American Reading Company Grade 4

Evaluation for 2.1
Materials include high-quality texts for ELAR instruction and cover a range of student interests.

The materials include well-crafted, diverse, and high-quality texts representing a variety of experts in various disciplines and were chosen to cover a range of student interests.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look and LeUyen Pham, is the first book in a series focusing on an Asian American character. The story has humor and will be relatable to grade 4 students.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George is a classic story originally published in 1959 with a strong plot and well-developed characters.

“Lion” by Langston Hughes is a poem that makes good use of figurative language to help readers understand the plight of lions.

Scraps of Time: Away West 1879 by Patricia McKissack is a historical piece of fiction that accompanies the unit theme of American Historical Fiction and American History.

Tadpoles to Frogs by Bobbie Kalman, includes bright photography and illustrations and a variety of text features: a table of contents, labeled photographs, bolded content vocabulary, captions, headings, sidebars, and diagrams.

*NOTE Texts included for the IMQE review of the Grade 4 ARC CORE materials are typical of what is included with the units. However, should a Core Text become unavailable or if a district wishes to customize the Core Text selections, ARC will collaborate with the district and provide a title meeting the same criteria of those evaluated in the submission. ARC will work to ensure all selections follow district-specific criteria and meet the district standards for high-quality texts

Evaluation for 2.2
Materials include a variety of text types and genres across content that meet the requirements of the TEKS for each grade level.

The materials incorporate text from most genres, but lack exposure to drama, a key text type outlined in the standards. Within the units, the materials provide opportunities to engage with literary texts, such as poetry and novels, and informational texts, such as procedural and argument. Across the genres, print and graphic features are abundant.

Examples of literary texts include but are not limited to:

Alvin Ho by Lenore Look (humorous novel)
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead-George (realistic fiction)
“Lion” by Langston Hughes (poetry)
Scraps of Time: Away West 1879 by Patricia C. McKissack (historical fiction)

Examples of informational texts include but are not limited to:

Survival Ocean by William B. Rice (procedural)
How Do Animals Adapt? Behavior in Living Things, and Food Chains and Webs by Bobbie
Kalman (informational)
Who Settled the West? by Bobbie Kalman (historical non-fiction)
True Book: Texas by Josh Gregory (informational)

Examples of print and graphic features include but are not limited to:

In the Unit 1 core text, Survival Ocean, the author uses bold fonts to draw attention to vocabulary words and the text includes a diagram to help the reader better understand cold water survival.

In the Unit 2 core text, Animal Adaptations, the author incorporates maps, sidebars, diagrams, and an index for students to reference.

In the Unit 3 anchor text, Native Americans and the New American Government, a two-page glossary and a brief index are provided.

In the Unit 4 core text True Book: Texas, the author uses a graphic organizer to better explain the branches of the Texas government.

Evaluation for 2.3
Texts are appropriately challenging and are at an appropriate level of complexity to support students at their grade level.

ARC uses the IRLA leveling system to describe the complexity of anchor texts, classroom leveled libraries, and core novels used in the curriculum. The system combines a quantitative analysis (Lexile or other reading level indicator) with a qualitative analysis. Each book is evaluated by an “expert leveler” who determines which necessary skills a reader must know and apply in order to read each book. These indicators include foundational skills, vocabulary and language skills, comprehension of literary and informational texts, the range of reading levels and text complexity, as well as the reader’s task. Each unit includes an introduction that provides the teacher rationale and summary of the text selection process. This evaluation process successfully ensures all text used in the curriculum is of high quality and appropriate complexity.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Away West 1879 (Scraps of Time #2) by Patricia C. McKissack
· Description of Text: not provided
· IRLA Text Complexity Level: 4th (Bk)
· Quantitative: 510L (3rd)
· Qualitative: Lexile is an adequate measure of the difficulty of the text because:
o Purpose/Structure: Slightly Complex. The author uses a frame narrative to introduce and conclude the story in this text. The story itself is organized in a clear, chapter-by-chapter format. Illustrations support, but are not essential to, understanding of the text.
o Language: Moderately complex. The language used in the text is complex, with academic language used throughout. Setting-specific vocabulary is common, but typically defined within the text.
o Knowledge Demands: Moderately Complex. The text does require domain-specific background knowledge about United States history (e.g., the institution of slavery, Native American Reservations, sharecropping) that may be unfamiliar to some readers.

Under the Ice by Alison Stevens
· Description of Text: not provided
· IRLA Text Complexity Level: 4th (Bk)
· Quantitative: 800L (2nd-5th)
· Qualitative: Lexile is an adequate measure of the difficulty of the text because:
o Purpose/Structure: Middle Low. Purpose is implied, but easy to identify. Organization is clear and sequential.
o Language: Middle low. Register is largely contemporary, although some discipline-specific words add to the complexity.
o Knowledge Demands: Middle Low. Every day, practical knowledge is largely necessary, although some discipline-specific content knowledge enhances understanding.

*NOTE Texts included for the IMQE review of the Grade 4 ARC CORE materials are typical of what is included with the units. However, should a Core Text become unavailable or if a district wishes to customize the Core Text selections, ARC will collaborate with the district and provide a title meeting the same criteria of those evaluated in the submission. ARC will work to ensure all selections follow district-specific criteria and meet the district standards for high-quality texts.

Evaluation for 3.a.1
Materials contain questions and tasks that support students in analyzing and integrating knowledge, ideas, themes, and connections within and across texts.

The questions and tasks within the material engage students in analyzing and integrating knowledge, ideas, themes, and connections within and across texts. The tasks incorporate complex elements of the text through discussion and writing. Additionally, lessons focused on “big ideas” grow conceptual knowledge. Questions and tasks also require text-specific references and integration of multiple standards.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Throughout Units One through Four, students engage daily in a “Read, Write, and Discuss Complex Text” activity. Students discuss (in pairs or small groups) “anything and everything” about the text they just read. The materials provide guiding questions to target big ideas, themes, and details about the text.

In Unit 1, students discuss types of "real world" informational text they read, such as menus, weather reports, and manuals, and why they read it. The class uses this discussion to begin a “Why We Read” graphic organizer chart. Students also answer a theme-related writing prompt that elicits personal connections to the text. Specifically, the prompt is about life’s challenges and important life lessons learned compared to those found in their independent reading. Near the end of the unit, students read, write, and discuss ideas surrounding the theme of their core novel Alvin Ho.

In Unit 2, students work in pairs as they examine informational texts to confirm the accuracy of their prior knowledge on the topic of Animal Adaptations. They use a graphic organizer to record their conceptual knowledge of the unit’s theme. Students also answer questions such as “How do behaviors help this animal to survive? What in the text supports your answer?”

In Unit 3, the materials focus on character analysis: answering questions about the complex analysis of characters’ thoughts, actions, dialogue, and body language. Students participate in partner talk and make connections to characters across the historical fiction genre. Students also pick a movie or TV show that features a fictional school and complete the “Historical Basis” graphic organizer based on their own real-world school experiences. Near the end of the unit, students identify and describe the most important scenes in the plot, analyze how the author uses a particular scene to advance the plot, and generalize about key scenes and their relationships to the common themes in their fictional texts.

In Unit 4, students read and write argumentative pieces in connection to “Big Ideas” surrounding the United States. After building some prior knowledge through informational texts early in the unit, students select a big idea to study further and craft an argumentative piece.

Evaluation for 3.a.2
Materials contain questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts.

The materials require students to consistently analyze the literary and textual elements of text, to develop deep understandings of text, and to apply the knowledge to their own writing.

Students thoroughly analyze author’s choice of setting and types of conflict, including determining how the author’s choice propels the plot forward. In addition, the materials include evidence of students studying author’s use of language.

Examples include but are not limited to:

In Unit 1, students evaluate why the author chooses to use specific text features in the text and its effectiveness in reader comprehension. The craft structure question, “how did he/she say it?” is posed to start a class discussion around the author’s use of language for the read-aloud text Survival Ocean. After reading Chapter 17 of Alvin Ho, the teacher asks a series of questions for students to discuss within a group. The questions cover basic comprehension, reader response, theme, and author’s purpose. The author’s purpose questions state: “In your opinion, what is the author's purpose for writing this text?”, “How does this purpose relate to her theme?”, and “What evidence supports your thinking?”.

In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 2, the lesson focuses on stated versus implied author’s purpose. The practice portion of the lesson involves students answering questions about two articles, including their central idea and whether it is stated or implied. Through graphic organizers and discussions, students analyze and compare the authors' use of text structure and graphic features and their role in enhancing the text. As students evaluate the informational text Wolves, from the exemplar packet, they answer a series of text-specific questions to support “reading and analyzing like writers.” Questions include: “What did you notice about the author’s

language/word choices? What did he do? What effect did it have for you? Would you want to imitate it in your writing?”

In Unit 3, the students work in small groups to analyze how the author uses narrative technique to control tone. Students are asked, “Which specific words are the most important ones the author used for conveying this tone?” The unit also includes questions on the author’s use of language. Guiding questions for the class include, “Where does s/he use linking language?” and “What could the author have done to improve this sentence?” A graphic organizer titled “Dialogue Analysis” requires students to infer within a historical fiction text, to determine what was really said within dialogue, as opposed to what was communicated but not directly stated.

In Unit 4, students participate in a modeled/guided practice that asks them to compare the author’s purpose of two texts written on a similar topic. Students work together to compare and contrast the “information, presentation, and language” of the texts. Students then discuss how a writer's perspective can influence and shape a text.

Evaluation for 3.a.3
Materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary in and across texts.

The instructional materials support students’ academic vocabulary development through vocabulary-rich language texts and the delineation of content-specific unit vocabulary on the Research Cards, and through strategies taught through the IRLA Toolkit. As students encounter unknown academic and technical vocabulary within a text, they use a “drop-in” words technique, followed by quick explanations from the teacher. Additional strategies to support grappling with unknown vocabulary are also provided. Within a unit, students receive repeated exposure to vocabulary in the context of reading and writing tasks, by finding academic and technical vocabulary words in their text and transferring the words into their writing tasks. Multiple sidebars address vocabulary and share explanations for how to choose words. Scaffolds and supports are also provided for the teacher to differentiate vocabulary instruction for various learners.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Throughout the ARC Literacy Lab unit, there are IRLA Home Practice Cards and Literature Vocabulary Cards that provide student support for word attack strategies. Skills cards are provided throughout the year (for each reading level), as well as Flexible Phonics cards, Vocabulary and Language cards, and Academic Vocabulary cards, For upper reading levels, there are Literary and Rhetorical Vocabulary guides and practice sheets to further support understanding.

In Unit 1, the material includes a standards-based mini-lesson on academic vocabulary that emphasizes the importance of reading daily to build vocabulary. The lesson states, “the best way to learn this many words is to read, to notice new words as one reads, and to learn more about the world because knowing more about more things increases one’s Tier 3 vocabulary.” Students set up a vocabulary journal to keep track of interesting words they come across as they read. This journal is meant for students to maintain and then use as they write throughout the year. A sidebar in the material introduces the idea of using “Drop-in Words” during a read aloud to support and build vocabulary and comprehension of the text. For instance, while reading the word “odor” within the text, adding the phrase “smell” assists with the vocabulary

and comprehension of the text without affecting the flow of the story. Students also use word parts (prefix, suffix, root) to help determine the meaning of new vocabulary words. Students read “I Will Survive” from the exemplar text Survival! Ocean and are asked to identify technical vocabulary words that they noticed, what those words might mean, and how they know. The material also includes inference/vocabulary questions alongside text discussions: “What does ‘visible’ (pg. 3) mean? How do you know?” These inference/vocabulary questions are found in all the read-alouds throughout the material.

As a part of the Unit 2 final project, students are expected to complete the Final Project Organizer, in which they must show a thorough understanding of six different Tier 3 vocabulary words about animal adaptations learned throughout the unit. Students apply the vocabulary to their final project. The materials highlight and categorize relevant vocabulary that students will encounter as they research animal adaptations throughout the research unit. For example, one category list on “Behavior” includes the following terms: habit, instinct, migration, hibernation, breeding grounds, feeding grounds, nocturnal, diurnal, defense mechanisms, communication, mobility, and response.

In Unit 3, students create a word web, concept map, or vocabulary shortlist to function as an organizer meant to accelerate vocabulary development. The teacher also models the use of key vocabulary for the students who are struggling. As the students gain proficiency, the teacher gradually releases responsibility. The Rubric for a Proficient Textual Analysis requires students to use academic and domain-specific vocabulary accurately and effectively in their written piece comparing two texts. It specifically mentions word choice and specifies that students “use academic and domain-specific vocabulary accurately and effectively.” This is followed up with a very specific lesson in word choice where materials define everyday language (Tier 1), academic language (2), and technical language (Tier 3).

In Unit 4, teachers award points to any student correctly using one of the vocabulary words from the class’ vocabulary chart as a way to encourage continuous usage of vocabulary learned in and out of context throughout the school year. Teachers are also encouraged to use gestures, real-world items, props, written definitions, and word walls to frontload and clarify key concepts and new vocabulary. The material includes an article for teachers, “Which Words Do I Teach and How?”, which assist teachers in planning effective vocabulary instruction. The article mentions that lower income students will learn Tier 1 (everyday words) at a different rate and later time, thus slowing their vocabulary development. It suggests that these students may need to be prepared in advance, especially when dealing with abstract words, words with multiple meanings, and words that might be out of their realm of experience.

Evaluation for 3.a.4
Materials include a clearly defined plan to support and hold students accountable as they engage in independent reading.

The teacher and student materials contain plans and supports for students to engage in daily sustained independent reading. The curriculum includes a 100 Book Challenge which supports reading engagement and accountability for students. The materials provide guidance and support for students in the selection of texts, including formative assessment of reading levels across the year. Students complete in-school and at home reading logs and track titles, genres, and levels of books they read.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

The Instructional Framework includes information on how to encourage independent reading through the 100 Book Challenge Library. This challenge is supported throughout the materials with interest surveys, reading logs, and additional guidance on how to launch the challenge. The materials also provide suggestions for “Hook Books,” which are high-interest texts classified by level and genre the teacher can recommend to students to get them “hooked” on reading.

The 100 Book Challenge provides daily practice in independent reading as students self-select books to read independently. In Unit 1, the curriculum provides a step-by-step, scripted lesson plan to assist teachers in instructing students on how to select books for independent reading through the Readers’ Workshop. The students choose a selection of books from different levels and complete a Levels Check Sheet to determine good fit (“Comfort Zone”) books. The students are encouraged to choose books they can read and understand independently for 15 minutes without stopping. During daily independent reading, students apply a focus or goal to the self- selected text. After the independent reading time, students share with a partner regarding the focus.

The Instructional Framework provides schedules with options for 120 minute or 75-90-minute class periods. Both schedules include daily independent reading with the weekly goal of students reading five hours total. During independent reading, in each unit, the teacher conducts individual formative assessment conferences to build reading relationships and identify student reading levels using the IRLA/eIRLA.The materials provide an at home

reading log sheet that tracks book titles, levels, and pages read, with space for a signature by a “home coach.” Students are encouraged to read independently for 30 minutes daily as homework. The material suggests incentives for students who are on track with their Home Reading Log. Incentive ideas are varied and include items such as food, lunch with the teacher, and extra recess.

Evaluation for 3.b.1
Materials provide support for students to develop composition skills across multiple text types for a variety of purposes and audiences.

The materials provide support for students to develop composition skills across multiple text types for a variety of purposes and audiences. Students write literary, informational, and argumentative texts, including opportunities to practice correspondence or friendly letter writing. Writing is embedded throughout the school year and is practiced almost daily to build students’ stamina and capabilities. Students write for multiple purposes that address multiple audiences, although audiences are not explicitly taught within instruction. Opportunities to publish writing are provided as students engage in daily writing with quick writes and prompts that pertain directly to the passage. Overall, materials offer ample opportunities for students to gain practice and exposure to important writing genres.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

In Unit 1 the materials provide writing prompts for the genres of opinion/argument, personal/nonfiction narrative, and fictional narrative. For example, the fictional narrative prompts include, “imagine yourself as (main character’s) best friend. How would the story be different with you in it?”; the argumentative writing prompts include, “I think the author made a mistake/got it wrong when s/he…”

In Unit 2, students research animal adaptations, making notes about food webs and life cycles of animals as a part of a larger research project. Students then convert their notes into an informational text for their paper. Students focus their writing on the central ideas, key details, and academic vocabulary required to communicate their information. Using student materials such as the Rubric for Proficient Informational Text, students draft, revise, and present their research to their peers.

In Unit 3, students develop a full essay to support a claim based on connections discovered between two historical fiction texts. The purpose is to capture and inspire their peers as they share their arguments and perspectives. After using a thinking map and a chart to compare two texts, students evaluate criteria for making text-supported claims by examining mentor texts.

This evaluation prepares students to act as the head author of their class to model turning their thoughts and analysis into a draft of a literary comparison essay (textual analysis argument). Additionally, students produce a narrative piece in the American Historical Fiction genre. Students use graphics organizers aligned to the literary elements and a series of quick writes to draft their narrative, then revise their pieces for author's craft like pacing, tone, and structure. Throughout this process, students use the Rubric for a Proficient Narrative Piece to self- and peer-assess their work and prepare it for publication.

In Unit 4, students participate in an argumentative writing project. Students use the following writing cards: drafting a synopsis, argument organizing structures, a revising card sorted by dates, editing, elements of argument, and a card with Toulmin’s Argument Framework. During the unit, students play a game to practice the structures of debate. Students are organized into two teams to debate two sides of an argument. Team One composes a letter presenting their side of the argument and presents it to Team Two. Team Two composes a letter as a counterargument. Both teams compose letters for the rebuttal/counter rebuttal process respectively. The materials also suggest students write letters to a newspaper, politician, or organization meant to support an opinion or argument.

Evaluation for 3.b.2
Most written tasks require students to use clear and concise information and well- defended text-supported claims to demonstrate the knowledge gained through analysis and synthesis of texts.

The materials provide multiple opportunities for students to analyze and synthesize evidence to support their opinions and claims as they interact with text. The tasks provide clear and concise information to support teacher instruction and opportunities for students to engage in well- defended, text-supported claims to demonstrate cross-curricular knowledge. During reading and listening of complex texts, students demonstrate what they have learned through written response tasks. The use of rubrics, graphic organizers, constructed responses, literary essays, and published writing support students’ opportunities to express their comprehension of text.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

In Unit 1, students write an argument to support their claim about an author’s purpose. The writing prompt states, “In your opinion, what is the author’s purpose for writing this text? How does this purpose relate to his or her central idea? What evidence supports your thinking?” The students must analyze the text to find the necessary details to synthesize their argument. With a rubric, students use peer scoring to evaluate their writing. Evidence from the text and how that evidence supports the claim make up half the scoring criteria.

In Unit 2, students research and add information to a graphic organizer answering the question, “Describe the animal’s behavior and explain how these adaptations help them survive?” Throughout the week, students research, cite their sources, collect quotes, and demonstrate their knowledge about animal adaptations as they add to their graphic organizer. Students use RQ forms to begin a four-week research project. With RQ1 (Behavior), students begin collecting information from texts they read for their FPO form (final project). The RQ form, along with the Stated and Implied Central Idea Practice Rubrics, help guide students to identify the topic, the central idea as stated by the author, and the details of the text. By the end of Day 2, students complete the FPO form for RQ1 and respond to a prompt specific to their unit that requires them to draw on their research and write a central idea/detailed response.

In Unit 3, students use a graphic organizer to organize their learning within the historical fiction genre. As students read historical fiction texts, they record information such as the time period, significance in the scope of history, how the text compares to others in the genre, and the text’s theme. Students also demonstrate knowledge gained from self-selected texts by completing writing about the key scenes from their books. This writing includes when a scene begins and ends, what came before the scene, what happens next, and how the author uses the scene to advance the plot.

In Unit 4, students draft an opinion piece on a topic concerning issues in the United States, supported by five weeks of research. Their claims and opinions must be supported by relevant and sufficient evidence from the text, per the rubric used for scoring. As the students refine the claims, they adjust their writing based on facts they have collected. In addition, students construct a short response to demonstrate the knowledge they have gained after listening to a read aloud from the core text. Before writing, they can practice their ability to support their claims with reasoning and evidence from the text through a debate with peers.

Evaluation for 3.b.3
Over the course of the year, composition convention skills are applied in increasingly complex contexts, with opportunities for students to publish their writing.

The materials approach the teaching of grammar, punctuation, and their usage through in-context practice. Specifically, the usage of grammar and punctuation occurs throughout the drafting, revising, and editing stages of the writing process across all units. The materials ask teachers to set an editing focus based on their observations of common errors in students' conventions, grammar, and/or punctuation. Students are provided with an editing checklist to use in editing their draft. Peer editing of essays occurs as well. The writing cards included with each unit contain a conventions check card and an editing checklist to be used during the Writing Workshop by students. The Editing Checklist and Conventions Check card are available to students as they work through the writing process each week. The materials do not teach grammar, punctuation, and their usage out of context, rather the teacher must design instruction based on the editing focus identified in their students’ writing.

Examples include but are not limited to:

In Unit 1, a lesson introduces the idea of brainstorming as students begin a fictional writing piece based on Alvin Ho. Specifically, students consider “what other conflicts could explore this same issue/teach a similar theme?” and “what about the way the author designed these characters or the conflict would you like to imitate in your own story? Why?” The materials include an editing handout for students to use when editing their own writing. Using this resource, student analyze their word usage, sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, quotations, apostrophes, and verb agreements. The materials also include a mini lesson called “Why Edit?” The lesson starts with the value of conventions and allows the teacher to select a writing process to teach from the resources found in the materials.

In Unit 2, the students participate in formal writing, following the complete writing process. The project for the unit is informational writing. The students complete the entire process of drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. The students write on unit-specific topics and are provided with writing cards to use throughout the process. The writing cards provide steps to complete each area of the process, as well as tips for better writing. In addition to the writing cards, students are provided with graphic organizers to help in the process. Information for the writing process is found through research the students conduct on their chosen topic. The materials present lessons for the teacher to model during this process, including laying out their research book, converting notes into a central idea and key details, and opening and closing sentences. Students also work on the editing process with a heavy focus on grammar. The students focus on capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Students also focus on sentence structure, such as simple, compound, complex and compound/complex sentences. This practice is found within each section of the writing process. The writing lessons focus on editing and explicitly discuss word usage and grammar. The teacher selects a student to model and determine if first, second, or third narrator is consistent along with proper verb agreement in a writing piece. Additionally, the lesson leaves room to review nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs where needed.

In Unit 3, the teacher models how to revise a theme statement. Specific think-aloud questions include “could someone argue against it?” and “if not, what can I change to make it more debatable?” The materials outline the final editing process. The teacher is instructed to use the editing card and work through the conventions step by step. Teachers coach and observe during this time to give students ample opportunity to practice and apply conventions in their writing piece. The materials also introduce the Rubric for Textual Analysis in which students are required to use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation as a part of the assessment.

In Unit 4, students complete the entire process of drafting, revising, editing and publishing for argumentative writing. Students organize their writing based on chosen unit-specific topics that they research. Writing cards assist the student in the process with guides and graphic organizers. The materials present lessons on the publishing process for the argumentative piece researched throughout this final unit. These lessons include information on bibliographies, about the author page, and visuals. Materials include a publishing card checklist for students.

The students apply grammar conventions to the entire writing process. The students model, practice, and apply concepts such as point of view, verb agreement, singular, plural, common and proper nouns, subjective, objective, possessive pronouns, past, present, and future verbs, comparative and superlative adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and prepositional phrases. Students also focus on sentence structure, such as simple, compound, complex and compound/complex sentences. The materials also emphasize correct use of punctuation in the writing process.

Evaluation for 3.b.4
Materials include practice for students to write legibly in cursive. (Grades 3-5 only)

The materials reviewed do not include practice for students to write legibly in cursive. There is no evidence of handwriting instruction in the curriculum.

Evaluation for 3.c.1
Materials support students’ listening and speaking about texts.

The materials provide ample opportunities for students to speak and listen about texts. The material’s use of Accountable Talk intentionally grows oracy and literacy skills throughout the school year. Through assigned tasks involving speaking and listening, students are able to demonstrate knowledge about, and comprehension of, a wide variety of texts gained through deep reading and shared experiences.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

In Unit 1, using the Accountable Talk protocol, students discuss the genres of the books they have read that day. They explain to each other how they identified the different genres and why it matters. Students also share with a partner which books “hooked” them, which did not, and why, using text evidence to support their claims and opinions. The materials also incorporate a Read/Write/Discuss activity about the core text protocol. Questions can be utilized in a class, group, or partner discussion. The questions require text-supported claims and demonstrate a responder's understanding of the text. Examples questions include, “Why do you think the author chose to use this text feature? Was it useful?”

In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 2, there are opportunities for students to speak and listen in pairs and small groups based on a core text read-aloud. Students confirm prior knowledge and then share where the core text contradicted their prior knowledge. Students also use the Accountable Talk protocol to discuss the “best example of complete, accurate, and compelling content” from what they read during the day. Students state explicitly when giving an opinion on what made it great.

In Unit 3, the materials incorporate Discussion Groups on Literary Analysis. Within these groups, students refer to the historical fiction they are reading as a class and discuss questions such as, “What did you notice about the story elements in this book?”, “How might this be important to understanding this genre? Why?”, and “Are there any generalizations you can draw (based on this book and others you’ve read) about (a story element) in this genre?” Students also use the Daily Framework and Multimodal Texts to break into discussion groups

about a poem from a read aloud. Students answer basic comprehension questions, application questions, analysis questions, and evaluation questions provided by the teacher to explore and expand their understanding of the key concepts of poetry.

In Unit 4, after reading from self-selected Research Lab books, students share with each other the most important thing they learned. When sharing with their partner, they return to the text and read the specific piece of text evidence that supports what they learned. The students then share as a group and collect interesting facts on a community graphic organizer. Students also complete a Close Read of a complex text provided by the teacher on the topic of states within the United States. Materials ask that the “students read a passage from the text and engage in intellectual discourse around this topic.” Specific prompts provided in the materials to support the discussion include, “What is the author saying in the article? How do you know?” and “Why does it matter in connection to our research of the United States?” During Accountable Talk, student partners each take one minute to share the most important thing they learned about the social studies research question of the day. They must provide text-based evidence and reasons for their opinions. In group share, they answer the questions, “Who learned something really important?” and “Who found something relating to a controversy? Another issue?”

Evaluation for 3.c.2
Materials engage students in productive teamwork and in student-led discussions, in both formal and informal settings.

The materials engage students in productive teamwork and student-led discussions, in both formal and informal settings. Through Accountable Talk, the students are exposed to daily guided practice of contextualized oracy oral skills. Protocols are included for all students to be able to engage in productive teamwork and student-led discussions, in both formal and informal settings. Students are provided multiple opportunities to give organized performances and presentations. Through organized presentations, students participate in active listening skills.

Examples include but are not limited to:

In Unit 1, the teacher models the routine and procedures for the daily Partner Share, including the following steps: The students decide who goes first, that person raises their hand, partner #1 has 60 seconds to speak on topic, the teacher calls time, the students switch, the teacher observes to ensure all students are included in the intellectual conversation, and, after the time is up, the teacher invites a few students to share with the class. The material also reviews Accountable Talk before beginning partner and class discussions. The materials provide protocols with explicit directions about turning to face your partner, one person speaking at a time, and active listening.

In Unit 2, the teacher specifies the format students use to talk to their peers about what they are reading. Using an Evidence-Based Discussion Practice Rubric, students introduce the text or topic they read, give their opinion on the most interesting or surprising thing they learned, and provide evidence to support their claim. Audience and questioning protocols are also reviewed with the students. Students present their research pieces on animal adaptations. Specific parameters are left up to the teacher, but the materials include suggested activities such as peer reviews, evaluation/reflection, oral presentation to a small group, classroom swap, issue debate/campaign, and a fair/museum.

In Unit 3, the materials include a debate on which supporting character was most important within the novel they read as a class. Materials provide four different debate type structures

such as, I Couldn’t Disagree More, Alley Debate, Four Corners, and Fishbowl Debate, and include a sidebar on establishing norms for participation within the debate that are mindful of various customs reflected in the classroom. Students present their final project by doing either an oral presentation to a small group, going to another classroom and presenting their essay to another student, or displaying the project in a fair or museum format.

In Unit 4, students prepare to publish, present, and debate formally after weeks of preparation with revisions for powerful language, such as storytelling, analogies, verbs/nouns, adjectives/adverbs, and linking words. During these two weeks, students focus on publishing with visuals, publishing about the author and bibliography, doing final revisions/edits, and using the publication format. Teachers guide students to choose how they want students to present, including providing practices such as peer reviews, evaluation/reflection, oral presentations to small groups, or a fair/museum display. In their formal debate, students choose from models or formats, such as a town hall meeting/issue debate, campaign debate, competition debate, team policy debate, or a Lincoln-Douglas debate. Guides such as #4 Publishing and Tips for Illustrator documents support the students in their presentations.

Evaluation for 3.d.1
Materials engage students in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes to confront and analyze various aspects of a topic using relevant sources.

The materials interweave the inquiry process throughout the curriculum. Students practice applying what they learn using informational books on a variety of reading levels. Within each unit, instruction shifts from teacher-centered to student-centered as students learn through their reading, research, and discussions. The teacher modeling and group work culminate in individual products of increasing complexity as students use multiple texts and resources to develop their knowledge of a variety of topics.

Examples include but are not limited to:

In Unit 1, the teacher reviews the "Safety First" section of the informational Core Text, Survival! Ocean. The teacher models which details to consider and questions to ask about a good quality source such as, “What did you learn from this selection?” and specific questions such as, “How does he want you to feel?” The class reviews text features and notes, as well as the ways in which each can influence understanding. Students then summarize the text with a partner.

In Unit 2, students research a self-selected topic related to the theme of the unit on animal adaptations. Materials include research questioning cards and graphic organizers to support students in the research process. Handout topics include a KWL chart, animal behavior chart, physical characteristics, animal biome map, food web, and life cycle. After selecting and reading books on their chosen topic, the “Research FPO” (Final Project Organizer) and the “Research Cards” assist students in organizing the important concepts included in their research. Within a lesson about “History and Primary and Secondary Sources,” a sidebar lesson reviews the key concepts of primary and secondary sources for student research purposes. Through the inquiry process, students learn to identify and choose primary and secondary sources in their research. Students then look for examples of primary and secondary sources for their topic of research. The Final Project Organizer and Works Consulted Pages for Books and Websites require students to track their sources. For books, they must include author, title, publishing location, publishing company, and copyright date. For websites, they must include the author or website name, the article title, the date researched, and the website address.

In Unit 3, students engage in research about the historical fiction genre through analysis, reading, and writing. Writing specifically includes four constructed responses, one literary essay, and a published historical fiction short story or picture book.

In Unit 4, students discuss informational texts and making connections across texts. Students select and conduct research related to the theme, which is states within the United States. Research cards are provided in the materials and provide a clear and systematic line of questioning for students to answer as they read and write about their research topic. Additionally, the materials provide handouts to assist students in organizing their research. Handout examples include a works consulted page, glossary, current issues, economy, three branches of government, state symbols, influential people, and a KWL chart.

Evaluation for 3.e.1
Materials contain interconnected tasks that build student knowledge and provide opportunities for increased independence.

The materials contain interconnected tasks through the skills of reading, writing, speaking, listening, thinking, and language. Through text and research discussions found throughout all the units, students integrate their reading, speaking, listening, and thinking skills. Materials also include opportunities for students to incorporate skills in writing and language as they write and speak about their reading and compose informational, narrative, and argumentative pieces. By the end of the year, students have opportunities for increased independence as they demonstrate mastery and comprehension of the tasks through their research graphic organizers and discussions.

Examples include but are not limited to:

In Unit 1, students read the "Safety First!" section of the informational Core Text, Survival! Ocean. In pairs, they discuss and answer text-dependent questions that require analysis within and across texts. For example, “After reading today, how might you change your shipwreck PDK (Personal Disaster Kit)? Why?” These questions provide students opportunities to integrate their knowledge with the unit's core fictional text Alvin Ho. The students then write a summary of what has been read thus far.

In Unit 2, students conduct research on animal adaptations. While collecting evidence on animal senses, their internal and external structures, and how behavior supports survival, students read, write, think, and discuss their research and integrate vocabulary as needed. During one lesson, students independently read books on any topic, looking for a book with the best layout. The students share with a partner for one minute about what they found in their reading. Students answer questions such as, “Who found a great layout? Why? Who learned something important about this unit?” The students add their findings to the class’ “Information Wanted” chart for use in creating their final product for the unit.

Evaluation for 3.e.2
Materials provide spiraling and scaffolded practice.

The materials provide spiraling and scaffolded practice throughout the school year with repeated practice across weeks, units, and the entire school year. Students engage in the use of rubrics and are provided scaffolds in their writing. Graphic organizers support student learning on a variety of literacy topics and skills. This organization reinforces learning and deepens understanding of texts and topics. The students have consistent, integrated opportunities to practice and grow their abilities in reading, writing, listening, thinking, and speaking.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Throughout the units of study, the materials use Seven Question Types to support student thinking about texts: basic stated information, key details, stated relationships, simple implied relationships, complex implied relationships, author’s generalizations, and structural generalization. These questions can be applied to different texts and require careful attention and deep reading to answer. They also allow students to apply knowledge learned in different contexts and teaches them how to notice particular textual features. Since the same question strands are used for different texts, students are constantly referring to previous lessons and incorporating previous learning into the present lesson.

Lessons’ spiraling design and repeated practice make the content more accessible. The common organization solidifies language structures and academic information from previous days, weeks, and units. This facilitates oracy development and reduces the complexity that would be needed for stand-alone lessons, ensuring deeper, more thorough learning for all students.

Student pairing and groupings are intentionally selected to scaffold learning and language needs of all involved. The teacher uses targeted instruction and strategic grouping, including a mix of whole-group instruction, individual conferences, and small groups, to ensure that every student receives appropriate instruction. Teachers assess the students with the IRLA so that students have the opportunity to learn and practice in their Zone of Proximal Development. These groups and pairings change as needed as students grow or struggle throughout the year.

During lessons, tools such as writing rubrics and graphic organizers are consistently used to scaffold student learning and as a feedback loop for the teacher. Rubrics help build students’ learning, one component at a time, allow students to take charge of their own learning, and ensure that all students have the opportunity to master grade-level thinking. Over the course of the year, practicing and reusing these rubrics and graphic organizers reinforces learning and deepens understanding of texts and topics.

Units 2 through 4 provide distributed practice in the area of text-focused debates. In Unit 2, students select a theme from their research and conduct an informal debate. In Unit 3, students engage in a literary analysis/debate surrounding the topic of dialogue in Historical Fiction. In Unit 4, students conduct a formal debate surrounding the students' research and argumentative writing on states within the United States.

Evaluation for 4.1
Materials provide systematic instruction and practice of foundational skills, including opportunities for phonics and word analysis skills (e.g., examination of grade-level prefixes and suffixes, decoding of multisyllabic words by using syllabication, and automaticity with grade-level regular and irregular spelling patterns).

The materials include a systematic approach to foundational literacy skills instruction through the IRLA Foundational Skills Toolkit. The Toolkit provides explicit instruction through modeling, practice, and independent practice of the foundational literacy skills both in isolation and within the context of authentic texts. The IRLA toolkit contains lessons that provide grade-level instruction for phonics, spelling, and word-analysis; note that teachers use a student’s reading level to determine which lessons students receive from the IRLA, so if a student requires additional support in certain skills, teachers can access varied levels of support within different IRLA toolkits.

Examples include but are not limited to:

The Foundational Skills Toolkit provides explicit instruction in letter sounds, phonological awareness skills including rhyming, segmenting, blending, sight word development, letter-sound correspondences, blends and digraphs, and eventually more complex decoding.

The IRLA Toolkit is built on a Phonics Infrastructure in K-2 reading levels (3Y-2R). Building on a foundation of reading is the process of making meaning from text, the next set of threshold skills enable the reader to crack the code and figure out what the words say. In levels White and above (grade 3+), the reader must be able to manage the increasingly difficult vocabulary, text structure, and knowledge demands of text. Complexity of texts in these levels is determined through both quantitative and qualitative measures.

Through regular formative assessment conferencing using the IRLA Toolkit, the teacher diagnoses individual instruction needs (Power Goals), organizes small groups around common

Power Goals, and delivers small group instruction focused on mastering applying the identified Power Goal to text. Changing from traditional, static guided reading groups focused on teaching texts to a model where students move from group to group as they master specific skills, allows students to move at different paces and delivers better results for struggling subgroups as well as acceleration for advanced readers.

The IRLA Toolkits contain explicit instruction on foundational literacy skills such as: high-frequency words, initial blends and digraphs, onset and sight word/rime, 2-syllable words, multisyllabic words, irregularly spelled words.

The IRLA Toolkit and classroom library books give students the opportunity to practice and apply foundational literacy skills, including guided and independent practice. Tasks are sequenced to build word, phrase, sentence, and comprehension levels to achieve grade-level mastery.

IRLA Toolkit include multiple modality encoding (VAKT) guidance for the teacher. The guided and independent practice tasks are differentiated to support students learning at different paces.

Evaluation for 4.2
Materials include diagnostic tools and provide opportunities to assess student mastery, in and out of context, at regular intervals for teachers to make instructional adjustments.

The instructional materials include assessments that are consistently present over the course of the year and are varied in the form of rubrics, conferences, and check-ins, among others. Assessments of all foundational literacy skills (i.e., phonics, word recognition and analysis, fluency) are provided in the IRLA Toolkit. Assessments provide teachers with foundational literacy skill mastery data per student and next steps for reteaching and learning.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Assessments of all foundational literacy skills (i.e., phonics, word recognition and analysis, fluency) are provided. The IRLA Formative Assessment is built on a Phonics Infrastructure in K-2 reading levels (3Y-2R). Building on a foundation of reading is the process of making meaning from text, but the next set of threshold skills enable the reader to crack the code and figure out what the words say. In levels White and above (grade 3+), the reader must be able to manage the increasingly difficult vocabulary, text structure, and knowledge demands of text. Complexity of texts in these levels is determined through both quantitative and qualitative measures. (IRLA Framework/ Phonics Development Sequence)

Assessments provide teachers with foundational literacy skill mastery data per student and next steps for reteaching and learning. Finding Power Goals/ Teaching Power Goals: Provides explicit directions on identifying power goals for students (IRLA Framework/ How to Use the IRLA). IRLA Formative Assessment: Provides the following data trackers: running record, reading behavior trackers (e.g. 1Y - tracking/ one-to-one correspondence), transition trackers (e.g. 1Y - 2Y), and entry requirements: cumulative records (3Y - Independent Reading Level Assessment).

Assessments provide teachers with foundational literacy skill mastery data per student and next steps for reteaching and learning. The IRLA provides teachers with tools to assess students to determine their individual reading levels, as well as skills needed to be successful. The introduction of the IRLA Toolkit locates the following items, “…identify a

baseline reading level, match reader with appropriate texts, identify which skills/standards and in what order (including foundational skills), design individual, small groups, and whole groups, monitor progress through the standards/reading levels.”

Materials include support and direction for teachers to assess students’ growth in, and mastery of, foundational skills (e.g., skill gaps in phonics and decoding) both in and out of context. The teacher uses the IRLA Toolkit to assess student growth in reading in regard to phonics, fluency, and comprehension. Assessment tasks range from identifying letter name and sound, word reading, running records, and comprehension questions. Throughout the units, the teacher confers with students to informally assess reading and writing ability and assist and reteach as necessary. The unit specifies periodically “Embedded Formative Assessment” wherein the teacher “listens/watches as students work to decide if/what to clarify or reteach on the spot”.

Materials support teachers with guidance and direction to respond to individual students’ literacy needs, based on assessments appropriate to the grade level. After the teacher has given the IRLA, the teacher has access to color-coded “toolkits” for each level. The toolkits contain lessons appropriate for that level, which also accelerate growth to the next. In addition to the toolkit, the materials contain access to the data website SchoolPace, which houses and helps in tracking and processing data. The materials also include several PLC guides for teacher teams to facilitate conversation around students’ needs and “Power Goals” (Unit 1, Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & Beyond).

Evaluation for 4.3
Materials provide frequent opportunities for students to practice and develop oral and silent reading fluency, while reading a wide variety of grade-appropriate texts at the appropriate rate with accuracy and expression to support comprehension.

The instructional materials provide opportunities to practice and develop oral and silent reading fluency. The materials provide students with opportunities to read grade-level texts to make meaning and build foundational skills. ARC fluency instruction, for fourth graders, focuses on the rapid silent reading required to handle novel-length texts. Students are given some opportunities across the units and in small group instruction to practice and apply oral reading fluency through Readers’ Theater and voluntarily reading aloud. For students struggling with oral fluency in grade-level text, ARC CORE provides IRLA Toolkit lessons to remediate automaticity and/or prosody, starting back at the appropriate IRLA level/skill level of each student.

Examples include but are not limited to:

During Independent Reading Time, students spend 15-30 minutes practicing oral or silent fluency as they read self-selected texts from the classroom library. Depending upon each student’s need, they may whisper read or read silently during this time.

In Unit 1, the Core Novel, Alvin Ho, is the first grade-level text introduced. The novel is distributed to students regardless of their reading level so that they may be exposed to a 4th-grade level text. Students have multiple opportunities to build fluency and foundational skills as they read and reread the text to find details to support their thinking in partner and class discussions.

In Unit 2, the whole class reads from, discusses, and writes about the core grade-level text, Animal Adaptations. Who reads the text depends on the “students, the text, and the purpose,” according to the materials.

In Unit 3, the Genre Study uses ELAR mini-lessons and shared/close reading of the grade-level core text, Scraps of Time: Away West 1879, to teach reading and writing standards and literary analysis.

In Unit 4, the teacher selects a “rich” passage from the grade-level core text, Texas, for the students to read and reread, building knowledge of the key science concepts being studying.

As they utilize these grade-level texts in all Units, teachers are to provide the “least help you can to ensure they [students] do most of the work of accessing and processing the text.” Teachers use what they know about their “students, the text and the purpose,” to make instructional decisions that provide appropriately supportive opportunities for students to develop their fluency and foundational skills within a grade-level text.

Explicit instruction (through IRLA and small group interventions) provided through IRLA Toolkits, provides daily opportunities for teachers to monitor and accelerate reading levels as determined and monitored through Power Goals and SchoolPace tracking. At each IRLA level, fluency is addressed as appropriate to the level, and the expectations correspond to the TEKs for the associated grade level. For example, at the 1G (end of K) level, students are focused on attaining 95-100% accuracy while sustaining attention and self-monitoring. However, by 2G (beginning grade 1), they are expected to attend to rate and prosody as well. For a student to enter an IRLA level, they must demonstrate appropriate phrasing, intonation, expression, and accuracy in the IRLA Cold Read Text at that level.

The IRLA Foundational Toolkits reinforce student fluency development at each level with mini-lessons that support teachers as they learn to “listen in and coach phrasing, expression, attention to dialogue,” and include opportunities for fluency practice both in and out of context. For example, the 1B Toolkit includes an example of students practicing fluency with “-all” words. As well, the 1R Toolkit includes the lesson “Prosody: Performance Read Aloud” of the text George and Martha. The 2R Toolkit includes “Phrasing Practice,” which partners student readers and asks them to make direct connections between fluency, accuracy, and comprehension, as they listen to evaluate: “Did your partner pause in a way that helped you understand the meaning of the story? Did she stop and fix her phrasing when it didn’t make sense? Did she read every word correctly or stop and fix it if she didn’t?” Further, explicit opportunities for practice of fluency components (including automaticity, prosody/phrasing) are embedded into most lessons in the 2R Toolkit. The White Toolkit provides additional opportunities to practice and develop oral fluency as students engage in both readers’ theater, and “Sell Your Book,” in which they rehearse and read aloud a particularly funny or interesting passage that they self-select. Because fluency practice is embedded in the routine small-group lessons, teachers can regularly monitor and provide corrective feedback on individual students’ phrasing, intonation, expression, and accuracy in an appropriate context.

Evaluation for 5.1
Materials include supports for students who demonstrate proficiency above grade-level.

The materials provide learning opportunities for students demonstrating literacy skills above that of the expected grade level. All students engage with grade-level core texts, regardless of their current reading level, and an additional thematic leveled library that spans as many as six to eight grade-levels provide students with independent texts closely aligned to the topic of study and their current reading levels. The range of reading levels can be customized to match the range of reading levels in individual schools or classrooms to provide access for students to self-select challenging texts in every unit. During Units 2 and 4, students participate in Research Labs for nonfiction text, the materials provide guidance on which research topics require additional research outside of the texts provided by ARC CORE, topics are self-selected by students. Within the lessons of each unit some of the sidebars also provide teaching strategy tips. Strategies for differentiation are embedded into the organization and structure of each component of the ARC CORE literacy block, including intentional groupings and active participation techniques in Reading Complex Texts; setting a focus for interdependent reading and accountable talk in Readers' Workshop; mentor texts, mini-lessons, and teacher writing demonstrations as well as rubrics, graphic organizers, and peer editing in Writing Workshop. For students reading at or above the third-grade level, the IRLA Toolkits provide additional supports (e.g., word analysis, affixes and roots, figurative language, genre expansion) to assure students reading above-grade level make on-going reading growth. The toolkit provides a systematic approach to moving students from one reading level to the next. The teacher uses the assessments within the IRLA Toolkit to identify a student’s reading level, create and adjust “Power Goals” and create small groups with similar “Power Goals” and reading levels. Time is provided within the literacy block to address “Power Goals” in addition to the work of the main unit, however the teacher is directed to spend the majority of intervention support with groups performing below grade-level.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Within each unit the materials provide pre-, mid-, and post- Constructed Response Assessments in order to identify the needs of students. The teacher is provided with guidance for evaluating the responses to create strategy groups.

The IRLA Toolkit allows the teacher to support students at all reading levels, give specific examples of how to identify each student’s reading level, and necessary supports including: comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, range of reading, and phonics. In addition, Entry and Exit Requirements for each reading level can be found in the overview. Students have multiple

opportunities to engage with the text by recording “Great Words you Want to Remember”; looking at types of context clues, pacing, and analyzing levels of meaning. Throughout, students are working at their identified reading level thus providing one type of differentiation.

In Unit 1, the teacher is provided with a readers and writers engagement scale to monitor students. The materials provide support on identifying each student’s reading level to make sure students are reading on the correct level to ensure growth. The teachers set up their SchoolPace account in order to track students’ levels and growth. The 100 Book challenge provides students opportunities to read books on their level. Students log their reading.

In Unit 2, the Informational Research Lab provides options for Research Topics for high-level students. All students answer the same Research Questions during the unit, only the level of text differs for students.

In Unit 3, students can choose books on their level to read throughout the unit. Students read a minimum of five different texts to compare and contrast. All students complete the same tasks and questions. For example, every student completes a comparison chart of the texts.

Evaluation for 5.2
Materials include supports for students who perform below grade level to ensure they are meeting the grade-level literacy standards.

The materials provide learning opportunities for students demonstrating literacy skills below that of the expected grade level, but additional supports would be necessary to ensure students are meeting grade level literacy standards. All students engage with grade-level core texts, regardless of their current reading level, and an additional thematic leveled library that spans as many as six to eight grade-levels provide students with independent texts closely aligned to the topic of study and their current reading levels. During Units 2 and 4, students participate in Research Labs for nonfiction text. The materials provide guidance on which topics are “Best Bets for Struggling Readers” and topics are self-selected by students The materials use grouping, mini-lessons, graphic organizers and rubrics, and read-aloud strategies to support students reading below grade-level in accessing the core texts. Within the lessons of each unit, the materials also provide sidebars with teaching strategy tips. Strategies for differentiation are embedded into the organization and structure of each component of the ARC CORE literacy block, including intentional groupings and active participation techniques in Reading Complex Texts; setting a focus for interdependent reading and accountable talk in Readers' Workshop; and mentor texts, mini-lessons, and teacher writing demonstrations, as well as rubrics, graphic organizers, and peer editing in Writing Workshop. The lessons provide a systematic approach to moving students from one reading level to the next. The teacher uses the assessments within the IRLA Toolkit to identify a student’s reading level, create and adjust “Power Goals”, and create small groups with similar “Power Goals” and reading levels. Time is provided within the literacy block to address “Power Goals” in addition to the work of the main unit. The teacher is directed to spend the majority of intervention support with groups performing below grade-level.

Examples include but are not limited to:

The IRLA is designed to determine the needs of all readers and help them grow in their reading skills. Through the IRLA assessments, the teacher identifies the needs of students and develops “Power Goals” for small group instruction. The lessons provide a systematic approach to moving students from one reading level to the next.

Within each unit, the materials provide pre-, mid-, and post- Constructed Response Assessments in order to identify the needs of students. The teacher is provided with guidance for evaluating the responses to create strategy groups. Embedded Formative Assessment throughout the units allows the teacher to use evidence to clarify or reteach immediately within each lesson and plan for instruction the next day.

In Unit 1, The ARC CORE overview states, “supports go far beyond the traditional below, on,

and above” levels. ARC CORE classroom libraries usually have six to eight reading levels. In the ARC CORE Literacy Lab Overview, directions are provided to determine who reads the core text. Students one to two instructional levels below the text are recommended to have minimal support, such as a pair share. Students multiple levels below the level of the text are recommended to have a buddy at a higher level read or listen to a teacher read aloud.

In Unit 2, the Informational Research Lab provides Research Topics for struggling readers. All students answer the same Research Questions during the unit, only the level of text differs for students.

In the Introduction of Unit 3, a student checklist states one goal as “Emergency readers move at least one IRLA level.”

In Unit 4, students are provided opportunities to work in group settings to support the needs of students performing below grade level.

Evaluation for 5.3
Materials include supports for English Learners (EL) to meet grade-level learning expectations.

The curriculum provides some support for English Learners (EL) to meet grade-level learning expectations. The materials include an overarching framework for how to support ELL students in achieving grade-level proficiency. Throughout each unit, the teacher is given insights on how to scaffold and accommodate their lessons for their English Learners in developing a student’s reading, writing, listening, and speaking in English while honoring the student’s home language. The materials do not include supports commensurate with the various levels of English language proficiency as defined by the ELPs (beginning, intermediate, advanced, and advanced high); however, accommodations provided could be used at various levels of proficiency. There is no evidence of adapted text, translations, summaries, realia, glossaries, bilingual dictionaries, and thesauri specifically geared toward language learners.

Examples include but are not limited to:

The Introduction section of each unit includes a section titled, “ARC CORE ELL Supports: Toward a Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy.” This section highlights the resources offered by the program to support ELs including a responsive reading assessment, leveled libraries, responsive instructional delivery, and thematically organized learning. The page titled, “A Literacy Block Model Designed to Effectively Support ALL Learners”, shows the embedded structural supports for ELs. The materials also frequently suggest partnering students who can support one another in their own language.

Lesson plans contain Call-outs with Actionable ELL Supports. These are organized around six categories including: identity affirmation, learning objectives, frontloading, comprehensible input, oracy and literacy development, and differentiated and formative assessment. Through the use of these predictable routines ELs are provided practice in all four linguistic domains (speaking, listening, reading, and writing).

Within each unit, sidebars and insertions provide alternate discussions, assignments, and note taking for English Learners. One example of a sidebar, from Unit 1, Week 1, Day 1, “Building an

Academic Community and Identity Affirmation," guides the teacher to create a supportive academic environment for EL Learners.

In Unit 1, the Teacher Guide provides one “Reading Survey”, “Levels Check Sheet”, and a “Reading Log” in several languages with the goal of supporting students’ first languages.

In Unit 2, a “Parents & Guardians” letter is provided in multiple languages.

In Unit 3, a “Home Connection” letter and “Dinner Table Conversation Starters” are provided in multiple languages.

Evaluation for 6.1
Materials include assessment and guidance for teachers and administrators to monitor progress including how to interpret and act on data yielded.

The materials include assessments and tools to guide teachers and administrators as they monitor students’ progress in mastery of the content. Each unit incorporates formative and summative assessments that align with the purpose of the lesson and TEKS. Specifically, rubrics measure student learning and mastery across the curriculum and provide guidance for the teacher to interpret and respond to student performance needs. The curriculum includes many examples of useful supporting documentation to guide instructors in their teaching.

Examples include but are not limited to:

The Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA) provides an initial summative assessment of a student’s current reading level. The teacher uses the results of the assessment to create formative assessments and Power Goal lessons based on the needs of the students. These assessments and lessons are based on focus standards which support TEKS acquisition.

Resources also incorporate the use of self and peer assessment as a mode of learning. Students are consistently provided opportunity to monitor their progress and analyze their processes as well as those of their peers.

The Unit 1 Overview includes a supplement on Conferencing and Formative Assessments. The supplement describes how to use the Independent Reading Level Assessments to identify student reading levels, how to use conferencing as an ongoing formative assessment, the preparation of Power Goals to help students move to higher reading levels, and using the Formative Assessment Protocol Rubric to determine when these goals are met.

In Unit 1, the teacher utilizes formative assessments in each reader’s workshop to assess the students, provide feedback, and make changes when necessary. The teacher works with students individually to accelerate reading growth through power goal conferences and checks for proficiency. Additionally, formative assessments are found during the writing process.

Lessons in this unit include formative assessments for differentiation. The assessments assist with identifying the strengths of the student, gathering evidence, and planning for the next lesson.

In Unit 2, the lessons provide formative assessments to check for understanding. The teacher is able to assess student deficiencies and apply the appropriate focus. The lessons allow for one on one conferences within the formative assessment. The teacher can then coach the students on their individual needs. The Final Project Rubric for students’ informational writing clearly outlines the students' goals for the writing project and the points associated with the components of authentic voice, information, text features, effort, quality, and writing standards expertise. The materials also include a Central Ideas Rubric used throughout the unit to assess and measure students' learning of the unit TEKS and includes specific components of identifying the main topic, central idea, and supporting details.

In Unit 3, the teacher is able to conduct a pre-assessment as well as a post-assessment. The lessons provide many rubrics to allow for effective scoring based on student performance. Lessons contain formal and informal opportunities for assessments. The materials provide a Final Project Rubric for students’ Historical Fiction writing clearly outlines the students' goals for the writing project and the points associated with the components of authentic voice, literary elements, narrative technique, effort, quality, and writing standards expertise. A rubric for Proficient Textual Analysis is also utilized throughout the unit to assess student mastery of the unit TEKS and includes specific components of claim, evidence, and reasoning.

In Unit 4, students practice and examine argumentative writing. The materials provide an Analyzing Argument Practice Rubric that gauges point of view/author’s purpose and helps students evaluate the argument of a text, as outlined in the TEKS. The Final Project Rubric for students’ argumentative writing outlines the students' goals for the writing project and the points associated with the components of authentic voice, information, text features, effort, quality, and writing standards expertise.

Evaluation for 6.2
Materials include year-long plans and supports for teachers to identify needs of students and provide differentiated instruction to meet the needs of a range of learners to ensure grade-level success.

The materials include supports for teachers to identify the needs of students and provide differentiated instruction to meet the needs of a range of learners. Sidebars throughout the curriculum offer suggestions on how to best differentiate the materials in order to support students. Additionally, the resources provide strong assessment tools for student diagnostics and a foundational toolkit to provide differentiated instruction for learners based on the diagnostic assessment. Throughout the instructional framework, ancillary and resource materials, assist teachers in meeting the needs of a range of learners.

Examples include but are not limited to:

The Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA) outlines the reading skills, strategies, and concepts which distinguish one Independent Reading Level from the next. The concept listed for each level describe the concept required for independent reading of text within the level not already required by text at previous levels. Teachers use the Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA) to identify a baseline reading level, match readers with appropriate text, identify the order in which a student needs to learn crucial skills/standards, design for individual/small group/whole group instruction targeted to the development of specific skills, and progress monitor through the standards/reading levels in real time to ensure all students are on-track to make sufficient reading growth.

The Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA) helps teachers establish a baseline proficiency reading level for each student. This assessment helps show students where they are, where they should be, and what skills and behaviors they need to work on to get to the next level. Through regular student conferences, teachers outline and track course corrections, acceleration, or maintenance, for each student and monitor, with the student, progress towards a Power Goal.  All four units actively use Power Goals.  The individual goals move students toward a targeted skill or skill or concept with the end goal of improving readers so that they can finish the year as an “engaged, skilled, critical reader.”

The Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA) and SchoolPace systems also assist teachers in guiding students as they find appropriate texts and manage/assess growth in reading levels throughout the year.

The units include sidebars to support differentiation such as the ones about the importance of differentiation within independent reading time. The sidebar explains all students need to experience “success-level” reading in order to develop important skills. The materials provide books at each student's level, so they have access to these materials and can develop their reading skills.

At the end of the Unit 1 instructional framework, a section titled, Building Instruction in Units of Study, provides guidance and resources on questioning strategies, Bloom’s taxonomy, lesson planning, rubrics, and vocabulary to assist teachers in honing their craft, thus supporting student learning.

The introduction for each unit provides a teacher “Guide to Lesson Plan Decision-Making” to guide the teacher in designing lesson plans which address the focus standard, student outcomes, a standards-based mini-lesson, students reading, writing, and discussing complex text, readers’ workshop, and writing. The introduction also includes the teacher aid, “8 Decisions for Planning a Lesson” which guides the teacher in making decisions on unit purpose, unit outcomes, rubrics, the day’s task, the day’s text, graphic organizers, leverage, and classroom culture.

Evaluation for 6.3
Materials include implementation support for teachers and administrators.

The materials provide a TEKS-aligned scope and sequence detailing the order in which to present the materials. The supplemental materials assist teachers in implementing the units as intended. The materials provide administrators opportunities to support, track, and monitor the effective use of the materials. The provided pacing guide correlates with the scope and sequence and aligns with a 180-day school year.

Examples include but are not limited to:

The materials provide professional development opportunities for teachers as well as administrators to monitor the educational setting. For example, the materials provide a three-day professional learning, titled “Leading for Equity and Excellence: Leadership Learning Series.” Teachers can access the Learning to Improve Skills Card which supports the teacher in problem solving and finding results in the classroom. The materials provide administrators with a Professional Learning Plan to track and monitor classroom instruction. The materials are structured around a gradual release model that begins with a workshop for staff, learning sessions for those in leadership roles, and collaborative sessions including grade level group meetings and demonstrations that end with 1:1 support as needed. The materials provide opportunities to ensure achievement targets are met by both teachers and administrators.

The materials include an online performance management system that guides leaders and teachers in tracking progress, SchoolPace, that allows administrators to access data on student growth and performance, as well as monitor how entire classes are performing. This allows administrators to plan for and provide appropriate support when and where it is needed for both students and teachers. Furthermore, it allows teachers to track progress and design appropriate action plans for students in need of support.

The curriculum includes guides for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) which outline plans for weekly meetings to support student learning and to improve teaching. In Unit 1, the plans include discussion prompts for IRLA Leveling: Establishing Baseline Reading Levels, Reading Culture: Engaged Reader Action Plan, and Lesson Plans for Next Week. Example prompts include “What would it take to get the students 100% engaged?” and “What best practices do you already use to teach vocabulary?”

In addition to the daily lesson plans in the framework, each unit provides templates for teachers to make adjustments to the provided lessons specific to their individual contexts. The template includes a blank notetaking page to create a working lesson plan and includes a guide to lesson plan decision making. The document provides general focus standards as well as the daily focus. In the student outcome section, details for the key concepts are provided including the expectations for student learning. Additionally, the document provides the product indicating what the students will create based on the focus and teaching. The teacher is provided with a standards-based mini lesson that includes very strategic activities. The plan breaks down the reading for students including independent level (grade level or above), instructional level (1-2 levels below), frustration level (multiple levels below), and new language learners. The units provide additional information and activities in the sidebars for teachers as to how to differentiate and provide further instruction.

The scope and sequence along with the pacing guides offer a plan to cover a 180- day schedule but not a 220-day schedule. The scope and sequence along with the pacing guide offers a plan that can be expanded or condensed as needed to align with a school year. The pacing guide provides 9-week sections for the units. The scope and sequence is broken down by weeks which encompass 36 weeks for a 180-day schedule. The pacing is appropriate for the lessons and there are indicators as to how long should be spent on each unit. The scope and sequence provides an explicit breakdown of the TEKS for the grade level, listed by unit and correlated with the topics of multiple genres, author’s purpose and craft, composition, foundational language skills, comprehension skills, response skills, inquiry and research as well as the IRLA growth expectations. The scope and sequence not only provides the TEKS for each unit, it provides the TEKS that are covered throughout the year.

Evaluation for 6.4
The visual design of the student edition (whether in print or digital) is neither distracting nor chaotic.

The materials employ a visual design that is neither distracting nor chaotic. The core texts contain sufficient white space with grade-level appropriate sizing and spacing. The texts also contain colorful and engaging graphics that align with the written content. The student handouts limit distractions and maintain student focus on the learning objectives. Overall, the student materials present a well-designed and cohesive format that supports student learning.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

The student text in Unit 1, Survival Ocean, provides pictures and graphics connected to the text. Additionally, sidebars and diagrams enhance student learning.

In Unit 2, Animal Adaptations, there is appropriate use of white space that does not distract from student learning. There is enough spacing between the paragraphs and the images. The flow of the text is visually appealing and user friendly. Spacing for the text does not appear to distract the reader and provides a smooth transition from section to section. Each page visually flows well. For example, the Kangaroos page provides ample whitespace between the text and the images that correlate with the text. The images are positioned near the text that references them.

Unit 3 includes a template to record information about Story Elements that utilizes boxes sized and spaced appropriately to allow easy recording of information. The column descriptors are easy to understand and not distracting. Use of bold text draws students’ attention to important details.

In Unit 4, the research card used by students has a clear layout and design that is easy to navigate and is free from distractions. The layout includes both numbered and columned organization with vocabulary categorized by topic. In addition, photographs of the unique items that represent Texas (State Flag, State Pepper, State Amphibian, etc.) adds realism that will support engagement and improve learning

Evaluation for 6.5
If present, technology components included are appropriate for grade level students and provide support for learning.

The materials do not include student-facing technology components.