Fountas & Pinnell Classroom (FPC), Grade 3

Evaluation for 1.1a
Materials include an explanation of the stated purpose of the supplemental program (e.g., additional instruction and/or practice, targeted remediation or acceleration).

The materials do not provide guidance on how the program is used as a supplemental program or for additional instruction and/or practice to support targeted remediation or acceleration. The PDF “Preparing for Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™: An Interactive Action Plan” describes the program as a comprehensive system of classroom-based literacy instruction rather than a supplemental tool.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 states that the “intended purpose is explicit lessons with materials appropriate for whole-group instruction, individual, partners, or small-group application.” There is no guidance on how the program can be used as supplemental instruction and/or practice, or for targeted remediation or acceleration.

Evaluation for 1.1b
Materials include guidance on how to appropriately use the supplemental program to support an existing core reading and language arts program.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3, the “Fitting It All Together” section outlines the distribution of components across a comprehensive three-hour instructional block. The materials do not offer guidance or evidence for implementing the program as a supplemental resource. Instead, the framework explicitly positions it as a core curriculum.

The online digital resources include a 180-day plan that explicitly details daily lesson sequences across various program components. However, the plan does not provide educators with specific guidance, strategies, or instructional pathways on how to effectively integrate or use these materials in a supplemental capacity.

Evaluation for 1.1c
Materials include a scope and sequence outlining student expectations, skills taught, and a rationale for the design of the scope and sequence.

The online resources include a 180-day plan detailing a comprehensive, yearlong instructional sequence that encompasses all eight program components. While the publisher notes that this daily sequence is a suggested model that can be modified at the educator’s discretion, the documentation does not include a rationale for the scope and sequence. Furthermore, while the 180-day plan outlines daily instructional skills, it does not include student expectations.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3, the materials include a scope and sequence outlining the 100 lessons based on early-, middle-, and late-year skills. Although this resource provides a rationale for each phonics lesson, the other components of the materials do not include a rationale for the sequence. Furthermore, there are no student expectations referenced in the materials.

Evaluation for 1.1d
Materials include guidance on time requirements (e.g., duration, frequency) and suggested pacing for effective implementation.

The materials provide pacing and daily time requirements within the 180-day plan, which outlines the structural framework for language and literacy opportunities, Readers’ Workshop, and Writers’ Workshop. The document uses clock icons to illustrate recommended instructional minutes for each individual component and context across the 180-day sequence.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3, the “Fitting It All Together” section details a daily schedule by outlining the exact instructional minutes required for each program component: Group Meeting, Interactive Read-Aloud, Shared Reading, Phonics/Spelling/Word Study, Reading Minilessons, Small Group Instruction/Independent Literacy Work, Group Share, and Writers’ Workshop.

Evaluation for 1.1e
Materials include resources and guidance to support educators with implementing the materials as designed.

The online materials include a 180-day scope and sequence and implementation plan for educators. The plan includes guidance for “making this instructional plan your own” as well as “helpful tips” and support for “putting it all together.” The online materials also include a video titled “Unpacking Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade K–4”, which supports educators in understanding the program materials and how to organize them.

The online materials include an interactive plan that contains four steps to support educators with implementation. The steps include defining vision and values, setting goals, getting to know the Fountas & Pinnell Classroom system, and planning literacy time. The plan also directs educators to professional development videos to support implementation.

Evaluation for 1.1f
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.

The Shared Reading materials include a caregiver letter available in English, Spanish, and other languages such as French and Hmong. The letter introduces families to how students will engage with books throughout the year and provides general suggestions for ways families can support literacy at home. However, the letter does not provide specific suggestions for supporting student learning throughout the program.

The Guided Reading materials provide a “Caregiver Letter” in various languages that explains the program to families. However, the letter does not provide specific suggestions to support student progress.

Evaluation for 2.1a
Materials include appropriate instructional assessments for the stated purpose of the supplemental program (e.g., diagnostic placement assessments for targeted remediation or acceleration).

The grade 3 online materials contain a Phonics and Word Study Assessment Guide along with formative assessments for each component of word study: letter–sound relationships, spelling patterns, high-frequency words, vocabulary, word structure, and word-solving actions. Each component includes multiple assessments and the materials to go along with them. Phonics and Word Study Lessons also contains quick, formative observational assessments within each lesson to assess student understanding. However, the materials do not include summative assessments.

The materials in the Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 include an assessment section in each Read-Aloud lesson card. The assessment provides specific prompts to observe children’s reading behaviors and record them on a recording form. Each lesson includes a formative assessment, with specific look-fors to guide administration. However, they do not include a summative assessment.

Evaluation for 2.1b
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the instructional assessments included.

The supplemental program includes an “Assessment Overview” in the Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 component. This overview describes the importance of ongoing observations of student literacy behaviors and explains how and why educators should assess what students know about letters, sounds, and words. The guide includes descriptions of ongoing observations and systematic assessment tasks for use across the six areas of learning of the curriculum. However, it does not include the definition or intended purpose of each assessment.

A general purpose of the Fountas & Pinnell Interactive Read-Aloud Collection Guide, Grade 3 is to “gain important information by observing children as they participate in Interactive Read-Aloud discussions.” However, the guide does not address the varied assessment types in the program. The materials do not explicitly identify whether the assessment is intended to serve a formative or summative purpose.

Evaluation for 2.1c
For instructional assessments administered by educators, materials include guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 materials provide guidance for the consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments. In the section “How to Use It,” the materials give instructions on whether to administer tests individually or in small groups, list necessary resources, describe student behaviors to observe during testing, and explain how to record responses.

The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3 provides guidance for educators to administer formative assessments, including observational guiding questions.

Evaluation for 2.1d
Instructional assessments include items at varying levels of complexity.

While the Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3 resource identifies lessons as being in the early, middle, or late stage of development, the assessment section does not provide explicit guidance for educators on how to ensure assessments include varying levels of complexity aligned to those developmental stages. For example, the guide states instructions such as “Notice whether children are able to recognize high frequency words with three or more letters” but offers no guidance for which words to use to ensure that the assessment items will vary in complexity.

The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3 does not provide a variety of item types or items at varying levels of complexity. For example, the assessment after an umbrella/unit includes a list of questions that educators can ask while students are reading. However, these questions do not include different item types or items at varying levels of complexity.

Evaluation for 2.2a
Instructional assessments and scoring information provide guidance for interpreting student performance.

The Reading Minilessons, Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Interactive Read-Aloud, and Shared Reading components provide general formative assessments through an optional assessment section with educator prompts. For example, the assessment for LSR 3 in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3, is to “Observe students reading, notice how efficient they are in recognizing and solving words that have y at the end.” The assessment does not offer any guidance for interpreting student performance.

While Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 includes spelling-pattern assessments that provide resources and information for giving the assessments, there is no guidance for scoring. The text states “Note the results on the individual record” and provides a sheet to track the data but offers no guidance on scoring or interpreting student performance.

Evaluation for 2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of the supplemental program to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 includes tracking sheets for educators to note whether students can demonstrate specific skills. However, there is no guidance and/or resources on how to score, track, and/or respond to the data or resources for how an educator should respond to student performance as identified by scoring skills on a tracking sheet. The materials do not include suggested activities or lessons to respond to student needs.

The Interactive Read-Alouds provide an “Assess the Learning” opportunity at the end of each lesson card. However, the assessment is general and does not provide guidance on how to respond to student performance. For example, the materials encourage educators to “Observe children to find evidence they can: understand details in the story or notice how the illustrations help to convey the author’s message.” The materials do not provide guidance on how educators should interpret or respond to assessment data. Additionally, they do not suggest targeted activities, lessons, or resources to address identified student needs.

Evaluation for 2.2c
Materials include tools for educators to track student progress and growth, and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.

The program materials include an “Independent Reading Recordkeeping Form” for educators that provides spaces to record student names, days of the week, and comments. While the program also provides an “Independent Reading Tracking Sheet” for students to record books read during Independent Reading, this tool does not track literacy skill growth throughout the year.

The materials do not include how students can track their own growth within the program. The materials provide one way for educators to track student data through the “Student Summary Form” found in the general resources. However, the form is a general tracking form and is not tied to specific goals or standards.

Evaluation for 2.2d
If applicable for the stated purpose of the supplemental program, materials include guidance for entry and exit criteria.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because the program has a stated purpose of additional instruction and/or practice, not targeted remediation or acceleration.

Evaluation for 3.1a
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level skills.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3, each lesson includes a section titled “Consider Your Children.” However, the section only provides general guidance for educators on differentiating instruction. For example, LSR 4 guidance states, “You may wish to have students write and read a few words with long vowel combinations to assess their understanding of the principle and determine which patterns will be most beneficial to teach.” These guidelines are general and do not specify how to assess or provide differentiated instruction for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level skills.

While the materials do not include explicit guidance for differentiation or activities for students who have not yet reached grade-level proficiency, they do include general guidance. For example, the Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 lesson “First Come the Zebra” advises, “Consider the strengths and needs of your children and the demands of the text as you introduce and read the text.”

Evaluation for 3.1b
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills.

The Reading Minilessons, Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Interactive Read-Aloud, and Shared Reading components include an optional “Extend the Lesson” section with student activity suggestions. However, the section does not provide guidance for differentiated instruction for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills. For example, in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3, LSR 5 states, “Encourage students to record in their word study notebooks other words with the vowel sound /o/ that they encounter in their reading.”

Shared Reading, Grade 3 includes an option for “Additional Teaching Opportunities During/After Reading” within each lesson. For example, in the Shared Reading book Made for Mars, the additional teaching opportunity states, “Point out the word shiyazhi. Ask students what they think the word means based on the context.” However, the educator guidance is generic and lacks guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills.

Evaluation for 3.1c
Materials include educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education.

While educators are prompted to “Consider Your Children” when planning phonics and word-study lessons, the materials offer no further educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction. For example, in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3, lesson LSR 14 states, “This lesson will be most effective if students are familiar with a number of common words that have r-influenced vowels.” However, it does not provide any guidance or resources for providing specially designed instruction.

The Fountas & Pinnell Classroom provides some special features, such as audiobooks, that educators can use to support students before, during, and after reading. However, there is no guidance on how to adapt materials to meet the individual needs of students receiving supports and services through special education within the program.

Evaluation for 3.2a
Educator-led supplemental programs include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance to support the educator in modeling and explaining the skill(s) to be learned.

The materials provide explicit, direct prompts to support educators. For example, in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3, each minilesson is scripted and explicitly tells the educator what to do (in black) and what to say and ask the students (in red). For example, lesson RML4 directs educators to prepare a student model, demonstrate the process of returning classroom materials, and engage students in discussion using embedded prompts such as “Watch what she does now”, “What did you notice?”, and “Where did she return the scissors?” The lesson further supports the educator with guidance for facilitating partner discussion, summarizing learning, and assessing student understanding through observation questions. The supports provide clear direction for modeling the expected behavior and explaining the purpose of returning materials to their proper place.

The materials include explicit, direct prompts and guidance to support the educator in modeling and explaining the skill or skills to be learned. For example, LSR 14 in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 includes prompts that explicitly support the educator in modeling, such as “On chart paper, write the word he, and read the word with students. Ask, ‘What vowel sound do you hear in this word?’” Sections in each lesson guide the educator to understand and explain the skill or principle for every lesson in the book.

Evaluation for 3.2b
Educator-led supplemental programs include educator guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches.

Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 provides lesson plans for all lessons in the program. The materials include “Understand the Principle,” “Explain the Principle,” “Teach the Principle,” “Apply,” “Share,” “Assess,” “Connect,” and “Extend” sections. This sequenced approach provides educators with details on introducing a concept and modeling through direct instruction. For example, a bulleted list in LSR 14 guides the educator to “Write the words first, purr, worm, and fern on chart paper. Ask, ‘What do you notice about all of these words?’” The lessons include a variety of instructional approaches such as educator modeling, students partnering to practice a comprehension skill, and independent skill practice.

Shared Reading, Grade 3 provides lesson plans for all lessons in the program. The materials include “Warm-Up: Phonics,” “Introduce the Text,” “First Reading,” “Second Reading” “Discussing (Within, Beyond, About) the Text,” “Rereading the Text with Explicit Teaching,” “Responding to the Meaning of the Text,” “Independent Reading,” “Connecting to Other Books,” and “Assessment.” These sections offer details on introducing a concept and modeling through direct instruction and are followed by lessons including various instructional approaches such as educator modeling, students partnering to practice a comprehension skill, and independent skill practice.

Evaluation for 3.2c
Materials include guidance for educators on recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.

The educator-led supplemental program offers specific educator guidance and recommendations for delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional materials. For example, RML 5 in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3 contains embedded prompts such as “Think about the book you are reading for book club. Tell your partner how you can use the book to support your opinion. Turn and talk about the ways you can be respectful when you agree or disagree.” These prompts support educators in guiding student thinking and discussion. RML 5 also explains how to facilitate partner discussions, create an anchor chart summarizing the routine, and reinforce expectations.

The Book Club materials include guidance for educators on whole-group, small-group, and individual classroom structures to support effective implementation. For example, Book Clubs Collection Guide, Grade 3 advises educators to “Introduce the four titles from the text set to the whole class” before reading and notes that “Some children may be able to read the text independently” during reading. The “After Reading” column states, “When all children in a group have finished reading or listening to the book, bring them together for a discussion.”

Evaluation for 3.3a
Materials include educator guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 includes guidance for “Working with English Language Learners.” Each unit plan contains a section dedicated to offering guidance to educators for supporting emergent bilingual (EB) students. For example, in LSR 7, the educator support suggests to “Help English language learners notice the letter combinations by linking them to common words that they know.” However, the materials do not include educator guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency as defined by the ELPS.

The Book Club materials include discussion cards with a “Goals” section. The materials state that the intended purpose is for the educator to “Choose or modify goals that match the learning needs of your students.” The goals listed are listening and speaking, building deep understanding, and writing about reading. While each overview card lists these goals for each book in the sets, the materials do not include educator guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency as defined by the ELPS.

Evaluation for 3.3b
Materials include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3 provides no guidance to support emergent bilingual students. While the sidebar of each lesson contains “Academic Language/Important Vocabulary,” it does not provide educator guidance in effectively using the materials. For example, in RML 1, the vocabulary includes book club, title, author, and illustrator. There is no definition, visual, or guidance on how to use those words to support EB students in the classroom.

The Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 Implementation Guide provides an overview for working with EB students, but the statements and strategies are general and do not offer any educator guidance or tools for effective classroom lesson implementation. For example, Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 LSR 6 advises, “Be sure that English language learners have encountered and read common words with the letter combinations oo, ie, and ea many times prior to this lesson” to support educators in working effectively with the lesson materials. There are no resources for lesson delivery with specific scaffolds to support EB students.

Evaluation for 3.3c
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.

This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs.

Evaluation for 4.1a
Materials do not include the three-cueing method as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062. TEC, §28.0062 defines three-cueing as a method of reading instruction for the identification of words in which a student is encouraged to draw on context and sentence structure to read words without sounding the words out or using a phonics-based approach.

The materials include an example of three-cueing using the MSV approach for word identification. SAS.U1.RML 1 in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3 instructs the educator to “Help students think about the minilesson principle, cover words that could potentially have a couple of meaningful options. Students will check if their attempt sounds right, makes sense, and looks right. Hold up A Meerkat Day. Read the title and then page 2, pausing at together. Ask the student, ‘What could this word be? Why do you think that? Uncover the word slowly. Ask, ‘Were you right?’ If students predicted something different, have them talk about what else would make sense, sound right, and look right. ‘Let’s reread the sentence and check to make sure it makes sense, sounds right, and looks right. Does together make sense, sound right, and look right?’” This instruction reflects the three-cueing approach because it directs students to identify the word by considering meaning, sentence structure, and visual cues. The lesson does not require students to decode the word using letter–sound correspondences or other phonics-based strategies.

Evaluation for 4.2a
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonological awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills and larger units of sound to more complex skills and smaller units of sound.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological awareness skills.

This guidance is not applicable to the program.

Evaluation for 4.2b
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills (e.g., identifying, blending, and segmenting phonemes) to more complex skills (e.g., adding, deleting, and substituting phonemes).

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonemic awareness skills.

This guidance is not applicable to the program.

Evaluation for 4.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological or phonemic awareness skills.

This guidance is not applicable to the program.

Evaluation for 4.2d
Materials include cumulative student practice of phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological or phonemic awareness skills.

This guidance is not applicable to the program.

Evaluation for 4.2e
Student practice includes only phonological and phonemic awareness skills that have been explicitly taught.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological or phonemic awareness skills.

This guidance is not applicable to the program.

Evaluation for 4.A.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The materials include a sequence for introducing phonics and word study skills, as outlined in the Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 Master Lesson Guide. The lessons move from letter–sound relationships to spelling patterns, high-frequency words, vocabulary, word structure, and word-solving actions. However, the sequence does not demonstrate a fully systematic, TEKS-aligned progression of sound–spelling patterns that ensures cumulative mastery of grade-level phonics expectations. The sound–spelling patterns in this resource are not introduced in order, jumping from consonant clusters to long vowel sounds to vowel teams to consonant digraphs. Specifically, in “Letter–Sound Relationship” lesson 1, students first decode consonant cluster words closet, drank, and freeze. Later, in lesson 4, they decode words with long vowel patterns including faint, spray, throat, and bruise. Then, in lesson 7, students decode words that begin with consonant digraphs including chimney, thirst, wheel, and shore. While the materials indicate that students explore increasingly complex phonograms and words with reliable and irregular letter–sound correspondences, the progression is primarily organized around instructional routines rather than a tightly controlled scope and sequence of phonics elements. As a result, the sequence does not provide a clearly defined, systematic pathway for full coverage and mastery of all grade-level sound–spelling patterns as required by the TEKS.

The materials do not include a systematic sequence for introducing sound–spelling patterns in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. In the Guided Reading lesson “A Pig with a Job,” students receive instruction in the vowel-consonant-silent e (VCe) spelling pattern during the “Warm-Up: Phonics and Phonics/Letter and Word Work” sections. Students identify the sounds and letters in the words make, name, and take, as the lesson explains that “The first vowel is long and the e is silent.” Later, students manipulate letters to build and read additional VCe words. However, while the lesson provides explicit instruction and practice with a sound–spelling pattern, it does not demonstrate a systematic sequence for introducing sound–spelling patterns across the program. Specifically, the lesson does not show how instruction progresses from previously taught, simpler patterns to more complex patterns over time.

Evaluation for 4.A.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding words using sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 includes sound–spelling pattern instruction appropriate to the program’s stated purpose. However, the spelling-pattern lessons do not provide explicit instruction in decoding and encoding words using sound–spelling patterns. In LR 16, the educator states, “When the first syllable ends with a vowel, it usually has a long vowel sound and is called an open syllable.” The educator and students then notice that their mouths are open when they say the first syllable, followed by a think-aloud that models how to decode the word silent. Students then practice reading words and building syllables with magnetic letters. During the “Connect Learning Across Contexts” portion of the lesson, the educator directs students to write words with open syllables during Independent Writing. However, the lesson offers no explicit instruction for encoding words using this sound–spelling pattern.

The Guided Reading Collection includes sound–spelling pattern instruction appropriate to the program’s stated purpose. However, the spelling-pattern lessons do not provide explicit instruction in decoding and encoding words using sound–spelling patterns. For example, in the “Warm-Up: Phonics” section of the Guided Reading lesson that accompanies A Walk in the Woods, the focus is on decoding words with double consonants. A script provided for the educator uses the word shell. The script states, “‘Did you hear the sound at the end of the word? Let’s say the word together and listen for the last sound.’ Guide students to notice that the last sound is /l/. At the end of the word shell, which consonant letters stand for the /l/ sound? Repeat the process with the word bell.” However, the script does not provide explicit information for the educator to state that consonant sounds are sometimes represented by double consonant letters.

Evaluation for 4.A.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding words using sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.

Each lesson in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 introduces a new pattern for decoding words using sound–spelling patterns in isolation but does not provide opportunities to practice previously learned patterns for cumulative practice. For example, after lesson “Spelling Patterns 5,” students read several words that they wrote on their sheets and review the principle. However, the lesson does not provide any decodable connected text. Furthermore, the lesson only provides practice for encoding words for the target skills. In the “Connect Learning” portion of “Spelling Patterns 5,” educators “Display a poem that includes words with final consonant clusters and digraphs,” but the lesson does not provide connected text. There is no cumulative practice for encoding words using the sound–spelling patterns in isolation or in connected texts to develop automaticity.

Each lesson in Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 3 focuses on using letter–sound relationships to support spelling but does not provide opportunities to practice previously learned sound–spelling patterns for cumulative practice. For example, in the “Spelling Strategies” lesson for the text Sweet Medicine, students use letter–sound relationships to spell isolated words including eat, five, should, and once. The lesson prompts educators to “Tell students to write the word eat. What is the first sound? What letter should come first? Next?” and then repeat the process with additional words. While students apply letter–sound knowledge to spell words, the lesson does not target a specific grade-level spelling pattern such as multisyllabic word patterns, affixes, or more complex orthographic conventions. Instead, the focus remains on identifying beginning, middle, and ending sounds in isolated words. As a result, the activity does not demonstrate systematic, cumulative instruction in increasingly complex sound–spelling patterns expected for grade 3 students.

Evaluation for 4.A.3d
Student practice includes only sound-spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught.

The Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 3 materials provide numerous Guided Reading lessons that use non-decodable texts containing various sound–spelling patterns not taught in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3. As a result, students encounter and practice sound–spelling patterns during Guided Reading before receiving explicit instruction in those patterns during phonics, spelling, and word-study lessons.

In the Guided Reading lesson “How to Find a Prince,” the “Word Work” section teaches students to divide words containing double consonants such as poppy, better, happy, and summer into syllables using the “Syllable Boxes” routine. However, students are also asked to read and write the high-frequency words should, through, and really, and to complete a “Dictate-Write-Read” sentence containing those words: “Princess Poppy learned what she should really do.” The lesson does not provide explicit instruction for the complex sound–spelling patterns contained in these words prior to student practice. For example, should and through contain irregular vowel and orthographic patterns that extend beyond the taught double-consonant syllabication principle. Because students practice words containing sound–spelling patterns that are not explicitly taught within the lesson, student practice is not limited to only explicitly taught sound–spelling patterns.

Evaluation for 4.B.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

While the Comprehensive Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Guide includes a sequence of high-frequency word recognition behaviors and provides lists of 100, 200, and 500 high-frequency words, the evidence does not demonstrate a clear, specific grade 3 progression for introducing and revisiting regular and irregular high-frequency words. The high-frequency word behaviors span grades PreK–8 rather than identifying grade 3 expectations. The Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3 materials include only six high-frequency words lessons, resulting in the introduction of many words within a single lesson. Although students engage with high-frequency words through reading, writing, and word-study activities, the materials do not clearly show how instruction progresses from regular decodable words to increasingly complex regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list.

The materials do not demonstrate a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with the grade-level TEKS, as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. The materials reference high-frequency words embedded within Guided Reading lessons, where selected words are identified for reading and writing during phonics/word work activities. However, the evidence does not establish a clear progression of high-frequency word instruction across the grade level. For example, in lessons “Daniel and the Walking Fish” (level I), students read and write the high-frequency words their, they, have, and live; in “Raining Frogs” (level I), students read and write they, were, why, and away; and in “Garbo’s Grudge” (level J), students read and write have, before, and good. The lesson presents various sets of words without selection criteria, differentiation between regular and irregular high-frequency words, or indication of how instruction builds in sequence or complexity over time. While Guided Reading lessons provide opportunities for students to engage with high-frequency words through reading and writing activities, they do not clearly articulate how regular and irregular high-frequency words are introduced, reviewed, and reinforced systematically to support cumulative learning and grade-level mastery.

Evaluation for 4.B.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The materials do not include direct instruction in decoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. For example, Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3 materials include only six “High-Frequency Words” lessons, resulting in the introduction of numerous words within a single lesson without explicit instruction in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. The lesson “High-Frequency Words 6” introduces students to seven high-frequency words. The lesson directs the educator to “Write brought on the whiteboard for the class to see. Ask, ‘What do you notice about the word brought?’ Students make comments. Erase the word, and write the word again. Use brought in a sentence to convey its meaning. Talk about a variety of details about the word. Draw seven empty letter boxes on the board. Invite a student to write the word brought using one letter per box. Try another word. Write favorite on the whiteboard for the class to see. ‘What do you notice about this word?’ Write the word using letter boxes. Continue with more words. Guide students to generalize the principle: It is important to learn to read and write high-frequency words.” While students encounter high-frequency words through observation and discussion, the lesson does not explicitly teach the regular sound–spelling correspondences, irregular spellings, or pronunciation–spelling relationships within the words, nor does it model a process for decoding and reading the words to mastery.

The materials include “Instructional Routines for Foundational Skills,” which outlines six steps for a high‑frequency word routine for grades K–3. The steps guide educators to introduce the word, say and track the word, find the word in text, write the word in multiple ways, check and rewrite the word, and make connections to other words. For example, the Guided Reading lesson card for “Garbo’s Grudge” identifies the lesson as a high-frequency word lesson, but the only instruction within the lesson card is the following: “If time permits, have students read and write high-frequency words have, before, good.” The lesson card provides no explicit instruction to prepare students to read and write these words, nor is there instruction in decoding or encoding. While the materials offer opportunities for students to encounter high-frequency words, this lesson does not provide explicit instruction in decoding or encoding them and instead relies on rote memorization.

Evaluation for 4.B.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level skills as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.

The materials include a high-frequency word list. However, the list is not aligned with grade-level skills and is based on each child’s “reading experiences and their level of word knowledge.” The words are taught in isolation in nine lessons within Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3. For example, Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3, HFW lesson 6 introduces the words brought and favorite. The words are not aligned to any overarching specific phonics grade-level skills and do not include the cumulative practice of decoding or encoding high-frequency words.

The materials do not demonstrate cumulative student practice in encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. For example, the Guided Reading lesson card refers to “Lily’s New Game” as a high-frequency word lesson. However, the only student practice within the lesson card states, “If time permits, have students read and write high-frequency words asked, called, dark, getting.” This isolated activity does not show intentional review of previously taught words or progression across lessons, nor does it include opportunities to practice encoding or applying words in connected decodable text. While students encounter high-frequency words through brief reading and writing tasks in Guided Reading lessons, the materials do not consistently provide opportunities to practice decoding and encoding newly introduced and previously taught words in isolation and within decodable connected text.

Evaluation for 4.B.3d
Student practice includes only regular and irregular high-frequency words that have been explicitly taught.

The materials provide opportunities for students to practice high-frequency words through phonics routines, games, and activities. However, in these activities, students read and/or spell high-frequency words that have not been introduced through explicit instruction. For example, since the Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3 materials provide only six high-frequency words lessons, students work with words that have not been explicitly taught. In HFW 5, the “Teach” section states, “Explain to students that you will help them think about words they know how to write as well as words they don’t know how to write or do not yet know. Show an example of a list of high-frequency words with several words highlighted. Look at the list of 200 High-Frequency Words you have. There are probably many words on this list that you know how to read. Select twenty or twenty-five words of varying difficulty, dictate them to students, and have students attempt to write them correctly on a numbered list. Then review the correct spelling of these words. Encourage students to choose from the list ten or fifteen unfamiliar words that they wish to learn.”

While the materials provide opportunities for students to practice high-frequency words through Guided Reading lesson cards that include brief reading and writing tasks, students practice words that have not been previously introduced through explicit instruction. For example, the Guided Reading lesson card for “Humphrey’s Shadow” identifies it as a high-frequency word lesson. However, the only student practice within the lesson card states, “If time permits, have students read and write high-frequency words before, after, even.” Due to the lack of a clear scope and sequence, there is no indication that these words have been previously explicitly taught.

Evaluation for 4.C.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable division principles in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

While the Comprehensive Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Guide includes 14 groups of syllable-related behaviors, beginning with foundational concepts such as understanding that a syllable contains one vowel sound, and progressing to recognizing and using syllable types and syllabication patterns, including open, closed, r-influenced, vowel combination, VCe, and consonant-le syllables, as well as VCCV, VCCCV, and VV patterns, there is not an intentional, cumulative sequence aligned to grade 3 expectations. Specifically, these behaviors are presented as a broad developmental continuum spanning multiple grade levels rather than a grade-specific scope and sequence, and the materials do not clearly identify which syllable-related behaviors are expected at grade 3 or how the progression aligns to the grade 3 TEKS. Although students engage with a range of syllable types, syllable-division patterns, and word-analysis skills, the materials do not clearly show how instruction systematically progresses from foundational to more complex syllable concepts or how the sequence supports mastery of grade-level expectations.

Although the Guided Reading, Grade 3 lessons include phonics instruction focused on isolated spelling patterns, short vowel and vowel team patterns, double consonants, and high-frequency words, there is no structured pathway for developing students’ understanding of syllable concepts over time. Specifically, across “Shadow Play”, “Finding a Forever Home”, and “Mike the Mountain Man” lessons, instruction focuses primarily on isolated phonics features such as double consonants, short vowel patterns in multisyllabic words, and vowel teams representing the /ou/ sound, while multisyllabic words that appear in the texts are not supported with systematic instruction in syllable types or syllable division principles. Although some lessons prompt students to “Break longer words into syllables” during reading, the materials do not provide explicit instruction in syllable types or a structured approach to syllable division patterns. Multisyllabic words—including rabbit, sister, rescue, butterfly, and cucumbers—appear within the lessons. While students may encounter multisyllabic words during reading, the materials do not include a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable-division principles.

Evaluation for 4.C.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

Although Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3 lesson WS 5 introduces syllable segmentation, it does not provide cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. The lesson directs educators to “Write the words enter and pencil” and have students clap the syllables, then present additional multisyllabic words icicle, cucumber, tornado, alligator, adorable, and watermelon and sort them by number of syllables. The practice focuses on syllable awareness rather than applying syllable types or syllable-division principles to decode and encode words. Although students engage in identifying and counting syllables, the lesson does not provide explicit modeling, guided practice, or direct instruction in using syllable patterns to decode unfamiliar one-syllable or multisyllabic words or to encode words through spelling.

Although the Guided Reading, Grade 3 lesson card for “Finding a Forever Home” introduces multisyllabic word practice, the instruction does not include how to apply syllable types or syllable-division principles for decoding and encoding. Specifically, the “Phonics/Letter and Word Work” section includes a short script directing educators to have students sound out multisyllabic words to spell them. While students are prompted to sound out words for spelling, the lesson does not include explicit instruction in syllable types or syllable division principles to support decoding or encoding. There is no modeling of how to break words into syllables, no identification of syllable patterns, and no guided application of syllable-based strategies during reading or spelling.

Evaluation for 4.C.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.

Although Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3 lesson WS 5 introduces syllable segmentation, the student practice focuses on identifying, counting, and sorting syllables rather than applying syllable types or syllable-division principles to decode and encode words. Specifically, the lesson directs educators to write the words enter and pencil and have students clap the syllables, then present additional multisyllabic words icicle, cucumber, tornado, alligator, adorable, and watermelon and sort them by number of syllables. While students identify, count, and sort syllables, the practice remains centered on syllable awareness rather than systematic application of syllable types or syllable-division principles for decoding and encoding. Students have no opportunities to practice reading and spelling words using previously taught patterns, nor do they apply these skills in decodable connected text. The lesson also lacks cumulative review and repeated application of previously taught skills.

Although the Guided Reading, Grade 3 lessons, including “Minnie Freeman’s Blizzard,” introduce decoding of the /ou/ sound in one- and multisyllable words, the student practice emphasizes isolated word reading rather than sustained application of phonics and syllable-based knowledge. Specifically, while students have opportunities to read similar words in isolation, the practice remains limited to word-level decoding without corresponding encoding tasks or application within connected decodable text. Although students engage in phonics practice connected to the targeted syllable type, the materials do not provide repeated opportunities to apply previously taught skills through structured practice, increased complexity, or a progression from guided to independent application. Furthermore, the lessons do not provide cumulative review or spiraling of previously taught syllable patterns, and reading selections do not serve as decodable connected text to reinforce phonics and word-analysis skills.

Evaluation for 4.C.3d
Student practice includes only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught.

While Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3 lesson WS 5 provides opportunities for students to engage with syllables through oral word-analysis activities, the lesson does not require students to apply previously taught syllable types or syllable-division principles during practice. Specifically, the lesson states, “Write the words enter and pencil on chart paper. Have students read the words with you and clap the syllables in each word. Ask, ‘What do you notice?’ Then write some three- and four-syllable words on chart paper, including icicle, cucumber, tornado, alligator, adorable, and watermelon. Ask, ‘How many syllables does the word icicle have?’ Repeat the process with the other words.” Although students identify and count syllables in educator-selected words, the materials do not provide explicit instruction in specific syllable types or syllable-division principles prior to student practice. Students do not apply previously taught syllable concepts or a defined syllable division routine when working with the words. Instead, the practice centers on general syllable awareness activities using educator-selected words, and there is no indication that syllable types or syllable division principles have been explicitly taught.

While the Guided Reading, Grade 3 lessons provide opportunities for students to work with multisyllabic words encountered in texts, the lessons do not require students to apply previously taught syllable types or syllable division principles during practice. Specifically, in the lesson card for “Fortune Cookie: A Surprise Inside,” students practice multisyllable words with short vowel patterns. However, the word tradition includes a final stable syllable that has not been explicitly taught prior to practice. Although students engage with multisyllable word reading, the materials do not ensure that practice is restricted to previously taught syllable types or syllable division principles. Instead, students encounter syllable patterns within text-based words without prior introduction. As a result, student practice does not include only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught.

Evaluation for 4.D.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

While the Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3 materials include a Master Lesson Guide outlining a suggested progression of word-study lessons that incorporate morphological elements such as prefixes, suffixes, and base words, there is no intentional, cumulative sequence for introducing and developing morphemic knowledge aligned to grade-level expectations. Specifically, morphemes are embedded within a broad developmental continuum rather than a clearly defined, grade-specific sequence. Although students engage with morphemes through work with prefixes, suffixes, and base words across lessons, the materials do not clearly show how instruction progresses systematically from foundational to more complex morphemes or how the sequence supports mastery of the grade-level TEKS.

The materials include a Guided Reading lesson, “Silly Day,” which focuses on the inflectional morpheme -ed. In the “Warm-Up: Word Study,” students examine the words combed, tripped, and nodded to learn that the ending -ed can represent different sounds. The “Phonics/Letter and Word Work” lesson continues this instruction by building base words and adding -ed to form past-tense verbs. Students apply the morpheme to form additional words such as bumped, stumbled, trickled, and pushed and discuss how the ending changes pronunciation. However, the materials lack a broader progression of morphological skills across the grade level. For example, this lesson represents a focused introduction and application of a single inflectional ending, with no indication of how other affixes, base words, or morphological structures are systematically introduced or revisited over time.

Evaluation for 4.D.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The materials do not include explicit (direct) instruction on morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. While Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3 lesson WS 14 offers opportunities for students to interact with morphemes by forming plural words, the instruction does not provide clear, direct teaching of the targeted morphological concept. Specifically, the lesson instructs educators to “Write the following words: dress, bush, box, wrench, buzz in a column on chart paper. Ask, ‘What do you notice about all of these words?’ How would you make the words plural? You would add an ‘es’ to the word. Repeat the procedure with a few more words. Tell students that they will choose twenty word cards and write the plurals of each word on a list sheet.” While students generate plurals, the instructional routine relies on noticing and applying a stated rule rather than systematically teaching the morphological structure. Although students encounter the inflectional ending -es and base words such as dress, bush, box, wrench, and buzz, the materials do not explicitly teach how morphemes function within words through a clear explanation of base word and suffix relationships or provide structured modeling that develops conceptual understanding of the rule. As a result, the materials do not include explicit (direct) instruction on morphological skills in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose.

The materials include the Guided Reading lesson “Silly Day,” in which students encounter words containing the inflectional ending -ed. However, the instruction emphasizes pronunciation and spelling patterns rather than directly teaching morphological structure or meaning. For example, during the “Warm-Up: Word Study,” students read the words combed, tripped, and nodded and identify the different sounds represented by -ed. Later, students read and build the words bumped, stumbled, trickled, and pushed. While students engage with morphemes through exposure to the inflectional ending -ed in past-tense verbs, the materials do not provide explicit instruction on morphological skills.

Evaluation for 4.D.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice of morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in connected text, to develop automaticity.

While Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study, Grade 3 lesson WS 14 provides opportunities for students to engage with morphological skills through forming plural nouns, the practice does not build cumulatively toward mastery of grade-level expectations. Specifically, the lesson instructs educators to “Write the following words: dress, bush, box, wrench, buzz in a column on chart paper. Ask, ‘What do you notice about all of these words?’ How would you make the words plural? You would add an -es to the word. Repeat the procedure with a few more words. Tell students that they will choose twenty word cards and write the plurals of each word on a list sheet.” However, the materials do not include structured opportunities for repeated application across lessons or within connected text. Although students practice adding the inflectional ending -es to base words such as dress, bush, box, wrench, and buzz, the materials do not include cumulative practice of morphological skills in isolation or connected text.

The materials include the Guided Reading lesson “Silly Day,” in which students read and discuss vocabulary from the selection that contains morphological features, including the inflectional ending -ed. However, this practice is limited in scope and does not demonstrate a systematic progression of morphological learning over time. For example, the lesson does not revisit previously taught prefixes, suffixes, inflectional endings, or base words through cumulative word-study activities, nor does it provide structured opportunities for students to apply morphological knowledge beyond the immediate lesson. Students do not build words, sort words by affixes, analyze word parts, or revisit previously taught morphology skills through review activities. While students encounter words with inflectional endings within the text, the materials do not include cumulative practice of morphological skills in isolated word study or connected text.

Evaluation for 4.D.3d
Student practice includes only morphemes that have been explicitly taught.

In The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3 lesson RML 7, students analyze words by covering the prefix or suffix and identifying the base word, using the prefix un- and the suffixes -ly and -ful. The lesson requires students to apply knowledge of these affixes while reading connected text. However, the materials do not indicate whether these specific affixes were explicitly taught prior to their application. Although the materials provide opportunities for students to engage with morphological analysis during reading, the lesson does not provide explicit instruction or clear references to prior instruction for the targeted affixes. Instead, students are expected to apply analysis of multiple affixes within connected text without prior explicit instruction or reinforcement.

Guided Reading Collection, Grade 3 includes opportunities for students to read and discuss words containing inflectional endings and other meaningful word parts in the Guided Reading lesson “Silly Day.” However, the instructional materials do not clearly establish that the morphemes included in student practice were taught through explicit instruction prior to application. For example, students encounter a variety of words containing inflectional endings and other meaningful word parts within the text, but the lesson does not provide explicit instruction on those morphemes before students read and discuss them. Word-study activities are tied to the selection vocabulary rather than previously taught prefixes, suffixes, or base words, and students do not analyze or apply only explicitly taught morphemes or morphological patterns during practice.

Evaluation for 5.1a
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on specific vocabulary using multiple strategies for teaching word meaning (e.g., student-friendly definitions, synonyms and antonyms, examples and non-examples, categorization and classification, images).

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials include some instruction on specific vocabulary and use various strategies to teach word meaning, but lack explicit instruction. For example, the lesson for The Magic Trash identifies vocabulary as a lesson goal by stating that students will “notice and acquire understanding of new vocabulary from the text (e.g., pried, deserted).” In the “Vocabulary” section, the lesson revisits the word pried and provides the student-friendly definition: “It means pulled apart,” before asking students how they can determine its meaning using the rest of the sentence and what they already know. The lesson also revisits the word deserted, asking students whether it means “full of people or empty” and prompting them to identify words on the page that help determine its meaning. The vocabulary instruction does not include a gradual release of responsibility, opportunities for ongoing review and practice, or guidance for educators to provide ongoing, purposeful feedback to deepen students’ understanding and application of the vocabulary.

The Guided Reading lesson for Coco’s Escape includes instruction on specific vocabulary but does not use three or more strategies to build word meaning. In the “Introducing the Text” section, the lesson includes a single vocabulary prompt: “Rosa complained that the kitchen was too hot. Say complained. What does it mean? Complained is another way to let you know how the character is talking.” The educator provides a student-friendly explanation of the word complained to support students’ understanding. However, the lesson references the vocabulary word only during the text introduction and does not incorporate additional strategies. The lesson does not provide explicit instruction to develop students’ understanding of word meaning.

Evaluation for 5.1b
Specific vocabulary selected for explicit (direct) instruction includes high-utility tier 2 and tier 3 academic vocabulary.

In the Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3 materials, the “Word Meaning/Vocabulary” lessons identify tier-3 academic vocabulary terms such as synonym, antonym, homophone, and homograph. However, the lessons do not provide explicit instruction to teach the meaning of these terms. For example, in lesson WMV 13, the “Teach” section introduces the concept of homographs through examples. However, the lesson does not explicitly define the term until bullet 6, which states, “Some words are spelled the same but have different meanings and origins. Sometimes they are pronounced differently. They are homographs.” Although students are provided with a basic definition and examples of the term, the materials do not include explicit instruction to deepen students’ understanding of the academic vocabulary through connections to prior learning, clearly stated learning objectives, ongoing opportunities for practice, or purposeful educator feedback.

The Guided Reading lesson “Under the Street” lacks explicit instruction for selected tier-2 and tier-3 academic vocabulary. In the “Book Characteristics” section, the lesson identifies vocabulary from the text, including water main, sewers, and cables. While these tier-3 domain-specific words are identified as important vocabulary within the text analysis, the lesson does not provide guidance for educators to explicitly teach their meanings before or during reading. Instead, the vocabulary is listed only as part of the text analysis without instructional routines or strategies to develop students’ understanding. Although the selected vocabulary is connected to the text, the lesson does not extend students’ understanding through explicit vocabulary instruction, such as student-friendly definitions, examples and non-examples, opportunities to apply the words in context, or other research-based strategies to support word learning.

Evaluation for 5.1c
Materials include repeated opportunities for students to practice using specific vocabulary in multiple contexts.

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials include some instruction over vocabulary words, but they do not include repeated opportunities for students to practice using the vocabulary in multiple contexts. In the lesson’s “Vocabulary” section for the book Our Seasons, a bullet point states, “Ask students to identify details in the first paragraph that help them understand what pigments are. Then turn to the glossary to confirm the definition. Have students use the same process to define and confirm the definition of chlorophyll. Repeat this process for other new vocabulary as needed.” While this guidance supports students in using text features, including the glossary, to determine word meanings, the materials do not provide repeated opportunities for students to practice applying vocabulary in multiple contexts or engaging with the words beyond the initial guided use within the lesson.

While vocabulary words are identified in the Guided Reading lessons, the materials do not include repeated opportunities for students to practice using specific vocabulary in multiple contexts as required by the grade 3 TEKS. For example, in the lesson for Under the Street, the “Goals” section suggests students “use details in text to understand new vocabulary,” including terms hydrant and cables. However, the materials do not extend this expectation into repeated practice or provide multiple contexts for students to actively use these words in speaking, writing, or additional reading experiences. In addition, the “Writing About Reading” component does not prompt students to incorporate these tier-2 and tier-3 vocabulary words into their written responses, further limiting opportunities for applied vocabulary use. As a result, students are not provided structured, ongoing opportunities to revisit, apply, or reuse targeted vocabulary across reading, writing, or discussion tasks. Vocabulary instruction remains largely text-bound without sufficient reinforcement in multiple contexts.

Evaluation for 5.2a
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on using morphemic analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3, lesson WS 21 provides limited instruction in morphemic analysis. For example, the lesson instructs the educator to use the prefix card re- and base word cards make, fill, and pack in a pocket chart. The instruction focuses on noticing prefixes, reading prefixed words, and participating in a word game such as “Follow the Path,” rather than explicitly teaching how morphemic analysis is used to determine word meaning. Students learn that a prefix appears at the beginning of a word and read additional re- words during the game. However, they do not systematically break apart words or apply morphemic analysis to infer meanings independently. While students encounter prefixes and read prefixed words in context, the lesson does not include explicit modeling or structured opportunities for students to use morphemic analysis to derive word meanings on their own. Therefore, the materials do not include explicit (direct) instruction on using morphemic analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with the grade-level TEKS.

In the Guided Reading, Grade 3 materials, the lesson for the book Alan Bean: Astronaut and Artist includes some instruction on morphemes and analyzing morphemes to determine word meaning. In the “Word Work” section, the educator introduces suffixes by stating, “A suffix is a letter or group of letters put at the end of a root or base word to change its meaning or its function in a sentence,” and uses the example beauty and beautiful to discuss the difference. The educator then directs students to locate words with suffixes in the text, such as colorful, information, and successful. While this lesson introduces suffixes through educator explanation and text examples, it does not include explicit instruction on using morphemic analysis to determine word meaning. Students do not have guided or independent practice identifying the root word and explaining how the suffix changes the word’s meaning.

Evaluation for 5.2b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice using morphemic analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The materials provide limited opportunities for students to practice morphemic analysis to determine the meanings of newly acquired words. For example, in the Guided Reading lesson for A Sweet Success: The Story of Mikaila Ulmer, the “Word Study” section directs the educator to “Help students understand and discuss the concept of a suffix using examples of words from the book” by explaining that “Some words have parts added to the end.” However, the only example provided in the educator narrative is the word computer. While this lesson introduces the concept of suffixes, it does not provide sufficient opportunities for students to engage in morphemic analysis in a sustained or systematic way. Students are not consistently supported to identify base words and suffixes, explain how a suffix changes a word’s meaning, or apply morphemic analysis to determine the meanings of additional unfamiliar words.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 3, lesson WS 22 introduces the prefixes un-, in-, dis-, and non- by providing definitions and examples of words containing each prefix. In the “Apply” section, students read word cards including unkind, incorrect, nonstop, and discover with a partner, sort the words by prefix, discuss their meanings, and consult a dictionary if a word is unfamiliar or its meaning is unclear. Students then write a sentence using the words. While students practice recognizing and sorting prefixed words, the activity focuses on word identification and categorization rather than using morphemic analysis to determine word meaning. Students are not explicitly required to identify the meanings of the individual morphemes and use those meanings to infer the meanings of unfamiliar words independently.

Evaluation for 5.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on using contextual analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3 includes lesson RML 10, which introduces students to using information within a sentence, paragraph, or elsewhere in a text to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. The lesson features the Shared Reading texts From Beans to Chocolate, A Meerkat Day, and Exploring Underground, prompting students to identify unfamiliar words, locate information elsewhere on the page, and explain how those clues help determine word meaning. Students also record unfamiliar words, context clues, and inferred meanings in their Reader’s Notebooks, while educators model deriving the meanings of unfamiliar words during subsequent Interactive Read-Alouds. However, the lesson primarily focuses on identifying synonyms and definitions provided within the text rather than providing explicit instruction in multiple forms of contextual analysis, including using definitions, synonyms, antonyms, or examples to determine word meaning as outlined in the grade-level TEKS. While students engage in discussion, educator modeling, and note-taking, the materials do not include sufficient explicit (direct) instruction on using contextual analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with grade-level expectations.

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials include instruction on using contextual analysis to determine word meaning in the lesson for Magic Trash. In the “Vocabulary” section, students revisit a page and are asked “What does the word pried mean? It means pulled apart. How can you figure out its meaning from the rest of the sentence and what you already know?” Students revisit another page and are asked “What does the word deserted mean? Does it mean full of people or empty? What words on the page can help you figure out the meaning?” While the lesson includes guided questions to support meaning-making, it does not provide explicit (direct) instruction in a structured strategy for using contextual analysis to determine word meaning. Instead, students respond to prompts that lead them to infer meaning without receiving systematic teaching of the skill.

Evaluation for 5.2d
Materials include opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

In the Interactive Read-Aloud lesson “I Love Guinea Pigs,” students discuss vocabulary in the “Reread and Revisit the Text” section. For example, “Vocabulary” guides educators to ask students about the meanings of the words hardy and comical. Although the lesson prompts discussion of word meanings, it does not provide students with opportunities to practice using contextual analysis to determine those meanings. Instead, the educator leads the discussion without a gradual release of responsibility or structured opportunities for students to independently apply contextual analysis across multiple examples. Therefore, the lesson does not provide sufficient opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with the grade-level TEKS.

Lesson RML 9 in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3 provides limited instruction on using contextual analysis to determine word meaning. The materials do not include sufficient opportunities for students to practice the skill beyond guided and limited independent work within the lesson. For example, in the “Have a Try” section, students apply the strategy on their own after educator modeling, and the educator creates an anchor chart for students to reference. The materials also encourage educators to have students practice the strategy during Independent Reading. However, the materials do not provide repeated, structured opportunities for students to independently apply contextual analysis across multiple lessons or texts with ongoing practice and reinforcement. Therefore, the lesson does not include sufficient opportunities for students to independently practice the skill over time.

Evaluation for 6.1a
Materials include modeling of fluent reading (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).

Although the materials provide opportunities for students to read aloud, they do not consistently direct the educator to model fluent reading before students practice the skill. For example, in the Shared Reading, Grade 3 lesson for From Beans to Chocolate, a fluency goal states, “Read orally with integration of all dimensions of fluency: pausing, phrasing, word stress, intonation, and rate.” While this indicates attention to multiple components of fluency, including prosody and rate, the materials do not include explicit educator prompts within the lesson to model all aspects of fluency, including accuracy. As a result, the lesson provides limited guidance for comprehensive fluency modeling prior to student practice.

While the materials provide opportunities for students to read aloud, they do not consistently direct the educator to model fluent reading before students practice the skill. For example, in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3, “Umbrella 3: Maintaining Fluency,” the educator models expression and phrasing through lessons including RML1, RML3, RML5, and RML6. While the lessons provide opportunities for modeled and Guided Reading focused on expression and phrasing, they do not include explicit educator modeling of reading rate or accuracy. Additionally, the lessons provide broad demonstrations of expression and phrasing but do not explicitly teach why or how prosodic features contribute to fluent reading. As a result, the materials provide fluency practice but do not include explicit modeling of fluent reading that encompasses rate, accuracy, and prosody prior to student application.

Evaluation for 6.1b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with word lists, phrases/sentences, and connected texts.

Although the materials include fluency activities, they do not provide practice across all three components. For example, in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 3, “Umbrella 3: Maintaining Fluency,” students participate in fluency activities including echo reading, rereading with partners, and choral reading. While these activities provide practice with connected text, the materials do not include explicitly designed word lists or sentence- and phrase-level practice for fluency development. Although the program includes resources such as the “Phonograms List,” “100 High-Frequency Words List,” poetry, and connected texts, these are not incorporated into explicit fluency lessons that provide structured practice with targeted word lists, specific phrases or sentences, or designated connected texts. As a result, the materials do not provide opportunities for students to practice fluency with word lists, phrases or sentences, and connected texts in a structured or comprehensive way. Therefore, the materials do not provide comprehensive opportunities for students to develop reading fluency through practice across all three components.

While the materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency, the practice is not comprehensive across word lists, phrases or sentences, and connected texts. For example, in the Guided Reading lesson for Parrot Talk, the “Reading the Text” section includes educator guidance that states, “Students will be reading silently, but you may want to sample the oral reading of a particular student.” Bullet 2 suggests, “Prompt by saying, ‘Read this smoothly with your eyes.’ When students read aloud with phrasing at a good rate, reinforce with ‘You read that smoothly.’” While this provides some guided practice with connected text during small-group reading, the materials do not include structured fluency practice using word lists, phrases, or sentences, nor do they provide additional connected texts for repeated or varied practice. As a result, the fluency instruction is limited in scope and does not support practice across all required components.

Evaluation for 6.1c
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level texts as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. Sing a Song of Poetry provides a collection of grade-level poems designed to develop fluent, phrased reading. The stated goal is to “provide the opportunity to participate in fluent, phrased reading,” and students are encouraged to reread poems using appropriate phrasing, pauses, stress, and intonation to build fluency. The Guided Reading Collection further provides opportunities for students to practice fluency with a wide variety of grade-level texts representing multiple genres including fiction, nonfiction, traditional literature, biography, and informational texts. Together, the poetry and Guided Reading components provide repeated opportunities for students to practice reading fluently across a diverse range of grade 3 texts.

Book Clubs materials provide students with a wide variety of grade-level texts across fiction and nonfiction genres. These include nearly two dozen fiction texts representing fantasy, realistic fiction, and folktales, as well as approximately 11 nonfiction texts including expository, memoir, and narrative formats. The materials provide opportunities for students to practice fluency with a broad range of grade-level texts appropriate for grade 3. Each text offers opportunities for students to engage with reading materials across genres during book club discussion.

Evaluation for 6.1d
Materials include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity.

The Guided Reading Collection provides grade 3 texts spanning levels J–V of the publisher’s leveled reading system. The collection includes approximately 150 texts with increasing levels of complexity in syntax, vocabulary, and meaning. The materials state that the classroom collection offers engaging texts of varying genres and levels of complexity so that all children will be able to find a book they can and want to read. Within the book list, texts include a range of structures such as chronological order, question-and-answer, and problem/solution. For example, From Joey to Kangaroo uses a chronological structure. If You Lived with the Iroquois uses a question-and-answer structure, and The Mystery of Mr. Nice uses a problem/solution structure. Together, these examples demonstrate that the materials include texts at varying levels of complexity across grade 3 independent reading resources, supporting students’ exposure to increasingly complex syntax, vocabulary, knowledge demands, and text structures.

The Fountas & Pinnell Classroom components include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. The Guided Reading Collection provides a broad range of texts that increase in complexity across Guided Reading levels and represent multiple genres, including fiction, nonfiction, biography, traditional literature, realistic fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, and informational texts. In addition, Sing a Song of Poetry offers a diverse collection of grade-level poems that expose students to a variety of poetic forms, language structures, and levels of text complexity while supporting fluent reading. Together, the Guided Reading and poetry components provide students with access to a wide variety of increasingly complex texts across multiple genres, supporting the development of reading proficiency through varied literary and informational experiences.

Evaluation for 6.1e
Materials include guidance for educators to provide feedback to students on reading fluency (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).

While the materials include an “Interactive Read-Aloud Recordkeeping Form” for tracking students’ behaviors during Interactive Read-Alouds, they do not include guidance for educators to provide feedback on students’ reading fluency, including rate, accuracy, and prosody. The observation form prompts educators to “Record behaviors such as responding, joining in when reading, making comments, using some of the language of the book, asking questions, and retelling the story.” These observations support monitoring student engagement and comprehension during interactive reading and do not direct educators to observe or document specific fluency behaviors such as reading rate, accuracy, phrasing, expression, or prosody. Furthermore, the materials do not provide guidance for using fluency observations to deliver targeted feedback that helps students improve their oral reading. As a result, the materials do not include sufficient guidance for educators to provide feedback on reading fluency based on student performance.

The Guided Reading, Grade 3 materials provide fluency support during reading lessons. However, they do not include sufficient guidance for educators to provide feedback to students on reading fluency, including rate, accuracy, and prosody. For example, in the Guided Reading lesson for Hide and Seek, the “Reading the Text” section prompts educators, “If a student is not demonstrating fluent reading, prompt with: Make your reading sound smooth. Reinforce with: You made your reading sound smooth.” While this provides limited feedback focused on prosody, it does not address other key components of fluency such as rate or accuracy, nor does it provide detailed instructional guidance for educator response. Additionally, the “Assessment” section directs educators to use a recording form to take a reading record and assess an individual’s processing, then select an immediate teaching point. However, this direction is broad and does not specifically guide educators in providing targeted fluency feedback based on student performance. As a result, the materials do not provide sufficient guidance for educators to provide feedback on reading fluency, including rate, accuracy, and prosody.

Evaluation for 8.1a
[English reading language arts] Materials include opportunities for students to read high-quality, grade-level, complex texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, in a variety of text types (e.g., literary, informational). [Spanish reading language arts] Materials include opportunities for students to read high-quality, grade-level, complex authentic or transadapted Spanish texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, in a variety of text types (e.g., literary, informational).

The Shared Reading, Grade 3 materials include opportunities for students to read, discuss, and write about high-quality, grade-level, complex literary and informational texts through authentic published works by established authors, including Naomi Shihab Nye, Bill Martin Jr., Patricia Polacco, and Gail Gibbons. The collection of texts exposes students to a variety of literary and informational text types, rich vocabulary, increasingly complex sentence structures, and discipline-specific language while engaging students in rereading, discussion, and written responses. Students analyze characters, themes, text structures, and authors’ craft through texts that integrate literary and informational elements. High-quality literature examples include Tiny but Fierce, which combines informational content about insects and animal survival with descriptive language; A Meerkat Day, which blends narrative techniques with informational content about animal behavior; Wolf Pack, which develops scientific understanding through domain-specific vocabulary and informational text structures; and Trapped in Tar, which introduces nonfiction text features while building background knowledge of scientific concepts. Together, these materials provide opportunities for students to engage with high-quality, grade-level, complex texts across literary and informational genres through reading, discussion, and writing.

The Guided Reading, Grade 3 materials provide students with opportunities to read, discuss, and respond in writing to high-quality, grade-level literary texts that increase in complexity through authentic published texts across fantasy, realistic fiction, and narrative genres that expose students to sophisticated vocabulary, varied sentence structures, and complex themes. During instruction, students participate in educator-facilitated discussions and close reading activities that emphasize comprehension, analysis, and higher-level thinking. Examples include How to Find a Prince, which requires students to analyze character motivations and fantasy story structure; The Secret of the Cliff, which promotes inferential thinking through problem-solving situations and character actions; The Green Leaf Club, which develops understanding of themes and character relationships; and Silly Days, which engages students in interpreting character interactions and story events. Through repeated opportunities to read, discuss, and write about increasingly complex literary texts, the materials support students’ development of comprehension and critical thinking using high-quality, grade-level reading selections.

Evaluation for 8.1b
Materials include a variety of high-quality texts at different levels of complexity.

The Shared Reading, Grade 3 materials include various high-quality texts at different levels of complexity that represent multiple literary and informational genres. Students engage with authentic published texts through reading, discussion, and writing as they analyze ideas, text structures, themes, and authors’ craft. Examples include From Beans to Chocolate, an expository nonfiction text that explains a real-world process through a question-and-answer structure, flow charts, photographs, captions, headings, and labels, requiring students to analyze text organization and synthesize information from multiple text features. Using Her Voice: A Biography of Mari Copeny presents a chronological biography that prompts students to analyze the author’s message, examine chronological organization, and infer how the subject’s actions created positive change. Harriet and Violeta: A Long-Distance Friendship increases literary complexity through a historical fiction narrative presented as letters between two characters, requiring students to interpret multiple perspectives, analyze authentic historical settings, and evaluate how dates, illustrations, and the structure contribute to meaning. Across the collection, students encounter texts that vary in genre, vocabulary, syntax, text structure, themes, and knowledge demands, providing meaningful opportunities to engage with high-quality texts at different levels of complexity.

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials provide students with opportunities to engage with high-quality texts that represent a range of genres, perspectives, themes, and text structures. Through educator-led discussions, close analysis, and writing activities, students examine authors’ craft, character development, illustrations, and theme while responding to increasingly complex texts. Examples include Back Home, which uses realistic fiction in a historical setting to explore family, identity, and belonging as students analyze character change, interpret Jerry Pinkney’s illustrations, and write from a character’s perspective. Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog blends historical events with realistic fiction, requiring students to distinguish historical fact from fictional storytelling while analyzing themes of loyalty, friendship, and loss through text evidence and discussion. Big Bad Bubble provides a contrasting fantasy experience through an imagined setting, playful language, dialogue, and humor as students analyze the author’s message, interpret illustrations and print features, and connect the story’s theme to personal experiences. Across the collection, students engage with increasingly complex texts that vary in genre, setting, vocabulary, syntax, perspective, themes, and text structures, supporting comprehension, analysis, discussion, and written responses.

Evaluation for 8.1c
Texts include content that is relevant, engaging, and authentically reflects students' diverse backgrounds and experiences.

The Shared Reading, Grade 3 materials include texts with content that is relevant, engaging, and authentically reflects students’ diverse backgrounds, cultures, languages, and experiences. The lessons provide opportunities for students to explore a variety of cultural traditions, family experiences, and historical perspectives while making meaningful connections to their own lives. Examples include Baseball for Bedros, which explores Armenian culture as students discuss family history, language, and cultural identity while making personal connections to their own traditions and relationships. Light My Way Home authentically portrays immigration and adapting to life in a new country through the celebration of Diwali, encouraging students to compare family traditions, explore cultural similarities and differences, and connect the story to their own experiences. Callaloo Soup presents a historical fiction account of the 1933 hurricane in Trinidad, highlighting cooperation, resilience, and cultural diversity as students examine multiple perspectives and discuss how communities come together during challenging times. Together, these texts provide authentic representations of diverse cultures, languages, traditions, and historical experiences, fostering empathy, personal connections, and an appreciation for multiple perspectives.

Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials include texts with content that is relevant, engaging, and authentically reflects students’ diverse backgrounds, cultures, languages, and family experiences. The lessons intentionally expose students to a variety of cultural traditions and perspectives while encouraging them to make meaningful connections between the texts and their own lives. Examples include Sitti’s Secrets, which introduces Palestinian culture through Arabic language, family traditions, and themes of peace, belonging, and maintaining relationships across distance. Mooncakes explores Chinese American culture by engaging students in learning about the Moon Festival, traditional foods, folktales, and customs while examining how celebrations and storytelling preserve cultural heritage. In My Momma’s Kitchen highlights the experiences of an African American family through everyday traditions, intergenerational relationships, and shared memories, prompting students to reflect on their own family experiences. Together, these texts provide authentic representations of diverse cultures and traditions while helping students develop empathy, appreciate multiple perspectives, and recognize the shared values that connect families across different backgrounds.

Evaluation for 8.2a
Materials activate or supply background knowledge.

The Shared Reading, Grade 3 materials include opportunities to activate and build students’ background knowledge before and after reading to support comprehension. Before students read Bats Aren’t Bad, the lesson intentionally engages students in discussions that connect the text to their existing knowledge and experiences while preparing them to develop new understanding of the topic. During the “Introduce the Text” section, students discuss what they already know about bats, examine common misconceptions about bats, and connect the text to previously read titles, including Crows Aren’t Creepy and Snakes Aren’t Slimy. Students are also prompted to predict why some people may think bats are “bad” before reading the author’s note and the text. Following the reading, students extend their background knowledge by creating a shared list of bat facts and conducting research on bat species. These activities intentionally activate prior knowledge, introduce new content, and support students in developing a deeper understanding of bats and their role in nature.

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials include opportunities to activate students’ background knowledge before reading through purposeful discussion and text introduction activities. In the lesson “Last Day Blues,” students draw on their own experiences with the end of the school year as they discuss what they might remember or miss about school. During the “Introduce the Text” section, students examine the cover, make predictions, and connect their personal experiences to the themes and events they anticipate in the story. The discussion prompts encourage students to reflect on familiar experiences related to school routines, educators, and end-of-year emotions before engaging with the text. These planned activities support comprehension by helping students make connections between their existing knowledge and the ideas presented in the story.

Evaluation for 8.2b
Materials include pre-teaching of unfamiliar vocabulary in texts.

The Guided Reading, Grade 3 materials do not consistently provide pre-teaching of unfamiliar vocabulary before students engage with a text. The lesson “The Fish That Wouldn’t Swim” references vocabulary including tank, flapped, and goldfish during instruction. However, the lesson does not include explicit vocabulary instruction before reading. During the introduction, students discuss the contraction I’ll and consider the adjective laziest in context. The guidance also supports emergent bilingual students, ensuring that all students understand words including seaweed and stuff. However, the lesson does not provide student-friendly definitions, vocabulary previews, semantic mapping, examples, visuals, or other explicit instructional routines designed to build word meaning before students encounter the text.

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials do not consistently provide explicit pre-teaching of unfamiliar vocabulary before students engage with a text. For example, the lesson “I Love Guinea Pigs” introduces students to the topic of guinea pigs during the “Introducing the Text” section and discusses students’ prior knowledge. However, the lesson does not include pre-teaching of the science content vocabulary students will encounter while reading. While “Vocabulary” asks students to determine the meaning of hardy using context and directs educators to ensure students understand words such as boars, sows, rodents, hutch, and litter, these content-specific terms are not explicitly introduced or taught before students encounter them in the text. The lesson does not provide student-friendly definitions, examples, visuals, semantic mapping, or other instructional routines to build understanding of the science vocabulary prior to reading.

Evaluation for 8.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on using contextual analysis to determine the word meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in texts in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials do not include explicit instruction on using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. In the lesson “The Can Man,” students discuss vocabulary, use textual and visual clues to identify the meaning of reduced price, and define crate. However, the lesson does not explicitly teach students how to apply context clues as a transferable strategy for determining word meaning. The materials do not include educator modeling of how to identify surrounding words, sentence clues, or multiple pieces of contextual information to infer meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary. Additionally, discussion of descriptive language including whizzed up, bumped the bags, crackled, and clanked focuses on creating visual images rather than analyzing context clues to determine word meanings. Although students engage in vocabulary discussions, the lesson lacks explicit modeling, guided practice, and systematic instruction in using contextual analysis as a strategy for determining unfamiliar word meanings.

The Guided Reading, Grade 3 materials do not include explicit instruction on using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. In the lesson “Lily’s Grouchy Day,” students infer the meaning of the word moaned using the illustration and story context. However, the lesson does not provide direct instruction on how to apply contextual analysis as a strategy for determining word meaning. The materials do not include educator modeling of identifying context clues, explanations of how surrounding words or sentences contribute to meaning, or guided practice in applying contextual analysis to unfamiliar vocabulary. Although students discuss the meaning of moaned, they are not explicitly taught a transferable strategy for using context clues to determine unfamiliar word meanings.

Evaluation for 8.2d
Materials include opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine word meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in texts in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials do not include opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. In the lesson “Stellaluna,” students engage in educator-guided discussions of vocabulary words including flump, clutched, swooped, and clambered. However, the lesson primarily relies on educator explanation, questioning, and demonstrations rather than providing structured opportunities for students to independently apply contextual analysis. The lesson does not prompt students consistently to use surrounding words, sentences, illustrations, or other context clues from the text to infer word meanings. As a result, students have limited opportunities to practice using contextual analysis as a strategy for determining unfamiliar vocabulary meanings in alignment with grade-level expectations.

The Shared Reading, Grade 3 materials do not provide opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. The lesson “Saving Cranes,” identifies vocabulary words including trumpeting, pointy, hatching, wetlands, swampy, and flock, encouraging educators to use examples to support students’ understanding. However, the lesson does not provide structured opportunities for students to apply contextual analysis by using surrounding words, phrases, sentences, or other text clues to independently infer word meanings. Instead, vocabulary instruction relies primarily on educator explanation and discussion rather than guided or independent practice using context as a word-solving strategy. As a result, students do not receive opportunities to practice using contextual analysis to determine unfamiliar vocabulary meanings in alignment with grade-level expectations.

Evaluation for 8.3a
Materials include systematic and explicit (direct) instruction on reading comprehension skills at multiple levels (i.e., literal, inferential, evaluative) in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials do not include systematic instruction on reading comprehension skills across multiple levels of comprehension, including literal, inferential, and evaluative understanding. In the lesson “Verdi,” students engage in comprehension discussions through questions and prompts provided throughout the lesson. However, the materials do not consistently provide explicit instruction that teaches comprehension strategies before students apply them. During the “Discuss the Text” section, students respond to questions and prompts including “What was Verdi like at the beginning of the story? What was he like at the end? Why did he change? But what didn’t change?” and “Let’s look at a few of Janell Cannon’s illustrations. What do you notice? Which parts show this is a jungle? Which details help you understand the setting?” In the “Reread and Revisit the Text” section, students answer questions such as “How do these words help you understand the characters?” and “How did you figure that out?” While these prompts require students to demonstrate literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension, the lesson does not include explicit modeling, step-by-step instruction, or guided practice that develops comprehension strategies before students are expected to respond.

The Guided Reading, Grade 3 materials do not include systematic instruction on reading comprehension skills across multiple levels of comprehension, including literal, inferential, and evaluative understanding. In the lesson “Ava and the Spider,” students discuss story events, characters, and the author’s message through educator prompts. However, the lesson does not consistently provide explicit instruction that develops the comprehension strategies students must use. During the “Introducing the Text” section, students make predictions and discuss vocabulary and illustrations, while the “Discussing and Revisiting the Text” section includes questions such as “What is Wade’s problem? What is Ava’s problem?”, “Do you think Wade will change his mind about spiders?”, and “What is the author’s main message in this story?” Although these prompts encourage students to demonstrate literal, inferential, and evaluative thinking, the lesson does not include explicit modeling, guided practice, or a sequenced instructional approach for teaching students how to apply comprehension strategies. Instead, students are asked to respond to questions without direct instruction on how to develop the skills needed to analyze and interpret the text.

Evaluation for 8.3b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading comprehension skills at multiple levels (i.e., literal, inferential, evaluative) with a variety of grade-level texts in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Guided Reading, Grade 3 materials provide opportunities for students to practice reading comprehension skills across multiple levels, including literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension, through engagement with grade-level texts. In the lesson “No Green Things,” students engage with a literary text and participate in discussions that require them to analyze story elements, characters, and author’s craft before, during, and after reading. During the “Introducing the Text” section, students activate prior knowledge and make predictions by examining the title and illustrations and considering the story problem through questions such as “What do you think the problem in this book will be?” During the “Discussing and Revisiting the Text” section, students respond to literal questions about the problem, sequence of events, and resolution, including “What was the problem? What happened?” Students also answer inferential questions that require them to use evidence from the text and illustrations to analyze characters’ feelings and motivations, including “What can you tell about the way Oggie feels from his words and the picture?” and “What do you learn from the picture that you don’t from the words?” Additionally, students engage in evaluative thinking by discussing questions such as “What messages do you think the writer wanted to share in this story?” The lesson further extends comprehension through the “Teaching Point,” in which students discuss characteristics of fantasy and analyze how the author creates humor through specific writing choices. These opportunities allow students to practice applying comprehension skills at literal, inferential, and evaluative levels while engaging with a grade-level literary text.

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 3 materials provide opportunities for students to practice reading comprehension skills across multiple levels, including literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension, through engagement with grade-level texts. In the lesson “My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother,” students interact with a realistic fiction text and participate in discussions that require them to analyze story elements, characters, and themes throughout the “Read the Text,” “Discuss the Text,” and “Reread and Revisit the Text” sections. Students respond to literal comprehension questions by recalling key events and describing changes in Tricia’s feelings throughout the story. Students also engage in inferential thinking by explaining character motivations, including why Richard carried Tricia home and how events shaped Tricia’s understanding of her brother. Additionally, students respond to evaluative questions by discussing the story’s message about family relationships and connecting the theme to their own experiences. Students further deepen comprehension by analyzing illustrations, comparing the fictional story to Patricia Polacco’s real-life experiences and supporting their ideas with evidence from the text. These repeated opportunities allow students to practice applying comprehension skills at literal, inferential, and evaluative levels while engaging with a grade-level literary text.