STARI FAQs
Curriculum & Materials
To implement STARI as it was intended, you’ll need the following materials: STARI Curriculum Materials (Student Workbooks, Teacher Lesson Plans, Fluency Passages) STARI Literature (novels and nonfiction text sets) Additional supplies: STARI requires the use of timers and sticky notes on a regular basis. STARI also calls for standard classroom supplies on rare occasions, such as tape and scissors. Please see Get STARI Materials for more information, including the video at the bottom of the page. If you would like to order a combination of STARI curriculum materials, STARI literature, and professional learning, you may request a bundle quote!
Yes, STARI includes some writing activities that reinforce literacy skills. These include writing 5Ws summaries, preparing debate arguments supported by text evidence, writing short personal narratives and responses to comprehension questions.
There are no immediate plans for STARI to be fully computer-based.
STARI lessons are designed for a 45–50 minute instructional block. Each lesson includes a combination of fluency practice, vocabulary instruction, reading and strategy work, and partner discussion. Suggested times are given for each component of the lesson and can be modified to fit your class schedule.
Each unit contains 40-48 lessons, so if STARI is scheduled for approximately 45 minutes per day, a unit should take 40-48 instructional days. Therefore, teachers should be able to complete three units in a school year.
The first page of each lesson plan provides an overview of suggested timing for each component of the lesson. As teachers work through the lesson plan, each activity is time-stamped.
In each STARI unit, students read a full novel in addition to one or more nonfiction texts related to the unit topic. Therefore, if students complete the full three units they are meant to complete in a school year, they will read three novels as well as multiple shorter texts.
Each student should only receive the fluency level assigned to them. There are four different levels of fluency passages. Early in every Unit 1, teacher lesson plans provide guidance on the process of assigning students to their fluency level. Once teachers have assigned student fluency levels, they can place only passages for that level into the student workbook.