3rd Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ increasing literacy skills over the course of the school year. (Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band.)

Throughout the year, students read a variety of texts and genres; however, not all of the text selections will help students’ increasing literacy skills over the course of the year. The qualitative measures are in the middle low to middle high range. Over the course of the year, students do not engage with texts with increasing quantitative measures, nor do the tasks associated with the texts increase in rigor. The complexity of texts are scattered throughout the year, with some lower leveled, less complex texts in the second half of the year through the last unit. There are  20-40 minutes a day of whole group reading to read complex texts.

Examples of how the materials partially support students’ increasing literacy skills over the course of the year include:

• In Unit 1, students read texts that aim to teach students point of view. The texts are used as close reads, but the complexity does not increase throughout the unit. Students start with the biography, Joseph Lekuton: Making a Difference by Phillip Kennedy, which is labeled middle low with a Lexile of 520. Students finish with the biography, Boy Between Two Cultures by Olivia Hodgson, which is labeled as middle high and a Lexile of 580.
• In Unit 2, students close read Be Careful What You Wish For by Katie Owens, which is labeled at middle low with a Lexile of 470 and the tasks involve figurative language. Then students read two texts, that do not focus on figurative language and students are instead asked literal questions about the details in the text. These texts are Mega-Fish Man by Michael Sandler, which is labeled at middle low with a Lexile of 670 and "Would You Rather Be a Fish," which is an interview and is labeled at middle low with a Lexile of 1030.
• In Unit 4, students read four texts written by Grace Lin, though the quantitative features of these texts do not grow and instead decline. Students begin by reading a realistic fiction text called Ba’s Business and has a Lexile of 650, and students are asked questions about story elements and important details. Then students read three short stories for close read. These texts, "The Bird’s Bank" (670L), "Shopping" (340L), and "Tweet Tweet" (510L) all focus on the details of the story and using the details to identify themes. All four of these texts have qualitative features that are listed as middle low.
• In Unit 6, the students read two folktales and a myth, which are labeled middle-high; however, the tasks are all simple, which does not support an increase in literary skills. Students are asked many questions about details and sequence with a few questions about theme and text comparison. These texts include The Rainbow Bridge retold by Elizabeth Lindsey (680L), The Firefly’s Light by Katie Omachi (580L), and The Two Frogs by Katie Omachi (790L).
• In Unit 8, students read myths, but the complexity does not increase in order to help students’ literacy skill grow. The two myths are both Lexiles of 470, though Three Golden Apples by Coleen Pellier is labeled middle high and Turtle and his Four Cousins by Margaret Mead McDonald is labeled middle low.

In addition to the whole class read, students participate in small group instruction and work in homogenous reading groups based on their interests and reading levels. After reading and discussing in homogenous groups, students then move to heterogeneous groups to engage in a discussion about the different texts and to identify connections from text to text. For each unit, the program provides four books above level, four books below level (400L-550L), eight books lower than that (250-400L), and eight books on level.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially 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 materials provide a qualitative measure in the form of Complexity Rubrics found under the Resource list tab; however, the rubrics do not share the rationale for why the specific text was chosen. Additionally, the qualitative measure provided is very broad such as middle low, with inconsistent explanation of what makes the text qualitatively middle low. The program materials give a general rationale for why all of the texts were chosen for the program, but none are specific. The materials state that the Student Edition includes National Geographic content and authentic literature worth reading and rereading and that the units are four weeks long, built around a science or a social studies topic.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially 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 culminating tasks are Unit Projects, some of which refer back to the texts in the unit and require integration of knowledge, while others ask students to make connections or share personal histories or knowledge that may not require comprehension and completion of the preceding questions and tasks. At the end of each unit, students are given a choice of four projects labeled Write It!, Talk About It!, or Do It!. Speaking and listening standards are addressed in the Talk About It! and Do It! options, while writing standards are addressed in the Write About it! option.

Examples of Unit Projects include:

• In Unit 2, students learn how nature balances itself. Project options include writing something that could make an ecosystem lose its balance and then trade that with a partner and draw an example of their partner’s ecosystem, finding a picture of an ecosystem and deciding if it is in balance or out of balance, creating a riddle about something in nature, or writing a skit about an ecosystem. Some of these options require knowledge from the unit, while others, such as writing a riddle do not require that information. 
• In Unit 3, students learn about plants. The Unit Project options include drawing a cartoon about an amazing plant and writing a caption to show what is amazing about it, prepare a talk show where students talk about the different texts from the unit, write a skit about people who work with plants, and or write a haiku about their favorite plant. In this option, students may choose to not engage with the text completely, and the preceding questions are disconnected from the task.
• In Unit 6, students read and write about traditions. Project choices include writing song lyrics about their favorite singer or musician, interviewing characters from stories in the unit, write a set of steps about a tradition that a family member has taught them, or write a letter to future children about a tradition that they want to preserve. Many of the options require students to bring in knowledge from their home or background, instead of from the texts and lessons.
• In Unit 8, students are asked to review math words about distance and measurement from the unit and then ask each other questions about preparing for a camping trip, prepare questions and take turns interviewing each other like a host on a talk show, pantomime and play a charade-like game about numbers, or draw and label their own map of places about one mile from school or home. Many of these options do not stem from a sequence of text-dependent questions nor do they integrate skills.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially 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.

Students practice their speaking and listening daily, though it is not always connected to the texts that they hear in read alouds. Some of the specific opportunities come before the text is read during a vocabulary lesson or during an opportunity to make predictions. There is also a Speaking and Listening Learning Station that uses texts, but not the anchor texts from the unit.

Examples of opportunities for students to practice their speaking and listening, though not always in conjunction with a text include:

• In Unit 2, Week 2, during the Speaking and Listening Learning Station, one option is for students to form groups of four and practice the four sentence types using digital language builder learning cards. Students pick up a card with an animal on it and the first student asks a question, the second answers with a statement, the third student responds with an exclamation and the fourth with a command.
• In Unit 4, Week 4, students review how to make opinions. Using the text, A Better Way, students think, pair, share to discuss arguments based on the reading.
• In Unit 6, Week 1, students use Oye, Celia! to practice summarizing using a fishbowl structure. Different groups are responsible for summarizing different pages of the text.
• In Unit 8, Week 3, students present their research reports from the week. The teacher goes over how to present and how to ask questions, but the report is not connected to the text read in class.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially 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 opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply narrative, opinion, and informative/expository writing; however, the majority of writing prompts focus on expository writing and the teacher may have to supplement to assure students have adequate practice with the other types.  Narrative writing focuses on process writing and students have few opportunities for opinion writing. Materials provide tasks for students to use different modes of writing. Students write arguments, opinion pieces, persuasive essays, informative texts, interviews, letter or e-mails, reports, procedural texts, explanatory texts, narratives, stories, character sketches, poems, tall tales, myths, trickster tales, folktales, science fiction stories, and responses to texts. The instructional guide provides supports for teachers to assist students as students progress in writing skills such as graphic organizers, checklists, and rubrics.  

Each week focuses on a different writing genre, appropriately aligned to the text. Mini-lessons are scaffolded throughout the week in order to support student outcomes. Model writing samples and other instruction support accompanies each unit.

Students write narrative writings such as:

• In Unit 1 Week  1, students write realistic fiction story about helping someone, making sure to include a beginning, middle, and end.
• In Unit 5, Week 1, students write a play about matter or how matter changes. Students write the play to perform for their class.
• In Unit 7, Week 3, students write a personal narrative.

Students write expository writings such as:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, students make a biographical sketch as part of the process writing assignment for the week.
• In Unit 2, Week 3, students write about locating sources.
• In Unit 3, Week 4, students write an article that explains what they think is amazing about plants.
• In Unit 4, Week 4, students work in groups to write for a purpose by responding to a topic from the unit.
• In Unit 5, Week 2, students write a paragraph comparing Birdseye’s Cold Idea and Frozen Fossils.
• In Unit 6, Week 4, students write an interview as part of the week-long project. They interview someone who helps preserve a special tradition.
• In Unit 7, Week 3, students choose an illustration from the story and write sentence to describe it.

Students write opinion writings such as:

• In Unit 4, Week 4, students write a persuasive essay about the best way to do something at school or in their neighborhood.
• In Unit 5, Week 4, students write a literary response to describe how they felt about one of the selections they read in the unit.
• In Unit 8, Week 1, the daily writing skill is to support opinions, which is covered throughout the entire week.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria for materials include frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information appropriate for the grade level.

Materials do not consistently provide opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Many writing prompts are related to the texts, but do not require students to use text evidence. Additionally, many prompts use the text as a model or they may use the reading skill as the writing skill, such as if the author uses a lot of detail in their writing, then the writing assignment is to incorporate detail in a paragraph.

Daily writing skills and writing lessons are not consistent with providing students with evidence-based writing opportunities. At times, students use the text as a model and are therefore not given the opportunity to practice evidence-based writing. For example:

• In Unit 1, Week 2, students practice using colorful details to elaborate and write about working in an animal shelter or wildlife sanctuary. They are asked to visualize and write as many colorful details as they can.
• In Unit 3, Week 3, students write a paragraph about rainforest plants that they learn in the text, Desert Survivors.
• In Unit 5, Week 4, students review the weekly writing skill by completing the task of thinking if ice cream should be offered in the cafeteria and then writing an opinion paragraph to support their opinion.
• In Unit 6, Week 2, students write three facts from a selection in Blind Lemon Jefferson in their own words.
• In Unit 7, Week 4, students are given slips of paper that describe different types of author's purpose. Students then write a paragraph using the author’s purpose on the slip without stating the purpose. Slips include tasks, such as explain the steps in preparing a dish that you like, give information about an upcoming event at school, and tell a short, funny story.

Most weekly writing projects are not connected to texts and do not require students to support analysis or claims with evidence. For example:

• In Unit 2, Week 1, students write a funny short story that teaches a lesson.
• In Unit 4, Week 1, students write an opinion paragraph about whether they think it is easier to work with others or to work on their own.

In small groups, students write with evidence; however, because it is small group, not all students receive the same opportunity. In addition, students have choices with these activities, and some of the writing prompts require more evidence than others. Examples of this type of writing include:

• In Unit 3, students read the text, Tropical Rain Forest by Tracey Reeder. Student options include writing a detailed description of one rainforest plant shown in the book, writing a brochure that they can give to visitors, explaining some of the plants that they will see as they walk through the forest, or writing about what surprised him/her most about rainforest plants.
• In Unit 8, students read the text, The Golden Gate Bridge by Rachel Griffiths and Margaret Clyne. Student options include writing interview questions for Joseph Strauss who planned the Gold Gate Bridge, writing a news brief about the day the Golden Gate Bridge opened, and writing a journal entry pretending to be one of the first people who walked over the bridge.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially 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.

Foundational skills across Grades 3-5 contain a focus on similar skills rather than focusing on skills for the grade level standard. For example, in Unit 3 of all three grade levels, there is a focus on long vowel and making plural words with -s and -es. While the level of the word gets longer, the skill is similar in all three grade levels.

Materials contain phonics and word work instruction based in prior grade level phonics learning rather than providing explicit instruction in Grade 3 phonics and word recognition. Examples include:

• In Unit 1,  students are taught short vowel sounds in multisyllabic words and students learn commonly misspelled words.
• In Week 1, the teacher shows bonds and grand. The teacher stretches out the vowel sounds in the words. The teacher states: “The short /a/ in grand is spelled with the letter a, and the short /o/ in bonds is spelled with o.” Students write the 15 words on index cards, cut out the letters, and mix-up the letters for a partner to put the words back together.
• In Week 3, the teacher shows hectic and submit. The teacher places a line between the syllables and emphasizes the short vowel sounds. The teacher states: “When a syllable ends with a consonant, the vowel is usually short.” Students write the 15 words on index cards and play a game with partner based on pointing out the syllable with short /i/ or /u/, naming the consonant after the vowel, pronouncing the word, and spelling the word.
• In Unit 2, students are taught short vowels, digraphs, and consonant blends.
• In Week 2, the teacher displays and reads buck and clash. The teacher circles the digraphs. The teacher explains what a consonant digraph is. Students write the words on two different colors of paper in order to practice reading the words.
• In Week 3, the teacher displays and reads thorny, neither, and strength. The teacher circles th. The teacher explains that th can be anywhere in a word. The teacher displays and says stung. The teacher circles ng and explains that ng comes in the middle or end of a word. Students write the 15 words on index cards and circle th with one color and ng with a different color. Students cut up the cards at the digraph in order to scrabble and match the word parts.
• In Unit 3, students are taught long vowels and plural words with -s and -es.
• In Week 1, the teacher displays and says armload and beaming. The teacher explains, “When two vowels are next to each other in a word, the first vowel is usually long and says its name.” In partners, students write the words that contain two vowels. Students highlight the vowels, cut out each word, and sort the words based on the vowels.
• In Week 4, the teacher displays floods, messes, and bushes. The teacher underlines the s and es and explains when to add -s or -es. Students write the words on index cards to play a game to learn about -s and -es.
• In Unit 4, students are taught long vowels with vowel combinations, and students are taught verbs with endings.
• In Week 2, the teacher displays and reads aloud cheap, asleep, and roam and circles the two vowels. The teacher explains that when two vowels are together, the first vowel says the long sound. Students sort the words into four categories (long /e/ with ee, long /e/ in ea, long /o/ in oa, long /o/ in ow).
• In Week 4, the teacher displays and reads collect, realize, notify. The teacher explains verbs ending in -ing: “When a verb ends with e, drop the e before you add -ing. When a verb ends in a consonant and y, just add -ing.” Students sort words into one of two columns: just add-ing or drop the e and add -ing.
• In Unit 5, students are taught long vowels with vowel combinations, and students are taught r-controlled vowels.
• In Week 1, the teacher displays flight and higher. The teacher circles igh and states the words.The teacher also shows and reads lied and die. The teacher explains that igh and ie make a long /i/. Students write the words on index cards and sort the words into one of two categories: /i/ as in in pile and /i/ as in night.
• In Week 2, the teacher displays and reads value. The teacher circles ue and states, “The letters ue make the long /u/ sound you hear in value.” The teacher displays and reads juice. The teacher circles ui and states, “The letters ui can also make the long /u/ sound, as they do in the word juice.” Students write the 15 words on index cards and use one color with ui words and one color with ue words.
• In Unit 6, students are taught r-controlled vowels, words with y, words with oi, oy, ou, ow and words with oo, au, aw, al, and all.
• In Week 1, the teacher displays adore and divides it into syllables: a/dore. The teacher circles the r-controlled syllable. The teacher states: “When a vowel is followed by an r, the vowel blends with the r to make a new sound.” The teacher shows how to divide margin, birthday, nervous, and purple. Students write the 15 words with r-controlled vowel on index cards and mark the syllable break.
• In Week 3, the teacher displays coins, circles oi, and states the word. The teacher explains that oi makes /oy/. The teacher shows royal, circles oy, and explains that oy make /oy/. Students write the oy words on cards, cut the words apart and shuffle the letters for a partner to unscramble.
• In Unit 7, students are taught words with hard and soft c and g, words with oo, words with VCV pattern and VCCV pattern, and multisyllabic words with VCCV pattern and VCCCV pattern.
• In Week 1, the teacher shows and states the word crayon. The teacher underlines c and explains that /k/ can be spelled with c. “When the letter c is followed by the vowel a, o, or u, or by a consonant, it usually make the hard /c/ sound, /k/.” The teacher shows and states fierce. The teacher explains that c can make /s/ when c is followed by c, i, or y. Students print the following words on index cards and cut the letters apart: canyon, secure, distance, surface, cyclone, fierce, iceberg, exciting, arctic. Students scramble the letters for a partner to make into words.
• In Week 4, the teacher says and displays pollute and tender. The teacher explains that two syllable words with two consonants together in the middle are usually divided between the consonants. Students print the following words on index cards using different colors for the middle consonants: blizzard, continue, effort, garden, happened, mountain, outdoors, sudden, windy. Students cut the words between the middle consonants in order for a matching game.
• In Unit 8, students are taught words with prefixes and words with suffixes. Students also learn about syllable types and multisyllabic words.
• In Week 3, the teacher displays about and around. The teacher circles the a and explains, “When the first syllable of a word is a-, that syllable is usually not stressed.” Students write the seven words starting with a on index cards and show the syllable break.
• In Week 4, the teacher shows and says imagine. The teacher circles the stressed syllable and explains stressed syllables. Students write the words on index cards, and students draw vertical lines where there are syllable breaks.

Some tasks and questions are sequenced to application of grade-level work (e.g., application of prefixes at the end of the unit/year; decoding multi-syllable words). Examples include:

• In Unit 4, Week 2, during Vocabulary Strategy, students learn prefixes. On Day 1, the teacher explains and models how to figure out a prefix such as pre-, un-, and super-. On Day 2, the teacher displays unable, reread, disagree, misbehave, preview, and supersize. Students use prefixes and base words to determine meanings for remaining words.
• In Unit 8, Week 1, Day 2, during Daily Spelling & Word Work, students learn words with re- such as recall, replay, recount. Students write eight words with re-  on index cards and write the definitions of the words on the back of the card.
• In Unit 8, Week 2, Day 2, during Spelling & Word Work, students learn words with two suffixes ( -ly and -y). Students learn that -ly means “in a way that is” and -y means “like.” Students write the words with -ly and -y on index cards and sort the words into categories based on -ly and -y.

Minimal 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. Examples include:

• In the Reach for Phonics Foundations, there are the following assessments: Placement/Summative Test and Mastery Progress Checks.
• The materials contain a Phonics and Decoding Test for reading placement.
• At the end of a week, there are spelling tests for assessing the phonics and word work skill for the week. If students need additional practice, there are reteach opportunities.

Materials contain some explicit instruction of word solving strategies (graphophonic and syntactic) to decode unfamiliar words in the Reach into Phonics Foundations. Examples include:

• In Script 13 Procedure, the teacher helps students decode words with short /a/. The teacher shows eVisual 13 and has students use Whole-Word Blending Routine to blend and read an. The teacher covers the c and shows the last to letters an. “There are many words that end in an and rhyme with can, like these two words below it.” Students blend the initial consonant with the phonogram an to read words.
• In Script 32 Procedure, the teacher shows students to use word patterns to decode words. First the teacher shows students to find the pattern. Then the teacher summarizes and models the strategy: “Look for patterns in words to help you read.” The teacher points to no in Item 1 and states: “I see one vowel and it is at the end, so I will say the long vowel sound.” Students practice the process to decode words.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria for materials, lessons, and questions provide instruction in and practice of word analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

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. Opportunities for students to use word analysis skills are limited for applying the skills to connected texts. Examples of students using word analysis in connected tasks are:

• In Unit 1, students are taught short vowel sounds in multisyllabic words and students learn commonly misspelled words.
• In Week 1, in a small group, students write a short tale using words from the spelling list which includes short /o/ and short /a/ words.
• In Week 2, students create comic strips using the short /o/ and short /a/ spelling words.
• In Unit 2, students are taught short vowel sounds in multisyllabic words, digraphs, and consonant blends.
• In Week 3, students work in a team to write a sentence about animals and habitats and use either/or and neither/nor.
• In Week 4, students use the spelling words (consonant blend words) to start a story and add to the story.
• In Unit 3, students are taught long vowels and plural words with -s and -es.
• In Week 2,  students use the spelling words (multisyllabic words) to start a story and add to the story.
• In Week 3, students write 10 questions and the answer to each question must be a spelling word (words with long and short vowels).
• In Unit 4, students are taught long vowels with vowel combinations, and students are taught verbs with endings.
• In Week 1, students write a skit using from the spelling list (long /a/: ay, ai).
• In Week 4, students create comic strips using verbs ending in -ing from the spelling words.
• In Unit 5, students are taught long vowels with vowel combinations, and students are taught r-controlled vowels.
• In Week 1, students compose a rap that contains long /i/ words using the spelling list.
• In Week 3, students write a story about a scientist who studies matter. The story has to contain words from the spelling list (r-controlled vowels).
• In Unit 6, students are taught r-controlled vowels, words with y, words with oi, oy, ou, ow, and words with oo, ew; au, aw, al, all.
• In Week 2, in groups of four students, students select two spelling words. Those words are told to another group, which as to use the two spelling words in a sentence.
• In Week 4, students create graphic organizers for owe, choose, crew, mood, pauses, and recall. Students figure out synonyms of the spelling words.
• In Unit 7, students are taught words with hard and soft c and g, words with oo, words with VCV pattern and VCCV pattern, and multisyllabic words with VCCV pattern and VCCCV pattern.
• In Week 2, students learn how to pronounce /oo/ in wooden. Students create rebus sentences for the oo words on the spelling list.
• In Week 3, students use the spelling words (VCV and VCCV words) to write short stories with dialogue.
• In Unit 8, students are taught words with prefixes and words with suffixes. Students also learn about syllable types and multisyllabic words.
• In Week 1, students make a comic strip with the four Watch-Out words. Students are to also use a word with re -.
• In Week 3, students create memory tips (drawings or rhymes) to help them remember words with the syllable types -le, -y, a-.

Students practice using prefixes and suffixes from Units 3 and 4 in connected tasks. For example:

• In Unit 3, Week 4, Day 1, Listen and Comprehend, students learn about suffixes. Students figure out the meaning of vineless and uniqueness.
• In Unit 3, Week 4, Day 4, Read and Comprehend, students use the meaning of suffixes (-less, -ness, -y, -er, -tion, -ful, -est) and context clues from the sentence to figure out the meaning of words.
• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 1, Listen and Comprehend, students learn about prefixes. Students figure out the meaning of prepurchased and repay.
• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 2, Read and Comprehend, students use prefixes (pre-, re-, super-, un-, mis-, dis-) and base words to determine the meanings of words.
• In Unit 8, Week 1, Day 4, Daily Spelling and Word Work, in groups of four, students select two spelling words. Those words are told to another group, which as to use the two spelling words in a sentence.

Materials include few word analysis assessments to monitor student learning of word analysis skills. During the weekly vocabulary tests, students usually fill in a blank with a missing spelling word. This does not require students to analyze word parts. In Unit 3 and Unit 4, students do need to use prefixes and suffixes to analyze word parts to answer the assessment. For example, in Unit 3, Week 4, students are asked the following question: “What does the word shoeless mean? I walked shoeless in the sand.” Students select from the following answers: one who wears shoes; with a lot of shoes; without shoes.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meets the criteria for instructional opportunities being 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.

Fluency is included almost daily, although some days the fluency practice lacks an explicit focus on fluency especially on Days 3 and 4. On Day 1, students hear the teacher model a fluency aspect such as expression, phrasing, accuracy, and intonation. On Day 2, the teacher is to have partners read aloud a text and the teacher circulates and listens for fluency such as expression. On Day 3, students read the whole group text and the teacher is to monitor their expression, accuracy, and rate. On Day 4, students read the whole group text, and the teacher is to monitor their expression, accuracy, and rate. On Day 5 of Weeks 1 and 3, students use the Comprehension Coach to practice reading fluently or students can use a Practice Master to read.

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. For example:

• Students have opportunities to read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. For example:
• In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 3, a student reads aloud the following purpose statement: “Jeremy wants new shoes, but there is a problem. Find out what it is.” The class discusses the purpose.
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 3, a student read aloud the following purpose statement: “Don Carlos wants more food for his restaurant. Find out what he and his brother, Alonzo, got.” The class discusses the purpose.
• In Unit 6, Week 4, Day 2, the teacher reads aloud the introduction and states: “As you read, think about how each text tells about ways people preserve traditions.”

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. Explanation to the teacher as to how to teach expression is not always specific besides general directions such as model expression and listen for intonation. For example:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 1, the teacher explains fluent readers as: “Fluent readers read with expression. They change their voices to show feelings as they read the text.” The teacher models reading aloud “Tanya’s Helping Hand.” Students practice reading with expression by reading aloud “A Friend Helps Out.”
• In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 3, the teacher circulates and listens as students read a riddle. The teacher is listening for intonation.  
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 5, students can practice fluency by reading Practice Master 6.7. The teacher can assess expression, rate, and accuracy.
• In Unit 8, Week 2, Day 4, students can practice fluency with a play. The teacher is to state: “When you read a play aloud, stress important words and phrases in the dialogue to match the feelings of the characters in the play.” The teacher models expression. Students practice expression by reading the first two paragraphs orally several times.

Materials do not consistently 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). Opportunities are limited to units later in the year, and the instruction is not connected to texts. Instruction is during Vocabulary. For example:

• In Unit 6, Day 4, Week 5, during Vocabulary Practice, the teacher models how to figure out the meanings of homophones. Students list out the homophone pairs in the paragraph and take turns writing an explanation of each homophone. Students are to include context clues that helped them determine the meaning of homophones.
• In Unit 8, Week 4, Day 2, during Vocabulary Strategy, students use the dictionary to look up the meaning of record, tear, and present. Then students write sentences with the words.

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information of students’ current fluency skills and only suggest to teachers to use the Fluency Routines to make instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery of fluency.

• During Day 5 of Week 1 and 3, there are opportunities for students to be assessed in their fluency. Students can use the Practice Master to read and show fluency. The teacher evaluates expression, rate, and accuracy.
• In each unit, a teacher can use the Oral Reading Assessment to document student fluency. If a student needs to be retaught, the manual points the teacher to the Fluency Routines.
• In Fluency Routine 1, the focus is Choral or Echo Reading/Marking the Text. The teacher is directed to select a short passage. The teacher is to model reading the text or use an audio CD or MP3 format. Students mark the passage for the reader’s phrasing and intonation. Students chorally read the text or echo read the text. Students read the text multiple times with a partner until they can read the passage fluently.
• In Fluency Routine 2, the focus is Paired Reading. The teacher is directed to select an appropriate text. Students are paired with a partner or an adult. Partners alternate reading sentences. The teacher is to encourage students to read with prosody.
• In Fluency Routine 3, the focus is Recording and Tracking. The students use the Comprehension Coach to record and analyze their readings. Students are to re-record as needed. Students note their accuracy and rate.
• In Fluency Routine 4, the focus is Timed Reading. Students use the Comprehension Coach to record their reading. “The Comprehension Coach encourages students to read carefully and thoughtfully, repairing miscues, thinking about vocabulary, and actively comprehending." Students graph their WCO each time they use the Comprehension Coach.