Measuring Up to the TEKS Reading 3rd edition, Grade 5

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 include an explanation of the stated purpose of the supplemental program within the Teacher Edition, specifically in sections titled “Intentional Structural Design” and “Program Purpose and Components.” These sections explicitly communicate that the program aims to provide additional instruction and practice aligned to grade-level TEKS in vocabulary, fluency, and reading comprehension. This explanation states that the program’s intention is to reinforce core instruction through targeted skill development.

In addition, the materials reinforce the program’s purpose with a welcome letter outlining how the supplemental resources intend to support instruction. The letter explains that the program aims to support core reading instruction by providing TEKS-aligned practice in vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. It also clarifies that the materials allow for flexible implementation, including whole-group, small-group, or targeted intervention settings.

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.

The Teacher Edition includes guidance on how to appropriately use the supplemental program to support an existing core reading and language arts program. The “Using Measuring Up TEKS Reading to Support Core Instruction” section explains when and how educators should use the program alongside tier 1 instruction. Specifically, the subsection “When Should Teachers Use Measuring Up TEKS Reading?” provides guidance on integrating the materials to reinforce or extend core instruction and explains how to use the supplemental program alongside primary instruction.

The materials include guidance through the “Lesson Correlation to the Grade 5 Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills” chart. This tool helps educators align supplemental lessons with specific TEKS. The chart serves as a planning resource to help educators effectively integrate the supplemental program within their existing curriculum.

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 materials include a scope and sequence that outlines the grade-level TEKS, student expectations, and targeted literacy skills and explains the rationale for the program’s instructional organization. The Teacher Edition includes a scope and sequence chart that correlates TEKS to individual lessons and units, enabling educators to identify which grade-level standards additional instruction supports. The scope and sequence further breaks down the standards into skill overviews that summarize the instructional focus of each lesson and outline the progression of literacy skills across the program.

Additionally, the materials include a rationale for the design of the scope and sequence, explaining that lessons are “organized by grade-level TEKS to support additional instruction” and “sequenced to build key vocabulary.” These explanations describe how the organization of lessons centers around reinforcing literary concepts and developing skills in a structured progression aligned to grade-level expectations.

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

Throughout the materials, each unit overview includes clearly defined pacing guidance on time requirements, ensuring educators understand both the duration and frequency needed for effective implementation. The materials provide multiple pacing options, including three distinct schedules that outline lesson durations. For example, in unit 1, a three-day-per-week schedule allocates a 45-minute block for each lesson with time intentionally divided across instructional components such as “Fluency Check” and “Independent Reading” for 15–20 minutes and “Building Stamina” for 30–45 minutes. These structured time allocations provide explicit guidance on lesson duration and frequency, enabling educators to plan and deliver instruction with consistency.

Additionally, the materials include suggested pacing guidance by outlining estimated unit completion timelines. Each unit specifies the total instructional time required such as “approximately 4–5 instructional hours; 2 weeks at 3 sessions per week” contributing to an overall total of “39–45 instructional hours.” This comprehensive pacing information helps educators plan across units and maintain alignment with recommended instructional timelines, providing estimated timelines for implementing instruction.

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

Throughout the materials, the Teacher Edition provides structured support and explicit guidance to implement the materials as designed. Resources such as “Supports for All Learners” and “Types of Embedded Supports (Icons & Purpose)” outline how educators can address learner variability. The inclusion of a table that pairs icons with detailed explanations of their purpose helps educators easily identify and apply supports within instruction.

Additionally, the “Unit 2 Comprehension Strategies” offers explicit guidance for instructional delivery. The “How to Teach This Unit” section presents clearly defined best practices, including teaching lessons in a specific sequence, maintaining consistent habit prompts, requiring students to name strategies during guided practice, and using suggested delivery models. These step-by-step expectations provide guidance for instructional delivery, including lesson sequencing, habit prompts, strategy naming during guided practice, and suggested delivery models.

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

The materials include family-facing support in both English and Spanish that clearly communicates the program’s purpose and design. An introductory family letter available in both languages explains the inclusion of “Unit Family Letters” for each unit and outlines the program’s goal of providing students with additional practice in grade-level reading skills, including vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. This communication explains the program’s purpose and how the materials support student learning.

The “Unit Family Letters,” provided in both English and Spanish for every unit, offer specific suggestions for how families can support their child’s progress at home. These resources explain on-grade-level learning goals, describe what students will learn, and offer suggestions for how families can support learning at home to encourage student success. For example, the materials encourage family members to ask their child to read aloud, engage in discussions about the text, clarify unfamiliar vocabulary, and ask questions to deepen understanding. These resources provide families with information about student learning goals and suggestions for supporting learning at home.

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 Teacher Edition contains a table that identifies each assessment’s location, purpose, and administration guidance for educators. In unit 1, lesson 1, a formative assessment consisting of multiple-choice items requires students to reference previously read texts to demonstrate comprehension. Throughout the lessons, practice question sets include similar assessments. These formative checks provide educators with ongoing opportunities to evaluate student progress in alignment with the program’s stated purpose.

In addition to the formative assessments, the “Unit Building Stamina” summative assessments aim to “measure sustained, independent application of unit TEKS across longer texts and TEKS-aligned items.” These summative assessments provide opportunities for students to independently apply the unit TEKS across longer texts and TEKS-aligned items.

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

In the Teacher Edition, the “Assessments & Progress Monitoring” section defines formative assessments as occurring during lessons and being used to guide instructional decisions, and summative assessments as occurring at the end of a unit to evaluate cumulative application of grade-level TEKS. This information identifies the role each assessment type serves within the program.

The materials further clarify the intended purpose of specific assessments through a chart titled “Types of Assessments & Intended Purpose,” which identifies each assessment type and its function within the program. For example, the chart outlines the program’s summative assessments and states that they measure students’ application of skills at the unit level and cumulatively across units. Additional guidance indicates where assessments occur within the program to clarify their intended use.

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

In the Teacher Edition, the “Assessments and Progress Monitoring” section provides an “Assessment Administration Guidelines” subsection that outlines when to administer each type of assessment and the expected time ranges. For example, educators should administer lesson assessments following instruction and students completed them independently within a specified 10- to 20-minute time frame.

The materials also provide detailed procedures for administering specific assessments such as end-of-unit fluency evaluations. The materials direct educators to facilitate multiple readings of a passage, including listening and coaching during initial readings, and to use provided prompts to support fluency development. The materials provide guidance for scoring using a rubric that outlines criteria for the warm-up read, read 1, read 2, and the scored performance. These structured protocols support the implementation and accurate evaluation of student performance.

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

Vocabulary assessments require students to demonstrate understanding across a range of cognitive demands, progressing from identifying and recognizing word meanings to applying vocabulary knowledge within connected texts and extended responses aligned to grade-level TEKS. Assessment tasks move beyond recall and recognition to require the application of vocabulary strategies and the use of context to determine meaning. This exemplifies how the instructional assessments include items at varying levels of complexity.

Fluency assessments also reflect varying levels of complexity. Throughout the program, fluency passages increase in length and complexity while requiring students to demonstrate proficiency in rate, accuracy, and prosody. The “Read Like a Fluent Reader” sections provide consistent expectations for applying fluency skills within increasingly complex texts. As students progress through the program, assessment tasks require them to apply multiple fluency indicators simultaneously as they read connected text.

Reading comprehension assessments include grade-level literary, informational, and persuasive texts accompanied by questions that require varying levels of thinking. Assessment items ask students to demonstrate literal understanding, apply reading strategies, use textual evidence to support responses, and analyze ideas across texts. Extended-response tasks further increase complexity by requiring students to explain their thinking and justify responses using evidence from the text.

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

In the Teacher Edition, the “Unit 1 Fluency Assessment” provides structured guidance for administering and scoring fluency tasks. The materials provide educators with prompts to support students’ development of phrasing, accuracy, and pacing during fluency practice. The “Scoring the Third Read” section directs educators to tracking and scoring tools that include a rubric for evaluating prosody, along with indicators for determining when reteaching is necessary.

The materials also include answer keys, scoring guidance, and item-level rationales to support the interpretation of results. Lesson-level and unit-level assessments provide answer keys and scoring guidance, while constructed-response items include scoring notes or exemplars to guide evaluation. In addition, “Building Stamina” assessments provide item-by-item rationales explaining why responses are correct or incorrect, supporting understanding of students’ errors and performance patterns.

The materials further include guidance for using assessment data to inform instructional decisions. The program states, “Assessment data are used to inform instructional decisions, identify trends in student performance, and determine appropriate reteach, reinforcement, or extension.” The materials further direct educators to “review lesson-level results to identify misconceptions before moving to the next lesson” and to “use Full-Length Practice Test results to monitor cumulative growth and adjust pacing.”

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

Throughout the program, the “Instructional Guidance” (IG) and “IG | Decision Point” sidebars offer explicit guidance on how to adjust instruction based on student outcomes. These supports include recommendations for reteaching, facilitating small-group instruction for students who require additional support, and extending “Independent Practice” for students demonstrating proficiency.

Additional unit- and lesson-level supports provide guidance for responding to assessment results. Unit-level supports such as “Instructional Next Steps (Based on Student Work)” and “Watch for Common Misconceptions” provide direction for addressing common errors and guiding skill development.

Fluency guidance directs educators to reteach using specific prompts when students demonstrate difficulty, while comprehension-focused units provide content-specific responses such as prompting students to cite textual evidence when making unsupported inferences. Lesson-embedded prompts reinforce these adjustments by guiding educators in redirecting students toward accurate skill application.

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 materials include tools for educators to track student progress and growth and identify trends in student performance over time. For example, the TEKS-aligned “Tracking Chart” allows educators “document mastery patterns and identify areas requiring additional instruction over time.” Educators can use the chart to collect and analyze student performance data across lessons and units and monitor progress and growth toward the program’s literacy objectives.

The materials also include tools for students to track their own progress and growth over time. For example, the “My Reading Skills Progress Chart” allows students to monitor their understanding of specific reading skills taught throughout the program. Students rate their understanding of each skill on a 3-point scale from “I am stuck” to “I understand the skill,” record completion dates, and reflect on skills they are proud of and skills they want to continue improving. The chart also allows students to record and compare results from “Building Stamina Tests” and “Practice Tests” to monitor changes in their reading performance over time. Together with the student-facing rubrics, these tools provide opportunities for students to assess their learning, reflect on their performance, and track progress and growth toward the program’s learning objectives.

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.

The materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level skills. This guidance appears throughout lessons and aligns with specific content, providing structured supports such as reduced cognitive load, oral rehearsal, partner-based processing, and the use of supporting resources such as anchor charts. The materials direct educators to adjust instructional delivery through strategies that support student access to grade-level skills, including structured discussion and revisiting prior lesson content to reinforce understanding.

The materials also include embedded supports to guide educators in responding to students who demonstrate difficulty mastering skills. For example, in lesson 3 “How Am I Doing?” section, the “EB and SL | Shared Access” support directs educators to facilitate partner-based discussion using oral frames to help students explain the differences among prefixes, suffixes, and root words. When students are unable to articulate these distinctions, the materials direct educators to guide students back to the “Word Parts” anchor chart in the “Understand the TEKS” section before completing written responses. Similarly, in lesson 4, guidance directs educators to have students revisit the TEKS-aligned examples when they are unable to distinguish between adages and puns prior to writing. These supports adjust both the instructional process (oral rehearsal, partner work) and access to content (use of anchor charts and examples), providing targeted scaffolds embedded within lessons for students who have not yet reached proficiency.

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.

Lessons embed guidance for differentiation, and this differentiation aligns with specific content, including applying strategies in more complex contexts, engaging in tasks requiring explanation and comparison, and transferring skills across texts and tasks. These supports aim to increase rigor in content and process for proficient learners and provide direction for extending student thinking beyond grade-level expectations.

The materials also include embedded advanced learner (AL) activities, identified as extensions for students who have demonstrated proficiency. For example, in lesson 1, the “Exit Ticket” sidebar includes an “AL | Challenge” that directs educators to have students predict a word’s definition before consulting a reference, then verify the definition, record additional entry features, and explain the value of those features beyond memorization. In lesson 2, another “AL | Challenge” directs students to compose a paragraph using a target word with embedded context clues, identify the type of context clue used, and annotate the supporting language. These tasks require application, analysis, and explanation, thereby increasing rigor through both process and output and supporting differentiated instruction for proficient students.

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

The “Guidance for Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)” section explains how educators can adapt instruction to address disability-related needs while maintaining access to grade-level TEKS. The guidance distinguishes among scaffolds, accommodations, modifications, and SDI and explains that SDI involves adapting the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address a student’s individualized needs. For example, educators receive guidance for pre-teaching instructional strategies, reducing and sequencing vocabulary, isolating individual steps within multistep tasks, substituting acquisition text, and front-loading background knowledge while maintaining grade-level expectations and learning objectives.

The materials also provide educator guidance for adapting instructional methodology and delivery based on students’ individualized disability-related needs. For example, the guidance recommends increasing instructional explicitness, segmenting lengthy texts, providing distributed practice opportunities, establishing explicit error-correction routines, adjusting response modes, modifying instructional groupings, and adjusting instructional schedules or personnel. The materials also provide a grade 5 student example that demonstrates how educators can connect a student’s present levels of performance and disability-related needs to specific adaptations in content, methodology, and delivery. Additionally, the materials provide guidance for monitoring progress and documenting student growth within the program. These resources provide educators with specific guidance and examples for adapting instruction to address the individualized needs of students receiving special education services.

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.

Lesson materials provide scripted language, questioning prompts, and facilitation guidance that directly support educators in modeling how to use print or digital resources to determine word meaning, syllabication, and pronunciation within specific lesson contexts. For example, lesson introductions include scripted “Real-World Connection” prompts that guide educators in modeling the application of vocabulary strategies using a specific text. These prompts support educators’ think-alouds and provide clear direction for explaining and demonstrating skills during instruction.

The materials also include embedded prompts and facilitation guidance that support educators in modeling and explaining concepts throughout lessons. In unit 1, lesson 1, the “Resource Scavenger Hunt” activity includes italicized educator prompts that guide educators in introducing the concept and activating prior knowledge such as asking students where they look for help when encountering unfamiliar words and prompting discussion about available resources. Additional prompts guide educators in connecting the skill to independent reading by reinforcing when and how to use different resources. Lesson activities embed these structured prompts, and the prompts provide consistent, actionable guidance for modeling and explaining skills aligned to lesson objectives.

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

Lesson structures incorporate multiple approaches within a single lesson, and implementation guidance supports the lesson structures. For example, in unit 3, lesson 13, instruction begins with whole-group introduction of content, followed by “Guided Instruction” that allows students to engage with texts independently or with a partner. The materials direct educators to provide time for independent processing before facilitating whole-group review, including discussion, correction, and extension. This structure supports varied instructional approaches, including whole-group instruction, partner collaboration, “Independent Practice,” and guided discussion, with clear recommendations for sequencing and facilitation.

The materials also include structured activities with explicit guidance for implementing multiple instructional approaches within a lesson. For example, the “Why Do We Read? Activate Prior Knowledge” activity provides step-by-step facilitation guidance, directing educators to introduce the concept, lead a whole-group discussion, organize students into small groups to analyze different texts, and guide students in determining the purpose for reading each type of text. The activity concludes with whole-group sharing and the creation of a class chart connecting text types to reading purposes. This sequence integrates discussion, collaborative learning, text analysis, and visual representation, supported by educator guidance for delivery and facilitation across instructional formats.

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

The materials include educator guidance on recommended instructional structures to support effective implementation across lessons. In the unit 1 overview, the “How to Teach This Unit” section provides explicit recommendations for structuring instruction using whole-group, small-group, partner, and independent formats. For example, guidance directs educators to deliver core instruction to the whole group, use “Guided Instruction,” “Independent Practice,” and “Assessment” for small-group reteach or extension, and implement “Fluency Practice” and “Building Stamina” activities for independent or partner application. These recommendations provide a framework for organizing instruction across multiple delivery structures aligned to lesson components.

The materials also include lesson-embedded guidance that reinforces the use of recommended instructional structures within daily instruction. For example, unit 3, lesson 13 recommends the introduction of content through whole-group instruction, followed by “Guided Instruction” that allows students to engage with texts independently or in pairs. The materials direct educators to provide time for independent processing before facilitating a whole-group review that includes discussion, correction, and extension. These structured transitions between whole-group, partner, and independent learning provide consistent guidance for implementing instructional structures that support effective lesson delivery.

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 materials include educator guidance for providing linguistic accommodations differentiated by English language proficiency levels and embedded within lesson-level instruction. These supports tie to specific content objectives and provide distinct scaffolds for students at varying stages of language development. For example, in lessons focused on determining and clarifying word meanings, the materials direct educators to provide Spanish cognates and pre-reading anchors to support vocabulary access for beginning and intermediate students. For advanced students, the materials increase linguistic expectations by prompting students to predict word origins and verify their reasoning using reference tools. These differentiated supports are content-specific and require students to engage with academic language at increasing levels of complexity.

The materials also include embedded linguistic supports that promote the use of increasingly sophisticated academic language across proficiency levels. In lessons addressing adages and puns, the materials guide educators to support beginning and intermediate students through explicit explanations of literal and figurative meanings using modeled examples and structured language supports. For advanced students, the materials direct students to make cross-linguistic connections by identifying similar sayings in their home language, explaining their meanings, and comparing how people express ideas across languages. These tasks require students to engage in explanation, discussion, and analysis, reflecting progression in both language development and cognitive demand aligned to lesson content.

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 “Implementation in State-Approved Bilingual and ESL Programs” section provides recommendations for integrating the program into multiple state-approved bilingual and ESL models while maintaining fidelity to each model’s instructional requirements. For example, the guidance explains how educators can incorporate the program into the instructional day, allocate instructional time, support language transfer, and use home-language supports across program settings. The materials also provide guidance that applies across program models, including recommendations for teaching “Preview Words,” supporting the transfer of instructional routines between languages, strategically using “Spanish Connections,” and adapting implementation for students whose home language is not Spanish.

The materials also provide model-specific recommendations and implementation considerations for transitional bilingual/early exit, transitional bilingual/late exit, dual language immersion (one-way and two-way), ESL/content-based, and ESL/pull-out programs. For each model, the guidance addresses instructional placement, pacing and configuration, instructional components to emphasize, language use, staffing considerations, assessment, and progress monitoring practices. For example, the materials explain how educators can coordinate instruction across educators in bilingual settings, maintain language separation in dual-language programs, and use resources such as the “Tracking Chart” and “My Reading Skills Progress Chart” within bilingual and ESL settings. Additionally, the materials provide recommendations for implementing specific lesson components across instructional settings and maintaining instructional continuity when students receive services through different program configurations. These resources provide educators with specific guidance for effectively implementing the materials in state-approved bilingual and ESL programs.

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 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).

In the Teacher Edition, the unit 1 scope and sequence includes a “Teacher Move” column that identifies vocabulary strategies such as using print and digital resources, identifying synonyms and antonyms, and analyzing example clues to support word meaning. These instructional routines provide structured guidance for introducing and reinforcing vocabulary concepts throughout the unit.

In the lesson on context clues, students receive direct instruction on five context clue types, including definitions, restatements, synonyms, antonyms, and examples, through clear explanations and modeled examples. Students then analyze the multiple-meaning word ecstatic across several sentences and use surrounding context to determine its meaning, applying multiple strategies to develop vocabulary knowledge.

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

The materials include explicit instruction of specific vocabulary selected for high-utility tier 2 academic vocabulary that transfers across content areas and contexts. In the “Lesson 2 Planner,” the “Words to Know” section introduces students to tier 2 words such as context and multiple-meaning, which are commonly used across academic texts and disciplines. Instruction defines and reinforces these words, supporting students’ ability to apply them in varied reading and learning situations.

The materials also include explicit instruction of discipline-specific tier 3 vocabulary that supports understanding of content and concepts within the program. In the “Lesson 1 Planner,” the “Words to Know” section introduces students to tier 2 words such as dictionary, glossary, and syllabication, as well as tier 3 terms such as entry, guide words, etymology, and origin. Instruction defines and integrates these words, requiring students to use both general academic and domain-specific vocabulary to support comprehension and vocabulary development.

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

In the unit 1 text “The Garden That Grew Overnight,” students encounter vocabulary such as reminded, transformed, and amazement. The educator guidance directs educators to monitor students’ use of context clues and vocabulary strategies introduced throughout the unit as they read. After reading, students respond to questions that require them to apply previously taught vocabulary concepts and skills, including dictionary, entry, and definition. Students explain word meanings and justify their responses using evidence from the text. Vocabulary practice continues in the paired text “A Poem by the Pond,” in which students revisit and apply the same vocabulary concepts introduced earlier in the unit. Students use previously learned terms and strategies to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words and explain their thinking.

The Teacher Edition embeds repeated vocabulary practice through structured instructional routines. In the “Activate Prior Knowledge” activity, students co-construct a chart identifying types of context clues, including definitions, examples, synonyms, antonyms, and descriptions, and revisit these terms throughout the lesson. In the “Understanding the TEKS” and guided practice sections, students read, discuss, and apply vocabulary terms such as definition, synonym, antonym, and example in both oral and written responses. Guided practice activities require students to identify context clue types within passages, explain how the clues support word meaning, and apply these strategies while reading. These routines provide repeated opportunities for students to practice and apply specific vocabulary in varied instructional contexts across the lesson.

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.

The Teacher Edition provides educator guidance in a lesson focused on words with affixes, in which educators explicitly introduce base words, roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Students use structured charts with examples of roots, prefixes, and suffixes to identify related words (e.g., photo) and apply meanings of affixes such as trans- in transform and -ology in geology to determine word meaning, demonstrating direct and modeled instruction in morphemic analysis.

The materials also provide structured, student-centered opportunities to apply morphemic analysis through guided and interactive activities. In lesson 3, the stated objective focuses on identifying and using words with affixes, while “Activate Prior Knowledge” activities reinforce that words can be broken into meaningful parts. In activity 1, students combine prefixes, roots, and suffixes to form words and respond to guiding questions such as how adding re- changes meaning (e.g., reread). These activities require students to analyze how word parts contribute to meaning, ensuring explicit instruction through modeling, questioning, and application.

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 lesson 3, during “Guided Instruction” with “History Mystery: A Story Detective at Work,” students analyze words by identifying prefixes, suffixes, and base words to determine meaning. For example, students identify the prefix in interview to determine the word’s meaning, deconstruct words by underlining base words and circling prefixes, and locate words in the text that match given definitions such as “to bring to mind again.” These tasks require students to apply morphemic analysis within connected text and respond to targeted questions about how word parts contribute to meaning.

The “Activate Prior Knowledge” section provides additional opportunities for students to apply morphemic analysis through educator-guided activities. Educators model how adding prefixes and suffixes such as re- and -ing to read changes meaning and part of speech. Students then manipulate word cards to build new words; identify prefixes, roots, and suffixes; and record their findings in a class chart.

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.

In the “Lesson 2 Planner,” the stated learning objective focuses on using context within and beyond a sentence to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words. During the “Activate Prior Knowledge” activity, educators model how to locate and use context clues, explaining that clues may appear within the same sentence or in nearby sentences. Educators provide definitions and examples of context clues and model determining the meaning of the word cacophony, demonstrating how to apply the strategy within authentic text.

The Student Edition provides explicit, student-facing instruction that defines and models multiple context clue types, including definitions, restatements, synonyms, antonyms, and examples. Students receive clear definitions and example sentences for each type and then analyze a sentence containing the word ecstatic, identify relevant context clues, and determine meaning using textual evidence.

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 lesson 2, during the “Guided Instruction” with the text “Exploring the Coral Reef,” students analyze words such as voyage by identifying and using context clues from surrounding paragraphs. Students underline relevant clues, determine the type of context clue used, and explain how the clues support meaning, requiring them to apply and name the strategy while working within connected text.

The “Building Stamina” assessment provides additional opportunities for students to practice contextual analysis through extended text-based tasks. Students read multiple passages, including a fictional text and a poem about a garden, and respond to multiple-choice questions that require them to revisit the text and use context clues to determine word meanings.

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

In the Teacher Edition, in the “Intentional Instructional Design” section, the “Unit Fluency Check” and “Independent Reading” routine outlines the fluency practices used throughout the program. Educators first model a non-example by reading word-by-word without expression and then reread the passage with appropriate phrasing and expression. This routine allows students to distinguish between nonfluent and fluent reading behaviors.

The materials include modeling of fluent reading, including rate, accuracy, and prosody. In the front matter of the Teacher Edition, an explanation of the fluency checks is included with inset pages of later materials in the program. The guidance tells educators to "follow a routine with modeling of fluent reading as students practice the lesson." Educators "coach students to read smoothly, accurately, and with expression." Educators model reading texts with fluency.

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

At the end of unit 1, the fluency practice “The Lighthouse Mystery” begins with students listening to a modeled reading, followed by repeated oral reading of a word list containing words such as lighthouse, cobwebs, and haunted. Students then read three sentences drawn from the passage, providing fluency practice at the word and sentence levels. Similarly, in the unit 2 text “Sunflowers,” students engage in word-list practice with words such as sunflowers, Helianthus annus, heliotropism, collect, and energy and read three sentences from the text before beginning extended reading.

Students also practice fluency with connected texts through repeated-reading routines and guided scaffolds. After completing word and sentence practice, students read the full passage multiple times through whisper reading, partner reading, and a final independent reading. Educator modeling includes both inaccurate and accurate readings, and students engage in self-analysis of rate, prosody, and expression during repeated readings.

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.

At the end of each unit, students engage in fluency practice with grade-level texts that vary by genre. In unit 1, students read “The Lighthouse Mystery,” a narrative passage, while unit 2 includes “Sunflowers,” an informational text. In unit 3, students engage in fluency practice with “The Midnight Train,” a literary narrative that includes dialogue and fantasy elements. Students read and reread these texts as part of the fluency routine, providing opportunities to develop accuracy, rate, and expression across multiple literary and informational text types.

Students also practice fluency with additional informational texts. In unit 4, students read “Climbing Mount Everest,” an informational procedural text that differs in structure and purpose from narrative selections. Throughout the program, students participate in repeated-reading routines and fluency activities while engaging with a range of grade-level literary and informational texts.

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

In unit 1, students read “The Lighthouse Mystery,” which includes vocabulary such as lighthouse, cobwebs, and haunted and uses simpler sentence structures that support early fluency development. In contrast, unit 3 includes “The Midnight Train,” which features vocabulary such as nervously, investigating, and magically, incorporates dialogue, and presents more sophisticated sentence structures that require students to engage with increased syntactic and linguistic complexity.

The materials also include informational texts that vary in complexity across units. In unit 2, “Sunflowers” includes vocabulary such as collect, energy, heights, and sturdy and uses simpler sentence structures, while unit 4’s “Climbing Mount Everest” incorporates vocabulary such as equipment, Himalayas, and avalanche and includes more complex sentence construction.

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

In each “Fluency Practice” routine, the educator wraparound guidance provides prompts during the “Warm-Up” and “Listen and Coach” sections to monitor accuracy, rate, and prosody. Educators model the correct reading of challenging words or phrases, listen for miscues, and provide feedback by prompting students to reread smoothly or adjust expression to sound natural. Additional guidance in the “Support as Needed” section directs educators to have students reread, correct errors, and reread complete sentences to improve accuracy and fluency.

The Teacher Edition also includes a “Fluency Practice Tracker” and rubric that guide educators in evaluating expression, volume, phrasing, smoothness, and pace during repeated readings. Educators observe and record student performance, limit prompting during scored readings, and note miscues for follow-up instruction. The rubric includes space for anecdotal notes and prompts educators to identify next instructional steps based on student performance.

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).

In unit 3, students read fiction, poetry, and drama to analyze character relationships, conflicts, plot elements, and the influence of setting, as well as to interpret figurative language. For example, in lesson 9, students read a myth, fable, and tall tale and analyze their structural and thematic features to distinguish characteristics of children’s literature. These text selections are free of spelling and grammatical errors and require students to evaluate content, compare genres, and interpret meaning within complex literary texts.

Students also read and analyze informational texts that require comprehension of central ideas, author’s purpose, and organizational structures. In unit 4, students identify supporting details, analyze text structures, and evaluate the use of print and graphic features. In lesson 18, students read texts such as “Horse Sense” and “Crabby Spiders” and determine central ideas, summarize information, and analyze relationships among ideas, requiring navigation of increasingly complex text structures and content.

Students further engage with argumentative texts that require analysis of claims, reasoning, and organization. In unit 4, lesson 25, students read texts such as “Too Much Weight and Out of Shape” and “Summer Homework Should Be Banned” and analyze authors’ claims, supporting evidence, counterarguments, and intended audiences. These learning experiences require students to evaluate arguments, analyze text structure, and synthesize ideas across multiple grade-level texts, demonstrating exposure to a variety of complex text types.

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

In unit 3, lesson 9, students read “Rainbow Crow,” a myth that requires interpretation of cultural elements, symbolic meaning, and theme development. In a later lesson, students read “Water Spirit’s Gift of Horses: A Play Based on a Blackfoot Tale,” which introduces a drama structure with dialogue, stage directions, and multiple characters, requiring analysis of interactions and structure. Students also read “Under the Rice Moon,” which includes descriptive language and implied themes that require students to infer meaning and analyze character motivations. These texts vary in structure, language, and depth of meaning, demonstrating increasing levels of complexity within literary texts.

Students also engage with texts that vary in complexity across genres and units. In unit 3, students read “The Oak and the Reeds,” a fable with a simple structure and clear purpose, alongside “Susie the Slithering Snake,” which requires students to make inferences about characters and events. In unit 4, students read “Crabby Spiders,” an informational text that requires analysis of central ideas, supporting details, and domain-specific scientific vocabulary related to insects and spiders. These texts demonstrate variation in sentence structure, vocabulary demands, and cognitive complexity, providing students with opportunities to engage with texts at different levels of difficulty across the program.

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

In lesson 11, students read “The Mixed-Up Fish Dance,” a narrative set in a Mexican coastal village that incorporates Spanish names, community traditions, and a village festival. These cultural references provide meaningful context and represent lived experiences that may connect to students’ diverse backgrounds while supporting engagement through authentic settings.

Students also read texts that reflect diverse historical perspectives and experiences. In lesson 12, students read “The Memorial Day Mission,” which focuses on a young boy and his great-grandparent who served as a Tuskegee Airman. The text highlights themes of courage, family, and service while representing African American history and contributions. These elements provide opportunities for students to engage with significant historical experiences and perspectives that reflect diverse backgrounds.

Evaluation for 8.2a
Materials activate or supply background knowledge.

In unit 2, lesson 5, students participate in “Why Do We Read?” where they recall prior reading experiences and identify purposes for reading different types of texts. Students also engage in “Question Quest,” where they generate questions before, during, and after reading, drawing on their understanding of how questioning supports comprehension.

The materials also activate background knowledge through consistent lesson introduction routines that connect new learning to prior knowledge. Each lesson includes a “Real-World Connection” followed by sections such as “What I Am Going to Learn” and “What I May Already Know,” which prompt students to connect existing knowledge to new content. In lesson 12, students recall how setting influences plot before analyzing historical and cultural influences, and “Turn and Talk” prompts require students to discuss familiar examples such as movies to activate prior understanding of characters, events, and setting. These planned routines provide regular opportunities for students to connect prior knowledge to new learning.

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

The materials include pre-teaching of unfamiliar vocabulary through a structured “Preview Words” routine provided before students read instructional passages. The educator materials explain that “Preview Words” include unfamiliar nouns, domain-specific terms, and words whose meanings students cannot readily determine from context. For example, before reading, educators introduce words such as dispense, prominent, bedridden, gratification, petroleum jelly, extinct, and chomp. The materials provide student-friendly definitions, examples from the text, visual supports for selected terms, and guidance for explicitly teaching the words before reading. This routine prepares students to understand unfamiliar vocabulary that may affect their comprehension of the text.

The materials provide educators with a consistent instructional routine for pre-teaching unfamiliar vocabulary before reading. Educators say each word aloud, provide a student-friendly definition, read the sentence from the passage that contains the word, and conduct a “Quick Check” to verify students’ understanding before they encounter the word in the text. The “Preview Words” pages also include visual representations for selected terms and opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding through brief oral or physical responses. For example, students identify examples and nonexamples, demonstrate word meanings through actions or gestures, or apply the words in context. These routines provide explicit opportunities for students to learn and interact with unfamiliar vocabulary before 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.

In unit 1, lesson 2, the educator wraparound guidance directs educators to introduce and clarify the use of context clues, providing definitions of different types of context clues followed by modeled examples. For example, the materials define synonym as a word that means “the same or nearly the same” and model its use in the sentence, “Elena is loquacious. Her sister is talkative, too,” where talkative is identified as a clue to determine the meaning of loquacious. This modeling demonstrates how students use contextual analysis to determine word meaning within sentences.

In unit 1, lesson 2, activity 1, educators define context clues as “hints in surrounding text” and model how to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word using a think-aloud. For example, educators model analyzing the word cacophony by identifying and explaining relevant clues in the surrounding text, showing students how to use context to determine meaning. These structured explanations, modeled examples, and guided educator language provide direct instruction on how to use contextual analysis to determine word meaning.

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.

In unit 1, lesson 2, during the “Guided Instruction,” students read “Exploring the Coral Reef” and respond to structured, text-embedded questions that require them to identify context clue types such as definitions, synonyms, and restatements, annotate evidence in the text, and explain word meanings. These tasks require students to locate and apply context clues directly within authentic passages.

In unit 1, lesson 2, students read “Yoga for Beginners” and answer questions that require them to use context to determine word meaning. For example, students identify which word helps determine the meaning of pivot and use contextual understanding to write a sentence using individualized correctly. These tasks require students to apply contextual analysis across multiple question types, including identifying clues, selecting evidence, and using new vocabulary in context.

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 units 2–4 scope and sequence outlines a deliberate progression from foundational comprehension skills such as establishing purpose, monitoring comprehension, generating questions, and making inferences to more complex skills, including analyzing point of view, summarizing texts, analyzing plot elements, evaluating details, recognizing informational text structures, and identifying an author’s claim. The aim is for educators to teach lessons sequentially, allowing students to build from literal comprehension toward inferential and evaluative thinking as skills increase in complexity across units.

The materials also provide explicit lesson-level instruction that integrates multiple levels of comprehension within a structured instructional model. In lesson 14, educators provide direct explanations of how to determine theme by analyzing character development and changes over time. Students apply this instruction through guided reading of “Under the Rice Moon,” where they identify textual evidence, explain how specific details suggest a theme, and distinguish between events and deeper meaning. Additional prompts require students to interpret symbolism such as analyzing what the “cage” represents and supporting their reasoning with evidence from the text.

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

In lesson 8, students read the informational text “How the Chickadee Weathers the Winter” and respond to questions that require them to identify explicit details, make inferences using textual evidence, and explain their reasoning with support from the text. Students then apply these comprehension skills to the literary text “Her Majesty, Aunt Essie,” where they identify key details, draw conclusions about characters, and evaluate ideas using textual evidence. These activities provide opportunities for students to practice literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension skills across multiple text types.

In lesson 12, students read “The Memorial Day Mission” and respond to questions that require them to identify details about setting and character actions, infer the significance of historical references, and evaluate the author’s purpose for including historical information. Students then read “The Sign” and complete activities that require them to identify explicit details, draw conclusions about historical context, and evaluate how specific sentences influence plot development. These tasks require students to apply comprehension skills across multiple levels while engaging with a variety of grade-level literary and informational texts.