12th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 11 meet the criteria for anchor texts being of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading and consider a range of student interests.

Texts are written by well-known writers/authors. The texts provide high interest, relevant, and current topics appropriate for the grade level that encompass multiple universal and multicultural themes relevant to the units’ topics. Examples include:

• In Unit 1, students read Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie. Set during India’s independence, the novel has rich imagery, high vocabulary and language that bring comedy to a family saga about endowed magic.
• In Unit 1, students read Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction by Robert J.C. Young, The books in the Very Short Introduction series are engaging and accessible for students. The anthology contains works written by experts for the newcomer, which introduces students to concepts in a thought-provoking, witty way, making them of interest to students.
• In Unit 2, students read Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie, This contemporary novel combines the ideas of banned books and romantic awakening. The content is appropriate for Grade 12 students. The text includes rich vocabulary, vibrant imagery, and engaging content.
• In Unit 2, students read When Asia Was the World: Traveling Merchants, Scholars, Warriors, and Monks Who Created the "Riches of the East" by Stewart Golden. This contemporary informational text, published in 2009, provides unique background information about the continent from 700-1500 AD.
• In Unit 3, students read The Odyssey by Homer. This epic poem is engaging for students.
• In Unit 3, students read a graphic novel interpretation of Beowulf by Gareth Hinds. This text is of high interest to students and presents an updated interpretation of a classic text.
• In Unit 4, students read Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. This text is rich in vocabulary and figurative speech.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria for texts having the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task.

The materials are designed for schools to determine which units they want to teach at which point in the school year. ARC Core has its own readability system (Independent Reading Level Assessment - IRLA), and, when cross-referenced with Lexile scores, the majority of texts align with the recommended Lexile grade bands.

The Core texts for Grade 12 are at or above a Grade 12 text complexity. The Anchor texts for each unit represent a mix of appropriate complexity, with several texts falling into the grade level band for 11th-12th. A few anchor texts that support the core texts fall within the 9-10 grade band, with three texts falling within the 7-8 grade band.

Examples of texts that fall below the Lexile band, but are still appropriate include:

• Who Am I Without Him? by Sharon Flake, with a Lexile score of 650L, contains a wide range of short stories that would be appealing to different teens.
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, falls within the 9-10 grade band and is written by a widely appealing author of teen literature.
• Socialism and Communism by Nancy Shniderman and Sue Hurwitz, while listed within the 7-8 grade band, provides critical information to support the unit and is used as a resource along with the Core and Anchor texts that are all within the appropriate grade bands.

One text, Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction by Robert J. C. Young, falls above the Grades 11-12 Lexile band and is a college-level text. It examines the political, cultural, and historical forces at work in post-colonial America and gives students an opportunity to look at the history of the United States through multiple lenses and philosophies.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria for materials supporting 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.)

The materials provide a wide variety of texts that are both grade-band appropriate as well as leveled ancillary texts that support the theme, while helping students to continue to build their literacy skills. Additionally, students develop increasingly sophisticated writing skills over the course of the year as they use the texts from the unit as mentor texts for their own culminating project. The materials' inquiry through apprenticeship process moves students through a gradual release model where the teacher models a variety of literacy skills and methods while working with students to build knowledge, provides them the opportunity to practice those skills in a carefully scaffolded setting, and eventually moves them to demonstrating their skills independently.

The program follows a pattern for all grade levels:

• Unit 1 Is the Literacy Lab wherein students are introduced to the rhythm and flow of the program. Students begin their year with core literary and informational texts referred to as “hook books”-- grade level texts that are high-interest and paired to build knowledge and engage students in topics that will provide a foundation for literary and informational text analysis conducted through both discussion and writing. During Unit 1, students also undergo initial assessments with the IRLA to determine instructional supports that may be needed and to help determine appropriately-leveled books for daily reading in self-selected texts. Students set goals with their teacher based upon their reading skill level to demonstrate their ability to read increasingly more complex texts and to write with greater sophistication. In this unit, students work with the Core fiction text, the paired informational texts, and their self-selected independent reading texts to build core analytical reading skills of theme, literary elements, authors (and bias), genres, and world knowledge. The unit is divided into weeks beginning with Phase 1: Initiate Academic Community and Phase 2: Initial Assessment and Goal Setting during which students analyze “What did the author say? Why?” through the specific learning targets: “generate hypotheses on an author’s theme(s), determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies, analyze how an author’s word choices shape a text, and analyze the impact of specific word choice (figures of speech) on meaning, tone, and theme.” In Phase 3: Strategic Instruction/Building Expertise, students shift to analyze author’s craft and the learning target: Evaluate and critique authors. Students practice evaluating author’s purpose in both literary and informational texts and write a literary essay.

• Unit 2 is an informational research lab that focuses on the continent of Asia as students work entirely with informational texts to progress through two phases of research: Phase I: Develop Expertise in Research Topics & Central Idea/Key Details and Phase II: Research-Based Informational Writing. Phase 1 covers four weeks during which students “build knowledge in order to determine appropriate research topics” by analyzing different aspects of determining a central idea when reading informational text. All in-class reading comes from the Core informational text and the Research Lab books. Throughout Unit 2, students work to build skills to read and deeply analyze informational text, including:
  • Identification of the central idea of the text
  • Analysis of how the author develops the central idea over the course of the text
  • Identification and linking of key details and supporting ideas to the central idea of the text

Students also work to develop their own piece of informational writing using mentor texts. Within their writing they learn to:

• Develop a central idea with a focus on word choice (including an understanding of connotation vs. denotation)
• Appropriately incorporate figurative language into their writing to add depth and texture to their writing
• Work through the writing and revision process
• Prepare visuals, edit, publish, and present their work
• Unit 3 is a genre study focusing on world mythology. Throughout the unit, students develop their literary analysis skills through:
  • Analysis of the plot and theme, characters (flat or complex), and archetypes portrayed in the myths
  • Discovery of the myths culture of origin, cosmology, influence on the arts, and shared stories across multiple cultures
  • Comparing two retellings of a myth to examine the author’s content, literary devices, narrative techniques, artwork, and intended audience as well as to examine modern reworkings of ancient myths
  • Examination of the character types and times of the myths

Midway through the unit, students begin work on writing a myth of their own using the texts from the unit as mentor texts.

• Unit 4 is a genre study focusing on the romance genre. Throughout the unit, students develop their literary analysis skills through:
  • Examination of the characters, setting, and plot, including a comparison of the protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) as well as their values, ideas, and conflict with other characters.
  • Issues and themes throughout the texts, including author’s purpose, social boundaries, destiny vs. self-determination, relationship models, personal transformation, and the identify of self vs. couple.

As students work through the unit they will develop a narrative writing of their own focused on the theme/topic of the unit.

Throughout all units, students receive instruction that meets the needs for remediation, growth, and challenge and are monitored closely to assure growth in reading, writing, speaking/listening, and literacy skills.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 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.

Students are asked to read 100 books during the year and to participate in the 100 Book Challenge, which includes reading independently for 30 minutes a night. The instructional materials provide daily opportunities for students to read a variety of texts in and out of class, in order to become better independent readers. Core and accompanying texts, as well as the leveled library texts, encompass a diversity of topics in history, culture, science, technology, politics, geography and current social issues. Most core texts in each unit are within or slightly above the recommended grade level band; however, the independent reading libraries are leveled, so that students can practice and build reading skills at their individual reading levels as indicated by the publisher’s IRLA leveling system.

The daily and weekly components of lesson plans contain high expectations for a range of reading tasks. Students read a substantial volume of literary and informational texts across each unit. Literacy blocks are designed around a variety of reading tasks such as reading and discussing, a Readers’ Workshop piece in which students apply reading strategies to text they’ve read, as well as allotted time for independent reading from self-selected texts. Each unit includes a roster of lesson components with times allotted to each component, organized by 75-90-minute or 120-minute blocks. Each literacy block establishes a weekly goal of 5 hours of student reading. This includes “some time spent reading texts within the Thematic Unit and some time in complete free-choice.”

In Unit 1, students read/write/discuss the CORE complex text for 20-35 minutes a day (Time ranges vary intentionally. Depending on the lesson and student energy, teachers may spend more time writing or more time reading.) The goal is to finish the CORE novel in 5 weeks. Students read independently for 35-45 minutes a day applying the day’s “Focus” to self-selected texts at a variety of levels. At least a portion of this time is spent with texts within the Thematic Unit.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text dependent, 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; this may include work with mentor texts as well).

Materials for the literacy and research labs across all four modules provide an inquiry-based structure for students to engage with informational and literary texts directly. Teachers are provided discussion starters, key questions, writing prompts, graphic organizers, and instructional support tasks for students to collect and analyze textual evidence that builds toward a research topic or literary theme. All the questions are text-dependent and specific to the genre type of reading students are engaged with. The directions for teachers set the focus and purpose for reading, so students are prepared to discuss text-dependent questions. Students are asked to work in small groups or partners first, then questions are discussed with the whole group.

The questions are not text-specific, but are text-dependent. The publisher is transparent about the philosophy to build students’ “habits of mind” by providing a framework of inquiry; instead, the reading/writing questions (Research Questions), graphic organizers, and instructional tasks follow a general format that is designed to be used across multiple thematic units and across grade levels. Each of the four units per grade level provides a uniform set of text-dependent questions for the Core Text for that unit. Questions require students to read closely and to make inferences drawing on textual evidence. Teachers and students have reading choices within the four units, and text-dependent questions may be universally applied to texts throughout the school year. While the text-dependent questions do not provide complete support, the materials specify that teachers decide when and how to use them. Moreover, the materials provide example questions to support the process and prompt teachers to create text-specific questions, as well. Specific examples include:

• In Unit 1, Week 3, Days 1-3, students analyze author’s word choice from a self-selected text. Students are instructed to “Read from the IRLA level you think is right for you right now. Flag one new or interesting word the author used. Be ready to share why you think the author chose this word over other options with similar denotations but different connotations." As part of Accountable Talk, students must: "Share one new or interesting word the author used and explain why you think that word was important to the text."
• In Unit 3, Week 2, students read the CORE Novel and determine a theme. Students work with partners to discuss: "What is a central theme of this text? How does the author use literary elements to develop this theme? What is the author’s purpose?" Students then read independently while continuing to focus on theme and thematic elements. As students have misconceptions, teachers are instructed to remediate by pulling out students individually or in small groups. Partners are then asked to work together discussing questions about theme. Also in Unit 3, Week 2, students focus on the protagonist. Text-dependent questions include: "What generalizations can you make about the protagonists in this genre? How are protagonists important to our genre as a whole? What makes you think that?"
• In Unit 4, Week 7, Day 4, students read a fiction text and analyze how an author organizes the sequence of events. After independent reading, students discuss the following questions with a partner: “Summarize for your partner the problem/complication(s)/resolution event sequence you think was the most engaging. Explain what you like about how the author created this event sequence and how you think you might apply that to your own writing?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent and text-specific questions with activities that build to a culminating task which integrates skills to demonstrate understanding.

Daily, students read, write, and discuss about texts guided by questions and tasks that are organized for students to gather details or to practice skills needed for the culminating task. Culminating tasks, which are generally smaller weekly tasks as well as significant writing pieces or presentations provide opportunities for students to demonstrate knowledge and ability of what they have learned. Generally, tasks require students to gather details or information using research questions and graphic organizers to craft an essay, report, debate, narrative, or dramatic interpretation. Tasks are supported with coherent sequences of text-dependent questions and tasks.

Unit 1 builds student interest and stamina in reading and utilizes more text-to-self questions than other modules. Unit 1 also offers a list of writing prompts teachers can use; however, some of these prompts are not text-dependent or text-specific. In Unit 3 (World Mythology) students write a constructed response at the end of each week for Weeks 1-4. The constructed response for Week 1 focuses on the genre study. Weeks 2-4 focus on the central theme of the text and how the author uses the literary elements to develop the theme. The culminating task in Week 5 & 6 is writing a comparative essay. Weeks 7-9 is writing and presenting a short story based on the genre focus. In Unit 4, the students engage in Argument Labs. Students’ culminating task at the end of each week in Weeks 1-4 is a debate. These are smaller debates that will lead to a more formal debate at the end of the unit. The culminating task for Weeks 5-7 is to draft, revise, and edit an argument based on their research in Weeks 1-4. The culminating task for Weeks 8-9 is to publish and present the debate (argument) formally. More specific examples include:

In Unit 1, students read their paired core texts Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie and Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction by Robert J.C. Young and select independent texts for study to build their stamina for reading and text analysis skills to “read and write like an expert.” The introductory materials outline the unit framework and the sequence of student study. Each week builds student skill in analyzing informational and literary texts. Examples of the work in this unit includes the following:

• Recommended Model for Culminating Task, Critiquing the Core Text (Week 6, Days 1-2): "What do you believe to be this author’s purpose for writing this text? How effective do you think s/he is in accomplishing that purpose? What details, events, or analyses does the author include to accomplish his/her purpose? Which, if any, are ineffective? What word choice/language, figures of speech, and/or structures does the author use effectively to accomplish his/her purpose? Which, if any, were ineffective? To what is the author blind?"

In Unit 2, students continue building reading and text analysis skills as they closely study a country in Asia through informational texts. The introductory materials outline the unit framework and the sequence of student study which is guided by seven sequenced research questions that help students study about the ecosystems, religion, currency, and government, and current issues of an Asian country. Though these questions are not text-dependent, the daily students tasks require students to engage in multiple texts to answer the research questions. Each week builds student skill in analyzing informational texts and practicing informative writing based on models and peer collaboration. Instructional materials provide models of sequenced questions for students to use across multiple texts. Examples of how this is presented includes:

• Practice in Identifying Structure to Write to Text (Week 3, Day 4): "Which structure is the writer using in this text? How do you know? Map out the supporting ideas/key details on the appropriate graphic organizer. Is this organizing structure typical for this mode/discipline? If there are multiple structures, combine/modify the organizer as necessary. How does the structure of the text relate to the author’s central idea? Why do you think that? Why did the author put ____ first? How does the choice of leaving ___ to the end shape the reader’s understanding of the central idea? How do the text features clarify or confuse the organizing structure? Why does it matter that the author used this structure? Is this choice appropriate to the central idea of this text? Is this the most appropriate structure for the content? Why or why not? Does the author use this structure effectively? Why or why not? If you could change one thing about the structure of this text to make it more clear or to better support its central idea, what would you change and why?"

In Unit 4, Week 7, Day 3, students analyze an author’s use of a “first scene” in establishing a setting, a skill they will demonstrate later in the unit as they craft a first draft of a short story. Guided questions for the lesson include: "Does the author establish all five threads (time, place, character, mood, subject) in this scene? What can we learn from the dialogue about setting? How does the author use what characters say and/or how they say it to establish the setting? Where does the author use the actions of a character to establish something about the setting? Explain. How does the author describe the setting? What specific techniques does s/he use and what effect do they have? What is one thing this author did that I want to try in my own writing?"

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 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.

The instructional materials set the expectation that students will talk daily with peers about what they are reading. In each lesson, students discuss text-dependent questions. In addition, the instructional materials provide protocols and steps for partner, small group, and large group discussions in which students communicate with peers around shared texts and independent reading selections. CCSS Speaking and Listening standards are highlighted within instructional materials, including the use of Accountable Talk methods, sentence stems, and rubrics for reflecting on discussion. Lessons prompt teachers to model patterns for daily practices that establish student discussion routines. Teachers are given strategies and tips on how to address struggling students’ needs.

Instructional materials and supports provide grade level appropriate opportunities for student discussions that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax. While addressing key concepts of the embedded research questions, students are frequently prompted to re-read texts to identify technical vocabulary and to share definitions and examples with a partner. The materials prompt teachers to have students highlight high-leverage vocabulary during group share and provide lesson call outs that highlight how lessons are designed intentionally to support and to enhance the oracy and literacy skills of all students, including language learners at all levels of language proficiency.

The Unit 1 Scope and Sequence document of the ARC Core Overview outlines Speaking and Listening task across all 4 units, specifically:

• Speaking & Listening #4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• Speaking & Listening #5: Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
• Speaking & Listening #6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

In Unit 2, Week 6, Day 5, a guided practice asks students to discuss evidence-based questions with a partner. Student prompts include: "How does the author try to convince you that this topic deserves closer attention? Does s/he succeed? Why or why not? Does the author indicate or imply his/her own perspective or potential biases? Does s/he do this in a way that builds your trust in him/her as an author? Why or why not?" Students then read independently with a focus on evaluating author’s conclusions. After reading, students follow the Accountable Talk protocol in which, “[e]ach partner takes a few minutes to share his/her favorite conclusion and explains why.”

In Unit 3, Week 6, Day 2, students have the opportunity to practice listening and speaking when they form collaborative writing groups. Each partner takes one minute to share a selection of his/her writing that is working. Then, as a class, or in small groups, students take turns to: 1) say what they are trying to achieve, 2) read a short piece aloud, and 3) accept suggestions. On Day 5 of the same week, students present their writing. Instructional materials provide teachers a menu of options to determine how formally or informally students present their essays; however, many of the options incorporate speaking and listening skills.

Unit 4: Argument Research Lab - Romance & The Science of Relationships demonstrates the academic vocabulary used for discussion in pairs and groups. Students are instructed to have each partner take one minute to share about the antagonist of his/her book and themes developed through this character. Students answer prompts including: "Who is the antagonist and what is s/he like? How is s/he complex? Why did the author choose/create this antagonist? How does the author use him/her to communicate a theme? What generalizations can you make about antagonists in this genre? How are antagonists important to our genre as a whole? What makes you think that?" Instructions for the discussion group state that each group works together to identify one generalization about antagonists they want to share with the whole class.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading (or read aloud) and researching (shared projects) with relevant follow-up questions and supports.

The instructional materials provide opportunities for students to talk and to question peers and teachers about ideas, texts, research, analytical strategies, and writing throughout the year. Materials across all labs present discussion as a daily expectation, and at times a rubric is provided to evaluate or to structure discussion. Speaking and listening instruction that support student growth over the course of the school year is applied frequently and includes facilitation, monitoring, and instructional supports (such as clear directions for implementation) for teachers. Most unit lesson structures provide opportunities for teachers to pose questions, model, and guide class discussion as well as opportunities for students to share with peers. Speaking and Listening activities that demonstrate student comprehension of the texts associated with daily lessons are linked to the readings and to larger projects. Speaking and listening work requires students to marshal evidence from texts and sources. Students are encouraged to work both independently and together in the creation of various artistic, spoken, written, and digital representations of information. Student discussions are often based on text-dependent questions where they must use textual evidence to support their answers. At the end of each unit, students are asked to present their compositions or learning products through speaking and listening. In addition, the Teacher’s Edition of the Argument Research Lab, Unit 4, provides teacher guidelines to engage students in a debate that demonstrates student end-of-year proficiency in analyzing author’s argument and use of literary elements. Moreover, Accountable Talk structures are embedded within the materials as students employ academic talk through partner share, small group discussion, conferences, peer reviews, and whole class discussion. Throughout the debate process, students use the Toulmin’s Argument Framework to ensure that they provide both evidence and reasoning to support their claims.

Unit 1 sets expectations for the year, including how to respond to questions when discussing with partners or small groups. Teachers provide instructions such as:

• Constructed Response Practice: Teach your students to begin all of their answers by including the key words from the question. For example: "Why do we always have to include the question in our answer? You always have to include the question in your answer because it gets you going in the right direction and helps organize your thinking." This simple habit gives students an extra point on most constructed response state tests in later years and helps them organize and focus their thoughts in the meantime.

In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 4, students participate in a literary debate around the question: "Which supporting character is most important to this novel? Why?" Teacher instructions allow for whole class or small group debate. A thorough description of four different kinds of debate is offered to the teacher, including I Couldn’t Disagree More, Four Corners (with a Stationary Variation included), Alley Debate, Fishbowl Debate. The materials include a quote from Learn NC contributors, Sharon Pearson and Pamela Myrick: “Fact-filled and passionate debates provide the incentive for students of all academic and socioeconomic levels to become engaged and to participate in the debate process.” After the debate, students read their independent books and prepare to share with a partner and small group with the following questions: “Who is the most important supporting character in your novel? Why? Is s/he complex? Why/why not? How does the author use this character to communicate a theme? What generalizations can you make about supporting characters in this genre? What makes you think that?” The discussion group instructions state: “Each group works together to identify one generalization about supporting characters they want to share with the whole class.” This speaking and listening activity covers the reading and research topics of the unit and prepares them for writing later in the unit.

In Unit 3: Week 6, Day 4, students engage in a peer-to-peer collaborative writing discussion using a rubric to evaluate domains of effective writing. Students are tasked with sharing those domains in which their writing does not yet demonstrate proficiency.

In Unit 4, Week 6, Day 1, students determine the central idea of their own essays. An option during the Accountable Talk portion for Partner Share or Group Share contains the guiding question: “What will be the focus of your essay? What central idea will you explore through your writing?” These questions are connected to students' research projects, but are not necessarily strong speaking and listening examples at Grade 12. This pattern follows throughout Week 6, 7, and 8.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 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.

The ARC Core framework sets the expectation that students will write daily and includes rubrics, guidelines, lesson structures, amd prompts for writing. Each unit of the curriculum embeds a variety of writing types and genres to allow students to engage in a mix of both on-demand and process writing as well as to participate in individual teacher conferences about their writing. Students often have choices on what to write in response to their reading, such “Opinions about the Text (Opinion/Argument), Personal Connections to the Text (Personal/Nonfiction Narrative), and/or Creative Writing Inspired by the Text (Fiction Narrative).” Writing is done independently and collaboratively with frequent opportunities for students to share and review writing with peers.

Teachers are encouraged to use exemplar texts as models for students or model the writing type for students. Daily writing practice and quick writes on constructed responses typically build to a constructed response or weekly writing task that prepares students for a final writing project in each unit that requires students go through the phases of the writing process (drafting, revising, editing, and publishing). The ARC Core framework does not include digital resources as a tool for teachers and students to use when writing. However, it does use digital resources as a platform for publishing student work, such as Twitter, Goodreads, Amazon, etc.

The final project instructions for student compositions of a proficient literary critique in Unit 1, Week 6, Days 3-4 requires students to engage with an evaluation rubric as they work through multiple drafts of their work: “Use the W.1 rubric to evaluate one of the literary critiques that you have written during the past few weeks. Share with your partner which points you think you still need to work on to earn a proficient score.”

In Unit 1, Week 6, the materials suggest that the publishing of the final literary critique can occur in a number of digital options:

• Create a book
• Blog entry
• Class/school website
• Submit to relevant periodical/newspaper
• Class newspaper/periodical/journal/portfolio • PowerPoint
• Social Media

In Unit 1, Week 5, teachers are encouraged to use online book evaluations for students to evaluate books. They encourage teachers to use these online sites to have students write well-crafted, thoughtful, and stylistically beautiful criticisms of literature. These online tools include a blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, or Amazon. The best of these online evaluations are filled with a multitude of evidence, whether including a critique of an author’s use of literary elements (like character, setting, and conflict), style (word choice, figures of speech), research, theme, and purpose. "If you habitually use a platforms like these to write reviews to help you pick your next book, build your beach reading list, share your reading opinions with friends, etc., you know what we’re talking about."

In Unit 3, the organization of the writing progresses from Constructed Response in Weeks 1-4 to the first drafts of an analysis essay to revise, edit, and present the essay. The second half of the unit starts with multiple quick writes for drafting practice that lead to the writing, editing, and publishing of a short story. Also in Unit 3, Week 1, Day 2, an on-demand writing task is a literary analysis paragraph that includes a claim about a book they are reading. Students answer the question, “What about the setting will be most important to this book? Why? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.” Students follow a rubric provided to guide and strengthen their writing. After independent writing time, students read their paragraphs to a partner who provides feedback based on the rubric, and the writer is expected to edit and revise the paragraph.

In Unit 4, students will write a model romance narrative based on their study of the genre and its themes across texts from the Romance genre. Before the unit, students complete a writing pre-assessment for teachers to gauge student capacity with literary analysis writing. In the Introduction section of the materials, teachers are prompted to give students this two-part pre-assessment: “Part 1: Have students read a short text in the genre. The text should be at grade level. Part 2: Ask students to write a response to the question: What is a central theme of this text? How does the author use literary elements to develop this theme?” Other examples in Unit 4 include:

• Week 1, Day 4: “What is the most important episode/incident in this story so far? Why? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.”
• Week 2, Day 1: Independent text response: “What is a central theme of this text? How does the author use literary elements to develop this theme?”
• Week 3, Day 1: Collaborative Writing: “What generalizations can you make about the factual basis of texts in this genre? What makes you think that? How is research important to our genre as a whole?”
• Week 3, Day 5: Constructed Response (based on the graphic novel Romeo and Juliet by Garth Hinds): “What is a central theme in our Core Novel? How does the author use literary elements to develop this theme?”
• Week 5, Day 1: Write to Text:
  • "You will use this RL.9 Thinking Map to compare the Central Text to one of your independent texts. Under “Text 1” please write the title of our Central Text. You will work with your partner to complete this section now.
  • Now, you will complete the Thinking Map using a text you have read on your own. Consider the themes you’ve listed for the Central Text and decide which other text will make for the most interesting analysis. If you complete one Thinking Map and are dissatisfied with the conclusions you were able to draw, you may decide to try again with another book you’ve read.”

By the end of Week 9, students will have practiced writing and revising as well as debating about their chosen texts and topic in the romance genre to complete the full writing process to craft an argumentative essay themes or issues from the genre they studied in the unit as well as compose a model romance narrative.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing (year long) that reflect the distribution required by the standards. May include “blended” styles.

In the four units (Literacy Lab, Research Lab, Genre Study, Genre Study), students have multiple opportunities across the school year to focus on a variety of different types of writing, to learn from models, and to practice. Students write in a variety of modes using mentor texts. The final writing projects for each unit provide students options for publishing. During these writing experiences (formal writing, quick writes, constructed responses) students learn, practice, and apply different genres/modes of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

Throughout the ARC Core framework, the teacher serves as a Writing Coach during student writing time, checking for understanding, observing students' writing, and making sure students are making adequate progress. Teachers are provided monitoring prompts and activities for their PLC time with their colleagues, which guide them to monitor the progress of students' writing. Students are provided with rubrics and collaborative structures which provide them the opportunities to monitor their own progress. Writing prompts are connected to text as prompts, models, anchors, and support.

By the end of the year, students will have written a substantial composition across the three main writing types: informative, argumentative, and narrative in tasks that include literary analysis, debates, personal narratives, research reports, peer reviews, reader’s response journals, and more.

Unit 1 focuses on writing standard 9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Unit 2 focuses on writing standard 2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content and standard 7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

Unit 3 and 4 are both “genre studies” which is different than Grades 9, 10, and 11. Students write a comparative essay that is written as an argument.

In Unit 1, the writing goal by the end of this Unit is that students will have practiced writing in a variety of genres, both in response to text and writing like the authors they read. They will take at least 2 pieces of writing through to publication. By the end of the unit, students will be able to Write Literary Critiques. In Unit 1, Week 4, students practice using figurative language in their writing using guidelines from a matrix of writing prompt suggestions organized by genre. For example, for a personal/nonfiction narrative, students may respond to the prompt: “So far the best analogy for my life is…” In Week 5, students explain author’s purpose and evaluate literature. In Week 6, students evaluate informational text writing and write an essay while taking it through the writing process of revising, editing, and publishing.

In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 5, students begin a “Write to Text” constructed response within the informational genre. Student facing instructions state, “Now each of you will use our RI.2 Thinking Map to draft a short essay answering the question: What is the central idea of the text? How does the author develop this central idea over the course of the text?”

In Unit 3, the prompt directs students to write an essay in which they make a claim based on a connection they have discovered between their Central Text and one of the texts in the genre they read independently.

In Unit 4: Genre Study Lab - Romance & The Science of Relationships, students analyze and write to multiple texts in the romance genre to compose analyses across multiple texts and write a model narrative in that genre. On Week 1, Day 1, materials prompt teachers to share the unit outcomes with students in which they will compose literary analysis pieces and model a historical fiction narrative. Teachers tell students, “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.”

During the first half of this unit, students perform literary analysis on multiple texts in the unit to prepare for the final analysis essay on themes across romance genre texts. The remainder of the unit follows a similar structure of individual and collaborative practice for a weekly writing prompt that prepares students for the two final writing pieces completed by Week 9 of the unit. Students are prompted to write an essay in which they make a claim based on the unit Core Text (the graphic novel Romeo and Juliet by Garth Hinds) and one of the historical fiction texts they read independently address a similar issue or theme. Then, students will write their own model of a historical fiction narrative.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria for materials including frequent opportunities for research-based and evidence-based writing to support analysis, argument, synthesis and/or evaluation of information, supports, claims.

The instructional materials meet the expectations for frequent writing opportunities across every unit. Each unit prompts teachers to use the daily instructional model which includes generally 20-40 minutes of writing. Each day students identify text evidence to support various research questions across the year. Each inquiry-based unit is organized around a series of research questions that helps students become knowledgeable about a specific topic through reading a variety of texts on that topic. The program addresses research-based and evidence-based writing through whole class and independent tasks across every unit.

The materials require students to demonstrate sophisticated analysis, argumentation, and synthesis of text in a number of written tasks at each grade level and across units. Students receive comprehensive supports as they use textual evidence to craft arguments such as the use of exemplars, writing workshops, and teacher feedback as they move through the writing process. The supports are designed to engage students in careful analysis of text using clearly articulated arguments.

Throughout all units, students practice narrative, argumentative, and informational writing based on using evidence from texts. Unit 4, the argument research lab, specifically teaches students the Toulmin Argument Framework for supporting claims and rebuttals. Various graphic organizers and rubrics are provided to help students organize their writing. Specific examples of types of writing include:

• During Unit 1, students write daily and teachers collect writing as baseline samples. By the end of Unit 1, students will have practiced writing in a variety of genres, both in response to text and writing like the authors they read. Students will take at least 2 pieces of writing through to publication (one narrative and one argument).
• In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 2, the writing focus is to analyze an author’s theme. Students provide a written response that requires the use of textual evidence: “a. an objective summary of the text so far. b. your hypothesis on what might be the author’s theme(s), based on the literary elements you’ve encountered.” In Week 3, Days 1-3, students analyze of an author’s diction in response to the prompt, “Writing Focus #1: Pick the three most important words used by the author and explain what role they played in shaping the text (Meaning? Tone? Theme?). Use evidence to support your answer.”
• In Unit 2, Week 6, Day 3, the independent practice asks students to engage in rewriting the body paragraphs of a research piece. Students are to reinforce a central idea so that it is “clear and interesting to the reader.” They are also encouraged to be alert to gaps in the information and use the text to locate additional ideas and details.
• By the end of Unit 2, students will publish a well-researched informational text for a meaningful audience that demonstrates their expertise on a given topic (Grade 12 - Asia).
• In Unit 3 Genre Study Lab: World Mythology & Ancient Civilizations, Week 1, Day 4, students respond to the prompt, “What is the most important episode/incident in this story so far? Why?” and are instructed to “[u]se evidence from the text to support your answer.” Students are provided a “Write to Text” format/guide to use for each historical narrative text in the unit that instructs students to “make a claim based on everything you know from reading in the genre this week” and to explain “the most defining literary element” in the genre and why using “evidence from multiple texts to support your answer.” In Week 4, Day 4, students study the narrative elements of their texts to practice writing their own historical narrative pieces. The instructional materials include “Plot-Dialogue Analysis” and “Plot-Lines of Dialogue” graphic organizers that students use to draft dialogue for their own stories.
• By the end of Unit 3, students will write four very short essays (constructed responses) and one longer literary essay analyzing multiple texts in the genre study (Grade 12 - world mythology). Students will write and publish a short story/picture book in the genre of study.
• In Unit 4: Genre Study Lab - Romance & the Science of Relationships, students spend nine weeks studying the genre during which time they read, analyze, and write about one novel in this genre with the class; read at least four novels in the genre independently; write four constructed responses and one longer literary essay analyzing multiple texts in this genre; and write and publish a short story/picture book in the genre. Student activities include classifying supporting characters encountered in novels so far by type and purpose. In Week 2, Day 4, students write an argumentative essay in which they make a claim based on a connection discovered between the Central Text and one of the texts in the genre read independently in Weeks 5 and 6.
• By the end of Unit 4, students will write four very short essays (constructed responses) and one longer literary essay analyzing multiple texts in this genre. Students will also write and publish a short story/picture book in the genre of study (Grade 12 - romance).