Newsela ELA for Texas (Grade 3)

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

The Educator Success Guide includes an explanation of the supplemental program’s stated purpose. The supplemental program is a specialized solution designed to be used in addition to tier-one instructional materials. The supplemental program provides additional instruction and practice in reading comprehension for students in grades 2–5.

The Educator Success Guide provides a “Program Overview” and “Purpose.” The provided content explicitly defines the program as a supplemental solution whose primary objective is to provide additional instruction and practice in reading comprehension alongside tier-one materials. It further clarifies this purpose by stating that the materials aim to offer extra engagement and mastery of grade-level Texas Education Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) skills for all learners. Rather than focusing solely on skill deficits, the materials provide extra layers of engagement and mastery on specific grade-level skills throughout the school year.

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 materials include guidance in the Educator Success Guide on using the supplemental program appropriately, with a clear, three-step planning protocol that helps educators use core assessment data to identify learning gaps and determine the most appropriate supplemental unit. This detailed framework demonstrates how to implement the materials alongside an existing tier-one curriculum to deliver targeted instruction and meaningful practice.

The materials include guidance on using the supplemental program appropriately. This planning protocol instructs educators on aligning the supplemental resources with specific core programs, including HMH Into Reading Texas and Bluebonnet Learning. By outlining clear steps to review core modules and connect them with thematic supplemental units, it provides explicit guidance on using the resource to reinforce background knowledge and target TEKS skills alongside tier-one instruction.

The Education Success Guide includes the “Getting Started Process” for administrators and educators. Included are the implementation Use Cases, five pillars for success are stated and described in detail, and also included is how to implement the “Teaching TEKS” collection through the program.

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 in the Teaching TEKS 3rd Grade Scope and Sequence that outlines the student expectations and specific skills in each unit. Additionally, within the scope and sequence, the rationale for the “Teaching TEKS Collection” is to move students from metacognitive habits to genre-specific analysis through a scaffolded framework.

The materials include a “Teaching TEKS” section for each grade level that lists the units and provides access to the scope and sequence through the “Resources” section. Each unit identifies the applicable TEKS and corresponding student expectations.

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

The materials include guidance on time requirements and suggested pacing in the Implementation Resource. Each lesson includes a completion time of 55 minutes. The materials organize instruction into at least three phases—“Before Reading,” “During Reading,” and “After Reading”—and list the overall time required for the lesson under “Time to Complete” in the “Teaching the TEKS” section. The materials provide the total lesson duration rather than time allocations for each lesson cycle.

The “Efficacy Studies at Newsela” section of the Implementation Resources states that students read and take quizzes twice a week. These activities occur in the “During Reading” and “After Reading” portions of the lesson. The embedded formative assessments help educators know when to adjust instruction.

The materials include suggested pacing for effective implementation in the Implementation Resources. The resource clearly specifies the recommended frequency for effective use, advising that learners read and take quizzes two times a week. The resource also reinforces this time requirement by highlighting the specific, measurable academic growth learners achieve when this weekly routine is followed.

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

The Newsela Educator Success Guide includes resources and guidance to support educators with implementing the materials as designed. The materials provide detailed descriptions of how to start and implement the program for the stated purpose, and guidance on planning instruction based on the core curriculum. Also provided is an overview and description of the lesson plan format, when to use formative assessments within the program, and an overview of how to use student data.

The materials include resources and guidance to support educators in implementing the materials as designed within each lesson in the “Before Reading”, “During Reading,” and “After Reading” sections. Implementation guidance is provided, including instructions for English Language Learner (ELL) supports, extensions, and additional scaffolds.

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

Included in Getting Started with Newsela, there is a Family Guide in English and Spanish to help caregivers support their child’s reading progress through Newsela. The guide is divided into five parts: “Building Background Knowledge: Connecting Reading to Life,” “Boosting Reading Fluency & Habits: Practice Makes Perfect,” “Deepening Comprehension & Thinking: Understand the Main Message,” “Mastering Vocabulary & Language: Learning New Words,” and “Practicing for Success: Get Ready for Assessments.”

A Family Letter in English and Spanish is also provided, outlining the program’s purpose and providing parents with login information. This letter provides parents with steps for obtaining digital access.

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).

Newsela ELA for Texas Grade 3 materials include appropriate instructional assessments for the supplemental program. The Educator Success Guide includes a section that describes how formative assessments are integrated throughout the lesson cycle. The materials show that these checks for understanding occur before, during, and after reading components of instruction. Summative assessments are within the Cornerstone Activity and are implemented at the end of each unit. Diagnostic assessments are not applicable because the program is intended as a supplemental practice resource.

The materials include both formative and summative assessments appropriate for the supplemental program. For example, in the “During Reading” lesson component, a T-chart or 3-column chart monitors progress by evaluating if students can independently identify evidence while actively reading. Furthermore, each lesson features a summative assessment. For instance, Teaching TEKS Grade 3, unit 1, topic 4, lesson 1, “To excel at basketball, it’s mind over matter,” includes a writing prompt and a summative reading comprehension quiz.

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

In the grade 3 Educator Success Guide, the materials explicitly define four types of embedded assessments (annotations, power words, write prompts, and quizzes) and detail the specific instructional purpose for each. By categorizing these tools as assessments “For Learning”, “During Learning”, or “Of Learning,” the content provides educators with a clear understanding of exactly when and why to use them to monitor student progress.

The formative assessments are defined and the intended purpose is provided in a table titled “Formative Assessments Within the Lesson Cycle.” For example, the Think-Aloud Response is intended for guided monitoring and allows educators to check if students can follow the educator’s logic during modeling before attempting the skill in groups or independently.

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

The Newsela ELA for Texas Grade 3 supplemental program includes materials to help educators ensure the consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments. The Educator Success Guide includes a description of each formative assessment, its purpose, and guidance on when to implement it during the lesson. Each formative assessment has a designated time for implementation, such as “Before Reading,” “Introduction to Reading,” “During Reading,” and “After Reading” to align the assessment with its purpose.

The materials include guidance for educators to ensure consistent and accurate administration of the formative assessments located in the “Reading Instructions” within the lessons. For example, in Teaching TEKS Grade 3, unit 1, topic 2, lesson 1, during the “After Reading” portion of the lesson, students participate in a formative assessment summarizing what they have read, and guidance for administering that assessment is included. Guidance includes educator prompts for instruction and questions to ask during the assessment, such as, “What is the central idea of this article?”

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

The Newsela ELA for Texas Grade 3 instructional assessments include items of varying levels of complexity. The supplemental reading program includes built-in scaffolding and differentiation features explained in detail in the Educator Success Guide. Each text in the Newsela supplemental program includes targeted assessment opportunities, including quizzes and writing prompts. The questions vary in complexity and are offered at multiple reading levels to support diverse student needs.




The Newsela ELA for Texas Grade 3 materials include a quiz at the end of each lesson with questions at varying levels of complexity. For example, the quiz following an informative text begins with the literal question “What is the location of the school where Mr. Crozier works?” and progresses into a more complex question, “How are humans different from other animals?” The leveled texts additionally include the option to assign a writing prompt as a more complex instructional assessment.

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

The materials include scoring information and guidance for interpreting student growth. For example, the “Classroom Data and Reporting” section of the Educator Success Guide offers targeted Pro Tips that guide educators in interpreting classroom reports, such as using the Class Overview to evaluate student engagement across different text levels. It further advises educators on how to translate real-time data from the Reading Skills Insights into a clear understanding of student performance.

The materials include “Guidance for Interpreting and Scoring Write Prompts,” which provides a detailed Performance Interpretation Matrix that explains student behavior and outlines four distinct performance levels for scoring student responses to Write Prompts. By defining specific student behaviors and interpretations for each level, this framework ensures educators have the clear guidance needed to score these instructional assessments accurately and consistently.

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

The Educator Success Guide provides guidance on using the program to respond to student performance trends on assessments. The guide includes a three-step routine to help educators review reports, identify learning trends from assessment data, and take actionable steps to adjust whole-class or small-group instruction. It also explicitly links these insights to specific tools, such as the “Classroom Insights Planner.”

The materials include a section titled “Measuring Impact and Driving Success with Student Data Insights” in the Educator Success Guide. This section provides educators with guidance for building classroom data routines using reports at both the assignment and classroom levels, allowing for data-driven instructional decisions.

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 the “Newsela Classroom Data” page and additional resources in the Support Center, including the “Reports” tab, which allows educators to review metrics such as article reading levels, average active time, and quiz scores. Furthermore, it details Reading Summary Insights and “Reading Skills” dashboards that empower educators to track individual student growth across specific literacy skills to make informed instructional decisions. Additionally, tools are included to help students track their own progress and growth. The “My Progress” dashboard and Activity Log allow students to monitor their personal metrics, such as their Average Article Lexile and Quiz Average. Furthermore, tools such as the Word Wall for tracking vocabulary mastery and the Student Goal Setting Form empower students to actively use their data to set and track actionable learning goals.

The materials provide tools for both educators and students to monitor progress and growth. Within the Implementation Resources, the classroom data section includes videos and guidance that help educators access reports, interpret data, and utilize the “Reading Summary Dashboard” and “Reading Skills Dashboard” to inform instruction. Additionally, the student support resources include “A Student Guide to Tracking Your Progress,” which provides students with instructions for monitoring their own progress and setting goals.

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 guidance on differentiated instruction and student activities for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level skills. Each lesson guide includes a section titled “Additional Scaffolds” at the bottom of the Reading Instruction page, which provides strategies for students working toward grade-level or those who need additional learning supports. In unit 1, topic 3, lesson 2, the “Additional Scaffolds” section includes directions for the educator to perform the read-aloud or teach students how to use the Read-Aloud function embedded in the program.

In the Grade 3 Lesson Sparks for the unit 1 Cornerstone Activity, the “Additional Scaffolds” section at the bottom of the “Reading Instructions” page provides a scaffold for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level skills. The scaffold suggests that educators provide students with a purpose for reading, for example: “I want to understand the central idea of this text.”

Newsela ELA for Texas Grade 3 materials include guidance for differentiated instruction for students who have not yet reached grade-level proficiency. For example, in the Student Support Resources Guide, there is a section with guidance to support striving readers, which includes Tier II Power Words, embedded scaffolding in Lesson Sparks, videos and student polls.

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 materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade level skills. In each lesson guide, there is a section titled “Extensions” towards the bottom of the “Reading Instructions” tab and provides strategies for students who are proficient at grade level and ready for additional learning challenges. In unit 1, topic 2, lesson 1, the “Extensions” section directs students to read an additional passage and make predictions about the text using the annotation feature.

The materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have reached proficiency in grade-level skills. In grade 3, the section titled “Extensions” provides support for students who have already demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills. In the extension of the lesson, Independent Analysis, students read “The Glass Knight: an English story.” Students summarize the story and then identify its theme. Finally, students write a one-paragraph explanation of the theme present in the story, using story details to support their thinking.


In the Grade 3 Teaching TEKS unit 5, topic 1, lesson 1, the materials include an extension for students that have met grade-level skills. The extension provides guidance for educators to challenge students with an activity in which they use a graphic organizer to write a comic strip that reflects the key events of the story.

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

Newsela ELA for Texas Grade 3 materials include guidance for specially designed instruction for students receiving supports and services through special education. For example, in the Student Support Resources Guide, there are resources titled “Supporting Students with Disabilities” and “Instructional Strategies for Accomodations.” The resources describe the supports available within the product, key features for the classroom and strategies to meet specific IEP goals and 504 accommodations through intentional lesson design.

The resource “Supporting Students with Disabilities with Newsela” provides educators with adaptable instructional strategies and tools such as text-to-speech, screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, adjustable text settings, and audio supports that increase access to grade-level content and facilitate the implementation of accommodations.

The article “Instructional Strategies for Accommodations” on the program platform explicitly outlines instructional strategies and flexible assessment options tailored to support specific IEP goals and 504 accommodations. This guidance on scaffolding comprehension with strategies such as customizing writing prompts or using time-chunking allows educators to deliver specially designed instruction for 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.

The Newsela educator-led supplemental program includes explicit prompts and guidance to support the educator in modeling and explaining the skills to be learned. In grade 3, unit 3, topic 1, lesson 1, the “Introduce Reading” section includes direct prompts for the educator to model how to ask questions about the purpose of text features. The prompt states, “Did anyone figure out what this article’s header feature was?” and continues with prompts for educators to model thinking aloud.

In the “Introduce Reading” section of unit 2, topic 1, lesson 1, the educator models asking questions about the purpose of text features as they read the article. Scripting examples appear in the italicized text in the “Introduce Reading” section.

An additional example of the explicit prompts and guidance to support the educator in modeling is provided in the materials in the “Introduce Reading” section of unit 3, topic 2, lesson 1. The educator is prompted to model how to find examples of hyperbole in the article.

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 educator guidance for effective lesson delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches within the lessons. The “Introduce Reading” section of the lessons instructs the educator to model the reading skill through direct instruction. Then, in the “During Reading” portion of the lesson, the educator guides students to annotate by highlighting, and in the “After Reading” portion, students demonstrate understanding in a variety of ways, including writing and illustrating.

The materials provide educators with explicit modeling and scripted instructional guidance to support the development of literacy skills. Through the “Before Reading” and “Introduce Reading” sections, educators model comprehension strategies, text analysis, author’s purpose, perspective, prediction-making, and annotation practices, with scripted examples provided to support implementation and student understanding.

In the pre-reading portion of the lessons, students engage in activities to activate background knowledge, such as a write-pair-share activity. In the “After Reading” portion of lessons, students encounter varied activities that allow them to apply the given skill in independent practice, such as a written-response activity. Within each lesson plan, guidance is provided to educators on how to facilitate the instructional approaches best. The variety of instructional activities and level of guidance in lesson plans is largely consistent throughout the program.

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

Materials include guidance for educators on recommended structures such as whole groups, small groups, and individuals, to support effective implementation. The program includes guidance for educators on recommended structures to support effective implementation. The “For Administrators” tab includes Pillar 2: Create Flexible Structures, which includes an “Implementation Planning” section that directs educators and administrators on when and how to use Newsela in various grouping scenarios. The chart provides guidance on grouping and text types by instructional purpose. It clearly maps specific instructional goals, such as practicing fluency or building background knowledge, to recommended classroom structures, such as independent, small-group, and whole-class settings. By detailing actionable strategies for each grouping, the materials provide educators with explicit guidance on implementing the program effectively across different learning environments.

The materials include guidance for selecting instructional groupings and text types based on specific learning objectives. The Educator Success Guide provides recommendations that align instructional purposes, such as fluency development and background knowledge building, with appropriate learning environments, including independent, small-group, and whole-class instruction, to support effective implementation across instructional settings.

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 provide linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency, designed to encourage students to use more academic language. In each unit, there is a section titled “Language Supports for English Language Learners in Texas.” This section provides strategies to support emergent bilinguals (EBs) at each proficiency level. Each proficiency level is broken down into detailed information on strategies such as word studies, Frayer models, and word snapshots. The materials include supports for “Pre-Production,” “Beginning,” “Intermediate,” “High Intermediate,” and “Advanced” levels.

In unit 2, the ELL Supports for the “Beginning” level include using a visual to introduce, pre-teaching vocabulary, and chunking the text. The section gives guidance on allowing students to use multiple means of representation to show their thinking and ideas. It also guides students to visualize the text by drawing an image for each paragraph.

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 materials include an “Implementation Guide for State-Approved Bilingual/ESL Programs,” in the Student Support Resources section. This guide includes a table for educators, listing each approved Instructional Model and the Recommended Modifications and Accommodations available to support them in their specific program. Additionally, there is a list of graphic organizers with direct links for easy access.

In addition, the implementation guide outlines how the resource can be flexibly implemented across a variety of models, including dual language, transitional bilingual, EB pull-out, and EB content-based. Suggestions for adapting instruction, using digital lessons effectively, and incorporating scaffolds are provided.

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 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 materials include high-quality texts and are sorted by genre and grade. For example, short stories are available in “Fiction by Grade,” and several different types of nonfiction texts are available under “Informational Texts by Topic.” There are texts that are specific to student interest as well. There are many opportunities for students to read a variety of grade-level, complex texts as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. The program includes a search feature that makes it easy to find text specific to reading skills.

In grade 3, the lesson includes texts for students to read, discuss, and write about, with a focus on high-quality, grade-level, complex texts across a variety of text types, including literary and informational. In unit 2, topic 1, lesson 1, students preview the title “Biggest animal ever?” and make annotations. Then, during reading, they view text features such as images, graphs, timelines, and tables. The educator models how these features are important, and after reading, students pair up to discuss the text features and how they help them understand the text’s central idea.

The materials offer a library of high-quality texts, including informational articles, poems, short stories, explainers, and essays. The texts are organized by grade level and type. Educators can utilize the search feature to quickly find content throughout the platform. They can also apply filters based on grade level, maturity range, instructional support focus, reading skills, standards, topics, and Spanish-language texts. Additional instructional filters can be accessed by selecting the “View All” option under Topics.

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

The materials include a variety of high-quality texts, sorted by units and genre, at different levels of complexity. The “Information Text By Topic” found under Newsela for Texas ELA, Grades 2–5, includes a variety of complex texts with a reading level range from 350L to 1490L. A variety of texts is provided to meet students’ diverse interests. Some examples include “Science Explainers, Biographies, and Argumentative Texts”.

Lessons feature a variety of texts that progress from straightforward informational passages to those with implied purposes and multiple layers of meaning. As students advance, the text structures become more complex, transitioning from simple descriptions and lists to more complex ones such as cause-and-effect, problem-and-solution, and non-linear organization. The vocabulary also evolves, starting with high-frequency words and gradually introducing domain-specific terminology, abstract language, and words with multiple meanings.

Texts included in grade 3 lessons include opportunities for students to read, discuss, and write about a range of complexity across multiple linguistic and structural features. Across the grade-level units, texts vary in meaning, beginning with straightforward informational passages and progressing to texts that include implied purpose, multiple layers of meaning, and more nuanced concepts. Text structure also becomes increasingly complex, moving from simple description and listing to more advanced patterns such as cause/effect, problem/solution, and non-linear organization. In addition, knowledge demands expand as students encounter familiar, everyday topics as well as more content-rich subjects requiring background understanding. Vocabulary complexity is also intentionally varied, with high-frequency words in early texts and the gradual introduction of domain-specific terminology, abstract language, and words with multiple meanings.

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

The “Student Interest Texts” collection features engaging, high-interest reading passages designed to connect with students through topics like animals, technology, school activities, music, sports, weather, cooking, and food. For instance, “Top Five Smallest Animals” taps into curiosity about animals and adventure, while “How Minecraft is helping kids fall in love with books” highlights opportunities for students to explore video game interests at school. “How to stay safe from tornadoes” delves deeper into weather and everyday safety, and “Obento is art in a lunch box” offers a cultural perspective on food and traditions. Collectively, these texts promote engagement by reflecting a wide variety of student interests, backgrounds, and real-world experiences.

In grade 3, texts include relevant, engaging content that authentically reflects students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences. For student interest, two texts, “The Great Easter Basket Question: To Peep or Not Peep” and “Frozen History: The Story of the Popsicle,” are relevant and engaging for students in this topic.

The program contains articles about space, animals, science, music, sports, and other topics. Outside the traditional unit plan, the educator can use the search feature to look up any topic. After selecting an article, the educator can choose the Lexile level appropriate for the students’ needs. Searching “weather” as a topic, an educator can choose a full-text set titled “Wild Weather,” which includes five articles about various types of weather.

Evaluation for 8.2a
Materials activate or supply background knowledge.

In grade 3, lesson materials help activate or provide background knowledge for students. In the unit, students receive a short list of audio examples they may be familiar with from categories such as nature, vehicular, and animal sounds. As students identify these sounds, known as onomatopoeia, they will be able to recall prior knowledge of sounds and compare them with the sounds in lesson 2. In lesson 2, sound devices of poetry are introduced through the activity and the video “Beep-Beep.” Students explore what onomatopoeia is and connect it with the sounds in the poem “Rain Music” by Nel Levin.

The materials activate or supply background knowledge in lessons within the “before reading” section. For example, in grade 3, unit 2, topic 1, Lesson 3, the “Before Reading” instructions for “Activate Prior Knowledge” ask students to write down everything they know about ants and then discuss where they learned it.

The materials activate or supply background knowledge. In unit 2, topic 2, lesson 2 the articles focus on the way animals serve and help humans. The consistency of the unit helps students to develop background knowledge and continue to activate that knowledge as they read.

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

The materials include opportunities for educators to pre-teach unfamiliar academic and content-specific vocabulary before students engage with grade-level texts. In unit 2, the “Before Reading” section directs educators to introduce key vocabulary terms following an initial observation activity with a related image. Students use the image to identify examples of vertebrates and invertebrates, allowing educators to clarify and pre-teach vocabulary in context prior to reading and support initial concept development.

In grade 3 materials, vocabulary supports are embedded prior to and during reading instruction to help students access unfamiliar words. For example, in unit 2, topic 2, lesson 2 (“Synthesizing Information”), educators introduce key terms before students complete true-and-false synthesis activities about animals. In addition, Newsela articles include Power Words, which preview important academic vocabulary prior to and during reading. For example, in the article “High School Teacher Creates Dictionary of Student Slang,” students encounter highlighted tier 2 vocabulary words with student-friendly definitions and pronunciation support, helping build understanding of unfamiliar terms connected to the text.

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 5, topic 3, lesson 1, students receive explicit instruction in using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary while reading “Cooking and Food.” The educator models how to use surrounding words and sentences to determine the meanings of highlighted Power Words before guiding students to apply the same strategy as they read the text. Educator questions prompt students to cite context clues that support their thinking before confirming word meanings.


In unit 2, topic 2, lesson 2, the educator explicitly models how to determine the meaning of the phrase “popping up” using context clues. The educator explains that the phrase makes the text difficult to understand, rereads the surrounding sentences, and uses a think-aloud to demonstrate how the context suggests that popping up means beginning or appearing in new places. The lesson also teaches students to consult a dictionary when context alone is insufficient, reinforcing a systematic process for determining 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.

In grade 3, opportunities for students to practice contextual analysis are included in lessons to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary and are aligned with grade-level TEKS. In unit 2, topic 2, lesson 1, in the “During Reading” section, students highlight unfamiliar words, then in the After Reading section, students define those words through context clues, a dictionary, or the Newsela vocabulary tool and identify the key idea and supporting details including the newly acquired vocabulary.

In unit 1, topic 1, lesson 1, students practice using contextual analysis to determine the meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary while reading informational texts. As they generate and revisit questions about the text, students use surrounding words, phrases, and sentences to clarify unfamiliar vocabulary and discuss how those word meanings contribute to their understanding of the text. Students then use evidence from the text to support their interpretations during class discussions and written responses.

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.

Each grade level provides a unit guide that outlines a systematic sequence of instruction on reading comprehension skills at multiple levels. For example, the table of contents for unit 2 organizes lessons in topic 1, showing a progression of comprehension instruction across structured lessons from literal understanding to inferential and evaluative thinking. This sequencing ensures students engage with comprehension skills in an order aligned to grade-level TEKS expectations.



In grade 3, unit 2, topic 1, lesson 2, students develop reading comprehension skills at the literal, inferential, and evaluative levels through explicit instruction, educator modeling, and guided practice focused on informational text structure. The educator explicitly models how to identify key details and cause-and-effect relationships using a T-chart while reading “How Animals Survive the Cold of Winter.” Students then paraphrase information with educator support, analyze how text structures such as cause/effect and problem/solution organize ideas, and explain how structure supports the author’s purpose. Through structured discussion and guided tasks, students also justify their categorization of ideas and synthesize information using a one-pager, demonstrating evaluative thinking as they evaluate how organizational structures clarify relationships and meaning.

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 materials include opportunities for students to practice reading comprehension skills at multiple levels (literal, inferential, and evaluative) with grade-level literary and informational texts aligned to TEKS. In unit 4, topic 1, lesson 1, students read and analyze a poem, identifying literal meaning while also interpreting figurative language such as metaphors. Students evaluate how figurative language contributes to the poem’s meaning by explaining how word choices affect interpretation.

In grade 3, unit 2, topic 1, lesson 1, students practice comprehension skills using informational texts about the largest and smallest animals by identifying key details (literal understanding). In topic 1, lesson 2, students analyze how organizational patterns support text structure and explain relationships within the text (inferential comprehension). In topic 2, lesson 2, students synthesize information across multiple texts to clarify unfamiliar words and ideas, and in lesson 3, students apply comprehension skills by creating their own informational text, demonstrating evaluative thinking through selection and organization of ideas. Across lessons, students engage in structured reading tasks that require them to support answers with textual evidence at multiple levels of comprehension.