The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the expectations for anchor texts being of publishable quality and worthy of careful reading. Texts are grouped into thematic units without a suggested anchor text. There are five texts in each theme with a paired selection to go along with each text. Many reading selections would be interesting and engaging for Grade 3 students.

Following are some texts that represent how these materials partially meet the expectations of indicator 1a. Some expository texts are content-rich and accompanied by quality illustrations and photographs. Some fiction texts include rich language and a well-crafted narrative and prose:

• Unit 1 -When Charlie McButton Lost Power, by Suzanne Collins.
• Unit 2 - I Wanna Iguana, by Karen Kaufman Orloff.
• Unit 4 - Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest, by Steve Jenkins.

Other selections included may not support students learning easily and may need extra support from the teacher. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Unit 4 - The Man Who Invented Basketball, by Edwin Brit Wyckoff. This text may be less engaging for Grade 3 students. It has long paragraphs with only a few pictures to supplement the text. Some photos enhance the text such as the picture of James Naismith, while the stock image of a stack of books and ball does not add to the students’ understanding of the text.
• Unit 6 - Atlantis: The Legend of a Lost City, by Christina Balit. This text is quite lengthy with multiple characters, which may make it challenging for a Grade 3 student to follow the plot. The syntax lacks structure to support students with comprehension, although some rich language is evident within parts. Due to the length, a close read would be difficult.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the expectations for reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards. Unit main selections and paired selections include a mix of informational text and literary text and a variety of genres, but do not meet the requirement for text distribution.

Main and paired selections include a mix of informational and literary texts. Each unit has a science or social studies goal built into the unit, along with two dramas.

An optional poetry unit is at the end of each unit in Week 6. There are 23 poems in the optional unit. When Charlie McButton Lost Power is a narrative poem in the main selection.

The main reading selections are grouped into six units. Five of the six units contain at least one informational text and one literary text. Paired reading selections for the unit's main selections include a balance of literary and informational text.

• Unit 1 - 4 literary and 1 informational
• Unit 2 - 3 literary and 2 informational
• Unit 3 - 2 literary and 3 informational
• Unit 4 - 1 literary and 4 informational
• Unit 5 - 5 literary and 0 informational
• Unit 6 - 3 literary and 2 informational

With a total of 18 literary and 12 informational texts, students will be engaging with informational texts less than forty percent of the time. Although the time spent on the informational selections is less than the time spent on the literary reading selections, there are a good variety of different types of informational selections. Variety is lacking within in the sections of literary selections. For example, Unit 1 has four different types of literary reading selections available to students, whereas, in Unit 5, four out of five literary reading selections are realistic fiction and the fifth is historical fiction.

Students read a variety of texts throughout the year, but do not read novels/chapter books, science fiction, a memoir, or a mystery/thriller.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet expectations for text complexity, according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task(s). The materials include quantitative, qualitative, and reader and task information for each main selection on a “Text Based Comprehension” page. Appropriate rigor is evident in some main texts, while others are less challenging for Grade 3 or beyond the Lexile band appropriate for this grade. Many texts fall into the appropriate grade level band for quantitative measures, but there is variation in meeting the qualitative measures. To fully comprehend some texts and complete the associated tasks, students will need background knowledge, as the overall rigor of many texts and associated task is above grade level.

For some texts, the quantitative measures of are "outside" the grade-level band for Grade 3; however, the qualitative measures and reader and task measures bring the level of complexity to an appropriate level for Grade 3 students. Some representative examples include, but are not limited to the following:

Unit 1, Week 1; When Charlie McButton Lost Power robust

• Quantitative: Lexile N/A
• Qualitative: Students may need help understanding the humor, jargon, figurative language, and the way the story is written (poetry form). Students use context clues to figure out the figurative language in the poem. The vocabulary is conversational with a few words that are unfamiliar. The illustrations are moderately complex and support the text.
• Reader and Task: While there is not a Lexile level for this book, Grade 3 students will relate well to Charlie’s character and action within the story. However, if students were not exposed to poetry in the previous grade, the poetry format will be difficult for them to understand. This story is appropriately placed.

Unit 1, Week 2, I Wanna Iguana

• Quantitative: Lexile 460 (lower end of the Lexile band)
• Qualitative: The organization of this text is more complex because it is written in friendly letter format between the child and the parent. The graphics are key because they extend beyond the letter. Language features are moderately complex as the language is mostly familiar with some figurative language and humor. Some of the sentences are more complex such as, “I would feed him every day (he eats lettuce).” There is one level of meaning and the theme is obvious. The experiences portrayed are common for a child.
• Reader and Task: Students will need to learn about the structure of a friendly letter prior to reading this story. Background knowledge of iguanas would be helpful. This story is appropriately placed.

Some texts have qualitative or quantitative features that do not fully support students' growing literacy skills according to the demands of the standards for Grade 3. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

Unit 3, Week 5, Around One Cactus.

• Quantitative: Lexile N/A
• Qualitative: An unusual perspective is used; therefore, students may have difficulty understanding the selection due to its structure-- a combination of a letter format and expository prose. There are words highlighted in the text on the first two pages, however, students may struggle with other vocabulary that is not addressed and for which students may not be familiar with unless they live in or have visited a similar environment. This particular text is not within the students’ grade level band and may be too difficult without enough scaffolding by the teacher, as it appears halfway into the school year.
• Reader and Task: Students are asked to make predictions and identify examples of cause and effect. Context clues and illustrations are used for students to understand unfamiliar vocabulary. This text’s complexity level is above Grade 3, and teachers may need to provide extra support for students to access this text.

Unit 4, Week 2: Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest

• Quantitative: Lexile 920 (above grade level band)
• Qualitative: The structure is informational and includes graphics (maps, charts, diagrams, and graphs) that are key to the students’ understanding of the content. While the quantitative measures place this text outside the grade band, the graphics will help readers understand the text. The inclusion of a list of factual information makes some sentences more complex. Therefore, students may need help with complex sentence structure and non-English place names.
• Reader and Task: Students will gain knowledge of nature’s record holders using information gained from graphic sources. Students will need a basic understanding of maps and graphs used for comparison. This text’s complexity is above the level for Grade 3, and teachers may need to provide extra support for all students to access this text.

Unit 5, Week 1: Suki's Kimono

• Quantitative: Lexile 690 according to Lexile.com (Reading Street TE lists it as a Lexile of 800)
• Qualitative: A conventional realistic fiction structure with a flashback is used for this text. The simple graphics/illustrations directly support and assist in interpreting the text. Conversational language is used and is relatively clear, but numerous non-English words and complex sentences may make the text difficult for students to understand. Students will need a general understanding of how authors use flashbacks in realistic fiction. Students may also need help with the non-English words coupled with support for adjusting their reading rate when they encounter a foreign word. Quantitative measures place this text inside the grade 2-3 grade band.
• Reader and Task: As indicated in the qualitative information above, students may need additional support to understand character motivations, the use of flashbacks, and unfamiliar non-English words. The complexity is above the grade level requirements and teachers may need to provide extra outside support for students to access this text.

The materials partially meet the expectations for the indicator of increasing complexity across the school year. Many of the main selections fall within the “stretch” grade-level band in terms of quantitative measures (420-820), but not all main selections are within the Lexile grade band. The materials do not support students' ability to read increasingly complex texts across the school year with appropriate support from the teacher according to the quantitative and qualitative measures. Two days of guidance and scaffolded support from the teacher is suggested regardless of the text complexity of the main selection. More explicit instructions and time on texts that have very complex elements and demands are needed.

For a Grade 3 reader, most of the main selections in the first unit have a slightly complex structure while one selection, Supermarket, is very complex with unconventional chronology. In Unit 5, three of the five selections are very complex because three selections contain flashbacks. Students would need more scaffolded support to access these texts besides two days of reading the text.

For a third-grade reader, the main selections in the first unit are about topics students have background knowledge and interest to access (self, family, grocery shopping) while receiving teacher guidance. Teacher supports include two days of teacher guidance (guided support) through the text. The last unit contains topics students have less background knowledge about. Teacher supports also include two days of teacher guidance. The same level of support is suggested in the first unit as the sixth unit. Small group time is suggested for access for all students with details about how to help those students access the text. Guidance around how to assess each individual student’s learning and understanding based on the scaffolding is not provided during the reading of the text.

Suggestions are present to assist the teacher in supporting students who are struggling with the main selections, however there is minimal specificity within the suggestions. As the complexity level increases, more scaffolding for students is needed to access the text. Additional days may be needed to provide this scaffolding, which may extend beyond the two days currently allotted for the main selections.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the expectation that anchor and series of connected texts are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level.

The main selections have a "Text Based Comprehension" page that covers quantitative, qualitative, and reader and task measures and a general recommended placement statement, though no rationale for the recommendations is provided.

Quantitative metrics are provided for each anchor text in three categories: Lexile Level, Average Sentence Length, and Word Frequency. Qualitative measures are provided for each anchor text in four categories: levels of meaning, structure, language of conventionality and clarity, theme and knowledge demands. Metrics provided for qualitative measures are in narrative form only and do not state the complexity level. A general explanation is provided: “Both the qualitative and quantitative measures suggest this text should be placed in the 2-3 text complexity band, which is where both the Common Core State Standards and Scott Foresman Reading Street have placed it.” An explicit rationale explaining complexity and placement of specific texts within the sequence of instruction is not provided beyond reference to being in the 2-3 grade text complexity band. For anchor texts falling outside the Grade 2-3 text complexity band, more text-specific explanations are provided, such as the one provided for Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest: "The quantitative measures suggest this text may be outside the Grade 2-3 text complexity band. The listing of factual information makes the length of some sentences more complex. With scaffolded support, students should be able to access the content of this selection. Students should be encouraged to access the unfamiliar vocabulary using the context clues and images."

There is no reference to research-based or evidence-based best practices for increasing students’ reading skills through appropriate sequencing of text complexity. An explicit rationale explaining why main selections are paired with the selected pair passaged is not provided. A rationale to support why each text was specifically chosen in the unit as well as a reason why each of the reading selections were paired together is needed. For example, in Unit 6, the theme of the unit is Freedom. Students read Two Bad Ants and a paired passage called "Hiking Safety Tips." There is no explanation for why these two passages are paired together and how "Hiking Safety Tips" fits into the Freedom theme.

The paired texts and the teacher read-aloud selections do not include a breakdown of quantitative, qualitative, and reader and task measures as well as a rationale for the paired texts and the teacher read-aloud.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the expectations that support materials for the core texts provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to achieve grade level reading proficiency. Students have opportunities to read silently and orally such as “On Their Own Read”-- Have students reread “A Gift for Cletus” on page 167 and during paired reading, students take turns reading orally with a partner, switching after each paragraph (Unit 1, Week 5, Day 2, pages 166-167). Materials provide some opportunities for independent reading, however, teacher materials often lack explicit directions.

• Experience for students with reading a chapter book with teacher guidance and scaffolding is needed.
• Students read the main selection, paired selection, Sleuth, and leveled readers with teacher guidance.
• The Trade Book Library is available for teacher and student use online, however, the teacher materials lack explicit directions.
• The assessment handbook provides a reading log template so that students can track their independent reading.
• Opportunities for independent reading are explicitly identified as one of the small group stations students are supposed to complete every day, but length of time devoted to this activity per student is not indicated.
• The “Research and Inquiry” portion of each daily lesson has potential to provide independent reading time, but it is never explicitly stated that students should work independently.
• Throughout every lesson, every day, directions in the teacher edition begin with the words “Have students read...” followed by a particular paragraph, page, or passage. The majority of the time it is not explicitly stated whether students should be reading independently, with partners, orally, or silently. These instructions accompany the anchor text as well as the support texts. They cover a wide range of content, themes, and topics.
• More challenging text is suggested through the use of the leveled readers (supplemental resource) as a part of the independent reading station for advanced readers.
• Independent station directions, found at the beginning of each week in the teacher edition, provide guidance for the types of independent reading texts students should be choosing, but specific titles are only occasionally offered. Students can practice reading orally in the Fluency station.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the expectation of indicator 1o. The materials, questions, and tasks address grade-level CCSS for foundational skills by providing instruction in phonics, word recognition, morphology, vocabulary, syntax, and reading fluency in a research-based and transparent progression. Materials do not provide a cohesive sequence that builds toward application.

Students are expected to read aloud grade-level text fluently with accuracy, comprehension, appropriate pace/rate, with expression/intonation, with attention to punctuation and appropriate phrasing. These skills are tested in a standardized test format.

Spelling is included in the materials. Consonants and vowels are tested at this level. There are opportunities for instruction regarding high-frequency, irregular words, however, these are not tested in a standardized test format. Optional unit reviews offer an opportunity to revisit foundational skills. The unit and end-of-year benchmark tests provide teachers the materials to assess phonics, vocabulary skills, and fluency.

Prefixes and suffixes are covered one time in each unit with minimal application. The focus on prefixes and suffixes across the entire grade level is uneven. In one lesson, students learn un- and-able, while in another lesson, students learn pre-, mid-, over-, out-, bi-, de-.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the requirement that materials, questions, and tasks guide students to read with purpose and understanding and help them to make frequent connections between acquisition of foundation skills and making meaning from reading.

Students are provided opportunities to practice oral vocabulary on Days 1-4 with assessment on Day 5.

• On Day 1 during “Build Oral Vocabulary,” students are asked to listen for Amazing Words (academic vocabulary) as the teacher reads the selection aloud. Following the read aloud, students are asked several questions about the Amazing Words, but students do not have the opportunity to encounter and read the unfamiliar words because the teacher is reading the selection.
• On Day 5 during “Build Oral Vocabulary,” students are told to work with a partner and discuss the theme question and are not required to apply their foundational reading skills to attack unfamiliar words.

Amazing Words provides some practice for making meaning based on the vocabulary. For example, in Unit 5, week 3, questions in the TE asks students to look for context clues to determine the meaning of advantage. The teacher is also directed to work on syllabication of the word, advantage. This practice is done with the teacher read aloud. The Amazing Words are introduced a few a day for four days. The Teacher Edition suggests the following steps: introduce, demonstrate, apply, and display the word to teach the students these words. There is also a graphic organizer that helps students to connect concept-related words. The Question of the Week suggests writing using a few of the Amazing Words, but this is optional for the students.

Selection vocabulary from the main selection is emphasized and is tested at the end of the week. There are multiple opportunities provided over the course of the year in the core materials for students to demonstrate mastery of the vocabulary. Students will use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. The students learn the selection vocabulary before reading the main selection on Day 1. The TE directions ask the teacher to help students practice syllabication and figure out the word using context clues from a sentence. They discuss the words during the week, and test on them at the end of the week, but the words are not reviewed at a later time in the curriculum. If students are having difficulty understand the selection vocabulary, there is an “if…then..” section to support the teacher. For example, In Unit 1, Week 2 after going over the selection vocabulary with the students and there are students who still do not understand then the teacher can follow the “If…then…” suggestions (e.g., “If… students are having difficulty understanding, then…review the definitions in small groups”).

Students have some opportunities to demonstrate word analysis skills. In Unit 6, Week 1, students are asked to reread the second paragraph on page 378 and then asked, “What does constructed mean? Name examples of other things constructed from steel.” Additional instruction is needed to support students and direct them in using textual diagrams and context clues to figure out an unknown word.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet expectation for indicator 1q in that the materials provide students with infrequent experiences with practicing and achieveing reading fluency in oral and silent reading, that is, to read on-level prose and poetry with accuracy, at a rate appropriate to the text, and with expression.

Students are able to demonstrate and develop fluency daily. In the Five-Day Planner, students work on fluency daily as they reread for fluency, engage in fluent word reading, and practive appropriate phrasing. In order for the students to achieve optimal fluency, students should reread the text three to four times according to the Teacher Edition.

Fluency Materials included:

• Teacher modeling of fluency during a read aloud at the beginning of each week.
• Fluent Word Reading: reading words in context, reread for fluency.
• Routine: choral reading, choral flip chart.
• Reminder to Teacher is provided: “Don’t Wait Until Friday” Check Fluency.
• Quick Write for Fluency: Routine, reminders provided of this routine for the teacher each day.
• “It’s Friday:” Check Oral Vocabulary.

The Teacher Edition has added a “Bridge to Common Core” section with suggestions to increase Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity, i.e., Unit 4 Week 5, including, “To increase students’ capacity for reading and comprehending complex texts independently and proficiently, have them (the students) read other folk tales or read books about the unique behaviors of animals.”

The fluency activities included in the text are clearly identified and routine. The materials support oral and silent reading, however, oral reading is dominant. The routines are the same through each unit and each theme. Teachers are provided with passages used for assessment in the Teacher Edition.

There is not a tool or support for students to self-track their growth in reading fluency, however, there is a recording document for teachers to progress monitor fluency weekly and by unit.

To practice reading poetry fluently, Unit 1, Week 1 includes a narrative poem as the main selection; Unit 3, Week 3 incorporates a poem during the paired reading; Unit 5 Week 3 also utilizes a poem during the paired reading.

A poetry week is included during the theme, but it is optional. Therefore, teachers may not prioritize this poetry week due to time constraints. During this week, the teacher reads the poem, the students recite the poem to a partner, and then the poem is recited aloud. The materials do not support reading poetry or prose with attention to rate, accuracy, and expression.

The fluency activities included in the text are clearly identified and routine. The materials support oral and silent reading, however, oral reading is dominant. The routines are the same through each unit and each theme. Teachers are provided with passages used for assessment and are included in the Teacher Edition.

There is not a tool or support for students to self-track their growth in reading fluency, however, there is a recording document for teachers to progress monitor fluency weekly and by unit.

Many of the materials used for each student’s independent instructional level has “suggestions for this week's materials” online. However, if teachers do not have internet access they will be unable to use this resource to support students in independent and fluent reading activities.