8th Grade - Gateway 2

The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 2a. 

The texts in each unit are connected by a grade-appropriate and cohesive topic/theme. Each unit also includes a related essential question. The sequence of texts and activities helps students build knowledge over the course of the unit. Activities and prompts throughout the materials focus on the themes, topics, and essential questions. 

Texts are connected by a grade-appropriate cohesive topic/theme/line of inquiry. Texts build knowledge and the ability to read and comprehend complex texts across a school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, materials focus on the psychology behind students’ own reactions to suspense. Students strengthen their analytical reading skills by examining how point of view, conflict, and irony work together to build suspense as they consider the essential question, “How do authors create suspense, and why are we drawn to it?” The unit includes core texts, “Button, Button” by Richard Matheson, “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl, “Ruthless” by William Demille, “Lather and Nothing Else” by Hernando Téllez, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” by Edgar Allan Poe, “The Cone” by H.G. Wells, and “The Psychology of Suspense” by R.J. Jacobs.

• In Unit 3, students read Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose and address the essential question, “What are the benefits and challenges of a jury system?” The novel is supported by three informational texts that build knowledge about the jury system, including “Presumption of Innocence” by New York Courts, which “outlines the responsibilities of a juror in ensuring a trial is fair and impartial.”

• In Unit 6, the content focuses on the debate over the time that school starts and the essential question, “What is the ideal school start time?” Students read various texts, including “Study: Later School Start Would Benefit Economy” by Kealey Bultena and “Changing School Start Times Has Ripple Effects-And Those Ripples Could Sink Many Families” by Johannah Haney. In the Discussion Lesson, students use what they have learned in the unit and evidence from various texts to answer the following questions in a class discussion: “What are the main concerns on both sides of the debate over school start times? Who would most benefit, and who would struggle the most from implementing a later school start time? Whose needs are most important to prioritize when making a decision?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 2b. 

Materials require students to analyze the key ideas, details, craft, and structure within individual texts and across multiple texts using coherently sequenced, high-quality questions and tasks. Multiple reading standards for this indicator are represented in each unit text. Teacher copies of lessons indicate the lesson skill focus is aligned to the standard. Independent tasks such as multiple choice and short response writing indicate standard alignment to analyzing key ideas, details, craft, and structure. Each unit guide indicates the reading lessons and aligned reading standards. The 8th Grade Scope and Sequence also references all standards addressed across all six units, including RL/RI 1-6.

For most texts, students analyze key ideas and details  (according to grade-level standards). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “Lather and Nothing Else,” students read “Lather and Nothing Else” by Hernando Téllez. While reading, students respond to the following prompts: “Find Evidence: Highlight three details that show the narrator’s growing conflict” and “Write: How do the narrator’s reflections develop suspense?”

• In Unit 3, Reading Lesson: “False Memories and How They Form,” students read “False Memories and How They Form” by Kendra Cherry. After reading, students answer the following questions: “Paragraphs 14-17: What role can emotions play in remembering past events?” and “Paragraphs 21-24: How does the brain inference, or ‘fill in gaps,’ when recollecting experiences?” 

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “The Concussion Gap: Head Injuries in Girls Soccer are an ‘Unpublicized Epidemic,’” students analyze how the author uses a comparison between football and girl’s soccer to explore the idea of sports that may have a high risk for concussions. After reading “The Concussion Gap: Head Injuries in Girls Soccer are an ‘Unpublicized Epidemic’” by Lee van der Voo, students analyze the risk of concussion by responding to “What is the relationship between the changes in girls’ soccer and the growing trend of player concussions?”

• In Unit 5, Reading Lesson: “What is Othering?” students read “What is Othering?” by Kendra Cherry. While reading, students answer questions. Questions include, but are not limited to, “Turn & Talk: How does the author use paragraphs 12-15 to develop ideas about othering?” and “Turn & Talk: In paragraph 25, the author explains that ‘the factors that define group boundaries…can often be quite arbitrary.’ How does the author develop this idea in paragraphs 26 and 27?” 

• In Unit 6, Reading Lesson: “Lack of Sleep Can Turn Kids Into ‘Zombies,’” students learn about factors contributing to sleep deprivation in teens. After reading “Lack of Sleep Can Turn Kids Into ‘Zombies’” by Stephen Ornes, students analyze how the “...text supports one or both sides of our essay prompt: What is the ideal

school start time?” Students then find evidence to support both sides of the argument. 

For most texts, students analyze craft and structure (according to grade-level standards). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “The Psychology of Suspense,” students read “The Psychology of Suspense” by R.J. Jacobs. After reading, students answer the following question: “What is the purpose of the italicized statement above paragraph 8, paragraph 17, and paragraph 19?”

• In Unit 2, Reading Lesson: “Letter from Frederick Douglass to Harriet Tubman," students “analyze how an author uses juxtaposition to develop the idea that hidden courage can have a bigger impact than public courage.” After reading the text, students respond to the prompt, “You have just read ‘Letter From Frederick Douglass to Harriet Tubman’ by Frederick Douglass. How does Douglass’ use of juxtaposition add to the development of ideas in his letter? Use text evidence to support your response.”

• In Unit 3, Act II, Pages 49-63: During Reading Questions, students read Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose. Students answer the question, “At the bottom of page 1, the stage directions tell us how the setting of the room is changing. What might this change be foreshadowing about the plot?” 

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “What a lifetime of playing football can do to the human brain,” students read “What a Lifetime of Playing Football Can Do to the Brain” by Brian Resnick and determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text. For, in the Independent Practice section, students respond to the following: “In paragraph 13, what does the phrase ‘evidence has only mounted’ indicate about the results of recent scientific studies of concussions?”

• In Unit 5, Reading Lesson: “The Star Beast,” students read “The Star Beast” by Nicholas Stuart Gray. During reading, students answer questions including, but not limited to, “Write: How does the author develop dramatic irony in this section?” and “Write: How do these paragraphs further develop the dramatic irony?”

• In Unit 6, Reading Lesson: “Lack of Sleep Can Turn Kids Into ‘Zombies,’” students read “How Lack of Sleep Can Turn Kids into ‘Zombies’ by Stephen Ornes and then analyze craft and structure as they respond to the Independent Practice questions. One example asks, “How does the section ‘Zombie-making biology’ use science to refute the idea that teens are just lazy?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 2c.  

Throughout the course of the year, most sets of questions and tasks support students’ analysis of knowledge and ideas. The materials build throughout the unit toward the culminating tasks, so most questions build on student knowledge to prepare them for the culminating task. The materials also include choice texts that provide opportunities for students to build knowledge through reading, answering questions, and responding to writing prompts. The related media explorations also provide knowledge-building opportunities. The materials provide opportunities for students to analyze across multiple texts. However, the materials do not clearly identify the appropriate standards (RL.9 and RI.9). 

Most sets of questions and tasks support students’ analysis of knowledge and ideas. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Related Media Exploration: “What Motivates People to Act Courageously?” students analyze historical and modern-day examples of courage. After reading, “Students reflect on the ideas they have explored by considering what motivates people to act courageously.”

• In Unit 4, Related Media Exploration: “Playing Through the Pain,” “students collaboratively engage with three videos and one graph, build knowledge about the unit topic, reflect on their lives and experiences, and discuss what they’ve learned.” One question students respond to relates to the risk of playing sports. Students explore the graph “Concussions per 10,000 competition exposures” and answer three questions related to risk and concussion. For example, “What does this graph reveal about the risks people take when playing high school sports?”

• In Unit 5, Related Media Exploration 1: “Why Was Communism In America Viewed As Both An Opportunity And A Problem?,” students engage in media to better understand the concern with communism in America. While watching “Communism’s Appeal Grows during the Great Depression,” students answer questions including, but not limited to, “According to the speakers, why did communism grow in popularity during the 1930s?” and “Why was there a growing fear of communism in America in the late 1940s and early 1950s?” At the end of the lesson, students respond to the following Independent Reflection prompt: “Based on the video and timeline, why was communism in America viewed as both an opportunity and a problem? Summarize evidence from the videos and use precise verbs in your response.” 

• In Unit 6, Related Media Exploration: “Analyzing Graphs to Support Your Argument,” “…students collaboratively engage with four graphs and charts, build knowledge about the unit topic, and discuss what they’ve learned.”  Students examine a table titled “Before-School Program Fee Schedule” from the Wake County Public Schools System. Students respond to questions such as, “What do you notice about the connection between school start times and the yearly fees for before-school programs?” 

Sets of questions and tasks provide opportunities to analyze across multiple texts as well as within single texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Discussion Lesson, students respond to the following prompt, “Consider each of the unit texts and their different suspense-building techniques. Which text had the moment of greatest suspense? Use evidence from the text and R.J. Jacobs’s ‘The Psychology of Suspense’ to support your response.” The students can choose from six texts from the unit. 

• In Unit 3, Reading Lesson: “False Memories and How They Form,” students read “False Memories and How They Form” by Kendra Cherry. During Independent Practice, students respond to the following prompt, “You have just read ‘False Memories and How They Form” by Kendra Cherry. How does the idea of false memories affect events in Twelve Angry Men? Cite evidence from the article to support your answer.”

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “The Concussion Gap: Head Injuries in Girls Soccer are an ‘Unpublicized Epidemic,’” students analyze two articles and respond to a two-part question. The question asks,  “How might the author of ‘What a lifetime of playing football can do to the human brain’ respond to paragraphs 32-34 in this article? Why do you think it is important to consider different perspectives on the same topic? Explain your answer.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 2d. 

The materials provide culminating tasks for each unit. Culminating tasks require students to demonstrate a variety of reading, writing, and speaking and listening standards. Almost all culminating tasks require students to use evidence from texts read throughout the unit. While the culminating task is often introduced towards the end of each unit, the materials require students to record evidence from texts they read throughout each unit that will support them as they respond to prompts. Culminating tasks often require students to present their tasks and utilize technology in some way. Culminating tasks are varied and often try to mirror real-life situations. The culminating tasks are broken into multiple lessons with lesson copies for both the teacher and the student.

Culminating tasks are evident and varied across the year and they are multifaceted, requiring students to demonstrate mastery of several different standards (reading, writing, speaking, listening) at the appropriate grade level, and comprehension and knowledge of a topic or topics through integrated skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Planning the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students break down the prompt, find evidence in the texts from the unit, draft their thesis statements, and outline their essays. In Drafting the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students write their drafts in response to the prompt, “Write an essay that compares and contrasts how the authors of ‘Ruthless’ and ‘The Cone’ build suspense. Use relevant evidence from both texts to support your response.” In Peer Reviewing the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students begin by reading their peer’s essay and using a Peer Review Checklist to annotate the essay. Then, students exchange notes with their partners and jot down ideas to revise their essays. This culminating writing task requires students to demonstrate mastery of reading, writing, speaking and listening. 

• In Unit 2, Planning the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Presentation, students break down the prompt, brainstorm for their presentation, and begin planning. The prompt states, “In this unit, you have read five poems in which individuals convey messages about courage. With a partner, prepare a presentation comparing and contrasting how two poets convey their messages.” During planning, students outline the key points for each part of the presentation and list the evidence they will use to support those points. In Drafting the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Presentation, students learn about strong visual presentations, review and analyze strong speaker notes, plan their presentations with partners, and draft their presentations. In Peer Reviewing the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Presentations, students use a peer review checklist to provide feedback on each other’s presentations. Then, they discuss and exchange feedback. Lastly, student pairs use the feedback they received to revise their presentations. In a later lesson, students can reflect on their presentations. This culminating writing task requires students to demonstrate mastery of reading, writing, speaking and listening. 

• In Unit 6, Planning the Culminating Task: Research-Based Argumentative Essay, students break down the prompt, draft a thesis, gather evidence, and begin to draft counterclaims and rebuttals. The prompt states, “Imagine that you have the opportunity to speak directly to your school’s student government about your school’s start time. In this final unit culminating task, a Research-Based Argument Essay, you will incorporate survey data and research into an essay to convince a specific audience of your stand on the ideal school start time for your school. Support your argument with evidence from your research.” The materials include a graphic organizer where students can record their claims and evidence. In Drafting the Culminating Task: Research-Based Argumentative Essay, students use an exemplar essay and rubric to draft their argumentative essays. In later lessons, students analyze writing samples and use their learning to make revisions to their essays where they address their audience directly and hook their readers with compelling evidence. Lastly, students review their works cited pages. This culminating writing task requires students to demonstrate mastery of reading, writing, speaking and listening. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 2f. 

The materials include research and writing activities and projects from the beginning to the end of the year. Materials provide opportunities for students to complete research activities tied to topics and core unit texts. Research standards are present in the Scope and Sequence for each unit. The language of research standards is referenced in all Unit Guides. Research is integrated throughout the curriculum and can be found in Related Media Exploration lessons and Culminating unit lessons. Students synthesize multiple texts and source materials to gain knowledge and understanding of the topic and record this information in a note-taking graphic organizer to be accessed in the culminating unit tasks. Materials provide opportunities for students to draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Professional development materials in PDF format, found under How-to Guidance, support teachers in guiding students to use graphic organizers to gather relevant information, writing exemplars, and understanding the Research Process. Guidance is available in the digital teacher resources found in the series of culminating tasks at the end of the unit.

Research projects are sequenced across a school year to include a progression of research skills according to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Planning the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students review key scenes from unit texts and choose evidence that reveals how authors use literary techniques to create suspense. Students use a graphic organizer to collect relevant evidence from unit texts. For example, “each selected literary technique needs to be supported with evidence.”

  • In Unit 4, Choice Board: Texts, students select two texts to read and annotate. Texts include, but are not limited to, “Why the Latest Effort to Make Youth Football Safer Could Fail” by Ryan Swanson and “Playing Teen Sports May Protect From Some Damages Of Childhood Trauma” by Susie Neilson. Students then complete their Independent Research Notes and take notes for their culminating project. The graphic organizer asks students to find evidence to determine if playing contact sports is worth the risk. 

  • In Unit 6, Review: Formatting Your Works Cited Page, students learn the standard format for citation (MLA). The lesson contains seven parts: Identifying Texts and Multimedia Sources Referenced in Your Task, Review Works Cited Formatting for Texts, Independent Practice: Starting Your Works Cited with Reading Texts, Publish and Celebrate Your Work, Review Works Cited for Charts and Graphs, Updating Your Works Cited with Multimedia Formats, and Checking Your Works Cited List. When students create their own work cited page, they use checklists to ensure they include the correct information and cite in the appropriate way. 

Materials support teachers in employing projects that develop students’ knowledge of different aspects of a topic via provided resources. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials support teachers in employing projects by providing tools found under Professional Development in the How-To Guidance. One tool is a PDF called “Research Process.” The first part of this teacher tool provides “A method for identifying sources and gathering evidence to answer an inquiry and prove a thesis.” The second half of the tool addresses how teachers can guide students through hurdles during research, “Some students may find it difficult to move from step to step. Below are some common student challenges during the research process and possible solutions.”

• In Unit 4, Research Note Taking Graphic Organizer, the materials provide a graphic organizer for students to use to record the views on contact sports that students will be reading throughout the unit. The graphic organizer lists the anchor text titles and then has a place for students to add evidence and examples for “Yes, playing contact sports is worth the risks” and “No, playing contact sports isn’t worth the risks.” The Teacher Copy lists examples of evidence that a student may write down. 

Materials provide many opportunities for students to synthesize and analyze content tied to the texts under study as a part of the research process. 

• Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 4, Planning the Culminating Task: Argumentative Presentation, students respond to the following prompt: “In this culminating task, you will work individually to create an advertisement which expresses your position on the following question: are contact sports worth the risk? The purpose of this advertisement is to convey your claims through text and visual media.” Students use their Research Note-Taking Graphic Organizer to find evidence for this culminating task. 

  • In Unit 6, Planning the Culminating Task: Research-Based Argumentative Essay, students respond to the prompt: “Incorporate survey data and research into an essay to convince a specific audience of your stance on the ideal start time for your school.” Students draw on six informational texts and three graphs/charts in order to explore the prompt relating to school start times. 

  • Opportunities to generate individual research questions are not evident in the materials. 

• Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Planning the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students draw on evidence from six core literary texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. The task requires students to “Identify 4-5 pieces of evidence from each text that reveal how the author used at least two literary techniques to build suspense.” In the Grade 8 Analysis Rubric, students are scored on six required components, one being Analysis and Reasoning, which states, “Analysis clearly identifies how the development of contrasting points of view create emotional effects in the reader/audience.”  

  • In Unit 2, Drafting the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Presentation, the materials provide a rubric for the culminating task. In order to earn a 4, the students need “Strong, relevant evidence thoroughly supports the claim and demonstrates complete comprehension of sources.” 

  • In Unit 4, Writing Lesson: Drafting the Culminating Task Pitch, students plan their culminating task pitch to go along with their argumentative presentation. Students read through an Exemplar Pitch Outline, where the pitch provides four pieces of evidence to help support their pitch. While planning, students are expected to incorporate evidence into their pitch. After planning their pitch, students present the pitch to a partner, and the partner provides feedback. One pitch component on the feedback form states, “The problem was highlighted, along with evidence.” 

  • In Unit 6, Planning the Culminating Task: Research-Based Argumentative Essay, students respond to the prompt: “Incorporate survey data and research into an essay to convince a specific audience of your stance on the ideal start time for your school.” Students draw on six informational texts and three graphs/charts in order to explore the prompt relating to school start times. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 2g. 

Materials spend the majority of instructional time on content that falls within grade-level aligned instruction, practice, and assessments. Aligned grade-level standards are stated clearly in the materials. Questions and tasks are aligned to reading, writing, language and speaking and listening standards in a majority of the lessons. Grade-level standard-aligned assessments are found in vocabulary quizzes, grammar quizzes, and culminating writing tasks at the end of each unit. Multiple reading and writing and speaking and listening standards are repeatedly addressed within and across units to ensure mastery of grade-level standards. Although the Scope and Sequence indicate most of the standards are represented, some standards are missing or represented only once.

Over the course of each unit, the majority of instruction is aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Most Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are taught throughout the school year as recorded in all Unit Guides: Unit at a Glance, Skill Focus, Arc of Reading and Writing Instruction, Vocabulary, Discussion, and Grammar Sections. Materials record standards in brackets next to skills in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language. Grade level standards are indicated in the teacher copy of unit lesson overviews, specifically in the skill focus and Independent multiple choice and short answer questions. 

• In Unit 2, Writing Lesson: Including Context About the Author or Speaker, students learn about providing context about an author or speaker when introducing evidence. This relates to standard W.8.2c. The materials look at sample texts and determine how they introduced the same piece of evidence. Students analyze which of the two samples provides context for their evidence and how this improves the writing. The Teacher Copy includes exemplar responses for this analysis. Students also provide notes on when to add context and examples of context. Students answer some Think & Share questions and Turn & Talk questions, including, but not limited to, “Based on the notes, what type of context do you always include when introducing evidence from a nonfiction text?” 

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “The Concussion Gap: Head Injuries in Girls Soccer are an Unpublicized Epidemic,” students read the article by Lee van der Voo. The recommendation is that this lesson is teacher lead. During reading, teachers prompt students to pause and answer questions such as, “Turn & Talk: How might publicizing the high number of concussions affect girls’ soccer?” and “Think & Share: How does the author suggest that girls’ soccer leagues earn from what is happening in boys’ football?” The Teacher Copy includes exemplar student answers for the teacher in blue. Students then answer Independent Reading questions such as “What is the relationship between the changes in girls soccer and the growing trend of player concussions?” and “Which statement best reveals how the distinction between ‘contact sport’ and ‘collision sport’ could affect the way people view girls’ soccer?” These all address standard RI.8.3.

• In Unit 5, Related Media Exploration 1: “Why Was Communism In America Viewed As Both An Opportunity And A Problem?” students engage in multiple grade-level standards. Students build knowledge about the appeal and fear of communism in the 1940s as they “...collaboratively engage with one video and a timeline, build knowledge about unit themes, and discuss what they’ve learned” (RI.8.2, RI.8.7, W.8.2, W.8.7, W.8.8, SL.8.1, SL.8.2). At the beginning of the lesson, teachers use a slide deck to lead students in some introduction to the topic. Students review key terms in pairs and then “Paraphrase the difference between communism and capitalism.” Then, teachers show a video and prompt students to work in pairs to answer questions. Next, students review a timeline and answer questions in pairs. The Teacher Copy provides exemplar student responses for the teacher. Students then engage in an independent reflection and a short whole class discussion. 

Over the course of each unit, the majority of questions and tasks are aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “The Tell-Tale Heart,” students “analyze how an author builds suspense through the point of view and setting” (RL.8.3, RL.8.6). The task requires students to read and respond to During Reading questions and analyze how Edgar Allan Poe builds suspense in the short story. During Reading questions align with grade-level standards, for example, “How does the sound of the old man’s heartbeat affect the reader?”

• In Unit 2, Grammar and Usage Activities Set, students complete ten activities focusing on conditional verb mood. In the activities they examine conditional sentences and write conditional sentences correctly. These activities align with standard L.8.1c. 

• In Unit 5, Writing Lesson: Introducing Evidence with Reasoning, the task requires students to Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly, which aligns with grade-level standard W.8.1a. Students respond to a prompt in order to practice introducing evidence and reasoning. The prompt references the poem “The Neighbor’s Wife” by Susan Palwick and asks students to write a short response answering, “Do you think the neighbors are right to accept the alien? Why or why not? Make sure to practice introducing your evidence with reasoning and to incorporate relevant unit vocabulary in your writing.”

• In Unit 6, Choice Board: Texts, students work to determine central and supporting ideas in a text (RI.8.2). During the lesson, students choose from six texts and read them while taking notes on evidence that supports a later school start time or an earlier school start time. Students will then use their evidence to support their work with the following culminating task, “Imagine that you have the opportunity to speak directly to your school’s student government about your school’s start time. In this culminating task, a Research-Based Argument Essay, you will incorporate survey data and research into an essay to convince a specific audience of your stance on the ideal start time for your school. Support your thesis with evidence from your research.” This addresses standards W.8.1 and W.8.7. 

Over the course of each unit, the majority of assessment questions are aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Grammar and Usage Quiz, students are assessed on using various types of phrases. Quiz directions state, “Write two original sentences using the provided verb. Use different verb forms for each sentence: the gerund, participle, or infinitive form of the verb.” This task is aligned to grade level standard L.8.1b.

• In Unit 4, Grammar and Usage Quiz, students take a grammar quiz on sentence variety. Students are asked to revise a paragraph so that it contains at least one compound sentence, one complex sentence, and one compound-complex sentence. This addresses standard L.8.2a. The standard is listed in the unit guide but not on the quiz. 

• In Unit 5, Drafting the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students’ final assessment for the unit is writing an essay. The essay requires students to “...analyze whether authors from two unit texts agree or disagree with the following quotation from scholar and social activist Chuck Collins…” The Grade 8 Literary Analysis Rubric is used to assess mastery of the task. 

• In Unit 6, Reading Lesson: “Changing School Start Times Has Ripple Effects - And Those Ripples Could Sink Many Families,” students read the text by Johannah Haney. After reading, students answer four Independent Practice questions that all relate to a standard. Questions include, but are not limited to, “Which statement best describes the effect of the line ‘I have vacillated between fury, panic, sadness, and confusion’ in paragraph 1?” (RI.8.4) and “Which statement best captures the author’s point of view in this article?” (RI.8.6). This entire lesson is meant to be completed independently by students. 

By the end of the academic year, standards are repeatedly addressed within and across units to ensure students master the full intent of the standard. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, the standard RL.8.6 is repeatedly addressed within and across units to ensure mastery of the standard. Students practice this standard by analyzing how an author builds suspense using these reading lessons: “Button, Button” by Richard Matheson, “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl, and “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe.

• In Unit 2, Reading Lesson: “JFK’s ‘Race to Space’ Speech (excerpted),” students read John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s speech. During reading, students answer a variety of questions, including “How does Kennedy strengthen his ideas through the use of rhetorical questions?” During Independent Practice, students answer the following question: “Which of the following best identifies the central idea of this text?” These questions align with standard RI.8.2. In Unit 4, students read “What A Lifetime of Playing Football Can Do To The Human Brain” by Brian Resnick. After reading, students respond to the following question, “Which statement best expresses the central idea of the article?” This also aligns with standards RI.8.2. 

• In Unit 3, speaking and listening standards are practiced daily, as stated in the unit guide, “In all CommonLit units, students discuss the texts they read daily. In addition to multiple opportunities for informal discussion, there is one formal whole class discussion that allows students to learn how to acknowledge new information and justify their views when new evidence is presented.” The speaking and listening standard requires students to “Review the key ideas expressed and demonstrate understanding of multiple perspectives through reflection and paraphrasing,” ensuring mastery.

• In Unit 4, Planning the Culminating Task: Argumentative Presentation, students respond to the following prompt: “In this culminating task, you will work individually to create an advertisement which expresses your position on the following question: are contact sports worth the risk? The purpose of this advertisement is to convey your claims through text and visual media.” This culminating task addresses a few standards, including W.8.1. In Unit 6, Planning the Culminating Task: Research-Based Argumentative Essay, students also work on a task that addresses W.8.1. Students complete the following prompt for this culminating task: “Imagine that you have the opportunity to speak directly to your school’s student government about your school’s start time. In this culminating task, a Research-Based Argument Essay, you will incorporate survey data and research into an essay to convince a specific audience of your stand on the ideal start time for your school. Support your thesis with evidence from your research.” 

• In Unit 5, standard W.8.2 is repeatedly addressed within and across units to ensure mastery of the standard. The Arc of Writing Instruction in the unit guide includes four writing lessons aligned to the grade level writing standard W.8.2. Also, the  Related Media Exploration 1: “Why Was Communism In America Viewed As Both An Opportunity And A Problem?” is aligned to W.8.2. Three other units also include culminating tasks involving writing a literary analysis, which aligns to this grade-level standard.

• The following standards are missing or only taught once throughout the school year: RL.8.7, RL.8.9, RI.8.6, RI.8.8, RI.8.9, W.8.3, W.8.6, W.8.9, L.8.3, L.8.5, and SL.8.3.

The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 2h. 

The implementation schedules align with the core learning and objectives and can reasonably be completed in the time allotted. The materials contain six units, with each unit taking five to seven weeks to complete, assuming 45 minutes of instruction a day. The pacing guide includes flextime for teachers to utilize for completing previous activities, independent reading, supplemental text activities, or additional unit writing options. Optional activities are provided. They do not distract from learning, and they enhance core instruction. Most optional tasks can be found under the Additional Materials tab. Optional tasks may include writing prompts, book clubs, and additional texts. Optional tasks relate to the unit’s essential questions and focus on the skills students are learning in the unit.

Suggested implementation schedules and alternative implementation schedules align to core learning and objectives. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The resource Scope and Sequence outlines materials for the units over the course of the year. There are six units: three thematic units, one research, one drama, and one argumentative. Each unit includes focus skills for reading, writing, and speaking and listening. The Pacing Guide for each unit provides some options for flex time. The materials say, “Supplemental texts, independent reading, vocabulary activities, and grammar activities can often be assigned as homework or completed during flex time. Teachers should expect to revise pacing as needed.”  

• In the Unit Guides, core learning can be seen under the Unit at a Glance. The guide provides an essential question, the length of the unit with the link to the pacing guide, unit texts, and focus skills tied to grade-level standards addressed for all core learning and objectives. 

• Each Unit Guide provides a suggested implementation guide broken out week by week. For example, Unit 1, Week 1 suggests an optional writing baseline assessment on Monday, an introduction to the unit and a vocabulary activity set on Tuesday, a reading lesson on Wednesday, an extension of that reading lesson on Thursday, and a vocabulary activity set and writing lesson on Friday. Week 1 aligns with core standards in reading, writing, language, and speaking and listening skills. 

Suggested implementation schedules can be reasonably completed in the time allotted. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “The Cone,” teachers find a suggested implementation of 105-110 minutes. The pacing guide suggests completing this text and the activities for this text in two days, which may be difficult for a 45-minute class period. The suggested implementation for facilitation is independent work. In order to implement this lesson based on the suggested allotted time, teachers would need to assign parts of this lesson outside of class time. The pacing guide does suggest, “Supplemental texts, independent reading, vocabulary activities, and grammar activities can often be assigned as homework or completed during flex time.” Considering most of this lesson is done independently, using flex time might be required to complete this lesson within the allotted time. 

• In Unit 4, the pacing guide suggests students spend two days on “What a LIfetime of Playing Football Can Do to the Human Brain” by Brian Resnick. On the first day, students complete the “What a Lifetime of Playing Football Can Do to the Human Brain” slide deck, read the text, and complete the Research Note-Taking task. On the second day, students complete Vocabulary Activity Set List 1: Activity 3 and 4, “What a Lifetime of Playing Football Can Do to the Human Brain” Independent Practice, and conduct a Student-led Discussion. The allotted time for this reading lesson is about 60 minutes; therefore, students should be able to complete the reading lesson and the vocabulary activity in two 45-minute class periods. 

• In Unit 5, Narrative Writing Prompt, students “Rewrite ‘The Neighbor’s Wife’ as a narrative from the perspective of ‘the new Marella.’” Students are allotted a suggested 45 minutes to complete this narrative, which requires students to establish a problem, situation, or setting, use correct pronouns, transitions, dialogue, precise words, and a conclusion. A Grade 8 Narrative Writing Rubric is included in this task. Suggested implementation includes a grammar and usage activity during the same class period. This activity is allotted 45 minutes, which students should be able to complete in one class period.

Optional tasks do not distract from core learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Independent Reading and Book Club Resources, found under Additional Materials, teachers are provided with a resource that can be used simultaneously with core learning. Students are provided a list of texts and are encouraged to choose a reading response question from a menu to demonstrate understanding of the text. All novels explore “...the unit’s essential question: How do authors create suspense, and why are we drawn to it?” 

• In Unit 2, Supplemental Texts and Lessons under Additional Materials, the materials provide a Guidance for Supplemental Text Sets document. Under the heading “Why use supplemental texts?” the materials state, “...teachers can use the texts to support and challenge a wide range of learners.” The materials also provide four suggestions for how to implement the texts: Independent In-Class reading, Small Group or Partner In-Class Reading, Homework, or Student Choice. 

• In Unit 3, Supplemental Texts and Lessons, found under the Additional Materials tab, teachers can offer optional practice in reading texts that align with the theme of the unit. For example, “The Scottsboro Boys” by Jessica McBirney provides students insight into the criminal justice system and how it failed to bring justice to nine boys in 1931. This text provides another opportunity for students to reflect on the essential question, “What are the benefits and challenges within our jury system?” The text should not distract from learning and instead provides background information to better understand the theme of this unit. 

• In Unit 6, Supplemental Texts and Lessons under Additional Materials, the materials provide five texts related to the Unit. The essential question for Unit 6 is, “What is the ideal school start time?” Supplemental texts include, but are not limited to, “Should Your School Day Start Later?” by Steph Smith and “Self-Care” by Set to Go. 

Optional tasks are meaningful and enhance core instruction. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Supplemental Texts and Lessons, found under the Additional Materials tab, teachers can provide options for independent reading that aligns with the unit’s theme. For example, “Antigonish [I met a man who wasn’t there]” by Hughs Mearns is one optional text that provides practice analyzing poetry. The poem addresses the essential question relating to building suspense and also provides practice analyzing repetition and tone. 

• In Unit 2, Independent Reading and Book Club Resources under Additional Materials, the materials provide the Independent Reading Materials Unit 2: Conveying Courage Independent Reading Teacher Guide. The materials provide general questions and unit-specific questions. Unit-specific questions relate to what students have been learning about over the course of the unit. One question states, “After reading your book and the unit texts, what personal traits or beliefs are necessary to act courageously? Explain your answers.”

• In Unit 3, Writing Baseline Assessment, found under the Additional Materials tab, teachers can provide students with a writing baseline that assesses student strengths and weaknesses. The materials include a Grade 6-10 Argumentative Writing Rubric, a Student Feedback Form, and a Writing Baseline Assessment Goal Setting Tool. These tools can be used by teachers and students to build skills and understanding in argumentative writing.

• In Unit 4, Additional Unit Writing Options, under the Additional Materials tab, the materials provide an additional writing prompt that teachers may choose to use. The Teacher Copy provides a Note to Teachers that states, “Included here are two additional unit writing opportunities. These optional prompts are meant to be used in addition to the Culminating Task. You may choose to incorporate one or more of these prompts throughout the unit in a way that best aligns to the needs and interests of your students.” The prompt for option one states, “Is playing contact sports worth the risk? Write an essay in which you use evidence from the last three texts to support your claims on this question.” Option two states, “In this unit, you have read about the harmful effects of playing contact sports. Write a letter to your board of education urging them to adopt safe playing practices within your school’s athletic programs.”