3rd Grade - Gateway 3

Grade 3 instructional materials meet expectations for being well-designed and taking into account effective lesson structure and pacing. Daily lessons include structures and resources for both whole group and small group literacy instruction.

• Daily lesson structures include the components of the Literacy Workshop with 30-40 minutes for whole group reading instruction, 30-40 minutes for small group instruction, and 30-40 minutes for whole group writing instruction (Teacher’s Guide p viii).
  • Whole group instruction includes Built-In Foundational Skills Mini-Lessons, Building Understanding, Close Reads, Reading Analysis Lessons, and Focused Independent Reading.
  • Small Group Instruction includes Small Group Options such as additional instruction, practice, or extension as needed, Independent Literacy Work, and ReadyGen Intervention.
  • Whole Group Writing Instruction contain focused lesson on a specific writing type critical to college and career readiness and conventions mini-lessons.
• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 5 whole group reading lessons include sections for building understanding, close reading, and language analysis. Small group time includes resources for independent reading, phonics, language analysis, and reading comprehension. Writing lessons include an introduction to the lesson with the teacher modeling introducing characters, students practicing writing about characters, students sharing writing, and conventions mini-lessons.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for the teacher and student reasonably being able to complete the content within a regular school year with the pacing allowing for maximum student understanding.The program allows flexibility for teachers to rely on professional judgment to modify pacing.

• There are 4 units that are each broken into 2 modules. Each module contains 18 lessons. There are a total of 144 lessons in the Grade 3 materials.
• Lessons are set up for 90 or 120 minute blocks that include Reading (Build Understanding, Close Read, Benchmark Vocabulary, Text Analysis) Small Group Time (Focused Independent Reading, Small Group Options), and Writing (Focused Writing, Independent Writing Practice).
• Additional lessons are included for the Performance Based Assessment as well as other unit assessments. Time is built in for teachers to modify lessons to tailor to their student’s needs.
• Pacing suggestions are provided in the Implementation Guide that suggests teachers can vary the lessons from day to day based on the text, needs of the students, and the amount of scaffolding necessary to delivery instruction appropriately. (Implementation Guide p. 19)

Materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the requirements resources including ample review and practice resources, clear directions, and explanation, and correct labeling of reference aids (e.g., visuals, maps, etc.).

Materials provided include trade books, text collections, scaffolded strategy activities, Sleuth close-reading texts, performance tasks, Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, a leveled text library, and Ready Up! Interventions, as well as digital interactive tools such as Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, Monster Word Mania, Pack Up the Skills, Envision It! Animations, Letter Tile Drag and Drop, and Grammar Jammers. Each of these resources include ample opportunity to review and practice, clear directions (in some interactive tools directions are also given orally), and correct labeling.

• On Page 19 of the Grade 3 Scaffolded Strategies Handbook. The directions for the Unit 1 Module 1 Language Conventionality and Clarity clearly state, “Have students work in pairs or small groups to create a large illustration of Nells’ bedroom. Have them think about their mind’s vision of the room and what else that might find there. Students can use the Description: Sensory Details Graphic Organizer in Part 3 to help organize their ideas.”
• On Page T33 of the teacher’s edition of the Ready Up! Intervention resource, directions are given for the Foundational Skills lesson 1. The directions state, “Point to and say the word preschool. Say: Pre-is a prefix. Cover pre and ask: What word do you see? (school) To read a word with a prefix, read the parts separately and then together: pre-, school, preschool.” Then on page T36, students are asked to practice independently. The directions state, “Have each student us a prefix or suffix from the box to complete words in the sentences form Student Page S36.”
• On page 218 of the Grade 3 Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, the directions for Language Analysis for Unit 3 Module A Lesson 5 state, “Using evidence from the text, answer the following questions about pages 9-13 from Storm in the Night.”

Grade 3 instructional materials meet expectations for including publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items. Daily lessons and Performance Based Assessments specifically denote the standards to which the lessons and tasks are aligned.

• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 4 publisher-produced alignment to standards is provided. Students compare and contrast historical events with questions and tasks specifically provided that align to CCSS.RI.3.3, RI.3.2, and RI.3.1.
• In the Unit 1, Module A, Performance Based Assessment, standards being assessed are included. Students think about characters in the selections they have read and how those characters solve problems. Then, they write a story in which one or more characters use observation to solve the problem. Standards CCSS.W.3.3.a, W.3.3.b, W.3.3.c, W.3.6, W.3.8, and SL.3.5 are noted in the Teacher’s Guide.

Materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the expectation for materials containing a teacher's edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

Materials include a teacher’s edition that includes a clear outline of each unit as well as notes and suggestions of how to present content. The Teacher’s Edition also includes the objectives of the lesson, explanations of where to find descriptions of routine, and suggested ways to present content as well as possible questions to ask are noted in blue. Each question asked is followed by a sample student answer. The teacher’s edition includes scaffolded instruction boxes to address learners needs with suggestions and ideas on how to differentiate instruction for those students in need.

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 1 the teacher is provided with a Teach and Model guide to guide teachers in how to present how the text begins to tell a story. It is suggested that teachers use discussion to guide students to seeing the sequence of events. Included in this section is a chart that is labeled specifically to demonstrate how the text begins to tell a story.
• In Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 8 the teaching guide includes a Quick Check that suggests how the teachers should progress monitor as students are practicing Oral Reading Fluency. The Quick Check states, “If students struggle with decoding words, then model decoding difficult words in the passage, using the Sound-Spelling Cards as needed.”
• In Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 2 the Close Read section of the lesson gives directives and suggestions on students citing evidence. The Close Read section states, “During guided close reading, have students focus on understanding the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases Explain that the literal meaning o fa word or phrase is its dictionary meaning, or the actual object or action that the words represents. In a nonliteral meaning, the word stands for feelings or other abstract ideas.” The teacher is then provided with guided questions to lead a class discussion that requires evidence.
• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 10 the Reading Analysis section of the lesson provides teachers with directions of how to model a Venn diagram about two texts students read. It also provides teachers with sample student answers and clear directions to share with students.
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 7 a scaffolded instruction box notes that to provide strategic support when teaching students about transitions between two cultures that are talked about in the same texts it is suggested is to create a timeline to help students see the parallels between the two.

Materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

• In Unit 1, Module B the performance based assessment has a digital option stating, “If you chose to incorporate technology into the Performance-Based Assessment, then have volunteers gather all of their articles into a slideshow using presentation software, then project it on a screen as a class magazine.”
• In Unit 3, Module A, page 11 a Digital Centerpieces section is included that list four ways that technology can be embedded throughout the Module.
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 12 students complete an independent writing practice that has students use both print and digital sources to support their opinion.
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 10 the teacher’s guide lists the digital publishing studio TikaTok as a resource for students to write and illustrate their own book.
• In all Units and Modules Digital Centerpieces center options include Students as Authors, Students as Thinkers, Students as Word Workers, and Students as Readers. Each of these centers include an online technology piece provided.

Materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the expectation of materials containing a teacher’s edition that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literacy concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary. The materials also include an Implementation Guide to provide specific explanations, rational, and examples of key concepts that are needed to improve knowledge of the subject.

• In Unit 1, Module B on pages 202-203, Generative Vocabulary is explained and examples are given for Module B.
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 1 the Teach and Model section explains the term point of view to aide in teacher understanding, stating that the teacher should “explain to students that a person’s opinion about something can also be called his or her point of view. Explain that different people may have different points of view about the same issue or topic.”
• In Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 18 the Reading Analysis section explain how dramas differ from other text types.
• On pages 8 and 9 of the Implementation Guide, vocabulary instruction of the curriculum is outlined including detailed definitions of the multiple types of vocabulary found throughout lessons.
• On page 10 of the Implementation Guide, text complexity measures definitions and uses are explained.
• Modeling videos are also provided including Close Reading Modeling Videos and Independent Reading Modeling Videos to aid teachers in implementation of these strategies.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet expectations for materials containing a teacher’s edition that explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum.

• On pages 66-71 of the Implementation Guide, a scope and sequence chart includes all Common Core Standards and the Unit and Module they are addressed.
• On pages 74-81 of the Implementation Guide, Standards maps are provided for each Module. These maps include a description of the performance based assessment, essential questions that are linked with standards, a list of anchor and support texts, a list of all standards covered, Module goals that are linked to standards, and enduring understandings that are linked to standards.
• On pages 84-94 of the Implementation Guide, a Common Core Correlations Chart is included that lists all Grade 3 Common Core Standards and then gives the Unit and page number where the standard is addressed.

Materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the expectations for materials containing explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identifying research-based strategies.

Materials include an Implementation Guide that provides walkthrough of the curriculum citing and explaining the rationale and research-based strategies including but not limited to the principles of backwards design and the design principle of backward mapping.

• On page 22 of the Implementation Guide, it states, “ReadyGEN uses the principles of backward design to help teachers deliver instruction based on learning goals.” This is connected to the quote on the bottom of the page from the research of Wiggins and McTighe.
• On page 24 of the Implementation Guide, it states, “ReadyGEN offers a robust range of assessments.” This is connected to the quote on the same page from the research of Peter Afflerbach about formative and summative assessments.
• On page 45 of the Implementation Guide, it states, “Quick Checks provide formative assessments opportunities to monitor student’s fluency progress.”
• On page 50 of the Implementation Guide, it states, “Performance-Based Assessments emphasize integration of reading, writing, and speaking and listening as students draw from the texts sets to demonstrate their knowledge of core understandings.” Which is connected to the quote on page 51 from the research of Linda Darling-Hammond and Frank Adamson.

Materials for Grade 3 meet expectations for regularly and systematically offering assessment opportunities that genuinely measure student progress. Materials include a baseline assessment, multiple formative assessments, performance-based assessments, and end-of-unit assessments. Each of these assessments are included in the Assessment Book along with an overview, directions, passages, running records, student tests, test administration information, answer keys, and rubrics.

• Opportunities are provided during daily lessons for monitoring student progress in reading and writing, as well as opportunities are provided to assess oral reading fluency.
• Reading Keystones and Writing Keystones formative assessments are included in daily lessons with sections titled “practice” or “application” and through Writing Keystone Checklists. For example, In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 12 students work independently to complete a graphic organizer, as well as completing a page within the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.
• Oral Reading Fluency Quick Checks are included in the Small Group Options for daily lessons. For example in Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 1 students follow along as the teacher models reading aloud from Weather at an appropriate rate, and then take turns reading at an appropriate rate.
• Oral Reading Fluency can be assessed using text and guidelines provided for Running Records (Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide).
• Performance-Based Assessments are included with each Module where students complete a task that requires analysis and demonstrating knowledge in writing. For example in Unit 4, Module B, the performance-based assessment requires that students research ways the government helps people and support their opinion or which aspect of government they think is most important.
• End-of-Unit Assessments are provided that include both constructed-response items and extended-response items with checklists and rubrics to use in scoring (Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide).

Grade 3 instructional materials meet the expectations for assessments providing sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up. Materials provide teachers with guidance for administering assessments and interpreting results through rubrics and scoring guidance documents.

• Performance Based Assessments provide teachers with notes and guidance regarding administration of assessments. Information is provided which guides teachers to allow students to complete the assessment over multiple lessons, to review the Essential Questions, and revisit the mail selection texts. Also provided are scaffolded supports for students as they are completing the assessments and follow-up support for students scoring a 0, 1, or 2 on the assessment wit Reflect and Respond “if…then…” statements.
• Guidance is provided for teachers in administering and scoring assessments, along with interpreting student assessment scores on End-of-Unit Assessments. For example, in the Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide on page T65 guidance is given on scoring of constructed response items using a rubric. A rubric is also provided for scoring the extended response items of the End-Of-Unit Assessment.
• The Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide provides guidance on what to do with assessment results. Teachers are directed to examine results and then use the results to inform your instruction. On page T52 of the Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide it provides this guidance.
• Instruction and guidance are provided for administering Running Records with the fluency passages used for the assessments. Information is also provided for teachers in interpreting student scores and specific miscues in the Assessment Book Teacher’s Guide.

Grade 3 instructional materials meet the expectations for including routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress. Ongoing progress monitoring formative assessments are integrated within every module.

Progress monitoring opportunities include:

• Reading and Writing Keystones that assess students’ reading and writing and their understanding of key language, structure, and ideas. For example, in Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 17 a writing keystone provides an editing checklist for an informative writing.
• Fluency Quick Checks that offer If. . . then suggestions to monitor students’ fluency progress; Check Progress assessments in each unit that assess students’ phonics and word analysis skills. For example, in Unit 2, Module A, Lesson 1 the teacher models fluent reading aloud from The Athabascans and students take turns reading aloud a leveled text.
• Student work in the Reader’s and Writer’s Journal, including Write in Response to Reading prompts that require students to cite text evidence as they write about what they’ve read. For example, in Unit 4, Module A, Lesson 13 students write in response to reading identifying key ideas in Below Deck: A Titanic Story.
• If. . . then suggestions for monitoring progress in the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the expectations for providing strategies to meet the needs of a range of learners so the content is accessible to all learners and support them in meeting or exceeding the grade-level standard.

The Scaffolded Strategies Handbook addresses English Language Learners, students with disabilities, struggling readers, and accelerated learners.

• The handbook provides models of scaffolded instruction, useful strategies, and practical routines to employ during reading. The lessons provided are intended to be used during small-group time with students the teacher determines to need additional scaffolded instruction.

Small group instruction is provided based on student need with options such as:

• Unlock the Text which supports students in accessing ideas, key language, and key structures.
• Word Analysis which supports students with their foundational skills.
• Conferencing which helps students to grow their independent reading accountability as they discuss their self-selected texts with the teacher.
• Support Instruction which targets students who need additional scaffolding for the instructional focus of each lesson.
• Extensions which are intended for students who understand the lesson focus and would benefit from opportunities to extend the lesson and enhance learning.
• Sleuth which is used three to four times each unit for small group lessons to reteach, practice, and refine close-reading skills and strategies.

The Scaffolding Strategies Handbook is organized into four parts.

• Within Part 1, titled Unlock the Text, every anchor and supporting text is supported with scaffolds and strategies. The lessons are divided into Prepare to Read, Interact with Text, and Express and Extend.
• Part 2 is titled Unlock the Writing. These lessons work to scaffold the module-level Performance Based Assessments and it also provides additional lessons to teach the writing types required by the standards.
• In Part 3 of the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook routines, graphic organizers, and activities are provided to support students.
• Part 4 is titled Unlock Language Learning and focuses on supporting English Language Learners construct the meaning and explore vocabulary of a text. This section provides support to build background, talk about sentences, speak and write about the text, expand understanding of vocabulary, and write about the anchor and supporting text.

The Teacher’s Guide includes Scaffolded Instruction notes throughout all lessons.

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 3 on p. 39 the Scaffolded Instruction note is for Strategic Support. The note states, “Clarify Closure: If students have difficulty judging whether narratives provide closure, have them complete a Three-Column Chart (p. TR40), as they did during Reading Analysis. Students should state the problem, solution, and result for their narrative. Help them use the visual to make sure the problem, solution and result align to provide a satisfying conclusion.”
• In Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 7 on p. 273 the Scaffolded Instruction note is for Strategic Support. The note states, “Use a Chart: Help students with information overload by making a Three-Column-Chart (p. TR40) called “The Afar People” with three columns: Land, Work, Homes. Help them fill it is with key details such as hot and salt on top in the Land column. Have pairs work together to summarize what the completed chart shows.”
• Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 1 on p. 13 the Scaffolded Instruction note is for Strategic Support. The note states, “Metaphors: Tell students that authors sometimes use metaphors to explain relationships. On p. 10, when the grandfather says, ‘See how the horses speak to him? They are his brothers,’ he doesn’t actually mean that the boy and the horses are actually brothers. Ask students what he means. Have students explain why the grandfather would use the word brother to describe the boy’s relationship with the horses.”
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 7 on p. 273 the Scaffolded Instruction note is for Strategic Support. The note states, “Historical Language: Some students may have difficulty switching between information about Ancient Greece and colonial America as they read the text. Record information about the differences and similarities between the two cultures in a T-chart graphic organizer. Ask students to include illustrations, key terms and details specific to each group to help them remember the information.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the expectations for providing all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level or in a language other than English, with extensive opportunities to work with grade level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards.The Teacher’s Guide provides daily scaffolding for immediate feedback during lessons, and the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook provides more extensive follow up to support English Language Learners.

The Teacher’s Guide provides on-the-spot scaffolds in each lesson. These address common stumbling blocks encountered by English Language Learners and struggling readers and writers. They are highlighted at the bottom of each lesson in blue.

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 4 on page 43 the Scaffolded Instruction note is for English Language Learners. The note states, “Verb Phrases: Have students understand the verb phrase on p.5: “Hurry, Drake, you have to come over immediately and get rid of it.” Explain that to get rid of something means to throw it away or destroy. Gabby is hoping that Drake can destroy the monster in her garbage.”
• In Unit 2, Module B, Lesson 6 on page 263 the Scaffolded Instruction note is for English Language Learners. The note states, “Multiple Meaning Words: Help students with the word mine in this contest by creating a tree diagram showing things mined (gold, silver, salt) and meanings for mine: dig out, find and take away, look for something valuable. Explain that a miner is a person who mines, or digs or looks for something of value.”
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 8 on page 83 the Scaffolded Instruction note is for English Language Learners. The note states, “Vocabulary: Direct students’ attention to the sentence on p. 27, “Well, some people my age can get pretty frightened.” Students may be confused by the meaning of the word pretty in this sentence. Explain that it means “more than a little.” Ask students to explain why the meaning “pleasing to the senses” does not work in this sentence.”
• In Unit 4, Module B, Lesson 13 on page 333 the Scaffolded Instruction note is for English Language Learners. The note states, “Writing Plural Words: Some students might have trouble with pluralizing yes, a word that is rarely pluralized. Explain that in the final paragraph on p. 106, ‘yeses’ means the number of ‘yes’ votes.”

The Scaffolded Strategies Handbook has a number of resources for teachers to assist English Language Learners, struggling readers and writers as well as students with disabilities. These are intended to be used during small group time.

The handbook has four sections of resources that include:

• Unlock the Text: This section includes text complexity rubrics that offer insight into the quantitative, qualitative and reader and task measures of text. The qualitative measures provide strategies for levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands. Cognate charts are provided for each anchor text and supporting text in this section of the handbook as well.
• Unlock Writing: This section provides scaffolded lessons for the Performance-Based Assessments and grade level support and guidelines for teaching the standards based writing types.
• Routines and Activities: This section includes routines, reproducible graphic organizers, and activities that can be used to support teaching the standards.
• Unlock Language Learning: This section provides specific resources for English Language Learners to construct meaning in the selections as well as explore vocabulary of texts. The strategies and activities are designed to develop mastery of reading, writing and speaking around the areas of Building Background, talking about Sentences, Speaking and Writing about the Texts, and Expanding Understanding of Vocabulary.

If/then sections are provided in the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook to support students.

• In the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook on page 181 students Unlock the Task: Write a Magazine Article. Students break apart the task, answer questions about the task, and then restate the task. If/then statements are provided to monitor and support struggling students. For example, “If …. students have difficulty understanding what a magazine article should look like, then…. gather examples of articles found in science and nature magazines. Read selections from several articles and analyze the kind of language and tone they use. Focus on commonly used words that relate to the topics that each student chose. Suggest that students use those words in their own articles when writing about their topic.”

To build speaking and listening skills the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook lists a Listening Skills Log on pages 301-302 and a Prepare for Discussions Routine and Rating Sheet pages 304-305.

• The Leveled Text Instructional Plan addresses speaking and listening skills in the section titled After Reading on page TR65. During the Talk About It section, it states, “The activities in this section are designed to help students develop their understanding of the unit topic and enhance their listening and speaking skills by engaging in a group discussion.” Discussion questions are provided to help students express their ideas.
• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 3 students use the Think-Pair-Share Routine to practice speaking and listening. Teachers are reminded to make sure that students are using best practices for speaking and listening as outlined in the routine.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the expectations for including extensions and /or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

Each lesson offers support for accelerated learners in Small Group Options. The small group options provided in the Teacher’s Guide offers teachers opportunities to direct their instruction to the needs of their students. Teachers are encouraged to gather formative assessment information from whole group instruction to help determine student needs during small groups. Opportunities within small groups that include:

• Independent Reading Conferences: Opportunities for students to discuss self-selected texts can be found in the Teacher Resource Book. Independent reading rubrics are also provided for students to self-assess reading preferences and behaviors.
• Close Reading Extension or Language Analysis Extension are provided for students who are adept or excel at the skill or lesson.
• Mini-lessons can also be found in the Sleuth materials that offer extensions for students who excel at close reading or language analysis.
• In Unit 3, Module A, Lesson 3 the Close Reading Extension on page 37 asks students to compare the use of literal and nonliteral language in two texts by gathering evidence, asking questions, making their case, and proving their thinking.

The Scaffolded Strategies Handbook included opportunities outside of the teacher guide for extensions for students who are above grade level. These sections are titled Extend, Accelerated, and Going Deeper.

• There are four parts in the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook. Including Unlock the Text, Unlock the Writing, Routines and Activities, and Unlock Language Learning. Within each part, there are extensions activities and strategies.
• In Unit 1, Module A on page 18 of the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook, students Unlock the Text to Express and Extend after reading The Case of the Gasping Garbage. The Extend section states, “Have students come together to discuss the chain each pair created and how each chain is similar to or different from the others. For example, students may notice that while each observation step includes taking notes, the events being recorded are different. As a class, create a list of three similarities between the chains and three differences.”
• In Part 2, Unlock the Writing on page 235 students are provided with a practice and a deeper practice when working with informative/explanatory texts. Students compare the introductions of three texts and tell which is the strongest and why. Students then write an alternate introduction to the one they thought was the weakest.
• On page TR7 in the Unit 1 Small Group Discussion Routine, teachers are provided with a Going Deeper activity once students are familiar with the routine. The directions state, “Incorporate paraphrasing. Provide time for students to restate in their own words what their partner has said. During the sharing state, ask students to speak in complete sentences to present their partner’s ideas with paraphrasing.” It also states, “Provide the Elaborator with a list of questions that will encourage higher-level thinking.”
• On page TR23 in the Unit 2 Text Club Routine directions, teachers are provided with a Going Deeper activity for when students become comfortable with routine to help them explore Text Clubs more deeply. The directions state, “Have students from each group “jigsaw” with students from other group to share an element of the text they read. This engages all students in all texts being read in the class.” It also states, “Ask students to prepare a Discussion Guide that may be used in future Text Clubs. They can use their own discussions to guide other groups as they read the text.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the expectations for providing opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies. Students participate in partner and small group Think/Pair/Share, Whole Class Discussion, Small Group Discussion, Read Alouds, Shared Reading, Independent Reading, Text Clubs, and Benchmark Vocabulary Discussions for both Informational and Literary texts.

The Teacher’s Guide provides small group options for teachers to meet the needs of their students. Teachers are encouraged to use information gained from whole group instruction to help determine where students need additional supports or extensions during small groups.

• In Unit 1, Module A, Lesson 3 the Teacher’s Guide states, “Have students work independently or in small groups to complete the graphic organizer. Use the Small Group Discussion Routine on pp. TR6-TR7 to have students discuss how finding specific details in the text helped them answer the questions. Check understanding by asking students to share or by circulating among students or groups.”
• In Unit 3, Module B, Lesson 1 the Teacher’s Guide has students Turn and Talk, “After reading, have students turn to a partner and discuss these questions using examples from the text: How is weather on Earth related to the atmosphere? Why are some areas of Earth colder or hotter than others? Use the Think-Pair-Share-Routine on pp. TR2-TR3. (Students should share examples such as: weather occurs in the troposphere layer, p. 4; the atmosphere traps some of the sun’s heat, p. 6; the sun doesn’t warm Earth evenly, p.9.)”

Routines and protocols for grouping strategies are provided in the Teacher Resources section of the Teacher’s Guide.