9th Grade - Gateway 2

The HMH Collections reviewed for Grade 9 partially meets the expectations of indicator 2a. The Collections include texts that are organized around general common themes; however, the organization of the texts within the collections and across the textbook do not clearly guide students in building knowledge.

Thematic organizations over the course of the school year focus on types of interactions among people and groups. These themes are broad and may need teacher support to grow knowledge about a more focused component or topics within the theme itself. Collection themes are:

• Collection 1: “Finding Common Ground” includes selections about different cultures
• Collection 2: “The Struggle for Freedom” includes selections about people striving to make change in systems
• Collection 3: “The Bonds Between Us” includes selections about exploring what links people to other humans, pets, and communities
• Collection 4: “Sweet Sorrow” includes selections about a look at the universal themes of love and duty
• Collection 5: “A Matter of Life or Death” includes selections about how humans endure in the face of adversity
• Collection 6: “Heroes and Quests” includes selections examining the heroic tales of classical mythology and modern heroism, such as exploring space travel.

An example of how the texts within a collection are intended to respond to the theme is found in Collection 2: “The Struggle for Freedom.” Selections may have a common thematic thread but students may need extra support to understand the explicit and implicit connections among the text sets. Selections from Collection 2 include (but are not limited to):

• “I Have a Dream,” speech by Martin Luther King, Jr.
• AMERICA The Story of Us: March on Washington, video
• from Cairo: My City, Our Revolution, diary excerpt by Ahdaf Soueif
• “The Censors,” short story by Luisa Valenzuela

Collection 6 “Heroes and Quests” includes fiction and nonfiction texts showing human perseverance through the world. However, connection activities across texts do not consistently guide students to understand how the texts together promote the theme. Sample texts include, but are not limited to:

• Many excerpts from The Odyssey, epic poem by Homer
• “The Real Reasons We Explore Space,” an argument essay by Michael Griffin
• “The Journey,” a poem by Mary Oliver

About half of the organization of the texts within the collections and across the textbook do not clearly guide students in developing their ability to read and comprehend texts proficiently.

Examples of how the texts within the student textbook do not clearly guide students in developing their ability to read and comprehend texts proficiently can be found in the following:

The HMH Collections reviewed for Grade 9 partially meets 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. Materials contain sets of questions and tasks, but they do not consistently require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts. Over the course of the year, instructional materials stay consistent and do not grow in rigor across the year.

Each collection includes sets of questions and tasks that require students analyze texts.

• In Collection 1, students will answer questions and tasks that ask students to analyze items including, but not limited to, author’s claim, theme, text structure, central idea, rhetorical devices, and comparing the representation of a subject in two different mediums.
• In Collection 2, students will answer questions and tasks that ask students to analyze items including, but not limited to, rhetoric, connections between ideas and events, word choice, tone, point of view, and author’s choices.
• In Collection 3, students will answer questions and tasks that ask students to analyze items including, but not limited to, character, theme, author’s claim, vocabulary in context, point of view, word choice, tone, informational text structure, figurative language, and purpose.
• In Collection 4, students will answer questions and tasks that ask students to analyze items including, but not limited to, character motivations, parallel plots, source material, point of view, and transforming source material into a new expression.
• In Collection 5, students will answer questions and tasks that ask students to analyze items including, but not limited to, author’s purpose, rhetoric, word choice, tone, argument, central idea, summary, author’s choices, theme, and figurative language.
• In Collection 6, students will answer questions and tasks that ask students to analyze items including, but not limited to, elements of an epic poem, central idea, argument, and figurative language.

There are questions and tasks that ask students to analyze the language, key details, craft, and structure of texts, but they do not go to the necessary depth nor do they increase in rigor over the course of the instructional year. Although questions are provided, skills are inconsistently scaffolded, so they only sometimes build students’ overall comprehension or understanding of topics. In addition, teachers will often be unable to tell from students’ work whether they mastered concepts of each component. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Figurative language is intentionally taught in Collections 3, 5 and 6. There are text-dependent questions and tasks during and after the reading that focus on figurative language; however, they do not increase in rigor from Collection 3 to Collection 6. The questions require the same depth of knowledge and are not scaffolded. Collection 3 and Collection 5 have students analyze the same devices - imagery, word choice and their affect on tone. Collection 5 focuses a bit more on the connotation of words, but is essentially asking students to show mastery of the same skill - how imagery and word choice affect the tone of a poem. Collection 6 still focuses on levels of meaning, but this time asks students to interpret personification, metaphors, and extended metaphors. Also, teachers will be unable to tell from the tasks in the textbook whether individual students have mastered the concepts because there are no specific guidelines or rubrics provided, and much of the work is done in large or small groups or with partners.

The HMH Collections for 9th grade does contain sets of 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 of texts and topic. However, these questions and tasks are not scaffolded in a such a way that build knowledge throughout the year. Also, the rigor does not increase and it is unclear how a teacher will assess whether or not a student has mastered a concept.

The HMH Collections reviewed for Grade 9 partially meets the criteria that materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent and text-specific questions and tasks that require students to build knowledge and integrate ideas across both individual and multiple texts.The collections are organized around themes. Most of the large performance tasks at the end of each collection require students to integrate ideas across both individual and multiple texts; however, there are some that do so at a minimal level. The materials do contain some sets of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts; however, the materials do not provide consistent clear guidance for teachers in supporting students’ skills. Additionally, many of the questions and tasks are at the explicit level.

Below are representative examples of how the materials do contain some sets of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts; however, they do not provide consistent clear guidance for teachers in supporting students’ skills and do not prepare students to demonstrate mastery of integrating knowledge and ideas as an embedded part of their regular work by the end of the year.

• Within each lesson, text-dependent questions appear in the student edition in the “Analyzing the Text” section found after the text and during the reading of the teacher’s edition. There are typically four to six questions in the “Analyzing the Text” section after each selection. Most questions and tasks are not accompanied by enough instruction for the students to be successful in answering the questions. For example, in Collection 5, after “The End and the Beginning,” the prompt states, “Notice how the speaker repeats the word ‘someone’ throughout the poem. What statement about war is she making by using an indefinite pronoun rather than referring to a specific person?” (354). Earlier in the reading, the teacher’s edition has students identify an example of repetition and parallelism, asks students "what ideas the poet suggests are of similar or equal importance,” and finally asks students “how these acts contrast with the poet’s refrain of ‘someone has to . . .’” The only instruction provided is to “Point out that repetition is the use of a word or phrase again and again. Parallelism is the repetition of the same grammatical structure to show that two or more ideas are similar or equally important. Explain that repetition and parallelism may be used together.” This instruction is found only in the teacher’s edition and is given verbally, so, when students present their knowledge at the end of the text, they have no access to the instruction.
• Another example can be found in Collection 2, after an excerpt from Reading Lolita in Tehran and from Persepolis 2. The prompt states, “How is the rhetoric that both authors use effective in conveying their points of view? Explain with evidence from the texts” (86). The only instruction for this is provided verbally during the reading of Reading Lolita in Tehran in the Teacher’s Edition. It states: “Explain that authors use rhetoric, or persuasive and effective language, to advance or support their point of view.” Again, the students cannot access this instruction because it is found only in the teacher’s edition. Therefore, even though the lessons include text-dependent questions, the lack of instruction will not prepare students to demonstrate mastery of integrating knowledge and ideas.
• Within each collection, there are texts paired so students can analyze the connections. For example, in Collection 2, students connect the ideas and events in a history writing and a video. First, students read “Nobody Turn Me Around” by Charles Euchner. During the reading, the teacher edition contains sidebar text-dependent questions that focus on analyzing ideas and events, impact of word choice, and determining point of view; students' only access to these is if the teacher verbally asks the questions. Then students watch a video by History, “AMERICA The Story of Us: March on Washington,” and are instructed to “identify similarities and differences between the history text and the video. Write down any questions you generate as you watch the video” (71). This is the only instruction given to the students to help them compare and contrast multiple mediums. After viewing, there are prompts in the sidebar of the teacher’s edition to incite students’ thinking, but students only access to these is if the teacher verbally asks the questions. There are three text-dependent questions in the “Analyzing Text and Media” section of the student edition, but, as shown above, the support and guidance to show students how to do the skill of comparing media is minimal.

Representative examples of how many of the questions and tasks are at the lower end of depth of knowledge include, but are not limited to:

• Many pages have a “cite textual evidence” label; however, the sample answers often do not specifically cite the evidence and are at the explicit level.
  • For example, in Collection 1, after “The Gettysburg Address,” students are asked to draw conclusions: “What is the theme, or underlying message, of the Gettysburg Address? Are those themes still important today? Explain the underlying message and the American ideals the speech upholds” (30). The sample answer provided is: “The theme of the speech is that the ideals upon which the nation was created are worth preserving. It supports the ideals of freedom, democracy and equality, not only for the United States, but also for all nations built on the same pattern.” Textual evidence is not cited in this answer.
  • In Collection 3, after “At Dusk,” students are asked to interpret the following: “The speaker talks about the cat not hearing meanings of our words ‘nor how they sometimes fall short’ (line 8). What might this mean?” (150). The sample answer provided is: “The speaker might be referring to the difficulties that people sometimes have in communicating with each other” (150). Textual evidence is not cited.
  • After The Odyssey in Collection 6, students are asked to compare Penelope’s struggles with those of Odysseus. “What idea traits do both characters possess?” (418). The sample answer is: “Both characters endure extreme hardship, although Penelope’s struggles are more mental than physical. Both characters possess the ideal traits of heroes: strength, intelligence, courage, honor, loyalty, and devotion” (418). Textual evidence is not cited.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 partially meet the criteria that materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent and text-specific questions and tasks that require students to build knowledge and integrate ideas across both individual and multiple texts. As shown, much of the support and guidance for students is found only in the teacher’s edition. Students do not have access to the instruction or questions to initiate thinking when performing the tasks. This will make it difficult for students to complete the tasks and show proficiency.

The HMH Collections reviewed for Grade 9 partially meets expectations for providing questions and tasks that support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic or theme through integrated skills. Each unit typically provides a writing performance task as a culminating project that partially contains the necessary skills for reading, writing, speaking and listening. In some instances, the writing performance task requires components of research and the writing process. Speaking and listening skills are also required in some instances. To complete the performance tasks, students draw on their reading and analysis of the anchor selections, and they are also told they can conduct additional research. During each lesson within the unit, students also practice writing that generally leads to the culminating skill in the last lesson of each unit.

Students complete one to two Performance Tasks at the end of each collection. The Performance Tasks require students to further analyze the selections that have been read in the collection and to synthesize ideas. Students then present their findings in a variety of products, most often as a written piece. The questions and tasks preceding the task sometimes align and support students' understandings and abilities to complete the assignments, but direct connections from the text-dependent questions to the culminating tasks are not always clear, so it does not give the teacher usable knowledge of whether students are capable of completing tasks. Interactive lessons are available to help students understand the procedures and processes for writing, speaking, creating media presentations, and conducting research; however, they are not modeled or directly taught in relationship to the performance tasks. There are also specific grammar lessons that go along with each text which provide students with information to help them to understand and complete the performance tasks. Overall, there is limited support for teachers to discern if students are prepared to proficiently demonstrate their knowledge of a topic or theme through the culminating task.

A representative example of the program partially supporting students in demonstrating knowledge through an integrated culminating writing task includes, but is not limited to the Unit 3 Performance Task B. It directly relates to the collection theme of The Bonds Between Us as students create a multimedia presentation in a group that is about the way people form bonds with others. Students are expected to:

• Use “technology to share information through text, graphics, images and sound”
• Integrate “information from a variety of sources and media”
• Present “information and evidence from texts clearly, concisely and logically”
• Use “language and structures appropriate for a presentation”

There is limited support for students to proficiently complete the performance task.

• Writing tasks throughout the unit leading up to the performance task include a letter and a journal entry. Speaking and listening opportunities in the collection leading up to the task include a team debate, a response to literature, a poetry reading, and a public service announcement. Three of the performance tasks that occur after a text support Performance Task B. After “Monkey See, Monkey Do, Monkey Connect,” students are asked to debate perspectives on how humans relate to each other. After “With Friends Like These . . .,” students present their ideas about what creates a lasting friendship. After “Count On Us,” students do a media activity in which they create a public service announcement. Students can refer to the first two when thinking about how people form bonds with others. The other had students practice creating a media piece that had a clear and concise message, logical presentation, emotional hook, critical information, and a call to action. Although students do a media activity, there is no rubric and very few directions: “Use video, audio, or a poster format to produce your PSA. Remember to give your audience specific details and organize your visuals so that the message and call to action is clear” (152). The teacher will have no information for how ready students are to complete a much larger media activity based on these tasks.
• The directions for Performance Task B specifically tell students to “Reread ‘Monkey See, Monkey Do, Monkey Connect,’ and two other texts from the collection. Use the annotation tools in your eBook to find examples, details, and quotations about how bonds are formed” (HMH, 9th Grade, Collection 3 157). This is the only instruction students receive in supporting their thinking about the texts within the collection and how they relate to their presentation. The teacher’s edition has the following in the sidebar: “Suggest that students review any notes they made while reading the texts, as well as their answers to the Analyzing the Text questions for each selection” (157). There are some text-dependent questions in the “Analyzing the Text” feature after the readings that will support students’ thinking on this task, but they are subtle, and students may not know on which texts to focus for the Culminating Task.
  • For example, the first story in the collection,”When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,” reveals a ten-year-old’s perspective on a Bengali man who comes to dinner. At the end of the text, there are questions that ask about the relationship between the narrator and Mr. Pirzada: “Describe the gifts that Mr. Pirzada gives Lillia and how Lillia cares for these gifts” and “What does the pocket watch help Lilia understand about Mr. Pirzada and his situation?” (120).
  • The other text with text-dependent questions that support students’ thinking is “At Dusk:” “The speaker talks about the cat not hearing meanings of our words . . . What might this mean?” and “What connection does the speaker have to the neighbor at this moment?” (150).

The HMH Collections reviewed for Grade 9 partially meets 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.

This program targets key academic vocabulary words and provides some opportunities for students to practice the words within the contexts of readings, primarily in speaking activities during which students talk about words. However, writing tasks may or may not require the use of these words or be structured in a manner that would require students to use them. Additionally, there is no cohesive plan for the development of academic vocabulary. There are a lot of critical words targeted within the collection, but there is not enough practice for students to acquire a solid understanding. Additionally, groupings of these words are complex and numerous for one group. Vocabulary at this grade level lacks a coherent pattern, and there is no means for teachers to track a student’s usage or acquisition of these words.

The HMH Collections for 9th grade includes vocabulary that is repeated in various contexts, that is essential to understanding the text, and that are high value academic words. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Each Collection starts with an Academic Vocabulary section in the Plan pages. Within this section of the teacher’s edition, teachers are given general instructions on when to have students use these words: “Academic vocabulary can be used in the following instructional contexts - collaborative discussions, analyzing the text questions, selection-level Performance Task, vocabulary instruction, language and style and end-of-collection Performance Task(s)". In the student edition, the instructions say, “Study the words and their definitions in the chart below. You will use these words as you discuss and write about the texts in this collection”. Academic vocabulary includes words like attribute, commit, expose, initiate, and underlie (162).

Each text within the Collections also contains a “Critical Vocabulary” section. This includes vocabulary found in the reading. For example, in Collection 3’s science writing, “Monkey See, Monkey Do, Monkey Connect,” the critical vocabulary focuses on the technical meanings of the following words: empathy, chronization, contagion, cognition, and implication.

Although the Collections contain both academic and critical vocabulary, the opportunities for students to learn, practice, apply, and transfer those words into familiar and new contexts are limited. The support for students to accelerate their learning of the vocabulary with reading, speaking and writing tasks is generic and unclear. Also, the materials do not provide a way for the teacher to assess whether or not students have reached standard in their academic vocabulary growth. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Academic vocabulary is addressed in the following areas of the textbook: the Plan pages at the beginning of a collection, at least once during the reading in the “Applying Academic Vocabulary” section in the teacher’s edition, and in the student resources, “Glossary of Academic Vocabulary.”

The “Applying Academic Vocabulary” includes one to two of the academic vocabulary words found in the Plan pages at the beginning of the collection, and gives the teacher general instructions on how to incorporate some of the collection’s academic vocabulary. For example, in Collection 3’s poem, “At Dusk,” it says, “While discussing ‘At Dusk,’ incorporate the following Collection 3 academic vocabulary words: generate and trace. Ask students what details in the poem generate interest in the cat. Then have them trace the movements of the neighbor, pointing to the lines in the poem that tell them what she is doing” (148). There is no way to assess students’ understanding of these words or to monitor their usage.
The “Glossary of Academic Vocabulary” has all of the academic vocabulary and their definitions.

The Critical Vocabulary for individual texts is found during the reading and in a “Critical Vocabulary” section after the reading.

During the reading, the critical vocabulary is defined to the right of the text. There is also a “Critical Vocabulary” box in the teacher’s edition which has the teacher ask students a question using that word. For example, “exhort: King encourages the crowd to help make his dream of freedom come true. ASK STUDENTS to explain how King exhorts everyone in the crowd to work toward freedom and justice” (67). This has the teacher use the critical vocabulary word in a question, but does not require the students to use the word correctly.

The HMH Collections reviewed for Grade 9 partially meets 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. While the materials offer prompts and performance tasks, and students practice writing with each lesson, the materials/unit writing tasks do not increase students’ skills throughout the year, nor do they provide comprehensive support and scaffolding to help students reach the depth of writing that is required of these standards. As the year progresses, materials do not support raised expectations for student writing practice. Teachers may need to supplement instruction to ensure students are prepared for Grade 10 expectations.

The materials contain six collections which incorporate varied types of writing experiences, both on-demand and longer process writing. The materials include opportunities for students to write in all modes required by the CCSS-ELA writing standards for Grade 9 (argumentative, narrative, and informative). After each text is a performance task, and at the end of each collection is a culminating task that asks students to use text evidence from the selections that they have read. Writing spans the entire year, is used frequently, and generally coincides with texts and themes.

Each of the texts contain a performance task; however, not all of the tasks are writing-based. The supports, guidelines and instructions are found in a box on the bottom half of the page. In the cases in which the task is writing-based, students are usually not told the length of the writing and no rubric is included. It is unclear to students and teachers the intention of the assignment; in other words, what writing skill is being assessed and/or taught.

An example is found in Collection 5. After reading, “Deep Survival,” students are told to write an argument. In the student edition, the support, guidelines and instruction for this writing is given in four bullets. Students are not told the length of the writing and no rubric is included. Following is an example bullet: “Make notes about reasons that support your claim. Then, collect evidence that supports your reasons. Consider an opposing claim and list valid counterarguments” (336). The teacher’s edition has an additional paragraph in the sidebar that includes general ways for the teacher to support: “Review the terms claim, reasons, evidence, and counterarguments” (336)

The culminating tasks at the end of each collection have four sections - plan, produce, revise, and present - that cover three pages in the student edition. It is unclear how long a teacher should spend on each of the sections. Plan has students focus on the prompt, sometimes reread a model text from the collection, and organizer their ideas. Produce has students draft their writing and highlights the language and style lessons covered within the collection. Revise asks students to have a partner or group of peers review their draft. Present gives students the option of presenting their writing to the class or to a small group. Materials for students sometimes include graphic organizers as students make an effort to organize their writing. Although the writing spans the year and there are many opportunities, the instruction for the writing is minimal.

An example is found Collection 1, Performance Task B. Students are to write an analytical essay about the way an individual’s role in society is presented in the texts they have read. This is the first major writing assignment of the school year. Analysis writing is taught over the course of pages 41-43 in the student textbook. There is minimal instruction for students and minimal guidance for teachers as they teach these skills to students. The teacher may need to support instruction with extra planning in terms of time and lesson structure. Specific examples of minimal guidance for students includes, but is not limited to:

• On writing a thesis statement: “Once you have analyzed your chosen texts, you will need to develop a thesis statement. A thesis statement states your point of view on a subject. In this case, your thesis will express your ideas about the way an individual’s role in society is presented in the texts you have read” (41).
• On organizing an essay: “Your essay should include an introduction, a body, and a conclusion: Your introduction should include your thesis statement and the titles and authors of the works you are discussing; The body of your essay should present evidence in support of your thesis. Each paragraph . . . should focus on a main point that supports your thesis; The conclusion summarizes the main points in your essay and includes an original insight” (42).
• On language: “As you draft your analytical essay, remember that this kind of writing requires formal language and a respectful tone. Essays that analyze texts are expected to be appropriate for an academic context” (42).

The teacher’s edition contains some additional information for this performance task in the sidebar of the pages, but it is very general. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• To Support the Plan: “Suggest that students review any notes they made while reading the texts they have chosen to write about, as well as their answers to the ‘Analyzing the Text” questions for each selection. Since this performance task depends on careful analysis of each text, remind students to devote their planning time to reviewing and analyzing the texts” (41).
• To Support Revise: “As students apply the revision chart to their drafts, point out that an effective analysis includes a mix of direct quotations and examples. Suggest that they . . . ask themselves whether a wordy quotation could be replaced by a summarized example, or if a vague example could be replaced by a striking quotation” (43).

Not only is the scaffolding and support minimal within the materials, as the year progresses, materials do not support raised expectations for student writing practice. It is understood that there are higher expectations in student skills and knowledge as the year progresses so the expectations in Collection 6 should be higher than the expectations in Collection 1. There is also an understanding that there will be a clear progression of sophistication and expectations, however, the writing instruction throughout all of the Collections is the same. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• The rubrics for all culminating tasks at the end of each collection have the same criterion: ideas and evidence, organization and language, and contain minor differences. “Ideas and Evidence” level 4 for the analytical essay found in Collection 1 states: “An eloquent introduction includes the titles and authors of the works; the thesis statement presents a unique idea about the texts” (44). In Collection 6 for the analytical essay, it states: “An eloquent introduction includes the titles and authors of the selections; the thesis statement describes the view of the journey’s presented in the selections” (448).
• Argument essays are taught in Collection 2 and Collection 5. The guidelines and instructions are basically the same with small differences. In Collection 2, students are given four bullets to guide their thinking when writing their outline; in collection 5, it is a small paragraph. Collection 5 tells the students to “use formal language and a respectful tone” while drafting their essay, and requires at least two “valid reasons” to support the claim. The “Language and Style” for Collection 2 focuses on paraphrasing or summarizing; Collection 5 centers on transition words. These differences do not show a clear progression of sophistication, in fact the Collection 2 skills are more advanced than those taught in Collection 5.

The materials do contain a variety of writing experiences, but sometimes the writing that the book states is being taught does not match the writing the student is actually completing. An example is found in Collection 2.

• The Performance Task is labeled as an argument essay; however it is asking students to identify how authors from three different texts in the collection address the struggle for freedom in his or her society. The directions tell the students to make a claim, anticipate opposing claims and follow the organization of an argument, but the essential part of an argument is missing - students do not have to choose a position. Although this task directly relates to the theme, the task is asking students to write an analysis essay rather than an argument.

There is an online platform for students to collect their writings with MyWriteSource and my Notebook as well as a Performance Task Reference Guide. Interactive lessons are also included to help students understand the writing process and the modes in which they are asked to write. While those are available, there are no further explanations for teachers on how to use those lessons effectively to support students. Examples of some interactive lessons are:

• Writing Informative Texts
• Using Textual Evidence
• Writing Narrative Texts
• Writing an Argument
• Writing as a Process

The HMH Collections reviewed for Grade 9 partially meets the expectations 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. The only support for Independent Reading is a page at the end of each collection in the teacher’s edition; however, the guidance for teachers is general with minimal support. The independent reading program described on these pages develops slowly over the course of the six collections. Since the program is not fully defined until after Collection 6, it is unclear how students will regularly engage in reading outside of the class.

The Independent Reading page includes digital resources to support independent reading. The following are offered for each collection:

• An FYI site that offers online articles from magazines and newspapers. It directs teachers to help students choose a few articles to explore the topic that was explored in the connection.
• Additional Texts Collections suggests other readings.
  • Below are examples offered for Collection 3: “To My Dear and Loving Husband,” “Sonnet 18,” and “On My First Son,” and “Sonnet 43.” Instructions suggest having students pick a music style and rewrite one selection in that style. It is unclear how this task connects or supports independent reading, and there are no ideas on how to acquire these texts.
• Novelwise helps students find longer works. This resource includes introductory materials, worksheets, graphic organizers, and discussion guides.
• Nonfiction Connections suggest that teachers encourage students to read speeches, diaries, true-life accounts, newspaper articles, and political cartoons. No other guidance is given.

There is also a feature called Creating an Independent Reading Program. In Collection 1, the library is built and the class creates the rules. Collection 2 has the students choosing a book. Collection 3 discusses how and when students will complete the reading. Collection 4 describes how students can record their reading. Collection 5 explains one-on-one conferencing so teachers can assess students’ comprehension, and Collection 6 describes how students can share their books with classmates.

• In Collection 3, Daily Scheduled Time is offered to help students develop good independent reading habits. Below are suggested ideas:
  • “Schedule a time students can read . . . before the bell rings or at end of class. Try to keep the same time each day” (152b).
  • “Ask students to pick a reasonable length of time to read. Appoint a student to monitor the time” (152b).
  • "Establish clear expectations for in-class and out-of-class reading by doing the following
    • Work with students to create rules
    • Work with families to establish a reading homework policy
    • Hold reading contests throughout the year
    • Partner with libraries" (152b).
• In Collection 6, Opportunities for Social Interaction and Writing In Response to Books allow students to share what they know and learn about other books. Below are suggested ideas:
  • Small group discussions so students can show and summarize the book.
  • Have students reading the same book take turns reading passages aloud.
  • Have students compare and contrast books on similar topics.
  • After discussions, students state whether they would recommend their books.
  • Have students write notes before discussions.
  • “Encourage students to create a magazine-style review of books” (444b).
  • “Suggest students retell the book . . . in a different format” (444b).

The instructional materials for Grade 9 partially meet the expectations 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. Because this page is at the end of each collection, the independent reading program is slowly developed and how teachers will assess and hold students accountable isn’t addressed until Collection 5.