4th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for anchor texts being of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading and consider a range of student interests.

The anchor texts are of high interest and include rich language and content from across multiple disciplines and cultures. The anchor texts are examined multiple times for multiple purposes and are used to expand topics and essential questions, build vocabulary, and prompt writing. Texts are of high quality, including rich language and engaging content. Accompanying illustrations are of high quality as well, supporting students' understanding and comprehension of the associated text. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Unit 1: Earthquakes by Sneed B. Collard III. This engaging, expository text includes features, such as a list of what students should do during an earthquake, photos of earthquake destruction, and diagrams that assist students in comprehending the text. The author has written over 40 science books for kids and uses real scientist interviews as a basis for this text.
• Unit 2: Spiders! by Nic Bishop. This expository text captures the reader’s attention with colorful, up-close, dramatic photographs that highlight even the smallest, but most unique features of this creature. Photographs include a spider eating its prey, beautifully constructed webs, and incredible body structures. The text also includes text features throughout that draw attention to important details.
• Unit 3: Remembering Hurricane Katrina (Author Unknown). This realistic fiction story focuses on Hector, a boy who helps others after Hurricane Katrina, making it a relatable story since people are affected by natural disasters yearly. This story contains several vocabulary words, including gingerly and mature. Minus one image of a group of people running during a storm that reminds Hector of Hurricane Katrina, the pictures focus on happy kids receiving toys and Hector driving his car. 
• Unit 4: Swimming to the Rock and The Moondust Footprint by Mary Atkinson and Bobbi Katz. The Moondust Footprint is a poem about the same event found in the anchor text, The Moon Over Star, so it provides support for understanding the historical content, yet it is a different genre. Both poets are published authors of children’s poetry. Swimming to the Rock includes characters that children will identify with.
• Unit 5: Mama, I’ll Give You the World by Roni Schotter. This realistic fiction book is a story about a bond between a single, hardworking mother and daughter. Every day after school, Luisa goes to Walter's World of Beauty to watch her mama work-- cutting, coloring, and curling customer's hair. Her mama works hard and hardly ever smiles. On Mama's birthday, she wants to make her smile, like in a photograph she found. Luisa transforms Walter's World of Beauty into the place from the photograph, by decorating it.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

There is a wide array of informational and literary text integrated throughout every unit with a balanced representation of each. Additional supplementary texts (text sets, shared reading, read-alouds) are included, resulting in a wide distribution of genres and text types as required by the standards, including historical fiction, poetry, fables, non-fiction, biographies, digital magazine articles, plays, and historical accounts.

The following are examples of literary text found within the instructional materials:

• In Unit 1, Week 4, Experts, Incorporated by Sarah Weeks
• In Unit 2, Week 5, Cricket; Lizard; Firefly; Ants; Snail (Author Unknown)
• In Unit 3, Week 2, Aguinaldo by Lulu Delacre
• In Unit 4, Week 5, Sing to Me, The Climb (Author Unknown)
• In Unit 5, Week 4, Mama, I’ll Give You the World by Roni Schotter
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Light Through the Ages (Author Unknown)

The following are examples of informational text found within the instructional materials:

• In Unit 1, Week 5, Kids in Business by Time for Kids
• In Unit 2, Week 2, Spiders by Nic Bishop
• In Unit 3, Week 4, Delivering Justice by Jim Haskins
• In Unit 5, Week 1, Your World Up Close (Author Unknown)

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task.

Texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task. Anchor texts are placed at the appropriate grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, A World of Change. This text has a quantitative measure of 790 Lexile. This is within the stretch band of 740-1010 Lexile for Grade 4. This shared reading is an informational text that provides background knowledge about the physical properties of the Earth. Students will need background information gained from reading this text to understand texts coming later in the unit that explain natural disasters and their effects. The Teacher Edition provides think-alouds for teachers to use to support students’ understanding of the complex knowledge demands of the text.
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Judy’s Appalachia. This text has a quantitative measure of 830 Lexile. This is within the stretch band of 740-1010 Lexile for Grade 4. The structure offers some complexity with subheadings; however, subheadings follow the text sequentially. A timeline is included. The central idea is clear, but the setting may not be familiar to students and they may need some background knowledge about coal mining in West Virginia and the environmental issues connected to it. 
• In Unit 4, Start Small, Think Big. This text has a quantitative measure of 660 Lexile. This is not within the stretch band of 740-1010 Lexile for Grade 4; however, it is in the Lexile band. This expository piece with a clear central message centers on various entrepreneurs who have begun their own businesses. Text features, such as “stop and check” questions, as well as bolded vocabulary words, help students identify the main ideas. Additional information in text boxes, such as America in the 1930s, helps students contextualize the time period in which these entrepreneurs lived. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ increasing literacy skills over the course of the school year. (Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band.)

The texts, both anchor and supporting, mostly fall within the grade-level Lexile band anywhere from 740 - 1010L, and provide students access to increasingly rigorous texts over the course of the school year. The quantitative and qualitative analyses of the series of texts and the scaffolding of each text ensure that students are supported to independently access and comprehend grade-level texts at the end of the year. 

The Genre Study within each unit begins with an Interactive Read- Aloud, which introduces the genre and reading strategy that is the focus of the Genre Study. Students read the Shared Read followed by the Anchor Text which is paired with an additional text selection in order for students to compare and contrast texts. While reading, scaffolds include rereading to find evidence, note-taking in a graphic organizer with text details, and engaging in collaborative conversations about the text. 

• In Unit 1, Genre Study 1, students read expository texts and practice rereading to gain understanding, while also comparing and contrasting texts and stating the author’s purpose. Examples of texts include:
• In Week 1, Day 1, the Interactive Read-Aloud is “Avalanche” (unknown author), which includes a teacher think-aloud to help students to see the strategy modeled. The quantitative level is 860, but the qualitative features are slightly complex, with the exception of knowledge demands, which are moderately complex. 
• In Week 1, Days 1-2, the Shared Read is “A World of Change” (unknown author), which has a Lexile of 790 and is considered somewhat complex. The text provides teachers with an opportunity to have students read and describe the overall structure. 
• In Weeks 1 and 2, Days 3-6, students engage with the Anchor Text, Earthquakes by Sneed Collard III, which has a Lexile of 870 and is considered moderately to somewhat complex. Students apply the skills they practiced during the Shared Read to this text. 
• In Week 2, Day 8, students compare and contrast the Paired Text “Weathering the Storm” (unknown author), which has a Lexile of 770L with Earthquakes. 
• In Unit 3, Genre Study 1, students study realistic fiction texts and explore visualizing and examining point of view and facts and opinions. Examples of materials used include: 
• In Week 1, Day 1, the Interactive Read-Aloud is “Books” (unknown author), which is read by the teacher and includes think-alouds to assist students in applying the strategy. The text has a Lexile of 750 and is considered slightly complex, with the exception of structure, which is moderately complex. 
• In Week 1, Days 1-2, the Shared Read is “Remembering Hurricane Katrina” (unknown author), which has a Lexile of 800 and is mostly considered moderately complex, with language being slightly complex. Students compare and contrast the point of view from the different narrated stories including the difference between first- and third-person narratives. 
• In Weeks 1 and 2, Days 3-6, students engage with the Anchor Text, Aguinaldo by Lulu Delacre, which has a Lexile of 650 and is considered slightly to moderately complex. While the selection falls outside the Lexile range, the complex vocabulary and sentence structure make this selection challenging. 
• In Week 2, Day 8, students compare and contrast the Paired Text “Partaking in Public Service” (unknown author), which has a Lexile of 770 with the text Aguinaldo. 
• In Unit 6, Genre Study 1, students study narrative nonfiction and practice asking and answering questions about text to deepen their understanding of the content and explore main ideas and details, as well as elements of a myth. Examples include:
• In Week 1, Day 1, the Interactive Read-Aloud is “Light Through the Ages” (unknown author), which is read by the teacher and includes think-alouds to assist students to see how to apply the strategy. The text has a Lexile of 680 but is considered slightly to moderately complex. 
• In Week 1, Days 1-2, the Shared Read is “The Great Energy Debate” (unknown author), which has a Lexile of 910 and is slightly to moderately complex. Students pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others. 
• In Weeks 1 and 2, Days 3-6, the Anchor Text is Energy Island, by Allan Drummond, which has a Lexile of 840 and is considered moderately complex. Teachers use the story to help students with main idea and details and comparing and contrasting. 
• In Week 2, Day 8, students read the Paired Texts “Of Fire and Water” and “Water vs. Wisdom” (unknown authors) (910L). Students think about how these texts compare with Energy Island. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that anchor texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for purpose and placement in the grade level. 

Grade 4 materials contain a text complexity analysis that includes a quantitative measure, a qualitative measure, and a rationale for including the text. The text complexity analysis is accessible through the Teacher Resources tab online and in the Teacher Edition in the Genre Study Overview, as well as through the Access Complex Text (ACT) sections.

Anchor texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis. A rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level is provided and includes correct information about the complexity. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Weeks 1 and 2, students read Earthquakes by Sneed B. Collard III, which has a quantitative measure of 870L. Qualitative measures of complexity provided by the publisher include moderately complex language and knowledge demands and somewhat complex structure and meaning/purpose. The rationale given by the publisher for use of this text is, “Students will build content knowledge about Earth. They will learn that some natural disasters cannot be prevented but people can plan and prepare for them.” 
• In Unit 2, Weeks 1 and 2, students read “Adaptations at Work” (unknown author), which has a Lexile of 860. According to the text complexity analysis, structure and language are considered slightly complex. The meaning is considered moderately complex  as the animals in the text will be familiar but the characteristics described may be difficult to visualize. The text was chosen to help simplify a complex science concept.
• In Unit 3, Weeks 3 and 4, students read “Nelson Mandela: Working for Freedom” (unknown author), which has a Lexile of 950. According to the text complexity analysis, the language and structure are slightly complex, while knowledge demands and meaning are moderately complex. The text was chosen to help build background knowledge about the discrimination that black South Africans faced during apartheid. 
• In Unit 4, Weeks 1 and 2, students read “A World Without Rules” (unknown author), which has a quantitative measure of 830L.  Qualitative measures of complexity provided by the publisher include meaning/purpose and knowledge demands that are described as slightly complex since the main idea is clear and revealed early in the reading and the theme and setting are familiar. The structure and language are moderately complex. The piece transitions quickly from the imaginary to the real world without clear transitions. The language includes domain-specific vocabulary, such as legislation, that not all students may be familiar with. 
• In Unit 5, Weeks 5 and 6, students read “Rediscovering Our Spanish Beginnings” by Time for Kids, which has a quantitative measure of  940L. Qualitative features are noted as moderately complex. According to the text complexity analysis, the story provides teachers with an opportunity to have students analyze the structure of expository text. 
• In Unit 6, Weeks 3 and 4, students read “A Surprise Reunion” (no author), which has a quantitative measure of 650L. Qualitative features are noted as language rated as slightly complex since it contains some Native American names, such as Sacagawea, while the remaining elements, meaning/purpose, structure, and knowledge demands, are all rated as moderately complex.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that anchor and supporting texts provide opportunities for students to engage in a broad range of text types and disciplines as well as a volume of reading to achieve grade-level reading proficiency.

Grade 4 materials provide students multiple opportunities to engage in a variety of texts in order to reach grade-level reading proficiency by the end of the year. Each unit contains three genre studies. Within each Genre Study, students engage with a variety of texts to deepen their knowledge of the genre, beginning with an Interactive Read-Aloud and continuing with the Shared Read and Anchor Text.  Each Genre Study includes a Paired Selection that offers the opportunity for students to make cross-text comparisons. The selection may be a different genre from the Anchor Text but relates to the Essential Question. In addition, Leveled Text (Approaching, On, Beyond, ELL) provide students with texts that support the Essential Question, while providing scaffolds for independent reading opportunities. Classroom Library book titles are included for additional independent reading options within each unit and genre.

Instructional materials identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in reading and listening to a variety of texts to become independent readers at the grade level and engage in a volume of reading as they grow toward reading independence. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Genre Study 2, students engage in reading dramas such as: 
• Interactive Read-Aloud: “A Grasshopper’s Sad Tale” (unknown author) - a monologue
• Shared Read: “The Ant and the Grasshopper” (unknown author)
• Anchor Text: Ranita, the Frog Princess by Carmen Agra Deedy
• Paired Selection: “Pecos Bill and the Bear Lake Monster” (unknown author)
• Small Group Instruction Text: Saving the Green Bird 
• In Unit 4, Genre Study 1, students engage in reading narrative nonfiction such as:
• Interactive Read-Aloud: “Speaking out Against Child Labor” (unknown author)
• Shared Read: “A World Without Rules” (unknown author)
• Anchor Text: See How They Run by Susan E. Goodman 
• Paired Selection: “The Birth of American Democracy” (unknown author) 
• Small Group Instruction Text: A Day in the Senate by Terry Miller Shannon
• In Unit 5, Genre Study 1, students engage in reading expository texts including:
• Interactive Read-Aloud: “Stick like a Gecko” (unknown author)
• Shared Read: “Your World Up Close” (unknown author)
• Anchor Text: A Drop of Water by Walter Wick
• Paired Selection: “The Incredible Shrinking Potion”(unknown author) - a fantasy
• Small Group Instruction Text: Secrets of the Ice by Rachel Haywandi
• In Unit 6, Genre Study 2, students engage in reading historical fiction such as:
• Interactive Read-Aloud: “Reading the Sky” (unknown author)
• Shared Read: “A Surprise Reunion” (unknown author)
• Anchor Text: The Game of Silence by Louise Erdrich 
• Paired Selection: “Native Americans: Yesterday and Today” (unknown author) - expository text
• Small Group Instruction Text: Maple Sugar Moon by Cheryl Minnema

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-dependent/specific, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text). 

Grade 4 materials provide opportunities for students to engage with the text by answering text-dependent and text-specific questions. Each lesson includes questions and tasks that require students to answer text-dependent questions both via discussions and in writing. Students answer both explicit and implicit questions requiring evidence from the text. 

Materials include questions, tasks, and assignments that are text-dependent over the course of a school year. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, students engage in the shared reading of “The Talent Show” (unknown author), and are asked text-specific questions such as, “What does Maura’s grandmother say to encourage Maura to speak up for herself?”
• In Unit 2, Week 3, students read Ranita, the Frog Princess by Carmen Agra Deedy, and answer questions such as, “Do you think Felipe takes promises seriously? Use text evidence to support your answer. What does Ranita say that suggests she is honorable and keeps her promises?” 
• In Unit 3, Week 1, students read “Remembering Hurricane Katrina” (unknown author), and are asked to write how the author shows the impact of Hurricane Katrina on Hector. Students are also prompted to underline the sentence that tells them that Hector is thinking about an event that happened in the past. 
• In Unit 4, Week 4, after reading The Moon Over Star by Dianna Hutts Aston, students are asked to “Think about the story so far. What can you tell about Mae from her actions, words, and thoughts? Use details from the story.” and “Reread page 294. How does the author describe Gramps’s reaction to Gran’s hollering? How does it compare to the children’s reaction?”
• In Unit 5, Week 1, students read A Drop of Water by Walter Wick and are asked questions such as, “How does the author use photographs to help explain  complex ideas? What happens to the drops inside the glass? How does humidity help keep the water drops inside the glass from disappearing?” 
• In Unit 6, Week 5, students read the poem, “Birdfoot’s Grandpa” by Joseph Bruchac, and answer questions such as, “How does the poet's use of imagery make readers care about what happens to the toads?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent/specific questions and tasks build to a culminating task that integrates skills (may be writing, speaking, or a combination).

Culminating tasks provide opportunities throughout the program for students to show what they know and are able to do. At the end of each Genre Study, students are required to make connections across texts and analyze a photograph to demonstrate their knowledge of the essential question of the unit. Students first discuss the prompt with a partner, then they find text evidence, and finally demonstrate their knowledge on an independent writing task. 

Culminating tasks of quality are evident across a year’s worth of material. Tasks are supported with coherent sequences of text-dependent questions and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, students read Experts Incorporated by Sarah Weeks, and answer questions with partners such as, “How does the author use dialogue to make the characters seem like people you might know in real life? How does the author help you understand how Rodney feels as he tries to think of an idea?” Students also discuss with a partner the dialogue on page 25 to determine if the author does a good job using realistic dialogue between Rodney and his friends.  Students then record examples of realistic dialogue on a chart with evidence explaining why it is effective. These text-dependent questions and tasks build to a culminating task of responding in writing to the prompt, “How does the author use dialogue to help you understand how Rodney feels as he struggles and then comes up with an idea?”
• In Unit 2, Weeks 1 and 2, students think about the texts they read in the unit and what they have learned about the adaptations that have helped animals survive. Then students analyze a photograph and discuss how the photograph shows how the seahorse survives. After discussing it, students write their response. 
• In Unit 4, Week 5, students read and discuss the poems “Sing to Me” and “The Climb” and then respond to the writing prompt, “How do the poets use imagery to help you picture the different ways people can be successful?” Questions and tasks that lead up to the successful completion of this culminating writing prompt include: “Underline a word in stanza 4 with a negative connotation. What does it mean? Draw a box around the stanza that shows the message of the poem. Circle the words the poet repeats in stanza 6. What effect does the repetition have? What image does the poet use to describe the narrator’s brother? Find the key details and list them in the graphic organizer. Use the details to determine the theme of the poem.”
• In Unit 5, Week 5, students read Rediscovering Our Spanish Beginnings by Time For Kids, and discuss with a partner, citing evidence on a chart, about how the author uses text features to help them understand Spanish beginnings. Students write how the author’s use of text features helps them. Next, students answer, “How does the author use sidebars to connect the past and present?” They discuss with a partner and record information in a web on how the sidebars add to their understanding. Students then write how the sidebars help them understand the connection between the past and present. These text-dependent questions, discussions, and written responses build to the culminating task, “How does the author’s use of text features help you understand how history has shaped America’s culture?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials provide frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small groups, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

Throughout the program, students have opportunities for evidence-based discussions in whole group discussions, small groups, and peer-to-peer conversations. Multiple opportunities for discussions are presented throughout the program including Think-Alouds, Talk About It, and Collaborative Conversations. 

Examples of protocols used in the program for evidence-based discussions include:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, students discuss the essential question found in the students’ Reading Writing Companion in pairs or groups. There is a Collaborative Conversations protocol called Listen Carefully that is used for this discussion. 
• In Unit 2, Week 3, students participate in a Collaborative Conversation. The directions for the teacher are to “Listen carefully as students engage in partner, small group, and whole group discussions and encourage them to follow discussion rules by listening carefully to speakers. Remind students to always look at the person who is speaking, respect others by not interrupting them, and repeat peers’ ideas to check understanding.”
• In Unit 3, Week 3, when reading Delivering Justice: W.W. and the Fight for Civil Rights by Jim Haskins, students reread pages 210-211 and discuss how the black community of Savannah organized together.  A teacher Think-Aloud is provided to model how to answer the question.  

The program also includes support for teachers and students on the various evidence-based discussions used throughout the program. This includes: 

• In the Instructional Routines Handbook, there is a routine for the teacher to encourage students to have discussions. A side note provides support for teachers to recognize when students are struggling during the discussions and support for how to help the students get the discussion back on track. 
• Classroom Videos are provided for the teacher and students to watch model teachers and classrooms. In the video entitled Collaborative Conversations, the teacher in the video demonstrates conversational skills for students. In addition, the Instructional Routines Handbook provides a checklist for students and the routine for teachers. 
• The Instructional Routines Handbook provides step-by-step instructions for teachers on how to support student discussions. For example, on page 22, the teacher is prompted to use a small group to role play and model for the rest of the class in preparation for discussions.  It also provides sentence frames that can be used to support students’ use of academic vocabulary and syntax. For example, “Can you point to text evidence that shows ...?”
• The Teacher Resource Book includes a Speaking Checklist on page 97 and a Listening Checklist on page 98 to guide students when they are sharing ideas, presenting projects, and working with a group.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and supports. 

The materials provide opportunities for students to partake in listening and speaking activities about what they are reading through responding to evidence-based questions prompted by the teacher, as well as whole group and partner share. Collaborative conversations are encouraged throughout each unit. Students also have opportunities to discuss what they are researching. Examples include:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, after reading The Talent Show (unknown author), students work in pairs to predict how Maura will solve a future problem. Students reread and are told to focus on how Maura handled problems in the past and the most recent problem.  
• In Unit 2, Weeks 3 and 4, students engage in the shared reading of “The Ant and the Grasshopper” (unknown author), and during the reading, students meet with a partner to orally summarize what they have read so far. 
• In Unit 3, Weeks 1 and 2, students read “Partaking in Public Service” (unknown author), and work in pairs to discuss any additional facts or opinions in the article. 
• In Unit 4, Weeks 3 and 4, students read “A Telephone Mixup” (unknown author). Students work with a partner to discuss a detail from the story that reveals the point of view. Then students work together to write a paragraph detailing the point of view. 
• In Unit 5, Weeks 1 and 2, students read “Your World Up Close” (unknown author), and the teacher asks the whole class, “What have magnified images allowed scientists to see?” Students  discuss with a partner why it might be useful to see these kinds of things in greater detail. 
• In Unit 6, Week 1, students work in pairs to read “The Great Energy Debate” (unknown author), and write questions about unfamiliar concepts, such as energy resources, debating, and vocabulary. Pairs then reread to find answers to their questions and they share their questions with the class.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials include a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g., multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate. 

Grade 4 materials provide opportunities for students to write daily. Throughout each unit students engage in a variety of writing tasks. On-demand writing includes note-taking, graphic organizers, quick-writes, and answering questions about texts while reading and after reading. Process writing includes essays and a variety of projects. Students also have the opportunity to revise and edit their work in each unit.

Students engage in on-demand writing throughout the year, during and after reading texts. Students often respond while reading to support comprehension or after reading to demonstrate comprehension. Examples of on-demand writing found throughout the program include:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, while reading “A World of Change” (unknown author), students “explain how the Grand Canyon was formed” in writing. 
• In Unit 3, Week 1, students answer the question, “How does the author sequence the events of the story to help you understand how Hurricane Katrina affected Hector?” after reading “Remembering Hurricane Katrina” (unknown author), in their Reading Writing Companion. 
• In Unit 5, Week 1, after reading “Your World Up Close” (unknown author), students answer the question, “How does the author’s use of text structure and text features help you understand how electron microscopes help scientists?”
• In Unit 6, Week 3, while reading “A Surprise Reunion” (unknown author), students respond to the question, “How can Camealwait help Lewis and Clark?” 

Process writing occurs in each Genre Study. Students examine a model text before brainstorming, drafting, editing, revising, and publishing their written pieces. Examples found throughout the program include: 

• In Unit 1, Genre Study 3, students learn about opinion writing and write an opinion essay about the amount of time students should get for recess. Before beginning, students study exemplar opinion essays and then use the writing process to complete this writing task. 
• In Unit 3, Genre Study 1, students write a realistic fiction narrative essay. In Weeks 1 and 2, students make a plan and draft their realistic fiction narrative essay. In Weeks 3 and 4, students revise, edit, and publish their realistic fiction essay. 
• In Unit 4, Genre Study 1, students pre-write, draft, revise, and edit a narrative nonfiction essay on an historical figure who contributed to state government. 
• In Unit 6, Genre Study 1, students write a research report about a person who has worked hard to meet their goals. Students spend time planning and organizing ideas by using notes and a graphic organizer. They then draft, revise, and edit their research report. Students also publish and present their report.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. 

Grade 4 materials provide opportunities for students to engage in a variety of writing types addressed in the standards over the course of the year. In each Genre Study, students complete either a narrative, opinion or expository writing assignment. Students study model texts, conduct a brainstorming process, and then write their own story or essay. Students have the opportunity to engage in narrative, expository, and opinion writing throughout the year.

Examples of narrative writing found throughout the school year include:

• In Unit 2, Genre Study 3, students write a lyric poem about an animal, insect, or plant that they feel strongly about. 
• In Unit 3, Genre Study 1, students write a realistic fiction narrative about a character who is nervous about trying something new.

Examples of opinion writing found throughout the school year include:

• In Unit 1, Genre Study 3, students learn about opinion writing and write an opinion essay about the amount of time students should get for recess. 
• In Unit 3, Genre Study 3, students write an opinion essay about how much time students should be allowed to spend on screens. 

Examples of expository writing found throughout the school year include: 

• In Unit 4, Genre Study 1, students pre-write, draft, revise, and edit a narrative nonfiction essay on an historical figure who contributed to state government. Students use a cause-effect essay structure.
• In Unit 5, Genre Study 1,  students write an explanatory essay about an object that they would like to see up close and learn more about. 
• In Unit 6, Genre Study 1, students pre-write, draft, revise, and edit a narrative nonfiction essay about ways to save a natural resource.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials include frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information.

Materials provide students with opportunities to engage in evidenced-based writing opportunities throughout the program, including within the Reading Writing Companion. In shared reading, students answer questions in writing while reading and are prompted to underline or circle evidence. After the anchor text, students answer a prompt in writing by using their notes and graphic organizer that were completed throughout the two week read of the text. 

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply evidence-based writing. Writing opportunities are focused around students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with the texts. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, students read Experts Incorporated by Helen Recorvits, and then answer questions in writing, such as “How does the author use dialogue to make the characters seem like real people? How does the author build tension when Rodney tries to think of what to write about?” 
• In Unit 2, Week 1, after reading Spiders by Nic Bishop and “Animal Adaptations” (unknown author), students write an expository essay that compares and contrasts two animals and their adaptations, using evidence from the two texts.
• In Unit 3, Week 1, during shared reading, students read “Remembering Hurricane Katrina” (unknown author), and after reading are asked to answer the question, “How does the author sequence the events of the story to help you understand how Hurricane Katrina affected Hector?”
• In Unit 4, Week 3, students read The Moon Over Star by Dianna Hutts Ashton, and then answer the question, “How does the author use a historical setting to develop the plot of the story?” Students record their evidence in their Reading Writing Companion and must cite details from the text to support their ideas. 
• In Unit 5, Week 1, students read the article “Your World Up Close” (unknown author), and then explain in writing how fruit decays over time after circling key details in the text. 
• In Unit 6, Week 1, students read Energy Island by Allan Drummond, and respond to the prompt, “How does the author organize the text to tell you about wind energy and the people of Energy Island?”
• Students record text evidence that shows the organization and then respond to the prompt in their Reading Writing Companion.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials include explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context. 

Instructional materials provide opportunities for the teacher to explicitly teach each grammar objective and provide guided practice. Materials also include multiple opportunities for students to  independently practice each new skill. The grammar focus is connected to the independent writing tasks. In addition to the grammar focus, each week of each unit includes a spelling focus, which provides opportunities for students to practice the conventional spellings of words with common spelling patterns and irregular spelling patterns. Students have opportunities over the course of the year to apply newly learned skills both in and out of context.

Materials include explicit instruction of grammar and conventions standards for the grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Students have opportunities to use relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why).
• In Unit 4, Week 1, Day 1, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains, "A pronoun is a word that takes the place of one or more nouns. A personal pronoun refers to a person or thing. I, he, she, it, and you are personal pronouns. A relative pronoun, such as that, which, who, whom, or whose, is used at the beginning of a dependent clause. An indefinite pronoun does not name a specific person or thing." Partners use page 463 of the online Grammar Handbook and have the opportunity to practice in the Practice Book page 181 or online activity. 
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 2, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains that adverbs that tell "when" include soon, often, usually, and never. Adverbs such as up, down, here, and there tell "where". Adverbs that end in -ly tell "how". Relative adverbs (where, when, and why) begin adjective clauses. Adjective clauses modify nouns. Students complete Practice Book page 302.
• Students have opportunities to form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb tenses.
• In Unit 3, Week 2, Day 6, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains, "A verb has three basic tenses: present, past, and future. A present-tense verb shows that an action is happening now or over and over. To make the present progressive form, use am, are, or is and the -ing form of a main verb. A present-tense verb must agree with the subject of a sentence." Students have the opportunity to practice in the Practice Book page 133 or online activity.
• Students have opportunities to use modal auxiliaries (e.g., can, may, must) to convey various conditions.
• In Unit 3, Week 3, Day 2, the teacher explains that the verbs have, has, had, is, am, are, was, were, and will are helping verbs. They can show present, past, and future tense. Special helping verbs such as can, may, or must do not show tense. Students then complete Practice Book page 146.
• Students have opportunities to order adjectives within sentences according to conventional patterns (e.g., a small red bag rather than a red small bag).
• In Unit 5, Week 1, Day 1, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains, "An adjective is a word that describes a noun or a pronoun. Adjectives usually come before the nouns they describe. An adjective may also follow a linking verb. Adjectives are usually placed in the following order: opinion, size, age, and color." Students practice in the Practice Book page 241 or online activity.
• Students have opportunities to form and use prepositional phrases.
•  In Unit 6, Week 4, Day 7, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher reviews how prepositions function in a sentence and students list as many prepositions as they can. The teacher then explains that a prepositional phrase is a group of words that includes a preposition, the object of the preposition, and any words in between. Students complete Practice Book page 338.
• Students have opportunities to produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.
• In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 1, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher says, "A sentence is a group of words that shows a complete thought. A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not show a complete thought. Every sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a punctuation mark." Students then complete Practice Book page 1 or online activity.
• Students have opportunities to correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their).
• In Unit 4, Week 4, Day 8, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains that a possessive noun should have an apostrophe, but that a possessive pronoun and a stand-alone possessive pronoun should not have an apostrophe. The contraction it’s means “it is” or “it has.” The possessive pronoun its shows ownership. The teacher explains that a possessive pronoun must agree in number and gender with the noun it replaces. Students are referred to Grammar Handbook pages 465 and 478 and practice in Practice Book page 219 or online activity.
• In Unit 4, Week 5, Day 1, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher states,  "Homophones are words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings. Some pronouns are also homophones." The students practice in Practice Book page 229 or online activity.
• Students have opportunities to use correct capitalization.
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 1, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher says,  "A common noun names any person, place, or thing. A proper noun names a specific person, place, or organization. Proper nouns always begin with capital letters. If a proper noun has more than one word, each important word begins with a capital letter." Students have an additional opportunity to practice in the Practice Book page 61 or online activity.
• Students have opportunities to use commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.
• In Unit 4, Week 3, Day 3, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher explains that we use quotation marks before and after someone’s exact words and we begin a quotation with a capital letter. Commas and periods always appear inside closing quotation marks. We place a question mark or an exclamation mark inside closing quotation marks if it is part of the quotation. We place a question mark or an exclamation mark outside closing quotation marks if it is not part of the quotation. Students are referred to Grammar Handbook pages 479 and 480 and can practice in the Practice Book page 207 or online activity.
• In Unit 6, Week 4, Day 8, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher reviews using quotations and explains to students that they should use quotation marks before and after someone’s exact words, and also before and after the titles of short works, such as songs, poems, and articles. Students then complete Practice Book page 339 or online activity.
• Students have opportunities to use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.
• In Unit 1, Week 3, Day 2, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher reviews simple and compound sentences and has students explain how they are different. The teacher then introduces conjunctions and explains to students that the independent clauses in compound sentences are usually joined by a coordinating conjunction and that some coordinating conjunctions used to connect clauses are and, but, or, for, nor, and yet. Students complete Practice Book page 26.
• Students have opportunities to spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
• In Unit 3, Week 4, Day 7, during the Edit and Proofread portion of the lesson, the teacher explains to the students that once they have finished their drafts, they can improve them by editing and proofreading. The teacher says, "When you edit you can use an online or print thesaurus to help you choose more specific language. You also might rewrite dialogue to make it sound more realistic and natural. Proofreading is different from editing. When you proofread, you correct grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling." The teacher encourages students to use a dictionary to look up the meanings or spellings of words and points out that they cannot rely on an electronic spell check function to catch all mistakes. A spell checker cannot identify a word that is correctly spelled but used incorrectly, such as using they’re for their, to for too, and so on.
• Students have opportunities to choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.
• In Unit 5, Week 6, Day 1, during the Revise portion of the lesson, students revise their drafts, focusing on their conclusions. The teacher guides them to rework their conclusions by adding, deleting, combining, and/or rearranging ideas to make them stronger.  The teacher reminds students to check that their ideas and details are arranged in a logical order and that the dates they use are in the correct order so that their ideas are clear to the reader. The teacher reminds students of transition words, such as however, next, as a result, and finally. The teacher guides students to brainstorm other transition words and phrases that would be applicable for this assignment.
• Students have opportunities to choose punctuation for effect.
• In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 1, during the Grammar portion of the lesson, the teacher reviews sentences and has students explain how sentences and sentence fragments differ. The teacher explains that different types of sentences serve different purposes: "A statement tells something. A question asks something. A command tells someone to do something. An exclamation expresses surprise, excitement, or strong feeling." Students then complete Practice Book page 2.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials, questions, and tasks address grade-level CCSS for foundational skills by providing explicit instruction and assessment in phonics and word recognition that demonstrate a research-based progression. 

Grade 4 materials provides explicit phonics instruction in the whole group spelling opportunities, as well as, reinforced in the small group differentiated instruction. The instruction follows a scope and sequence of reviewing past presented skills, such as long and short vowel patterns and inflectional endings, and builds upon that base, introducing prefixes, suffixes and multisyllabic word patterns. Weekly Spelling tests are given the fifth day of each weekly sequence to determine students’ proficiency in spelling words with these spelling patterns. Students also have the opportunity to decode these words within context during Shared Read and the reading of their Anthology text for the week. There are pre/post assessments for spelling weekly in addition to progress monitoring tools such as a phonics survey, spelling inventory, and fluency assessment to assess knowledge and application of word recognition skills.

Materials contain explicit instruction of irregularly spelled words, syllabication patterns, and word recognition consistently over the course of the year. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Students have opportunities to use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multi-syllabic words in context and out of context.
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 1, during Spelling, the teacher displays the spelling words and reads them aloud, drawing out each syllable and emphasizing the prefix. The teacher points out the spelling patterns in unlock and overact and draws a line between the prefix and root: un/lock, over/act. The teacher explains that a prefix can have multiple syllables and points out that many single-syllable prefixes have a short-vowel sound. The teacher demonstrates sorting the spelling words by pattern under keywords recall, unlock, premix, subway, indirect, imperfect, illegal, overact, and supersize. The teacher sorts a few words and points out that prefixes never appear at the ends of words.  The students cut apart the Spelling Word Cards available online and initial the back of each card. Students read the words aloud with partners and do an open sort. Students record the sorts in their writer’s notebooks. On Day 3, students read Spiders! as the Anchor Text, which includes words with prefixes, such as unusual, injects, and recyclable. 
• In Unit 5, Week 1, Day 1, during Spelling, the teacher displays the spelling words and reads them aloud, drawing out the vowel sound in each closed syllable. The teacher points out the spelling patterns in summer and member and draws a line between the syllables: mem/ber, sum/mer. The teacher says each syllable; points out that a closed syllable always begins and ends in consonants and has a short-vowel sound. The teacher demonstrates sorting the spelling words by pattern under key words blanket and blossom. Students cut apart the Spelling Word Cards available online and initial the back of each card. Students read the words aloud with a partner and the partners do an open sort. Students record the sort in their writer’s notebooks. During Shared Read, students work in partners to reread Your World Up Close, which includes multi-syllabic words with closed syllables, such as magnify and Bentley.
• In Unit 6, Week 4, Day 6, during Spelling, the teacher displays the spelling words and reads them aloud, drawing out the suffixes in each. The teacher points out the suffix in wireless and draws a line between the suffix and base word: wire/less. The teacher says each syllable and points out that some words use more than one suffix. (hopefully: -ful, -ly) The teacher demonstrates sorting the spelling words by suffix under the key words sunny, barely, tasteless, handful, and fitness. Students cut apart the Spelling Word Cards BLM in the Online Resource Book and initial the back. Students read the words aloud with a partner and do an open sort. Students record the sort in their writer’s notebook. On day 7, students read and reread “Native Americans: Yesterday and Today,” which includes the following words: commonly, originally, and economically.

Multiple assessment opportunities are provided over the course of the year to inform instructional adjustments of phonics and word recognition to help students make progress toward mastery. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Placement and Diagnostic Assessment, page xvii, the materials explain that beyond the initial placement of students into the appropriate Wonders level of materials, students need to be tested periodically to determine whether they are progressing on a grade-level or faster pace. The program suggests that teachers administer these progress monitoring or benchmark tests on a regular schedule throughout the year: fall, winter, and spring, or over a regular period of time, such as every four to six weeks. A chart is provided for general testing scheduling guide.
• Each week, in each unit, the students have a pretest and post-test of the week’s spelling words. For example, in Unit 4, Week 3, the students participate in a pretest for words with  /ü/, /u̇/, and /ū/ using Dictation Sentences.

Materials contain explicit instruction of word solving approaches (graphophonic and syntactic) to decode unfamiliar words. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 4, Week 4, Day 1, during Spelling, the teacher displays the spelling words, reads them aloud, drawing out the diphthongs /oi/ and /ou/. The teacher points out the spelling pattern in the word tower. The teacher draws a line between the syllables: tow/er. The teacher demonstrates sorting the spelling words by pattern under the key words noise, annoy, pound, and gown. The teacher uses the Dictation Sentences from Day 5 to give the Pretest. Students read the words aloud with a partner. Partners do an open sort and then record the sort in their writer’s notebook.
• In Unit 5, Week 3, Day 1, during Spelling, the teacher displays the spelling words and reads them aloud, drawing out the vowel team sounds in each word. The teacher points out the spelling patterns in beneath and sleeve. The teacher segments the words sound by sound, attaching a spelling to each sound. The teacher shows how the -ea and -ee vowel teams can both make the same long -e sound. The teacher demonstrates sorting the spelling words by pattern under key words brain, repeat, boast, discount, speed and baboon. Students read the words aloud with a partner. Partners do an open sort and then record the sort in their writer’s notebook.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for materials, lessons, and questions provide instruction in and practice of word analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

Grade 4 materials provide opportunities throughout the course of the year for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis skills in connected texts and tasks. Throughout each unit, there is a five-day sequence which begins with explicit instruction of the Spelling and Phonics pattern, as well as a pretest. Additional practice includes Practice Book pages for review. Materials also include opportunities for teachers to assess students’ acquisition of word analysis skills through the use of both formal and informal assessments, such as weekly pre- and post-tests, Progress Monitoring, and Running Records. Teachers can make decisions about students based on these formal and informal assessments throughout the week. 

Multiple and varied opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis skills in connected texts and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Week 5, Day 1, during the Vocabulary part of the lesson, the teacher reminds students that a suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to change its meaning. Students can use the suffix and their knowledge of the root word to help define an unfamiliar word. 
• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 6, during Spelling, the teacher displays the spelling words and reads them aloud, emphasizing inflectional endings. The teacher points out the spelling patterns in easily and silliest and writes the words easy and silly, modeling how the i replaces the y. The teacher points out that -ier and -iest make words into adjectives, while -ily can make words into adverbs and demonstrates sorting the spelling words by pattern under key words funnier, replied, easily, families, and silliest. The teacher sorts a few words and points out that the -ies ending on a noun usually signals a plural. Students cut apart the Spelling Word Cards in the Online Resource Book and initial the back of each card. Students read the words aloud with a partner. Partners do an open sort and record the sort in their writer’s notebook. Differentiated spelling lists are provided for the Approaching Level, On Level, and Beyond Level. 
• In Unit 6, Week 2, Day 8, during the Expand Vocabulary part of the lesson, the teacher reminds students that knowing Latin and Greek prefixes can help them understand unfamiliar words. The teacher displays On Level Differentiated Genre Passage "Energy from the Sea." The teacher reads the second paragraph and models figuring out the meaning of hydropower. Pairs find clues for geothermal, preview, and disbelief. Partners can confirm meanings in a print or online dictionary. Students complete Practice Book page 324.

Materials include word analysis assessment to monitor student learning of word analysis skills. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Materials include both formal and informal assessments that the teacher can use to place students in differentiated groups based on their performance.
• Progress Monitoring: tests reading comprehension, vocabulary strategies; grades 1-6; given at the end of each genre study instruction period.
• Unit Assessments: tests comprehension skills, vocabulary strategies, literary elements, text features, grammar, mechanics and usage, writing; grades K-6; given at the end of each unit of instruction .
• Benchmark Assessments: tests reading comprehension, vocabulary strategies, literary elements, text features, grammar, mechanics and usage, writing; grades K-6; given at the middle and the end of the school year.
• In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 1, during the Spelling part of the lesson, the teacher displays the spelling words. Teacher reads them aloud, drawing out each syllable and emphasizing the prefix. Teacher points out the spelling patterns in unlock and overact and draws a line between the prefix and root: un/lock, over/act. The teacher explains that a prefix can have multiple syllables and points out that many single-syllable prefixes have a short-vowel sound. The teacher demonstrates sorting the spelling words by pattern under keywords recall, unlock, premix, subway, indirect, imperfect, illegal, overact, and supersize. The teacher then uses the Dictation Sentences from Day 5 to give the Pretest. 
• In Unit 4, Week 2, Day 6, the teacher uses the Dictation Sentences from Day 10 to give the Pretest. The teacher says the underlined word, reads the sentence, and repeats the word. Students write the words check and correct their spelling. On Day 10, the teacher uses the Dictation Sentences for the post-test. Students list misspelled words in their word study notebooks. The teacher looks for students’ use of these words in their writing. Page 202 of the Practice Book can be used for review. In this activity, students add inflectional endings to create new verb forms and tenses.

The materials reviewed for Grade 4 meet the criteria for instructional opportunities are frequently built into the materials for students to practice and achieve reading fluency in oral and silent reading, that is, to read on-level prose and poetry with accuracy, rate appropriate to the text, and expression.

Instructional materials provide opportunities for students to read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. In each unit and each five-day sequence of lessons, students read and reread grade level text in the Literature Anthology and the Shared Read lesson. Students take notes, make text comparisons, and have discussions with peers. Students practice reading grade level text with appropriate expression, accuracy, and rate during whole group fluency lessons that can be found on the fifth week of the unit on the fifth day of instruction. There are multiple opportunities for students to be assessed for fluent reading, which is provided on the fifth day of each five-day sequence. Instructional adjustments are provided to teachers based on student results.  In the Placement and Diagnostic Assessment resource, the year-long chart indicates three fluency assessment options throughout the year: Oral Reading Fluency, Informal Reading Inventory, and Running Records.

Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate sufficient accuracy and fluency in oral and silent reading. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Students have opportunities to read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
• In Unit 1, Week 5, Day 1, during Shared Reading, the teacher has students think about the Essential Question, skim and scan to preview the text, and set a purpose for reading. The teacher explains that as they read, students should use the left column of page 58 of the Reading/Writing Companion to note their purpose for reading, interesting words they find, and key details they identify.
• In Unit 3, Week 2, Day 7, during Literature Anthology, students reread for purpose. Students read and reread Partaking in Public Service, take notes, and think about the Essential Question, "In what ways can you help your community?" Students think about how this text compares with Aguinaldo. Students discuss how these texts are similar and different.
• In Unit 5, Week 3, Day 1, students read for purpose. Before students begin, they think about the Essential Question and what they know about showing family and friends that they care. The teacher skims and scans to preview the text and illustrations to predict what will happen in the story. The teacher explains that as students read, they should use the left column of page 34 to note predictions and questions they have, interesting words they find, and key details they identify.

Materials support reading or prose and poetry with attention to rate, accuracy, and expression, as well as direction for students to apply reading skills when productive struggle is necessary. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Students have opportunities to read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
• In Unit 1, Week 5, Day 4, during Fluency, the teacher explains to students that reading aloud with phrasing and rate is especially important with argumentative texts and that a writer’s claim and the evidence that supports the claim should be clearly understood. To make sure listeners understand the claim and evidence, readers must read carefully so they don’t read too fast or too slow. Readers should also pay attention to commas and other punctuation marks to help them phrase, or group, the information and ideas together. The teacher models by reading aloud the excerpt from Hearts and Soles on Reading/Writing Companion page 77 and models accurate phrasing and rate, following punctuation cues for phrasing, and emphasizing important words. Groups read the same passage aloud, mimicking the teacher’s careful phrasing and rate. The teacher listens for the same qualities in their readings. Partners take turns reading aloud pages 59–60 in the Reading/Writing Companion. The teacher circulates and offers feedback on students’ accuracy and phrasing, and students evaluate their own fluency.
• In Unit 3, Week 5, Day 5, during Fluency, the teacher explains to students that reading with accuracy and rate is particularly important with argumentative text. “A writer’s claim and the evidence that supports that claim can be clearly understood when you read carefully and know what each word means.” The teacher discusses how to check the pronunciation of unfamiliar words so they can be read with accuracy and how to choose a reading rate that fits the material and the audience. The teacher models by reading aloud the excerpt from Food Fight on Reading/Writing Companion page 60 and models reading the material once to make sure each word is pronounced correctly, then reads a second time with a comfortable, steady rate. The teacher reads carefully and at a comfortable rate, modeling the correct pronunciation of each word. Groups chorally read the same passage, mimicking careful pronunciation and rate. The teacher listens for the same qualities in their reading. Partners read aloud other sections from page 60. The teacher circulates and offers feedback on students’ accuracy and rate, and has students evaluate their own fluency.
• In Unit 6, Week 5, Day 5, during Whole Group Fluency, the teacher reminds students that reading aloud with accuracy and phrasing is especially important with poetry. The teacher says be sure to phrase the words so they sound natural and interesting. The teacher models reading aloud the excerpt from the poem on Reading/Writing Companion page 175 at a moderate rate. The teacher has each pair read the entire poem aloud, using punctuation to guide their phrasing. The teacher circulates and offers feedback on students’ accuracy and phrasing, and students evaluate their own fluency.

Materials support students’ fluency development of reading skills (e.g., self-correction of word recognition and/or for understanding, focus on rereading) over the course of the year (to get to the end of the grade-level band). Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Students have opportunities to use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. 
• In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 2, during Introduce the Genre, the teacher reads the text aloud to students and previews the comprehension strategy, Reread, by using the Think-Alouds on page T23. The teacher displays the online Think-Aloud Master 4: When I read _____, I had to reread . . . to reinforce how to use the Reread strategy to understand content.

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information of students’ current fluency skills and provide teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery of fluency. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Both formal and informal assessments are provided that the teacher can use to place students in differentiated groups based on their performance. 
• Placement and Diagnostic Assessments: tests oral reading fluency, Grades 1-6; given at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year.
• Fluency Assessments: tests oral reading fluency, Grades K-6; given at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year or more frequently if below the 50th percentile.
• Running Records: tests oral reading fluency; Grades K-6; given at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year or more frequently if skill is weak.
• In the Placement and Diagnostic Assessment book, the year-long assessment chart, shows the following assessments for Fluency for grade 4: Oral Reading Fluency to be administered the beginning, middle, and end of the Year, Running Records to be administered every three to four weeks, and the Informal Reading Inventory to be administered the beginning, middle, and end of the Year. In the Teacher Resource, Placement and Diagnostic Assessment, page xiv and xv, the materials explain how to group students based on student results for the Grade 4-6 Placement Assessments: Oral Reading Fluency Assessment Reading Comprehension Tests Phonics Survey Subtests (if applicable). IF STUDENTS SCORE in the 50th percentile or higher on the Oral Reading Fluency Assessment AND 80% correct or higher on the Reading Comprehension Tests, begin instruction with Wonders On Level materials. Use Beyond Level materials for students who score high on placement assessments and easily complete On Level assignments. IF STUDENTS SCORE below the 50th percentile on the Oral Reading Fluency Assessment OR 60% to 79% correct on the Reading Comprehension Tests, begin instruction with Wonders Approaching Level materials. IF STUDENTS SCORE below the 50th percentile on the Oral Reading Fluency Assessment AND 60% to 79% correct on the Reading Comprehension Tests, begin instruction with Wonders Approaching Level materials. Administer the Phonics Survey Subtests for further leveling clarification/confirmation. IF STUDENTS SCORE below 60% correct on the majority of the Phonics Survey Subtests, students require focused, intensive instruction. Place students in Wonders Approaching Level materials and engage students using appropriate decoding lessons from intervention materials. IF STUDENTS SCORE below 60% correct on the Reading Comprehension Tests, students require focused, intensive instruction. Place students in Wonders Approaching Level materials and use intervention materials based on placement tests results.