polacco and verbally answer: “Talk about Patricia’s challenges in learning to ride. What do you think helped her? What did you learn about Patricia’s strong connection with Penny? How did the language and illustrations help your understanding? Why do you think the author titled the book Mrs. Mack? What do you think Patricia learned from Mrs. Mack? Talk about what you learned on page 40. Why do you think Old Hap was able to change after that summer? Who do you think gave Donnie money for veterinary school?”

• In Reading Minilesson LA.U24.RML2, students verbally answer teacher-directed questions: “Where does _____take place? Is that a real or an imagined place? How do you know? When does _____ take place? What details in the story helped you figure that out?” 

Teacher materials provide limited support for planning and implementation of text-based questions, tasks, and assignments. Examples include:

• In the Interactive Read Aloud, the Teacher Guide states that the teacher revisits the book so that students can “notice more about the text and illustrations.” The Teacher Guide also has teachers assess student learning by having teachers “observe students to find evidence that they can connect ideas between stories.” This support does not require that students engage in text-dependent activities to connect these ideas.

• In the Interactive Read Aloud, students listen to Better Than You and in the Respond to the Text, students complete an independent writing assignment where they write a paragraph or two in their reader’s notebook explaining why they think Jake went home and their opinion about what he did. An example student writing response is given in that section to provide teacher guidance for an appropriate response. 

• In the Interactive Read Aloud, teacher instructions on the inquiry task cards state: “Think about the essential question and big ideas on the previous page in order to formulate some questions that will help guide students in identifying projects for further exploration of the essential question.” In the lesson folders, teacher instructions state: “Invite students to share their thinking about the book.”

• In Book Clubs, teacher instructions are provided for discussions. In Prepare for Discussion subheading, teachers instructions state: “Tell children when you will be meeting. To prepare for book club, read or listen to the book and think about what you want to say about it. Use a sticky note to make one or two pages that you want to talk about.” In the Discuss the Book subheading, teacher instructions state: “Invite children to talk about the book, building on each other’s ideas and providing a variety of perspectives. Remind them to demonstrate respectful listening behavior.” No support for what this should look or sound like is provided.

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

The Grade 4 materials provide some opportunities and behavioral protocols for students to engage in speaking and listening activities; however, materials do not provide strong protocols for a variety of evidence-based speaking and listening opportunities across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials. Speaking and listening instruction may not be applied frequently over the course of the school year. It does not include facilitation, monitoring, or instructional supports for teachers. The development of speaking and listening skills are not prioritized and teacher guidance on how these discussions are to be structured are not apparent throughout the materials. 

The Reading Minilessons provide nine lessons on setting up Book Clubs that include establishing protocols for speaking and listening in these activities; this is the only instruction on speaking and listening. Teacher guidance also indicates that the Minilessons can be omitted at the teacher’s discretion. 

Materials provide limited protocols to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials. Examples include:

• In Reading Minilesson LA.U1.RML2, teachers create a chart to help students remember the guidelines for Turn and Talk conversations:

  • Turn your body toward your partner.

  • Look at your partner.

  • Use a soft indoor voice.

  • Take turns telling your thinking.

  • Be silent and listen carefully while your partner speaks.

  • Say whether you agree or disagree with your partner or add on to what he said.

  • Give reasons for your thinking.

• In the Reading Minilessons, the recommended teaching schedule for Umbrella 4: Getting Started with Book Clubs may be taught in Month 2. The nine lessons that teach speaking and listening protocols are scattered in the Minilessons. Examples include:

  • In Reading Minilesson LA.U3.RML2, teachers provide an inquiry-based lesson to help students understand possible ways to begin and end Book Club discussions.

  • In Reading Minilesson LA.U3.RML4, teachers provide an interactive lesson on ways that students can prepare for and give a good book talk during Book Clubs.

  • In Reading Minilesson LA.U4.RML3, students are instructed to turn and talk with a partner about their Book Club discussion ideas but no guidance or protocols are provided.

  • In Reading Minilesson LA.U4.RML4, students engage in a fishbowl discussion and then discuss their observations on respectful behaviors during a discussion. The students and teacher work together to create a chart together that shows their observations and establishes protocols for respectful book club discussions. No teacher instruction or protocol is provided for how to implement a fishbowl discussion or lead the post-fishbowl conversation.

  • In Reading Minilessons LA.U4.RML5, LA.U4.RML6, and LA.U4.RML7, students continue conversations and reflections to develop guidelines for Book Clubs and how to hold conversations.

• In Interactive Read-Alouds, Independent Reading, and Book Clubs, protocols for speaking and listening are not varied across the academic school year. The same directions are provided to teachers for the protocols in each section:

  • In Interactive Read-Alouds, all lesson folders tell teachers to “invite students to share their thinking about the books. Stop a few times to invite thinking and a brief conversation. Students may turn and talk in pairs or threes. Some stopping points and quick comments are suggested below.”

  • In Independent Reading, all conferring prompts suggest that teachers “may want to select from the prompts below to check in on the student’s enjoyment and understanding of the book, and to answer any questions. Sample and support the student’s oral reading and discuss writing in the Reader’s Notebook.”

  • In Book Clubs, all Conferring Cards tell teachers to “invite students to talk about the book. Remind them to take the group to places in the book they have marked and want to talk about. Facilitate the discussion by guiding students to think about the big ideas in the text.”

Speaking and listening instruction includes limited facilitation, monitoring, and instructional supports for teachers. This includes discussions during Interactive Read-Alouds, Independent Reading, and Book Clubs. Specific speaking and listening support provided is for students who are English Language Learners (ELLs).

• Although there are nine Reading Minilessons focused on speaking and listening and developing protocols for Book Clubs, the teacher guidance in the Reading Minilesson Book states: “If you are new to these minilessons, you may want to follow the suggested sequence, but remember to use the lessons flexibly to meet the needs of the students you teach: Omit lessons you think are not necessary for your students (based on assessment and your experiences with them interactive read-aloud). ...The minilessons are here for your selection according to the instructional needs of your class, so do not be concerned if you do not use them all within the year.”

• In the Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set: Innovative Thinking and Creative Problem Solving, teacher instructions state: “Invite students to write an essay describing how they have practiced creative problem solving in their own lives or community. The problem might have been at school, at home, with friends, or a problem they encountered in the world. Encourage them to focus on how they demonstrated innovative thinking, and to thoroughly explain the steps they took to resolve the issue. Students can then decide how to share their experience with the rest of the class. For example, they might create a graphic text or a slide presentation or a poster.”

• In the Word Study Lessons Book, Group Share (Reading), teachers are provided guidance that “[n]ot every student needs to share something every day. Also, you can have students share with a partner or in threes.” There is no specific guidance on how students should share or what form the conversations should take. 

• In Book Clubs, Discuss the Book, teacher guidance states: “Invite children to talk about the book, building on each other’s ideas and providing a variety of perspectives. Remind them to use evidence to support statements about the text. If needed, select from the following prompts to support thinking and talking.” There is no specific evidence on how to teach students to build on each other’s ideas or how to use evidence.

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

The Grade 4 materials include opportunities for students to engage in speaking and listening work to demonstrate what they are reading, however, the majority of the opportunities are a partnered turn-and-talk or large group discussion. Many questions require students to utilize, apply, and incorporate evidence from texts and/or sources. However, due to the structure of the lesson plans, speaking and listening opportunities are nearly always presented as suggestions. Student discussions are incorporated in the Book Clubs and Interactive Read-Alouds; however, these can be modified or not completed if the teacher chooses. 

Students have multiple opportunities over the school year to demonstrate what they are reading, however there is little variation in the speaking and listening opportunities. The speaking and listening opportunities presented do not align to grade-level standards. Examples include:

• In the Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set: Figuring Out Who You Are, an optional project has students research one aspect of their family’s culture. They are encouraged to look for an aspect of the culture that makes them special or different. After students complete their research they create a project that highlights the cultural aspect they have researched. The class then discusses what is special or unique about each culture.

• In Reading Minilesson LA.U4.RML1, students listen to Pigling and turn and talk with a partner: “What do the illustrations show? What do they help you to understand in the story?”

• In Reading Minilesson LA.U15.RML2, students participate in a turn and talk. The teacher instructs: “Turn and talk to your partner. How does the author try to persuade you to protect the environment from household waste?”

Speaking and listening work requires students to utilize, apply, and incorporate evidence from texts and/or sources. Examples include:

• In Interactive Read-Alouds, Discuss the Text, students listen to the text and the teacher asks text-based questions about the texts. Teacher-directed questions include:

  • In the Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set: Empathy, students listen to The Boy and the Whale and verbally answer: “How do the boy’s actions towards the whate connect to the idea of thinking of others rather than yourself? How do the actions between the boy and his father also connect to this idea?

  • In the Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set: Genre Study: Historical Fiction, students listen to Uncle Jed’s Barbershop and verbally answer: “Why did Uncle Ed come to Sarah Jean’s house every Wednesday? Why didn’t he cut Sarah Jean’s hair? What did he do instead? Why did Sarah Jean have to wait so long for the doctor to examine her?”

• In the Book Clubs, Discuss the Book section, teacher instructions state: “Invite children to talk about the book, building on each others’ ideas and providing a variety of perspectives. Remind them to use evidence to support statements about the text. If needed, select from the following prompts to support thinking and talking.” Prompts from Book Club sections include:

  • In the Book Club Text Set 4: Illustrator Study: Ed Young, students read I Wish I Were a Butterfly and verbally answer: “Talk about the illustrations. How do they help you understand the setting and set the mood of the book?”

  • In the Book Club Text Set 10: The Idea of Home, students read When Jessie Came Across the Sea and verbally answer: “How does the author help you imagine the scene at Ellis Island? How do you think Jessie feels?”

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

The Grade 4 materials include many opportunities for students to complete a variety of writing tasks that reflect the distribution required by the standards; however, the genres are not evenly distributed nor offered throughout the school year, nor is explicit instruction offered in any of the required genres. Each umbrella includes writing tasks in the culminating lesson, but the tasks do not represent an even distribution across the genres. Optional writing tasks are listed on many of the Interactive Read-Aloud cards; however, the writing opportunity is a recommendation and is not required. Typically, three other tasks are offered on each card that are not related to writing, such as an art project, a math connection, a geography connection, or another discipline. Book Club cards also feature writing prompts; however, since the Book Club texts are optional, there is no guarantee which genres of writing a student may experience. While students do have the option to complete opinion, informative, explanatory, and narrative writing, there are fewer informative and narrative writing task options available throughout the program. 

Materials do not provide multiple opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply different genres/modes/types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. There is no explicit instruction of the writing modes called for in the standards. Students have the option to respond to reading with writing, but are not required to do so and do not receive any instruction on the writing mode.

Different genres/modes/types of writing are not evenly distributed throughout the school year. 

Nearly all writing tasks are connected to a text that has been read to students; however, the writing tasks are frequently presented as one of a few options, therefore students may not choose to engage with these tasks.

• Examples of optional informative/explanatory writing include but are not limited to: 

  • In the Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set: Telling a Story with Photos, students listen to Wolf Island. One possible Respond to the Text activity is a paragraph responding to the prompt: “Why is family life important for wolves? Use examples from the book in your answer.”

  • In the Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set: Cinderella Stories, students listen to Domatila. One possible Respond to the Text activity is for students to write a paragraph explaining what a particular saying from the text means and how it relates to the story. 

  • In the Interactive Read-Aloud Test Set: Writer’s Craft, Book Clubs, Text Set: Fiction/Realistic, students read Mr. Lincoln’s Way. An Extend the Discussion: Further Response activity is to write about why students “think Mr. Lincoln was able to earn Eugene’s trust and make such a difference in Eugene’s life?” Students use details and evidence from the text.

• Examples of optional narrative writing tasks include but are not limited to: 

  • In the Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set: Figuring Out Who You Are, students listen to The Gold-Threaded Dress. One possible Respond to the Text activity is a paired writing assignment. Teacher directions state: “Have students think about times when Oy felt uncomfortable making the choices or decisions before her. In The Gold-Threaded Dress, there are several times when Oy could have stood up for herself, or chosen to act differently. What are some examples? Have the partners work together to identify a scene in the story where Oy could have made a different choice. If necessary, suggest some possible scenes: telling Frankie to stop saying she is Chinese earlier in the story: explaining to Miss Elsa that she wants to be called by her real name; or sharing the reason for her loneliness with the playground monitor. Have partners write a paragraph describing how the scene would have played out if Oy had acted differently. If time permits, allow partners to share their writing.”

  • In the Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set: Fiction/Realistic, students listen to The Boy and the Whale. One possible Respond to the Text activity is an independent writing assignment. Teacher directions state: “Recall your discussion about the difficult choices the boy had to make in The Boy and the Whale, such as diving into the ocean by himself or disobeying his father. Then have students write a journal entry in the reader’s notebook, from the boy’s point of view, describing one of the choices he made and how he felt about it.” 

• Examples of optional opinion writing tasks include but are not limited to: 

  • In the Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set: Friendship, students listen to The Other Side. One possible Respond to the Text activity is a short write: “Do you think that summer was an important one in Clover’s life? Why do you think that?”

  • In the Interactive Read-Aloud Text Set: Friendship, students listen to Better Than You. One possible Respond to the Text activity is an independent writing assignment. Teacher directions state: “Revisit the conversation about why Jake headed home at the end of the story. Have students turn and talk with a partner about why they think Jake didn’t want to stay with Tyler and Niko and learn a new throw. Then, have students write a paragraph in the reader’s notebook telling why they think Jake went home and their opinion about what he did.”

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

The materials include some lessons on capitalization and spelling grade-appropriate words correctly. While there are a few lessons on using a dictionary, there is no explicit instruction on using a dictionary to find the correct spelling of a word. In The Fountas and Pinnell Literacy Continuum, there is a Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Chart. On page 635, it specifically states this chart is not intended to be a curriculum for instruction in formal grammar. The authors suggest if a teacher wants to teach a short grammar lesson, it should be related to a book the teacher has read or some shared writing that the teacher and the students are doing together. Students have the opportunity to write a letter to the teacher on a weekly basis about their reading for that week. The materials have some teacher direction for a few of the grammar standards; however, opportunities are missed for students to receive explicit instruction in standards such as the use of progressive tense, correctly using frequently confused words, teaching auxiliaries, and producing complete sentences while recognizing and correcting inappropriate run-ons. Materials include opportunities for students to demonstrate application of some skills in context. However, materials do not have authentic opportunities for students to apply newly learned skills to their writing. 

Materials include limited explicit instruction of some grammar and usage standards for the grade level. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

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

  • No evidence was found.

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

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Word Structure, Card 18, the teacher displays the words trespass, vanish, and govern. The class adds -ing to change the words to progressive tense.

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Word Structure, Lesson 18, page 366, the teacher asks students what they notice about the words trespass, utilize, and other words. The teacher then uses the word trespass in the sentence, “By taking a shortcut, the hikers are trespassing on private property.” Students identify what is different in the sentence. 

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

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Word Meaning Vocabulary, Card 2, the teacher shows the words pleased and thrilled. Students discuss the synonym pair and create a “Shades of Meaning” chart.

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

  • No evidence was found.

• Form and use prepositional phrases.

  • No evidence was found.

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

  • No evidence was found.

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

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Word Meaning Vocabulary, Card 5, the teacher writes pairs of homophones on a chart such as waste/waist, heel/heal, and serial/cereal. Students discuss the meanings and use in sentences.

  • In Fountas and Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Recognize and Use Homophones, page 211, the teacher write pairs of words, such as waste/waist, heel/heal, and cereal/serial, and students discuss the meaning of each word and then identify additional words that sound the same. 

• Use correct capitalization.

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Understand How to Use Capital Letters Correctly, page 105, the teacher explains that words can have a capital letter for different reasons. The teacher highlights words she wrote, such as Jeremiah, New York Aquarium, Spanish, and Mr. Manrique, and explains why they are capitalized. 

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Letter-Sound Relationships, Lesson 7, page 105, the teacher writes a sentence on chart paper. S/he reads the sentence and then asks students what they notice about the words she wrote on the chart paper. The teacher explains that the words can have capitals for different reasons. 

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

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Umbrella 4, RML2, page 584, the teacher tells students that if they copy the exact words from a book, they should use quotation marks. 

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

  • No evidence was found.

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

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Spelling Patterns, Card 1, the class creates a chart about words with the same phoneme patterns.

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Recognize Commonly Misspelled Words, and Rewrite Them Correctly, page 189, the teacher displays an example paragraph and guides students through the process of editing words spelling incorrectly.

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Word-Solving Action, Lesson 7, page 476, the teacher holds up a dictionary and asks students what they can find in a dictionary. Students talk to the teacher about how it is organized. The teacher gives dictionaries to students, and they look up words on the top of the page.

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, High-Frequency Words 3, pages 189-192, the teacher shares a paragraph with some misspelled words and guides students to understand that they should try to notice misspelled words and rewrite them correctly. Students then practice writing some difficult to spell words. 

• Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Word Meaning Vocabulary, Card 18, the teacher shows sentences with two different uses of curtain and forks. The class discusses the literal meaning and the figurative meanings of the word pairs.

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Word Meaning/Vocabulary, Lesson 20, Online Resources, page 284, during the independent writing, the teacher works with students to identify comparisons. The teacher explains that writing with comparisons can liven up the students’ writing and that a well-crafted metaphor can improve students’ writing. 

• Choose punctuation for effect.

  • In Fountas and Pinnell, Online Resources, page 22, the manual states that the teacher can guide students in using punctuation when they are talking to students in their personal conferences. 

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

  • No evidence found

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

• In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Word-Solving Action, Lesson 7, page 477, in the “Apply” section of the lesson, the teacher has students select four words from their sort and look them up in the dictionary. The students write the word, guide words, part of speech, and definition of each word. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Letter-Sound Relationships, Lesson 7, 7page 107, students write three sentences using different phrases or words from the word cards with different words capitalized. 

• In Fountas Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary, Word Study, Lesson 18, page 366, in the “Apply” section, students categorize the -ing verbs in their student notebooks.

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

The Grade 4 materials include some teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component and there is some attention paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and to high-value academic words. There is limited attention paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and to high-value academic words. The materials provide suggested activities with vocabulary instruction, but there is no explicit instruction of academic vocabulary and its usage after being introduced. Vocabulary instruction is included in the Word Study program and selected vocabulary is included in the lesson goals for Interactive Read-Alouds, Book Club selections, and Reading Minilessons. In Reading Minilessons, words are identified as being academic vocabulary that students need to understand but there is no protocol or guidance for how to teach the words nor are definitions included for the words that students encounter in texts. In Book Clubs and Interactive Read-Alouds, vocabulary words are not identified prior to the lesson but are included in teacher-led discussion questions to understand the text. Tier 2 and Tier 3 words are not identified..

Materials provide some teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component. Examples include:

• In the Comprehensive Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Guide, a plan for word meaning/vocabulary is included for grades PreK-8 that includes lessons related to figurative language, concept words, combined, and created words. These lessons do not provide support for growing students’ knowledge and application of academic vocabulary. 

• In the Word Study Lessons: Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Book, teacher guidance states: “Lessons should be conversational. In most lessons, it is appropriate for students to derive the principle through inquiry and example, and you can state it at the end of the lesson and again at the end of the share time. Be sure to say the principle the same way each time. Your tone will be that of I’m going to show you something interesting about how words work or What do you notice about these words? Invite students to make connections to their names and words they know. Invite them to contribute further examples, and recognize their thinking even if the examples don’t quite fit.”

Vocabulary is not repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts) and across multiple texts. Examples include:

• In the Classroom System Guide, Phonics and Word Study, the teacher guidance states: “Students learn to solve words ‘on the run’ while reading for meaning and writing to communicate. As teachers work alongside readers and writers, they demonstrate effective behaviors, draw attention to important information, and prompt students to use their knowledge.” Teacher guidance recommends balancing explicit teaching of vocabulary and implicit teaching embedded in the processes of reading and writing. There is no specific information given in this guidance on how to teach effective behaviors or how students use their knowledge.

• In Reading Minilessons, some academic vocabulary is repeated in multiple lessons, such as author, illustrator, craft, and style. There is no context provided for these words nor a protocol for teaching the vocabulary to students.

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

• The Classroom System Guide does not include a plan for the instruction of Tier 2 and Tier 3 academic vocabulary words in context during reading and associated activities to help students build their knowledge in this area. 

• In the Reading Minilessons, specific academic language and/or important vocabulary is identified for teachers. There is no specific protocol provided for introducing these words to students nor any support for students who may struggle to understand the words. 

• In the Interactive Read-Aloud, Text Set: Figuring Out Who You Are, students listen to The Gold Threaded Dress by Carolyn Marsden and answer the following questions: “Reread the last paragraph on page 55. Let’s talk about some of the words Mrs. Cervantes uses to describe Oy’s behavior on the playground. She says Oy provoked or instigated the other girls, which means Oy encouraged them to misbehave. Is that true? What makes you think that?” Teacher guidance states: “Revisit pages 62-63. Oy is honest with Mere and explains that she behaved inappropriately on the playground. Guide the students toward understanding the meaning of inappropriately.”

• In the Interactive Read-Aloud, Text Set: Coping with Loss, students listen to The Dam by David Almond and answer the following questions: “Reread page 20. It says, ‘What water rose.’ What does the word rose mean in this sentence? Does it name a kind of flower or does it mean ‘reached a higher level?’ Tell why you think that.”

• In the Interactive Read-Aloud, Text Set: Author/Illustrator Study: Allen Say, students listen to Tea with Milk by Allen Say and answer the following questions: “Reread the first paragraph on page 8. The word gaijin is Japanese. What does it mean? How do you think May felt when her classmates called her gaijin?” Teacher guidance states: “Reread the second half of page 28. Joseph says they are transferring him. The word transferring is defined in context. What words tell you what transferring means?”

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

The materials include lessons on reading multisyllabic words out of context. There is some instruction in letter-sound correspondences in various lessons. The instruction generally requires the teacher to ask students what they notice about the letter-sound correspondences, after which the teacher guides students through the skill. All tasks and questions are not sequenced to the application of grade-level work. Several optional assessments are provided in the BAS2 Kit, along with assessments for books at Levels L-Z. There is no guidance provided about determining which assessments to use or when to use them. In addition, running records are suggested at the end of each guided reading lesson, but there is no guidance about how often running records should be completed. 

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

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

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Lessons, Grade 4, Word Meaning/Vocabulary, Lesson 22, page 280, the teacher writes the words motor, motion, and promote, and students read them. They discuss that each of the words contains the letters mot. The teacher explains this is a Latin root word. 

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Lessons, Grade 4, Spelling Patterns 9-16, pages 147-178, these eight lessons focus on reading multisyllabic words using syllable patterns, short vowel phonograms, long vowel phonograms, and other vowel phonograms out of context. 

  • In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Lessons, Grade 4, Word Meaning/Vocabulary, Card 11, the teacher writes the words poisonous, famous, glorious, and joyous on the whiteboard. The students notice the suffix -ous and discuss that the suffix means “full of.” Students read and define the words.

Assessment opportunities are provided over the course of the year; however, assessments do not clearly inform instructional adjustments of phonics and word recognition to help students progress toward mastery, and many assessments are optional. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

• In Fountas & Pinnell, Online Resources, BAS2, 3rd Edition, Optional Assessments, there are several optional assessments provided in Fluency and Phrasing, Phonics and Word Analysis, Vocabulary, and Vocabulary in Context. There is only one assessment specifically geared toward Grade 4, the Grade 4 Word Features Test. There are scoring criteria for each optional assessment.

• In Fountas & Pinnell, Online Resources, BAS2, 3rd Edition, Recording Forms, there is an assessment form for each of two books beginning at Level L and continuing until Level Z. There is one fiction and one nonfiction book at each level. The recording form includes oral reading, fluency, comprehension questions, and an optional writing prompt. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell, Online Resources, Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, page 18, on the back of the guided reading lesson plans, there is an assessment section that suggests that teachers refer to the corresponding level in the Literacy Continuum and make notes of the behaviors and understandings the readers in the group control or need to control. The teacher notes what students have learned to control or what they need to learn how to control. In addition, this section also advises teachers to use the Recording Form to take a running record. After coding the reading, teachers are to select an immediate teaching point. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Lessons, Grade 4, Word Meaning/Vocabulary, Lesson 22, page 281, the teacher gives students an assessment to put up three or four words with Latin roots. Students explain the word and its meaning. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Lessons, Grade 4, Assessment A, Spelling Patterns, this assessment assesses students’ knowledge of phonogram patterns. The instructions state that the teacher should have the student read the words to determine which phonograms students can read and note which ones they still need to learn. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Lessons, Grade 4, Word-Solving Action, Assessment B, students are assessed on using word parts to solve words. The teacher evaluates students’ ability to solve words when they are reading the passage. 

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

The materials provide limited opportunities over the course of the year in core materials for students to learn, practice and apply phonics, word recognition, and word analysis skills in connected texts and tasks. While materials include instruction in these skills, there is a lack of authentic application of newly learned skills in context. The materials provide some opportunities over the year for students to learn and practice word analysis skills through sorting, playing games, and shared and independent writing activities. After teaching minilessons about solving words from The Reading Minilessons Guide Book, teachers are provided with guiding questions when listening to students talk about their reading. On Guided Reading cards, in the Reading the Text section, it is suggested that teachers may want to sample the oral reading of a particular student with suggestions for helping students solve multisyllable words, such as, “Do you see a part you know?” The materials include goals that are listed for Shared Reading cards related to foundational skills, but there are no tasks or questions that provide opportunities for students to access different foundational skills within the anchor text and supporting texts.

Limited opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis skills in connected tasks. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

• In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Lessons, Grade 4, Spelling Patterns, Lesson 16, students play the game “Concentration” with words that end in the same pattern, such as raccoon and balloon. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Lessons, Grade 4, Word Structure, Lesson 22, in the “Independent Reading” section, students find words with the suffixes -ful and -less and read them. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Lessons, Grade 4, Word Solving Actions 2, the teacher makes multisyllabic words with magnetic letters and  breaks them into syllables. The teacher says the words, and the students repeat them. The teacher explains that to read long words, it helps to break it into syllables. Students practice by drawing 10-word cards and dividing them into syllables to read them. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell, The Reading Minilessons Book, Section 3, Umbrella 1-Solving Multisyllable Words RML 5, the teacher demonstrates covering the prefix or suffix in a word and then taking apart the base word first to read a multisyllabic word. Students are then invited to take apart a word by removing the suffix. 

Materials do not include limited tasks and questions that provide opportunities for students to access different foundational skills within the anchor text and supporting texts. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

• In Fountas & Pinnell,The Reading Minilessons, Section 3: Strategies and Skills, students read a sentence from the book Gecko. Students talk about the word parts they see in the word disappear.

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

The materials include three reading minilessons focused on maintaining fluency, though there are no lessons that include successive readings. Additionally, the minilessons lack explicit instruction in accuracy, rate, and expression. While some Guided Reading lessons include fluency, there is no guarantee that all students will have an opportunity to receive these lessons since they are not a part of core instruction. There is a fluency rubric teachers can use when students are reading; however, the materials do not include guidance for how often teachers should use this rubric. In addition, when using the BAS2, it states to assess fluency. Neither the rubric nor the BAS2 assessment provides teachers with instructional adjustments to help students progress toward mastery of fluency. There is no evidence of students receiving instruction on using self-correction while reading. 

Limited opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate sufficient accuracy and fluency in oral and silent reading. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

• Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

  • In Fountas & Pinnell, The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 4, page 527, the students read the poem “Gecko”. The teacher prompts students to read naturally, like when they are talking. 

  • In Fountas and Pinnell, Guided Reading Lesson, Looking at Snowflakes, Level R, Reading the Text, page 2, in the “Reading the Text” section, the materials suggest that the teacher may want to sample the oral reading of a particular student while the other students read silently. The teacher can encourage a student to read with phrasing and intonation by prompting, “Make it sound like talking.” The teacher can reinforce reading with phrasing and intonation by saying, “You make it sound like talking.”

  • In Fountas & Pinnell, Independent Reading, Grade 4, Abby Takes a Stand, the story is one of the texts that students can choose to read independently. The materials give conferring prompts for teachers to discuss the text with the students to check for understanding. 

Materials do not support reading or prose and poetry with attention to rate, accuracy, and expression, as well as direction for students to apply reading skills when productive struggle is necessary. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

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

  • In Fountas & Pinnell, The Reading Minilessons Book, Section 3, Umbrella 4, RML 2, pages 526-527, the teacher reads a page from a book to sound like fluent, natural speech. Then students read the page with the teacher. After reading, the teacher and students have a conversation about fluency. Some prompts are provided for the teacher to guide the conversation. The teacher creates a chart about fluent reading. Students later practice phrasing with a partner in connected text. 

  • In Fountas & Pinnell, The Reading Minilessons Book, Section 3, Umbrella 3, RML 3, pages 528-529, the teacher reads a page from a book with appropriate rate, expression, pausing, and stress. Students read with the teacher a second time. Students practice fluency with a partner.

Materials do not support students’ fluency development of reading skills (e.g., self-correction of word recognition and/or for understanding, focus on rereading) over the course of the year (to get to the end of the grade-level band). Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

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

  • In Fountas & Pinnell, Online Resources, Word-Solving Action Assessment B, Grade 4, the assessment is used by teachers to notice if students are using self-corrective behaviors to read a word and if they are improving their ability to read a word. 

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

• In Fountas & Pinnell, Online Resources, Word-Solving Assessment B, the materials state to have the teacher assess how the reading sounds and whether students are reading with fluency and expression. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell, Online Resources, BAS2, Optional Assessments, Assessing Fluency and Phrasing, a Six Dimensions Fluency Rubric is provided for teachers to assess students as they read a Benchmark Assessment book or another appropriate book. Teachers score the students on phrasing, pausing, stress, intonation, rate, and integration on a four-point scale for each to determine how much if any, teaching on fluency is necessary. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell, Online Resources, BAS2, Not Too Cold For a Polar Bear Recording Sheet, page 4, after taking a running record of a section of this book, the teacher calculates the accuracy rate, records the number of self-corrections, and rates the student’s fluency on a four-point scale. There is a section for calculating the reading rate, but this is marked optional. 

• In Fountas & Pinnell, Benchmark Assessment System 2, Levels L-Z, allows teachers to give a running record to determine students’ fluency, including rate and accuracy, and what level they are reading.