Fountas & Pinnell Classroom (FPC), Grade 4

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 4 states that its “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, 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 4, 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.

Digital resources include a 180-day plan that explicitly details daily lesson sequences across various program components. The resources do 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 4, 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, Reader’s Workshops, and Writer’s workshops. 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 4, 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 Writer’s 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” to support educators in understanding the materials included in the program and how to organize them.

The online materials include an interactive implementation plan to support educators with implementation. The implementation plan contains four steps: “define your vision and values,” “set goals,” “get to know the Fountas and Pinnell Classroom system,” and “plan your 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, Grade 4 materials include a “Caregiver Letter” available in English, Spanish, and additional 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 parents can support literacy at home. However, the letter does not provide specific suggestions for supporting student learning throughout the program.

The Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 provides “Caregiver Letters” that explain the program to parents in various languages. However, the materials do 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 4 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, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 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 4 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, but does 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 Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4.

Within the Interactive Read-Aloud Collection Guide, Grade 4, a general purpose is to “gain important information by observing children as they participate in Interactive Read-Aloud discussions.” However, this guidance is not specific to 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.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, the materials provide guidance for the consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments. In the section titled “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 4 materials provide guidance for educators to administer formative assessments, including observational guiding questions.

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

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 identifies lessons as falling in the early, middle, or late stage of development. However, the “Assessment” section does not provide explicit guidance for educators on how to ensure that assessments include varying levels of complexity aligned to those developmental stages. For example, it states instructions such as “Notice whether children are able to recognize high frequency words with three or more letters” but offers no guidance for ensuring that assessment words vary in complexity.

While The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 4 includes some oral assessments, they do 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 the educator 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, in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, lesson LSR 3, the assessment is to “Notice whether students can quickly and accurately read words with vowels followed by the letter r.” However, the assessment offers no guidance for interpreting those student responses or student performance.

While Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 contains assessments for spelling patterns that provide resources and information for giving each assessment, 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.

The Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 materials include tracking sheets for educators to note whether students can demonstrate specific skills. However, there is no guidance on how to score, track, and/or respond to the data nor 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.

Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 4 provides 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, educators are encouraged 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,” but the materials do not provide guidance on how educators should interpret or respond to assessment data. Furthermore, 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 FPC Independent Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 materials include an “Independent Reading Recordkeeping Form” for educators. The form has spaces to record student names, days of the week, and comments. While the program includes an “Independent Reading Tracking Sheet” for students to record books read during Independent Reading, it does not track all literacy skill growth throughout the year.

The Independent Reading, Grade 4 materials do not include tools for students to 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 growth in 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 4, each lesson includes a section titled “Consider Your Children.” However, the section only provides general guidance for educators on differentiating instruction. For example, in the Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 LSR 2, the guidance states, “If students are unfamiliar with this principle, you can present the lesson over several days and teach one vowel combination at a time.” These guidelines are general and do not specify how to 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 4 lesson “The Other Side” advises, “Consider the strengths and needs of your children and the demands of the text as you introduce and read the book.”

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 suggestions for activities to use with students. However, this section does not distinguish whether it provides guidance for differentiated instruction for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills. For example, in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, lesson SP3 states, “Challenge students to add words with the -oth pattern to the class chart.”

Lessons in Shared Reading, Grade 4 include an option for “Additional Teaching Opportunities During/After Reading.” For example, in “Eyewitness,” the guidance states, “Have students practice reading the story as smoothly as possible, integrating all the elements of fluency, including rate, pausing, phrasing, stress, and intonation.” However, the lessons lack specific educator 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.

The materials do not provide any guidance for students receiving special education supports. While educators are prompted to “Consider Your Children” when planning phonics and word study lessons, there is no further educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction. For example, in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, LSR7 states, “As students are learning the rules of capitalization, you may find it helpful to hang the lesson chart on the wall for students to reference.”

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 educator prompts to support educators. For example, in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 4, LA.U1.RML1 asks students to “Choose a book you would like to read and talk about.” Then, the “Summarize and Apply” section offers prompts such as “We talked about different reasons you might choose a book for your book club meeting,” and “During independent reading today, fill out the slip of paper to show your preferences for a book club book. Number the books in the order you want to read them. Number one will be your first choice.”

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, Phonics, Spelling, & Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson SP14 provides a numbered list with modeled language and prompts as the lesson progresses. The second question on the list, “What do you notice about all of the words?”, includes the answer “The last syllable in each word does not have a short or a long vowel sound. Each word ends in a vowel sound that is unique.”

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

The materials include guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using various instructional approaches. The “Apply” section of Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson SP14 prompts educators to “Have students sort the cards independently. It may be helpful to remind students that they should focus on the phonogram at the ends of the words to complete the sort.” Under “Share,” guidance language suggests, “Invite students to share the words they added to their four-way sorts.”

Shared Reading, Grade 4 provides educator-facing lesson plans for all lessons in the program. The introduction to each new material lesson includes information on “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.” Educators can use these lessons to introduce a concept and model through direct instruction. The lessons also provide a variety of instructional approaches such as educator modeling, student partnering to practice comprehension skills, and independent skill application.

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 includes specific educator guidance and recommendations for delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional materials. For example, in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 4, LA.U22.RML 8 notes, “Fairy tales often have romance and adventure.” There are prompts embedded in the lesson such as, “Turn and talk about the romance and adventure you notice in this book. What did you notice about fairy tales today?” These prompts support educators in guiding student thinking and discussion. Additional guidance explaining how to facilitate partner discussions, analyze an anchor chart, summarize the learning, and reinforce the skill is also included.

The FPC Book Clubs Collection Guide, Grade 4 includes educators guidance for whole-group, small-group, and individual classroom structures to support effective implementation. For example, the guide prompts educators to “Introduce the four titles from the text set to the whole class” before reading and to note that “Some children may be able to read the text independently” during reading. “After Reading” 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.

The Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 materials include a section before each lesson titled “Working with English Language Learners” that provides guidance on using strategies for emergent bilingual students, but does not give differentiated guidance to support two or more levels of language proficiency as defined by the ELPS. For example, lesson WMV9 states, “Pay particular attention to whether English language learners know the words you are using in the lesson and have experienced more than one meaning of each word in their talking and reading.” 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, noting 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. Although 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 4 provides no guidance to support emergent bilingual students. While “Academic Language/Important Vocabulary” appears in the sidebar of each lesson, the information is general and does not provide educator guidance in effectively using the materials. For example, the bulleted list of words in RML includes realistic, historical, science fiction, traditional literature, fantasy, realism, and genre. There are no definitions, visuals, or guidance on how to use those words to support emergent bilingual students in the classroom.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 provides a general overview section for working with emergent bilingual students titled “What Are Some Ways of Working Effectively with English Language Learners.” The section is broken into subsections “Oral Language,” “Reading,” “Writing,” and “Phonics and Word Study.” The statements and strategies for each lesson are general and do not offer any guidance to educators or tools for effective classroom implementation. For example, under the “Reading” subsection, the guidance states, “Watch for signs of enjoyment and reread some favorites.” There are no resources or assistance for delivering lessons with specific scaffolds to support emergent bilingual 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.

No evidence of three-cueing as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062 was found in this program.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, the Master Lesson Guide organizes instruction across letter–sound relationships, spelling patterns, high-frequency words, word meaning, word structure, and word-solving actions. While this outline suggests a general progression, it does not provide a clearly systematic or research-based sequence for phonics instruction. For example, LSR 1, “Recognize and Use a Letter or Letter Combinations That Represent the /o/ Vowel Sound,” introduces varied /o/ spellings in words such as also, naughty, straw, and halt. LSR 2, “Recognize and Use Letter Combinations That Represent Two Different Vowel Sounds,” moves to vowel teams such as team, steak, reach, and great. LSR 3, “Recognize and Use Vowel Sounds with r,” introduces r-controlled vowels in words such as prepare, dairy, and sparkle. However, the materials do not explain why these patterns are introduced in this order or show a clear progression aligned to a research-based phonics scope and sequence.

There is no systematic sequence for introducing spelling patterns in alignment with the grade 4 TEKS. For example, in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 4, only six lessons are designed to teach students how to break apart multisyllabic words. There is no specific guidance for the educator on sequencing the teaching of sound–spelling patterns in alignment with the grade-level TEKS. The materials use a mixed set of spelling patterns that are not sequenced by difficulty or frequency.

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 4, LSR 5, “Recognize and Use Less Frequent Consonant Digraphs at the Beginning or End of a Word,” does not include explicit (direct) instruction or educator modeling of how to decode the target sound–spelling pattern before students read words containing the pattern. Step 1 of the “Teach” section instructs the educator to write a randomized list of words on a whiteboard, including phobia, paragraph, triumph, phantom, autograph, phrase, and phase. The educator then asks students to read each word aloud. This reading task occurs before the educator introduces, models, or discusses the target consonant digraph /ph/ or its sound–spelling alignment. Furthermore, the lesson does not provide encoding opportunities in which students generate, spell, or write words containing the target digraph to apply the sound–spelling pattern.

In the Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, “Word Work” in the Guided Reading lesson “My Brother the Dragon” provides exposure to breaking apart words with open and closed syllables to support decoding. However, the lesson does not include explicit (direct) instruction in the targeted syllable patterns. It lacks educator modeling of the skill and a clear explanation of the concept. The lesson does not demonstrate a gradual release of responsibility, nor does it guide students from modeled instruction to supported practice and independent application. Furthermore, there are no consistent opportunities for ongoing feedback, systematic review, or repeated practice of the syllable patterns across the lesson. While students engage in decoding multisyllabic words using open and closed syllables, the lesson does not include corresponding encoding practice, such as spelling, constructing, or writing multisyllabic words using the same patterns. The text used in the lesson is also below grade 4 reading level and does not align with the TEKS expectations for supporting grade-level instruction. As a result, the materials do not meet the criteria for providing sufficient instructional support and practice to develop mastery of the targeted skill.

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.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, each lesson introduces a new sound–spelling pattern but offers no opportunities to practice previously taught patterns, making student practice noncumulative. The lessons include activities and resources in which students read from word lists, flashcards, and word sorts. However, the materials do not provide cumulative encoding opportunities in which students spell, write, or generate words using newly introduced and previously taught sound–spelling patterns. The materials do not include practice in connected decodable texts, and every lesson is not aligned to the grade 4 TEKS.

Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 “Word Work” for the lesson “Trouble” focuses on analyzing the syllabication of plural nouns such as windows, dishes, and parties. Students identify how the words are alike, and the educator notes that the endings -s, -es, -ies provide clues that the words are plural nouns. Students then say and tap the words and respond to educator questions about where to break each word, with the educator modeling correct segmentation by drawing slashes after student responses. While students identify and orally segment words containing the target spelling patterns, the lesson does not include encoding activities in which students spell, construct, or write additional words using the same sound–spelling patterns. In addition, instruction is fully educator directed and does not include cumulative practice that connects previously taught sound–spelling patterns or applies them in increasingly independent tasks. The lesson also does not provide decodable connected text designed for repeated, controlled practice of the targeted patterns. As a result, the materials do not provide cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding words using sound–spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS.

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

Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 contains a large collection of Guided Reading lessons that use non-decodable texts with various sound–spelling patterns not taught in the Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 materials. As a result, students encounter and practice reading sound–spelling patterns during Guided Reading before receiving explicit instruction in those patterns during phonics, spelling, and word-study lessons.

The materials do not ensure that activities are restricted to only sound–spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught. For example, in Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, the “The First Emoticon” contains a “Word Work” section in which the educator models how to break apart multisyllabic words using open and closed syllable rules. The lesson includes words such as lemon, medal, planet, product, travel, favor, and human. Students practice dividing similar words such as labor, navy, and unit. However, the materials lack a structured scope and sequence to ensure that students have previously mastered these vowel patterns or syllable division types before they apply them. The accompanying text is a leveled narrative, nonfiction book that introduces complex vocabulary words such as coworkers, parenthesis, and technology that increase task difficulty by assigning spelling patterns outside the instructional sequence.

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 materials devote three lessons to high-frequency words, the lessons lack a clear and systematic progression for introducing and revisiting high-frequency words. In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, lesson HFW 1, “Develop and Use Strategies for Acquiring a Large Core of High-Frequency Words,” encourages the educator to use only one page from the “500 High-Frequency Words” list provided. This list presents the words in alphabetical order without referencing that they have been identified through linguistic research and large-text analysis. Although students engage with high-frequency words through reading and writing activities, the choice of which words to use in the lesson is left to the educator, and there is no explicit guidance on sequencing teaching to ensure learning builds progressively. 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. Additionally, the lesson recommends that the educator “Reuse this lesson several times, cycling through a variety of high-frequency words.”

The materials include the Comprehensive Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Guide, which outlines high-frequency word recognition behaviors and provides lists of 100, 200, and 500 high-frequency words, as well as grade 4 phonics, spelling, and word-study lessons that incorporate high-frequency word instruction. However, the materials lack a clear progression of high-frequency word instruction across the grade level. For example, the high-frequency word recognition behaviors span grades pre-K–8 rather than identifying grade 4 expectations. Also, the grade 4 materials include only three high-frequency word lessons, resulting in the introduction of numerous words in a single lesson without a clearly defined sequence for revisiting or building upon previously taught words. While the materials provide opportunities for students to engage with high-frequency words through reading, writing, and word-study activities, they do not clearly articulate how regular and irregular high-frequency words are introduced, reviewed, and reinforced in a systematic manner to support cumulative learning and grade-level mastery. Furthermore, the materials do not clearly demonstrate how instruction progresses from regular decodable words to increasingly complex regular and irregular high-frequency words drawn from a research-based list.

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 include opportunities for students to work with high-frequency words during Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, such as HFW 2, in which students read and write a set of six high-frequency words. The text suggests that educators reuse the lesson several times, cycling through additional words. However, students do not receive direct instruction in decoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. For example, the materials provide explicit instruction for encoding high-frequency words, but do not include educator modeling or direct instruction to teach students how to decode regular and irregular high-frequency words before practice. Additionally, the materials refer to irregular spelling patterns as “spelling demons” rather than explicitly teaching students to analyze irregular letter–sound correspondences, which is not aligned with the grade-level TEKS. While the materials provide opportunities for students to encounter high-frequency words through reading, writing, and word-study activities, they do not consistently include explicit instruction that teaches students how to decode these words, including attention to regular sound–spelling patterns and irregular letter–sound correspondences.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 HFW 3, students identify and correct misspelled high-frequency words in a provided paragraph. However, students do not receive direct instruction in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. For example, in the “Teach” section, the educator reads the paragraph aloud, points to the misspelled word believes, and asks students how they know it is spelled incorrectly. The educator then asks students how they would correct it before repeating the procedure with the words special, favorite, trouble, and different. While this activity develops students’ abilities to recognize and correct spelling errors, it does not include explicit educator modeling or instruction on how to decode or encode regular and irregular high-frequency words using phoneme–grapheme correspondences, spelling patterns, or a systematic, research-based high-frequency word list. Furthermore, although the materials provide opportunities for students to encounter high-frequency words through word-recognition and spelling-correction activities, they do not consistently include explicit instruction that teaches students how to decode and encode these words, including attention to regular sound–spelling patterns and irregular letter–sound correspondences.

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.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 includes high-frequency word activities. For example, in HFW 3, students practice encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words as they are introduced. However, students do not engage in cumulative practice that systematically revisits and reinforces previously taught high-frequency words over time. While students practice encoding high-frequency words within the lesson in which they are introduced, the materials do not provide ongoing opportunities to revisit and practice decoding previously taught regular and irregular high-frequency words in isolation to develop automaticity. Furthermore, the materials do not include decodable connected texts that incorporate newly introduced and previously taught high-frequency words with educator-led or independent practice opportunities, limiting students’ abilities to apply these words in connected reading. While students encounter high-frequency words through spelling and word-study activities, the materials do not consistently provide cumulative opportunities to practice decoding and encoding newly introduced and previously taught regular and irregular high-frequency words in isolation and within decodable connected text.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 includes high-frequency word instruction. For example, in lesson HFW 2, students read, write, and discuss high-frequency words during isolated word-study activities. However, students do not engage in cumulative practice that systematically revisits and reinforces previously taught high-frequency words over time. In step 3 of the lesson, the educator prompts, “You want to remember what although looks like. What do you notice about the spelling of although that you would want to remember?” The lesson directs students to rely on visual memory strategies to remember irregular high-frequency words but does not provide explicit or systematic instruction for analyzing the regular and irregular features of the words. In addition, the materials do not provide opportunities for students to revisit previously taught high-frequency words across lessons or to practice decoding and encoding these words within decodable connected text to build automaticity. While students encounter high-frequency words through isolated reading, writing, and word-study activities, 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.

While the materials provide opportunities for students to practice high-frequency words through partner activities and spelling tasks, the evidence indicates that students are asked to read and/or spell high-frequency words that have not been previously introduced through explicit instruction. For example, in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Lessons, Grade 4 lesson HFW 3, students use word cards with a partner to identify misspelled words and then rewrite them correctly on lined paper. The lesson includes the words believes, special, favorite, and trouble. However, it does not provide explicit (direct) instruction on the regular or irregular spelling patterns represented by these words. Instead, the lesson focuses on helping students “understand and articulate the principle,” stating “You should try to notice misspelled words and rewrite them correctly.” Furthermore, the materials do not include a scope and sequence or other guidance indicating which regular or irregular high-frequency word patterns should have been explicitly taught prior to the lesson.

The materials provide opportunities for students to practice high-frequency words through lessons focused on recognizing and correcting commonly misspelled words. However, the materials prompt students to engage with words in ways that are not clearly limited to previously explicitly taught high-frequency words. For example, in lesson HFW 3 of Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, the “Extend Learning” section directs students to “swap pieces of their independent writing in order to look for spelling errors.” This activity requires students to analyze peer writing for spelling mistakes and apply correction strategies to words that are not explicitly identified as part of the taught high-frequency word set. While the lesson provides opportunities for students to practice identifying and correcting spelling errors, it does not establish that the words included in this practice have been previously taught or explicitly introduced as part of a controlled instructional sequence.

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 materials include phonics, spelling, and word-study lessons that address increasingly complex phonogram patterns, they lack an intentional, systematic sequence for introducing and developing syllable types and syllable-division principles aligned to grade-level expectations. Specifically, in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson SP 1, “Consider Your Students” states that the lesson “will be more appropriate for students who have good control over easier phonogram patterns in single-syllable words such as VCe, VCC, and VVC patterns.” However, the materials do not provide guidance for determining whether students have mastered the foundational syllable types and decoding patterns that support these phonogram patterns, nor do they identify where or when those foundational skills should be taught or reviewed. Although students engage with increasingly complex phonogram patterns and word-analysis skills, the materials do not clearly show how instruction systematically progresses from foundational and more predictable syllable types, such as closed and open syllables, to more complex vowel patterns. The materials also do not clearly show how the sequence supports mastery of the grade-level TEKS.

The materials include a scope and sequence for phonics, spelling, and word study that transitions from single-syllable phonogram patterns to short, long, and unique vowel phonogram patterns in multisyllable words. However, there is no structured pathway for developing students’ understanding of syllable concepts over time. Specifically, the sequence in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 progresses from lesson SP 1, “Recognize and Use More Difficult Phonogram Patterns in Single-Syllable Words,” to SP3, “Recognize and Use Phonogram Patterns with the /o/ Vowel Sound in Single-Syllable Words.” Following single-syllable instruction, the materials expand to multisyllable word analysis, progressing from lesson SP 9, “Recognize and Use Frequently Appearing Syllable Patterns in Multisyllable Words,” to SP 12, “Recognize and Use Long Vowel Phonogram Patterns That Appear in Multisyllable Words.” However, the “Word Structure” lessons do not follow a systematic progression of syllable types. Instruction begins with r-controlled syllables, then moves to vowel teams, VCe syllables, and concludes with final stable syllables, rather than progressing from more foundational and predictable syllable types, such as closed and open syllables, to increasingly complex syllable patterns. Students encounter multiple syllable types and multisyllabic word-analysis skills. The materials do not clearly indicate how these concepts are introduced, revisited, and expanded through a cumulative instructional sequence. Without a clearly articulated progression from simpler to more complex syllable concepts, the materials do not demonstrate a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable division principles aligned to the grade-level TEKS.

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.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson LSR 3 introduces vowel sounds influenced by the letter r. However, the instruction focuses on students noticing, discussing, and identifying patterns rather than explicitly teaching students how to apply syllable patterns to decode and encode words. Specifically, in Step 2 of the “Teach” section, the materials direct the educator to ask, “What do you notice about all of these words?” and “What do you notice about the vowels in these words?” Rather than explicitly explaining the decoding pattern, the educator guidance anticipates that students will recognize that the words contain two syllables and vowels followed by the letter r. The lesson repeats this inquiry-based approach in Step 5. Teacher guidance directs the educator to invite students to share additional observations and build on student responses instead of providing explicit modeling or direct instructional language for decoding vowel-r patterns. Students engage in observing, discussing, and analyzing words containing vowel-r syllable patterns. However, the lesson does not provide explicit modeling, guided practice, or direct instruction in using these patterns to decode unfamiliar words or to encode words through spelling.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson SP 4 introduces vowel-r phonogram patterns in single-syllable words. However, the instruction primarily emphasizes student observation, discussion, and pattern identification rather than directly teaching students how to apply syllable types or phonogram patterns for decoding and encoding. Specifically, the lesson begins with the educator writing words such as chair, clear, deer, poor, hour, hair, spear, steer, door, and sour and asking students, “What do you notice about all of the words?” The guidance anticipates that students will observe that the words contain two vowels and end with the letter r. However, the lesson does not first provide explicit instruction or educator modeling explaining that these words contain vowel-r patterns. They do not first explain that the vowel sound and /r/ sound are typically pronounced together as a single unit. Instead, students are expected to infer the pattern through observation and discussion. While students then sort and analyze words using the targeted pattern, the lesson does not provide explicit guidance or modeling for how to decode, analyze, or encode these words prior to student application.

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.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson SP 3 introduces recognition and use of phonogram patterns representing the /o/ vowel sound in single-syllable words. However, the student practice focuses on identifying spelling patterns through a partner “Concentration” game in which students read words and identify the target phonogram pattern, rather than applying taught syllable types or syllable-division principles to decode and encode words. Specifically, students turn over cards and read words such as stalk, chalk, salt, halt, crawl, shawl, lawn, fawn, loss, and toss. Then, they identify the spelling pattern representing the target vowel sound. However, the materials do not provide explicit guidance for monitoring decoding accuracy, correcting errors, or supporting students as they read. Although students engage in reading and identifying phonogram patterns, the materials do not provide cumulative opportunities to apply previously taught skills through repeated practice, increased complexity, or a progression from guided to independent application. Furthermore, students are not required to encode the words through spelling or writing and the lesson does not include practice with multisyllabic words. Finally, the materials do not provide decodable connected text that incorporates the targeted phonogram pattern alongside previously taught patterns, limiting opportunities to apply skills in authentic reading contexts and build automaticity over time.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson LSR 4 introduces recognizing and using consonant letters and consonant digraphs that represent two different sounds at the end of a word. However, the student practice emphasizes sorting words, reading them with a partner, and discussing additional words with similar ending consonants or consonant clusters rather than cumulative practice of taught syllable types or syllable division principles. Specifically, the “Apply” section directs educators to “Encourage students to say the words aloud in order to sort them. After they have finished sorting, they can read the words to a partner. Encourage students to talk about other words they know with the same ending consonant or consonant cluster and to add them to the sort.” Students work with partners, but the materials do not provide a structure for how partners should read words or support one another during the activity. While students engage in sorting, reading, and discussing words with targeted consonant patterns, the materials do not provide repeated opportunities to apply previously taught skills through structured practice, increased complexity, or a progression from guided to independent work. Furthermore, the routine lacks explicit guidance for decoding accuracy, isolated encoding practice, systematic cumulative review, educator feedback, and decodable connected text that would allow students to apply the targeted patterns in authentic reading contexts.

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

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, lesson SP 9 provides opportunities for students to engage with frequently appearing syllable patterns in multisyllabic words. However, the lesson does not require students to apply syllable division principles during practice. Specifically, the educator explains that some syllable patterns appear often in multisyllabic words and that students can use these familiar patterns to help read and spell unfamiliar words. During the “Apply” section, students use cards containing word parts to create words with the phonograms -en and -ble, verify that each combination forms a real word, and write several of the words they create. Although students engage in identifying, combining, and writing words with common syllable patterns, the materials do not identify the specific syllable types or syllable-division principles that have been explicitly taught and then require students to apply those concepts. Instead, the activity relies on common word patterns without identifying which syllable-related skills students have previously learned, and the materials do not provide a clearly articulated scope and sequence showing when prior syllable types or syllable division principles were explicitly taught.

Student practice does not include only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught. The Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 lesson card for “My Brother the Dragon” provides opportunities for students to work with multisyllabic words containing open and closed syllable patterns. However, the lesson does not require students to apply previously taught syllable types or syllable division principles during practice. Specifically, the “Word Work” section of the lesson card includes words such as figure, brother, and answered, which contain r-controlled syllables in addition to the targeted open and closed syllable patterns. Although students engage in reading and analyzing multisyllabic words during the guided reading lesson, the materials do not clearly identify the specific syllable types or syllable-division principles that have been explicitly taught and then require students to apply those concepts in practice. Instead, the practice includes educator-selected vocabulary containing r-controlled syllables that are not identified as previously taught, making the word work dependent on the lesson text rather than explicitly limited to prior syllable instruction.

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.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 includes a Master Lesson Guide that outlines a suggested progression of word-study lessons incorporating morphological elements such as prefixes, suffixes, and base words. However, the evidence does not demonstrate an intentional, systematic 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, and the materials do not provide guidance showing how morphological instruction is intentionally sequenced to align with the grade 4 TEKS. Although students engage with morphemes through instruction and practice 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.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson WMV 12, “Understand and Discuss the Concept of Prefixes, and Recognize Their Use in Determining the Meaning of Some English Words,” focuses on the prefixes im-, in-, and non-. However, there is no clear progression of morphological skills across the grade level. For example, this is the first lesson in the materials in which students are explicitly introduced to prefixes, yet the lesson begins with the Latin-origin prefixes im-, in-, and non- rather than introducing less complex English prefixes or suffixes first. The lesson does not identify prior instruction or mastery of simpler morphemes before introducing these more complex prefixes. The “Consider Your Students” section states, “Use this lesson after students have noticed prefixes in texts they are reading and have begun to use prefixes in their own writing,” relying on assumed prior knowledge rather than a documented instructional sequence within the materials. While the materials provide opportunities for students to engage with morphemes through instruction and practice with prefixes, they do not clearly articulate how these skills build upon one another to support cumulative learning and grade-level mastery. Without evidence of an intentional instructional progression aligned to the TEKS, the materials do not meet the criterion for providing a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose for additional practice.

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 include opportunities for students to interact with morphemes through Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson WS 31. However, the instruction does not provide explicit instruction of the targeted morphological concept. Specifically, the lesson introduces the prefixes com- and con- through an inquiry-based approach rather than explicit educator modeling. In Step 1 of the “Teach” section, the educator asks, “What do you notice about all of these words?” Rather than directly explaining that com- and con- are prefixes meaning “with” or “together,” the lesson relies on students to observe that the words begin with the letters com- or con-. The materials do not include explicit instructional language or educator modeling of the morphological concept before students are expected to identify the pattern. Although students encounter the prefixes com- and con-, and words containing these morphemes, the materials do not explicitly teach how the prefixes function within words or support students in applying morphological knowledge to reading and writing. Furthermore, the lesson does not include a gradual release of responsibility, opportunities for cumulative review and practice, or guidance for providing ongoing corrective feedback as students apply the targeted morphological skill.

The materials provide limited instruction related to morphological skills. However, they do not include explicit (direct) instruction on morphological skills in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. In Phonics, Spelling and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, lesson WS 27, the instruction emphasizes identifying word patterns and student observation rather than direct teaching of morphological structures and their meanings. For example, the lesson presents words such as powerful, graceful, frightful, painless, fearless, flavorless, and careless and asks students “What do you notice about all of these words?” Later, the educator asks, “What does the suffix -ful mean?” and “What does the suffix -less mean?” Rather than explicitly introducing the meanings and functions of the suffixes through educator modeling, the lesson relies on students to identify the pattern and derive the meanings through inquiry. While students engage with morphemes through words containing the suffixes -ful and -less, the materials do not provide sufficient educator guidance, explanation, or modeling to develop a clear understanding of the morphological concept or its connection to grade-level expectations. Instead, students are expected to infer the meanings and functions of the suffixes from the word examples rather than receiving explicit instruction in how the morphemes contribute to word meaning and support decoding and vocabulary development.

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.

The materials provide opportunities for students to engage with morphological skills through Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson WS 32. However, the practice does not build cumulatively toward mastery of grade-level expectations. Specifically, students read base words and roots displayed in a pocket chart, complete a two-column word sort, and use a dictionary to determine word meanings. The lesson emphasizes isolated word analysis and concludes with the “Apply” and “Share” sections without providing connected text in which students apply the targeted prefixes during authentic reading. Although students practice using prefixes with base words and roots to analyze word meaning, the materials do not consistently provide opportunities to apply these skills across increasingly complex tasks or within connected text. The lesson does not extend morphological practice beyond isolated word work or provide cumulative opportunities for students to apply previously learned morphological knowledge in connected reading to develop automaticity.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, WS 20, the practice remains limited in scope and does not establish a clear progression of morphological learning over time. For example, during the “Teach” and “Apply” sections, students participate in an educator-led chart activity in which they add the suffix -ly to base words and categorize the resulting words in a four-way spelling sort. In the “Assess” section, the educator dictates isolated words such as monthly, steadily, and simply for students to write. However, the lesson does not provide connected text for students to apply the targeted suffix in context. While students may engage in isolated practice with the suffix -ly added to base words to form adverbs, the materials do not consistently connect this learning to authentic reading and writing experiences or provide sufficient opportunities for repeated application. Additionally, the lesson does not reference previously taught suffixes to support cumulative morphological learning and does not extend instruction beyond the single suffix -ly.

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

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, WS 2 focuses on recognizing and using contractions with had or would. However, the student practice is not clearly confined to a controlled sequence of explicitly taught morphological elements. Specifically, the guidance states, “The lesson will have the most impact if students also encounter and notice contractions with had or would during other instructional contexts,” indicating that students are expected to develop understanding through incidental exposure across contexts rather than through a strictly defined instructional sequence. Although the materials provide opportunities for students to engage with the targeted skill, the practice extends beyond the scope of explicit instruction and relies on students encountering morphological structures in contexts outside the lesson. As a result, student practice is not limited to only morphemes that have been explicitly taught in a cumulative and controlled progression.

The materials include opportunities for students to practice adding suffixes to multisyllabic words and applying general spelling rules for suffixes in Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, WS 15. However, the materials do not clearly establish that the morphemes included in student practice are taught through explicit instruction prior to application. For example, the guidance states, “This lesson will help them generalize their knowledge and connect the visual elements they have noticed in print to their own writing,” and further notes that the lesson “will be most helpful if students have been attempting to spell multisyllabic words with suffixes and are seeking patterns or rules they can apply for greater efficacy.” Despite this expectation, students are asked to select five word cards and write each word in a four-column sort, applying three different suffixes to each word. The word cards include multisyllabic words with varied stress patterns, including accented final syllables and earlier syllables. While students engage with morphological analysis and word study activities involving suffix application, the materials do not consistently connect practice to previously taught morphemes or provide documentation that the required suffix rules and multisyllabic word structures have been explicitly taught prior to the activity.

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).

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, lesson WMV 24, “Understand the Concept of Greek Roots, and Recognize Their Use in Determining the Meanings of Some English Words,” delivers instruction through a guided discovery approach rather than explicit teaching. The lesson prompts students to notice patterns in word groups before the educator introduces structural principles, and instruction does not systematically provide student-friendly definitions, synonyms, antonyms, examples and non-examples, categorization, or visual supports. Additionally, the lesson directs educators to define vocabulary terms only as needed, rather than through planned, explicit instruction. The materials do not provide explicit vocabulary instruction using multiple strategies for teaching word meaning.

The Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 lesson card for “Riley’s Letter” identifies vocabulary such as careened, guardrail, bellowed, sneered, frantically, pavement, and spat. Although these words appear in the text, the lesson does not provide direct vocabulary instruction before, during, or after reading. Students are not provided with student-friendly definitions, synonyms or antonyms, examples or non-examples, categorization activities, visual supports, or other instructional strategies to develop word meaning. Instead, the vocabulary remains embedded within the text without explicit instruction or opportunities to build understanding. This lack of direct vocabulary instruction is consistent across the Guided Reading lessons reviewed, which do not include a routine for explicitly teaching vocabulary through multiple instructional strategies.

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

In the Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, the lesson card for “Wiley’s Crop” identifies vocabulary such as weather-beaten, harvest, general, refrigerator, and fireplace. These words are primarily descriptive or context-specific rather than high-utility academic vocabulary that transfers across texts and content areas. The lesson does not demonstrate a purposeful selection of tier 2 or discipline-specific tier 3 vocabulary for explicit instruction of high-utility academic vocabulary.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, lesson WMV 1, instruction centers on common, high-frequency words such as bright, anxious, and ordinary. These words reflect everyday language rather than academic or domain-specific tier 2 or tier 3 vocabulary. While the lesson includes activities for identifying synonyms, it does not prioritize instruction on high-utility academic vocabulary. The materials do not consistently support explicit instruction of tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary.

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

In the Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, “The Strange Story of Ketchup,” vocabulary such as tangy, poisonous, and popularity is introduced during the initial book walk. However, these words are not revisited in subsequent sections of the lesson and are not reinforced through additional instructional activities. The materials do not include vocabulary practice tasks, application activities, or extensions that allow students to use the terms in different contexts, and students are not provided opportunities to move from initial exposure to repeated, meaningful use of vocabulary across contexts.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson WSA 8, students sort words with common roots and create word maps for word families. While these activities support recognition of morphological patterns, they focus on classification rather than using vocabulary in varied, meaningful contexts. The “Extend Learning” activity asks students to create additional word maps using different word sets, which repeats the same task structure rather than extending vocabulary use across contexts. The lesson does not include opportunities for students to use target vocabulary in speaking, writing, or reading tasks that demonstrate application of word meanings in different 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 the Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 4 lesson “The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty & the Beast Tale,” students encounter words such as descended, dismay, and transformed. The educator is instructed to reread sections of the text and ask students which clues help them determine that descended means “came down” and which context clues help them infer the meaning of dismay. These prompts guide students to use context to determine meaning but do not explicitly teach a morphemic analysis strategy. For the word transformed, the educator identifies the prefix trans- and explains its meaning; however, this is an isolated explanation rather than explicit instruction that teaches students how to use prefixes, roots, or suffixes to independently determine word meaning.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson WMV 22, the materials provide general information stating that a root is a word part from another language and that roots may contain hints about the meaning of an English word. This introduction to the concept of word roots does not explicitly teach students how to use morphemic analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. The lesson does not demonstrate or systematically guide students in breaking words into morphemic parts such as roots, prefixes, or suffixes to determine meaning. Instead, instruction remains at the conceptual level of identifying and describing roots rather than applying them as a strategy for meaning-making.

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.

In Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, the lesson for “Coming Clean” addresses vocabulary implicitly during reading rather than through systematic practice with word parts. For example, the “Goals” section directs the educator to “Add to vocabulary through reading (coming clean, admitting).” During instruction, the educator asks, “What does the word admitting mean?” and provides the definition. In the “Word Work” section, students break apart two-syllable words such as ad/mit, dis/tant, pic/ture, pock/et, using slashes to support decoding. However, this activity focuses on syllable segmentation for pronunciation rather than using prefixes, suffixes, or roots to determine meaning. Across the lesson, students are not guided to use morphemic analysis to infer word meaning, and there are no explicit opportunities to apply word parts to determine meaning.

In Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4 lesson WMV 11, students sort words such as tasty, juicy, humorous, marvelous, darkness, and laziness by suffixes and discuss their meanings in relation to those suffixes. While students engage in identifying and grouping words with common suffixes, the activity emphasizes classification and discussion rather than using morphemic analysis to independently determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. The lesson does not consistently require students to apply knowledge of suffixes to infer word meaning in new contexts.

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.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, Grade 4, WMV 4 introduces students to paired words such as earnest and frisky, then students read and use them in sentences. The educator explains that the words have opposite meanings and identifies them as antonyms. Instruction focuses on defining word relationships and matching antonym pairs in a charting activity. While students use the words in sentences, the lesson does not explicitly teach or model how to use contextual analysis or context clues to determine word meanings. Across the vocabulary program, materials do not include explicit instruction that teaches students how to use contextual analysis as a strategy for determining word meaning. Meaning is provided through educator explanation.

In the Interactive Read-Aloud Lessons, Grade 4, “Gecko” includes a “Reread and Revisit the Text/Vocabulary” section in which the educator rereads a nonfiction paragraph and asks, “Does anyone know what cold-blooded means?” The educator then states that it means “having a body temperature similar to the environment.” While this provides a direct definition, the instruction does not guide students to use contextual analysis or text evidence to determine the meaning of the word. Students are not supported in using context clues, prior learning, or structured analysis to infer meaning.

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 Lessons, Grade 4, the lesson card for “The Other Side” includes a “Reread and Revisit the Text” section in which the educator rereads a page and guides students to determine the meaning of the word yonder using context clues and illustrations. While the lesson includes discussion of how context supports word meaning, the educator directs the analysis and models the thinking process. Students do not independently apply contextual analysis strategies to determine word meaning. Furthermore, the materials do not include follow-up tasks or independent practice opportunities that require students to use context clues to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words.

In the Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, level S lesson “Potato Travels,” students read the heading and encounter the word versatile in the sentence “She calls the potato a ‘versatile vegetable.’” The educator asks, “What does the word versatile mean?” and clarifies if needed. While this moment references context, it does not require students to independently use contextual analysis strategies to determine meaning. The educator provides direct prompting and potential clarification rather than guiding students to derive meaning from context, and the lesson does not provide consistent opportunities for students to practice contextual analysis.

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, RML 1 in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 4 directs the educator to “Engage students in noticing how to change the voice to reflect the writer’s intention” and instruct students to “Choose a few sentences or pages to read to your partner. Think about the way the author wants you to read and make your voice change when you come to a punctuation mark or a font style.” While the lesson provides opportunities for partner reading, it does not include educator modeling of appropriate rate, accuracy, and prosody.

While the materials include opportunities for students to practice oral reading, they do not consistently include educator modeling of fluent reading before students apply the skill. For example, in the Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, the level R lesson card for “Sailing on the Edge” directs students to practice reading a connected text independently following educator directions to prompt students to apply reading strategies and monitor their own comprehension while reading the text. Although the lesson provides opportunities for students to practice reading, it does not explicitly model fluent reading that demonstrates appropriate rate, accuracy, and prosody before practice.

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 leveled texts to practice reading fluency, they do not provide student practice across all three components. For example, in Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, “Crow’s Secret,” the educator prompt is for students to “read silently until the teacher prompts them to read aloud to allow for a sample of the students oral reading.” 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.

While the materials include opportunities for students to read, the practice is not comprehensive across word lists, phrases, sentences, and connected texts. For example, in The Reading Minilessons Book, Grade 4, RML 1, students read independently, then gather in the meeting area to talk about their reading. While this provides some practice with connected text during Independent Reading, the materials do not include structured fluency practice using word lists, phrases, and 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.

In the Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, students read connected level N–V texts during Guided Reading lessons while educators sample students’ oral reading. The collection includes a range of literary and informational genres, including realistic fiction, expository text, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, biography, fantasy, mystery, and persuasive nonfiction. These materials provide opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level texts, consistent with the program’s stated purpose.

Across the Independent Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, students have opportunities to practice reading fluency with a wide variety of grade-level literary and informational texts. For example, the collection includes historical fiction, such as Abby Takes a Stand, expository nonfiction, such as Animals Helping with Healing, animal fantasy, such as Abel’s Island, and biographical nonfiction, such as Ada Lovelace and Computer Algorithms. The accompanying “Conferring Cards,” which include explicit genre information to help educators guide students in reading a balanced mix of literary, informational, and expository texts, provide additional support. These resources provide opportunities for students to engage with diverse grade-level texts that support the development of reading fluency.

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

Students engage with texts that vary in complexity of content, language, and writing across the materials. The Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 includes texts from levels N–V, allowing students to read literary texts with increasingly sophisticated plots, character development, and literary devices, as well as texts with increasingly complex vocabulary, language, and text structures. As students progress through the collection, they read longer books with more intricate themes, richer academic and figurative language, and increasingly sophisticated text structures that require deeper analysis of characters, themes, and relationships among ideas. These texts provide students with opportunities to read a range of high-quality texts at different levels of complexity in alignment with the program’s stated purpose.

Across the Independent Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, students engage with texts that vary in complexity of content, language, and structure. The collection includes a variety of leveled literary and informational texts, such as Amaterasu: Return of the Sun (level V), a graphic novel, and Detecting Hurricanes (level R), which uses traditional expository structures such as cause/effect and problem/solution. As students read texts across a range of levels, they encounter increasingly complex structures and reading demands. These texts provide students with opportunities to read a variety of high-quality texts at different levels of complexity, aligned with the program’s stated purpose.

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

The Independent Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 includes “Conferring Cards” to support educator-student conferences. However, the cards focus on monitoring students’ comprehension rather than their reading fluency. The materials do not provide guidance for educators to deliver corrective or descriptive feedback on students’ rate, accuracy, phrasing, expression, or prosody.

In the Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4, the level O lesson card for “Coming Clean” prompts students to read silently and suggests that educators “may want to sample the oral reading of a particular student or students.” While this encourages educators to listen to students read aloud, it does not explain how to evaluate fluency or provide targeted feedback based on what students read. The lesson card includes prompts that support decoding, such as encouraging students to use syllables to take apart multisyllabic words, but it does not provide guidance for delivering corrective feedback on reading accuracy during oral reading. It also includes limited attention to prosody by suggesting students notice punctuation and “reflect it with the voice,” yet it does not define effective prosody, model expressive reading, or guide educators in improving students’ expression. Across the materials, there are no educator look-fors, corrective feedback strategies, or guidance for differentiating feedback on fluency.

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 Independent Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 materials provide students with ongoing opportunities to read high-quality, grade-level, complex texts across a variety of genres and text types. The program includes fiction, nonfiction, literary, expository, and informational texts that feature sophisticated vocabulary, varied text structures, and grade-appropriate complexity. The material identifies each title and its corresponding genre, while the “Conferring Cards” provide additional genre information to support educator guidance during instruction. These resources encourage students to independently read and engage with diverse texts while participating in educator conferences that promote discussion, comprehension, and written responses. Through consistent exposure to a broad range of well-crafted, grade-level texts, the materials support students’ development of reading comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and critical thinking.

The FPC Book Clubs Collection Guide, Grade 4 provides students with recurring opportunities to read, discuss, and respond to high-quality, grade-level, complex texts through collaborative book club experiences. The guide includes 48 authentic titles organized into 12 monthly text sets. Each set contains four connected texts linked by genre, theme, topic, author, or illustrator. Students read across multiple text types, including picture books and chapter books, while engaging with increasingly sophisticated themes, longer texts, and less familiar genres that gradually increase text complexity. Each book club connects to Interactive Read-Aloud themes and is supported by an “Inquiry Overview Card” that extends learning through essential questions, text-to-text connections, discussion, and further investigation. These integrated opportunities to read, discuss, and reflect on diverse, high-quality texts support students’ comprehension, analysis, and critical thinking while exposing them to a variety of genres, text structures, and complex vocabulary.

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

The FPC Independent Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 materials provide students with access to a variety of high-quality texts at different levels of complexity through a comprehensive collection of leveled books. The material explains that the classroom library offers engaging texts across multiple genres and varying levels of complexity so that all students can select books that match their reading development while remaining appropriately challenging. The FPC Independent Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 book list identifies the reading level for every title (e.g., Abby Takes a Stand, level Q), allowing educators to intentionally match students with texts of increasing complexity. By providing a broad range of leveled, authentic texts, the materials support differentiated reading experiences while ensuring students engage with high-quality literature at appropriate levels of challenge.

The Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 provides a variety of high-quality texts across reading levels N–V, ensuring students encounter increasingly complex texts as their reading proficiency develops. Throughout the collection, texts become more challenging through sophisticated vocabulary, more complex themes and ideas, varied sentence structures, and increasingly demanding text structures. This intentional progression enables educators to provide instruction using texts that align with students’ developing reading abilities while gradually increasing text complexity. Through its range of high-quality, leveled selections, the collection supports differentiated instruction and sustained growth toward reading increasingly complex grade-level texts.

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

The Independent Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 materials include high-quality texts with content that is relevant, engaging, and authentically reflects students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences. For example, Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family portrays the experiences of Mary Yang, a young girl navigating the challenges of balancing her family’s Chinese cultural traditions with her desire to fit into her new American community. Through authentic depictions of language differences, cultural customs, and family relationships, the text provides students with meaningful opportunities to connect to diverse perspectives while fostering empathy and cultural understanding. The story’s message—that individual and cultural differences enrich communities—encourages students to value diversity and recognize experiences that may reflect their own lives or broaden their understanding of others, supporting inclusive and engaging reading experiences.

The Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 materials include high-quality texts with content that is relevant, engaging, and authentically reflects students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences. For example, Jaylen Arnold: Life with Tourette’s is a narrative nonfiction text that shares the story of Jaylen Arnold, a young boy who transforms his experience with Tourette syndrome into an anti-bullying campaign. By presenting an authentic account of a child with a disability who demonstrates resilience, advocacy, and leadership, the text broadens students’ understanding of diverse lived experiences while promoting empathy and inclusion. The engaging narrative encourages meaningful discussions about perseverance, acceptance, and respect for differences, ensuring students encounter texts that reflect a wide range of identities, experiences, and perspectives.

Evaluation for 8.2a
Materials activate or supply background knowledge.

The Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 materials consistently activate and supply students’ background knowledge during the text introduction portion of each guided reading lesson. For example, before reading What Kind of Name Is Pickleball?, the educator facilitates an interactive discussion about how familiar sports, such as basketball and Ping-Pong, received their names, prompting students to connect prior knowledge to the new text. The lesson also encourages students to recall information from the companion text, Pickleball: From a Game to a Sport, or provides a brief explanation of the game when needed to build foundational knowledge. By intentionally eliciting students’ prior experiences and supplying essential context before reading, the materials prepare students to better comprehend the text and support meaningful engagement throughout the lesson.

Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 4 lessons activate students’ background knowledge through educator-guided discussions that connect upcoming texts to students’ personal experiences and prior understanding. For example, before reading The Junkyard Wonders, the lesson’s “Introduce the Text” section prompts students to consider what it means to be different from others and to reflect on the advantages and challenges associated with those experiences. These discussion prompts activate students’ existing schemas while establishing relevant context for Patricia Polacco’s autobiographical story and its themes of identity, belonging, and acceptance. By intentionally connecting students’ prior knowledge and experiences to the text before reading, the materials strengthen comprehension and prepare students for deeper engagement with the text.

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

Although each lesson identifies vocabulary in the “Goals” section, Shared Reading, Grade 4 lessons do not provide instructional support for introducing the words prior to reading. For example, “Space Junk” identifies the content words satellite and debris and suggests that students use background information, illustrations, and reference tools to understand them, but it does not include educator-provided definitions, examples, non-examples, student-friendly explanations, or other explicit pre-teaching routines. The materials identify important vocabulary but do not provide sufficient guidance for pre-teaching unfamiliar words before students encounter them in the text.

Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 4 lessons do not consistently provide pre-teaching of unfamiliar vocabulary before students engage with a text. For example, “The Crane Wife” identifies vocabulary such as caressing, pelting, emerged, loom, crane, and shuttle during the “Introduce the Text” section. However, the lesson does not include instructional guidance for explicitly introducing or teaching these words before the Read-Aloud. Vocabulary instruction occurs only after the text is read during the “Reread and Revisit the Text” section. The lessons identify but do not explicitly pre-teach unfamiliar 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 4 lesson “Magnificent Birds” contains numerous unfamiliar tier 2 words, including courtship, momentum, aloft, buoyant, regurgitates, decimated, and divert, as well as tier 3 words such as preen, flagging, metabolic, and plumage. Although these words appear within the text, the lesson does not provide educator modeling or direct instruction that demonstrates how students can use surrounding words, phrases, or sentences to infer their meanings. Instead, students encounter the vocabulary without explicit contextual analysis strategies, limiting opportunities to develop this grade-level vocabulary skill.

In the Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 lesson “Space Burritos” (level O), the introduction directs the educator to provide definitions for vocabulary such as mission, orbiting, and gravity rather than modeling how students can use context clues to determine word meanings independently. Additionally, the lesson’s “Teaching Point” focuses on morphological analysis by having students examine word parts in multisyllabic words such as equipment, refrigerator, and ingredients. While the materials provide direct explanations and opportunities for word study, they do not include explicit instruction or guided practice in using surrounding text to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words.

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 4 lesson “These Hands” includes extension activities in the “Respond to the Text” section, such as Independent Writing, Art History, and Oral History. While these tasks extend students’ comprehension and response to the text, they do not provide opportunities for students to practice determining the meanings of unfamiliar words by analyzing surrounding words, phrases, or sentences.

The Shared Reading, Grade 4 lesson “Amazing Axolotls” does not provide students with opportunities to practice using contextual analysis to determine the meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary. Instead, the lesson relies on educator-provided definitions and graphic features to explain vocabulary, such as directly defining metamorphosis and using a visual chart to explain regeneration. Because students receive the meanings rather than infer them from textual context, the lesson does not provide practice with contextual analysis.

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 FPC Independent Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 lesson, “My Son, the Time Traveler,” includes conferring prompts that address literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension in the “Thinking (Within, Beyond, About) the Text” sections. However, the materials provide only general guidance for selecting questions based on students’ progress in the text and do not include a systematic sequence or explicit instruction for teaching the comprehension skills needed to answer the questions.

The Interactive Read-Aloud, Grade 4 lesson card for “A Symphony of Whales” includes discussion questions that address literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension. However, the randomly presented questions lack a systematic instructional progression. The lesson moves between comprehension levels without explicit educator guidance for modeling or teaching how students should apply each type of comprehension skill. The materials provide opportunities to discuss the text rather than systematically and explicitly instruct students in reading comprehension skills.

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 FPC Independent Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 provides students with opportunities to practice literal, inferential, and evaluative reading comprehension skills across a variety of grade-level literary and informational texts including fiction, poetry, drama, and informational selections. Each text includes a “Conferring Card” with questions organized into “Thinking (Within, Beyond, About) the Text” categories. Students recall explicit details, make inferences, and evaluate or analyze the text. For example, the “Conferring Card” for the book The All-Star Joker engages students in comprehension practice at multiple levels, supporting grade-level comprehension across diverse text types.

The Guided Reading Collection Guide, Grade 4 lesson card for “Taming Jazz” provides students with opportunities to practice reading comprehension skills at multiple levels using a grade-level literary text. During the “Discussing and Revisiting the Text” section, students summarize key events to demonstrate literal understanding, infer how Willa’s view of Jazz changes over the course of the story, and evaluate how literary elements such as suspense and foreshadowing contribute to the text’s themes. These activities provide balanced practice with literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension while engaging students with a variety of grade-level texts