The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for anchor texts being of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading and consider a range of student interests. The texts capture a wide range of student interests using detailed illustrations and rich language that includes the unit academic vocabulary. Texts support student learning and build knowledge of the unit theme. 

• In Unit 1, Week 4, students read poems: “Learning the World” by Kristine O'Connell, “Latitude Longitude Dreams” by Drew Lamm and James Hildreth, “A Map and a Dream” by Karen O’Donnell Taylor, and “Early Explorers” by Marilyn Singer. They are a collection of interesting, diverse poems that relate to the other texts in the unit.
• In Unit 2, Week 1, students read Far from Shore by Sophie Webb. This journal format with watercolor illustrations support the content of the text and provide an engaging story to explore the life of Sophie Webb, a scientist working on the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean. 
• In Unit 2, Week 2, students read A Place for Frogs by Melissa Stewart. The text includes vibrant illustrations that accurately depict the frog within its ecosystem.
• In Unit 3, Week 2, students read A Pet for Calvin by Barbara Robinson. This realistic fiction text is a humorous story relatable to students and supported by comical illustrations that help the reader picture the story.
• In Unit 4, Week 3, students read an excerpt from the Bill of Rights by Amie Jane Leavitt. This informational text contains rich academic vocabulary paired with rich illustrations. The text structure is appropriate for complex information and provides context for close reading.
• In Unit 5, Week 3, students read The Dog of Pompeii by Louis Untermeyer. This is a historical fiction text that contains rich vocabulary and descriptions. The historical context adds to student interest.
• In Unit 5, Week 5, students read People Should Manage Nature by Lee Francis IV. This argumentative text that contains strong academic vocabulary. The illustrations are clear and aid in the understanding of the text.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level. Students have multiple opportunities to read a variety of informational and literary texts. Genres include fables, myths, folktales, poetry, and informational texts.  

The following are examples of literature found within the instructional materials:

• In Unit 1, Excerpt from Pedro’s Journal by Pam Conrad
• In Unit 2, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• In Unit 3, Artist to Artist by David Adedjouma
• In Unit 4, The Scarlet Stockings Spy by Trinka Hakes Noble
• In Unit 5, The Dog of Pompeii by Louis Untermeyer
• In Unit 5, Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

The following are examples of informational text found within the instructional materials:

• In Unit 1, Picturesque Journeys by Yanitzia Canetti
• In Unit 2, “Let Wild Animals Be Wild and Don’t Release Animals Back to the Wild” by David Bowles and By René Saldaña Jr.
• In Unit 2, Far from Shore by Sophie Webb
• In Unit 3, What Is It Made Of? By Hanna North
• In Unit 4, The Bill of Rights by Amie Jane Leavitt

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for texts having the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task. Most texts reviewed are aligned to the complexity requirements outlined in the Common Core State Standards. Anchor texts are placed at the appropriate grade level. Examples include:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, Louie Share Kim, Paper Son by Barbara D. Krasner, 990L. This informational text has chronological text structure, supported by the use of dates and other signal words (in 1916, in 1924, when Share Kim was 20 years old). The photographs and captions directly support the text and help readers relate to Share Kim and his family. Students may need background knowledge to fully understand the history of Chinese immigration and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.
• In Unit 2, Week 5, Don’t Release Animals Back to the Wild By René Saldaña, Jr., 900L. In this argumentative text, students follow the author’s reasons and opinions about why captive animals should not be released into the wild.
• In Unit 3, Week 2, A Pet for Calvin By Barbara Robinson, 790L. The third-person narrative follows a chronological order and a typical plot structure. Calvin wants a pet but cannot have a pet because of his allergies; Calvin finds a worm and makes it his pet. The illustrations directly support the story by showing the characters, setting, and events.
• In Unit 4, Week 2, The Scarlet Stockings Spy By Trinka Hakes Noble, 1000L. The story takes place in 1777 during the American Revolution. The text makes references to historical figures, events, and colonial occupations. Some students may be familiar with the war from prior reading, but additional background knowledge about the revolution and Colonial America may be needed.
• In Unit 5, Week 4, Let’s Talk Trash by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 880L. The infographic provides details about understanding how much food is wasted and ways to reduce food waste in the home. Students can infer that the author’s purpose is to inform readers about how to reduce wasted food.

The following texts have a Lexile level above the grade-level band, yet the qualitative measure and reader and task components make the text accessible for students.

• In Unit 1, Week 3, excerpt from Pedro’s Journal by Pam Conrad, 980L. Students examine the historical fiction aspects of the text. Students explore point of view in this novel and use textual evidence to support an appropriate response. The text is written in a journal style. The author uses highly descriptive words; however, the materials provide scaffolds and supports for students to access the vocabulary in the text.  
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Far from Shore by Sophie Webb, 1040L. The text is just outside the stretch Lexile Level (740-1010). This text supports the unit topic, is written in journal format with illustrations, and is engaging to read. The activity guides students in understanding complex text as well as other text features.
  

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria that anchor texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for purpose and placement in the grade level. 

The Getting Started section of the instructional materials contains a detailed text complexity analysis and rationale for each anchor texts in all units. Under the Table of Contents for each unit, a Text Complexity Charts tab is accessible and includes information on recommended placement, quantitative measures, complexity levels, qualitative measures, and reader and task considerations for each weekly shared reading text. Less detailed information for supporting Book Club texts and Leveled Readers can also be found in the unit Table of Contents by clicking on the appropriate tab. All anchor texts include a quantitative and qualitative analysis complete with Reader and Task Considerations to enable planning for diverse student needs including English Language Learners, intervention, and on-level/advanced students. There are Visual Charts for complexity levels in the areas of meaning/purpose, text structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands that rate each on a colored grid from “simple” to “very complex” in tandem with a clear and explicit qualitative rationale for each. The Teacher's Edition lists descriptions for leveled readers and how they connect to the theme and essential question. A drop-down link for the leveled readers contains a pdf guide complete with the title and author, Lexile level, guided reading level, DRA level, as well as instructional notes, the leveled readers are leveled for differentiation and not anchored to grade level instruction. Guidance is provided for the teacher using teaching points and ELL supports. The Program Overview in the digital materials has a link titled, Text Rationale and Diversity. In this link, the publisher provides a general rational that states, “Texts were chosen based on criteria such as literary merit, author’s craft, themed, gender, and cultural representations/experiences, insight, readability and diversity.”

• In Unit 1, Week 2, The Path to Paper Son by Grant Din is an informational text with a Lexile level of 1020. The quantitative measures place this text upper level of readability for Grade 5. The qualitative measures suggest that students might need additional support with Language: Idioms and figures of speech and Knowledge Demands: Chinese immigration in the mid-1800s.  "Before reading this selection, the teacher should use the Reader and Task Considerations to plan how to address various student populations." Qualitative Considerations include:
• Levels of Meaning/Purpose: The author’s purpose is implied but easy to identify because the main idea is clear. Explanations and examples help show that the main purpose is to inform readers about the history of Chinese immigration to the United States and the concept of “paper sons.”
• Text Structure: The text follows a mostly chronological structure, but connections between some ideas are implicit. The photograph and “Did You Know?” feature provide some additional information but are not needed to understand the main idea. 
• Language Conventionality and Clarity: The sentences are mostly compound and complex. The vocabulary is largely familiar and conversational; however, students may need support understanding the terms in quotation marks: “son” “father’s,” and “paper son.” 
• Knowledge Demands: The subject matter includes events many students may not relate to, and the time period of the piece will not be familiar. Students will benefit from background knowledge of Chinese immigration during the mid-1880s and the San Francisco earthquake.
• In Unit 3, Week 4, The Hermit Thrush by Dana Crum is a drama. The quantitative measures are not generated for poetry and drama. See the qualitative analysis for support. The qualitative measures suggest that students might need additional support with Language: Idioms and figurative language and Knowledge Demands: Dramatic elements. "Before reading this selection, the teacher should use the Reader and Task Considerations to plan how to address various student populations." Qualitative Considerations include:
• Levels of Meaning/Purpose: The theme of doing what you love is clear and revealed explicitly. The secondary theme of perseverance to achieve a goal is related to The Carp.
• Text Structure: The drama follows a clear sequential order and illustrations directly support the text by showing characters, setting, and events. Students may need assistance understanding dramatic elements, such as stage directions, scenes, and dialogue, and how they are used to develop the plot, settings, and characters. 
• Language Conventionality and Clarity: The sentences are simple with some complex sentences. The vocabulary is mostly familiar and conversational. Students may need assistance with some figurative and idiomatic language, such as just keep at it, may as well get it over with, sounds like a sick moose, loosen up, saxophone walls, and feel the music. 
• Knowledge Demands: The plot events will be familiar and relatable to students who have practiced music, a sport, or another hobby, but have felt frustrated when they did not perform perfectly.
• In Unit 4, a Leveled Readers titled, Road to Freedom by Lara Iemma. Guided Reading Level 5, DRA level 50, 950L, and word count 3,861. The Text Characteristics include a text structure “Description” and text features of, “Photographs, Illustrations, Captions, Timeline, Text Boxes, Glossary, Index.”
• In Unit 5, Saving the Great Lakes by Rosina Thompson. Guided Reading Level W, DRA Level 60, 1000L. and word count 3,524. This text connects with the theme for Unit 5 and provides the students with the opportunity to turn and talk, discuss, and understand the elements of informational text.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria that anchor and supporting texts provide opportunities for students to engage in a broad range of text types and disciplines as well as a volume of reading to achieve grade-level reading proficiency.

The materials provide multiple opportunities each week for students to engage in a volume of reading on grade level. Each week, students hear a Read Aloud text and a Shared Text to anchor instructional activities. Small group lessons are included with Leveled Reader selections that range within the grade level band with additional titles available through the online resource provided. Students also engage in independent reading during Book Club time which offers multiple texts that students can choose and read. Students participate in Reading Workshop for 10-20 minutes daily and Small Group Independent time for 20-30 minutes daily for a daily total up to 50 minutes. During Week 6, students complete a research project with articles provided for students to read supporting the research task. Throughout the program, students read a wide variety of text types across multiple disciplines. Examples of texts students read include, but are not limited to: 

• In Unit 1, Week 6, students read Culture Shock, All Aboard! And Ellis Island: The Immigrant Journey in order to create a travel brochure. 
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Reading Workshop, students hear/read the Shared and Close Read, Far from Shore by Sophie Webb.
• In Unit 3, Week 4, Poetry Collection: students read Artist to Artist by David Adedjouma, Sepia and Spruce by Malathai Michelle Iyengar.
• In Unit 4, Week 2, students hear the Read Aloud, Jefferson’s Desk; Shared Read, The Scarlett Stockings Spy; read Leveled Readers, Something in the Air (Level T), The World Beneath the Waves (Level T), Reflections in Glass Town (Level U), A Slimy Situation  (Level V), To Tell the Truth (Level V), Power of the People (Level W); and Book Club selections, Guns for General Washington by Seymour Reit, Stealing Freedom by Elisa Carbone, Bad News for Outlaws by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, The Pilgrims of Plimoth  by Marcia Sewall, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas  by John Boyne, and Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees by Mary Beth Lauderdale.
• In Unit 5, Week 2, students hear the Read Aloud, Why Does Ice Float?; Shared Read, Earth’s Water Cycle, read Leveled Readers, The Changing Earth (Level U), Tropical Rain Forests (Level U), Earth’s Changing Landscape (Level V), Ocean Forces (Level V), Earth’s Fury (Level W), Saving the Great Lakes (Level W), and Book Club selections, Into the Volcano by Donna O’Meara, One Day in the Desert by Jean Craighead George, Inside Biosphere 2  by Mary Kay Carson, Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne, Earthquakes and Volcanoes by Lin Sutherland, and Landslides, Slumps, & Creep by Peter H. Goodwin.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text dependent/specific, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text). 

The materials include questions, tasks, and extension activities that support literacy growth for students over the course of the school year. Throughout all units, particularly the Reading Workshop sections, students are exposed to various genres and multiple readings, including a first read, close read, and reflect and share in each lesson. There are three components to each reading lesson under Reading Workshop. All three components during Reading Workshop include questions, tasks, and assignments that are text-dependent/specific. During the first read, students preview vocabulary from the text, preview the text itself, read the text, develop vocabulary, and check for understanding. During the close read, using an informational text, students analyze specific concepts such as craft, structure, plot, setting, make predictions, and use context clues within the sentence to determine the meaning of vocabulary words. Students also, reflect and share during the Reading Workshop. Students answer a variety of questions related to the texts being read, and the discussion supports students drawing on textual evidence to support their learning of literal and inferential information. Students produce evidence from texts to support their opinions or statements when writing and speaking. In addition, there are supports within the materials to assist the student or group of students in order to demonstrate their thinking about the theme or essential question for the week. 

• Unit 1, Week 1, Reading Workshop, after reading “The Path to Paper Son”, students answer, “What two events made it possible for people to create ‘paper sons?”
• In Unit 2, Week 2, Reading Workshop, students read, A Place for Frogs by Melissa Stewart, and “Highlight a problem that the author is addressing in paragraph 28-31 and the section Helping Frogs.”
• In Unit 2, Week 5, Reading Workshop, after reading the books, Let Wild Animals be Wild and Don’t Release Animals Back to the Wild by David Bowles and Rene Saldana Jr., students answer, “How does each text use animal sanctuaries to support its claim? Use text evidence in your comparison.”
• Unit 3, Week 4, Reading Workshop, after reading “Artist to Artist”, students answer, “How do you know that 'Artist to Artist,' 'Sepia,' and 'Spruce' are poems? Give three examples.”
• In Unit 4, Week 3, Reading Workshop, after reading The Bill of Rights by Amy Jane Leavitt, students “Underline the text that shows a cause and effect relationship between details in paragraph 5.”
• In Unit 4, Week 4, Reading Workshop, students read Delivering Justice by Jim Haskins and “Compare the ways African Americans and white people were treated in Savannah in 1941 to the ways they were treated in late 1961.”
• Unit 5, Week 2, Reading Workshop, students are directed, “With a partner, write down the three states of water. Then make predictions about how one state becomes another based on the reading.”
• Unit 5, Week 2, Reading Workshop, Check for Understanding, after reading Water, Water, Everywhere by Diane Dakers, students answer, “What details make Earth’s Water Cycle an informational text?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for having sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent/specific questions and tasks build to a culminating task that integrates skills (may be writing, speaking, or a combination).

The Readers Workshop, Readers Writers Workshop Bridge, and the Writing Workshop provide teacher modeling for sequences of text-dependent questions that allow students to observe, practice, and revise skills independently, with peers, and in groups. Through presentation and discussion of content, students demonstrate their knowledge by completing tasks that include application of learned reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. In Week 6, the Project-Based Inquiry task bridges what was learned in both the Reading and Writing Workshops. The grading rubrics are formatted to assess a student on the final project that includes applying what was learned in Weeks 1-5, as well as presenting on the material.

• In Unit 1, Week 5, Writing Workshop, Publish and Celebrate, Independent Writing, students refer to texts in order to brainstorm ideas for their personal narrative. At this point in the week, students have developed a rough draft and in Week 5 and then complete the final draft of their personal narrative. The teacher is provided guidance in supporting students in the final draft by referencing the Conference Prompts on page T344. 
• In Unit 3, Week 6, the Project-Based Inquiry focuses on skills and knowledge built throughout the unit. Students complete research and write a speech about a person who inspires them. Students work through research tasks by collaborating as they plan and create the brochure. Students present their final project.
• In Unit 4, Week 3, Reading Workshop, from The Bill of Rights, during Reflect and Share, students “Write to Sources: The Bill of Rights outlines freedoms protected by the U.S. government. Consider the texts you have read this week. What have you learned about the freedoms that people want and need? Use examples from the texts you read this week to write and support a response.”  
• In Unit 5, Week 6, Project-Based Inquiry, students connect what was learned on the topic of systems in Weeks 1-5. Students compare texts read in Weeks 1-5, apply the academic vocabulary, and utilize the argumentative style of writing while connecting evidence from the article, “Emergency.” Students collaborate and use a self-evaluation checklist to guide the creation of their public service announcement. When the students refine their research, they learn about and build a bibliography. In addition, the students have an opportunity to refine their public service announcement draft and later edit it, prior to submitting the final draft and presenting to the class.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for materials providing frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small groups, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

Practice for academic vocabulary and syntax are present for each unit in the Turn and Talk and Collaborate sections. Students practice using academic and social language while engaging in evidence-based discussions about the material in smaller groups and within the larger class. Students engage in paired, small group, and whole group discussions at various points in the units. The materials include guidance for teachers in establishing protocols for student discussions throughout the units. Development of discussion techniques and practices are ongoing throughout the units with guiding questions provided to help students develop discussion practices. Suggestions for discussion structure are also provided. 

• In Unit 1, Week 6, Compare Across Texts, the Turn and Talk states, “In this unit, you learned many new words to talk about Journeys. With a partner, go back to each selection and find a sentence that best illustrates the meaning of an academic vocabulary word. Explain why that word fits that quotation.”
• In Unit 1, Week 4, Reading Workshop: Infographic Turn and Talk states, “Where would you want to go on a journey? What thoughts and impressions would you include in a poem about your travels? Jot down notes to respond. Then use your notes to tell a partner about your plans.”
• In Unit 3, Week 3, the Academic Vocabulary section states, “What can music demonstrate about a person’s experiences? What can you recall about the art you’ve seen in your life?” The Turn Talk and Share states, “Have students talk with a partner about creative expression. Guide them to take notes during the discussion.”
• In Unit 4, Week 1, Reading Workshop, Reflect and Share, Academic Vocabulary, students begin to incorporate unit Academic Vocabulary words into their discussions and their own writing. During the First Read, the teacher models how to listen carefully to one another and ask questions to make sure they understand the partner’s point of view. Students then use the modeled strategies to discuss relevant questions about Keeping Mr. John Holton Alive.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and supports. 

The materials provide a variety of opportunities for students to ask questions and hold discussions with peers and teachers about research, strategies and ideas throughout each unit. Several opportunities for speaking and listening are in each unit that include both whole group and small group discussions including partner work and peer reviews. 

Students engage in discussion throughout the materials. In addition to the labeled discussions in the text, there are multiple questions for each text that the teacher poses to the class which would lead to class discussions. There is an audio option for students to listen to the text being read to them. Additionally, students engage in Book Clubs that involve reading a text and discussing the text with a peer group. Students regularly have discussions about their writing and the writing process. Each unit also provides an Inquiry project that involves collaboration with a group in creating the project and then presenting the project to either a small group or the whole class. There is a Listening Comprehension guide in the Teacher’s Edition of each Unit. The materials provide the teacher with support in the planning, providing graphic organizers or other supports for learning the skills and content, but not specifically for listening, speaking, or presenting with evidence.

• In Unit 1, Week 3, the Teacher's Edition has a Listening Comprehension guide that directs students to actively listen for elements of historical fiction. 
• In Unit 1, Week 3, Whole Group Formative Assessment time, students work with a partner talking about the differences and similarities in how historical fiction and informational texts use facts. 
• In Unit 2, Week 5, Writing Workshop, students share their ideas about publishing their informational article. Student pairs talk about why publishing in one way might be more effective than another for certain types of writing.
• In Unit 3, Week 6 of Compare Across Texts, the Turn and Talk states, “Read the sentence attached to each selection. Then, with a partner, review the selection and write a question for each 'answer' section. Finally, talk to your partner about how the answer relates to the theme.”
• In Unit 4, Week 6, Book Club, Session 2, students begin their conversations about the book, Guns for General Washington. Questions are provided to help spark collaborative discussions if necessary. Students use their Discussion Charts to help in their discussions. 
• In Unit 5, Week 6 of the Project-Based Inquiry, directions state, “This week students will address the theme of Systems by collaboratively researching and writing a script for a public service announcement (PSA). They will research ways people can help the environment and create positive changes in one of Earth’s systems.” Before final publication, student pairs present their public service announcements orally to another student pair. If students have recorded their PSAs, students should be prepared to share it with their audience.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g. multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate. 

The materials include a balanced variety of on-demand and process writing throughout all lessons. Each unit has a theme for process writing that focuses on developing a specific form of writing that is written and revised over the course of the first five weeks of the unit. Students engage in multiple methods of writing to develop their writing skills including note-taking, checklists, response notebooks, graphic organizers, short answer, and longer essay construction. Students participate in planning, composing, revising, and publishing throughout the unit with individual work, peer conferencing, and teacher conferencing. Each unit contains multiple on-demand writings which are varied in type of writing and length of writing. Students complete a Process Inquiry Project in Week 6 of each unit that contains a short, focused project that calls for research, writing, revising, and publishing much of which is done on a digital platform. The Readers Workshop has students responding throughout in their digital notebooks. The Writing Workshop allows for longer writing activities that include drafting and editing while the Project-Based Inquiry has students applying the learned writing skills in a culminating activity. Student writing develops over the course of the year. 

• In Unit 1, Week 4, Reading Workshop, Compare Texts Reflect and Share, students complete a quick write to compare and contrast the different language and sound devices used to express similar ideas in poems.
• In Unit 2, Week 3 of the Writers Workshop, My Turn states, “In your writing notebook, use the graphic organizer as a model for the introduction to your informational article. Then develop a draft of your introduction.”
• In Unit 3, Week 1, students are introduced to opinion essay writing. In Week 2, students work on developing the elements of opinion essay. In Week 3, students develop the structure of opinion essay writing. In Week 4, students work on writer’s craft for opinion essay. In Week 5, students publish, celebrate, and assess their opinion essay writing.
• In Unit 4, Week 1, Reading-Writing Bridge: Develop Author’s Craft, students “Write a brief dialogue between two characters from your area. Use an appropriate style of language to make the character’s sound realistic.”
• In Unit 4, Week 4, Writing Workshop, students Peer Edit: “Editing one another’s writing to make it stronger is called peer editing. When peer editing, opinion essays, writers respectfully provide useful feedback by: Pointing out both strong and weak reasons, Identifying where more evidence and/or details are needed, Pointing out where ideas are unclear or disorganized, Using specific language when making recommendations for improvement.”  
• In Unit 5, Week 1, Weekly Launch, Interact with Sources, students complete a quick write to answer, “What can people learn from digging into Earth?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. 

The materials provide frequent and multiple narrative, informal, and opinion writing opportunities across the school year. Students learn how to develop writing skills through exposure, practice, and application, requiring the use of evidence gathered from the analysis of materials and claims developed from reading and working with a myriad of sources. Materials provide opportunities that build students' writing skills through the use of checklists, models, and rubrics. Students are given opportunities for instruction and practice in a variety of genres addressed in the standards over the course of the school year. Direction and guidance from the teacher provide the support needed for student development as an effective writer.

• In Unit 1, Week 3, Reading Workshop, Compare Texts, Reflect and Share, after reading Pedro’s Journal, students write a response to the prompt: “On October 10 Pedro writes in his journal, ‘There is nothing out here. Surely we are lost.’ On October 12, he writes that the Santa Maria arrives at an island. Based on what you read in Pedro’s Journal, do you think the captain knew with certainty that the ships would reach land soon? Use text evidence to support your opinion.”
• Unit 1, Week 5, Writing Workshop, the Narrative Nonfiction Writing Rubric provides the students with guidelines as to how they will be assessed on their final piece of nonfiction writing. The assessment provides the criterion that the students need to fulfill in their final draft.
• In Unit 2, Week 2, Readers-Writers Bridge: Develop Author’s Craft, after reading A Place for Frogs, students “Write a paragraph that begins with an opinion reflecting a concern about frogs. Support your opinion with details and facts that will help readers understand your concern. Develop a text feature that supports your opinion.”
• Unit 3, Week 2, Writing Workshop, Develop an Opinion, students receive instructional support in developing a piece of opinion writing. There are Minilessons, writing supports, and conferencing to guide the students through the writing process that is focused on opinion writing.
• In Unit 4, Week 3, Reading-Writing Bridge: Develop Author’s Craft, student directions state, “Write an informational passage about a topic, and include supporting details to develop your topic. Make sure your main ideas, facts and details reveal your purpose for writing.”
• Unit 5, Week 6, Project-Based Inquiry, Argumentative Writing, students research, collaborate, plan, and develop an argumentative writing sample. The writing becomes part of their final project that is assessed by a rubric.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for materials including frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information appropriate for the grade level.

The materials provide tasks that support integrated reading and writing throughout the year. Each unit includes varied opportunities for students to engage, respond, revise, and build upon their learning using texts they read. Writing opportunities are embedded within daily instruction and throughout student activities. Students have several occasions to analyze the text, define their claims, and support their writing with evidence from one or multiple texts. Students are asked to use their recall of information to formulate ideas and often use close reading of the text to support those ideas with evidence from the texts. In Weeks 1-5, a Weekly Question is tied to the shared text students read. In the Reflect and Share component of the Reading Workshop, students respond to this question in writing, citing evidence from the text to defend their claim or provide the information requested in the prompt. In Week 6 of each unit, students complete a culminating research inquiry project in which they write in response to text, cite reasons to support their claims and apply their understanding of the unit theme and Essential Question. Teachers support students by modeling how to analyze and respond effectively to build knowledge through evidence-based writing.

• In Unit 2, Week 1, Reading-Writing Bridge, Develop Author’s Craft, Write for a Reader, students state a claim regarding how they can use graphic features the same way the author, Sophie Webb, did in Far from Shore. This is a loose claim that students will write with the use of the text; however, there is an opportunity for the teacher to guide the student to use examples from the text to support their claims in using graphic features.
• In Unit 3, Week 6, Project-Based Inquiry, students use the article, “Awesome Jane Addams,” to plan their research and recognize the characteristics and structures of argumentative text. After students read the article, they answer the following questions to facilitate critical understanding, “Which sentence explains the author’s central idea? Name two reasons the author provides to support the claim. In your opinion, which reason is the most convincing? Why? Which evidence supports the fact that Addam’s hard work led to the growth of Hull House over the years that followed?” Students then write a speech indicating why a day should be dedicated to a famous person.
• In Unit 4, Week 4, Reading Workshop, Reflect and Share, after reading Delivering Justice, students respond in writing with text evidence to the prompt, “What are some things people can do when their freedom is limited?”
• In Unit 5, Week 6, Project-Based Inquiry, Collaborate, students explore and plan argumentative writing: “Have student pairs use the Plan Your Research activity to help them recognize the characteristics and structures of argumentative texts, determine their claim, and choose which evidence they will incorporate to support their argument.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for materials including explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context. 

Each unit has lessons that incorporate the grammar and conventions standards for Grade 5. Grammar and conventions lessons are primarily addressed during the Reading-Writing Bridge lessons, Writing Workshop, Week 6 lessons, and via digital worksheets. The grammar and convention lessons are structured with teacher modeling, then students practicing the target skill. In addition, there are teacher resources that provide the teacher with additional lessons, including lessons for English Language Learners, students needing intervention and small group practice opportunities for students who show mastery of grade level concepts. 

Examples of explicit instruction of the grade level grammar and conventions standards in increasingly sophisticated contexts and student opportunities for application both in and out of context include, but are not limited to:

Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections in general and their function in particular sentences.

• In Unit 4, Week 4, Lesson 1, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Language & Conventions, Correlative Conjunctions, p. T278, the teacher reviews coordinating and subordinating conjunctions on page T208-T209 and creates a conjunction bank including coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions.  Students write two simple sentences, join the two sentences with different conjunctions, and discuss how the meaning changes. Pairs of students write three sentences using coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.
• In Unit 4, Week 5, Lesson 1, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Language & Conventions, Capitalization, Spiral Review: Correlative Conjunctions, p. T354, the teacher reviews the Language and Conventions lesson on correlative conjunctions on pp. T278-T279. The teacher models an example by writing a sentence on the board. Students circle the conjunctions and discuss that the conjunctions have parallel structure. Pairs of students form phrases for correlative conjunctions and discuss the phrases with the class. Students write sentences of their own using correlative conjunctions. 
• In Unit 3, Week 1, Lesson 3, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Language & Conventions, Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases, Teach Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases, p. T73, the teacher writes this sentence on the board: "A list of rules (guides, guide) their behavior." The teacher explains the rules of a prepositional phrase. The teacher displays another sentence. Students select the correct verb and explains the reason for their choice. Students then identify all three prepositions and prepositional phrases in the sentence and explain the function of each by telling what information it adds.
• In Unit 5, Week 2, Writing Workshop, Develop Elements, Use Interjections, p. T156, the teacher explains interjections are words or phrases that authors use to express strong feelings or sudden emotions, can appear in sentences or stand alone, and often followed by punctuation. The teacher writes sentences on the board, but does not include the punctuation after the interjections. Students discuss each sentence by determining what is the interjection in the sentence, what emotion is expressed, and should the interjection be followed by an exclamation mark or a comma. The teacher informs students that interjections may be used in poems, dialogue, and friendly letters, and they should not overuse interjections in their writing. In the Student Interactive, My Turn, p. 503, students complete the activity using correct punctuation.

Form and use the perfect tense verbs (e.g., I had walked, I have walked, I will have walked).

• In Unit 2, Week 4, Lesson 3, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Teach Perfect Verb Tenses, p. T281, the teacher explains that perfect verb tenses indicate a completed action, an action can be completed in the present (“I have finished”, it could have been completed in the past (“I had finished”), or it will be completed some time in the future (“I will have finished”), and that the perfect verb tenses are the present perfect, the past perfect, and the future perfect. The teacher models using all three perfect tenses in sentences. Students create related sentences using all three perfect tenses.
• In Unit 2, Week 4, Writing Workshop, Use Correct Verb Tense, p. T287, the teaching point in the Minilesson indicates writers use verb tense to show various times, sequences of events, states, and conditions. The perfect tense uses a form of have with the past participle. The teacher writes a sentence on the board, explains that the verb tenses don’t match, and depending on when the action took place, the sentence can be corrected two ways and demonstrates. The teacher writes a similar sentence, and students tell which verbs should be changed and why. In Student Interactive, My Turn activity, p. 358, students complete sentences with the correct perfect tense verb and compare answers with their partner.

Use verb tense to convey various times, sequences, states, and conditions.

• In Unit 2, Week 2, Lesson 3, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Language & Conventions, Principal Parts of Regular Verbs, Teach Principal Parts of Regular Verbs, p. T145, the teacher explains principal parts of a verb are the present (tells what is happening now), the present participle (often used after a form of be), the past (tells what has happened), and the past participle (often used after a form of have), and that verb tenses, which show times, sequence of events, states, and conditions, are formed from these principal parts. The teacher displays a regular verb and four sentences that show its principal parts used correctly and then chooses another regular verb and displays four sentences that show its principal parts used incorrectly. Students correct these sentences.

Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.

• In Unit 5, Week 5, Writing Workshop, Edit for Irregular Verbs, p. T351, the teacher works with students to create a list of irregular verbs and chooses two verbs and creates sentences in the present and past tense and uses the past participle. Students study the chart on p. 602 of the Student Interactive. The teacher points out that some irregular verbs have the same irregular form for the past tense and past participle while others have different forms and remind students to use the past participle after forms of the helping verb, have. In Student Interactive, My Turn activity, p. 602, students edit the draft by correctly spelling high-frequency words and words with grade-appropriate orthographic patterns and rules.

Use correlative conjunctions (e.g., either/or, neither/nor).

• In Unit 4, Week 4, Lesson 3, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Language & Conventions, Correlative Conjunctions, Teach Correlative Conjunctions, p. 279, the lesson focuses on correlative conjunctions. This includes the use of neither and nor. The teacher writes three related sentences on the board and combines the sentences using a correlative conjunction and models how to edit the sentences. A volunteer reads the first two sentences on p. 352 of the Student Interactive, and students suggest ways to combine them using correlative conjunctions.

Use punctuation to separate items in a series.

• In Unit 2, Week 5, Writing Workshop, Edit for Punctuation Marks, p. 354, the teacher explains that writers edit their work for mistakes and to improve their writing. The purpose and examples of use are shared for commas and quotation marks. The teacher asks the students several questions about punctuation with commas and quotation marks (in what ways, why, what does it mean). In the Student Interactive, p. 393, students edit the paragraph for correct quotation marks and commas. Students work in pairs to look through classroom library books and use sticky notes to find and mark examples of usage with commas and quotation marks.

Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.

• In Unit 5, Week 2, Lessons 3 and 4, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Language & Conventions, Commas and Introductory Elements, p. T146, the teacher explains that when a sentence is directed to a person by name to use a comma; this makes it clear that the person’s name is not part of the information. The teacher explains when a sentence begins with an introductory word or phrase (ex: yes, as usual), that this is followed by a comma. The teacher models by displaying a couple of sentences that need an introductory comma for the student to practice along with practice using a comma with a sentence that uses a person's name. In the Student Interactive, Lesson 4, p. 498, students practice placing commas in the appropriate place. 

Use a comma to set off the words yes and no (e.g., Yes, thank you), to set off a tag question from the rest of the sentence (e.g., It’s true, isn’t it?), and to indicate direct address (e.g., Is that you, Steve?).

• In Unit 4, Week 4, Writing Workshop, Edit for Punctuation Marks, p. 288, the teacher explains that punctuation marks are used to help clarity and structure of writing with a review of commas and quotation marks. The teacher displays and reads aloud a paragraph with no punctuation marks and engages the students in discussion about the meaning of punctuation marks. The teacher displays the same paragraph with punctuation marks and discusses their function. In the Student Interactive, p. 357, students discuss the function of each way a comma can be used and then editing a dialogue using correct commas and quotation marks.  

Use underlining, quotation marks, or italics to indicate titles of works.

• In Unit 5, Week 3, Lessons 3 and 4, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Language & Conventions, Punctuating Titles, p. 216, the teacher explains to the students that titles are formatted differently. The teacher uses a visual chart from the Student Interactive, p. 536, to display that titles can be underlined, italicized, or placed in quotation marks. The teacher displays two sentences (titles) for the students to suggest the proper punctuation. Students work in pairs to create their own examples. In the Student Interactive, Lesson 4, p. 536, students review the various ways that titles are represented (books, plays, movies, magazines, etc.) and make edits using underlining and quotations.  

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

• In Unit 1, Week , Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Spelling, Spell Words with Suffixes, p. 66, Lesson 2 and 3, the teacher explains that some words do not change spelling when adding a suffix, but some do. The teacher models adding the suffixes, -ic, -ism, and -ive, then student change the spelling before adding the suffix. In the Student Interactive, p. 39, students read 20 words with the suffixes and then sort into alphabetical order.

Expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.

• In Unit 1, Week 4, Writing Workshop, Revise by Adding Ideas for Clarity, Minilesson, p. T-280, the teacher explains to students that lack of clarity of words in passages makes writing difficult to comprehend. Passages that contain clear wording helps the reader comprehend the author's meaning, "follow a sequence of events, understand cause-effect relationships, visualize events and make the narrative more interesting and exciting." The teacher reads a passage with specific words removed and replaced with "vague" terms. Students provide their ideas for how the vague words can be improved by using more detailed language, or more precise words. The teacher hands out the passage with the original words included. Students compare the passage they heard containing the vague words with the original passage, then discuss as a class why the original passage has more clarity.
• In Unit 3, Week 4, Writing Workshop, Revise by Combining Ideas for Clarity, Minilesson, the teacher explains that using transition words in sentences can make writing more concise. The teacher explains how using transition words helps show "relationships between ideas." The teacher lists common transition words. In Student Interactive, p. 153, students rewrite two sentences into one sentence that contains a transitional word or phrase.

Compare and contrast the varieties of English (e.g., dialects, registers) used in stories, dramas, or poems.

• In Unit 4, Week 1, Lesson 3, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Read Like a Writer, Analyze Dialects, p. T-64, the teacher explains to the students that sometimes authors use atypical spelling, grammar, and/or vocabulary to capture cultural or regional ways people speak. The teacher reads a short dialogue from p. 237 on the Student Interactive containing unusual use of spelling and grammar. The teacher provides a "think aloud" stating how the wording might indicate that the speaker may not have a "formal education." Students write responses to questions about the author's use of unusual spelling and grammar.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for materials, questions, and tasks address grade-level CCSS for foundational skills by providing explicit instruction and assessment in phonics and word recognition that demonstrate a research-based progression. 

Over the course of the year, students receive phonics and word recognition instruction aligned to grade-level Common Core State Standards for foundational skills. Lessons within each theme include a five-day focus with systematic and explicit teacher instruction, as well as multiple assessment opportunities the teacher can employ. Students are engaged in a variety of activities that allow them to practice introduced phonics skills, including decoding and encoding words and sentences. Assessment types for phonics and word recognition include Baseline, Middle-of-Year, and End-of-Year Tests; Unit Tests; and Progress Check-Ups.

Examples of materials, questions and tasks that address and provide progression of grade-level CCSS for foundational skills through explicit instruction and assessment in phonics and word recognition include, but are not limited to the following:

Materials contain explicit instruction of irregularly spelled words, syllabication patterns, and word recognition consistently over the course of the year. For example:

• 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 Unit 1, Week 3, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Word Study, Vowel Teams, Lessons 1 and 2, p. 202, the teacher explains that vowel teams are two or more letters that work together to make a vowel sound. The two vowels can also blend to make one syllable. The practice occurs with the teacher writing four long /i/ words and the students underline the different spellings. In the Student Interactive, p. 114, students read a list of vowel team words, highlighting the vowel team, and then underline the sound the vowel team makes.
• In Unit 3, Week 1, Lesson 2, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Spelling, Spell Words with Latin Roots, Student Interactive, p. 45, students read, sort, and write a bank of words with Latin roots. The words contain letter-sound correspondences and syllabication patterns already introduced.
• In Unit 3, Week 1, Lesson 3, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Spelling, Spell Words with Latin Roots, Resource Download Center, p. 94, students generate a written sentence with multisyllabic words containing Latin roots.
• In Unit 4, Week 5, Lesson 2, p. T-323, Reading Workshop, Shared Read, Possible Teaching Point, students read a passage on a page in the reader looking for the word with a Latin root, appreciative. The teacher models a think aloud explaining that Latin roots are common in many words. The teacher discusses with the students how the Latin meaning relates to the meaning of the word, appreciative.
• In Unit 5, Week 1, Lesson 1, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, p. T68, Academic Vocabulary, Related Words, the teacher explains that related words have the same root or base word, their meanings are related but differ based on their affixes (prefixes and suffixes), and that adding an affix often changes the part of speech. The teacher tells students when encountering an unfamiliar word, study its context for clues to meaning, add affixes to create related words, and make a guess about the meanings and parts of speech of the related words and check your guesses in a dictionary. The teacher models this process. In the Student Interactive, p. 457, students work independently to apply the guess and check strategy to another word from the chart.  

Multiple assessment opportunities are provided over the course of the year to inform instructional adjustments of phonics and word recognition to help students make progress toward mastery. For example:

• In Unit 2, Week 1, The Progress Check-Ups, there are five multiple choice questions that allow for a quick assessment on Word Study on the student skills in syllables (open and closed syllables). The teacher can support the student using the Progress Check-Ups Teacher’s Manual to provide Opportunities for Remediation with a specific focus/skill using the detailed chart to reteach the student materials that were missed on the checkup.
• In the Middle-of-Year Test, pp. 40-42, Word Study, several questions prompt students to employ phonics and word recognition skills including prefixes, suffixes, vowel/consonant sounds, multisyllables, Latin roots, and affixes.
• In the Unit 4 Test, pp. 51-54, Word Study, several questions prompt students to employ phonics and word recognition skills including adding affixes to words and meanings of word parts, including Latin roots.
• In the End-of-Year Test, pp. 70-72, Word Study, several questions prompt students to employ phonics and word recognition skills including Latin roots, vowel sounds, and multi-syllable breaking rules.

 Materials contain explicit instruction of word solving strategies (graphophonic and syntactic) to decode unfamiliar words. For example:

• In Unit 1, Week 2, Lesson 2, Reading Workshop, Shared Read, Possible Teaching Point, Word Study, Greek Roots, p. T97, teacher uses the Word Study lesson on pp. T130-T131 in the Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge to underscore that English words often have Greek origins. The teacher points out the word astrobiologist in paragraph two, explains that astro is from the Greek for star, and bio is from the Greek for life. The teacher notes the suffixes -logy and -ist are also from Greek and mean, respectively, “the study of” and “one who.” The teacher leads students to conclude astrobiologist is literally “one who studies life in the stars.”
• In Unit 2, Week 2, Lesson 1, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Word Study Final Stable Syllables -le, -tion, -sion, p. T136, the teacher models how to say the endings -le, -tion, -sion. The teacher shows examples of words with the target suffixes and how to break apart the example words. Students orally read the words, then read an additional set of words with the target endings.
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Lesson 1, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Word Study, Unusual Spellings, p. T202, the teacher explains that some words have unusual spellings and that these words cannot be sounded out using common phonics rules. The teacher provides examples using the words, tough and taught. The teacher explains that sometimes the letters gh spell the sound /f/ and sometimes the gh is silent. The students work in small groups to orally generate words where the gh makes the /f/ sound, the gh is silent, and the gh makes the /g/ sound (e.g., spaghetti).

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for materials, lessons, and questions providing instruction in and practice of word analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

Phonics and word recognition skills are addressed during teacher Minilessons and are practiced multiple times over the course of the five units. Teacher modeling, guided practice, and questioning provide students with the opportunity to practice and master word recognition skills in connected text. Student activities include regular opportunities to practice oral reading with a focus on applying word recognition and analysis skills in leveled readers across diverse genres. Assessments to measure students’ word analysis skills are found throughout all five of the unit assessments with a section on word study. The Baseline, Middle-of-the-Year and End-of-the-Year Assessments include a phonics section. Weekly progress monitoring checks include questions to assess word analysis.

Examples of explicit instruction and student practice of word analysis skills in connected text and tasks include but are not limited to the following:

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

• In Unit 1, Week 1, Lesson 2, Reading Workshop, Word Study, the teacher points out the word, interrogate, and explains it means “to question.” The teacher has a student add the suffix -ive to the interrogate. The teacher asks what interrogative means.
• In Unit 3, Week 5, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Word Study, Syllable Patterns, Lessons 1 and 2, p. 328, the teacher explains strategies to spell and understand multisyllabic words by identifying the syllable type. The teacher describes syllable types: closed, open, VCe, r-controlled, vowel teams, and final stable syllables. Students write three words for each syllable pattern. In Lesson 2, Student Interactive, p. 178, in small groups the students work to divide 10 words into syllables and then check their words in the dictionary.
• In Unit 4, Week 4, Lesson 1, Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge, Word Study Word Origins, Teach Word Origins, Focus on Strategies, p. T270, Student Interactive, p. 348, students decode a word with Latin origin containing dict. The teacher says the word biography and models how to identify word parts bio and graph, what each word part means and concludes the word’s meaning from the word parts. A student volunteer checks the meaning using the dictionary. Then students identify the word parts in the word, microwave, define the word parts, and define the whole word.
• In Unit 5, Leveled Readers, How Do We Feed the World?, Word Study: Suffix -ize, p. 4, the teacher reminds the students that recognizing suffixes helps readers decode and know the meaning of unknown words in texts. Students compare two words with the same base word, then discuss the meaning of each, noting the difference based on the addition of the suffix, -ize, in one of the words. 

Materials include word analysis assessment to monitor student learning of word analysis skills. For example: 

• In Table of Contents, Assessments & Practice, Baseline, Middle-of-Year, End-of-Year Tests, Middle-of-Year Test, Word Study section, pp. 40 - 42, questions assess knowledge of suffixes, Greek roots, syllable division, and syllable types.
• In Table of Contents, Assessments & Practice, Unit Tests, Teacher Resources, Summative Assessments Teacher Manual with Student Reproducibles, Grade 5, Unit 3 Test, p. T31, the item analysis chart indicates that questions 11 - 20 assess word study. These questions assess words with Latin Roots, suffixes, unusual spellings, and syllable patterns.
• In Unit 4, Weekly Standards Practice, Word Study, the teacher assesses student learning with a Quick Assessment. Each week, students answer one multiple choice question to show understanding of instruction. Students are assessed on prefixes (pro-, trans-, super-), Greek roots, and Latin roots.
• In Unit 5, Unit Test, pp. 59-60, several questions are included on the test to assess student phonics skills including identifying orthographic patterns for sounds, syllable division, affixes, and identifying the schwa letter-sound in words.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria for instructional opportunities are frequently built into the materials for students to practice and achieve reading fluency in oral and silent reading, that is, to read on-level prose and poetry with accuracy, rate appropriate to the text, and expression.

Over the course of the school year, students are provided weekly opportunities to practice oral reading fluency and silent reading with a focus on developing grade-level reading rate, accuracy, and expression. Students practice oral reading with the teacher as the model during whole group instruction, with student partners, and in small group instruction. In Reading Workshop instruction, within Shared Readings, students read orally in pairs, as a class, and independently with multiple opportunities to reread the same text in first read and close read lessons. Each unit contains 75 informal assessments for measuring individual student skill in oral reading fluency. From the results, three levels of proficiency can be assigned. The teacher is provided guidance about how to utilize the fluency test results.

Opportunities for students to practice and achieve reading fluency in oral and silent reading, through on-level prose and poetry with accuracy, rate appropriate to the text, and expression, are provided.

Multiple 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 and to read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. For example:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, Lesson 2, Reading Workshop, after previewing vocabulary and First Read Strategies, students may read “The Path to Paper Son” and “Louie Share Kim, Paper Son” independently, in pairs, or as a class.
• In Unit 4, Leveled Readers, students silently read the story, A Child's Rights, and write notes on a graphic organizer as the teacher checks individual students for comprehension understanding. For this lesson, students listen to the teacher orally read part of the text accurately. The students work with a partner to first silently read a passage to gain meaning, then reread it orally to practice fluency.

Materials 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. Students have opportunities to read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. For example:

• In Unit 1, Leveled Readers, The City of Machu Picchu, p. 4, the teacher explains that scanning a page before reading it is helpful when reading a text that contains unknown words. The teacher tells the students they should look for words they do not know by sight, then use decoding strategies (e.g., read multi-syllable words, syllable by syllable) to sound out the words. The teacher orally reads a page to the students. Students take turns reading pages in the text with a partner and focus on accuracy.
• In Unit 1, Week 3, Lesson 1, Reading Workshop, p. T158, Historical Fiction, Minilesson, Fluency, students practice their fluency by reading aloud a paragraph from “Rosa’s Journey” or from a historical fiction text. The teacher emphasizes accuracy and appropriate rate. The teacher reads aloud a passage and then reads it together as a class. Students practice reading independently. Students read the passage on their own, and check their fluency, focusing on accuracy and appropriate rate.
• In Unit 3, Leveled Readers, Missing, p. 4, the teacher reminds the students why it is important to read at an appropriate rate. Students choose a page in the text where they felt they read it slowly. Students partner read the page several times with a focus on appropriate rate of oral reading. One student partner provides feedback to the student reader about how the rate changed after successive readings.
• In Unit 5, Week 5, Lesson 2, Reading Workshop, students read aloud paragraphs 34-38 of People Should Manage Nature  with a partner to practice fluency. Student focus on accuracy.

Materials support students’ fluency development of reading skills (e.g., self-correction of word recognition and/or for understanding, focus on rereading) over the course of the year (to get to the end of the grade-level band). Students have opportunities to use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. For example: 

• In Unit 4, Week 3, Lesson 2, Reading Workshop, Fluency, p. T181, the teacher reminds the students that effective readers self-monitor their reading and self-correct their decoding errors. The students take turns reading a passage focusing on oral reading with accuracy.
• In Unit 5, Week 5, Lesson 2, Reading Workshop, Shared Reading, p. 316, during the Close Read instruction for fluency the student works with a partner to sound out unknown words and determine their meaning from context clues.

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information of students’ current fluency skills and provide teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery of fluency. For example: 

• The Grade 5 Assessment Guide, Baseline Assessment offers an optional Fluency Test as well as an Optional Fluency Test for Units 1-5 along with an optional End-of-Year Fluency Selection. This assessment has an administering guide, miscue and error guide, and a guide for reading the collected data from the fluency assessment.
• In Table of Contents, Assessments & Practice, the Summative Assessments Teacher’s Manual with Student Reproducibles, Grade 5, p. T provides information for interpreting fluency test results including a chart with published norms for oral reading fluency. Directions are given for the teacher to examine notes on student’s miscues to determine the reason rates are low. This could indicate further phonics instruction, comprehension strategies, or increased vocabulary exposure is needed. It could indicate a lack of exposure to models of fluent oral reading.
• In Unit 3, Week 5, On Level Cold Reads for Fluency and Comprehension, the student reads the passage “Life & Art.” This assessment allows the student to be scored for fluency rate. The fluency rubric measures Volume/ Expression, Syntax/Prosody, Accuracy, and Rate. The teacher is provided a chart to identify miscues and errors. The Cold Reads offer three text levels for each unit for each week of developing, on level, and advanced.