12th Grade - Gateway 2

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that texts are organized around a topic/topics to build students’ knowledge and their ability to read and comprehend complex texts proficiently.

Each unit is centered around a topic and/or genre, and students build knowledge through inquiry via a variety of literary genres and different types of informational text. Each unit has a core text, anchor texts, and leveled libraries that students read focused around a particular genre. Students read, analyze, and write about a grade-level novel for each unit. Anchor texts are additional texts centered around the genre/topic. Teachers can use these as read alouds and/or copied excerpts for shared reading experiences. Leveled libraries also center around a genre and/or topic. Students read independently at least four novels in the genre, or about the topic, within each unit.

• Unit 1 focuses on the analysis of theme, interaction of individuals over the course of the text, structure of the text, and how multiple texts address a theme/topic. The two texts chosen as core texts can be used to analyze those standards, and they fall within the appropriate grade band to build reading proficiency of complex texts: Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie and Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction by Robert J.C. Young as the paired informational text. There are no additional texts listed within the materials provided by the publisher, so it is assumed the activities used to analyze literary devices would use these two texts. The core texts are intended as whole group shared independent reading, while the additional texts are used as read alouds in class.
• In Unit 2, the goal of the curriculum states: “The second Unit of ARC Core builds on the routines and engagement established in Unit 1 while adding a new layer: thematic inquiry into a Social Studies topic. As the class dives into [studying Asia] students will become an inquiry research community as they read, write, question, debate, and create knowledge together” (p. 30). Students read a classic literature text: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijiie. It is paired with the nonfiction text When Asian Was the World by Stewart Golden. The core and paired texts build knowledge around the topic of Asia from both literary fiction and informational text. The additional texts are mostly informational texts and one novel (The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston) that provide context for Asia. They also build student’s knowledge on the topic.
• In Unit 3, students study the genre of World Mythology, including cross-cultural comparisons that demonstrate similar ideas and themes, as well as developing an understanding of the hero’s journey-- a common theme in mythology. For this unit, students read the classic core, The Odyssey by Homer paired with Beowulf, Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds. Students select independent reading from a Genre Library in which texts are organized by difficulty level. Students select a minimum of 4 novels from the world mythology genre.
• In Unit 4, students learn about the topic of Romance and the Science of Relationships. The Teacher Guide states, “During the upcoming weeks, your child will investigate this popular genre by reading from a range of high-quality books. Students will become experts of the romance genre, identifying the protagonists and antagonists, examining the settings, and exploring how the plots set up the central relationships.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced higher order thinking questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language (words/phrases), key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts in order to make meaning and build understanding of texts and topics.

The Literacy and Research Lab units are structured so that students engage with texts to build understanding through sequenced graphic organizers and question sets and to analyze all aspects of the Common Core Standards. Materials include coherently sequenced sets of of questions that teachers use for modeling and student practice around determining central idea, word study, author’s purpose, text organization, and other features. Questions are general for all units and provide a framework for teachers to build questions for individual texts. Most question sets are coherently sequenced and give students ample opportunity to analyze language and author’s word choice, key ideas and important details, author’s craft and structure, and other components of text.

Unit 1, Week 2, Days 1-3 students are reading the informational core text. During the first read, they listen. During the second read, students answer a basic comprehension question, "What did the author say?" A purpose question, "Why did he/she say it?" A craft/structure question, "How did she/he say it?" Then some reader response questions, "How did it affect me? What new knowledge did I get from this? What confused me?" The order in which these questions are presented build in complexity and are structured to help students make meaning of the text and topic.

In Unit 2: Informational Research Lab - Asia, students are asked a sequence of questions to identify the organizing structure, to analyze the development of the central idea, to analyze the interaction between ideas, and to evaluate author’s choices. Sample questions and tasks include: "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? 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? Look at your graphic organizer: What supporting ideas did you identify in this text? How are these supporting ideas related to each other? How does the order of ideas/ details work to develop the central idea? How does the organizing structure reveal the relationship between these supporting ideas? What connections is the author making between __(idea 1)__ and __(idea 2)__? Why does it matter that the author used this structure? Is this choice appropriate to the central idea/supporting ideas 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?"

In Unit 3, Week 3, students are focused on the social setting of their novel and respond to questions such as: "What is the most important part of the social setting in the novel? Why do you think it matters? What quote best illustrated that?"

In Unit 4, Week 7, Day 4, students read a fiction text to analyze how an author organizes the sequence of events. After independent reading, students discuss the following prompts 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 the questions and tasks support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic through integrated skills (e.g. combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

The materials provide multifaceted, culminating tasks in which students are asked to demonstrate proficiency in multiple reading and writing standards. In the materials, students read, write, informally speak, and listen by participating in think-pair-shares and accountable talks, and by revising and editing drafts. Prior to writing formally in the unit culminating task, students read mentor texts and work collaboratively through activities and questions that provide opportunities to develop comprehension and knowledge of a topic or topics through integrated skills. Throughout the program, “Teacher Work & Monitor for Engagement” directions prompt teachers to document and record their observations as students write and discuss as formative assessment evidence that informs their instruction and provides qualitative and quantitative information about student readiness to complete culminating tasks. Once students finish the final written culminating tasks they are given presenting/publishing options.

The introductory materials indicate in which units the reading, writing, and speaking and listening standards are addressed. While each unit focuses on a specific type of writing and may address certain reading standards aligned to that writing type, the materials indicate that the majority of writing, reading, and speaking and listening standards are addressed across all four units. Though each unit culminating task requires a significant piece of writing, the teacher can recommend how students will present their work such as peer reviews, oral presentations, slide shows, drama, blogs, debates, brochures, etc.

Unit 1 is designed to increase student reading stamina and analytical skills. The culminating task expects students to write an essay critiquing an author’s work after engaging in a teacher modeled example with the core text. Each week, students study a different aspect of text analysis - such as author’s theme, word choice, and word meaning - and complete smaller tasks that provide practice of the week’s focus of study. Students are also introduced to reading, discussion, and writing structures that will be used daily across the year. A few examples of supporting questions and tasks that integrate reading, writing, and discussion across the unit are:

• Week 1: “Writing Focus: (Baseline) Constructed Response: Prove you’ve understood your book at a High School level by writing two things: 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” (p. 101).
• Week 2: "Write to Task/Prompt: 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 (see Writing Prompts Suggestions after this lesson)” (p. 179).
• Week 3: “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” (p. 219).
• Week 4: “Share the evidence/example(s) of paradox you flagged with a partner. Discuss what you think it means and how it helps develop the theme(s) of the book” (p. 265).

Unit 2 builds student knowledge of the ecosystems, politics, and economy of a country in Asia through a core informational text, recommended paired readings, and student selected texts. Each week, students study a different aspect of information text analysis focusing on determine central idea and gathering evidence to support through questions and tasks that provide practice of the week’s focus of study. Students are also introduced to reading, discussion, and writing structures that will be used across the year. Daily lessons include close reading and teacher modeling of reading for a focused purpose. Students engage in prompted accountable talk about texts and write collaboratively or independently about texts through structured text-based questions and/or graphic organizers. For the culminating task, students will produce an informational book about their chosen Asian country of study. Students spend time reviewing peer work and discussing their own before publishing their writing. Materials recommend various ways for students to publish their work such a blog entry, school website, a local periodical/newspaper, class based media or newspaper, PowerPoint, or social media.

• Week 1 (and 9) Pre/post Assessment Constructed Response: Students practice writing about central idea throughout the unit.
  • “Part 1: Have students read a short passage of informational text. The text should be at grade level.
  • Part 2: Have students complete a constructed response to the prompt: Provide an objective summary of the text. What is the central idea of the text? How does the author develop this central idea over the course of the text?”
• Week 2: “Constructed Response #1 What is the central idea of the text? How does the author develop this central idea over the course of the text?” (p. 94)
• Weeks 3 and 4: Students continually research texts and add text evidence to graphic organizers to answer the designated research questions about their topic of choice while writing about the central idea of the texts they read.
• Week 5: Analyze informational mentor texts - “What makes a good informational text? Next week, you will begin drafting your own informational book. This week, we will look closely at the work of professional authors (or former students who got As) to investigate the decisions authors make to craft great informational texts. By the end of today, you will be able to use this rubric to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of informational writing” (p. 217).
• Weeks 6 and 7: Students complete drafts of their informational book and begin editing based on peer reviews and teacher conferences.
• Week 8: “Select a visual from the text. Explain what information it communicates, drawing on evidence from both the visual and the text” (p. 346).
• Week 9: Students present their informational book. Materials recommend possible ways to publish: bound book, digital book, poster, school website or blog, class newspaper or periodical, PowerPoint, brochure, or museum display.

In Unit 3, Week 5, students speak and listen about their comparative essay via Accountable Partner Talk to share evidence found to use in the comparison essay and ways to refine their claims. Students share important literary elements of the story (or provide a plot synopsis as a check for understanding) and the group considers other potential theme statements/claims that work for both this text and the central text. To ensure student success, teachers are directed to monitor (i.e. circulate around the room, observe, check in, and coach) as students work to create rough outlines for their essays.

In Unit 4, students demonstrate understanding of plot in the genre and how authors use plot to develop themes via a short essay answering the Key Questions: "What are two themes/central ideas of the Central Text? How does the author use literary elements to develop each theme?" (The Key Question reflects alignment to proficiency with the 9th–10th grade version of College and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Reading #2, useful as mastery of the 9th–10th grade version is a prerequisite to addressing the 11th–12th grade version.)

In Unit 4, Week 4, Day 5, students will write a constructed response. During this task students read in their Core Novel, knowing that they will write a short essay demonstrating their current ability to analyze plot and themes in the genre of romance. Then, students complete answers to the Writing Prompt encouraged to chart their thinking on the Thinking Map before drafting their essays. During this time, teachers are to monitor student work, ensuring all students are on task. The goal of today’s writing is to see what students can do under test conditions. Then students have partner talk taking one minute to share about the themes of their book and themes in the genre ("What is a central theme of this text? How does the author use literary elements to develop this theme?"). Then they have a “Discussion with the Group,” each group works together to identify one thing they want to share with the whole class.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts.

Materials include a consistent approach for students to regularly interact with word relationships and build academic and figurative language in context. Overall, students are provided support in accelerating vocabulary learning with vocabulary in their reading and speaking tasks.

In the ARC Core Framework, the foundation for studying language is a significant part of the Unit 1 Literacy lab designed to build student skills in determining word meaning, identifying denotation and connotation, studying word relationships, and analyzing figurative language in the context of literary and informational text.The IRLA toolkits guide students as they learn roots and affixes to support their ability to determine word meanings as they encounter unfamiliar vocabulary.

The Unit 1 materials provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive, regularly-occurring vocabulary development component, including an emphasis on interaction with key academic vocabulary with and from a variety of text types. Students engage with new vocabulary and have frequent opportunities for practice in discussion and written work.

Students are provided frequent opportunities to identify and study unknown words and technical vocabulary from texts, using context clues. Additionally, there are lessons within the units where students analyze the purpose of author's word choice. There is a lesson in each unit providing an opportunity for students to use powerful language in their writing tasks. Teachers model and use academic vocabulary necessary for building literacy and analytical skills. Students discuss vocabulary in groups, utilize it in writing tasks, and track new words in a notebook regularly.

In Unit 1, page 15, materials indicate that across all four units, the CCSS language standards 4, 5, & 6 are addressed. This includes determining word meaning, analyzing context clues and word parts, and studying word relationships and figurative language. Students are also expected to acquire and use academic vocabulary in their speaking and writing. The foundation for studying language is a significant part of the Unit 1 Literacy Lab in which the lesson frameworks build student skills in determining word meaning, identifying denotation and connotation, studying word relationships, and analyzing figurative language.

In Unit 2 students extend their learning of language from Unit 1 to research informational texts and write an informational book. As students practice analyzing complex text and synthesizing information across texts, they focus on author’s word choice, denotation and connotation, and figurative language. Lesson frameworks provide time for teachers to model and students to practice highlighting new words in texts, determining meaning, and understanding how those words impact the meaning of the text. Students track their word learning in a notebook and the class maintains a glossary as a group. Though this occurs throughout the unit, Week 4 focuses on word choice and language in texts for students to model in their own writing. The following are a few examples of vocabulary tasks across the unit. Specific examples include:

• “Word Choice Practice: Have students review the word choices in their responses to the above prompt. What word could be replaced with a stronger, more effective choice? How might the use of word connotation be leveraged to better support the central idea and/or supporting idea(s)? Make at least one revision to the word choice of your response” (p. 169).
• “Use the Word Choice sheet provided on Day 2 to review types of figurative language. Have students brainstorm examples of figurative language they’ve encountered in the Unit thus far, and/or real life examples (e.g., busy as a bee; time is money, etc.), and have them determine which type of figurative language is used in each” (p. 181).

In Unit 3, students are taught to use “powerful language” in their writing. The teacher models how to “Revise for Powerful Language” showing students how to add powerful language in their writing to improve the emotional appeal of the essay draft. Students are shown how to use powerful verbs, nouns, descriptors, technical language, and analogies. They are also shown how to add/eliminate, combine, and rearrange as necessary.

In Unit 4, Week 7, Day 3, the objective for students is to focus on making sure the language they use sways the emotions of the audience. The guided practice during this lesson is to analyze, ”[w]hat about the language the author uses is powerful language/makes this an emotional appeal?” Next, students make comparison across texts to answer “[w]hich text did the best job of engaging your emotions with powerful language? Why?” Students are given a checklist on “Strategies for Successful Word Choice” as a resource.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that materials contain a year long, cohesive plan of writing instruction and tasks which support students in building and communicating substantive understanding of topics and texts.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the expectation for materials supporting students’ increasing writing skills over the course of the school year though engagement with texts. Each of the four units is built on a series of research questions that allow students to read, write, and discuss daily to develop substantive understanding of the texts and topics. Some of the topics covered in-depth by 12th grade are Asian culture, world mythology, and the romance genre. Writing lessons and projects are authentically integrated with reading, speaking, listening, and language throughout the units providing students with a variety of tasks and prompts; however, the daily instructional model and unit structures are similar across units allowing that students understand the expectations and process of writing across the year. Students learn and practice writing skills during the beginning of the units and then formally apply what they have practiced at the end of the units, writing formal pieces using the writing process.

The materials contain a year-long, cohesive writing plan that engages students in the use of textual evidence to support analysis, arguments, and claims. Most of the writing tasks provide scaffolding for crafting strong and clear written pieces through the use of the writing process as well as teacher and peer feedback. Most written tasks require students to make meaningful connections between texts and their own writing. Writing instruction supports students’ writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of the year, and the instructional materials include a variety of guidance, protocols, models, and support for teachers to implement and monitor students’ writing development. Teachers are asked to model writing through think alouds and to use mentor texts as supports for student writing. Also, teachers engage in weekly PLC meetings to discuss the progress of student writing and are provided a variety of questions and activities to monitor writing.

In Unit 1, the teacher PLC focus following Week 4 is “Author’s Theme/Purpose.” To help direct and plan writing instruction, teachers answer questions including, "What best practices do you already use for teaching students how to determine the theme of a piece of writing? For finding the author’s purpose? Is there anything specific we want to make sure we ALL cover? What best practices do you already have for teaching essay writing/literary critique? How would you like to publish student writing at the end of next week?" In the following week, teachers share and review student writing samples asking, "What can we learn from our students' work about the successes/challenges of our instruction this past week? Did anyone's students do better than the rest of the classes? What went differently in this room? What are the implications for our instruction for next week?"

In Unit 3: Genre Study Lab - World Mythology & Ancient Civilizations, students answer a series of research questions based on their in-depth study of the genre of world mythology and possible topics such as the history of myths, archetypes, and narrative elements of mythology. For the first 4 weeks, students use provided text-based questions, rubrics, and graphic organizers to study elements of the genre, central message, character analysis, conflict, and the use of dialogue in varied American mythological narratives and texts. After analyzing multiple texts such as the Core Text, Beowulf a graphic novel by Gareth Hinds, students spend Weeks 5 and 6 drafting a comparative essay on their Core text and one other they have read. In Week 7, students do quick writes to practice mythological narrative writing, and in Weeks 8 and 9, students draft, revise, publish, and present their own historical fiction narratives. Throughout the unit, students write analytical responses to the texts they are reading and share their writing with peers for feedback. The unit also includes teacher modeling of writing types and building narratives.

In Unit 4: Genre Study Lab - Romance & The Science of Relationships, students answer a series of research questions based on their in-depth study of the genre of Romance and possible topics such as relationship models, the role of communication, and psychological and biological elements of relationships. For the first 4 weeks, students use provided text-based questions, rubrics, and graphic organizers to study elements of the genre, central message, character analysis, conflict, and the use of dialogue in varied American fiction narratives and texts. After analyzing multiple texts such as the Core Text, Romeo & Juliet a graphic novel by Gareth Hinds, students spend Weeks 5 and 6 drafting a comparative essay on their Core text and one other they have read. In Week 7, students do quick writes to practice fiction writing, and in Weeks 8 and 9, students draft, revise, publish, and present their own romance narratives. Throughout the unit, students write analytical responses to the texts they are reading and share their writing with peers for feedback. The unit also includes teacher modeling of writing types and building narratives.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that materials include a progression of focused, shared research and writing projects to encourage students to synthesize knowledge and understanding of a topic using texts and other source materials.

Over the course of the year, the four units of the ARC Core Framework require students to explore ideas and gather information to write informational reports, literary analyses, genre pieces, and arguments. Students develop knowledge of topics through research, and the three units that include research projects culminate with essays. While the materials do not provide a structure for including research from sources other than the books included with the materials, there is an expectation that students will find information online.

In each unit, students read core texts, teacher chosen texts, and independent reads selected from the publisher-provided leveled text sets to build a body of evidence. Unit activities require students to synthesize information by utilizing multiple graphic organizers, writing tasks, reader response tasks, and structured discussions completed as a whole group, within small groups, or as individuals. Generally, lessons allow time for students to engage in all three learning settings. Instructional materials provide students with daily independent reading, research, writing, and discussion opportunities per the model lesson framework.

The instructional materials provide opportunities for both “short” and “long” projects across grades and grade bands. Each grade level in Unit 4 has similar skills, objectives, and standards addressed. The progression of research skills do not change from grade level to grade level; however, progression is achieved through the complexity of text and topics students are reading about within each unit and the application those skills applied to the topics.

While there are no research activities in Unit 1, students engage in a Literacy Lab. Instructional materials indicate that the purpose of the Literacy Lab is for students to “fall in love with reading through books” (p. 48). During this unit, students do not engage in a substantial research project but instead read modern pieces of literary and informational text to practice writing in a variety of genres and to build knowledge of literary elements, word choice, text analysis, discussion methods, and healthy writing practices.

In Unit 2, students research the continent of Asia and choose a specific country to study closer. Teachers are prompted on Week 1, Day 1, to tell students that they will become experts and write an informational book on the topic. Teachers can also recommend various ways for students to publish and present their findings such as blogs, news articles, slideshows, or dramatic interpretations. For this unit, students answer the following guiding questions across the 9-week research study:

1. Draw a map of your country from memory and label the 15 most important political and physical features.
2. Compare and contrast the various ecosystems in your country.
3. Place 10 milestones in your country’s history on a timeline. Discuss the significance of each.
4. Describe the religion(s) in your country.
5. Describe the current government of your country and compare it to that of the USA.
6. Describe the economy of your country and some of the economic issues that it faces.
7. Discuss the current issues facing your country and how they impact the rest of the world.

In Unit 3, students participate in a genre study by reading a core text of a genre and additional independent reading within said genre. During this unit, students focus on literary analysis, text-dependent questions, academic vocabulary work, and repeated close reading of the genre study. In Week 3, Day 1, students are introduced to the graphic organizer, “Factual Basis for Literary Elements,” that requires them to synthesize knowledge from multiple text sources and will later be used to craft a research writing piece. The weekly lesson plans contain a Discussion Group element in which students share knowledge synthesized from several sources. For example, on Day 2, “Each group works together to identify one generalization about physical settings they want to share with the whole class (p. 138).

In Unit 4, students examine the literary elements of the romance genre through analysis of four different texts: the Core text, the Independent text, Other text (examples from other texts in this genre), and Generalizations they can draw about each literary element in the romance genre. Students begin by learning about general aspects of this type of genre when applied to the literary elements (Setting, Characters, Plot, Theme, Language) before writing a comparative analysis essay that synthesizes student knowledge and understanding of the romance genre.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

Though students read a core set of texts in each unit, the materials are designed to offer students a voluminous amount of independent reading; students read independently every day in each unit. The publisher created its own text leveling and student reading leveling system called the IRLA (Independent Reading Level Assessment), in which students are able to choose books for Independent Reading at their appropriate level. The Teacher’s Guide offers an overview of the reading program and page 30 of the Unit 1 Literacy Lab shows how each reading level from early grades to 12th builds on a specific reading skill.

Students have “Independent Reading in Leveled Libraries” daily in class for 20–40 minutes. In all four units students are expected to read at least four novels in the genre/topic of study on his/her own (these can be any levels, from the Genre Library or elsewhere). Reading homework for all units is suggested to be at students’ independent reading level. A reading culture is outlined in the prefatory materials, which strives for 100% on-target in-class reading and 95% on-target home reading through specific routines. The framework provides two leveled text sets - the 100 Book Challenge and the Hook Book Library - both of which are designed to help students find a book that is engaging and at their reading level. The independent reading books from these libraries may be below grade level, but the texts read during in-class independent reading are at or above grade level.

In Unit 1, during each daily Literacy Block laid out by the framework, students participate in 15-30 minutes of sustained independent reading in class. “Students practice applying today’s Focus to self-selected texts at a variety of levels. At least a portion of the reading is spent with texts within the Thematic Unit” (p. 61). The framework also suggests a Weekly Goal: “Students read for 5 hours a week, with some time spent reading texts within the Thematic Unit and some time in complete free-choice. Reading time can be spread across the school day and/or at home." Unit 1, Week 4 introduces the Home Coach as a system to help students engage and remain accountable for their at home reading. Teachers are instructed to “establish a connection with each student’s home coach. Organize a parent information session. Call homes. Use this week to: Determine who will serve as home coaches (parents, grandparents, older siblings, etc.). Help home coaches understand the goals of home reading, and ways to ensure success. Set up in-class support systems (e.g., enlisting volunteers) for students who may need a surrogate home coach. Build routines for taking books home” (p. 297).

Unit 2, the Informational Research Lab, follows the same expectations outlined in Unit 1. Students engage in daily independent reading of core texts and student-selected texts. At the beginning of the unit, students sample the leveled text sets to help determine their topic of study and choice of texts. The Unit 2 Introduction shares the expectation for reading in the inquiry based units: “Read at least 30-60 minutes a day from self-selected texts, including texts on the topic and general wide reading” (p. 14). Unit 2 also explains the framework for the Reader’s Workshop as the purpose of moving students to independence including a Focus for Independent Reading/Accountable Talk, and IRLA Conferences/Strategy Groups for Today (p. 33).

In Unit 3, teachers are given a focus for student’s independent reading during Week 1: “Transfer to Independent Reading” Focus for Independent Reading/Accountable Talk. Ask and answer the Key Question (or part of it). Will constraints need to be placed on student choice to ensure they have texts that work with the Key Question/Concepts? (Common constraints: read at least one fiction book or one informational text on ____, or one biography, etc.) Don’t constrain choice for all 30 minutes. IRLA Conferences/Strategy Groups for Today, Teacher coaching focuses on: 1st: reading engagement, 2nd: strategic instruction to move reading levels Allocate time equitably, not equally—spend more/more frequent time with students who are furthest behind/making the least reading growth."