8th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for core (anchor) texts being of publishable quality and worthy of careful reading and considering the range of students’ interests. Many of the core (anchor) texts have won awards or are written by award-winning authors. The texts include a variety of genres that consider a range of students’ interests including, but not limited to, science, appealing topics like the Great Depression and westward expansion. Texts are rich in language, engaging, and relevant. Furthermore, texts present universal and multicultural themes which integrate other content areas.

The following are texts that represent how these materials meet the expectations for this indicator:

• In Unit 1, students read the a fiction adventure story ,The Door of No Return by Sarah Mussi. This story is rich in detail, intrigue, action, and history. Mussi weaves the African slave trade into an adventure tale where a black British teen finds himself in over his head. The Door of No Return is paired with the nonfiction texts of We Visit Ghana (Your Land and My Land: Africa) by John Bankston. This text will provide readers with facts about life in Ghana; the history, geography, politics, education, economy, and as well as cuisine.
• In Unit 2, students read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This text is a literary staple and will be highly engaging to Grade 8 students. The text is rich in language, engaging, and relevant. This unit also includes several works of nonfiction such as the following as well as a nonfiction text exemplar pack. “The following texts draw from a variety of disciplines and genres and were selected because they are robust enough to sustain interesting conversations. As such, these texts provide opportunities for students to practice drawing evidence from multiple texts to support both speaking and writing; Should Laws Push for Organ Donation? The Body Politic and The Tell-Tale Heart.” (Teacher’s Edition, Human Body, pg.3.)
• In Unit 3, students read Taking Liberty by Ann Rinaldi. This historical fiction book is based on the story of Oney Judge, George Washington’s runaway slave. This engaging text not only provides students information about historical events through a different perspective, but also gives them the opportunity to reflect upon their own experiences and understand how perspective is an important component of understanding our own similarities and differences.
• In Unit 4, students read All About America: The Industrial Revolution. This is a historically accurate action text covers the industrial revolution. Both the detailed artwork and engaging story line will interest Grade 8 students. The text is rich in content vocabulary and students will build their knowledge of American history.

The instructional materials for Grade 8 meet the expectations for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards. Each unit in Grade 8 provides students the opportunity to engage in core texts and read alouds as well as leveled readers, independent reading, supplemental texts. The materials contain 8 baskets of leveled readers and a basket of Hook Books that are intended to engage even reluctant readers. Materials also provide thematic text sets centered around science and social studies themes as well as literary text sets aligned to material topics. These text sets, organized as baskets, are designed to accompany units in the form of research labs.

Anchor texts and supplemental texts include a mix of informational and literary texts reflecting the distribution of text types required by the standards. A wide distribution of genres and text types as required by standards are evident, including, but not limited to, realistic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, historical and informational texts.

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

• In Unit 1, students read the text, The Door of No Return (historical fiction) by Sarah Mussi.
• In Unit 2, students read the text, Frankenstein (science fiction) by Mary Shelley.
• In Unit 3, students read the texts, Taking Liberty: The Story of Oney Judge, George Washington's Runaway Slave by Ann Rinaldi and The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson.
• In Unit 4, students read the text, Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry (historical drama) by Mildred Taylor.

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

• In Unit 1, students read the text, We Visit Ghana (Your Land and My Land: Africa) (nonfiction) by John Bankston.
• In Unit 2, students read the text, A compilation of texts on the Human Body: Ethics of Food: Making Food Choice; Life Science in Depth, Body Systems and Health; Grossology; DNA.
• In Unit 3, students read the texts, Women of the Wild West (biography), Westward to the Pacific: From the Trail of Tears to the Transcontinental Railroad, Making a New Nation by Ted Schaefer, and A History of Us (from Colonies to Country) by Joy Hakim.
• In Unit 4, students read the texts, A Changing Nation by Michael Burgan and The Century for Young People by Peter Jennings and Todd Brewster.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for texts having the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task.

ARC is designed with flexibility so that consumers can choose and interchange multiple texts sets based on the topics and levels desired. Accompanying task and resource materials are not text-specific so that they apply across multiple text sets and grade bands. The instructional year for ARC begins with a literacy lab that is intended to capture readers' attention with engaging text. The ARC text sets are designed so that students will have access to numerous texts at all reading levels that are read in small and whole group as well as independently. The philosophy of the publishers is self-directed learning and reading through literacy and research labs.

Quantitative and qualitative information for anchor texts is provided in the Teacher’s Edition or online in SchoolPace, and the numerous text sets that accompany each unit are leveled according to the publishers framework--IRLA. The publishers state: “The Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA) is a unified standards-based framework for student assessment, text leveling, and curriculum and instruction. The IRLA includes every Common Core Standard for Reading, both in literature and informational text, as well as those Language standards key to reading success, for students in grades PreK through 12.”

Examples of text that are of the appropriate level of complexity for the grade level include:

• In Unit 1, Literacy Lab, students read, We Visit- Ghana by Jon Bankston. This text has a very complex purpose and structure. Purpose can be inferred and is not necessarily explicit throughout. Organization also is not explicit (ie. chronological), but are subtle in that each chapter relates content within sub-categories and the connections between those sub-categories are often implied. The language is very complex. The register contains a large amount of academic language, using many subject specific terms. Sentence structure is also complex, with little to no simple sentences.Knowledge demands are very to exceedingly complex. Moderate to high levels of discipline specific knowledge are required (i.e. economic, geographic, and political), along with concepts that may be abstract and challenging .The required level of discipline-specific knowledge, the unfamiliarity with a text that is not organized in an explicitly chronological format when discussing a history, and the high level of academic and subject-specific terms would make this a challenging, but not inaccessible, text for an eighth grade student.

• In Unit 2, Human Body, Students read the Human Body exemplar pack. This is an exemplar pack created by the publisher that includes texts at varied levels. “How the Body is Organized” has a quantitative measure of 860 Lexile which places it in the 4th-5th grade level band. The structure is moderately complex. Although the purpose is explicit and the structure is clear, the combination of text features necessary for understanding the text adds to the complexity. The language demands are also moderately complex. Although most terms are defined, the explanations include additional vocabulary and the density of discipline-specific language adds to the complexity of the text.The text assumes familiarity with basic life science concepts (e.g., fertilized, cell divides).Over the course of the unit, the texts students will read, will help answer seven body system research questions. In the culminating task, students will research, draft, revise, edit, illustrate, and present a final project about a system of the body. Students also read appropriately complex text such as, Grossology: The Science of Really Gross Things by Sylvia Branzei (IRLA 7th - 8th) and “You Are What You Eat” by Louise Woods (7th-8th).

• In Unit 4, Westward Expansion, students read The Industrial Revolution by Hilarie N. Staton which has a quantitative measure of 1000 Lexile which places it in the Grade 8 band. The purpose and structure of the text is very complex. The organization of this text is topical. However, each two-page article relates content within subcategories and the connections between those subcategories are often implied. Furthermore, the reader must discern which portions of the spread are the main text, which are text features, and which contain supplementary information. Multiple readings of each page are necessary for comprehension. Language demands are also complex. Simple sentence construction is seen throughout. However, the density of domain-specific vocabulary adds significantly to the complexity of the text. Knowledge demands are complex. Significant levels of discipline-specific knowledge are required (i.e. US History, Government,Economics, US Geography,World Geography) in order to adeptly navigate the text.The Reader and Task considerations would indicate that this text is appropriately placed for Grade 8. The majority of texts chosen are informational in structure and help students build content-specific knowledge around the Industrial Era. Students will write an argument and present a formal debate in the culminating task. Students also read appropriately complex text such as. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (IRLA 7tth-8th) and Voices of World War 1: Stories from the Trenches by Ann Heinrichs (IRLA 6th).

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations that materials support students’ increasing literacy skills over the course of the school year (Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band).

ARC provides students with access to leveled texts which address a range of science, social studies, history, and literary topics across all grade bands. Rigor of text is appropriate in aggregate over the course of the school year and students will engage with texts at varying levels from unit to unit.

The Publisher Notes explain that the leveled libraries provided with each unit will increase in complexity throughout the school year. The Field Guide explains that students work independently in these libraries; however, teacher guidance supports them to continue to raise their reading levels. Students have access to multiple texts that measure below, at, or above grade level. Scaffolding is not text-specific, but focuses on the skills needed to access texts in that genre (informational text, fantasy novels, argument essays, etc).

The Field Guide (Teacher Manual) directs the teacher to “...read and discuss at least two related grade-level texts, one literature and one informational (texts may be drawn from a school/district’s existing texts and/or those supplied with this unit).” While grade-level texts are recommended there is limited guidance to help schools or teachers choose grade-level texts, apart from the IRLA (Independent Reading Level Assessment Framework) system that accompanies the program.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectation that anchor and series of connected texts are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. The American Reading Company (ARC) utilizes their IRLA (Independent Reading Level Assessment) System, drawing on the three measures of text complexity, to level texts. The publisher states, “To determine reading level, every book is double-blind, hand-leveled using the three legs of text complexity and located on our developmental taxonomy of reading acquisition. Books in every collection wear a brightly colored sticker identifying their placement within the IRLA's color-coded leveling system.” Each has a sticker as to how it was leveled by the IRLA’s System.

For example, Unit 2: Human Body. The core text is an Exemplar Pack of 5 Texts. A text complexity rationale and purpose is provided for each of the 5 exemplars. For example, “How the Body Is Organized” Text Complexity:

• Quantitative Measure: 860L (4th-5th)
• Qualitative Measure: Purpose: Middle Low; Structure: Middle High. Although the purpose is explicit and the structure is clear, the combination of text features necessary for understanding the text adds to the complexity. Language: Middle High. Although most terms are defined, the explanations include additional vocabulary and the density of discipline-specific language adds to the complexity of the text. Knowledge Demands: Middle Low. The text assumes familiarity with basic life science concepts (e.g., fertilized, cell divides).
• Rationale for Purpose and Placement: The materials stated that this text was chosen to explain the basic organizing hierarchy of the human body—cells, tissues, organs, organ systems.

Additional texts to accompany the core texts are to be chosen from the Thematic Leveled Research Library in order for students to research their individual topics. These texts have stickers that reflect the IRLA system’s level.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations of anchor and supporting texts to provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to achieve grade-level reading.

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities for students to engage in reading a variety of texts to become independent readers at their grade level. Texts address diverse cultures, differing historical periods as well as other content areas such as the sciences. Within each unit of study, a variety of books are offered at different levels, as indicated by the company’s IRLA leveling system. Reading Log Sheets are provided within units to support the continuation of Independent Reading (divided by Fiction and Nonfiction to keep students reading a variety of types of books). Students are given choice on what book to read, what subtopic to research, what topic to write about, which position to support. Research Lab Baskets: The books are organized by reading difficulty. The basket color and the matching stickers show you where each book belongs. The baskets are arranged from least complex to most complex. Students select 3–5 books from a variety of levels.

Instructional materials also identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in a volume of reading as they grow toward independence.

• The 100 book challenge is a clear indicator/opportunity for students to engage in a volume of reading.
• The ARC Literacy Lab Overview and Unit is focused on getting students engaged in reading and getting them in the habit of reading independently.
• Reading Log Sheets are provided within the other units to support the continuation of Independent Reading and the amount of reading they are actually doing.

Materials include a mechanism for teachers and/or students to monitor progress toward grade level independence.

• Teachers are given explicit direction and guidance in Unit 1 toward determining student’s IRLA for teachers to monitor progress toward grade-level independence. If utilized, this will help students choose “just right” books and progress to achieve grade-level reading experiences.
• Reading Log Sheets are provided within the other units to support the continuation of Independent Reading (divided by Fiction and Nonfiction to keep students reading a variety of types of books) which helps them monitor their progress with what they are reading.
• Students complete tasks and teachers check on a daily basis for understanding and completion of task. The guide suggests asking these two questions:
  • What else do students need to learn from this text in order to master this concept?
  • Is there a common misunderstanding to address?
• Science Research Lab p. 13 states how teachers monitor the progress toward grade level independence:
  • Set Focus: Remind students of today’s Learning Goal and how they will apply that focus to their reading.
  • Independent Reading Students read for 15–30 minutes from self-selected Research Lab books.
  • Teacher Work Monitor for Engagement Ensure all students are on task, working in success-level reading.
  • Formative Assessment Teacher works with individual students.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet expectations 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). Materials for the literacy and research labs provide graphic organizers and instructional support tasks for students to engage with text as well as collect textual evidence that builds toward a research topic or literary theme. The general format reading questions (Research Questions), graphic organizers. and instructional tasks are designed to be used across multiple thematic units and across grade levels.

Example text dependent questions include:

• The text states that the parts “work together to make the body function as an individual.” Use evidence from the text to explain your answer.
• The text states that organs can be grouped into systems. Explain this statement using examples from the text.
• How does this text help you to answer our Essential Question: How does the structure of the human body support its functions?
• Based on what you have read, what would happen if one system was completely removed from the body? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
• Based on what you have read, which system do you think is the most important to the function of your body? Use evidence from the text and reasoning to support your answer.
• Comparing and Synthesizing Ideas Across Texts 6. How accurate are the analogies presented in “Human Body: Introduction” when compared to the information about systems included in this reading? Use evidence from both texts to support your answer.

Additional texts within the unit have questions that are text specific to a genre of text. For example, after a student/teacher has chosen a text of a specific genre, students are to answer the following questions:

• See how many claims you can make about this book that you can support with evidence. Students discuss:
• What did the author say? Purpose/Agenda: Why did s/he say it? How did s/he say it?

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations that materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and activities that build to a culminating task that integrates skills to demonstrate understanding. Questions and tasks are organized for students to gather details or practice skills needed for the culminating task which integrates skills to demonstrate understanding. Culminating tasks require students to gather details or information using research questions and graphic organizers to write a story or report instead of utilizing specific texts.

The reading for each unit works to extend students’ knowledge of topics. The culminating tasks are research projects which require students to gather information.

Examples include:

• In Unit 1, students read and discuss multiple texts and use knowledge gained to write both a narrative and argument essay process writing.

• In Unit 2, students are learning about the human body through an exemplar pack of texts. There are text dependent questions in this unit that build to a task requiring students to become an expert on their topic. Students are to select a body system to research and be able to answer the following research questions:
  
  • What does this system play in maintaining the health of the human body?
  • What are the major organs involved in this system? How do their structures support their functions in the system?
  • What types of tissues are involved in this system? How do their structures support their functions?
  • What types of specialized cells are involved in this system? How do their structures support their functions?
  • How can breakdown in this system impact the human body?
  • How does exercise/nonexercise affect this system?
  • How does nutrition/malnutrition affect this system?
  • At the end of this unit, the final culminating task is for students to draft, revise, edit, and illustrate an informational book about their system.

• In Unit 3, a novel study which uses mini lessons and shared/close reading of grade level novels to teach literature standards and literary analysis. Students read from a leveled library of both books in this genre and informational texts related to the genre. Teacher materials include a genre card with list of questions. Students are directed to read as many texts relating to historical fiction as possible and use the guide to discuss them. Then the culminating task is for students to create their own short story.

• In Unit 4, there is scaffolding of activities to build to the culminating task which integrates skills to demonstrate understanding, with a sequencing of questions that build toward an argument essay and formal debate or mock trial.
  • In Week 1 students select research topics
  • In Weeks 2-5 students answer research questions including, author's perspective and purpose, conflicting viewpoints, and Aristotle’s rhetoric.
  • In Week 5 students analyze argument mentor texts.
  • In Weeks 6-7 students draft, revise and edit and argument essay.
  • In Weeks 8-9 students publish and present an argument essay for a formal debate or mock trial.

The instructional materials for Grade 8 meet the expectations of materials providing multiple opportunities for students to practice their speaking and listening skills in concert with their practice in reading for understanding. Students are provided multiple opportunities to work with partners to have evidence-based discussion across the year

The Literacy Lab Overview for Unit 1 indicates Speaking and Listening Standards are integrated across all four Units of Study. Page 14 of the Literacy Lab Overview for Unit 1 indicates Speaking and Listening Standards 1, 2, and 3 are integrated across all four units of study and page 15 of Literacy Lab Overview indicates Speaking and Listening Standards 4, 5, and 6 are integrated across all four units of study.

Supporting the ongoing integration of Speaking and Listening Standards, on page 50 of the Literacy Lab Overview, is a 20-35 minutes daily Read/Write/Discuss Complex Text component. During this time there are options for a whole group, grade-level shared reading/writing or students can work in small groups/pairs to practice applying the day’s focus to the shared text or to writing.

Providing students opportunities to have evidence-based discussions is found on page 112 of the Literacy Lab Overview in Unit 1, Week 1, Day 4. The Accountable Talk section guides the teacher to have students share which books hooked them, which did not and why, using text evidence to support their opinions. During the Partner Share component, teachers are asked to model the partner share routine they expect students to participate in every day and to spend extra time establishing this routine. Teachers are guided to give explicit direction on how students can share appropriately (e.g., turn to face your partner, one person speaks at a time, active listening, etc.). Next, teachers are provided with a protocol for students to use when working with a partner.

On page 39 of Unit 2, students are assigned a partner to work with for this unit and are encouraged to partner share their prior knowledge of the topic. On page 44, teachers are given an entire page guiding them toward their work on Daily Accountable talk for this unit. For this lesson, teachers are guided to teach/model the partner share routine expected for students to participate in every day and to spend extra time establishing this. The Teacher’s Guide states, “No matter how old your students are, explicit direction on how to share appropriately (e.g., turn to face your partner, one person speaks at a time, active listening, etc.) is important.” Teachers are guided to explain to students that “every day, you will talk with your peers about what you are reading, writing, and thinking.” The lesson for this day proceeds with a partner share and group share activity and a rubric is provided for reflection and accountability.

Sharing out with peers, presentation of work, and culminating projects at the end of each unit is prevalent in this curriculum. For example, at the conclusion of the Human Body Unit, teachers are guided to give students options for presentation/sharing. They may choose to share their expertise with research questions with their partners or create a living history/science museum and invite the community. In peer reviews, students ask to read each other’s stories, sign their names to a list of readers, and make one or two positive comments about the book. For evaluation/reflection teachers are guided to have students reflect on their own writing and score it using the Final Project Scoring Rubric and to think about their goals for the next project.

Page 50 of the Unit 3 Early American Unit provides tips for conversations such as: Conversational Moves - Our conversation should deepen and extend our thinking about the topic.

• "I agree/disagree with ___ because..." "I think the author is trying to..."
• "I infer that ___ because..."
• "I noticed that..."
• "I can connect/relate to that because..."
• "I'd like to go back to what ___ said about..." "I wonder..."
• "Do you think that..."
• "The lesson we can learn is..."
• "I was confused when..."
• "I predict that..."
• "The main idea might be..."

Other types of accountable talk can be found in the Unit 4 Industrial Era Unit. The conversations of this unit are more reflective in nature where each partner takes one minute to share regarding the day’s focus and then a transition occurs to group share to answer questions such as the following:

• Who learned something important about this Research Question?
• Who found new information or a new perspective related to an issue/controversy we’ve discussed? Encourage an informal class (or small-group) debate. (What makes you say that? So what?)
• The final culminating suggestion for this unit is a formal debate in which students demonstrate their ability to present their expertise through oral argument.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations that materials support students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading (or read-aloud) and researching (shared projects) with relevant follow-up questions and supports. Students have multiple opportunities over the school year to demonstrate through speaking and listening what they are reading (or read aloud) and researching through text-dependent discussions in each unit. Students regularly engage with the teacher during a Read Aloud (listening) and with the teacher and peers in whole group discussions around the Read Aloud text.

Opportunities to talk and ask questions of peers and teachers about research, strategies, and ideas are present throughout the year. At the end of each unit, students are given the opportunity to demonstrate learning through speaking and listening. Teachers are provided with a menu of suggestions that the teacher or students may choose from. Most lessons in the units provide opportunities for the teacher to pose questions and guide class discussion and opportunities for students to share with peers.

A daily component, as indicated on page 50 of the Unit 1, Literacy Lab Overview, is a discussion of complex texts. Page 79 provides teachers with guidance on accountable talk using partner share and group sharing guidelines. Teachers are given directions on how to model the routines for students to participate every day such as, “Teach/ model the partner share routines you expect students to participate in everyday” and “Every day you will talk with your peers about what you are reading, writing, and thinking. Today, when you talk about what you read, please practice using this format“ A practice rubric is included.

In Unit 2, students engage in a 1-minute partner share to share the day’s focus. Then students will engage in a Group Share/Debate answering the questions, “Who learned something important about this Research Question? or Who found new information or a new perspective related to the issue/controversy we’ve discussed?” Other aspects of speaking and listening found within this unit include, but are not limited to:

• In Week 1, on Day 1, a 5 point response rubric will be used daily to guide students through their discussion of their reading, writing, and thinking.
• In Week 1, on Day 2, the 5 point response rubric will be used to guide the students to share their most interesting example of bias identified in their book.
• In Week 2, on Day 4, after completing Research Question #2 students share the central idea, supporting ideas, and key supporting details for each supporting ideas of one example of a text.
• In Week 4, on Day 2, a 6 point response rubric will be used to guide students’ writing to answer the prompt. What is a central idea of this text? How does the author use supporting details to develop this central idea? Student pairs share their responses and give feedback based on the rubric.

In Unit 3, Week 1, on Day 3, students share through answering several questions to describe characters in the text and generalize about characters in the genre. Sample discussion points include:

• Have we been introduced to a protagonist and an antagonist?
• What other character types have we met so far?
• What is each of these characters like?
• What can you learn about each of these characters through his/her thoughts? Actions?

The instructional materials for Grade 8 meet the expectations that materials include a mix of on-demand and process, grade-appropriate writing (e.g. grade-appropriate revision and editing) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate. Most of the curriculum embeds a variety of writing types throughout the school year that includes a mix of both on-demand and process writing. The final writing/project in each unit is one that is taken through the phases of the writing process (drafting, revising, editing, and publishing).

Writing is a daily occurrence in the Unit 1, Literacy Lab. On the first day, students establish the purposes for writing. For example, teachers tell students, “For the next four weeks, you will write every day and share some part of what you’ve written with a partner. You will write fiction and nonfiction about yourself and about other things.” Students also Write to Task/Prompt Goal such as, “Across the next two weeks, students write on a variety of prompts while they practice using the new vocabulary they are learning in their writing. Each day, choose 1-3 prompts that relate to the reading work in some interesting way. The teacher’s guide directs the teacher to select argument and narrative prompts each week so that by the end of the unit students have several pieces in each mode from which to select ones they’d like to publish. On page 201 of the Literacy Lab, teachers are provided with writing prompt suggestions in all modes of writing.

In Unit 2, students keep a “writer’s notebook.” For example, on page 50 in the Genre Unit study included the teacher’s guides, the teacher is guided to do the following: “Stop periodically to remind them to write down what they are thinking, feeling, and wondering (and share with their partners when appropriate).” Then, immediately following, students are asked to share their writing with their peer and discuss it. The next day students move to a more formal style of writing as they respond to a prompt. For example, on page 52 students have to respond to this prompt,“What about the setting will be most important to this book? Why? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.” Finally, at the end of each week in a genre unit, students write a constructed response. On page 75, students are asked to respond to this prompt: What is the most defining literary element in __(genre)__? Why? Use evidence from multiple texts to support your answer. The process from week one repeats for the first four weeks in the genre unit.

In Unit 3, the unit begin with students picking a research question from a card.. Next, students begin their research by working over the next six weeks to answer research questions. For example, students will research and become experts in one major body system. They will respond to a series of research questions and then compile all of the constructed responses in order to write a final essay.

In Unit 4, students learn history content as they learn to make and evaluate proficient arguments. Students respond to weekly constructed responses. Students respond in writing to questions such as “What is the author saying about ___? How do you know? Why does it matter.” Additionally, “How does this compare to your thinking and the thinking/writing of others? Why does it matter?” Students complete a research essay on a self-selected topic, choose something controversial, and support their position. Students begin writing their argument essay based on the five weeks of research and shorter writing pieces.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing (year long) that reflect the distribution required by the standards. Materials are organized around four units of study. There is a major emphasis on writing throughout all of these units of study and four different types of writing are emphasized in each unit which provides opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply four different genres/modes of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. Students write expository essays, literary analysis, argumentative speech, narrative, and informative pieces.

Examples of different writing opportunities in the materials include:

• In Unit 1, Literacy Lab, students write every day in response to a question/ task. For example: in Week 1on Day 1 instructional materials state: “Reading Autobiographies: For the next four weeks, you will write every day and share some part of what you’ve written with a partner. You will write fiction and nonfiction about yourself and about other things. You will have lots of free choice as long as you write every day. Our goal is that everyone in this room learns to LOVE writing. At the end of these four weeks, you will pick your favorite pieces to publish.”

• In Unit 2, The Human Body, the focus is building informational knowledge around a topic and writing an informational book to demonstrate that knowledge.Students work through writing on graphic organizers, called FPO (final project organizer) throughout this unit. Each student completes the organizer with information s/he has learned so far to demonstrate his/her current level of expertise in this concept.In week 5 students begin to write a piece for their final project.

• In Unit 3, Early American History, the focus on this unit is literary elements and writing a comparative analysis essay and a short story. The materials state, “Week 5: Central Texts: On Day 1, students will compare two fables (included or you may select your own) as an easier, accessible way to practice the thinking required for a comparative essay. The rest of the week, the purpose for shared reading is to have students examine the ways authors write comparative analysis (argument) essays. Introduce a comparative essay you have crafted or found to serve as a mentor text. Have students return to this essay or a few others as they draft their essays.”

• In Unit 4, Industrial Era, students are expected to be an expert on a chosen topic after five weeks of research, Each student will write a long, well-researched, and well-argued essay on their topic.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for writing being embedded in every unit and every Day as students learn, practice, and apply using evidence from the texts they are reading either as a whole class or independently. The program addresses evidence-based and evidenced-supported writing in every unit.

In Unit 1, Literacy Lab, there are opportunities for students to write on a daily basis about what they are reading by using specific text evidence to support their ideas. Various graphic organizers are provided that help students organize their thoughts before the daily writing. During the Units of Study, students are expected to engage in Research Writing for 20-40 minutes based on the daily independent Reading.

Unit 1 Examples include :

• Pg. 49 ARC Literacy Lab Overview - Writing Goal: By the end of this Unit, students will have practiced writing in a variety of genres, both in response to text and writing like the authors they read.
• Pg. 60 of ARC Week 1 Overview - Writing: Students write daily. The teacher uses student writing as evidence and a feedback loop for assessing success of literacy block instruction.
• Page 211 (Week 3, Days 4 - 5) Write to Task/Prompt: Choose 1-3 prompts that relate to the reading work in some interesting way. Make sure to choose both Argument and Narrative prompts across the Weeks so that students have several pieces in each mode from which to select ones they’d like to publish.
• Page 239 (Week 4, Days 1-3) Goal: Students generate multiple pieces in multiple modes from which they will select two to publish in Weeks 5 (narrative) and 6 (argument).

Unit 2, Geology Informational Writing Instructional Framework examples include:

• Page 20 - Overview. Students practice reading, writing, and speaking grounded in evidence in order to produce a final written product demonstrating their expertise in both the Unit and their individual research topics.
• Page 39 Introduction (Week 1, Day 1) We are going to spend the next nine Weeks reading, writing, and talking about the big ideas in __(Unit)__. Each of you will pick one topic on which to become an expert. You will research this topic and write an informational book about it. By the end of this Unit, you will:
  • 1. Be an expert on __(Unit)__.
  • 2. Be an expert on your research topic.
  • 3. Write and publish an informational book on your topic.

Unit 3: Genre Instructional Writing Framework examples include:

• Page 35 (Week 1, Day 1) We are going to spend the next nine Weeks becoming experts in __(genre)__. In this Unit, you will:
  • 1. Read, analyze, and write about one novel in this genre with the class.
  • 2. Read at least four novels in the genre on your own.
  • 3. Write four constructed responses and one longer literary essay analyzing multiple texts in this genre.
  • 4. Write and publish a short story/picture book in the genre.
• Page 128 (Week 3, Day 1) In pairs, students use the “Factual Basis” graphic organizer to collect and analyze the factual basis for the Central Text.
• Page 200 (Week 4, Day 5) Today, you will have a chance to demonstrate your understanding of how authors develop themes through plot by writing a short essay in response to the following prompt: What is a central theme of our Core Novel? How is it conveyed by particular literary elements?

Unit 4, Argument Writing Instructional Framework examples include:

• Page 45 (Week 1, Day 1) We are going to spend the next 2 weeks reading, writing, and arguing about the big ideas in __(Unit)___. Each of you will pick one topic on which to become an expert. You will research this topic and write a research-based argument essay about it. By the end of this Unit, you will:
  • 1. Be an expert on __(Unit)__,
  • 2. Be an expert on your research topic,
  • 3. Find something controversial in your research topic, take a position on this issue, and make a well reasoned, well-researched argument supporting your position.
• The emphasis on ongoing constructed responses and research writing opportunities are focused on students’ analysis and claims developed from reading closely and writing with texts/sources. It is through the multiple writing to text opportunities that students are able to build their writing skills over the course of the school year. The students are required to make claims and reasons and discuss these before they write. All of the shorter writing times are used to decide what they want to write about in the longer research paper that is the culminating task for these units.
• Page 78 (Week 1, Day 4) Set a prompt in response to the text that provides students an opportunity to state a claim and support it with evidence and reasoning, Claim: There is/is not enough information in our Research Library to support my research on…, Evidence, Reasoning
• Page 157 (Week 3, Day 2) Set a prompt that helps students deepen or clarify their learning about Today’s Research Question and relates to the idea of point of view/conflicting viewpoints. Possible writing prompts: Improve upon a passage you read by adding and responding to an additional conflicting viewpoint; Outline two conflicting viewpoints on the issue of _____; Use evidence from our Central Text and at least one other text to support your answer.
• Week 5 Central Text: Argument Mentor Texts To prepare students to draft their essays next Week, select SHORT argument text(s) to serve as mentor texts for analysis this Week. Introductory and culminating sections of informational texts, editorials, and transcripts of speeches, can provide suitable examples of argument writing.

The four units provide students opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses and well-defended claims.