Castle Learning’s English Curriculum Team has just released 9 new reading sets in the course: Elementary English. The new passages are longer in length which models recent changes in state assessments as well as the Common Core. Many of the multiple choice and constructed response (writing prompt) questions focus on Common Core initiatives such as: text-based evidence, vocabulary usage in context, and author’s purpose.

3rd Grade (Basic) Level Reading Sets:

• Bikes I- Bike Safety- RL: 3.4
• Jellyfish I- How Dangerous are Jellyfish?- RL:3.8
• The Donkey Carrying Salt- Fable- RL: 3.5

4th Grade (Intermediate) Level Reading Sets:

• Bikes II- Types of Bikes- RL: 4.5
• Jellyfish II- Life Without a Brain- RL: 4.5
• The Lioness and the Bulls- Fable- RL:4.4

5th Grade (Advanced) Level Reading Sets:

• Bikes III- The History of Bikes- RL: 5.7
• Jellyfish III- How Do Jellyfish Move?- RL: 5.6
• Mercury and the Woodman- Fable- RL: 5.5

All of these reading sets have constructed response (writing prompt) questions and include sample answers for students (after they answer each question). The questions range in length and difficulty. Some questions ask students to complete a graphic organizer, some may require a sentence or two, and others may require a paragraph or more.

NOTE: Multiple reading passages can be incorporated into one assignment.  Encourage students to click the double-down arrows next to the reading passage title to expand the selection (this helps avoid confusion when multiple passages are included).

To create a short answer reading set assignment, please follow these steps: 

• From the Teacher Home Page, click the Assignments link
• Select Elementary English from the course drop down menu
• Under the Short Answer tab, enter a name for the assignment and click Create New Short Answer Assignment
• Click the Add Questions link on the left side of the page
• Along the top of the next page, click on the tab titled Castle Reading Sets
• Here you will see a list of all of the Reading Sets broken down by basic, intermediate, and advanced skill level
• To view the reading set and correlating question, click the magnifying glass icon
• Once you have selected the reading set you wish to include in the assignment, import the reading set and correlating questions by clicking the blue plus sign next to the name of the set
• You will now be returned to the assignment editing page where you can add more short answer questions and assign the assignment to students

To create a constructed response critical reading passage assignment, please follow these steps: 

• From the Teacher Home Page, click the Assignments link
• Select Elementary English from the course drop down menu
• Under the Constructed Response tab, enter a name for the assignment and click Create New Constructed Response Assignment
• Click the Add Questions link on the left side of the page
• Check the box for Critical Reading Passages beneath the Select Units title and click the Browse and Select Questions Individually button
• You will now be able to view the various reading passages and correlating questions. In order to see the entire passage you will need to expand the selection by clicking the down arrow button next to the passage
• To import the reading passage and correlating questions, check the box next to each passage you wish to include in the assignment
• You will now be returned to the assignment editor page where you can add more short answer questions and assign the assignment to students