K-6 Mathematics & ELA Pacing Guide
Garfield County School District — School Year 2026-27
Aligned to the Utah Core Standards, RISE test blueprints, and the board-approved district calendar.
How this guide works
The year is divided into eight content windows — two per term — mapped onto the district calendar (146 student days; first day Aug 24, last day May 27). All RISE-tested content is scheduled into Terms 1-3, which end March 22. That leaves the two weeks before the testing window (which opens April 5, the first day back from spring break) for spiral review and platform practice, and the weeks after testing for extension, projects, and previewing next year.
Windows are intentionally sized in weeks, not days. Teacher teams should true up exact day counts against the calendar (PD days, early-out conference weeks Nov 9-12 and Mar 15-18, and breaks all fall inside windows) and adjust a few days in either direction as needed. The order and term placement are the parts to protect.
In grades 3-6, units are sequenced by RISE blueprint weight: the heaviest-tested domains come early and stay alive through daily spiral review. In K-2, the sequence follows the research on early reading and number development, with Acadience benchmarks as the checkpoints.
Standards codes reference the Utah Core (math, 2016 edition; ELA, 2023 edition). Teams should verify unit details against the USBE Core Guides for their grade, which unpack each standard into concepts, skills, and proficiency expectations.
Vocabulary runs as a daily schoolwide routine alongside the windows rather than as separate units — see the Systematic Vocabulary section, which includes a morphology sequence for grades 3-6 and a term-by-term math vocabulary map for every grade.
The assessment rhythm for the year
Every window ends with evidence. The pattern, K-6, is: short team-made checks on priority standards every 2-3 weeks; a state tool at the end of each unit or term; and the district PD days used as data meetings within a week of each checkpoint.
- Grades K-3: Acadience Reading (required) and Acadience Math benchmarks in fall (by mid-September), winter (January), and spring (May), with progress monitoring every 2-3 weeks for students below benchmark.
- Grades 3-6: RISE Benchmark Modules (free, fixed-form, 8-22 items, one per strand) at the end of each unit, starting late September. They show strand strengths and weaknesses but are not predictive of summative scores — use them to drive reteaching, not to forecast.
- Grades 3-6: RISE winter interims (adaptive, built like the real test) during the January 4 – February 26 window — schedule in late January so the January 15 and February 12 PD days bracket the results. This is the mid-year on-track answer.
- Grade 5 adds writing benchmark modules (automated scoring) roughly once per term, plus routine on-demand typed essays scored on the state rubric (Composition 1-6, Conventions 0.5-3).
- Data days built into the calendar: Sep 11, Oct 2, Nov 13, Jan 15, Feb 12, Mar 12 — and Apr 9 falls inside the testing window, useful for mid-window logistics and proctoring adjustments.
- RISE summative window: April 5 – May 28, 2027. Results return in about 48 hours through the RISE reporting system, so end-of-year debriefs can use real data before summer.
Systematic vocabulary work (all grades)
Vocabulary is embedded in the reading standards this guide already paces (R.8 and R.9 in every grade), but embedded is not the same as systematic. The routines below make vocabulary a daily, schoolwide habit rather than something that depends on each teacher's style. They ride inside the existing windows — no extra units needed.
What the research says — brief benchmarks
Students need to learn roughly 2,000-3,000 new words a year to stay on track — about 7-8 a day. Direct teaching can only cover about 300-400 words a year (8-10 a week), so most growth has to come from wide daily reading, read-alouds, and word-learning tools like morphology (word parts) and context. That is why the routines below teach a few words deeply while building the skills students use to pick up the rest on their own.
Rough grade-level benchmarks (root words known, based on Biemiller's research): entering kindergartners vary enormously — the gap between the highest and lowest quartiles is already about two years of word knowledge. By the end of grade 2, an average student knows about 6,000 root words, then adds roughly 1,000 root words per year, reaching about 10,000 by the end of grade 6. Students who start behind do not catch up without deliberate instruction, which is why K-2 read-aloud vocabulary work matters as much as phonics.
Two more findings that shape the routines: from about grade 4 on, well over half of the new words students meet in print are built from familiar roots and affixes, which makes morphology the single highest-leverage word-learning skill for the upper grades (Nagy & Anderson). And vocabulary knowledge is one of the strongest predictors of reading comprehension — which is what the RISE ELA test measures. The tier framework (Beck, McKeown & Kucan) tells us where to aim direct teaching: tier 2 academic words that appear across subjects (determine, evidence, compare), not rare technical words or everyday words students already know.
Daily routines by grade band
| Grade band | Daily routine (10-15 minutes, all year) |
|---|---|
| K-2 | Read-aloud word routine (Text Talk style): 2-3 tier-2 words from each day's read-aloud. Say the word, give a child-friendly definition, connect it to the story, have every student say and use it. Revisit the week's words across the week and keep a cumulative word wall. Target: 5-8 taught words per week, plus rich talk about words during phonics (word meanings for decodable words). |
| 3-6 | Two-part routine. (1) Morphology: one root or affix family per week — teach the meaning, collect and build words from it, use them in sentences. (2) Words in context: 5-8 tier-2 words pulled from the week's shared reading passages, taught before reading and revisited after; at least once a week practice RISE-style questions (which word could replace ___, what does ___ mean in paragraph 2, use context to choose a meaning). |
| All grades — math | Every math unit opens by teaching its terms explicitly (word, meaning, example, non-example) and keeps a math word wall current. Use the terms in daily oral warm-ups: students explain their thinking with the vocabulary, not around it. See the term-by-term math vocabulary map below. |
| Schoolwide | Test-question verbs: one shared list of the words RISE questions are written with — determine, describe, explain, compare, support, summarize, according to, best, most likely, evidence, passage, section. Every teacher, every subject, uses these words when asking questions, K-6, so no student meets them for the first time in April. |
Morphology scope by window, grades 3-6
One family per week inside each window; each grade reviews the previous grade's families in the first two weeks. Teams can swap families to match their reading passages — the commitment is one per week, cumulative review always.
| Window | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5 | Grade 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 (Aug-Oct) | Prefixes un-, re-, dis-; endings -s, -ed, -ing; suffixes -ful, -less | Review gr. 3; prefixes pre-, mis-, non-; suffixes -er/-or, -ly | Review gr. 4; prefixes in-/im-, over-, under-; suffix -tion | Review gr. 5; prefixes inter-, sub-, trans-; suffixes -ment, -ness |
| T2 (Oct-Jan) | Compound words; suffixes -er/-est; prefix in-/im- (not) | Latin roots port, form, tract; suffix -able/-ible | Latin roots struct, rupt, ject; Greek roots graph, photo | Latin roots spect, dict, mit/mis; Greek roots tele, auto |
| T3 (Jan-Mar) | Suffixes -y, -ly, -tion intro; number prefixes bi-, tri- | Greek roots meta/meter, phon, scope; suffix -ous | Latin roots vis/vid, aud, scrib/script; suffixes -ance/-ence | Greek/Latin roots bio, geo, log(y), bene, mal; suffixes -ive, -ity |
| T4 (Mar-May) | Cumulative mixed review through games and cold-read passages | Cumulative mixed review; word-building challenges | Cumulative mixed review; RISE-style vocab items | Cumulative mixed review; connotation and tone work |
Math vocabulary by term, grades K-6
Terms follow each grade's math pacing table — teach these words when the unit opens, keep them alive on the word wall afterward.
| Grade | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 (review) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | count, number, more, fewer, same, sort | add, subtract, in all, take away, equal | ten and ones, compare, longer/shorter, heavier/lighter | shape names, beside, above, below |
| 1 | tens, ones, digit, count on, sum | difference, equation, equal sign, fact family | length, unit, hour, half hour, data | halves, fourths, attribute |
| 2 | hundreds, place value, skip count, compare symbols | regroup, mental math, cents, dollar, a.m./p.m. | estimate, inch, foot, centimeter, bar graph, line plot | array, equal groups, odd, even, partition |
| 3 | round, product, factor, quotient, divide, array | equal groups, area, square unit, distributive | numerator, denominator, equivalent, unit fraction, elapsed time | perimeter, mass, liquid volume, quadrilateral |
| 4 | period, expanded form, remainder, multiple, prime, composite | multiplicative comparison, partial products, pattern rule | equivalent fractions, mixed number, decompose, tenths, hundredths | angle, degree, perpendicular, parallel, line of symmetry |
| 5 | power of ten, exponent, thousandths, quotient | unlike denominators, expression, order of operations, evaluate | scaling, unit fraction division, line plot | volume, cubic unit, coordinate plane, ordered pair, hierarchy |
| 6 | ratio, rate, unit rate, percent, equivalent ratios | integer, absolute value, opposite, quadrant, GCF, LCM | variable, coefficient, expression vs. equation, inequality, solution | net, surface area, distribution, median, mean, variability |
How to check vocabulary progress
Put 3-5 vocabulary-in-context questions on every common formative assessment in ELA — same format RISE uses (meaning from context, word-part reasoning, best-replacement). The R.8/R.9 items on the RISE benchmark modules and winter interim give a strand-level read twice a year in grades 3-6. In K-2, the read-aloud word walls plus a quick weekly use-the-word check are enough; Acadience fluency and retell tasks will surface vocabulary gaps indirectly. If a grade level's context-clue items lag while decoding is fine, that is a vocabulary problem — respond with more read-aloud and morphology time, not more test practice.
Mathematics Pacing, Grades K-6
Kindergarten — Mathematics
Anchor assessment: Acadience Math (fall, winter, spring benchmarks). No RISE test; the goal is fluent counting, comparing, and early add/subtract concepts so grade 1 starts on grade level.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Counting and cardinality: rote count to 10+, count objects with one-to-one correspondence, recognize and write numerals 0-10 (K.CC.1-5). Sort and classify objects into categories (K.MD.3). | Acadience Math fall benchmark (complete by mid-Sep). Sep 11 PD day: review fall data, set intervention groups. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Counting to 20 and beyond; count on from a given number (K.CC.1-2). Compare groups and written numerals (K.CC.6-7). Name and describe 2-D shapes regardless of size or orientation (K.G.1-3). | Oct 2 PD day: progress check. Progress monitor below-benchmark students every 2-3 weeks. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Addition and subtraction as putting together / taking apart, acting out with objects, fingers, drawings (K.OA.1-2). Decompose numbers to 10 in more than one way; find the number that makes 10 (K.OA.3-4). | Nov 13 PD day: mid-year pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Fluency with add/subtract within 5 (K.OA.5). Teen numbers as ten ones and some more ones (K.NBT.1). Count to 50 by ones and tens (K.CC.1). | Acadience Math winter benchmark (January window). Jan 15 PD day: winter data meeting; regroup. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Story problems within 10, all situation types, with objects and drawings (K.OA.2). Describe measurable attributes; directly compare length and weight (K.MD.1-2). | Feb 12 PD day: intervention progress review. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | 3-D shapes: name, describe, compare to 2-D (K.G.1-4). Compose simple shapes into larger shapes (K.G.5-6). Count to 100 by ones and tens (K.CC.1). | Mar 12 PD day: spring readiness check. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – May 27 (review + extend) | Consolidate: counting to 100, comparing, fluency within 5, decomposing to 10. Daily number-sense routines; hands-on problem solving; first-grade readiness. | Acadience Math spring benchmark (May). Share EOY data with grade 1 teachers. |
Grade 1 — Mathematics
Anchor assessment: Acadience Math (fall, winter, spring). Priorities: addition and subtraction within 20 and place-value understanding — the two pillars grade 2 and 3 build on.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Count to 120 starting from any number; read and write numerals (1.NBT.1). Addition and subtraction within 10: counting on, making ten, related facts (1.OA.5-6). | Acadience Math fall benchmark (by mid-Sep). Sep 11 PD day: data review. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Word problems within 20, all situation types (1.OA.1-2). Properties of operations; relationship between addition and subtraction; the equal sign (1.OA.3-4, 1.OA.7-8). | Oct 2 PD day: check fact-strategy progress. End-of-unit common assessment. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Place value: tens and ones; compare two-digit numbers (1.NBT.2-3). Ten more / ten less mentally (1.NBT.5). | Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Add within 100 (two-digit + one-digit, two-digit + multiple of 10) using models and strategies (1.NBT.4, 1.NBT.6). Ongoing fact fluency within 10 → 20 (1.OA.6). | Acadience Math winter benchmark (January). Jan 15 PD day: winter data meeting. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Measure length with non-standard units; order objects by length (1.MD.1-2). Tell time to the hour and half hour (1.MD.3). | Feb 12 PD day: progress review. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Represent and interpret data with up to three categories (1.MD.4). Shapes: defining attributes, composing shapes; halves and fourths (1.G.1-3). | Mar 12 PD day: spring readiness check. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – May 27 (review + extend) | Spiral review: fluency within 20, word problems, place value to 120. Cumulative problem-solving projects. | Acadience Math spring benchmark (May). Hand off data to grade 2. |
Grade 2 — Mathematics
Anchor assessment: Acadience Math (fall, winter, spring). Priorities: fluency within 20, place value to 1,000, and multi-digit addition/subtraction — plus the equal-groups work that launches multiplication in grade 3.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Place value to 1,000: hundreds, tens, ones; skip-count by 5s, 10s, 100s; read, write, compare numbers (2.NBT.1-4). Fact fluency within 20 using mental strategies (2.OA.2). | Acadience Math fall benchmark (by mid-Sep). Sep 11 PD day: data review. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Fluently add and subtract within 100 (2.NBT.5). One- and two-step word problems within 100 (2.OA.1). | Oct 2 PD day: fluency progress check. End-of-unit common assessment. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Add and subtract within 1,000 using models, strategies, and properties; explain why strategies work (2.NBT.6-9). | Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Money: solve problems with dollars and coins (2.MD.8). Time to five minutes, a.m./p.m. (2.MD.7). Ongoing fluency within 20 and within 100. | Acadience Math winter benchmark (January). Jan 15 PD day: winter data meeting. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Measurement: estimate and measure length in standard units; compare and add/subtract lengths; number-line representation (2.MD.1-6). | Feb 12 PD day: progress review. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Data: picture graphs, bar graphs, line plots (2.MD.9-10). Foundations of multiplication: odd/even, arrays and equal addends (2.OA.3-4). Shapes and partitioning into halves, thirds, fourths (2.G.1-3). | Mar 12 PD day: spring readiness check. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – May 27 (review + extend) | Spiral review: multi-digit add/subtract, word problems, money and time. Array and equal-groups games to preview grade 3 multiplication. | Acadience Math spring benchmark (May). Hand off data to grade 3 — these students take RISE next year. |
Grade 3 — Mathematics (first RISE year)
RISE blueprint (45 items): Operations & Algebraic Thinking 29-38%, Fractions 27-31%, Base Ten 18-22%, Measurement/Data/Geometry 18-22%. About half the test is DOK 2. Multiplication/division and fractions together are roughly two-thirds of the test — they get the most time and land early enough to spiral all year. No calculator.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Place value: round to nearest 10/100; fluent addition and subtraction within 1,000 (3.NBT.1-2). Introduce multiplication as equal groups and arrays (3.OA.1). | Fall benchmark module: NBT strand (late Sep). Sep 11 PD day: review results. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Multiplication and division: meanings, unknowns in all positions, properties, relationship between × and ÷; fact strategies toward fluency (3.OA.1-7). Multiply one-digit numbers by multiples of 10 (3.NBT.3). | Fall benchmark module: OA strand (mid-Oct). Oct 2 PD day: fact-fluency data. Highest-weight strand on RISE (29-38%). |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Two-step word problems, all four operations; arithmetic patterns (3.OA.8-9). Area: unit squares, tiling, area of rectangles, connect area to multiplication and the distributive property (3.MD.5-7). | Benchmark module: OA/MD (early Dec). Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. Daily multiplication fact practice continues all year. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Fractions launch: unit fractions, fractions as parts of a whole and on the number line (3.NF.1-2). Partition shapes into equal areas (3.G.2). | Winter interim (adaptive, RISE-style) in window Jan 4 – Feb 26; give late Jan. Jan 15 PD day: interim data meeting. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Fraction equivalence and comparison; whole numbers as fractions (3.NF.3). Measure and show fraction data on line plots (3.MD.4). | Benchmark module: NF strand (mid-Feb). Feb 12 PD day: regroup on interim + NF data. Second-highest weight on RISE (27-31%). |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Time to the minute; elapsed time (3.MD.1). Mass and liquid volume (3.MD.2). Perimeter vs. area (3.MD.8). Picture and bar graphs (3.MD.3). Shape categories and attributes (3.G.1). | Benchmark module: MD/G strand (mid-Mar). Mar 12 PD day: bubble-student review before testing. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – Apr 2 (review) | Spiral review: OA two-step problems, fraction comparison, rounding, area/perimeter. RISE training test for platform and item-type practice; build 60-90 min work stamina. | All tested content complete by Mar 22 (end of Term 3). |
| Term 4 · Apr 5 – May 27 (testing + extend) | RISE Math summative (window opens Apr 5). After testing: multiplication fluency capstone, problem-solving projects, preview grade 4 place value. | Schedule around Apr 9 PD day and Apr 21 midterm. Results return in ~48 hours — debrief as a team. |
Grade 4 — Mathematics
RISE blueprint (50 items): Base Ten 28-32%, Fractions 28-32%, Operations & Algebraic Thinking 18-22%, Measurement/Data/Geometry 16-22%. NBT and NF are ~60% of the test — both must be done before March. No calculator.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Place value to 1,000,000: read, write, compare, round; a digit is ten times the place to its right (4.NBT.1-3). Fluent multi-digit addition and subtraction (4.NBT.4). | Fall benchmark module: NBT strand (late Sep). Sep 11 PD day: review results. Top-weight strand (28-32%). |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Multi-digit multiplication (up to 4-digit × 1-digit, 2-digit × 2-digit) with strategies and models (4.NBT.5). Division with up to 4-digit dividends and 1-digit divisors; remainders (4.NBT.6). Factors, multiples, prime and composite (4.OA.4). | Benchmark module: NBT (mid-Oct). Oct 2 PD day: computation data. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Multiplicative comparison problems (4.OA.1-2). Multi-step word problems with all four operations, including interpreting remainders (4.OA.3). Generate and analyze patterns (4.OA.5). | Benchmark module: OA strand (early Dec). Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Fraction equivalence with models and multiplication (4.NF.1). Compare fractions with unlike numerators and denominators (4.NF.2). | Winter interim (adaptive) in Jan 4 – Feb 26 window; give late Jan. Jan 15 PD day: interim data meeting. Fractions = 28-32% of RISE. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators; decompose fractions (4.NF.3). Multiply a fraction by a whole number (4.NF.4). Decimal notation for tenths and hundredths; compare decimals (4.NF.5-7). | Benchmark module: NF strand (mid-Feb). Feb 12 PD day: regroup from interim data. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Measurement conversions within one system; distance, time, money problems (4.MD.1-2). Area and perimeter formulas (4.MD.3). Line plots with fractions (4.MD.4). Angles: measure and additivity (4.MD.5-7). Lines, angles, classifying 2-D figures, symmetry (4.G.1-3). | Benchmark module: MD/G strand (mid-Mar). Mar 12 PD day: bubble-student review. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – Apr 2 (review) | Spiral review: multi-digit computation, fraction comparison and operations, multi-step problems. RISE training test; item types (equation entry, grids); stamina building. | All tested content complete by Mar 22. |
| Term 4 · Apr 5 – May 27 (testing + extend) | RISE Math summative (opens Apr 5). After testing: fraction/decimal games, real-world measurement projects, preview grade 5 decimals. | Schedule around Apr 9 PD day and Apr 21 midterm. |
Grade 5 — Mathematics
RISE blueprint (50 items): Base Ten (incl. decimals) 30-36%, Fractions 28-34%, Measurement/Data/Geometry 18-22%, Operations & Algebraic Thinking 16-20%. Decimals and fractions are ~65% of the test. DOK 2 is 50-64% — the heaviest reasoning load in grades 3-6. No calculator.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Place value: powers of 10, patterns in zeros; read, write, compare, round decimals to thousandths (5.NBT.1-4). | Fall benchmark module: NBT strand (late Sep). Sep 11 PD day: review results. Top-weight strand (30-36%). |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Fluent multi-digit multiplication (5.NBT.5). Division with 2-digit divisors using strategies and models (5.NBT.6). Add, subtract, multiply, divide decimals to hundredths (5.NBT.7). | Benchmark module: NBT (mid-Oct). Oct 2 PD day: computation data. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators, including mixed numbers; estimate and assess reasonableness (5.NF.1-2). Numerical expressions: parentheses, order of operations, writing expressions (5.OA.1-2). | Benchmark module: NF part 1 (early Dec). Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. Fractions = 28-34% of RISE. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Fractions as division (5.NF.3). Multiply fractions and mixed numbers; area with fractional sides; scaling (5.NF.4-6). | Winter interim (adaptive) in Jan 4 – Feb 26 window; give late Jan. Jan 15 PD day: interim data meeting. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Divide unit fractions by whole numbers and whole numbers by unit fractions (5.NF.7). Fraction word problems, all operations. Line plots with fractional data (5.MD.2). | Benchmark module: NF part 2 (mid-Feb). Feb 12 PD day: regroup from interim data. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Volume: unit cubes, V = l×w×h, additive volume (5.MD.3-5). Measurement conversions (5.MD.1). Coordinate plane: graph points, real-world problems; numerical patterns (5.G.1-2, 5.OA.3). Classify 2-D figures in a hierarchy (5.G.3-4). | Benchmark module: MD/G strand (mid-Mar). Mar 12 PD day: bubble-student review. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – Apr 2 (review) | Spiral review: decimal operations, fraction operations, volume, expressions. RISE training test; multi-step DOK 2-3 practice tasks; stamina. | All tested content complete by Mar 22. |
| Term 4 · Apr 5 – May 27 (testing + extend) | RISE Math summative (opens Apr 5). After testing: coordinate-plane projects, preview grade 6 ratios. | Schedule around Apr 9 PD day and Apr 21 midterm. |
Grade 6 — Mathematics
RISE blueprint (50 items): Expressions & Equations 28-34%, Ratios & Proportional Relationships 28-32%, Number System 18-22%, Geometry/Statistics 16-20%. RP and EE are ~60% of the test. Basic calculator allowed on one segment only — students must know which skills are calculator-free.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Ratios and rates: ratio language, unit rates, tables of equivalent ratios, double number lines, tape diagrams (6.RP.1-2, 6.RP.3a-b). | Fall benchmark module: RP strand (late Sep). Sep 11 PD day: review results. RP = 28-32% of RISE. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Percent of a quantity; finding the whole (6.RP.3c). Convert measurement units using ratios (6.RP.3d). Divide fractions by fractions with models and equations (6.NS.1). | Benchmark module: RP/NS (mid-Oct). Oct 2 PD day: data review. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Fluent multi-digit division and decimal operations (6.NS.2-3). GCF, LCM, distributive property (6.NS.4). Integers and rational numbers: number line, opposites, absolute value, ordering; four-quadrant coordinate plane (6.NS.5-8). | Benchmark module: NS strand (early Dec). Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Expressions: whole-number exponents; write, read, evaluate expressions with variables; equivalent expressions (6.EE.1-4). | Winter interim (adaptive) in Jan 4 – Feb 26 window; give late Jan. Jan 15 PD day: interim data meeting. EE = 28-34% of RISE — the top strand. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Equations and inequalities: solutions as true/false, one-step equations, inequalities on number lines (6.EE.5-8). Dependent and independent variables; relate tables, graphs, equations (6.EE.9). | Benchmark module: EE strand (mid-Feb). Feb 12 PD day: regroup from interim data. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Geometry: area of triangles and polygons, volume with fractional edges, nets and surface area, polygons on the coordinate plane (6.G.1-4). Statistics: statistical questions, distributions, center and variability, dot plots, histograms, box plots (6.SP.1-5). | Benchmark module: G/SP strand (mid-Mar). Mar 12 PD day: bubble-student review. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – Apr 2 (review) | Spiral review: percent problems, one-step equations, expressions, integer ordering. RISE training test; practice calculator vs. no-calculator segments; stamina. | All tested content complete by Mar 22. |
| Term 4 · Apr 5 – May 27 (testing + extend) | RISE Math summative (opens Apr 5). After testing: data-project capstone, preview grade 7 proportional reasoning. | Schedule around Apr 9 PD day and Apr 21 midterm. |
English Language Arts Pacing, Grades K-6
Kindergarten — English Language Arts
Anchor assessment: Acadience Reading (fall, winter, spring — required in K-3). Everything rides on phonological awareness and letter-sound knowledge. Daily read-alouds build the comprehension and vocabulary RISE will test in grade 3.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Print concepts: parts of a book, directionality (K.R.1). Phonological awareness: rhyme, syllables, first sounds (K.R.2). Letter names and sounds begin (K.R.3). Read-alouds: listen and answer questions about key details (K.R.5). | Acadience Reading fall benchmark (by mid-Sep). Sep 11 PD day: set intervention groups. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Blend and segment onset-rime and syllables (K.R.2). Continue letter-sound correspondence; begin VC blending (K.R.3). Retell familiar stories with prompting (K.R.6); name author and illustrator. | Oct 2 PD day: letter-sound progress check. Progress monitor strategic/intensive students every 2-3 weeks. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Phoneme isolation and blending in CVC words (K.R.2). Decode CVC words; high-frequency words (K.R.3). Identify characters, settings, major events (K.R.7). Shared and interactive writing: draw, label, dictate. | Nov 13 PD day: mid-year pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Phoneme segmentation fluency (K.R.2). Read decodable CVC text; more high-frequency words (K.R.3-4). Compare characters and experiences across read-alouds (K.R.14). | Acadience Reading winter benchmark (January). Jan 15 PD day: winter data meeting; adjust groups. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Add, delete, substitute phonemes (K.R.2). Digraph introduction; decodable text fluency (K.R.3-4). Ask and answer questions about unknown words in text (K.R.8-9). Opinion pieces through drawing and dictation (K.W.1). | Feb 12 PD day: intervention progress review. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Decode longer words and simple sentences; sight-word automaticity (K.R.3-4). Text features in informational read-alouds (K.R.10). Informative writing: name a topic, supply information (K.W.2). | Mar 12 PD day: spring readiness check. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – May 27 (review + extend) | Consolidate decoding and fluency with connected text. Narrative writing: tell about an event in order (K.W.3). Story retelling and comparison capstone. | Acadience Reading spring benchmark (May). EOY handoff meeting with grade 1. |
Grade 1 — English Language Arts
Anchor assessment: Acadience Reading (fall, winter, spring). Grade 1 is the make-or-break decoding year: short vowels through vowel teams, with fluency and daily writing about reading.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Phoneme blending and segmentation review (1.R.2). Short vowels, consonants, CVC review; digraphs sh, ch, th, wh (1.R.3). Retell stories with key details; ask and answer questions (1.R.5-6). Complete-sentence writing routines. | Acadience Reading fall benchmark (by mid-Sep). Sep 11 PD day: set groups. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Consonant blends; glued sounds (1.R.3). Decodable-text fluency: accuracy first, then rate (1.R.4). Characters, settings, major events with details (1.R.7). Narrative writing: sequenced events with details (1.W.3). | Oct 2 PD day: nonsense-word fluency progress. Progress monitor every 2-3 weeks. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Silent-e long vowels (1.R.3). Main topic and key details in informational text (1.R.6). Text features: headings, tables of contents, glossaries (1.R.10). Informative writing: topic, facts, closure (1.W.2). | Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Vowel teams ai/ay, ee/ea, oa/ow (1.R.3). Oral reading fluency with expression (1.R.4). Compare two texts on the same topic (1.R.14). Vocabulary: use context and word parts (1.R.8-9). | Acadience Reading winter benchmark (January). Jan 15 PD day: winter data meeting. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | R-controlled vowels ar, or, er/ir/ur (1.R.3). Two-syllable word decoding (1.R.3). Compare character experiences across stories (1.R.14). Opinion writing: state an opinion with a reason (1.W.1). | Feb 12 PD day: intervention progress review. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Diphthongs and remaining patterns; inflectional endings (1.R.3). Fluency benchmark push: grade-level connected text (1.R.4). Illustrations and details in texts (1.R.12). Shared research project (1.W.4). | Mar 12 PD day: spring readiness check. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – May 27 (review + extend) | Multisyllable decoding practice; reading stamina with longer decodables. Narrative writing celebration piece. Genre variety read-alouds with comparison discussions. | Acadience Reading spring benchmark (May). EOY handoff to grade 2. |
Grade 2 — English Language Arts
Anchor assessment: Acadience Reading (fall, winter, spring). Grade 2 finishes the phonics sequence and shifts weight toward fluency and comprehension — the on-ramp to the grade 3 RISE reading test.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Review long vowels, vowel teams; two-syllable words (2.R.3). Fluency routines: repeated reading, phrasing (2.R.4). Story structure: beginning, middle, end; retell with details (2.R.5-6). Narrative writing (2.W.3). | Acadience Reading fall benchmark (by mid-Sep). Sep 11 PD day: set groups. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Prefixes un-, re-, pre-; suffixes -ful, -less (2.R.3, 2.R.9). Characters respond to events and challenges (2.R.7). Ask and answer who/what/where/when/why/how (2.R.5). Grammar and conventions inside writing. | Oct 2 PD day: fluency data. Progress monitor every 2-3 weeks. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Three-syllable and irregularly spelled words (2.R.3). Main topic of multi-paragraph text and of each paragraph (2.R.6). Text features: captions, bold, subheadings, indexes (2.R.10). Informative writing: facts, definitions, closure (2.W.2). | Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Fluency: accuracy, rate, expression on grade-level text (2.R.4). Cause and effect; steps in a process (2.R.7). Vocabulary: context clues, word parts, glossaries (2.R.8-9). | Acadience Reading winter benchmark (January). Jan 15 PD day: winter data meeting. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Compare two versions of the same story; compare two texts on one topic (2.R.14). Author's purpose; how images support text (2.R.12-13). Opinion writing: opinion, reasons, linking words (2.W.1). | Feb 12 PD day: intervention progress review. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Morphology: compound words, common roots (2.R.9). Fables and folktales: central message (2.R.6-7). Shared research project with partners (2.W.4). Fluency push toward EOY benchmark (2.R.4). | Mar 12 PD day: spring readiness; flag students at risk for grade 3. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – May 27 (review + extend) | Reading stamina: longer texts across genres. Text-evidence answers in writing (preview of RISE-style questions). Narrative and poetry writing celebration. | Acadience Reading spring benchmark (May). EOY handoff to grade 3 — these students test next year. |
Grade 3 — English Language Arts (first RISE year)
RISE ELA is passage-based and assesses only Reading standards (3.R) — no Speaking & Listening or Language items. Students still take Acadience Reading three times this year. Balance literary and informational passages all year; every unit includes text-evidence questions in RISE-like formats. Foundational skills (3.R.3-4: phonics, morphology, fluency) run daily all year.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Daily word study: syllable types, prefixes/suffixes (3.R.3); fluency routines (3.R.4). Literature unit: ask and answer questions with explicit text evidence (3.R.5); retell and determine central message (3.R.6). Narrative writing (3.W.3). | Acadience Reading fall benchmark (by mid-Sep). Sep 11 PD day: data review. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Literature: character traits, motivations, feelings; how actions drive the sequence of events (3.R.7). Vocabulary: literal vs. nonliteral language, similes/metaphors (3.R.8); context and affixes to find meaning (3.R.9). Continue narrative writing; conventions taught inside writing. | Benchmark module: literature strand (late Oct). Oct 2 PD day: progress check. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Informational unit: main idea and supporting details (3.R.6); cause/effect and sequence relationships between ideas (3.R.7). Text features and search tools (3.R.10); illustrations contribute to meaning (3.R.12). Informative writing: grouped ideas, facts, conclusion (3.W.2). | Benchmark module: informational text (early Dec). Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Informational: how an author supports points with evidence (3.R.13). Mixed-passage practice: literary + informational sets with text-dependent questions. Continue informative writing; research mini-project (3.W.4). | Winter ELA interim (adaptive, RISE-style): late Jan. Acadience winter benchmark (January). Jan 15 PD day: interim + Acadience data meeting. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Compare and contrast: themes, settings, plots of stories by the same author; key details of two texts on one topic (3.R.14). Opinion writing: opinion, reasons, linking words (3.W.1). Fluency check-ins; morphology review (3.R.3-4). | Benchmark module: comparison/vocabulary (mid-Feb). Feb 12 PD day: regroup on interim data. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Cold-read passage cycles across genres — RISE-format items: multi-select, hot text, evidence-based selected response. Vocabulary in context spiral (3.R.8-9). Poetry and drama structures (3.R.10). | Benchmark module: any untested strand (mid-Mar). Mar 12 PD day: bubble-student review. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – Apr 2 (review) | Spiral review of all reading standards through short mixed passages. RISE training test: platform tools, item types, stamina (60-90 min sessions). | All tested content complete by Mar 22. |
| Term 4 · Apr 5 – May 27 (testing + extend) | RISE ELA summative (opens Apr 5). After testing: novel study, readers theater for fluency, research celebration project. Acadience Reading spring benchmark (May). | Schedule around Apr 9 PD day and Apr 21 midterm. |
Grade 4 — English Language Arts
RISE ELA: passage-based, Reading standards only. The grade 4 shift: inference and summary replace retell; details must be cited, not just found. Word study continues (morphology, multisyllabic decoding) alongside fluency.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Daily word study: Greek/Latin roots and affixes (4.R.3/4.R.9); fluency routines (4.R.4). Literature: refer to details and examples when explaining text and drawing inferences (4.R.5); theme and summary (4.R.6). Narrative writing (4.W.3). | Fall benchmark module: literature (mid-Oct). Sep 11 PD day: data review. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Literature: describe characters, settings, events in depth using details (4.R.7). Vocabulary: figurative language, context clues, reference materials (4.R.8-9). Continue narrative; conventions inside writing. | Benchmark module: literature (late Oct). Oct 2 PD day: progress check. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Informational: main idea + supporting details, summary (4.R.6); explain events, procedures, ideas — what happened and why (4.R.7). Text structures: chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution (4.R.10). Informative writing (4.W.2). | Benchmark module: informational (early Dec). Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Informational: how authors use reasons and evidence to support points (4.R.13). Interpret visual and quantitative information (4.R.12). Research project (4.W.4). | Winter ELA interim (adaptive): late Jan. Jan 15 PD day: interim data meeting. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Compare/contrast: themes and topics across texts; firsthand vs. secondhand accounts; texts from different cultures (4.R.14). Opinion writing: reasons supported by facts (4.W.1). | Benchmark module: comparison/vocabulary (mid-Feb). Feb 12 PD day: regroup on interim data. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Cold-read cycles: paired passages with RISE-format items (multi-select, hot text, EBSR). Poetry and drama: structural elements (4.R.10). Vocabulary spiral (4.R.8-9). | Benchmark module: any untested strand (mid-Mar). Mar 12 PD day: bubble-student review. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – Apr 2 (review) | Spiral review through short mixed passages, heavy on inference and summary. RISE training test; stamina sessions. | All tested content complete by Mar 22. |
| Term 4 · Apr 5 – May 27 (testing + extend) | RISE ELA summative (opens Apr 5). After testing: novel study, writing celebration, genre-passion projects. | Schedule around Apr 9 PD day and Apr 21 midterm. |
Grade 5 — English Language Arts (includes RISE Writing)
Grade 5 takes two RISE ELA tests: the reading test and the keyboarded Writing test, scored separately for Composition (1-6) and Conventions (0.5-3). On-demand, typed essay practice must be routine by winter. Writing benchmark modules with automated scoring are available — use them each term.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Word study: morphology, multisyllabic words (5.R.3/5.R.9); fluency (5.R.4). Literature: quote accurately when explaining and inferring (5.R.5); theme from details, summary (5.R.6). Narrative writing with keyboarding practice (5.W.3). | Fall benchmark module: literature (mid-Oct). Writing benchmark module #1 (fall). Sep 11 PD day: data review. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Literature: compare characters, settings, events using details (5.R.7). Vocabulary: figurative language, idioms, adages (5.R.8-9). Informative essay #1: typed, on-demand, scored on state rubric. | Benchmark module: literature (late Oct). Oct 2 PD day: score essays together as a team. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Informational: two or more main ideas with supporting details, summary (5.R.6); relationships between people, events, ideas (5.R.7). Compare text structures across texts (5.R.10). Informative writing full process: grouped ideas, evidence, precise language (5.W.2). | Benchmark module: informational (early Dec). Writing benchmark module #2. Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Informational: how authors support points with reasons and evidence; multiple accounts of the same event (5.R.13-14). Opinion essay: typed, on-demand practice under RISE-like conditions (5.W.1). | Winter ELA interim (adaptive): late Jan. Jan 15 PD day: interim + writing rubric data. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Compare stories in the same genre; how visual elements contribute to meaning (5.R.12, 5.R.14). Research project feeding an informative piece (5.W.4). Weekly timed typed writing with conventions focus. | Benchmark module: comparison/vocab (mid-Feb). Writing benchmark module #3. Feb 12 PD day: regroup on interim data. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Cold-read cycles: paired passages, RISE-format items. Final writing push: full on-demand essays in both informative and opinion modes; conventions editing routines. Vocabulary spiral (5.R.8-9). | Benchmark module: any untested strand (mid-Mar). Mar 12 PD day: bubble students for both reading and writing. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – Apr 2 (review) | Spiral review passages; one last timed practice essay with self-scoring against the rubric. RISE training tests for both ELA and Writing (platform + keyboarding). | All tested content complete by Mar 22. |
| Term 4 · Apr 5 – May 27 (testing + extend) | RISE ELA + RISE Writing summatives (window opens Apr 5; writing ~60 min). After testing: novel study, publishing celebration, free-choice research. | Schedule around Apr 9 PD day and Apr 21 midterm. |
Grade 6 — English Language Arts
RISE ELA: passage-based, Reading standards only. Grade 6 shifts: textual evidence for analysis (not just answers), development of theme/central idea over a text, and argument evaluation — claims backed by reasons and evidence.
| Window | Content to teach (standards) | Checkpoint / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 · Aug 24 – Sep 18 (~4 wks) | Word study: Greek/Latin roots, connotation/denotation (6.R.8-9); fluency with complex text (6.R.4). Literature: cite textual evidence for analysis and inference (6.R.5); theme development and summary (6.R.6). Narrative writing (6.W.3). | Fall benchmark module: literature (mid-Oct). Sep 11 PD day: data review. |
| Term 1 · Sep 21 – Oct 27 (~5 wks) | Literature: plot arcs and how characters change and respond (6.R.7). Vocabulary: figurative, connotative, tone-level meaning (6.R.8). Continue narrative; conventions inside writing. | Benchmark module: literature (late Oct). Oct 2 PD day: progress check. |
| Term 2 · Oct 28 – Dec 4 (~5 wks) | Informational: central idea through details; summary distinct from opinion (6.R.6); how key individuals, events, ideas are introduced and elaborated (6.R.7). Text structure: how a sentence, paragraph, or section fits the whole (6.R.10). Informative/explanatory writing (6.W.2). | Benchmark module: informational (early Dec). Nov 13 PD day: pacing check. |
| Term 2 · Dec 7 – Jan 14 (~4 wks) | Argument: trace and evaluate claims — which are supported by reasons and evidence and which are not (6.R.13). Author's point of view and purpose (6.R.12). Argument writing: claim, evidence, reasoning (6.W.1). | Winter ELA interim (adaptive): late Jan. Jan 15 PD day: interim data meeting. |
| Term 3 · Jan 19 – Feb 19 (~4.5 wks) | Compare texts across genres and formats on the same topic (6.R.14). Research project with source evaluation (6.W.4). Vocabulary spiral (6.R.8-9). | Benchmark module: comparison/vocab (mid-Feb). Feb 12 PD day: regroup on interim data. |
| Term 3 · Feb 22 – Mar 22 (~4 wks) | Cold-read cycles: paired and multi-genre passage sets with RISE-format items (multi-select, hot text, EBSR). Poetry, drama, and multimedia structure analysis (6.R.10, 6.R.12). | Benchmark module: any untested strand (mid-Mar). Mar 12 PD day: bubble-student review. |
| Term 4 · Mar 23 – Apr 2 (review) | Spiral review through short mixed passages, heavy on evidence citation and argument evaluation. RISE training test; stamina sessions. | All tested content complete by Mar 22. |
| Term 4 · Apr 5 – May 27 (testing + extend) | RISE ELA summative (opens Apr 5). After testing: novel study or literature circles, capstone research presentation, grade 7 preview. | Schedule around Apr 9 PD day and Apr 21 midterm. |
Planning notes for 2026-27 and beyond
- ELA test alignment: the RISE ELA test is passage-based and assesses only Reading standards — no stand-alone grammar, speaking, or listening items. Conventions still matter for the grade 5 Writing test and for good writing generally, but they should be taught inside writing, not as a separate test-prep strand.
- Score trends: new ELA cut scores were set in fall 2025, so ELA results from spring 2025 forward are the new baseline. Do not compare against earlier years.
- Math standards revision: Utah is revising math standards for classroom implementation in 2026-27 districts' introduction year, with new aligned assessments expected in 2027-28. This guide follows the current standards, which the 2026-27 RISE test still assesses. Plan a summer 2027 revision cycle for the math sections.
- Test security: benchmark module and interim items are secure. Teams review results and data with students, but items must not be copied into study guides or worksheets.
- Platform practice: schedule RISE training tests at least twice before spring (fall and March) on the same devices students will test with, so navigation, tools, and item types are familiar. Remind students the test is untimed and that harder questions mean the adaptive test thinks they are doing well.