4th Grade - Gateway 1
Back to 4th Grade Overview
Note on review tool versions
See the series overview page to confirm the review tool version used to create this report.
- Our current review tool version is 2.0. Learn more
- Reports conducted using earlier review tools (v1.0 and v1.5) contain valuable insights but may not fully align with our current instructional priorities. Read our guide to using earlier reports and review tools
Loading navigation...
Focus & Coherence
Gateway 1 - Meets Expectations | 92% |
|---|---|
Criterion 1.1: Focus | 2 / 2 |
Criterion 1.2: Coherence | 4 / 4 |
Criterion 1.3: Coherence | 7 / 8 |
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for alignment to focusing on major work of the grade and coherence. The instructional materials meet expectations for both of the two focus criteria by not assessing above Grade 4 standards and by allocating a large enough percentage of instructional materials to major standards of the grade. Many strengths are found and noted in the coherence criterion, and the instructional materials meet quality expectations for coherence.
Criterion 1.1: Focus
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for assessing grade-level content. Standards assessed are clearly identified for each item in the "Data Driven Decision Making" textbox. For example, see chapter 13, teacher edition, page 754A. Overall, the instructional materials do not assess content from future grades within the summative assessments provided for each chapter.
Indicator 1a
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for assessing grade-level content. Overall, the instructional materials do not assess content from future grades within the summative assessments provided for each chapter.
- In the planning guide there is a section called "Getting Ready for Fifth Grade." Planning resources for this are described in the planning edition, but they are aligned to Grade 5 CCSSM and are clearly identified. Students are not being assessed on the content; it is an extension in preparation for Grade 4.
- Standards assessed are clearly identified for each item in the textbox titled "Data Driven Decision Making." For an example, see chapter 13, page 754A, in the teacher edition.
- Go Math for Grade 4 does not assess any future grade content.
Criterion 1.2: Coherence
Students and teachers using the materials as designed devote the large majority of class time in each grade K-8 to the major work of the grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for spending the large majority of class time on the major clusters of the grade. The Grade 4 materials consist of 13 chapters. Eight (62%) focus on the major work of the grade, and there are a large number of lessons in the other five that strongly support the major work of the grade. Overall, the instructional materials allocate a large percentage of instructional time to clusters of standards that are major work of Grade 4.
Indicator 1b
Instructional material spends the majority of class time on the major cluster of each grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for spending the large majority of class time on the major clusters of the grade. Overall, the instructional materials allocate a large percentage of instructional time to clusters of standards that are major work of Grade 4.
- Chapter 1 focuses on place value and subtraction to 1 million (4.NBT.A, 4.NBT.B). Chapters 6, 7, 8 and 9 focus on building understanding of fractions and fraction equivalence (4.NF.A, 4.NF.B and 4.NF.C).
- The Grade 4 materials consist of 13 chapters. Eight chapters (62%) focus on the major work of the grade.
- Given the number of lessons in the other five chapters that strongly support the major work of the grade, these instructional materials meet the expectation for this indicator of at least 65% on the instructional materials on major work of the grade.
Criterion 1.3: Coherence
Coherence: Each grade's instructional materials are coherent and consistent with the Standards.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for being coherent and consistent with the CCSSM. The instructional materials have an amount of content designated for Grade 4 that is viable for one school year, and they also give students extensive work with grade-level problems. The instructional materials only have only some of the supporting content enhancing focus and coherence simultaneously, but they do have materials that foster coherence through connections at a single grade. Overall, the instructional materials for Grade 4 strongly exhibit characteristics of coherence as noted in indicators 1D, 1E, and 1F, and for the entire criterion, the instructional materials meet the expectations.
Indicator 1c
Supporting content enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by engaging students in the major work of the grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 partially meet the expectations for having the supporting content enhancing focus and coherence simultaneously. Overall, the instructional materials miss opportunities to connect non-major clusters of standards to major clusters, and as a result, the supporting content does not always engage students in the major work of Grade 4.
- Chapter 5 focuses on factors and multiples and treats it separately from the major work of the grade. Chapter 10 focuses on two-dimensional figures and treats them separately from the major work of the grade.
- In Chapters 11 and 12, four lessons (11.1, 11.2, 12.5 and 12.6) support the major work of the grade on fractions and decimals.
- Each lesson contains a spiral review that incorporates previously taught major work of the grade. For example, see chapter 12, lesson 1, teacher's manual, page 646. The lesson is focused on the supporting cluster "measurement units," while including "building of fractions and unit fractions" (4.NF.B and 4.NF.C) in the spiral review.
Indicator 1d
The amount of content designated for one grade level is viable for one school year in order to foster coherence between grades.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for having an amount of content designated for one grade level as viable for one school year. Overall, the time needed to complete the lessons is appropriate for a school year of approximately 180 days.
- The suggested pacing for Grade 4 is 155 days according to the chapter-pacing chart provided on the "chapter at a glance" pages in each chapter.
- If time permits, there is a unit called "Preparing for Fifth Grade," which has 25 days total in the unit.
Indicator 1e
Materials are consistent with the progressions in the Standards i. Materials develop according to the grade-by-grade progressions in the Standards. If there is content from prior or future grades, that content is clearly identified and related to grade-level work ii. Materials give all students extensive work with grade-level problems iii. Materials relate grade level concepts explicitly to prior knowledge from earlier grades.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for having materials that are consistent with the progressions in CCSSM. Overall, the materials give students extensive work with grade-level problems, and grade-level concepts are explicitly related to knowledge from earlier grades. Also, the materials develop according to the grade-by-grade progressions, with non-grade-level content clearly identified.
- Each chapter identifies grade-level work and how it ties into previous and future grades. For example, see chapter 1, teacher's manual, page 3J.
- Content from previous grades is identified in each chapter in the progression chart. For example, in chapter 6, page 325J, the curriculum identifies the progression for numbers and operations fractions. It identifies the work students do with fractions in Grade 3, Grade 4, and what the work will look like in Grade 5.
- Materials develop according to grade-by-grade progressions. Content from prior or future grade levels is clearly identified.
- Materials give all students work within the grade-level. RTI activities are provided for tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 work. Differentiated instruction is clearly mapped out. For example, see chapter 1, teacher's manual, page 3F.
- Within the grade-level work there is daily review, fluency practice and spiral review for students. Additionally there are activities for reteaching and enrichment for each student to complete.
- There are 103 lessons over about 155 days. All provide work with grade-level problems.
- Children are assessed on prior knowledge at the beginning of each chapter. For example, see chapter 1, teacher's manual, pages 3 and 4.
- Each chapter begins with a section called "Show What You Know," which assesses prior knowledge and/or prerequisite skills. Additionally, each chapter has a page titled "Learning Progressions and Content Standards," where the learning progressions, as well as the standards before and after the grade level, are highlighted.
Indicator 1f
Materials foster coherence through connections at a single grade, where appropriate and required by the Standards i. Materials include learning objectives that are visibly shaped by CCSSM cluster headings. ii. Materials include problems and activities that serve to connect two or more clusters in a domain, or two or more domains in a grade, in cases where these connections are natural and important.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the expectations for having materials foster coherence through connections at a single grade. Overall, the materials include learning objectives that are visibly shaped by CCSSM cluster headings, and the materials connect two or more clusters in a domain or two or more domains in a grade when appropriate.
- Each lesson contains a "lesson at a glance" section, which states the Common Core State Standards, mathematical practices and learning objectives. For example, see chapter 5, lesson 5.4, teacher's manual, page 299A.
- Chapter 1 (shaped by cluster headings 4.NBT.A) is titled "Place Value, Addition and Subtraction to One Million," with lesson 1.1 titled, "Model Place Value Relationships."
- Chapter 5 is titled "Factors, Multiples and Patterns" (4.OA.B and 4.OA.C), with lesson 4 titled, "Factors and Multiples."
- Chapter 1 connects number and operations in base ten as a critical area to operations and algebraic thinking.
- Chapter 2 connects 4.OA.A and 4.NBT.B.
- Chapters 7 and 9 connect number- and operations-fractions with measurement and data.
- Chapter 10 connects geometry with operations and algebraic thinking.