6th Grade - Gateway 2

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 2a.

The units are connected by a grade level topic or theme and are framed with guiding questions. However, some units are themes, rather than topics. For example, the texts in Unit 1 focus on the topic of animal adaptations, while the texts in Unit 6 are organized by the theme, Legendary Journeys. Each unit contains a new topic or theme for each of the 10 units, with each unit lasting three weeks for a total of 15 days. There is vertical alignment across the program, meaning each grade has a similar topic or theme that appears at each grade level. Publisher documentation indicates the general topics are science, social studies, technology, literature, social-emotional learning, and culture. However, there is not always consistent vocabulary or content that repeats across texts within a unit, therefore reducing the impact of exploring a single topic for three weeks. While the topics/themes are supported by texts that fall within the topic or theme, the texts do not serve the function of building knowledge of topics, but are instead used as vehicles for instruction and practice of literacy skills. Additionally, the focus of questions and tasks is on building comprehension skills and understanding the parts and structures of texts with little emphasis on the content contained therein. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Unit 4 is organized around the theme The Reader’s Perspective. The Essential Question is "How does the journey through life influence a person’s point of view?" and the knowledge focus is, “In this unit, students will explore different points of view on a range of topics by reading poetry and realistic fiction, as well as an informational text. They will build schema around the following concepts:
• Every story-- both real and fictional-- has a point of view that affects the way it is told.
• People’s-- and characters’-- points of view are influenced by their life experiences.
• People come from diverse backgrounds and have diverse values and traditions, so they may view experiences in different ways."

Enduring Understanding: Part of an author’s craft is developing the point of view of the speaker or narrator in a story.

However, the Learning Goals focus on metacognitive, comprehension, vocabulary, word study and grammar/language skills. The Comprehensive Literacy Planner only lists skills that can be broadly applied to multiple texts and do not reference the Essential Question or Enduring understanding for the unit, though these are both referenced in the mini lessons.

• Unit 6 is organized around the topic Legendary Journeys. The Essential Question is "What inspires a quest?" and the knowledge focus is, “In this unit, students will read a range of literature including fantasy, a legend, narrative poetry, and a screenplay, about characters that are on a quest. Students will build schema around the following concepts:
• A quest is a classic literary form in which the protagonists, or main characters, go on a journey or search for something.
• The outer journey of the quest is usually accompanied by an inner journey, as the protagonists learn and grow.
• The lessons protagonists learn on quests can often be applied to real-life situations.
• Quest tales are part of the oral or written tradition of nearly every known culture.
• Though a quest may be distinctly linked to a specific culture, these tales explore universal themes that speak to all people."

Enduring Understanding: Certain ancient themes are continually explored in literature.

However, the Learning Goals focus on metacognitive, comprehension, vocabulary, word study and grammar/language skills. The Comprehensive Literacy Planner only lists skills that can be broadly applied to multiple texts and do not reference the Essential Question or Enduring understanding for the unit, though these are both referenced in the mini lessons.

• Unit 9 is organized around the topic Economic Expansion. The Essential Question is "What does it mean to be a citizen in a global society?" and the knowledge focus is, “In this unit, students will read informational texts about early and modern trade routes and the impact of international trade. Students will build schema around the following concepts:
• Trade routes, such as the Silk Road, have developed since ancient times to transport goods from one place to another.
• Today’s global economy is based on the international trade of goods, services, and resources.
• When people have needs and wants that exceed the resources available to them, they will seek better economic opportunities elsewhere.
• Throughout history, the trading of goods and services has been a major catalyst in the exchange of culture (knowledge, religion, and language) between different groups of people."

Enduring Understanding: Today’s global economy had its beginnings in the trade routes of ancient times.

However, the Learning Goals focus on metacognitive, comprehension, vocabulary, word study and grammar/language skills. The Comprehensive Literacy Planner only lists skills that can be broadly applied to multiple texts and do not reference the Essential Question or Enduring understanding for the unit, though these are both referenced in the mini lessons.

• Unit 10 is organized around the topic Forces: Going to Extremes. The Essential Question is "How does our knowledge of forces help us make sense of Earth-- and beyond?" and the knowledge focus is, “In this unit, students will read informational texts about force and motion, and how humans use their knowledge of physics to push boundaries in space exploration and sports. Students will build schema around the following concepts:
• The force of gravity impacts all aspects of life on Earth and space exploration.
• The laws of motion explain what happens when forces make things move.
• Humans use their understanding of forces and motion to carry out small- and large-scale tasks (work)."

Enduring Understanding: Movements on Earth and in space is controlled by force and motion.

However, the Learning Goals focus on metacognitive, comprehension, vocabulary, word study and grammar/language skills. The Comprehensive Literacy Planner only lists skills that can be broadly applied to multiple texts and do not reference the Essential Question or Enduring understanding for the unit, though these are both referenced in the mini lessons.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 2d.

Culminating tasks are somewhat engaging and provide students limited opportunities to demonstrate comprehension and knowledge of a topic or topics. Each unit has a culminating task but these tasks do not always require students to demonstrate knowledge of a topic. Questions and tasks throughout the unit help the teacher determine student readiness. Student responses in Constructive Conversation and Apply Understanding provide usable information on student readiness to complete the culminating task. A Reinforce or Reaffirm the Strategy section provides guidance for how the teacher can assist students who need support. Guiding questions and rubrics are also provided and serve as guidance for students and teachers in completing these projects.

While the culminating tasks provided are multifaceted, requiring students to demonstrate mastery of several different standards at the grade level, there is little variation over the course of the year. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, the Culminating Research and Inquiry Project asks students to choose an environment and research how humans continue to raise awareness for the region. The Learning Targets cover both Research Presentation Skills and Science Concepts. The following are some of the learning targets for research presentation skills: “Conduct short research projects, gathering relevant information from print and digital sources. Create a presentation on a topic, using technology, audio recordings, and visual displays when appropriate.” The learning targets for science concepts state: “Human activity can cause habitat destruction, introductions of invasive species, overuse of resources, and climate change. Humans can develop ways to reduce their impact on the environment.”
• In Unit 2, the Research and Inquiry Project is to select a character from the unit texts and one from your own reading to analyze how they respond to challenges. Students can work individually or with a group to select a research focus, find relevant information from the unit, and identify and evaluate additional sources. Three guiding questions are provided and must be included in the presentations. Students use a rubric when planning their presentation and the teacher also uses a rubric when evaluating presentations. The rubrics measure content, presentation and effort, and collaboration. Suggested ideas for presentations found in the consumable anchor text are video or podcast interview, magazine profile, or digital slide show. Teachers can structure authentic presentation opportunities to the whole class, another class, to parents, or videotape presentations that are uploaded to the school website. Students who are listening jot down two or more new ideas they heard and one question they would like to ask the presenter.
• In Unit 3, the Culminating Research and Inquiry Project asks students to choose a government system they learned about in the unit and compare and contrast it with similar government systems of another country. In Week 1, Mini-Lesson 7, Short Read 1, students work with a partner to answer the following guided practice question, “Work with a partner or in a small group to reread paragraphs 3-4. Annotate the paragraph for details and write down your ideas in the margin. Then have students draw their own conclusions on the role of citizens in a democracy.” Possible responses are provided in the Teacher’s Resource. In Week 2, Mini-Lesson 12, Extended Read 1, students respond to the following prompt during Constructive Conversation: “Based on his views on democracy and government, would Aristotle consider Queen Elizabeth to be an ‘absolute monarch’? Why or why not? Use details from both texts to support your response.” The Teacher’s Resource then states, “Give partners time to reread, annotate the text, and discuss their responses. Observe their conversations to determine the level of support they may need. Ask several students to share their ideas with the class. See the sidebar for possible response. To provide additional support or extend the experience, use ‘Reinforce or Reaffirm the Strategy.’” These tasks help the teacher determine the student’s readiness for the culminating task.
• In Unit 4, the Research and Inquiry Project is to select an author from the unit texts and one from your own reading to analyze their writing style. Students can work individually or with a group to select a research focus, find relevant information from the unit and identify and evaluate additional sources. Three guiding questions are provided and must be included in the presentations. Students use a rubric when planning their presentation and the teacher also uses a rubric when evaluating presentations. The rubrics measure content, presentation and effort, and collaboration. Suggested ideas for presentations found in the consumable anchor text are interactive author biography, imagined author podcast, author video interview, fanzine about the author, or students can extend by writing a letter to one of the unit’s authors. Teachers can structure authentic presentation opportunities to the whole class, another class, to parents or videotape presentations that are uploaded to the school website. Students who are listening jot down two or more new ideas they heard and one question they would like to ask the presenter.
• In Unit 6, the Research and Inquiry Project is to choose two stories, one from the unit and another from your own selections, reading to compare and contrast characters and their quests. Students can work individually or with a group to select a research focus, find relevant information from the unit, and identify and evaluate additional sources. Three guiding questions are provided and must be included in the presentations. Students use a rubric when planning their presentation and the teacher also uses a rubric when evaluating presentations. The rubrics measure content, presentation, and effort and collaboration. Suggested ideas for presentations found in the consumable anchor text are quest comic book, interactive quest map, quest animated summary, video interview, or students can extend by writing their own quest story. Teachers can structure authentic presentation opportunities to the whole class, another class, to parents or videotape presentations that are uploaded to the school website. Students who are listening jot down two or more new ideas they heard and one question they would like to ask the presenter.
• In Unit 7, the Culminating Research and Inquiry Project asks students to act as a tour guide and present a wonder from an ancient civilization to travelers. The following are the guiding questions for the presentation, “How do these creations contribute to the ‘greatness’ of an ancient civilization? Based on what you have learned from the unit texts and your research, how have the contributions of ancient civilizations influenced modern civilization? How can an ancient civilization’s creations help you learn about their culture and values?” A teacher rubric and student rubric are provided in the additional materials. The rubrics cover the following topics, content, presentation, effort and collaboration.
• In Unit 9, the Culminating Research and Inquiry Project asks students to work with a partner or a group to explore an item shared along the ancient Silk Road and an item shared along the modern Silk Road and share the information to the class through a multimedia presentation. In Week 1, Mini-Lesson 13, Cross Text Analysis, students respond to the following prompt during Constructive Conversation, “How can you integrate information from the maps in ‘Marco Polo, Cina Trader’ with ‘Kublai, the Great Khan’ to increase your understanding of the world they lived in?” The Teacher’s Resources states, “Observe student conversations to determine the level of support they need. Select several students to share their ideas with the class. See the sidebar for possible response. Use Reinforce or Reaffirm the Strategy to provide additional support or to extend students’ learning experience.” This helps the teacher determine if students are prepared for the culminating task.
• In Unit 10, the Research and Inquiry Project is to select a modern mode of transportation and use additional resources to compare and contrast what has been learned about space exploration and bicycling. Students can work individually or with a group to select a research focus, find relevant information from the unit and identify and evaluate additional sources. Three guiding questions are provided and must be included in the presentations. Students use a rubric when planning their presentation and the teacher also uses a rubric when evaluating presentations. The rubrics measure content, presentation and effort, and collaboration. Suggested ideas for presentations found in the consumable anchor text are interview, online presentation, poster, biography, or students can extend by writing a short informational text about the physicist they researched. Teachers can structure authentic presentation opportunities to the whole class, another class, to parents or videotape presentations that are uploaded to the school website. Students who are listening jot down two or more new ideas they heard and one question they would like to ask the presenter.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 2e.

Materials provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year long component that builds students’ academic vocabulary and supports building knowledge. The Additional Resources section provides routines for vocabulary instruction. Each unit has a Strategies and Skills page which lists both the vocabulary content and the week it is introduced, practiced, and whether or not it will be assessed. The Vocabulary Development resource in the Teacher’s Resource lists General Academic and Domain-Specific vocabulary in each unit which is related to the texts within the unit. Vocabulary for speaking and listening is listed, as well as literary terms used throughout the unit. Students have an opportunity to use some vocabulary multiple times throughout the unit, both in the text and out of the text. However, very few words repeat across texts. Some vocabulary appears in multiple texts, although it is not always clear when that occurs and it is not brought to the students’ attention as a mechanism for building knowledge and expertise on topics. There is no documentation or examples of where vocabulary is found in multiple texts. Vocabulary is listed under one heading in the Vocabulary Development resource, making it a challenge for teachers to know when vocabulary words appear and are targeted multiple times. Student vocabulary tasks do not repeat in context or across multiple texts. Students do have opportunities to learn vocabulary in their reading, speaking and listening although not all words are included in those tasks.

Though some vocabulary is repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts, etc.), there is no evidence of vocabulary being repeated across texts. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• On the Vocabulary Development page in the Teacher’s Resource, under the General Academic and Domain-Specific word list which lists text titles, none of the words are denoted as repeating across texts.
• In Unit 4, one of the literary terms mentioned in the Vocabulary Development section of the unit resources is metaphor. In Week 1, Mini-Lesson 4, Short Read 1, the teacher reminds students that they worked with metaphors in a previous unit. The teacher then models finding metaphors in the poem, “Up-Hill.” Students work with partners to answer the following prompt: “Read the second and third stanzas of ‘Up-Hill.’ What are two examples of metaphor in these stanzas? What is your interpretation of these metaphors?” In the Apply Understanding section, students independently read “The Road” and find and interpret two metaphors in the poem. The students continue work with metaphors in Unit 4, Week 2, Mini-Lessons 5 and 8.
• In Unit 5, Week 1, Short Read 1: “Robot Cops” and Short Read 2: “Robots In The Workplace,” Mini-Lesson 1, during View Multimedia and Build Vocabulary (3 min.), the teacher shows students the Unit 5 video. The teacher “Write[s] the Domain-Specific vocabulary, such as advances, inventions, and effects, on the board.” These words are not Domain-Specific vocabulary for this unit. The teacher replays the video so students can listen for those words, noting how they are used. The teacher clarifies any misunderstandings the students may still have about the vocabulary. The materials include a Developing Vocabulary Using Routines statement in a box on the bottom right of the page. Teacher guidance reminds them to use the provided routine for direct instruction of new vocabulary words. Additional teacher guidance notes that these words can be found on page 8 and routines can be located in the Additional Resources section. Teacher directions state, “After reading, extend vocabulary learning using the Academic Vocabulary Routine as well as having students complete the weekly 'Build Vocabulary' in Texts for Close Reading.” In Mini-Lesson 4, the teacher models how to determine meaning using Latin roots. The first word modeled, subterranean, is a General Academic vocabulary word, but the next two words used to model the process are not General Academic or Domain-Specific vocabulary words. During Guided Practice, students annotate and figure out meanings of six additional words, none of which are General Academic or Domain-Specific vocabulary words. In Mini-Lesson 5, during Use Decoding and Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning, the teacher points out the word, autonomous, a Domain-Specific vocabulary word, and models using syllabication to read the word. During the independent Apply Understanding and Build Fluency tasks, students complete the Build Vocabulary activity in the consumable anchor text, defining and writing a sentence for four words. Three of the eight General Academic vocabulary words are included, as well as one of four Domain-Specific vocabulary words.
• In Unit 10, Week 1, students complete the Build Vocabulary activity included in the Build Reflect Write section of the eBook, Forces: Going to the Extreme. Students fill out a chart with the following four words: efficient, feasible, impractical, resistance. Students use the new vocabulary strategies to determine their own definition for the words and a sentence using the words. These four words are listed in the General Academic and Domain-Specific list provided for the teacher in the Vocabulary Development. These words are in the texts read throughout this week, but they are not repeated from one text to another.

Students are supported to accelerate vocabulary learning with vocabulary in their reading, speaking, and writing tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• At the end of each unit, an Additional Resources section provides detailed guidance for the Vocabulary Routine, Define/Example/Ask (AR4). Teachers use this routine to introduce new words. Step 1: Define. The teacher provides a student-friendly definition of the word. Step 2: Example. The words are used in a sentence. Step 3: Ask. The teacher asks a question requiring students to use the word in their example. The Additional Resources includes another Vocabulary Routine (AR5). This routine can be used to introduce new words and extend tasks following the initial Define/Example/Ask routine. Step 1: Introduce the Word. The teacher introduces features of the word such as; a student-friendly definition, synonym, various word forms of the word and word partners and or sentences (compare/contrast). Step 2: Verbal Practice. Discuss the word, use sentence frames, and share favorite ideas to complete the frame. Step 3: Written Practice. Students use the word in writing through Collaborate, Your Turn, Be an Academic Author, or Writing an Academic Paragraph.
• In Unit 2, under Unit Resources for Responsive Teaching, the Vocabulary Development section provides vocabulary to be used during Speaking and Listening and when discussing reading selections. The section also includes General Academic and Domain-Specific vocabulary. For example, the following literary terms are provided: firsthand account, metaphor, simile, idiom, poetry versus prose, and point of view.
• In Unit 6, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 1, Unit Introduction, the teacher writes the Domain-Specific words mythology and holy grail on the board. Students watch the Unit 6 video and use audio and visual clues to determine the meaning of the words. At the end of the mini-lesson, there is a section titled “Developing Vocabulary Using Routines.” This section outlines how teachers should use the vocabulary routines found in Additional Resources and mentions the list of General Academic and Domain-Specific vocabulary that is provided in the Vocabulary Development section. Neither mythology nor holy grail are listed in the Vocabulary Development section.
• In Unit 7, Build Reflect Write, on page 19 of the consumable anchor text, students use strategies learned to find meaning and write a sentence for the words clamor, composed, distorted and undisputed from “Rome’s Augustan Age.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the expectations of Indicator 2g.

Each unit contains a three-week Culminating Research and Inquiry Project connected to the unit knowledge strand. The project requires additional student research on the topic and extends student learning. The short projects in the materials are discussions or related directly to the long research projects. Instructional materials provide limited support for teachers in implementing projects that develop students’ knowledge on a topic via provided resources. The materials provide rubrics for each of the Culminating Research and Inquiry Projects, as well as a pacing guide that includes Student Goals and Teacher Support. The instructional materials provide some resources and guides via Mini-Lessons, but the Mini-Lessons lack guidance in employing tasks needed to complete the Research and Inquiry Project.

The Research and Inquiry Project guidance establishes the expectation that students will complete the work, but no specific guidance is provided detailing how this work should happen. The Explore section provides the teacher with some ways to assist students if needed and a list of texts and ideas to help students brainstorm ideas for their projects. Materials provide opportunities for students to apply Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, and Language skills to synthesize and analyze their grade-level readings. Each Culminating Research and Inquiry Project requires students to reference a text and other outside resources. Students always present projects to the class. The Teacher’s Resource includes presentation expectations along with a rubric to guide both the students and the teacher.

Students have some opportunities to engage in a variety of research activities and projects across grades and grade bands. Each Research and Inquiry project contains the same components across the year: an introduction including three guiding questions (one connected to the unit’s Essential Question, one connected to the unit’s Enduring Understanding, and a question about how the knowledge gained through the research helped the student to better understand the topic or them), an exploration section with a few suggested texts, suggestions for the presentation, and a pacing chart with student goals and teacher resources. The teacher and student support is not specific and frequently repeats, verbatim, across units: “Before students conduct their own research, model how to reread and extract information from a unit text. Then model choosing, evaluating, and citing another information source that will help you answer the guiding questions.”

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, the Research and Inquiry Project is to select a character from the unit texts and one from your own reading to analyze how they respond to challenges. Guiding questions are as follows: “How has this fictional character’s story changed you? What did this character do or say to inspire you to change? Based on what you have read in the unit texts and in your own reading, what qualities do inspiring these characters have in common? Why do you think readers admire these qualities? How can the inspiring actions of fictional characters help people in real-life situations?” Students gather information from the unit and other print and digital sources and reflect on how confronting challenges is part of life and people learn from these situations. Students create a presentation on the topic using technology.
• In Unit 5, for the Culminating Research and Inquiry Project, students complete a project called Cutting Edge. The Teacher’s Resource contains a pacing guide, that shows the teacher how to plan the culminating task through the three weeks of the unit. The pacing guide includes Student Goals and Teacher Support. For example, under Week 1 for the Student Goals, the pacing guide states, “Select a research focus. Identify relevant information from the unit selection(s). Identify and evaluate sources of additional information and begin to conduct research.” Under Teacher Support for Week 1, the pacing guide states, “Work with groups who need assistance choosing a research focus. Create a content library with additional sources students will need, or arrange for groups to have library time.” This guidance for teachers repeats across all units without variation and does not include additional resources to support the teacher or students.
• In Unit 6, the Research and Inquiry Project is to choose two stories, one from the unit and another from your own reading, to compare and contrast characters and their quests. Guiding questions include: “Why are stories about quests so popular? What makes them appealing to readers? Based on what you have learned from the unit texts and your research, what do you think these characters learned from their quests? The quest is a recurring theme in literature. What other themes are common in literature?” Students gather information from the unit and other print and digital sources and reflect on how quests about heroes having to overcome obstacles to reach a goal are a part of most cultures folklore. Students create a presentation on the topic using technology.
• In Unit 7, for the Culminating Research and Inquiry Project students complete a project called Tour Guide. The Explore section in the Teacher’s Resource gives the following information: “If students need help in selecting an ancient civilization, preview the unit texts with them. Below is a list of examples from the unit texts. Encourage them to discuss what achievements they thought were the most interesting.” Underneath is a list of unit texts and the ancient civilizations they include, as well as the contributions that civilization made. This format for additional resources repeats across units yet it contains no additional support.
• In Unit 10, the Research and Inquiry Project is to select a modern mode of transportation and use additional resources to compare and contrast what has been learned about space exploration and bicycling. Guiding questions include: “How does this technology use physics to help us understand Earth? How can we apply the physics from this modern technology to other activities, such as sports? How can understanding physics help us in our everyday activities and tasks?” Students gather information from the unit and other print and digital sources and reflect on how scientists and engineers can use physics to develop technology for exploring the Earth and beyond helping us to improve our daily lives. Students create a presentation on the topic using technology.