3rd Grade - Gateway 3

Materials include a Home/School Connections letter for each unit which can be found in the Home-School section of the digital platform. The letter is available in six languages. The letter explains the knowledge building concept and includes activities for families to do, but it does not include information about the ELA skills and strategies students will work on in the unit. Activities include a Topic Connection, a Vocabulary Connection, a Comprehension Connection, and a Word Study Connection. Materials also include a Parent/Caregiver letter that can be found in the Managing Your Independent Reading Program Reproducible Resources. Guidance indicates that this letter be sent home at the beginning of the school year, as the letter informs parents about reading their child should be doing at home. The letter lists several ways to share the books with their child and it also includes suggestions for talking about the book, reading the book, and writing about the book. The Parent/Caregiver letter is also available in Spanish.

Materials contain strategies for informing students, parents, or caregivers about the ELA program. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Unit 1 Home/School Connections letter states,“This year, our third grade students will build literacy and language skills by participating in ten cross-disciplinary units of study in our Benchmark Advance Program…. In this unit of study, ‘Animal Adaptations,’ we’ll be learning what many different animals do in order to survive.” 

Materials contain suggestions for how parents or caregivers can help support student progress and achievement. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials provide a Supporting Your Student Remotely Module. This resource includes “videos that guide parents on creating a learning environment.”

• The Unit 1 Home/School Connections letter includes four suggested activities to do at home, one of which is a Comprehension Connection: “Compare and Contrast—Scientists observe closely and then compare and contrast their findings. To help your child practice this skill, select two animals—or objects or events—to compare and contrast. Fill in a Venn diagram with the similarities and differences you see.”

• The Parent/Caregiver Letter found in the Managing Your Independent Reading Program states, “You can help your child practice reading. Here are several ways to share the books with your child.” Some ways listed include, but are not limited to, “ask your child about the title and author, talk about the pictures on each page, listen as the child reads the book to you, have your child predict what might happen next and explain why, and ask your child to write or draw something about the book.”

The digital versions of the Unit Assessments, Performance Tasks, and Interim Assessments provide some universal accommodations that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment. These universal accommodations include a line reader, magnifier for diagrams and illustrations, increasing or decreasing text size, and ability to change the screen color. The Custom Features Tab includes an e-Assessment category which provides screenshots and explanations of the tools provided on the digital assessment platform. Digital materials also provide an introduction video for student use on how to navigate the test and how to access the assessment tools. 

Materials offer some accommodations that ensure all students can access the assessment (e.g., text to speech, increased font size) without changing the content of the assessment. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Students can increase font size in the e-assessments. Materials provide an introductory video for students that shows them how to access this accommodation.

• Students can select a magnifier from the toolbar on the e-assessments. In the settings tab, students can also adjust the contrast of the screen by changing the background from white to a selected color. 

• Select assessments that are audio-enabled provide audio support. 

Materials include some guidance for teachers on the use of provided accommodations. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Additional Resources section of each unit includes an Access and Equity document that provides teachers with information about teaching Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners; however, this document primarily provides instructional routines and strategies rather than assessment accommodations.  

• There was no evidence of teacher guidance on the use of the provided assessment accommodations found in the materials.

Materials contain some multi-modal opportunities for students to question, investigate, sense-make, and problem solve using a variety of formats and methods. Materials leverage the use of various formats, including discussions and presentations. Students share their thinking with the class, and write in response to their reading and conversations. While materials provide opportunities for students to reflect, self-assess their work, and receive feedback, students do not have opportunities to monitor and move their own learning.  

Materials provide some multi-modal opportunities for students to question, investigate, sense-make, and problem-solve using a variety of formats and methods. Materials leverage the use of a variety of formats and methods over time to deepen student understanding and ability to explain and apply literacy ideas. Students have opportunities to share their thinking and apply their understanding in new contexts but do not have opportunities to demonstrate changes in their thinking over time. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Each unit or unit pair includes a Research & Inquiry Project that is designed to deepen students’ knowledge of the unit topic. During the Step 1: Choose mini-lesson, students use the Talk, Jot, Choose strategy to select a research focus. During the Step 2: Explore mini-lesson, students use the Question, Search, Decide strategy to find trustworthy and reliable sources. During the Step 3: Interpret mini-lesson, students use the Read, Interpret, Jot strategy to “research and gather facts and key information about their topic.” During the Step 4: Create mini-lesson, students use the Read, Design, Create strategy to make their final product. During the Step 5: Present mini-lesson, students use the Plan, Present, Ask strategy to share their final product with their peers. Project guidance directs the teacher to choose the presentation option that works best in their classroom setting. Presentation options include whole group, small group, partnerships, filming the presentation and sharing it on a digital platform, visiting another classroom to share their presentation or inviting guests to join the classroom virtually or in person, and mailing or emailing the presentation to a local business, organization, or community center who may find displaying the project useful.    

• At the end of each week, students build knowledge of the unit topic as they respond to guiding questions and use information from unit texts to record what they learned about each Enduring Understanding. After completing the Knowledge Blueprint at the end of Week 3, students participate in a culminating task to demonstrate their knowledge. Culminating tasks typically entail a small group Real World Perspectives: Constructive Conversation, a very brief time to share and reflect, and an independent writing task.

Materials provide for ongoing review, practice, self-reflection, and feedback. Materials provide multiple strategies, such as oral and/or written feedback, peer or teacher feedback, and self-reflection. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Students use the Research & Inquiry Project Tool and their Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebooks for reflection and feedback. After selecting a research focus, students “reflect on why they chose the topic and ask themselves if this is a topic they really care about.” After students begin researching and gathering facts and information about their selected topic, they “reflect on whether the facts relate to their guiding questions.” After students present their final research and inquiry project to the class, they reflect on “how their presentation went” and what went well about their presentation. The teacher uses the Important Notes or Reminders column to provide students with feedback during each step of the Research & Inquiry Project. During the Step 6: Reflect mini-lesson, students use the Question, Remember, Jot strategy to self-assess and self-reflect on the Research & Inquiry Project process and the knowledge they gained.      

• The Informal Assessments manual includes opinion, informative/explanatory report, and personal narrative writing checklists for student use in Grades 2–6. Students typically self-assess their work during the final writing lesson of the unit.  

• Some writing lessons include an Independent and Small-Group Writing and Conferring inset. This guidance supports teachers with observing students and providing support during writing tasks. For example, in Unit 10, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 14, students continue writing their haiku poems. The Independent and Small-Group Writing Conferring guidance is as follows:

  • Directive Feedback: Think of a setting and an event related to the topic you chose. Then think of words, sensory details, and feelings related to that setting and event.

  • Self-Monitoring and Reflection: You’ll need a few more words. Which words would you associate with a setting of a snowy mountaintop? Imagine yourself at the top of the mountain. What do you see? What does the wind feel like on your face?

  • Validating and Confirming: You picked interesting words, sensory details, and feelings related to your topic.     

Materials provide a clear path for students to monitor and move their own learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• No evidence found

Although materials indicate which tasks pair or partner groups, materials do not provide guidance on how and when to use specific grouping strategies. Within instructional lessons, students transition between whole group and partner or pair activities, such as Constructive Conversations; Guided Practice; Annotate, Pair, Share; and Share and Reflect. Students rarely participate in small group settings outside of small group instruction. 

Materials provide for varied types of interaction among students. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Each lesson includes opportunities for whole group, partner, and independent interactions. These grouping interactions occur during each daily lesson. For example, in Unit 7, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 3, students begin drafting a historical fiction story. The lesson begins in a whole group setting, with the teacher displaying the Historical Fiction Anchor Chart, reading aloud the introduction of the Mentor Text, and modeling how to establish a setting, situation, and characters. After the whole group lesson, students independently work on developing their plan or beginning the draft of their stories. The lesson includes an Independent and Small-Group Writing and Conferring inset that contains Directive Feedback, Self-Monitoring and Reflection, and Validating and Confirming feedback that teachers can provide to support students; however, the lesson does not direct the teacher to place students in small groups. At the close of the lesson, students work in partner groups to share their progress.  

Materials provide limited guidance for the teacher on grouping students in a variety of grouping formats. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• The Review and Routines for Beginning the School Year materials include a few strategies for partnering students into pairs. On Day 1, the teacher uses Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up to create partner groups. On Day 2, the teacher lines up students according to their birthday month and uses that line to create partner groups. It is unclear when the teacher should use the Review and Routines materials, as they are not referenced in instructional lessons. 

• In Unit 2, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 12, students have opportunities to work in partner groups during the Guided Practice, Share and Reflect, and Reread to Build Fluency portions of the lesson. During Guided Practice, students work with a partner to read stanza 3 of “The Walrus and the Carpenter” by Lewis Carroll, “find and annotate examples of rhyme scheme and personification and explain how these features help readers create mental images and add interest and humor to the poem.” During Share and Reflect, partners “reflect on what makes the characters and situation in the poem humorous.” During Reread to Build Fluency, students “reread the poem aloud with a partner and listen for rhyming words.” Materials do not provide guidance on how to partner students. 

• In Unit 5, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 7, students “examine the photograph of Shirley Jackson receiving the National Medal of Science” and participate in a Constructive Conversation: Partner discussion. Afterwards during the Connect Skills to Knowledge: Turn and Talk section of the lesson, students respond to a teacher-posed question that requires them to “use their understanding of illustrations and words to focus on Enducring Understanding 2 from the Knowledge Blueprint (Technology influences and changes how we live, work, communicate, play, and learn).” Students work with a partner to share their ideas using words from the Build Knowledge Word Bank. Materials do not provide guidance on how to partner students. 

Materials, including texts and assessments, depict characters and individuals of varying ages, genders, races, and ethnicities. Materials typically present these diversities in a positive light. Materials include images and information with people of various demographics but do not include images and information with people of various physical characteristics. Depictions of individuals with different abilities was limited to characters with glasses on some of the individuals; these individuals were usually teachers and scientists. Though characters in illustrations represent various racial and ethnic backgrounds, there is an overlap on the depiction of people throughout the program’s grades. For example, Grades 3 and 6 feature texts about Rosa Parks which use the same images, but materials rarely address any other Civil Rights topics or leaders. Grades 3, 4, and 5 each have a text on César Chavez, but there is not a text on any other Hispanic leader. Materials also contain few core texts written by or about Native Americans. 

Materials and assessments sometimes depict different individuals of different genders, races, ethnicities, and other physical characteristics. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 3, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 1, students read “Fighters for Rights: Rosa Parks and Césear Chavez” by Harper Larios. One of the photos that accompanies the text is Rosa Parks being fingerprinted. This same photo appears again in Grade 6, Unit 3 with the poem, “Revolutionary Dreams” by Nikki Giovanni. 

• In Unit 7, the Texts for Close Reading selection is Communities Then And Now (author not cited). While materials include selections that depict different idnividuals of different genders, races, and ethnicities, individuals with other physical characteristics, such as individuals with disabilities, are not depicted. 

Materials and assessments balance positive portrayals of demographics or physical characteristics. Materials avoid stereotypes or language that might be offensive to a particular group. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 3, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 1, the front cover of the Texts for Close Reading book, Government for the People (author not cited), contains a photograph that includes people of a variety of ages, genders, and ethnicities to demonstrate the diversity of our population. The texts within the book include additional images of diverse representation including, but not limited to, a woman wearing a hijab voting, Thurgood Marshall, a young African-American woman voting, César Chavez, and Langston Hughes. 

• In Unit 5, Week 1, the assessment features a photograph of the female scientist Barbara Askins. The text associated with the assessment is about her life as a teacher and scientist.

Materials sometimes provide representations that show students that they can succeed in the subject, going beyond just showing photos of diverse students not engaged in work related to the context of the learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 5, Week 3, Mini-Lesson 1, students read “Hear All About It! New Technologies to Help the Deaf” by Rosalbo Giarratano. The text includes an image of a young male student with a hearing aid engaging with two classmates and an image of two African-American students signing the alphabet while watching their teacher at the front of the class. 

• In Unit 9, the Texts for Close Reading selection is Forces and Interactions (author not cited). When introducing the essential question for the unit, materials include an image of a White male scientist. Images for the selection “Poems of Movement” by Charles R. Smith, Jr., include a White child throwing a baseball and a young African-American male holding a basketball. The Extended Read 1 texts is The Energy of the Thunder Beings a folktale based on Cherokee lore by Art Coulson, a Cherokee author. The main character of the folktale is a male Cherokee.  

Materials do not provide sufficient opportunities for teachers to draw upon student home language to facilitate learning. The provided resources include background information for teachers about other languages, but the resources do not provide teacher guidance on how to incorporate student home language to support students in learning ELA. The Teacher Resource System includes a Social-Emotional Learning & Culturally Responsive Perspectives document; however, this document is not embedded within the daily lessons nor does it reference student home language. While the Integrated English Language Development (iELD) box within applicable lessons includes suggestions for differentiation and support, this resource does not address ways to help students incorporate their home language into their ELA learning. Although materials provide Home/School Connections letters in six different translations, the letter provides families with limited information such as the unit, vocabulary, and text students will engage with for the week; it does not present multilingualism as an assessment in reading. The Access and Equity resource does not offer guidance on leveraging home language, cultural knowledge, communities, and diversity as assets. Additionally, the suggested language objectives do not advise using a student's home language to facilitate literacy learning.

Materials provide limited suggestions and strategies to use the home language to support students in learning ELA. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Informal Assessments manual includes developmental and individual reading behavior checklists, one of which is the Observation Checklist of First-Language Reading Behaviors and Experiences. This developmental checklist includes a list of six observable Literacy Behaviors and Experiences. Guidance directs the teacher to “[u]se this checklist to help you identify the level of support each of your new ELs may need.” The teacher rates each behavior or experience as yes, no, or do not know. Materials provide the following guidance to inform next steps: “If the student does not exhibit age-appropriate reading behaviors in his or her first language, you will need to provide intensive support and instruction in both English language and literacy. If the student demonstrates age-appropriate reading behaviors in his or her first language, the student is likely to make rapid literacy progress directly correlated with English-language development.” Although three of the observable behaviors and experiences address students’ home language, materials do not provide guidance or suggestions for teachers to use the home language to support students with their ELA learning. The Literacy Behaviors and Experiences are as follows: 

  • Student has attended school on a regular basis.

  • Student can show how a book is read.

  • Student recognizes familiar illustrations and photographs from literature.

  • Student can read in his or her first language.

  • Student can write in his or her first language.

  • Student can find first-language cognates in English texts.

Materials present multilingualism as an asset in reading, and students are explicitly encouraged to develop home language literacy and to use their home language strategically for learning how to negotiate texts in the target language. Teacher materials include guidance on how to garner information that will aid in learning, including the family’s preferred language of communication, schooling experiences in other languages, literacy abilities in other languages, and previous exposure to academic or everyday English. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• No evidence found

Materials provide limited guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon students' cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning. Some Grammar in Context lessons include Language Transfer Supports. Materials also provide a Contrastive Analysis of English and Nine World Languages document; however, the use of this resource is optional. Materials contain a Social-Emotional Learning & Culturally Responsive Perspective document; however, most of the questions and guidance miss opportunities to draw upon students’ linguistic or ethnic backgrounds. Materials include some prompts during which students talk about themselves and things they like to do with friends or at home. Other than language differences, linguistic and convention differences were not acknowledged in the materials. Materials include some instances in which the teacher might state that a word means hello in another language. The Access and Equity resource does not offer guidance on drawing upon students' cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning. Rather, it offers general strategies such as the use of visuals (photos, diagrams with labels, illustrations), manipulatives, realia (real objects), hands-on activities, total physical response (TPR), gestures, graphic organizers, sentence frames, and other accommodations that minimize language barriers and maximize comprehension of the concepts. Sections of the materials provided in multiple languages are limited to a Multilingual Glossary and Home/School Connections letters that are offered in multiple languages. Materials provide some opportunities for students to feel acknowledged during tasks based on customs of other cultures.  

Materials make some connections to the linguistic, cultural, and conventions used in learning ELA. Materials make some connections to the linguistic and cultural diversity to facilitate learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials include Language Transfer Supports in some Grammar in Context lessons. These supports are intended “to identify transfer issues some Els may have.” For example, in Unit 6, Week 2, Mini-Lesson 7, students use the text “Rapping Magicians” by Crystal Allen to “review the correct use of adjectives and adverbs and how to form the comparative and superlative forms.” The Language Transfer Support is as follows: “In Spanish, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Arabic, and Portuguese, adjectives follow nouns they modify (We live in a city coastal. She has a shirt yellow). In French, adjectives sometime precede but most often follow nouns they modify. The adjective position can change the meaning (That is my former [ancienne] house vs. That is my house old [ancienne]). In Spanish, Haitian Creole, French, Portuguese, and Tagalog, comparative adjectives are always formed using more . . . than (He is more tall than me. They are more slow than him).” 

• Materials provide a Contrastive Analysis of English and Nine World Languages document which identifies similarities and differences between English and nine other languages. This is an optional resource for teacher use to inform instruction to support students’ understanding of how English works in ways that are similar to or different from usages in their home language. The document can also serve as a scaffolding support for students. The document encourages teachers to “identify and capitalize on students’ existing language skills.” This resource is not connected to or referenced in instructional lessons.

Materials include teacher guidance on how to engage culturally diverse students in the learning of ELA. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• No evidence found 

Materials include some equity guidance and opportunities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Additional Resources tab of the Teacher Resource System includes an Access and Equity document. This document includes the following guidance: “Remember to think about the many aspects of the individual (culture, age, first language, socioeconomic level, and more). For example, wait time is both a common accommodation for students with disabilities who need additional time to process information and for English Learners who require additional time to process the second language.” 

Materials include some opportunities for students to feel “acknowledged,” such as tasks based on customs of other cultures; sections provided in multiple languages such as the glossary, digital materials, family letters; etc. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Each unit includes a Multilingual Glossary that contains the vocabulary for that unit. The glossary provides a picture, definition, phonetic pronunciation, audio clip of pronunciation, part of speech, definition, and the word in a sentence. The written form of the vocabulary word is available in Arabic, French, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

• Materials provide Home/School Connections letters in each unit. The letters are available in six different languages: English, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, and Arabic. 

Materials include some prompts where students are encouraged to share how they (or their parents) do things at home or use information to create personal problems, etc. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 2, the Social-Emotional Learning section of the Social-Emotional Learning & Culturally Responsive Perspectives document addresses appreciating diversity, as students read “Animal Disguises” by Maria Guerro. Teacher guidance includes, “Discuss ways in which humans benefit from each other's diversity.” The instructional lesson includes an inset directing teachers to “[u]se the discussion prompts on pages 6–7 to engage students and make connections to their experiences and perspectives.”

• In Unit 7, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 10, the Culturally Responsive Perspectives section of the Social-Emotional Learning & Culturally Responsive Perspectives document addresses languages, as students read “A New Life in Vermont” from How Lola Came to Visit Stay by Julia Alvarez. Teacher guidance includes, “Discuss with students how language can make people feel included and excluded. How does it feel when you don’t understand the language those around you are using? How can people use language to make others feel welcome?” The instructional lesson includes an inset directing teachers to “[u]se the discussion prompts on pages 6–7 to engage students and make connections to their experiences and perspectives.”

Materials include digital tools for both teacher and student use including, but not limited to annotation tools such as a digital pen, digital highlighter, and digital post-it notes. Materials can also be activated to provide audio for words, sections, or the entire text. Materials include a digital pocket chart for whole group, small group, or individual students that comes with ready-made digital cards. Interim, Unit, and Weekly assessments are digitized and once completed can produce standards-based reports at the student, class, school, and district level. The materials can be filtered and assigned individually. Although teachers and students can customize some digital materials for local classroom use, materials do not include guidance for customizing at the district or school level. 

Digital technology and interactive tools, such as data collection tools, simulations, and/or modeling tools are available to students. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Benchmark Universe e-Books include interactive tools for teacher use when modeling and for students to use when reading. Features include a zoom tool, a pen/highlighter tool, an expandable margin for capturing notes, and audio read by a person with a speed adaptation feature. The audio tool can read the whole section or individual words when activated. Materials also include tools so students can add a digital post-it, a shape, or a screen shade.

• The e-Book includes additional tools for teacher use, including ways to customize the text and add videos, blank pages, or hyperlinks.

• Materials provide e-Assessments for the Weekly, Unit, and Interim Assessments. The reporting platform provides teachers with assessment data, such as a standards-based report that shows teachers which standards were not met. Digital assessment reports are available at the student, class, school, and distinct levels. The reporting platform also includes a feature to create groups based on the results of the assessments. 

Digital tools support student engagement in ELA. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials include a Texts for Close Reading e-Book, Knowledge Building Library e-Book, Build-Reflect-Write e-Notebook, and a Word Study Practice Text e-Book that provide students with an interactive experience through the use of digital tools. Digital features include audio support and annotation/note taking.  

• Materials provide an e-Pocket Chart that can be used to work with students on activities such as word building, sorts, and sentence building. This feature includes digital cards of letters, word parts, words, punctuation, and images. 

Digital materials can be customized for local use (i.e., student and/or community interests). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The digital Benchmark Universe Library is arranged by filters, materials, and two digital storage sections: Bookshelf and Assignments. Teachers can drag and drop lessons and/or materials into the two digital storing tiles to customize their resources and to share them with other teachers. 

Materials have limited digital technology for student and teacher communication. Teachers can monitor students' work and progress and leave feedback and notes using digital tools built into the e-Notebook. Teacher collaboration is limited to the ability to share customized e-Book materials with other teachers at that school or in that district. 

Materials include or reference some digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other, when applicable. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Teachers can monitor students' work and leave feedback or notes for individual students, in the Build-Reflect-Write e-notebooks

• The Texts for Close Reading for each unit includes an e-Book that can be customized. Teachers can share customized pages of the e-Book with teachers at the same school or district.  

Materials have a visual design that supports learning. The design is not chaotic nor does it distract from student learning. The teacher and student materials are consistent in layout and structure within and throughout the units and across each grade. The Teacher Resource System consistently includes headings that signal when support is available for a specific purpose, as seen in the following section headers: Engage, Model, Guided Practice, Connect to Knowledge Turn & Talk, and Apply to Understand Build Knowledge. Teacher materials include icons and links to Additional Materials as well as student text icons to click on to connect to the student text. Materials are typically error-free.  

Images, graphics, and models support student learning and engagement without being visually distracting. Images, graphics, and models clearly communicate information or support student understanding of topics, texts, or concepts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials balance the use of blank space on home and landing pages in the Teacher Resource System, as well as in the student My Reading and Writing eBook. 

• Materials consistently use the same icons throughout each grade and unit, including student-facing instructional activities.

• Teacher support and guidance is clearly and consistently labeled throughout units and includes Access suggestions, Integrated English Language supports, sample student responses, and sample anchor charts.

• Each unit includes a Unit Opener video that supports student learning and engagement for the upcoming unit. For example, in Unit 4, the Unit Opener video introduces point of view and the Unit’s essential question, “What makes people view the same experience differently?

Teacher and student materials are consistent in layout and structure across lessons/modules/units. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Benchmark Advance homepage contains links to program resources, the Teacher’s Resource System, and instructional resources. Resources can be filtered by grade level and unit. 

• Each unit homepage contains the following tabs: 

  • Overview, Unit Resources, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, and Additional Resources

• Each unit section contains a drop down menu with more tabs. 

  • The Overview section includes the following tabs: Content Knowledge Alignment, Vertical Progression of Knowledge-Building Unit Topics and Essential Questions, Author & Consultant Team, About the Program, Pacing Options and Sample Literacy Block, and Digital and Print Components.

  • The Unit Resources section includes the following tabs: Unit Opener, Strategies and Skills, Unit Components at a Glance, Intervention and Reteaching Resources, Guide to Text Complexity, Social-Emotional Learning & Culturally Responsive Perspectives, Vocabulary Development, Pathways to Knowledge, Research and Inquiry Project, and Suggested Language Objectives.

  • Each Week contains a Weekly Resources tab and a Mini-Lessons tab. 

  • The Additional Resources section includes the following tabs: Instructional Routines and Strategies, Constructive Conversation, Speaking and Writing Response Protocols, Reading Big Words, Managing an Independent Reading Program, Recommended Trade Books, Text Evidence/Close Reading Answer Key, Real-World Perspectives: Supporting Constructive  Conversations, Small Group Texts for Reteaching Strategies and Skills, Guide to Text Complexity, Access & Equity, and Contrastive Analysis. 

Organizational features (Table of Contents, glossary, index, internal references, table headers, captions, etc.) in the materials are clear, accurate, and error-free. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials are typically free of errors; however, some icons in several units appear to have broken links and provide an error message on the digital platform rather than open the student text.

The Benchmark Universe Dashboard homepage includes a Benchmark Academy section. This section includes a PD Training: Curriculum Resources tab.  The training tab includes Benchmark Universe How to Videos, such as Tech Talks and e-Assessment Teacher and Administrator Modules on assigning, previewing, and grading assessments as well as navigating the reports. The Benchmark Advance homepage includes student how-to videos on accessing assignments, navigating the digital platform, and using eBook tools and distance learning resources. 

Materials provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning, when applicable. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The PD Training: Curriculum Resources support teachers with understanding the program and its associated resources. The Tech Talks support teachers with navigating eBook tools and features, customizing resources, sharing and accessing customizations, assigning resources, and managing assignments. 

• The PD Training: Curriculum Resources and the Benchmark Advance landing pages house student how-to videos. These videos support students with accessing assignments, navigating Benchmark Universe, and using eBook tools and distance learning resources. 

• The Benchmark Advance homepage includes a Distance Learning Printable Packet Options section. This section includes resources to support student and parent engagement and offers educators strategies to support online student learning. Materials include a three-part video series designed to help parents support their students with the program at home. Materials also include a three-part video series for teachers to support them with starting distance learning, engaging asynchronous and synchronous small group and whole group lessons, and providing and monitoring feedback to students.  

• Within each unit, the Overview section includes a Digital & Print Components tab. This document outlines which items are digital and which items are print. Additionally, the document explains how the teacher can use the components to support student learning.