7th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the expectations that anchor texts are of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading and consider a range of student interests. 

The texts and materials included in these units pull from a diverse range of content as well as authors. The units include classic stories, from past centuries, period pieces that allow students to learn about particular eras in time and allow them to get a glimpse into time they were not aware of. Anchor texts include rich language, thought-provoking content and age appropriate texts that are relatable for Grade 7 students. 

High-quality texts include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7A, students read an excerpt from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. This timeless classic uses rich language and interesting characters to engage students in reading.
• In Unit 7B, students read both the poem, “Harlem,” and the play, “A Raisin in the Sun,” by Lorraine Hansberry. The title for the classic play, “A Raisin in the Sun,” comes from the poem “Harlem.” The play deals with captivating themes about an African-American family from Chicago trying to better themselves after a death in the family. 
• In Unit 7C, “Recovery from the Passage of an Iron Bar Through the Head” by John M. Harlow, MD. This text is a high-interest medical journal text. 
• In Unit 7D, students read “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe. This classic, high-interest short story is considered to be one of Poe’s best. The horror tale has a clever plot based on revenge along with rich vocabulary words filled with double meanings. 
• In Unit 7E, students read "Sonnet 130" by Willaim Shakespeare. This is a classic parody of the love poems written by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and is intriguing and worthy of study.
• In Unit 7F, students read an excerpt from the age appropriate text, Murphy, Gold Rush Dog by Alison Heart. This saga has an interesting theme and rich vocabulary.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the expectations for materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

The balance of informational and literary texts across the year provides a coherent mix of literary and informational text types across topics for the school year. There is a wide distribution of genres and text types as required by the standards, including historical fiction, folktales, non-fiction, biographies, journal articles, speeches, plays and historical accounts. The varying units provide a total mix of 67% Literary text and 33% Informational for the grade 7 school year.

The following are some of the examples of literature found within the instructional materials:

• Unit 7B--A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
• Unit 7C--“A Narrow Fellow in the Grass” by Emily Dickenson
• Unit 7D-- “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
• Unit 7E--“Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare 

The following are examples of informational texts found within the instructional materials:

• Unit 7A--Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-li Jiang
• Unit 7C--Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman
• Unit 7E--Frida Becomes My Wife by Diego Rivera and Gladys March
• Unit 7F-- “The Magic Equation” excerpt from California: The Great Exception by Carey McWilliams

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative and qualitative analysis.

The Grade 7 materials generally fall within the 6-8 Lexile band (925L to 1185L) and are within the appropriate range of rigor in terms of qualitative measures, which gauge elements of language, concepts and themes, and take into consideration the depth of the text itself. When texts are above or below these bands, there are appropriate reader and task elements that substantiate the rationale for the text within the scope of the program.

Examples of text complexity include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7A, the overall quantitative level is 780L. The unit focuses on the memoir of Ji-li Jiang’s life during China’s Cultural Revolution and narrative writing. Red Scarf Girl serves as a mentor text for students to model their own narrative writing. Students are learning to read like writers and to notice how authors clearly develop a single moment, topic, or idea in their writing.
• Sub-unit 3, Lesson 9, Activity 5, Text: Red Scarf Girl: “The Liberation Army Dancer” (64-70); “Graduation” (8-25) by Ji-li Jiang. Lexile-780. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate- Students compare and contrast Jiang's description of home at the beginning of the story to the current point in the story. This prepares students for the upcoming writing prompt analyzing why Jiang's emotions regarding her home have changed throughout the story. Students are learning to understand how the author’s description of the setting can affect the reader’s understanding of the story.
• Sub-unit 3, Lesson 12, Solo, Text: Red Scarf Girl “Epilogue” (paragraphs 1-21) by Ji-li Jiang. Lexile-780. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate- Students read the assigned text independently and answer six text-based questions in varying formats designed to build understanding and assess comprehension and skills. Questions focus on skills taught in the related lesson.
• In Unit 7B, the overall Lexile levels are 870L-1400L. Students read a mix of poems, plays, short stories, and excerpts from Lorraine Hansberry’s autobiography To Be Young, Gifted and Black that focus on responding to conflict. Students note the changes in characters as they face hardship and analyze the techniques that the authors use to convey these changes within the characters they have created. Students closely read texts to better understand the underlying moves authors make within the structure of narrative writing.
• Sub-unit 2, Lesson 12, Activity 4, Text: A Raisin in the Sun: Act II, Scene Three (34-134) by Lorraine Hansberry. Lexile-NP. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate. Students read a scene from the play with a focus on the character they chose in a previous assignment. Students then describe their character’s reaction to an event and explain how this represents an obstacle for their chosen characters. Students focus on specific moments in the text to support their claims.
• Sub-unit 1, Lesson 3, Solo, Text: “Sucker,” Chapter 1 (paragraphs 28-55) by Carson McCullers. Lexile 870L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate. Students read the excerpt from the short story independently and answer ten text-based questions of varying formats to build understanding and assess comprehension and skills. Questions focus on skills taught in the related lesson.
• In Unit 7C, the overall Lexile levels are 970L-1310L. Students read a collection of informational texts that focus on the workings of the brain, explore the impact of the brain on being human, and better understand how their own teenage brains affect their actions and understandings. Students focus on synthesizing information from reading multiple texts to strengthen their own understanding of the topic, and to develop and defend their own opinions. There is also a focus on collaborative, problem-driven discussions with their peers.
• In Sub-unit 4, Lesson 1, Activity 5, Text: Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science, Chapter 1 - “Horrible Accident in Vermont” by John Fleischman; Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain, Chapter 1 - “Adolescence isn’t an aberration” by Sarah-Jayne Blakemore. Lexile 1030L/1310L. Qualitative: High. Task Demand: High. Students begin the argumentative writing process by developing a claim in response to the prompt asking them to compare the behavior of Phineas Gage to that of an adolescent. Students gather evidence from both texts and use the frames and organizers provided to formulate their claims. This activity is part of the writing process in creating a well-written essay.
• In Sub-unit 2, Lesson 4, Solo, Text: The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, excerpt from Chapter 3 - “Yes, Father-Sister” by Oliver Sacks. Lexile 970L. Qualitative: High. Task Demand: Moderate. Students read the text independently and then answer eight questions with varying formats designed to build understanding and assess comprehension and skills. 
• In Unit 7D, the overall Lexile levels are 820L-1530L. Students read a collection of complex and classic literary pieces from authors such as Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allan Poe, and D.H. Lawrence. The texts were chosen for their poetic use of vocabulary and strong visual aspect. In this unit, students focus on “Reading Like a Movie Director” as they closely read and analyze the texts. Students compare and contrast the perspectives of characters within a narrative and evaluate the reliability of a fictional narrator.
• In Sub-unit 1, Lesson 6, Text: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. Lexile 820L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: High. Students collaboratively assess evidence regarding the sanity of the narrator of the text. Using a debate format, students teams present their strongest evidence, hear the strongest evidence from the other side, prepare and present their counter-argument refuting the opposing evidence, and conclude with written closing statements.
• In Sub-unit 3, Lesson 3, Activity 3, Text: “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe. Lexile 700L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: High. Students identify and evaluate the choices of the director made in the film adaptation of the text in regards to characters and settings. Students argue their choices for the film adaptation based on their reading of the text. 
• In Unit 7E, the overall Lexile levels are 910L-1430L. Students read and analyze primary source documents as well as research independently to learn about the famed artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. In this unit, students focus on the skills necessary to independently and effectively conduct an argumentative research project. 
• In Sub-unit 5, Lesson 1, Text: The Frida & Diego Collection. Lexile: 910L-1430L. Qualitative: High. Task Demand: High. Students utilize texts from The Frida & Diego Collection to write either an informative or argumentative five paragraph research paper. Students conduct research using the texts provided and online sources. Students are required to support their claims with relevant research and clear evidence. 
• In Sub-unit 2, Lesson 3, Solo, Text: “Letter to Ella and Bertram Wolfe” from The Letters of Frida Kahlo: Cartas Apasionadas compiled by Martha Zamora. Lexile NA. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate. Students read a letter from Kahlo to Ella and Bertram Wolfe lamenting the current state of her relationship with Rivera. Students read the text independently and then answer seven questions with varying formats designed to build understanding and assess comprehension and skills. 
• In Unit 7F, the overall Lexile levels are 1020L-1600L. Students read, analyze, and assess the reliability of primary, secondary, and tertiary source documents to construct personal research questions in relation to the California gold rush. In this unit, students explore varying historical perspectives as they research and investigate the complex issues within the California gold rush.
• In Sub-unit 3, Lesson 2, Solo, Text: Excerpt from Chapter 1- “A Letter from Gold Mountain” in Good Fortune: My Journey to Gold Mountain by Li Keng Wong. Lexile 630L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate. Students read an excerpt of the memoir of the author’s trek with her family to Gold Mountain during the California gold rush. Students read the text independently and then answer eight questions with varying formats designed to build understanding and assess comprehension and skills.
• In Sub-unit 4, Lesson 1, Text: Various Texts from The Gold Rush Collection. Lexile NA. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: High. Students read assigned texts independently and then work with their group to create open-ended questions based on those texts in preparation for a Socratic seminar.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the expectations that materials support students’ literacy skills (understanding and comprehension) over the course of the school year through increasingly complex text to develop independence of grade level skills (Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels).

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 provide students the opportunity to interact with increasingly complex texts as the units evolve throughout the school year. Each unit builds in complexity through the different types of texts that students are asked to interact with. At the start of the school year, students work with texts that are relatively simple and contain ideas that they can relate to in order to build both stamina and confidence in reading. Throughout the rest of the year, the texts that they encounter become increasingly more complex quantitatively as well as qualitatively in order to build their skills as an analytical reader. By the end of the year, students are being asked to engage with texts that are not only written in a more complex way, but that deal with issues, ideas, and emotions that are multi-faceted and challenging.

Examples of this include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7A, the anchor text in this unit is Ji-li Jang’s Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution. The language in this text is appropriately complex for seventh grade, but focuses on the life experiences of a girl approximately the same age of the students, therefore, even though her experiences are unique to China, her reactions, emotions, and thoughts are similar to what any student her age would face. This makes the more complex aspects of the text accessible to students. 
• In Unit 7C, students interact with texts that focus on the brain. The majority of these texts use a heavy amount of scientific language and information. These challenging texts utilize a format that is accessible to seventh graders because they are written in a way that connects the scientific language and ideas to specific people’s stories. This enables students to understand the science in context. Although the content is challenging, the support systems provided make them appropriate for the grade and build on skills they have learned in previous units.
• In Unit 7E, students are provided with their most challenging reading as they are asked to engage with multiple different types of texts from paintings and  letters, to an autobiography. They are also asked to conduct their own research and read the resulting materials from that research. In this second to last unit of the year, students revisit all of the types of reading and skills they have learned throughout the rest of the units in order to be able to access the more complex texts in this unit.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the expectation that texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level.

The materials provide the Lexile levels for each of the texts for the units and explains what the texts in the units cover and how they are connected as well as what the students will be doing in the units with those texts. In addition to this, there is a Qualitative measure (QT) and rationale that indicates whether the text is at the accessible, moderate, or complex level. The rationale provides the teacher with information about organization, sentence and word complexity, and levels of meaning.  There is also a Reader and Task measure (RT) and rationale that again indicates if the tasks associated with the reading are accessible, moderate, or complex and then comments on what the tasks are asking students to do and how that relates to the quantitative and qualitative measure. The information provided does not explicitly state why specific reading and tasks were placed within the school year.

Some examples of the Lexile and reasoning provided include, but are not limited to:

• For Unit 7B,  the rationale is on page 21 of the “Grade Overviews” and lists the Lexile for the unit at 870L-1400L. The Unit Summary tells the reader that students read a short story and a play that explore the “compassionate understanding of how families facing hardships can both support and inflict harm on each other, and both provide students with rich opportunities to observe the growth and change of characters whose motivations are often hidden, even from themselves.” The Qualitative Level for the texts are listed as complex and the rationale tells the teacher that “Levels of meanings and/or theme may be conveyed with some subtlety.” The Reader and Task measure is also listed at moderate. The rationale tells the teacher that “Tasks and activities contain nuance and complexity, balanced with engaging topics; activities often require inferencing; students benefit from the knowledge they have built throughout the unit.” Because the Lexile level of the materials that students are reading is high, it is appropriate that the Qualitative Level and Reader and Task measure is not higher than moderate.
• For Unit 7D, the rationale is on page 23 of the “Grade Overviews” and lists the Lexile for the unit at 820L-1530L. In this particular unit the Unit Summary tells the teacher that “students learn a set of visualization techniques to read like a movie director.” In addition to reading a variety of different texts in this unit, students will also “watch thoughtful, animated adaptations of ‘The Raven’ and ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ and compare the movie adaptations to the original texts.” The Qualitative Level for the texts are listed as between moderate and complex. The rationale for this tells the teacher that “Levels of meaning and theme are multiple, ambiguous and/or revealed over the course of the text.” Despite the relatively high level of both the Lexile and QT of the texts, the comparison and use of visual elements makes it more accessible for students. In addition to this, the Reader and Task measure is listed at moderate, and the rationale tells the teacher that “Tasks and activities may contain some complexity, balanced with engaging topics; activities often require inferencing; students benefit from the knowledge they have built throughout the unit.” Because the Lexile level and the complexity level of the materials that students are reading is high, it is appropriate that the Reader and Task measure is not higher than moderate.
• For Unit 7F, the last unit in the year, the rationale on page 25 of the “Grade Overviews” tells the teacher that the collection of texts fall between 1020L-1600L. The Unit Summary states that “As students reach the end of the unit, they synthesize all of the skills they’ve developed to tackle a culminating research assignment—part essay, part media project.” In this final unit. Students will be using all of the skills that they have learned throughout the year. The Qualitative Level is between moderate and complex with a rationale that states, “Texts include multiple or intricate purposes” and “The subject matter requires knowledge of discipline or of other texts.” This is appropriate for texts that fall at the end of a year because of the reading and skill building that has led up to this unit. Finally, the Reader and Task measure is also between moderate and complex. Students will be using skills that they have already learned in other units throughout the year. The Rationale states “Tasks and activities contain nuance and complexity; require students to be persistent; make high level of inferences; students benefit from the knowledge they have built throughout the unit.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the expectations for anchor and supporting texts provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of texts to achieve grade level reading. 

Each unit is centered around a core topic and/or theme and uses a variety of texts. In each lesson, students interact with text through either whole-class instruction, reading with a partner, and independent reading or a combination thereof. In addition, for every unit there are Solo activities which allow students to read additional texts that supplement their learning as well as flex days where teachers can assign additional independent reading as an option for student growth. Within the Amplify learning system, there is also an Amplify library where students can download the texts for the unit as well as independent reading materials. The texts included with the program span a wide variety of genres across both literary and informational text.

Examples of this include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7A, “Red Scarf Girl and Narrative,” students read a variety of texts to achieve grade level reading. For example, in Lesson 5, students write about a moment where they felt a strong emotion. For an additional reading options, they can independently read an excerpt from the novel A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
• In Lesson 6, students explore the usage of powerful verbs. As an independent mentor text, they look at the poem "A Boy's Summer Song" by Paul Laurence Dunbar.
• In Lesson 12, when students are working on revision, they read the prologue from Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang. 
• In Unit 7B, “Character & Conflict,” students read a variety of texts to achieve grade level reading. For example, in Sub-unit 2, there are sixteen lessons. In Lesson 7, students choose a character to follow throughout the play, A Raisin in the Sun. Students use a structured process and Want/Obstacle/Action graphic organizer to map their character as they continue to read an excerpt from Act I, Scene One.
• In Lesson 9, students describe and analyze the reaction of their character after the house is purchased following their reading of Act II, Scene One. In the “Solo” activity, students independently read an excerpt from Act II, Scene Two in A Raisin in the Sun and answer questions focused on details and evidence.
• In Unit 7C, “Brain Science,” students read a variety of texts to achieve grade level reading. For example, in Sub-unit 3, there are three lessons. The point of the unit is for students to compare and contrast two different case studies in order to learn how the brain works.
• In Lesson 1, students read excerpts from the non-fiction book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks. These excerpts include "Yes, Father-Sister," "The Lost Mariner," "Eyes Right!" etc. Then, students read excerpts from the non-fiction text Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman. They read, "Putting Phineas Together Again"; and "'Horrible Accident' in Vermont".
• In Lesson 3, students read another excerpt from the text The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks. Finally, they may also choose to read the poem “The Brain” by Emily Dickinson if they have not already done so.
• In Unit 7D, “Poetry & Poe,” students read a variety of texts to achieve grade level reading. For example, in Sub-unit 1: Poetry, students read three poems focused on visual imagery: “The White Horse” by D.H. Lawrence, “The Silence” by Garcia Lorca, and “A narrow fellow in the grass” by Emily Dickinson. These poems build the foundation for the type of “visual close reading” that is required throughout the unit.
• In the following three sub-units, students read three works by Edgar Allen Poe. In “The Tell-Tale Heart,” students focus on analyzing the perspective of the narrator in relation to that of the reader. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” students examine the choices made by the director while comparing the film version to the text. In the “The Raven,” students examine the text through the critical lens of a director.
• Students may also choose to use the Amplify Library to read additional works by Emily Dickinson, texts about Edgar Allen Poe, and a plethora of other horror and supernatural short stories from the late 1800s.
• In Unit 7E, “The Frida & Diego Collection,” students read a variety of texts to achieve grade level reading. For example, in Sub-unit 1, there are four lessons.
• In Lesson 1, students learn how to evaluate sources. In order to do so, they read from the NOAA government website; the Earth and Planetary Science department website at The University of California, Berkeley; an article about the Marine Life Protection Act from Wikipedia; and the home page for The Ocean Foundation. They are also given an outdated website for the Missouri Botanical Garden intended to show students about non-credible sources; as well as an article from The Guardian online news site. For all of these websites, they are asked to determine the credibility of each source.
• In Lesson 2, students look at four additional sites to determine credibility. The first is the NASA government website, the second is a news article from MIT, the third site is from CNN, and the fourth is Terravivos.com, another non-credible website link. 
• In Unit 7F, “The Gold Rush Collection,” students read a variety of texts to achieve grade level reading. For example in Sub-unit 3, “Dear Diary and Collection Research,” students are reading and analyzing primary and secondary sources to write journal entries based on the perspective of the historical fiction character they create.
• In Lesson 1, students read "The Gold Rush Collection". This collection includes non-fiction examples such as, “Letter the Tenth: Amateur Mining—Hairbreadth ‘Scapes, & c.” from The Shirley Letters from California Mines in 1851-1852;” “July 22-August 10” from The Gold Rush Diary of Ramon Gil Navarro; and “Good Haul of Diggers” from Digger: The Tragic Fate of the California Indians from the Missions of the Gold Rush. The collection also includes a fictional except from The call of the Wild by Jack London, “The Toil of Trace and Trail."
• Students use their research from these texts to write a minimum of five journal entries accurately depicting the first-hand experiences of the characters they created. The option of reading an additional text, “A Letter from Gold Mountain” from Good Fortune: My Journey to Gold Mountain by Li King Wong, and responding to either a narrative or informative writing prompt is also provided.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text dependent/specific, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text). 

The materials are divided into six units of study, each with a variety of texts and activities that require students to engage directly with the texts.  Lessons include multiple methods of direct student interaction with the texts. Students are asked to employ strategies such as: “Use the Text," “Select the Text,” “Work Visually,” “Use the Text as Referee,” and “Work Out Loud”.

Students are also required to complete text-dependent tasks in unit assessments, culminating writing tasks, and during reading tasks. In addition, text-dependent questions, tasks and assignments support students’ literacy growth over the course of the school year and the teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation of text-dependent writing, speaking, and other activities. Teachers can access students’ written responses immediately when utilizing the online writing tool.  Possible student answers are provided for both written and speaking activities.

Examples of text-dependent/specific questions included in each unit include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7A, “Red Scarf Girl & Narrative,” Sub-unit 3, Lesson 1, examples of text dependent questions are as follows:.
• Reread the Prologue and highlight:
• Two words or phrases Ji-li uses to describe how she feels.
• A word or phrase that shows that Ji-li expects her life will get better or worse.
• How hopeful do you think Ji-li is at this moment in her story? Which details in the Prologue lead you to think so?
•  In Unit 7C, “Brain Science,” Sub-unit 3, Activity 3, students are asked to discuss and compare case studies:
• Students first complete these text-dependent tasks in writing:
• make observations about the impact of Peggy's brain injury.
• make observations about the impact of Mrs. S.'s brain injury.
• compare the details of the cases of Peggy and Mrs. S.
• Students then participate in a whole-class discussion based on the questions: 
• What would you do if you were in Peggy or Mrs. S.'s situation? 
• Can you think of any other solutions?
• In Unit 7D, “Poetry and Poe,” Sub-unit 2, Lesson 3, Activity 3, students are asked to read the short story “The Tell Tale Heart”. Students are then asked to “reread paragraphs 17 and 18 carefully and highlight any places in the text where, as a reader, you don't believe the narrator's description of what is happening. Launch the Tell-Tale Art app and make storyboards of paragraphs 17 and 18 from your perspective as a reader.”
• In Unit 7E, “The Frida and Diego Collection,” Sub-unit 2, Lesson 1, Activity 8, What Do the Details Show?
• Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are writing about the same topic—their relationship—in these two texts.
•  Briefly identify one or more facts that Frida emphasizes about that relationship.
• Briefly identify one or more facts that Diego emphasizes about that relationship.
• Analyze the key details that each author (Frida and Diego) chose to emphasize in their writing. Based on the key details from each author, how would you describe their relationship?
• In Unit 7F, “The Gold Rush Connection,” Sub-unit 3, Lesson 1, Activity 3, students are asked to read an excerpt from Chapter 5 of The Call of the Wild by Jack London as well as an excerpt from The Gold Rush Diary of Ramón Gil Navarro. Following their reading, students are asked to answer the question, “What are the types of realistic details in The Gold Rush Diary of Ramón Gil Navarro that Jack London uses in his fictional portrayal of life on the frontier?"

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for having sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent/specific questions and tasks build to a culminating task that integrates skills (may be writing, speaking, or a combination).

Materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and activities that build to a culminating task. Each unit has several tasks which include text-dependent questions and activities and then ends with a multi-step writing assignment. The last unit of the year also includes a presentation and a multimedia component. The essays gradually build in complexity, vary in topic, and require students to utilize writing, speaking or a combination of both. The culminating tasks are designed to help students synthesize and apply their learning from the unit in an engaging and authentic way through writing and speaking. 

Examples of tasks that are supported with coherent sequences of text-dependent questions include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7A, “Red Scarf Girl & Narrative,” Sub-unit 3: Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-li Jiang, students are asked to interact closely with Ji-li Jiang's memoir about China's Cultural Revolution, building on their capacity to write independently using text evidence. In Lesson 4, students respond to the prompt, "'That poor guy,' I finally said. 'He should know better than to dress that way, but I’d just die if somebody cut my pants open in front of everybody like that.' In this last moment of the scene, Ji-li feels a mix of emotions. Describe her different emotions. Use evidence from anywhere in the scene to support your ideas.”
• In Unit 7B, “Character and Conflict,” the culminating task is an essay. After reading the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, students write about how one character (Walter or Mama) changes from the beginning to the end of the play. To help them decide which character to choose, in Sub-unit 4, Lesson 1, Activity 3, students look at the final scene of the play and then answer one question for each character using evidence from the play to support their response. The question for Walter reads: “What actions does he take in this final scene of the play to get what he wants?” The question for Mama reads “What actions does she take in this final scene of the play to get what she wants?”
• In Unit 7C, “Brain Science,” Sub-unit 2, Lesson 1, students respond to the prompt, “Some behaviors are more typical during adolescence. Do you agree or disagree with that statement? What evidence from the text supports your answer?” Later in the unit, in Sub-unit 4, students are tasked to write an essay about brain science in which they compare and contrast Phineas's behavior and brain to those of an adolescent. In Lesson 1, students respond to the Essay Prompt: “Compare and contrast Phineas's behavior and brain to those of an adolescent.”
• In Unit 7D, “Poetry and Poe,” the culminating task is an essay. The prompt asks students to think about “Can you trust that the narrator is accurately describing what’s happening in the story or poem? Why or why not?” In order to complete this prompt, in Sub-unit 5, Lesson 1, Activity 5, students are asked to “collect one or two pieces of evidence about each of Poe’s narrators”. Then in a chart they are asked to analyze their evidence and “write one or two sentences explaining what the evidence shows about the narrator.”
• In Unit 7E, “The Frida & Diego Collection,” Sub-unit 2, students research on the internet in order to write claims based on the evidence they have found. In Lesson 3, students are asked to “Write 1–2 paragraphs providing key information you discovered about your topic. Make sure to include two framed quotes from at least two sources.”
• In Unit 7E, Sub-unit 5, students are tasked with collecting evidence and responding to one of two research questions in order to write their culminating essay. In Lesson 1, students respond to the Essay Prompts: 
• Research Option 1: Informative Essay, “Frida Kahlo: The Early Years. Why did Frida Kahlo begin painting? How did this circumstance affect the type of paintings that she did? What did that mean for her long-term career? Write an informative essay about the beginning and development of Frida’s artistic work.” 
• Research Option 2: Argumentative Essay “Who has the right to decide what public art should be: the artist or the public? There was controversy surrounding Diego Rivera's mural, Detroit Industry. Why did many people object to this work of art? What role does the public play when a work of art is being commissioned for a public space? What role does the artist play? Should Rivera have followed the demands of the public or was he right to follow his artistic instincts? You will write an argumentative essay stating your claim that either Rivera was right to follow his artistic vision or the public was right to demand that he paint the mural they envisioned. Be sure to identify at least 2 sources you can use in your work. As you conduct your research in both the Collection and on the Internet, be sure to look for relevant facts, concrete details, and clear evidence to support your claim.”
• In Unit 7F, “The Gold Rush Collection,” the culminating task is a five paragraph essay followed by a media project (an interactive timeline) and a presentation. For the essay, students can choose between an argumentative and informative topic. The first option asks students to answer the prompt, "was the gold rush good for the state of California?" In order to complete this task, students will have to compile evidence from research on this topic. The second option asks students to choose one of two famous individuals from the gold rush era and conduct research on their lives. After completing the essay, using the research that they collected, students will be placed into small groups and “plot 5–10 significant moments from the history of California’s Native American people during the gold rush era”. Their timelines will then be presented to the rest of the class.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials providing frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small groups, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

Each unit/lesson is set up in the same manner, beginning with a vocabulary lesson. Throughout the lessons there are frequent oral language opportunities to do Think-Pair-Share, peer questioning in groups, and partner talk. Sentence frames are provided to support students who need additional help applying new vocabulary and syntax. In addition to those instances, there are also Socratic seminars, presentations and performances to support students’ development in practicing language and speaking.

Examples of how materials provide multiple opportunities and protocols for evidence based discussions include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7B, “Character and Conflict,” Sub-Unit 2, Lesson 11, students are in the middle of reading A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. The lesson asks them to discuss why a particular character should get the money and why other characters should not. The instructions in the teacher guide provide discussion starters to help students and there are also prompts for the teacher that explain more tips to make the discussion run smoothly. Specifically it says, “For discussion, consider one character at a time. Let’s discuss Ruth. First we’ll hear from Ruth’s group. Why should she get the money? Now let’s hear from the other groups. Why shouldn't Ruth get the money? For maximum participation, instead of appointing a spokesperson, invite each group member to offer one reason.”
• In Unit 7D, “Poetry and Poe,” Sub-Unit 2, Lesson 6, students debate the sanity of the narrator in the story “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe. In this part of the lesson the debate is about to begin. The instructions explain that teachers should “make sure that each group has the opportunity to present an opening argument (a piece of evidence and an explanation for how that piece of evidence demonstrates one of the conditions for sanity or insanity). Students will need to navigate back to find their opening argument. Allow groups to reconsider which argument they will present if another group has already presented the same piece of evidence.” After these instructions, there are additional directions included to navigate the debate as well as an explanation of debate format for teachers. 
• In Unit 7F, “The Gold Rush Collection,” Sub-unit 2, Lesson 2, students collect information on the Gold Rush era of history. For this lesson, they are asked to “write down one or more interesting or important facts that they learned while exploring the Collection”. The directions also explain that teachers should “Prompt students who finish early or need an extra challenge to explain why the fact is important or interesting”. Also, when students are finished, the directions explain that teachers should call on a couple of them to share responses with the class.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and supports. 

Students have multiple opportunities for text-dependent discussions in each unit. Each lesson begins with a vocabulary lesson and then students are introduced to the topic through a discussion. Throughout the unit, the materials offer other opportunities for students to work in pairs or small groups to have discussions centering on the topics presented in the unit. The discussions are consistently text-dependent and the students are instructed to answer questions citing evidence from the text. Videos, audio recordings or photos/images are sometimes used to promote/start the discussion. The materials include dramatic readings, Socratic seminars, and other protocols for teachers to provide students multiple opportunities and ways to build their speaking and listening skills while using the texts as anchors. For students who need additional assistance, there are sentence frames, guiding questions and ideas for teacher support. 

Examples of  multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate what they are reading and researching through varied speaking and listening opportunities include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7B, “Character and Conflict,” Sub-unit 2, Lesson 1, Activity 2, students read from Act 1, Scene 1 in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. For this activity, students listen to part of Act 1. Then, they are assigned one of three characters: Mama, Travis, or Ruth. Students are given five minutes to practice their character's lines in order to get comfortable and more fluent with the language. “The class reading of the scene will go better, and everyone—not just the students who are chosen to read—will start to get familiar with the language.” Materials also include specific instructions for students stating, “Practice reading lines with your group. Do not read the words in parentheses out loud. They are stage directions and give you hints about how to deliver your lines. Read the first line to yourself. On the count of three, read the first line together. Do it again. Repeat for each line. (Decide as a group if you want to do a few lines at a time instead of one line at a time.)”
• In Unit 7D, “Poetry and Poe,” Sub-unit 4, Lesson 1, students are instructed to memorize the first stanza of Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “The Raven”. They are given many techniques and supports for how to successfully memorize this chunk of the poem. Then, the class is given practice time to recite the poem together before doing it on their own. 
• In Unit 7F, “The Gold Rush Collection,” Sub-unit 2, Lesson 2, Activity 2, students are asked to share their findings on the Gold Rush collection that they have been studying. In particular, the directions state, “Tell students they will continue reviewing the texts and images from The Gold Rush Collection today. Ask them to turn to a partner and discuss a few new facts they learned or ideas they developed about the gold rush in the last lesson or in their reading last night.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g. multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate. 

Each unit contains writing tasks and projects which are aligned to the grade level standards. Students write a mix of both on-demand and process writing that gradually increase in complexity as the year progresses.Each unit contains a sub-unit that centers around a process writing task, titled “Write an Essay” in the online program. Throughout the units, there are many on-demand writing tasks that students must complete to show mastery and prepare for the essay assessment. Materials cover a year's worth of writing instruction. Opportunities for students to revise and/or edit are provided. Materials include digital resources where appropriate. 

Writing assignments in the Grade 7 units include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7A, “Red Scarf Girl & Narrative”, Sub-unit 3, Lesson 4, Activity 3, students read an excerpt from Chapter 2 of Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-Li Jiang. Then, the directions state, “Students write for at least 10 minutes, producing at least 100 words in order to provide basis for formative assessment.” Then, after reading the text, students are asked the following prompt: “In this last moment of the scene, Ji-li feels a mix of emotions. Describe her different emotions. Use evidence from anywhere in the scene to support your ideas.”
• In Unit 7B, Character and Conflict, Sub-unit 1, Lesson 4, after reading “Sucker” by Carson McCullers, students write on-demand about what causes Pete to change his feelings toward Sucker, using details from the text. Later in the unit, students read A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. One example of a smaller, on-demand writing project is a study of a major character’s motivation in Sub-unit 2, Lesson 6, where students analyze stage directions and dialogue to speculate what the playwright wants the audience to know about the characters at a key moment in the text, when the Mama receives the $10,000 check.
• In Unit 7C, “Brain Science,” Sub-unit 1, Lesson 8, students write a narrative from the perspective of Phineas Gage. Students read several excerpts from Chapter 3 in Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman and assess “the reliability of the information that the author provides about Phineas.” Students then “Choose the job reported in the book that you think Phineas is most likely to have done. Pretend that you are Phineas, and tell the story of that time in your life. You can write your story as one of the following: a diary entry, a letter home, a response to the author's writing. Use the information you thought was most reliable, but mix in a few details that you think are fun and interesting, too!” After writing a minimum of ten minutes and 100 words, students share these formative writing assessments with their peers.
• In Unit 7D, “Poetry & Poe,” Sub-unit 5, Lesson 1, students are prompted to write an essay on the following question, "Can you trust that the narrator is accurately describing what’s happening in the story or poem? Why or why not?"
• Lesson 2: Writing Body Paragraphs
• Lesson 3: Essay Flex Day
• Lesson 4: Revising and Writing an Introduction
• Lesson 5: Writing a Conclusion and Editing the Essay - The essay lessons use daily revision to organize and improve writing, enabling students to build up to the final, finished essay as they go through the steps of the writing process.
• In Unit 7E, “The Frida and Diego Collection,” students write a five paragraph essay. This particular essay required students to spend six lessons researching and writing. The first day students gather evidence. Then, students make a claim and write two body paragraphs and the conclusion. Once students finish the essay they edit and revise. Students also learn how to create in-text citations, frames for quotes, and a Works Cited page. Finally, the unit ends with a media project and presentation. Students create a visual representation of their research and essays using the online collage app Loupe.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. 

Students engage in a variety of writing opportunities throughout daily lesson plans, formative, and summative assessments. These writing activities include opportunities to engage in argumentative, informative/explanatory writing, and narrative writing when appropriate. In addition, the materials provide opportunities for students/teachers to monitor progress in writing skills. Students perform a variety of tasks throughout the unit centered around the text they are studying within the unit. The materials provide a comprehensive overview, instructions and detailed rubrics for the writing tasks, particularly at the end of each unit, to help guide students through the process. 

Some examples that materials provide multiple opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply different genres/modes of writing is found in the following:

• In Unit 7A, “Red Scarf Girl and Narrative,” students write an essay after reading Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-Li Jiang. Students  “brainstorm memorable moments from Red Scarf Girl and then draft a focused body paragraph about what Ji-li was like before the change, using details from a moment in the text”.
• In Unit 7B, “Character and Conflict,” Sub-unit 4, students write an informative essay about either Walter or Mama from A Raisin in the Sun.  In the essay, students describe one way that their character changes from the beginning to the end of the play, using textual evidence.
• In Unit 7C, “Brain Science”, Sub-unit 1, Lesson 8, Activity 5, students write a narrative essay after reading Chapter 3 in Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science by John Fleishman. Specifically, the prompt asks them to ”choose the job reported in the book that you think Phineas is most likely to have done. Pretend that you are Phineas, and tell the story of that time in your life. You can write your story as one of the following: a diary entry/a letter home/a response to the author's writing.”
• In Unit 7D, “Poetry and Poe,” Sub-unt 4, students write an argumentative essay about one or more of Poe’s works, addressing these questions, “Can you trust that the narrator is accurately describing what’s happening in the story or poem? Why or why not?” Students support their claim with evidence from one or more texts.
• In Unit 7E, “The Frida & Diego Collection,” Sub-unit 5, students research and write a five-paragraph essay.  In Lesson 1, students are presented with the option to write an informative essay or an argumentative essay. For the informative essay, students are asked: “Why did Frida Kahlo begin painting? How did this circumstance affect the type of paintings that she did? What did that mean for her long-term career? Write an informative essay about the beginning and development of Frida’s artistic work. As you conduct your research in both the Collection and on the Internet, be sure to look for relevant facts, concrete details, and clear evidence to support your claim.” For the argumentative essay, students are asked: “Who has the right to decide what public art should be: the artist or the public? There was controversy surrounding Diego Rivera's mural, Detroit Industry. Why did many people object to this work of art? What role does the public play when a work of art is being commissioned for a public space? What role does the artist play? Should Rivera have followed the demands of the public or was he right to follow his artistic instincts? You will write an argumentative essay stating your claim that either Rivera was right to follow his artistic vision or the public was right to demand that he paint the mural they envisioned. Be sure to identify at least 2 sources you can use in your work. As you conduct your research in both the Collection and on the Internet, be sure to look for relevant facts, concrete details, and clear evidence to support your claim.” For both options, students spend the next six lessons gathering evidence, writing, revising, and editing their essays. Students also generate a works cited list for their research and writing.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the expectations for materials including frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information appropriate for the grade level.

Throughout the units, students engage in many different evidence-based writing activities that range in length, organization, and complexity. Students provide short written responses as they actively read texts and use close-reading skills when responding to many questions in the summative and formative assessments. With the major essays that are present in each unit, students utilize evidence-based writing when planning for the essay and as they draft their ideas. 

Examples of writing opportunities focused on students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with sources include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7A, “Red Scarf Girl & Narrative,” Sub-unit 3, Lesson 4, students read “Destroy the Four Olds!” from The Red Scarf Girl. Students focus on specific text from this scene: “'That poor guy,' I finally said. 'He should know better than to dress that way, but I’d just die if somebody cut my pants open in front of everybody like that.'” Students then respond to the following writing prompt: “In this last moment of the scene, Ji-li feels a mix of emotions. Describe her different emotions. Use evidence from anywhere in the scene to support your ideas.” This formative writing assessment requires students to write a minimum of 100 words and for “at least 10 minutes” to be scored.
• In Unit 7C, “Brain Science”, Sub-unit 2, Lesson 1, Activity 4, students read a passage titled “Adolescence isn’t an Aberration” from the text Inventing Ourselves by Sarah-Jayne Blakemore. After reading this passage, students write a response to the following prompt: “Some behaviors are more typical during adolescence. Do you agree or disagree with that statement? What evidence from the text supports your answer?”
• In Unit 7D, “Poetry and Poe,” Sub-unit 3, Lesson 1, Activity 8, students practice evidence-based writing. After reading “The Cask of Amontillado”, students are prompted to close read a passage. They first copy and paste two things that the narrator (Montresor) does or says that makes Fortunato want to go inspect the Amontillado in Montresor’s vaults. Then, they use these pieces of the text to answer the question, “Why does Fortunato excitedly say ‘Come, let us go’?”
• In Unit 7E, “The Frida and Diego Collection”, Sub-unit 2, Lesson 1, Activity 4, students are asked to look at different paintings. One is Flower Day by Diego Rivera and the other is Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird by Frida Kahlo. After looking at them, students compare the feelings they have when they look at them. Specifically, the directions ask them to “refer to two elements in each painting (color, depiction of humans, nature imagery) to explain how the painting generates that feeling.”
• In Unit 7F, “The Gold Rush Collection,” Sub-unit 5, students learn, practice, and apply evidence-based writing. In this unit, students have the option to write either an argumentative essay on “Why was the Gold Rush good for the state of California?” or an informational essay on either John Sutton or Elsa Jane Guerin, important individuals from the Old West. For either essay, students are guided through internet research to gather evidence in Lesson 1. Then, in Lesson 2, students are guided in writing body paragraphs that include at least two pieces of textual evidence, some description, and an explanation of how the evidence supports their claim. Lesson 3 provides students with instruction on writing introductions, supports students in crafting an engaging lead, and in giving readers sufficient context to understand the claims and reasons. In Lesson 5, students revise transitions and work to be concise in order to better present their evidence. In Lesson 6, students create both in-text citations and a Works Cited page to properly document their evidence.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the expectations for materials including explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context. 

Each unit offers a number of resources to support grammar instruction. Teachers are instructed to use the introductory Unit A to build the foundational writing skills of Focus, Use of Evidence, and Productivity, as well as the writing routines of writing time, Sharing, and working with feedback. These units allow teachers to support students as they progress and gain better clarity in their writing. The Grammar Unit contains self-guided instruction and practice activities to cover the key grammar topics and topics for continued practice and review. The Mastering Conventions One, Two, and Three contain whole-class lessons and drills that provide extensive coverage of remedial and grade-level grammar topics. The Grammar Revision Assignments (found in the section of each Flex Day) provide suggested exercises to support students as they practice key skills in the context of their own writing.

Examples of this include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 7A, “Red Scarf Girl & Narrative,” Sub-Unit 2, students are prompted to, "Describe a moment when you ate a disgusting food. Use specific details to help your reader imagine how the food looked, tasted, and smelled—and what your face looked like when you ate it."
• Lesson 4: Choosing Your Moment - Describe your most boring moment.
• Grammar Unit, Sub-Unit 1, Lesson 6: The Simple Subject II
• Nouns
• Simple Subject
• Verbals
• Compound Subject
• Revision: Subject and Predicate
• Mastering Conventions One: Unit 2, Skill Drills 13A–13D
• In Unit 7C, “Brain Science,” Sub-unit 2, Lesson 1, students are prompted, "Some behaviors are more typical during adolescence. Do you agree or disagree with that statement? What evidence from the text supports your answer?"
• Grammar Unit, Sub-Unit 2, Lesson 1: Modifying the Subject
• Adjectives
• Adjective Phrases
• Prepositional Adjectives and Adjective Phrases
• Adjective Clauses
• Revision: Modifiers and Dependent Clauses
• Mastering Conventions Two Unit 2, Lesson 8: Finding and Fixing Misplaced Modifiers—
• Adjectives Unit 6, Lesson 20: Finding and Fixing Comma Errors With Adjectives
• In Unit 7D, “Poetry & Poe,” Sub-unit 1, Lesson 4, teachers assign students self-guided grammar lessons from the Grammar Unit or lessons from Mastering Conventions as part of the Flex Day 1 activities.  Three additional Flex Days and an Essay Flex Day are scheduled throughout Unit 7D. Teachers are provided with multiple resources to support grammar instruction during the Flex Days. Teachers have access to the Grade 7 Flex Days Activities Guide, the Grammar Pacing  Guide, and the four Mastering Conventions lesson books. Data from the Solo assignments can be used to guide grammar instruction for individual students as well.
• In Unit 7E, “The Frida & Diego Collection,” Sub-unit 3, Lesson 2, students are asked to "Write a poem with at least eight lines describing the animal you chose."
• Grammar Unit, Sub-Unit 4, Lesson 3: Clear Pronoun Reference I
• Vague Pronoun Reference
• Pronoun Reference in Longer Passages
• Variety in Longer Passages
• Revision: Pronouns
• Mastering Conventions Two Unit 6, Lesson 22: Using Apostrophes Correctly