The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 do not meet the criteria for texts being organized around a topic to build students’ ability to read and comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently.

Each unit is organized around a central theme with a theme introduction entitled Build Theme Connections provided at the beginning. This section introduces the big idea or theme, and includes a poem and brief discussion. Unit themes are broad and do not focus on specific vocabulary or knowledge across daily lessons. Students are not supported in accessing texts and build conceptual knowledge throughout the five-week Theme. The series of texts in each lesson are sometimes cohesive and related to the central theme, but there are limited opportunities embedded for students to build expertise on specific topics so that they can increase their knowledge and vocabulary.

Materials do not provide teachers with guidance to help connect the texts to broader concepts. Sufficient time is not always allotted for students to refine their knowledge in order to access and comprehend future complex texts proficiently. Examples include:

• In Theme 1, the overarching idea is Facing Challenges, which revolves around the idea of drawing on inner strengths and abilities to overcome challenges. The overarching idea in Theme 1 is very broad. Texts are directly or loosely connected around the idea of overcoming challenges, but there is no focused line of inquiry through paired questions that connect texts back to the central theme. In Lesson 1, students answer the following questions after they read or talk about the texts:
  • Day 1: Question of the Day – In the first paragraph of a story, you learn that a man who lives near a swamp is building a wall around his house. What are some different reasons why he might be doing this? Texts: “Be a Friend” (poem read aloud during the Listening Comprehension) and “Trading Chores” (Build Robust Vocabulary)
  • Day 2: Question of the Day – Which character from “The Hot and Cold Summer” would you most like to have as a friend? Text: “The Hot and Cold Summer” (main selection)
  • Day 3: Question of the Day – Have you ever made a pact with a friend? What was it? Text: “Secret Talk” (paired selection poem)
  • Day 4: Question of the Day – What are some synonyms for annoyed? What are some antonyms?
  • Day 5: Question of the Day – If you could start a summer business venture, what would you do or sell?
• In Theme 3, all texts are organized around the topic of natural change. There are three literary pieces and seven informational pieces centered around the topic. Though centered around a topic, texts do not build knowledge about the topic. There are few vocabulary terms shared between texts, and students do not bring knowledge gained from one text to access another. In Theme 3, Lesson 14, the anchor text is “The Stranger” by Chris Van Allsburg, about a stranger who visits a family and brings Autumn with him. The paired text is, “A Place in the Sun” from Scholastic Weather Atlas, explaining how the sun affects Earth’s seasons. The leveled readers used with small group instruction in Lesson 14 are “Finky’s Mysterious Spots” by Linda Diaz, the story of a dog’s spots that change with the snow; “The Wisdom of the Wind” by Fred Gerson, about a boy who helps on his farm with advice from the wind; and “The Mysterious Growing Moon” by Chris Powell, about a boy finding a strange white rock and placing it in his window, making the moon grow.

he instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 do not meet the criteria that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts.

After reading the core text for a lesson, students either discuss or write responses to the Think Critically questions. However, there are very few examples of questions requiring students to determine author’s purpose for the use of specific language or craft, and these were found in the separate Teacher Support Book. Questions often ask about key ideas and details, but rarely addresses language, craft, or structure of texts.

Additionally, the sequence of questions lacks coherence. Teachers could select any of the six themes to start with and see the same approach is used in every lesson, which does not provide sufficient growth of rigor. Throughout the materials, students independently and as a whole group complete questions and tasks that require analysis of individual texts. Lessons also teach these skills discretely and they are not embedded within the lessons. Students are asked questions during whole group instruction as the teacher monitors comprehension. Examples include:

• In Theme 1, Lesson 1, as students are reading the selection, the teacher is asking the following questions of the whole group to monitor comprehension: “What kind of person is Derek? How can you tell?”
• In Theme 2, Lesson 7, the Listening Comprehension read-aloud Bill Pickett includes a brief genre study on biography. Students are then advised to listen to the read aloud for a specific purpose
• In Theme 3, Lesson 12, the teacher asks the following questions of the whole group to monitor comprehension: “What is the main idea of the final paragraph on page 329? What are some details that the author used to support this idea?”
• In Theme 4, Lesson 16, before reading So You Want to Be an Inventor, students learn about the elements of narrative nonfiction, and are taught to use a fact and opinion chart.
• In Theme 5, Lesson 23, after reading the selection, students are to complete the following questions: “Why did Chester eat the two-dollar bill? Which character is more honest – Chester Cricket or Tucker Mouse? Be sure to include details and information from the story to support your answer.”
• Theme 6, Lesson 27, the narrative nonfiction selection, Grand Canyon, asks students to analyze sentence variety.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 do not meet the criteria that the questions and tasks support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic through integrated skills (e.g. combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

Each Theme has a big idea that aims to tie the unit together. Texts and discussions, directly or loosely, connect to the big idea. Each Theme also includes a Theme Project. Theme Projects do not consistently integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening, nor do they require close reading and comprehension of the texts read. Question sets that accompany texts within the Theme do not support students in integrating skills required for the Theme Project. For example:

• In Theme 3, the teacher introduces the theme, "Natural Changes," and the Reading-Writing Connection task is an explanatory essay on a topic of their choice. The writing lessons across the Theme are: Lesson 1-Cause and Effect Paragraph, Lesson 2-Informational Paragraph, Lesson 3-Letter, Lesson 4-Pourquoi Tale, Lesson 5-Student Choice: Revise and Publish. While some of the daily writing supports students in completing the culminating task of an explanatory essay, they do not build the student’s knowledge of the theme. Students are asked to use paper, pencils, almanac, atlas, encyclopedia, and computer with Internet access to create a visitor’s guide that shows how climate impacts the ecosystem and outdoor activities. Students can complete this task without reading any of the selections during the week.
• In Theme 4, the teacher introduces the theme, "Imagination at Work," and the students plan, test, and evaluate an invention that will make classroom life easier as the Theme Project, pages T12-T13. The teacher leads a discussion on inventions to build background knowledge and students follow the project steps: Brainstorm ideas, research inventions already created to fill similar needs, work in small groups to make a blueprint for their invention, build, experiment, evaluate, revise, and present their inventions. Completion of this project can be achieved without reading or analysis of the anchor text and, it fails to demonstrate comprehension and knowledge of the theme.
• In Theme 6, pages T14-T15, the teacher introduces the theme, “Exploring Our World,” and helps students access prior knowledge by leading a discussion about a time students explored a new place. Students develop the theme by beginning a chart of: “Why People Explore, Traits of Explorers, and Places or Things That Can Be Explored.” Students will add to this chart as they read the theme selections. At the end of the five week theme on page T332, the teacher leads discussion of the Theme Wrap-up asking the following questions: “In what way do the selections in this theme tell about exploration? What do you think is the most important thing that John Muir learned on his exploration? Name one place that you would like to visit and explore. What do you think it would look like? What kind of things would you need to take with you on the exploration?” Students review and revise the chart started at the beginning of the Theme and respond by reflecting on and writing about what they learned about exploration. These tasks are not multifaceted, nor do they require students to demonstrate mastery of several different standards

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 do not meet the criteria that materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts.

The materials do not include a cohesive, year-long plan that allows for repeated exposure and use of different types of vocabulary or for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words across texts throughout the year. Some vocabulary is repeated before texts and within the anchor texts but not across multiple texts. Vocabulary is repeated before texts and within the anchor texts but not across multiple texts. Attention is paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and, although key academic vocabulary is used in discussion, it is not taught directly. Students are provided minimal opportunities to accelerate vocabulary learning by using vocabulary in their speaking and writing tasks. Opportunities are present for students to learn, practice, apply, and transfer words into familiar and new contexts such as centers, discussions, and partner work.

Within each weekly lesson, students have the opportunity to interact with 8 target words. Words are introduced in context. On Day 1, the 6-8 words are introduced in a contextual setting. On Day 2, students review the words in the Connections: Comparing Texts section. This section follows the paired selection. On Day 3, words from the week are revisited by answering a question about each word. On Day 4, students extend word meanings answering critical thinking questions related to each word. On Day 5, there is a Cumulative Review of words from the current and previous week. Words are encountered in two of the reading selections for that week, a passage specifically written to introduce the words, and the main selection. The words are not found in the paired selection or Leveled Readers. For example, in Theme 2, Lesson 7:

• On Day 1, the teacher introduces the eight vocabulary words for the week using student-friendly explanations, reluctant, rumpled, surge, inspecting, taut, untangled, resounded, and lurked, and asks questions such as: “Which would you be more reluctant to do, clean your room or play outside? Why? What surge of emotion might you feel if you found a lost pet? How could you untangle a fishing line?” Students read the Vocabulary passage, “Just Another Day” and respond to questions such as: “Why were Terry and his father inspecting the fence? Why weren’t all the fence wires taut? What animals lurked in the hills?” In the Word Detective section, students are encouraged to find vocabulary words outside the classroom this week looking in a magazine or book, or hear them on TV. They write them in their vocabulary journal and tell where they found it and how it was used.
• On Day 2, after reading the anchor and paired texts, students complete a word-web for two vocabulary words adding words and/or phrases to the web that are related to the vocabulary word and explain how they are related.
• On Day 3, students reinforce word meanings by responding to questions about the anchor text such as: “Why was Justin reluctant to do any chores? Why were Justin’s shirts rumpled? What noises resounded across the prairie as Justin and Grandpa rode through the tall grass?”
• On Day 4 students extend word meanings by answering questions that include vocabulary words such as: “Compare an animal that lurks with an animal that runs. Name something that needs to be untangled. What might cause someone to have a surge of fear?”
• On Day 5 students complete a cumulative review from Lessons 6 and 7 by answering questions in a group discussion.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 do not meet the criteria that materials support students’ increasing writing skills over the course of the school year, building students’ writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of the school year.

The materials reviewed offer prompts and performance tasks, and students practice writing in each lesson; however, materials do not increase the student’s writing skills over the course of the school year. Students write to address multiple topics and genres across the year with limited cohesiveness in placement throughout themes. Rubrics are provided to help students self-assess their writing, but are general in nature and do not address specifics required by the standards. The teacher edition has limited development in well-designed models, protocols and support for teachers in helping students meet the writing standards for fourth grade.

There are options for daily prompts provided each day in the Suggested Lesson Planner, but no instruction is provided for these. A weekly writing task is built into the instruction; these writing forms are not connected to the overall Theme's writing mode. The teacher’s edition includes several lesson plans for the Reading-Writing Connection process piece in each Theme, but no pacing time frames are suggested. A 45-minute on-demand writing task connects to the extended writing mode.

Each Theme includes writing activities in each of the five lessons that are a mix of on-demand and process writing. Example unclude:

• In Theme 1, Lesson 4 after reading the text, “My Japanese Sister” by Emily Bernier, students are instructed to write an on-demand composition about where they would take an exchange student to introduce him or her to their community, and what parts of American culture they would share. Teachers are not provided protocols for instruction or assessment for persuasive writing. Later in the year, in Theme 4, the unit long Reading-Writing Connection focus is persuasive writing. Students use a mentor text and student model to identify the features of persuasive writing and complete a process writing piece. Students are to choose a topic that interests them. Throughout the unit, the teacher models narrowing the focus, generating questions to make an outline, adding supporting reasons, combining sentences, and reviewing for punctuation. Students publish their process writing piece by writing a persuasive speech or a letter to the editor, with little support for what these forms should look like. The rubric provided does not assess student writing as required by the writing standards.
• In Theme 3, Lesson 14, Day 5, students and teachers are not provided with a well-designed protocol for teachers to implement and students to progress monitor. Students are asked to revise/reflect on their Pourquoi Tale. Next a series of questions are bulleted that may be helpful for students to use when discussing their written work. However, the directions do not state how to use these questions nor suggest using them during student revise/reflect time. The scoring rubric provided is on a 6-point scale measuring conventions, support, organization, and focus. The rubric is generalized for any paragraph and does not provide the support students would need to effectively offer feedback for a their Pourquoi Tale.
• In Theme 5, Lesson 21, Day 5 students and teachers are not provided with a well designed protocol for teachers to implement and students to progress monitor. Students are asked to revise/reflect on their Narrative. Next a series of questions are bulleted that may be helpful for students to use when discussing their written work. However, the directions do not state how to use these questions nor suggest using them during student revise/reflect time. The scoring rubric provided is on a 6-point scale measuring conventions, support, organization, and focus. The rubric is generalized for any paragraph and does not provide the support students would need to effectively offer feedback for a their Narrative.
• In Theme 2 the Reading-Writing Connection writing mode is Response to Literature, the on-demand writing task is a timed response to a book, story, or other piece of literature. The weekly writing lessons include the following forms of writing within Theme 2 include Lesson 6: Summary Paragraph, Lesson 7: Narrative Paragraph, Lesson 8: Email, Lesson 9: Explanatory Paragraph, Lesson 10: Revise and Publish choice piece. Daily prompts for Theme 2, Lesson 6 include:
  
  • Everyone has learned a new skill. Think about a time when you learned a new skill, such as how to ride a bike. Now, explain what you learned when you acquired the new skill.
  • Everyone follows or has followed some kind of routine. Think about the subjects you study and the activities you take part in each day at school. Now, write a paragraph that tells what you do in a day at school.
  • Most people have a favorite book or movie. Think of a book or movie that you enjoyed. Now, write a summary of the book or movie.

Teacher guidance for weekly writing lessons lack specificity and do not include direction or questions to support individual or small group writing conferences. All instruction is intended for whole-class delivery. For example, in Theme 2, Lesson 6, Day 1, students write a summary. They are introduced to the task, writing a summary of an episode from On the Banks of Plum Creek, led to review a student model, guided to use a story map, draft their summary and go through a peer checklist.

The required time the weekly lesson would take, along with the amount of writing students are responsible for, is not indicated in the materials. Students do not have time to adequately refine and reflect on their writing before moving on to a new topic. Different forms and modes of writing are introduced throughout the year without in-depth instruction, and without spiraling back to build previously introduced skills. Students will not demonstrate proficiency by the end of the school year.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 do not meet the criteria that materials include a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials.

Each unit includes a Theme Project. This is outlined at the beginning of each Theme, and teachers decide when and how to integrate it into the flow of the Theme. The materials do not include a progression of focused lessons, or engaging topics to research, nor do they provide students with robust instruction, practice, and application of research skills as they employ grade-level reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language skills. The research skills that are directly taught minimally build to student independence. Materials lack the direction and support for teachers to facilitate these projects. Research skills for Theme Projects do not follow a clear progression; it is unlikely that students develop deep knowledge on a given topic.

Theme Project research topics are often broad, may employ print or online resources, and almost always involve art supplies. In Theme 6, Research Report is the focus of the Reading-Writing Connection. This incorporates a purpose and audience for writing, more of a writing process progression, a checklist for elements of a research report, and a 4-point scoring rubric; however, the topic does not develop students’ knowledge of multiple text or source materials or require investigation of different aspects of a topic. For example:

• In Theme 1, the project is to develop a guide to healthy summer activities available in a community. Students consult newspapers, community websites, brochures published by the park and recreation department, and ask friends to find options for summer activities. There is a disconnect between this project and the unit theme of “Facing Challenges” and does not require students synthesize and analyze multiple texts and source materials to complete the projects.
• In Theme 2, the project is to create a business plan for summer business. Students are to conduct “market research” by brainstorming a list of goods and services they think their community needs, choose two or three, and conduct a survey to find out whether each product is likely to have customers. This project is loosely connected to the unit theme of “Getting the Job Done” but does not require students synthesize and analyze multiple texts and source materials to complete the project.
• In Theme 6, the project is to develop a walking tour of historically and culturally important sites within a community. Students research historic sites in their community and design a walking tour. This project is loosely connected to the unit theme of “Exploring Our World” but does not require students synthesize and analyze multiple texts and source materials to complete the project.
• In Theme 6, the Reading-Writing Connection is a research report. While there is instruction on skills, such as finding information and reference sources earlier in the school year, this is the first opportunity to write a report. Students are guided through the writing process of Pre-Write, Draft, Revise, Proofread, Evaluate/Publish. Within each of these lessons there is modeling, guided practice, and apply to writing. Students are required to take notes, categorize information, and provide a list of sources as directly taught during whole group instruction.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 4 do not meet the criteria that materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

Students read a main selection and paired selection each week as part of the reading program. They also read a short passage with each week’s Build Robust Vocabulary lesson. Additionally, a Leveled Reader is included each week as a way to differentiate instruction and reinforce skills introduced in whole group. However, the materials offer few ways to support students who struggle with grade level texts, nor do they provide instructional scaffolds that lead readers toward independence. A weekly independent reading objective is included with the suggested literacy centers at the beginning of each weekly lesson, but the routine provided is simplistic, with no suggested time allotment, accountability, or goal-setting component. The are no procedures for independent reading at home and or while reading core texts, and there is no independent accountability system appropriate for in and out of school independent reading. While opportunities for independent reading exist, they are minimal and do not build students’ reading abilities or their knowledge base and vocabulary.

• Each theme contains suggested titles for additional related reading by “Easy, Average, Challenge”; however, teachers are not given suggestions on how to set up the classroom library or how to help students select an independent reading book in the teacher edition.
• Each anchor text has “Options for Reading” suggesting that below-level students read in small group, on-level students read in whole group or with a partner, and advanced students read independently.
• In Theme 1, Lesson 1, prior to reading “Cold Summer” by Johanna Hurwitz, teachers are instructed to preview the selection with below-level students in a small group and model how to use the preview and genre to set a purpose for reading; to use the Monitor Comprehension questions as on-level students read the selection in whole-group or partner-read and complete Practice Book page 2; and have advanced students read the selection independently using the student Practice Book page 2 to monitor their own comprehension. In Theme 6, Lesson 29, by the end of the year, the suggestions given to teacher in “Options for Reading” are the same.
• In Theme 2, Lesson 7, after reading “Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World” by Mildred Pitts Walter and poems “Home on the Range” by Brewster Higley and “Hats Off to the Cowboy” by Red Steagall, students are reviewing conflict and resolution. The teacher directs them to reread specific selections and answer questions.
• In Theme 1, Lesson 2 , the student objective during a literacy center rotation titled “Reading Log” is to “select and read books independently." The Management support system states, “While you provided direct instruction to individuals or small groups, other students can work on activities.” No evidence of a clear protocol or accountability system is in place other than recording their reading in a reading log.
• Teacher Support Book, Extending the Common Core State Standards Companion states, “After completing each theme in StoryTown, The Teacher Support Book builds on and extends the instruction in that theme to meet the Common Core State Standards.” However, there are no instructions and/or protocols that support and/or encourage independent reading.
• An Additional Resource section is included in each Theme unit. Additional resources do not provide any support or resources to encourage at home independent reading.
• The Reading Literacy Center includes one objective: to select and read books independently. The reading log routine is as follows:
  
  • Look for these books about working with others to solve a problem: Thimbleberry Stories by Cynthia Rylant; Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear by Lensey Namioka; Unwitting Wisdom: Ships of the Air by Lynn Curlee.
  • Select one that you find interesting.
  • Keep track of what you read each day in your Reading Log.
    This simple routine and log is repeated with each weekly lesson, with the three book suggestions being the only difference. No time allocations for independent reading are included. Other than a reading log form, no guidance for goal-setting or accountability is included.