5th Grade - Gateway 2

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria that texts are organized around a topic/topics to build students’ ability to read and comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently. 

Grade 5 materials provide opportunities for students to engage with texts organized into genre studies. Each genre study is a collection of texts that are organized around an essential question and topic. The instructional framework for reading the texts begins with students listening to a read-aloud about the topic to build background knowledge. Then students participate in a shared reading of the topic. Students complete a close read with an anchor text on the topic. Students also read more about the topic in a paired selection to the anchor text. Differentiated texts for small group instruction are related to the genre study topic as well. There are also suggested books to put in the classroom library that align to the topic. 

Texts are connected by an appropriate topic that helps students answer the essential question of the unit. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Genre Study 1, the essential question is, “How can experiencing nature change the way you think about it?” Students read about how experiencing nature can help people appreciate the natural world. Some of the texts in this unit to build knowledge include:
• “Capturing the Natural World” (unknown author): a narrative nonfiction interactive read-aloud about Yosemite
• Camping with the President by Ginger Wadsworth: a narrative nonfiction about President Roosevelt who was an avid naturalist
• “A Life in the Woods” (unknown author): a narrative nonfiction about Henry David Thoreau’s time in the woods, which is the shared read
• “A Walk with Teddy” (unknown author): an autobiography in the literature anthology
• Leveled Readers: "Save this Space!"
• Books for Independent Reading: Into the Woods: John James Audubon Lives his Dream by Robert Burleigh and John Muir: America's First Environmentalist by Stan Fellows
• In Unit 5, Genre Study 2,  the essential question is “How do shared experiences help people adapt to change?” and students read about people who help and support one another during times of change in historical fiction texts. Some of the titles that support the understanding of the essential question include:
• “Starting Over” (unknown author) an interactive read-aloud about immigration and how families helped each other when they got to the United States
• “The Day the Rollets Got Their Moxie Back” (unknown author): a shared reading text about the Great Depression and how people struggled and helped each other
• Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis: the anchor text about the Great Depression
• “Musical Impressions of the Great Depression” (unknown author): a nonfiction text in the literature anthology
• Books for Independent Reading: The Locked Garden by Gloria Whelan and The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christpher Paul Curtis 
• In Unit 6, Genre Study 2, the essential question is “How are living things adapted to their environment?” and students read about animals that adapt to their environment. Some of the titles that support the understanding of the essential question and the topic of animal adaptation include:
• “Bacteria: They’re Everywhere” (unknown author): an interactive read aloud about bacteria adapting to the environment
• “Mysterious Oceans” (unknown author): a shared read about the harsh ocean floor and the animals that live there
• Survival at 40 Below by Debbie S. Miller: an anchor text about animal adaptations in the Arctic
• “Why the Evergreen Trees Never Lose their Leaves” (unknown author): a Pourquoi Story in the literature anthology about how certain trees adapt
• Leveled Readers: "Cave Creatures"
• Books for Independent Reading: Why do Snakes Hiss? by Joan Holub and Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia by Sy Montgomery

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 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.

Grade 5 materials provide opportunities for students to analyze text through questioning. Students analyze texts by reading them several times. Questions begin with key ideas and details in the first read and author’s craft when rereading. 

For most texts, students are asked to analyze language and/or author’s word choice. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, after reading One Hen by Katie Smith Milway, students answer the questions, “Why does the author use the verbs tugs and hoists in the first sentence on page 33? What does the use of these words help you understand about Kojo?” Students reread pages 40–41 and answer, “How does the author organize the events in the story to help you understand how one hen impacts Kojo’s life?” 
• In Unit 2, Genre Study 2, students read “The Magical Lost Brocade” (unknown author), and are asked, “Why do you think the author chose these words to describe the ocean? What effect does the personification have on your understanding of the ocean's dangers?” 
• In Unit 3, Genre Study 1, students read, They Don’t Mean It! by Lensey Namioka, and are asked questions, such as, “Reread the first sentence on page 187. Why is devoured a better word than ate? Reread pages 188-189. Why does the author use the phrases little gasp and stared wideye?” 

For most texts, students analyze key ideas and details. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Genre Study 2, students read “The Magical Lost Brocade” (unknown author), and are asked, “What do all the places along Ping’s journey have in common? Why would a folktale feature a character traveling through such difficult places?”
• In Unit 3, Week 5, students read, “What Was the Purpose of the Inca’s Knotted Strings?” (unknown author), and answer the question, “What key idea would you use in a summary of the first two paragraphs?” Then students discuss how details in paragraph 3 might affect the key idea they generated. 
• In Unit 4, Genre Study 2, students read, “Where’s Brownie?” (unknown author), and are asked, “What details help you understand how Alex feels about Brownie? What details reveal Sam’s point of view?”

For most texts, students analyze craft and structure. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, students read One Hen by Katie Milway, and answer questions, such as, “How does the author organize the events in the story to help you understand how one hen impacts Kojo’s life? How do the illustrations contribute to the beauty and the reader’s understanding of the story?” 
• In Unit 2, Genre Study 1, students read “Creating a Nation” (unknown author), and are asked, “Why is ‘Revolution Begins’ a good heading for this section? Why did the author include the timeline?” How does the timeline support the problem-and-solution text structure?”
• In Unit 3, Genre Study 1, students read They Don’t Mean It! by Lensey Namioka, and are asked questions such as, “How does the author show how Mary’s mother does not feel like she is being true to her culture? How does the author use dialogue to help you understand Mary and her mother’s different opinions about dessert?”  
• In Unit 4, Genre Study 2, students read the poem “When I Dance” (unknown author), and are asked, “How does the poet help you visualize what is expressed in the poem?” 

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria that materials contain a coherently sequenced set of high-quality text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas within individual texts as well as across multiple texts.

Grade 5 materials provide opportunities for students to engage with texts and text-dependent questions that help build knowledge. All lessons include text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge. 

Sets of questions and tasks support students’ analysis of knowledge and ideas across the year. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Week 1, students read "Creating a Nation" (unknown author), and answer questions such as, “Why did King George III raise taxes? Why did the colonists think the Stamp Act was unfair? How did the colonists react to taxes imposed by the British?” Students are also asked, “What role did Congress assigned to George Washington? Thomas Jefferson?”  
• In Unit 3, Genre Study 2, students read "Gulf Spill Superheroes" and are asked questions to build knowledge including, “How long did it take for the damaged well to be plugged up? What problem did the responders have?” What did the responders do?” 
• In Unit 5, Week 1, students read “Changing View of the Earth” (unknown author), and answer questions, such as, “How does the author help you understand the difference between the geocentric and heliocentric model of the solar system? How does the author’s use of text structure to help you understand how the ability to predict the weather improved in the late 20th century?” 
• In Unit 6, Week 3, students read "Mysterious Oceans" (unknown author), and answer questions, such as “Why do you think the author begins the text by describing a sea creature? How does the author help you understand how sea creatures have adapted to life in the deep ocean?”

Sets of questions and tasks provide opportunities to analyze across multiple texts as well as within single texts. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 2, Day 9, students use notes taken from multiple texts to answer the essential question, “How can experiencing nature change the way you think about it?” Students discuss what they have learned from each text about experiencing nature. Then students write about the following prompt that integrates ideas from two texts and a photograph: “How do the photographer and the authors of Camping with the President and A Walk with Teddy help you experience nature and the way you think about it?”
• In Unit 3, Genre Study 2, students are asked to reflect on the texts in the unit and are asked to respond to the question, “How do advances in technology allow these firefighters and the teams described in Winter’s Tail and ‘Helping Hands’ to help others?” 
• In Unit 4, Genre Study 1, students read biographies and at the end of the unit are asked, “How does the photographer show how the men are taking a stand in the same way the authors of Rosa and ‘Our Voices, Our Votes’ show how people have taken a stand?” 

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria that the questions and tasks support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic (or, for grades 6-8, a theme) through integrated skills (e.g. combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

Instructional materials provide students opportunities to complete culminating tasks that are related to the text they are reading. Culminating tasks integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills and provide opportunities for students to show their knowledge of a topic. 

Culminating tasks are provided and they are multifaceted, requiring students to demonstrate mastery of several different standards and strands at the grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, students demonstrate comprehension and knowledge of the topic and texts in the unit by discussing and then writing about the Essential Question, “How do we get the things we need?” Students read several texts throughout the unit to answer this question and engage in discussing the text with a partner and writing about it. The culminating task in the Show What you Learned section requires students to write a final response that synthesizes knowledge about how we get the things we need. 
• In Unit 2, Week 4, the culminating task asks students to use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the different genres in the unit, including a poem (“Stage Fright”) and a folktale (Blancaflor  by Alma Flor Ada). Students use their speaking and listening skills when first reading these two texts, as well as their reading and writing skills to complete the wrap-up task.  
• In Unit 4, Week 2, students create a chart with each of the texts from the Genre Study as headings. Underneath the headings, students write and discuss with small groups how the texts relate to the message that people can bring about positive change. Students refer to a photo in the Reading Writing Companion and respond to the prompt, “How does the photographer show that the men are taking a stand in the same way the authors of Rosa and “Our Voices, Our Votes” show how people have taken a stand?”
• In Unit 5, Week 1, students demonstrate comprehension and knowledge of the topic and texts in the unit by discussing and writing about the Essential Question, “How can scientific knowledge change over time?” Students read several texts to answer this question, including “Changing Views of Earth” (unknown author) and When is a Planet not a Planet? by Elaine Scott and then demonstrate their understanding in writing of how the world will change over time. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 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. 

Grade 5 materials provide students the opportunity to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts. Students interact with vocabulary through practice exercises, reading in context, word families, and affixes. Students also keep track of their vocabulary words in Build Your Word List in their Writing Notebook. Students complete vocabulary tasks in the Reading Writing Companion and are assessed at the end of each unit on the vocabulary strategy. Guidance is provided to teachers in the form of videos, articles, and a handbook. Many different academic vocabulary and other vocabulary words are introduced during the week. Materials provide a vocabulary development component in the Tier 2 Intervention booklet.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In the Instructional Routine Handbook, page 77, teachers are guided through a four-step routine that can be used throughout the year to introduce vocabulary. 
• Step 1: Introduce (Explain the vocabulary routine.) 
• The teacher explains, “Today we will learn new vocabulary words. I will say a vocabulary word, define it, and use it in a sentence. Then, I will ask you to use the word in a sentence. The more we practice using the new words, the better readers and writers we will be.”
• Step 2: Model (I Do): Define/Example/Ask
• The teacher explains, “I am going to say the vocabulary word so you can hear the correct pronunciation. Then I am going to define it and use it in a sentence.”
• Step 3: Guided Practice (We Do): Students are given opportunities to use and apply words.
• The teacher describes different situations and students decide if the vocabulary word is an example of the situation. 
• Step 4: Independent Practice (You Do): 
• “Individual turns allow you an opportunity to assess each student’s skill level and provide additional practice for those students who need it. Near the end of each week, students should write sentences in their word study notebooks using the words.”

Materials provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year-long program that builds students’ academic vocabulary. Students engage in vocabulary instruction and application each day of the unit. The vocabulary words are related to the Essential Question, which helps students build knowledge. Students complete vocabulary tasks before reading, while reading, and after reading. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 3, Week 3, students read “Gulf Spill Superheroes” (unknown author). Words in context are introduced and instruction for using Latin roots to determine meaning is provided. With a partner, students practice with the Latin roots port, sensus, and habitare to determine the meaning of the words transported, sensitive, and habitats, which are found in the text. On another day, students talk about some of the target vocabulary words, such as artificial, and write about when they might want something to be artificial versus real. 
• In Unit 2, Week 1, students complete several vocabulary activities, including orally completing given sentence stems with review words. An example is, “You might find ______ at a convention about health.” In Week 2, students learn how to use a dictionary. Students practice with the word present. Students find the definition of the word and talk about the other meanings, syllabication, and the word origin. 
• In Unit 5, Week 3, students are introduced to vocabulary words that are important to understanding the readings and Essential Question. The target vocabulary words students encounter in the practice book are bouquet, emotions, encircle, express, fussy, portraits, sparkle, and whirl. 
• In Unit 6, Week 1, students read “Shipped Out” (unknown author). Words in context are introduced and instruction for using homophones to determine meaning is provided. Students work with partners to determine the meaning of the words need and knead, by rereading the text and using the context clues to help them figure out the meaning. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the criteria that materials include a cohesive, year-long plan to 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. 

Grade 5 materials provide students the opportunity to write and respond to texts throughout the year. Within each unit, teachers prepare students for a specific writing task at the end of four weeks. Students read texts in the same genre as the writing task. In addition, throughout the unit they take notes and respond to questions by analyzing texts in the Reading Writing Companion and in the Writer’s Notebook. As students progress through the units, they are asked to write longer pieces with more complex prompts that meet grade-specific standards as they work through the steps of the writing process. 

Materials include writing instruction aligned to the standards for the grade level, and writing instruction spans the whole school year. Writing instruction supports students’ growth in writing skills over the course of the school year. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 3, students read realistic fiction texts and write a realistic fiction narrative at the end of the four weeks. Students write in their Reading Writing Companion while reading in response to questions and tasks. Examples that support their development as writers include:
• In Week 1, Day 1, students read “A Reluctant Traveler” (unknown author),  and respond to the question, “How does the author show how Paul changes during his trip to Argentina?” 
• In Week 1, Day 3, students read They Don’t Mean It! by Lensey Namioka, and respond to the prompt, “How does the author show how the Yangs change as they try to find a balance between their Chinese traditions and their new American life?”  
• In Week 1, Day 5, students are told they will be writing a realistic fiction story. Students analyze an expert model and respond about how the father tried to solve the problem of fitting in in the fourth paragraph in their Reading Writing Companion. 
• In Week 2, Days 6-7, students brainstorm realistic places and types of characters and record it. Students choose one place and some characters from the list. They write a story about something the character(s) discovers about the place they chose. Students plan their draft using a graphic organizer and rubric.
• In Week 2, Days 8-9, students develop their draft. Students are reminded to use their flow chart, to put their events in the correct order and use vivid language to bring characters to life.
• In Week 3, Day 5, instruction is provided on word choice.  Students have an opportunity to revise their drafts based on this instruction. 
• In Unit 6, students read narrative nonfiction texts and write a historical fiction story at the end of the four weeks. Students write in their Reading Writing Companion while reading in response to questions and tasks. Examples that support students’ development as writers include: 
• In Week 1, Day 1, students read “Shipped Out” (unknown author), and respond to the question, “How does the author show the impact World War II had on children as well as on adults?”
• In Week 1, Day 3, students read The Unbreakable Code by Sara Hoagland Hunter, and then discuss how the author’s words and phrases tell about the secrecy of Grandfather’s mission. Students also respond to the prompt, “How does the author use dialogue and Grandfather’s story to teach John about the strengths of his Navajo culture?”  
• In Week 1, Day 5, students are told they will be writing a historical fiction story. An anchor chart with features of historical fiction is created for students to refer to as they write their story. Students analyze an expert model and write about how the author uses details in the text.
• In Week 2, Days 6-7, students brainstorm a list of different periods of history and characters that may have lived during that time. 
• In Week 2, Days 8-9, students develop their draft about one historical period and characters and events that take place during that event. 
• In Week 3, Day 5, instruction is provided on transitions. Students have an opportunity to revise their drafts based on this instruction. 

Instructional materials include well-designed lesson plans, models, and protocols for teachers to implement and monitor students’ writing development. Students write every day in their writer’s notebooks.  Students respond to prompts, check their writing during independent time and make necessary revisions, write pieces they choose themselves, use freewriting and mapping to generate ideas, and write responses to reading to deepen their understanding. A digital writer’s notebook is offered as well.  Students can access student models and instructional videos. Teachers are encouraged to review and give feedback at any time. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 3, examples include: Throughout the unit, students discuss their written responses with partners or small groups.
• In Week 4, Day 7, students conduct a peer review with a four-step routine. Sentence starters are provided and include, “I enjoyed this part of your draft because...”  or "The sequence of events might be clearer if…”. The routine is:
• "Listen carefully as the writer reads his or her work aloud.
• Begin feedback by telling your partner what you liked about the writing.
• Ask questions that will help the writer think critically about the writing.
• Offer your partner specific suggestions to help make the writing stronger."
• In Week 4, Days 8-10, an editing checklist that students can use to improve their writing is provided in the Reading Writing Companion. Rubrics are provided, as well as a presenting checklist.
• In Unit 6, similar supports are provided; however, the writing prompts and tasks are longer. Examples include:
• Students discuss their writing with partners or small groups. Sentence starters are provided to support this. 
• In Week 4, Day 7, students have a peer review with a four-step routine, which is similar to the one used in Unit 3, but more sophisticated. This is the routine: 
• "Listen carefully as the writer reads aloud and take notes.
• After the writer finished reading, tell one thing that you liked about the writing. 
• Ask questions that will help the writer think more deeply about the writing.
• Offer one or two comments to help the writer improve the writing." 
• In Week 4, Days 8 - 10, an editing checklist is provided so that students can improve their writing in the Reading Writing Companion. Rubrics are also provided in the Reading Writing Companion.

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 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.

Grade 5 materials provide students opportunities to complete research projects over the course of a Genre Study that enrich the knowledge and understanding of the Genre Study topic, the genre structure itself, and the Essential Question. In addition to regular research projects, students can use the interactive online inquiry space during small group time to further support the growth of research skills. Teachers and students follow the research roadmap for guidance on how to apply the five-step research process to each research project. For each project, there is also a research skill that is explicitly taught through modeling and guided practice. 

Research projects are sequenced across a school year to include a progression of research skills appropriate for the grade level. Materials support teachers in employing projects that develop students’ knowledge on a topic via provided resources. The Instructional Routines Handbook states that the Research and Inquiry Lessons have a suggested outline to use for projects throughout each unit/Genre Study.  This routine includes:

1. "Set Research Goals: Introduce the project and clearly identify the research focus and end product. During this time, students may generate inquiry questions, assign roles to group members, and/or create a research plan.

 2. Identify Sources: Brainstorm and identify reliable sources, such as texts read in class, digital media, print sources, and interviews with experts. 

3. Find and Record Information: Guide students as they search for relevant information from their sources. Ensure they take notes from various sources, find answers to their inquiry questions, and record information so they can cite their sources. 

4. Organize: Help students review and analyze the information they have gathered. They should identify the most useful information by annotating or highlighting their notes, using a graphic organizer to sort and clarify categories of related information, and identifying any areas where they need further information.

 5. Synthesize and Present: Guide students to synthesize their information and create the research product. Then have them plan how to best present their work and they may include audio and/or visual displays to enhance presentations. Before presenting, students check that key ideas are included in the presentation and they rehearse the presentation."

Specific examples of research projects throughout the year as well as the skills taught include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Genre Study 1, students create a poster or multi-modal slideshow about the steps that led to the creation of the U.S. Constitution. The focus of this research project is learning about primary and secondary sources. Pairs discuss their research plan before students complete the five-step research process. 
• In Unit 3, Genre Study 2, students learn how to generate and clarify questions when researching. They spend two weeks researching animal rescue groups and then create a television segment about that animal rescue group. 
• In Unit 4, Genre Study 3, students conduct research about major national holidays by creating a timeline. They also learn the skill of identifying relevant information. Students set a research goal and then identify sources. Students find and record information and organize the information. Finally, students synthesize and present their research. 
• In Unit 6, Genre Study 1, students learn the research skill of identifying and gathering relevant information. Students research the causes of World War II and create a cause and effect chart about it. Students spend two weeks in this research project and follow the research routine. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 5 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.

Grade 5 materials provide opportunities for students to read independently in and out of class. The materials include accountability in the form of independent reading responses and a reading log. In addition, there are also steps for an independent reading routine that provides guidance for teachers. There are many opportunities for independent reading to occur throughout the day. The publisher suggests that students spend 30 - 40 minutes total of independent reading a day, and this includes both whole class texts, as well as independent book choices during small group time. There is a bibliography provided in each unit and genre study for independent reading book choices that align to the topic and/or genre that students are reading in whole group lessons. In addition, there is a School-To-Home letter each week that provides information for families on children reading at home.

In the Instructional Routine Handbook, an independent reading routine is provided for students to follow while the teacher works with groups or confers with individuals. The steps in the routine include:

• "Select a book that interests you.
• Read the book each day during independent reading time.
• Think about what you are reading.
• Record what you have read at the end of each independent reading session.
• Share your opinion of the book when you are done.
• Complete a reading log by recording the date, title, text type, opinion, number of pages, number of minutes read, whether the text was complex, too easy, or just right, and if the student is still reading, finishing or abandoning the book."

An additional Independent Reading Routine is provided that provides additional information for independent reading that can occur during whole group time. The steps in the routine include:

• "Select a book that interests you.
• Check the book to make sure it is the one you want to read (teachers should teach students the five finger rule to help students determine if the book is just right).
• Read the book each day during Independent Reading time. Use the skills and strategies that you have been working on.
• Think about what you are reading. Use Thinking Codes to record your thoughts or write about them in your writer’s notebook.
• Record what you have read at the end of each independent reading session. There are many suggestions for keeping students accountable for their independent reading in the Additional Strategies section of the Instructional Handbook. Using a Reading Log is just one way suggested by the publisher. 
• Share your opinion of the book when you are done. Tell a friend, write a review, make a poster, or ask a teacher for ideas.
• Begin again! Time to pick a new book!"

There is also a tracking system in the Teacher Resource Book that provides reading response forms for various genres, such as nonfiction and poetry. Students also can respond in their Writing Notebook without using this form.