Tumbleweed Reading Expeditions, Grade 1

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 “Welcome to Tumbleweed” PDF states that the purpose of the program is “a supplemental literacy solution intentionally designed for students in grades 2–8 who are striving readers, neurodiverse learners, and multilingual learners.” This explanation identifies the program as supplemental and clarifies that the materials are intended to provide additional literacy support for students who require targeted instruction and practice.

Additionally, the Instructional Strategies Guide explains that Tumbleweed was founded to support striving readers and neurodiverse learners in grades 2–8 who are reading significantly below grade level through decodable readers and accompanying educator guides. By explicitly identifying the intended learners and describing the instructional supports included in the program, the materials clearly communicate the resource’s supplemental purpose as targeted remediation and intervention support.

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 Instructional Strategies Guide contains implementation support that aligns with the core curriculum. The materials state, “Tumbleweed is designed to serve as a supplemental literacy program that provides additional instruction and practice in phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency, while aligning closely with educators’ tier one core instruction.” The guide also offers clear guidance on using the materials with the core curriculum by integrating them into the planning cycle to reinforce, extend, and support core literacy.

Additionally, the materials include a Specifically Designed Instruction Guide. The guide provides implementation guidance in the “Correlation Between Educators” and “Side-by-Side Unit Application” sections to align the program with tier one instruction, address skill gaps, support Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals, and provide targeted intervention.

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 “Scope and Sequence Rationale” document explains that skills are intentionally sequenced to support student learning through direct modeling, guided practice, corrective feedback, and repeated opportunities to apply skills. This rationale gives educators a clear understanding of how the instructional progression builds student knowledge and skills over time.

Additionally, the “TEKS Correlations Chart” aligns Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) student expectations with specific program components and lessons and includes corresponding page references. The chart identifies the skills addressed in each lesson and shows how instruction supports mastery of the aligned student expectations throughout the program.

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

The “Getting Started” section of the Instructional Strategies Guide provides a sample weekly plan with a focus and suggested customizations for each day of the week. For example, Monday focuses on the “Prepare for Reading” and “First Read” activities, with suggested customizations for introducing phonics and vocabulary.

The materials provide suggested pacing, including a breakdown of how many minutes to spend on each instructional activity during an instructional session. For example, the Instructional Strategies Guide suggests 40 minutes for session 1, with 15 minutes for the “Prepare for Reading” and 25 minutes for the “First Read” activities.

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

Overview documents support implementation by identifying the skills taught, the aligned TEKS, instructional resources, and decodable readers for each module. For example, the Base Camp module 1 focuses on foundational phonemic awareness and short-vowel decoding, and it identifies the aligned TEKS, instructional materials, assessments, student pages, decodable readers, and instructional cards required for implementation. These overviews help educators understand each module’s instructional focus and organize the resources needed to deliver instruction with fidelity.


The Instructional Strategies Guide offers clear guidance on using program components as intended. For example, guidance for the “Extra Practice” pages explains that the activities reinforce the phonics pattern and sound focus of each decodable reader without adding unnecessary cognitive load. The guide also explains that linking phonological awareness practice to the current phonics focus helps students develop sound-to-print connections in a structured, meaningful way. This implementation guidance helps educators use instructional resources consistently and as designed by the program.

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

Tumbleweed Reading Expeditions Grade 1 provides caregiver letters in English and Spanish for each module. These letters inform families about the literacy skills and concepts students are learning and explain how these skills support reading development. They also provide guidance for reinforcing learning at home, helping families stay informed about instructional content and student progress.

Base Camp module 1 includes caregiver newsletters in both English and Spanish that provide specific recommendations for supporting student progress. Suggested activities include listening as a child reads short words, playing word games focused on targeted phonics patterns, practicing reading simple plural words, and encouraging students to say each sound slowly when reading or spelling. The newsletter also outlines the spelling patterns and skills covered: naming and reading consonant sounds; reading short vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) and consonant digraphs (such as sh, ch, th); reading words with qu and double consonants; reading common word endings -all, -am, and -an; and reading and spelling words with the plural endings -s and -es. These resources provide families with concrete, actionable strategies to reinforce skills taught in the program and support continued literacy development 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).

Assessments such as the “Student Placement Form,” “Small Group Observation Form,” “Oral Reading Progress Tracker,” “Middle-of-Year Assessment,” and “End-of-Year Assessment” support targeted remediation and ongoing progress monitoring. These assessments help educators determine students’ instructional starting points, monitor growth over time, and adjust intervention based on identified needs.

“Getting Started with Tumbleweed Assessment” outlines the purpose and administration schedule for each assessment type. The materials specify which assessment forms to use and when to administer them to inform instructional decisions. For example, the “Middle-of-Year Assessment” monitors student progress and identifies learning gaps, allowing educators to determine appropriate interventions and instructional next steps. Together, these assessments support the supplemental program’s purpose of providing targeted instruction and acceleration based on student performance data.

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

The “Tumbleweed Placement Form” is used to identify students’ instructional entry points within the “Tumbleweed Scope and Sequence” based on demonstrated skill needs. The guidance states that the placement assessment determines where students should begin instruction in the program, supporting appropriate placement and targeted intervention.

“Getting Started with Tumbleweed Assessment” describes the assessment framework as encompassing both formative and summative assessments and explains how assessment data are used to support instructional decision-making. The guidance outlines the purpose of each assessment type and explains how results inform instructional planning, monitor student progress, and determine appropriate next steps.

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

The “Tumbleweed Placement Form” provides explicit directions for administering and scoring diagnostic assessments. The materials include scripted statements, administration procedures, guidance for recording student responses, and directions for determining placement after assessment administration. For example, educators are directed to dictate assessment items slowly, allow students sufficient time to respond, and repeat prompts when appropriate. These procedures support consistent administration and help ensure that assessment results are collected accurately across educators.

Additional guidance is provided in “Getting Started with Tumbleweed Assessment,” which outlines the program’s assessment types, specifies which assessment forms to use, and explains when to administer each assessment. This guidance supports consistent implementation of assessment procedures and promotes accurate collection and interpretation of student performance data.

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

Within each Module Assessment, students complete a sequence of increasingly complex tasks, including decoding words in isolation, decoding nonsense words, encoding words, writing dictated sentences, and reading connected text. The fluency component also requires students to demonstrate proficiency in rate, accuracy, and prosody. This progression gives students multiple opportunities to apply skills in increasingly complex contexts and across a variety of assessment tasks.

The assessments also increase in complexity across the Base Camp, Lookout Point, and Summit modules as students progress through the program’s scope and sequence. Skill expectations advance from foundational phonics patterns to more complex word-reading skills. For example, the Word Reading portion of the Base Camp module 1 assessment includes words such as tall, pass, bath, chick, and this. In contrast, later assessments include increasingly complex words such as bucket, mistrust, and subjects in module 3. These assessment tasks reflect a progression in complexity that aligns with the development of increasingly advanced phonics and word-reading skills.

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

Each Module Assessment in the Tumbleweed Reading Expeditions series, including Base Camp, Lookout Point, and Summit, includes End-of-Module Assessment Guidance that explains how educators should interpret student performance across assessment sections and skills. The guidance offers narrative explanations and score-based recommendations to determine instructional next steps. For example, the “Word Reading Accuracy” section includes an If/Then Chart that directs educators to specific instructional responses based on student performance. The Oral Reading Fluency guidance also provides score ranges and recommendations, such as focusing on the lowest rubric-scored areas and providing additional practice for students who score below proficiency levels, while directing students demonstrating mastery to begin the next module. Similar guidance is provided for oral reading comprehension and vocabulary performance.

The materials also include scoring information to support accurate interpretation of student performance. In “Getting Started with Tumbleweed Assessment,” the Oral Reading Progress Rubric provides scoring criteria for automaticity, intonation, volume and stress, phrasing, and retelling/summarizing. Performance descriptors distinguish proficiency levels within each category and support consistent scoring across educators. These scoring tools and performance guidelines help educators evaluate student performance accurately, identify areas of need, and determine appropriate instructional next steps.

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

Each Module Assessment in the Base Camp, Lookout Point, and Summit modules includes End-of-Module Assessment Guidance with specific instructional recommendations for students who need additional instruction due to low performance on an assessment. The educator is guided to lessons and resources that match individual student assessment data.

Tumbleweed Reading Expeditions provides a data collection chart that helps educators organize student assessment results, enabling quick analysis of patterns in student performance and error trends. Each assessment section also includes score ranges to help educators determine whether a student has reached mastery and lists recommended next steps.

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 Base Camp, Lookout Point, and Summit Module Assessments include tools that help educators track student progress. For example, an “Oral Reading Progress Tracker” allows educators to monitor students’ oral reading over the course of a year, including automaticity, intonation, volume and stress, phrasing, and accuracy. The materials also include a fluency self-assessment for students.


The Instructional Strategies Guide includes student trackers for each module. Students can track their progress through the modules. In Base Camp, the students have a map that shows them preparing to climb. They record and reflect after checkpoints 1.6, 2.5, 3.5, and 4.4. They mark a dot plot graph and reflect at each checkpoint on how they improved and what they are still working on.

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

The “Tumbleweed Placement Form” provides tools to help the educator place students in the reading program. The “Placement Form” instructs the educator to begin with the If/Then Chart and states that the program should align with the core program. The educator determines the student’s needs based on prior skill mastery, if applicable. If the educator has no prior work to review, they begin with Set 1 of the assessments. If a student has mastered consonant blends and clusters, the next step is to begin assessing with Set 4. When that assessment is finished, the educator uses the chart to determine placement in the program or to continue assessment to find the correct placement.


The Tumbleweed Reading Expeditions instructional materials provide exit criteria for educators for the Base Camp, Lookout Point, and Summit Module Assessments. When completing the final assessment in each module, the educator is provided guidance on student placement or review in the “Module Assessment Teacher Version.” Based on student scores, the educator is instructed to begin the next module or reteach areas before moving on. The “Summit Module Assessment 12” provides guidance on exiting the program. The educator uses this guidance to determine whether the student needs additional explicit instruction or is ready to exit the program.

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 Tumbleweed Instructional Strategies Guide section, “Supporting Students Needing Additional Phonological Awareness Practice,” provides explicit guidance for supporting students who require additional intervention and targeted practice. The materials explain that students who need additional support in phonological awareness benefit from routine, purposeful instruction focused on hearing, identifying, and manipulating sounds in spoken words. The guidance further emphasizes that phonological awareness is a critical foundation for accurate decoding and fluent reading. These supports provide educators with differentiated instructional practices designed to address skill gaps and strengthen foundational literacy skills for students who are not yet performing at grade level.

The Tumbleweed Instructional Strategies Guide also offers differentiated instructional recommendations for students with a range of learning needs, including developmental language disorder (DLD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and comprehension difficulties. The materials recommend strategies such as preteaching high-utility vocabulary, providing sentence frames and educator modeling, using visual representations to clarify word meaning, incorporating opportunities to answer literal and inferential questions, retelling texts with visual supports, allowing additional response time, breaking complex directions into manageable steps, and using multimodal instructional approaches. These educator-facing supports provide specific methods for scaffolding instruction and adjusting delivery to meet the needs of students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level literacy skills while maintaining access to grade-level content.

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.

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

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

The Tumbleweed Specially Designed Instruction Guide offers educator-facing guidance on adapting instructional methods and delivery to meet the individualized needs of students receiving special education services. The guide explains that the program supports instruction through guided practice, purposeful educator modeling, explicit and immediate feedback, visual supports, and hands-on learning activities. These practices provide educators with structured approaches to delivering targeted instruction while maintaining access to grade-level literacy content.

The materials also provide additional guidance for supporting students receiving special education services through the Tumbleweed Instructional Strategies Guide. For example, the materials recommend instructional supports such as redirecting student attention to the text, reducing distractions in the learning environment, and providing structured routines to support engagement and comprehension. In the section addressing supports for students with ADHD, the materials explain the importance of consistent instructional routines and purposeful planning to accommodate individual learning needs. These educator-facing supports guide adjustments to instructional delivery and the implementation of specialized instructional practices to support 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.

In the Base Camp “Hop on the Bus” lesson, the “Phonemic Awareness” section provides a scripted routine for teaching phoneme blending. Educators are directed to say, “Now we will match the sounds we heard to the letter that stands for each sound. I will say the sounds and write the letter that stands for that sound. We will then blend the sounds to read each word.” The lesson then guides educators to model blending with the words hop, bus, and map by saying each word sound by sound, writing the corresponding letters, and having students blend the sounds to read the words. These explicit directions support educator modeling and direct instruction in blending skills.

In the Base Camp lesson “Gus Looks Up,” the “Phonological Awareness” section offers scripted guidance for teaching phoneme segmentation. Educators are directed to say, “Today we are going to listen to the sounds that are in words. Then we will connect these sounds to the letters that stand for them.” The lesson explains that segmenting means pulling sounds apart in words and directs educators to model the process with the word cup before guiding students to segment the words bun, hat, and top. These scripted explanations, prompts, and modeling routines provide educators with explicit guidance for teaching foundational literacy skills.

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 provide Teacher Guides for each collection: Base Camp, Lookout Point, and Summit. Each decodable reader also includes a corresponding Teacher Guide. The explicit, systematic Teacher Guides provide guidance for effective instruction and incorporate multiple instructional approaches throughout each section. The Base Camp lesson “The Nest Quest” demonstrates the gradual release model and the instructional approaches, including word building with manipulatives, choral reading, Total Physical Response, silent reading, and discussions. All 124 Teacher Guides follow the same approach.

The Instructional Strategies Guide includes a “Customizable Tips” section with a variety of instructional approaches, allowing educators to choose the approach most beneficial for their students. These include projecting the digital version of the decodable reader on screen for students to follow along as they read their individual reader; choosing between choral, echo, or whisper reading based on individual student or group needs; using Elkonin boxes, word building, or finger tapping for multimodal support; pointing out decodable patterns in context (e.g., -ing, blends, digraphs, suffixes); and printing out the student-friendly I Can Visualize chart at the back of this guide for use in small-group or whole-class reading instruction. These approaches give educators multiple ways to deliver instruction and support student learning.

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

The instructional materials provide educators with guidance on recommended structures to support effective implementation. For example, in the Lookout Point module, the lesson plan for the decodable reader The Sky Is the Limit explains, under Reading Options, that students can read the story individually or in small groups. The guide also outlines recommended structures for first, second, and third readings, enabling the educator to implement the program effectively.

The “Select the Instructional Setting” section of the Tumbleweed Instructional Strategies Guide helps educators choose the setting that best meets students’ needs, such as whole-class, small-group, or individual instruction. For example, during whole-class instruction, educators should use Tumbleweed texts and routines to reinforce recently taught core skills, model strategies, or build shared vocabulary and comprehension through shared reading and discussion. Guidance for small-group instruction includes explicitly targeting instruction of specific skills for students who need more practice. Additional educator guidance is provided for students who need specific individual practice activities, such as rereading for fluency. This guidance enables the educator to effectively implement the program with all students.

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.

In the Base Camp lesson “Dogs in a Van,” globe icons identify supports designed for multilingual learners. For example, the lesson directs educators to use Total Physical Response to build vocabulary and comprehension by having students act out the meaning of the word scamper. This support helps students connect language to actions and meaning through oral language practice. The lesson also includes a “Multilingual Learner Support” section with differentiated guidance for multilingual learners at varying levels of English language proficiency. For beginning students, educators are directed to introduce the word fan, discuss its multiple meanings, and have students use the word in sentences that demonstrate each meaning. For advanced students, the materials extend vocabulary development by having students write a story using newly acquired vocabulary. These differentiated supports engage students in oral and written language activities that promote the use of increasingly sophisticated academic language.

Additional linguistic accommodations appear throughout the program. For example, in the Lookout Point lesson “Gentle Helpers,” the “Multilingual Learner Support” section provides differentiated guidance aligned with students’ English language proficiency levels. For beginning and intermediate students, educators are directed to read new words with students and identify examples of soft c and soft g, supporting vocabulary development and decoding through educator-guided practice. For advanced students, educators are directed to identify related base words, apply phonics rules for soft c and soft g, and decode words aloud. These supports provide scaffolded opportunities for students to develop and apply academic language at progressively higher levels of proficiency.

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 Tumbleweed Instructional Strategies Guide provides educator-facing guidance for supporting multilingual learners through explicit, systematic literacy instruction while developing English language proficiency. The guide explains how established instructional routines, decodable texts, repeated practice opportunities, and language-development supports promote foundational literacy skills and language acquisition. The guide also includes sections on implementation within Dual Language Immersion, Transitional Bilingual, and ESL program models, providing educators with recommendations for supporting multilingual learners across a range of instructional settings.

The materials also include embedded implementation guidance within the Teacher Guides. Each lesson includes a “Multilingual Learner Support” section with recommendations for supporting students at varying levels of English language proficiency. For example, in module 2.1, “King Biscuit Blues Festival,” the materials provide differentiated guidance for students at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced proficiency levels. These supports include specific instructional actions, language-development activities, and scaffolds that help educators adjust instruction to students’ language needs and proficiency levels. Together, these resources provide educators with guidance for effectively implementing the materials in bilingual and ESL programs while supporting students’ literacy and language development.

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

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

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

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

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

In the “Base Camp Module Overview,” instruction begins with foundational phonological awareness skills and gradually increases in complexity across modules. Early lessons include rhyming and onset-rime activities before progressing to phoneme-level instruction, short vowel sounds, and high-frequency consonants. As students build proficiency, the materials guide them toward blending, segmenting, decoding, and encoding CVC words in later modules.

Additional evidence of this sequence appears in the Base Camp Teacher Guide lesson “Words and Sentences.” The lesson objectives direct students to identify and produce rhyming words, orally blend and segment the onset and rime of single-syllable spoken words, and recognize sound–spellings for the short vowel sounds /a/, /i/, and /o/. Instruction progresses from larger units of sound, such as rhyming and onset-rime, to smaller units through phoneme-level blending, segmentation, and sound–spelling correspondence.

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

The “Base Camp Module Overview” outlines a systematic progression of phonemic awareness skills across the program. Module 1 establishes foundational phonemic awareness skills necessary for early reading development. Instruction focuses on helping students recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken words and on connecting phonemes to graphemes in print. For example, module 1 includes instruction in rhyming, onset-rime, and phoneme-level skills, and it introduces short vowels /a/, /i/, and /o/. Through explicit instruction and cumulative practice, students develop the ability to segment, blend, and manipulate phonemes.

The progression continues in later modules as students apply phonemic awareness skills to increasingly complex sound patterns. Module 2 expands students’ ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in increasingly complex words. Students continue practicing phoneme segmentation, blending, and manipulation while working with welded sounds -ng and -nk, initial and final blends, consonant clusters, and closed-syllable exceptions such as -ild, -ind, -old, -ost, and -olt. In module 3, instruction advances to syllable-level skills, including syllable isolation and manipulation, extending students’ ability to analyze and manipulate larger sound units within multisyllabic words.

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

The Instructional Strategies Guide explains that instruction begins with phonological awareness and that students must first develop the ability to process sounds in spoken language before connecting those sounds to letters. The guide provides educators with explicit procedures for teaching phonological and phonemic awareness throughout the program.

Additional explicit instruction appears in the Base Camp lesson “A Plan for Sam.” In the “Phonological Awareness” section, educators explain, “Today we are going to change the first sound in a word to make a new word. Then we will connect these sounds to the letters that stand for them.” The educator script continues: “I will say a word, you will repeat the word, and then we will change the first sound to make a new word. I will do the first one. The word is can. I will change the first sound of /k/ to /p/. The new word is pan.” Students then practice changing the initial phoneme in words such as ran to fan and Sam to jam, following explicit educator modeling and guided practice.

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

The scope and sequence revisits phoneme manipulation across multiple modules, including 1.5, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, and 4.4, providing repeated opportunities for cumulative practice. In the Base Camp lesson “A Plan for Sam,” students practice phoneme manipulation in the “Phonological Awareness” section. The educator says a word, has students repeat it, and then changes a phoneme to create a new word. After modeling the process with can and pan, students manipulate additional words, including ran to fan and Sam to jam. Phoneme manipulation is revisited in the Base Camp lesson “The Stump Club,” where the educator models changing slam to slim by manipulating the medial phoneme. Students then practice manipulating additional words, including stump to stamp and rid to rod.

The Student Workbook provides additional cumulative practice with previously taught skills. For example, Base Camp module 1 includes activities that review short vowels, digraphs, and phoneme manipulation. Students apply current and previously taught phonological and phonemic awareness skills by identifying, blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds in words.

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

In the Base Camp lesson “Which Animal Is It?,” students practice segmenting words using sounds that were introduced in previous lessons and are reviewed in the lesson through flashcards. During the “Phonological Awareness” section, the educator models segmenting the word bat into its individual phonemes /b/ /ă/ /t/. Students then practice segmenting additional words, including hug, cat, and hen, into their individual sounds (/h/ /ŭ/ /g/; /k/ /ă/ /t/; /h/ /ĕ/ /n/). The sounds used in these segmenting activities have been explicitly taught in earlier instruction.

Additional evidence appears in the Base Camp lesson “Scram Frogs!” In the “Phonological Awareness” section, students repeat a word provided by the educator and then segment it into individual phonemes. The educator first models segmenting the word blast into the sounds /b/ /l/ /ă/ /s/ /t/. Students then practice segmenting the words strip, quest, and clucks. These practice activities include only sounds and sound patterns that students previously learned and reviewed in earlier lessons.

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

The scope and sequence outlines a systematic progression of sound–spelling patterns across the Base Camp modules. Module 1.1 introduces foundational patterns, including rhyme and onset-rime, short vowels /a/, /i/, and /o/, and consonants f, l, m, n, r, s, d, g, p, and t. In module 1.2, instruction advances to more complex patterns, including short vowels /u/ and /e/, additional consonants, consonant digraphs ch, sh, th, wh, and ck, and the buddy letters qu. This progression continues throughout the modules as students apply increasingly complex sound–spelling patterns.

In module 1.3, students review previously taught CVC words and consonant digraphs ch, sh, th, wh, and ck. Students first build and read simple CVC words such as bus, then progress to words with consonant digraphs, such as pack. The lesson explicitly introduces and reviews the sound–spelling correspondences ch (chin), sh (shout), th (thumb and this), wh (whisper), and ck (neck).

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

In the Base Camp lesson “Dog and Pig Play,” educators provide explicit instruction in decoding words using sound–spelling patterns. Educators build the words tub, chin, wish, and quick using letter cards while tapping and blending the sounds aloud. Students identify vowel sounds and consonant digraphs and then read the words with the educator. The lesson also includes explicit encoding instruction in the spelling section. Educators dictate one word at a time, and students repeat and write each word on a whiteboard or on paper. After students write the words dog, get, run, that, and when, educators model the correct spelling, and students check and correct their work before using the words in sentences.

Additional explicit instruction appears in the Base Camp lesson “Picnic at Sunset.” Educators explicitly introduce the word dish by explaining that it contains three sounds and one vowel and is therefore a closed syllable. Educators then use letter cards to build and read the words dish and pan before combining them to form the compound word dishpan. The lesson explains that dishpan contains two closed syllables and that each syllable contains a vowel. In the accompanying “Spelling” section, students encode words such as backpack, attic, mistrust, model, and magnet. Educators dictate each word. Students write it, and educators model the correct spelling so students can check and revise their responses.

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

Base Camp module 1.1 introduces short vowels /a/, /i/, and /o/ and consonants f, l, m, n, r, s, d, g, p, and t. Subsequent lessons revisit these previously taught sound–spelling patterns through sound card reviews while introducing new skills, including CVC words. Students practice reading words in isolation and in connected text through the accompanying decodable readers. The Student Practice Book provides additional cumulative practice through isolated word reading, connected-text reading, and spelling activities that review previously taught and current sound–spelling patterns across the Base Camp, Lookout Point, and Summit series.

Additionally, cumulative practice can be found in the spelling instruction on the last page of each guide. Students write dictated sentences that use the module’s target sound–spelling relationships along with previously learned ones. For example, in the Base Camp lesson “Gus Looks Up,” the spelling section has students practicing spelling the words fun, back, pet, with, and quick to practice learned spelling patterns. Students also write the dictated sentence, “Gus is in the bun shop.” The sentence dictation reinforces the sound–spelling patterns VC, CVC, and CCVC with a digraph.

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

The Base Camp Practice Book requires students to read words and phrases and to build words using only previously taught sound–spelling patterns. For example, the module 1 Student Practice Book includes activities focused on consonants, consonant digraphs, and double consonants that mirror the skills taught in module 1 lessons. These same sound–spelling patterns are reinforced through the accompanying decodable readers and practice activities. In the spelling section of the lesson “Gus Looks Up,” students encode the words fun, back, pet, with, and quick and write the dictated sentence, “Gus is in the bun shop.” All words and sentences use only sound–spelling patterns that students have previously learned through explicit instruction.

In the module 4 Student Practice Book, students apply only previously taught sound–spelling patterns. Students are directed to “Use what you have learned about long vowels with the CVCe pattern and any exceptions,” requiring them to apply explicitly taught long-vowel patterns during practice. Students also read words in isolation containing CVC and CVCC patterns with consonant digraphs and apply these sound–spelling patterns while reading connected text and completing spelling activities.

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

The “Scope and Sequence Rationale” states that the materials incorporate high-frequency words from research-based lists developed by Kearns, Fry, Dolch, and the Children’s Picture Book Sight Words research. The rationale explains that the program strategically introduces high-frequency words to build accuracy and automaticity.

The scope and sequence organizes regular and irregular high-frequency words by module, demonstrating a systematic progression across instruction. For example, module 1.3 includes the high-frequency words the, a, and, I, was, is, and his. Module 1.6 introduces additional high-frequency words, including they, have, one, from, and both. Later, module 2.4 includes out, about, their, front, said, and only. This sequence demonstrates a progression of regular and irregular high-frequency words across the program.

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

The Base Camp lessons “Hop on the Bus” and “Which Animal Is It?” provide explicit instruction in decoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. In both lessons, educators use high-frequency word cards to introduce the words a, and, his, I, is, the, and was. Educators display each card, read each word aloud with students three times, and then have students read the words chorally three times. Educators explicitly direct students to identify familiar sound–spelling relationships within the words, such as the consonant digraph th in the and the short vowel i in his. Students then locate and circle the high-frequency words in the decodable text and use each word in an oral sentence. If needed, educators read the example sentence on the back of each high-frequency word card to reinforce word meaning and usage.

The Teacher Guides provide explicit instruction in encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. For example, in the Base Camp lesson “Which Animal Is It?,” educators dictate words, have students repeat each word, and direct them to write the words on whiteboards or on paper. After each dictation, educators display the correct spelling, model how the sounds are represented in writing, and have students check and correct their work. Students then use the words in sentences and write dictated sentences using the words pet, big, jog, quick, and with.

The Base Camp Teacher Guide also provides explicit guidance for teaching irregular high-frequency words. For example, in the Base Camp lesson “Hop on the Bus,” educators are directed to use the Base Camp Irregular High Frequency Word Chart to model tapping and spelling each word aloud before students repeat the process. The chart outlines instructional steps for tapping the sounds, identifying regular and irregular sound–spelling relationships, writing the word while spelling it aloud, and using the word in a sentence for context. It also explains why each high-frequency word is considered irregular and provides etymology information and instructional tips to support instruction.

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

Each decodable reader includes the module’s target high-frequency words and those previously taught for cumulative practice. Students practice reading these words in isolation through word lists and within decodable connected text. For example, the Base Camp decodable reader All in with Jess includes the module’s target words does, do, you, into, of, see, your, and to in bold throughout the text. The reader also includes previously taught high-frequency words such as I, is, can, the, a, and and. The final page includes a word list for students to practice reading both current and previously taught words in isolation.

In the Base Camp lesson “Gus Looks Up,” students write the words on whiteboards or paper, including fun, back, pet, with, and quick. They also write the dictated sentence, “Gus is in the bun shop.” In the Base Camp lesson “All in with Jess,” students write previously taught words on whiteboards or paper, including high-frequency words. Educators dictate the words chess, pass, hall, his, and your. Students then write the dictated sentence, “Is chess fun?”

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

The decodable readers include only high-frequency words explicitly taught in the current or previous modules. For example, the Base Camp decodable reader Hop on the Bus includes the previously taught high-frequency words the, is, and a in the passage, “Then get on this deck up at the top. It is at the tip top! A kid at the top can see a lot!”

The Student Practice Books include only regular and irregular high-frequency words that are explicitly taught. In the Base Camp Student Practice Book for module 1, a chart lists the module’s high-frequency words for students to read in isolation. The module explicitly teaches these words. The Base Camp Student Practice Book also provides passages that let students practice reading the module’s high-frequency words in context. For example, “The cats will get baths. I will fill a tub and get a dish rag.” This example includes the high-frequency words the, I, and a, which the module teaches.

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

The scope and sequence systematically introduces syllable types and syllable division principles, progressing from simpler to more complex patterns. The sequence begins with closed syllables and multisyllabic words in module 3 and progresses to CVCe, r-controlled, and vowel-team syllables in module 4, open syllables in module 5, and final stable syllables in module 6. The Teacher Guides identify target skills on the first page of each lesson, demonstrating a progression from simpler to more complex decoding skills. For example, in module 1.3, the lesson “Hop on the Bus” directs educators to review previously taught CVC words before introducing consonant digraphs ch, sh, th, wh, and ck, as well as the buddy letters qu.

The sequence also progresses from reading one-syllable closed words to reading multisyllabic compound words. For example, in the Base Camp module 3 lesson “A Picnic at Sunset,” students use previously learned closed-syllable knowledge to read the words dish and pan before reading the compound word dishpan. Students first read each closed syllable independently and then blend the syllables to read the multisyllabic word.

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

The Teacher Guides provide explicit phonics instruction for decoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. For example, in module 1.3, educators review previously taught short vowels, consonants, consonant digraphs, and the buddy letters qu. Educators then explicitly model how to build, segment, and blend the words map, ship, dock, that, and quick. Students tap out the sounds, blend the phonemes, and chorally read the words before applying the same sound–spelling patterns as they read the decodable text. The materials also provide explicit instruction in decoding multisyllabic words. In module 3.1, educators explain that some words contain more than one syllable. Educators build and display the one-syllable words dish and pan, then combine them to form the compound word dishpan. Students read each syllable separately before blending the syllables to read the multisyllabic compound word.

The materials also include explicit instruction for encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. In the module 1.3 lesson “Gus Looks Up,” students encode the words fun, back, pet, with, and quick after hearing each word dictated by the educator. Educators display the correct spelling, and students check and correct their responses. Students also write the dictated sentence, “Gus is in the bun shop.” In the module 3.1 lesson “Picnic at Sunset,” students encode one-syllable and multisyllabic words, including backpack, attic, mistrust, model, and magnet. Students also write the dictated sentences, “He is full of mistrust” and “The backpack has a magnet.”

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

The Student Practice Book includes repeated opportunities for students to decode one-syllable and multisyllabic words. Modules 1 and 2 focus primarily on one-syllable words, while modules 3–12 include both one-syllable and multisyllabic words. Each decodable reader also provides repeated practice with previously taught one-syllable and multisyllabic words in connected text to support cumulative practice and develop automaticity. The Teacher Guides also provide cumulative decoding practice with multisyllabic words. For example, students read words such as sun and set separately before blending the syllables to read the compound word sunset. Students then practice decoding additional words by reading each syllable separately before blending the syllables to read the complete word.

Students also engage in cumulative encoding practice during spelling activities and in the Student Practice Book. For example, in module 1.3, educators dictate the words fun, back, pet, with, and quick, which include both current and previously taught sound–spelling patterns. Students write the words on whiteboards or paper, check their responses, and then write the dictated sentence, “Gus is in the bun shop.” The sentence includes both current and previously taught spelling patterns, providing cumulative encoding practice. Similarly, in the Base Camp lesson “A World of Picnics,” students encode the multisyllabic words drumsticks, picnic, and backdrop and write the dictated sentence, “Can you pass me the drumsticks?”

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

Each decodable reader provides practice with only the syllable types and division principles explicitly taught in the module. For example, in the decodable reader “Picnic at Sunset,” students read words such as bag, old, past, backpack, and hilltop. These words align with the syllable types and division principles taught in this and previous modules.


The Student Practice Books also include practice opportunities aligned with explicitly taught syllable skills. For example, the module 3 Student Practice Book includes practice with closed syllables and compound words. The scope and sequence confirms that students receive explicit instruction in each skill before engaging in practice activities.

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

The scope and sequence organizes morphology instruction in a progression from foundational inflectional endings to increasingly complex morphological elements. Early instruction introduces simple inflectional morphemes, such as plural endings, and later modules expand to additional prefixes and suffixes. For example, module 1.6 introduces the plural endings -s and -es. These modules provide students with opportunities to apply foundational morphemes before they encounter more complex morphological patterns.


Later modules expand students’ knowledge of morphemes, introducing additional prefixes and suffixes. For example, module 3 introduces the prefixes mid-, mis-, non-, trans-, un-, dis-, en-, em-, in-, im-, sub-, ab-, ad-, con-, com-, ex-, and ob-, as well as the suffixes -ed and -ing. The module overviews identify these morphemes and provide educators with the instructional sequence used throughout the program.

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

The materials provide explicit instruction in morphology through the use of affix and base cards, educator modeling, and guided word-building activities. Students identify base words and affixes, discuss how affixes change word meanings, and apply newly formed words in sentences. The Instructional Strategies Guide also provides guidance for immediate corrective feedback during instruction. For example, in the Base Camp lesson “Picnic at Sunset,” the “Phonics” section provides explicit instruction on prefixes. Educators are directed to “Display the Affix Card un- and the Letter Cards to build zip. Say: un- is a prefix. A prefix is a word part that comes at the beginning and changes the meaning of the base word. The prefix un- means ‘not.’ Zip is a base word and a closed syllable.” Educators model reading un- and zip separately before blending the word unzip. Students then discuss the meaning of each word part, explain how the prefix changes the meaning of the base word, and use unzip in a sentence. The lesson extends instruction by repeating this routine with the prefixes non- (“not”), mis- (“wrong”), and trans- (“across”) using the words nonstop, misspell, and transmit.

Another example appears in the Base Camp lesson “The Cat Bath,” where educators provide explicit instruction on the inflectional endings -s and -es. Educators use letter cards and affix cards to build the words sits, tells, and washes, and they guide students to identify the base word and ending in each word. Educators explain that the endings -s and -es can indicate present-tense action and model additional examples, such as cats and dishes, to demonstrate how these endings can also indicate plural nouns. Students identify the base word and ending in each example, discuss the meaning of the inflected forms, and respond to educator questions about when to use -s or -es.

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

The Base Camp lesson “Impressive Puffins: A Blog Post” calls for the educator to use letter cards to build the word hope and help students read the base word. Then, they add the suffix -ful to build hopeful. Finally, the educator adds the second suffix, -ly, to build hopefully. The educator provides the word and has students read it without the suffixes and with both suffixes while discussing the base word and the meaning of each suffix. Lastly, they have students use the word in a sentence. The educator then moves on to other words, such as helpfulness and refunders. The affixes -ful, -ly, -ness, re-, and -s were all previously taught.

Each decodable reader provides cumulative practice with morphological skills by having students read a word list in isolation and in connected texts to build automaticity, beginning in module 1 with plural -s and -es and continuing through each additional module. For example, the Base Camp lesson “A World of Picnics” includes a word list at the end of the decodable reader with the words midhunt, unpack, and nonstop. These words include prefixes taught in previous module lessons. The decodable reader also presents morphological practice within the text through the following sentences: “When they went on long hunts, they would stop midhunt and have a big feast. By the 1800s, picnics had become a way for people in the city to get fresh air. They pulled out rugs and quilts and set them out on the grass in public spots.” The words midhunt and pulled use previously taught affixes, providing cumulative practice with morphology in connected text.

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

In the Base Camp lesson “We Insist on Helping Kids,” the “Phonics” section directs educators to introduce the prefixes ab-, en-, ex-, im-, in-, and sub- and review each prefix’s meaning. Educators use affix and letter cards to build the word enlist, model reading the prefix and base word separately, and then blend the word. Students discuss how the prefix changes the base word’s meaning and use enlist in a sentence. Educators then guide students in applying the previously taught prefixes to additional words, ensuring students practice only morphemes explicitly introduced during instruction.


Furthermore, the Student Practice Books include practice only with morphemes that have been explicitly taught in the module. Students read words in isolation that use previously learned morphemes, such as requested, predicts, refill, and begins. The Base Camp Student Practice Book also gives students opportunities to apply taught morphemes in connected text. For example, one passage states, “As we pulled up to the polling spot, I could see a line of people standing out front. They looked happy to vote.” The words pulled and looked contain previously taught suffixes, allowing students to practice taught morphemes within connected text.

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

Each Teacher Guide includes explicit fluency instruction through educator modeling of rate, accuracy, and prosody using the decodable readers. The materials define fluency components and guide educators in modeling fluent reading during instruction. For example, in the Base Camp lesson “Gus Looks Up,” educators explain that fluent readers read words accurately and smoothly, with appropriate expression, at a rate that is neither too fast nor too slow. Educators introduce the phrase “I see it, I say it” to support accurate, automatic word recognition and explain that fluency develops through practice. The lesson then directs educators to reread portions of “Gus Looks Up” while modeling how expression and punctuation affect oral reading. Educators demonstrate changes in voice to reflect characters’ emotions, such as excitement or worry, and model how to adjust intonation when reading sentences that end with a question mark. Students then participate in a guided rereading to practice the modeled fluency behaviors.


Additional lessons reinforce educator modeling of accuracy and prosody. For example, in “Nest Quest,” educators remind students to use the accuracy routine “I see it, I say it” and explain that accurate reading supports comprehension. Educators reread pages from the decodable reader, model when to pause and decode unfamiliar words, and draw attention to expression by demonstrating how characters’ feelings should be reflected in oral reading.

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

Each Practice Book includes a “Word and Sentence Fluency” activity page that provides structured fluency practice across multiple text levels. For example, the Base Camp module 1 “Word and Sentence Fluency” activity directs students to read words in isolation, including toss, den, when, fizz, quiz, whiff, fans, tan, wishes, ship, chips, check, chick, boss, and shells. Students then practice reading phrases such as “thick dish,” “add in,” and “chill in this.” Finally, students apply their fluency skills by reading connected text, including sentences such as “It will not be bad at all!”

The decodable readers provide additional opportunities for students to practice fluent reading in connected text. For example, in the Base Camp decodable reader The Cat Bath, students review word lists located at the end of the reader to build automaticity with previously taught patterns. Students then apply these skills while reading connected text, such as “Tish yells. Bill dashes! Chad runs to get Bill. He hits his shin on the tub! Bill is wet. And Tish and Chad are all wet!”

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

The materials are designed as a supplemental literacy intervention for students in grades 2–8 who are striving readers, neurodiverse learners, and multilingual learners. To support this purpose, the materials provide students with opportunities to practice reading fluency using a variety of decodable texts across multiple genres. Base Camp includes 38 decodable readers representing informational, literary, and traditional texts. For example, students practice fluency while reading informational texts such as King Biscuit Blues Festival and Fun Clubs for Kids, literary texts such as Dog and Pig Play and All in with Jess, and traditional tales such as The Crocodile and the Hare.

Decodable readers also give students opportunities to practice fluency through varied text structures and formats. For example, in the Summit decodable reader Telling the Bees, the “Fluency” section directs students to reread pages with dialogue while attending to dialogue tags to determine how to read the text. This practice requires students to adjust expression, pacing, and intonation while reading literary text. In addition, the decodable reader includes the informational text Buzz-Worthy: Bee Whisperer Elizabeth Downs at the end of the selection. This informational passage about a beekeeper gives students another opportunity to practice fluent reading in a different genre, supporting fluency development across varied text types and structures.

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

The materials include 124 texts organized along a continuum of increasing complexity. The educator-led program begins with the Base Camp collection, progresses to more complex texts in Lookout Point, and culminates with the highest levels of text complexity in the Summit collection. Within each collection, text complexity increases systematically. For example, early Base Camp decodable readers in module 1 focus primarily on consonant sounds and short vowels. By module 2, students read texts containing blends, consonant clusters, and syllable patterns. Modules 3 and 4 introduce increasingly complex features, including compound words, multisyllabic words, prefixes, and suffixes. The first decodable reader, Gus Looks Up, contains large print and short sentences with limited text per page. Later texts, such as The Cat Bath, incorporate long- and short-vowel patterns, double consonants, inflectional endings, and dialogue. By the final Base Camp decodable, Against the Odds: An Intense Time on the Ice, students read extended paragraphs that integrate previously taught phonics and morphology skills, demonstrating increased text complexity.

The materials also provide texts at multiple levels of complexity in the associated Practice Books. For example, the Base Camp module 2 fluency passage features shorter sentences, simpler syntax, and less sophisticated vocabulary, as illustrated by the excerpt, “Everyone has a blast at lunch now. Kids can have snacks at the stump.” In contrast, the Summit module 12 fluency passage “The Summit” includes longer sentences, more complex syntax, dialogue, and more sophisticated vocabulary, as shown in this excerpt: “At one point, she cried out, ‘Stop! I think I have a knife in my side!’” and “Her dad explained that it was a ‘stitch’ in her side; she just needed to breathe more deeply.”

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

The Instructional Strategies Guide provides explicit guidance for delivering corrective feedback during fluency instruction. In “Supporting Fluency Development,” the guide explains that fluency instruction prioritizes accurate decoding before emphasizing smoothness, rate, and expression. The “Corrective Feedback” section provides specific prompts educators can use to respond to student performance. For accuracy, educators are prompted to ask, “Let’s break it down. What sounds do you hear at the beginning/middle/end?” and “Check the vowel — what sound does it stand for?” For rate, educators are guided to say, “Try reading that like you’re talking to a friend.” For prosody and phrasing, educators are prompted to ask, “Can you scoop the words into phrases?”

The Teacher Guides also embed fluency feedback directly into lesson instruction. For example, in the Base Camp lesson “Gus Looks Up,” educators model expressive reading, highlight punctuation, and guide students to reread the text at an appropriate rate with appropriate expression. Educators ask students to reflect on their fluency by discussing their accuracy, expression, and rate, and by identifying areas for improvement. Similarly, in the Base Camp lesson “A Plan for Sam,” educators remind students to use the accuracy phrase “I see it, I say it,” model expressive reading, and engage students in echo reading to develop prosody. Students then evaluate their own fluency by responding to prompts such as “How do you feel about your accuracy and expression?” and “What else might you want to work on?”