4th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for ORIGO Stepping Stones 2.0 Grade 4 meet expectations that they assess grade-level content. Above grade-level assessment items are present, but could be modified or omitted without a significant impact on the underlying structure of the instructional materials.

Each grade-level consists of 12 modules. Each module contains three types of summative assessments. Check-ups assess concepts taught in the module, and students select answers or provide a written response. Performance Tasks assess concepts taught in the module with deeper understanding. In Interviews, teachers ask questions in a one-on-one setting, and students demonstrate understanding of a module concept or fluency for the grade. In addition, Quarterly Tests are administered at the end of Modules 3, 6, 9, and 12.

The following questions assess grade-level standards:

• In Module 2, Check-Up 2, Question 3, students complete the equation and show their thinking for 9 x 35 and 39 x 4 (4.NBT.5).
• In Modules 4-6, Quarterly Test B, Question 2, “Victoria has 26 stamps in her collection. Her brother has 18 more stamps than Victoria. How many stamps are in her brother’s collection?” (4.OA.2).
• In Module 8, Performance Task, Question 1a, “Three people equally share the cost of this television. How much will each person pay?” (4.MD.2).
• In Module 4, Interview students estimate the difference between numbers such as 482-57 or 6,835-743 (4.OA.3).
• In Module 3, Check-Up 2, Item 3, students solve word problems about perimeter such as, “Riku is making a rectangular picture frame. Each short side is 8 inches. Each long side is twice as long as each short side. What is the perimeter of the picture frame?” (4.MD.3).

The following questions assess above-grade-level standards and would need to be omitted or modified to meet grade-level standards:

• In Module 10, Check-Up 1, students add decimals: Question 1a, 0.4 + 0.2, Question 1b, 3.15 + 2.50, and Question 1c, 0.6 + 0.25 (5.NBT.7).
• In Module 10, Performance Task, students add decimals  in the six questions (5.NBT.7).
• In Module 12, Quarterly Test A and Quarterly Test B, Questions 12 and 13, students add decimals (5.NBT.7).

The instructional materials reviewed for ORIGO Stepping Stones 2.0 Grade 4 meet expectations for spending a majority of instructional time on major work of the grade.

To determine the amount of time spent on major work, the number of topics, the number of lessons, and the number of days were examined. Review and assessment days are included:

• The approximate number of modules devoted to major work of the grade (including supporting work connected to the major work) is 9 out of 12, which is approximately 75%.
• The approximate number of days devoted to major work of the grade (including supporting work connected to the major work, but not More Math) is 126 out of 156, which is approximately 81%.
• The approximate number of lessons devoted to major work (including supporting work connected to the major work) is 114 out of 144, which is approximately 79%.

A lesson-level analysis is most representative of the instructional materials because this calculation includes all lessons with connections to major work with no additional days factored in.  As a result, approximately 79% of the instructional materials focus on major work of the grade.

The instructional materials reviewed for ORIGO Stepping Stones 2.0 Grade 4 meet expectations that the amount of content designated for one grade-level is viable for one year.

There are a total of 180 instructional days within the materials.

• There are 12 modules and each module contains 12 lessons for a total of 144 lessons.
• There are 36 days dedicated to assessments and More Math.

According to the publisher, “The Stepping Stones program is set up to teach 1 lesson per day and to complete a module in approximately 2 1/2 weeks. Each lesson has been written around a 60 minute time frame but may be anywhere from 30-75 minutes depending upon teacher choice and classroom interaction.”

The instructional materials reviewed for ORIGO Stepping Stones 2.0 Grade 4 meet expectations for being consistent with the progressions in the standards.

The instructional materials identify content from prior grades and use it to support the progressions of the grade-level standards. Future grade levels are not identified in the instructional materials. For example:

• In each module, under the mathematics tab, Focus, prior content needed for the module is identified in the section Coherence: Prerequisite Skills from Prior Grades. For example, in Module 6, students learn how to separate rectangles to form partial products. Students must have mastered lessons in Grade 3, Module 6 to be successful (Create, describe, and interpret line plots).
• Focus, found at the beginning of each module describes connections to learning from prior grades and makes connections to future grade-level standards. For instance, a table is included in the Focus documents that accompany each module. For example, in the Focus document for Grade 4, Module 1, the table identifies 3.OA.7 as a prerequisite for 4th grade skills in this module. The table for Module 6 lists 3.OA.3 and 3.MD.4 as prerequisite standards for the grade 4 skills taught in that module. The table for Module 12 lists 3.MD.1 and 3.NBT.2 as prerequisites.
• The mathematics tab includes a newsletter for parents, providing parents with information on how the content their child is learning connects to prior grades. In Module 8, the Newsletter states, “Students extend their skill with division by building on what they know about the relationship between multiplication and division. Just like multiplication, division can be represented using a rectangular area model.”

The instructional materials provide students with extensive grade-level work. The lesson structure presents opportunities for students to explore grade-level mathematics more in-depth:

• During the Step In Discussion, students engage with grade-level content through guided practice, and complete independent journal tasks during the Step Up and Step Ahead parts of the lesson.
• Each lesson includes Starting the Lesson, Teaching the Lesson, and Reflecting on the Work which present opportunities for students to engage with content.
• Ongoing Practice provides additional grade-level activities.
• Maintaining Concepts and Skills provides practice with prior and current grade-level mathematics.
• The Preparing for the next module activities include fluency practice, spiral review, and vocabulary activities.

Materials relate grade-level concepts explicitly to prior knowledge from earlier grades.

• In Module 5, Lesson 4, Multiplication: Making Comparisons Involving Division and Subtraction is connected to Grade 3, Module 3, Introducing Multiplication Facts.
• In Module 6, the Focus tab includes a table identifying 3.OA.3 and 3.MD.4 as prerequisite standards for the grade 4 skills taught in this module.
• In Module 12, the Focus tab includes a table identifying 3.MD.1 and 3.NBT.2 as prerequisites for that module.

The instructional materials reviewed for ORIGO Stepping Stones 2.0 Grade 4 meet expectations for fostering coherence through connections at a single grade, where appropriate and required by the Standards.

Overall, the instructional materials identify standards. A comprehensive list of the CCSSM and correlating lessons is found under the drop down menu on the home page. Cluster headings are clearly identified by hovering over the Lesson title.

The materials include learning objectives that are visibly shaped by cluster headings.

• In Module 1, Lesson 10, students use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic (4.NBT.B).
• In Module 2, Lesson 1, students use the four operations with whole numbers to solve problems (4.OA.A).
• In Module 2, Lesson 2, students use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic (4.NBT.B).
• In Module 4, Lesson 9, 10, and 12, students extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering (4.NF.A).
• In Module 5, Lesson 11, students build fractions from unit fractions by applying and extending previous understandings of operations on whole numbers (4.NF.B).
• In Module 10, students understand decimal notation for fractions, and compare decimal fractions (4.NF.C).

The instructional materials include problems and activities that connect two or more clusters in a domain or two or more domains.

• In Module 2, Lesson 3, students use the four operations with whole numbers to solve problems (4.OA.A) and use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic (4.NBT.B) by explaining and discussing the effects of order of operations on an equation.
• In Module 4, Lesson 11, students extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering (4.NF.A) and build fractions from unit fractions by applying and extending previous understandings of operations on whole numbers (4.NF.B) by using equivalence to add fractions.
• In Module 7, Lesson 11, students extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering (4.NF.A) and use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic (4.NF.B) and represent and interpret data by solving real world problems with fractions and mixed numbers (4.MD.B).