7th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria of Indicator 1a. 

Anchor texts are of high quality, are engaging, and are worthy of multiple reads. The unit texts tie closely to essential questions over the course of the year. A variety of texts consider a range of student engagement and interest such as a novel, speeches,  informational texts, essays, poems, and short stories. 

Anchor texts are of high-quality and consider a range of student interests, are well-crafted, content rich, and engage students at their grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, students read “The White Umbrella” by Gish Jen. The short story helps students reflect on the essential question, “How do a community’s shared values create both belonging and rejection?” The young Chinese-American character longs for an umbrella that she believes will provide her with a certain image and sense of community belonging. Students will relate to the main character’s need for material desires and the task of persuading parents to provide those material items in order to fit in at school or another community. The text offers practice and guidance in analyzing character motivations and interactions, which will be applied to other texts in this unit. 

• In Unit 2, students read “The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan. The text is written from the perspective of a middle school student who has not been invited to another student’s party. The story is written in first-person perspective and provides insight into the narrator’s thoughts and opinions. The story contains a variety of sentence structures and dialogue. The experience could resonate with many middle school students.    

• In Unit 3, students read the complete memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson. Jacqueline Woodson tells the story of her childhood in verse and addresses how she has always felt halfway home, raised in South Carolina and New York, which ties into the unit’s essential questions about belonging and rejection in a community. Brown Girl Dreaming has earned the National Book Award and is a Newbery Honor winner. Students gain an understanding of the historical time period relating to segregation. 

• In Unit 4, students read “This is Your Brain on Instagram: Effects of Social Media on the Brain” by Kelly McSweeney. The text discusses the science behind how social media impacts our brains. This is a topic relevant to many students that should engage them with the topic and the essential question for the unit, “Is social media more risky or more rewarding for teens? How can we promote teens making better decisions online?”

• In Unit 5, students read the speech “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth. The text ties to the unit’s essential question, “How does a speaker motivate or persuade their audience?” as she makes a strong case for equality for women. This well-known speech challenges students to understand tone, rhetorical devices, and allusion in order to understand how Sojourner Truth influences an audience.

• In Unit 6, students read “Five Life Skills I Learned in Marching Band” by Donna Krache. In this opinion essay, a former band student writes about her experience. The text is broken into five sections that focus on the lessons Krache learned while in the band. The text discusses lessons that can be applied to students’ lives, and many middle school students could relate to the author’s experience. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1b.

The materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required for the grade level. Text types include, but are not limited to, short stories, speeches, memoirs, and informational texts. Over the course of the year, materials include 19 informational texts and 13 literary texts, resulting in a 59/41 balance of informational and literary texts. This should support achieving a 55/45 balance of informational and literary texts as required by grade-level standards. In addition to core texts in each unit, some units include choice texts where students read additional texts based on their interest level. 

Materials reflect the distribution of text types/genres required by the grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 1, students read “Where I’m From” by Misa Sugiura. This short story has a Japanese American narrator who describes situations where she must respond to the question, “Where are you really from?” The story moves through the narrator’s various ages. 

• In Unit 3, students read Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. In this award-winning memoir, Woodson tells about her life in a series of poems. This memoir covers Woodson’s life growing up in the 1960s and 1970s in South Carolina and New York. 

• In Unit 4, students read “Why Young Adults Are Taking a More Mindful Approach to Social Media” by Jessica Matlin. In this article, the teens describe how they are more mindful of the way they approach social media. This lesson builds reading independence and practice in research note-taking that students will use for the culminating unit task. 

• In Unit 5, students read “Ain’t I a Woman” by Sojourner Truth. In this impromptu speech, Truth makes a case for women’s rights. The speech was delivered at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention in 1851.

• In Unit 6, students read “The Value of Taking Electives” by Ashleigh Lutz. This essay reflects on the importance of electives for students. Students read and respond to the essential question, “How do different electives motivate students and prepare them for the future?” and gain knowledge about the “lifelong value of exposure to different electives.”

Materials reflect a 55/45 balance of informational and literary texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 1, students read eight core texts. In this unit, 25% of the texts are informational, and 75% of the texts are literary. 

• In Unit 2, students read eight core texts. In this unit, 25% of the texts are informational, and 75% of the texts are literary. 

• In Unit 3, students read one core text. In this unit, 100% of the core texts are literary.

• In Unit 4, students read four core texts. In this unit, 100% of the texts are informational. 

• In Unit 5, students read six core texts. In this unit, 100% of the texts are informational. 

• In Unit 6, students read five core texts. In this unit, 100% of the texts are informational.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1c. 

The materials have the appropriate level of complexity according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and the relationship to their associated student task. The materials provide a core unit text list for each unit that provides the title, author, and genre for each core text, as well as the Lexile level and description. A rationale for educational purposes for most of the core unit texts can be found in the Unit Guide for each unit. The description of each text includes how students will use most texts and how the text supports knowledge and understanding of other texts within the same unit. Materials include a text complexity analysis and an explanation of the relationship of texts to the associated student task in an additional spreadsheet. The text analysis spreadsheet contains the text, author, text type, and text description; quantitative measures such as Lexile and length; and qualitative measures such as text structure, language features, purpose/meaning, knowledge demands, and reader and task. 

Anchor/core texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, students read “How the Need to Belong Influences Human Behavior” by Kendra Cherry. The publisher-provided verified quantitative measure of this informational text is 1240L. The overall qualitative measure is moderately complex. Students engage in three associated student tasks that meet grade-level expectations for this text, including a final task that entails a partner discussion around text-based prompts. 

• In Unit 2, students read “First Day Fly” by Jason Reynolds. The publisher-provided quantitative measure of this short story is 880L, with a verified Lexile of 870L, placing it below grade level. The overall qualitative measure is very complex. Students read this text partially independently and partially with partners. During the Further Analysis Questions section, students are asked to reread parts of the text to understand figurative language further. Four student tasks are associated with this text, and the final task is a discussion where students compare the narrator in this text to the speaker in “Saturday at the Canal” by Gary Soto. 

• In Unit 4, students read “Teens Say Social Media Isn’t as Bad for Them as You Might Think” by Katie Notopoulos. The publisher-provided quantitative measure of this informational text is 1240L, with a verified Lexile of 1270L, placing it above level. The overall qualitative complexity level is moderately complex. Students read this text independently and complete a research note-taking graphic organizer that they use to help answer the unit’s essential questions: “Is social media more risky or more rewarding for teens? How can we promote teens making better decisions online?”

• In Unit 6, students read “Dinner At Home Is Main Ingredient For Healthy Eating” by Meredith Cohn. The publisher-provided quantitative measure is 1270L, with a verified level of 1260L. The summary of the qualitative measure of this news article is moderately complex. Students read this text independently with some guidance on taking notes. The students take notes on a graphic organizer to help them with the culminating task, where they respond to the prompt, “Which of the following three electives would you save and why: Computer Science, Cooking, or Music?”

Anchor/Core texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by an accurate text complexity analysis and a rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The beginning of each unit includes a Core Unit Texts list. This list provides the title, author, and genre for each core text, as well as the Lexile level and description. 

• A publisher provided spreadsheet includes quantitative and qualitative analysis data for each text, as well as reader and task consideration information. This spreadsheet includes tabs for each Grade and Unit in the program. Information provided in this spreadsheet is as follows:

  • Text Summary information

    • Grade Level

    • Unit

    • Title

    • Author

    • Text Type 

    • Text Description

  • Quantitative measurement

    • Lexile Level

    • Word Count

  • Qualitative Measurement

    • Text Structure

    • Language Features

    • Purpose/Meaning

    • Knowledge Demands

  • Reader and Task

    • Considerations for Reader and Task

• Each unit includes a Unit Guide that lists the Unit Texts and Supplemental Texts and their titles, genres, Lexile, and descriptions. The description includes information on what the student will do with the text. For example, in Unit 4, students read the informational text “Why Young Adults Are Taking a More Mindful Approach to Social Media” by Jessica Matlin. The description includes a section that states, “As students read, they will track details to determine the author’s point of view.” 

• The accuracy of the provided quantitative measures was verified using MetaMetrics or determined using the Lexile Text Analyzer on The Lexile Framework for Reading site. The accuracy of the provided qualitative measures was verified using literary and informational text rubrics.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1d.  

The materials provide a variety of texts at appropriate complexity levels for the grade band, which supports students’ literacy growth. The complexity is mixed throughout the units. The quantitative measures generally increase throughout the year, and the qualitative measures range from slightly complex to very complex. The overall quantitative complexity measures across the year range from 570L–1340L. Over the course of the year,13% of texts lack quantitative ratings because they are Non-Prose. All units provide an opportunity for students to grow their literary skills. Reading includes whole group, partner reading, and independent reading. Tasks include During Reading Questions, Turn and Talk Partner Discussions, and Independent Questions. The Teacher’s Copy of the resource provides directions on how to facilitate the lesson, such as recommendations on what reading modalities to use, when to use supportive During Reading Questions, and when to circulate to check for understanding. The recommended lesson facilitation is provided for all texts. 

The complexity of anchor texts students read provides an opportunity for students’ literacy skills to increase across the year, encompassing an entire year’s worth of growth. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, the Lexile range is 570L–1240L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Moderately Complex. In Unit 2, the Lexile range is 760L–1170L. The qualitative range is Moderately Complex to Very Complex. In Unit 3, students read one longer text with a Lexile range of 990L. The text is qualitatively Very Complex. In Unit 4, the Lexile range is 1080L–1280L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Moderately Complex. In Unit 5, The Lexile range is 650L–1230L. The qualitative range is Moderately Complex to Very  Complex. In Unit 6, The Lexile range is 1050L–1340L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Very Complex. The overall quantitative complexity measures across the year range from 570L–1340L. The overall qualitative range across the year is Slightly Complex to Very Complex.

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “The White Umbrella,”  students read a short story, “The White Umbrella,” by Gish Jen (570L). The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. Students analyze character motivations and interactions through a class read with teacher guidance, which meets grade-level expectations. Students respond to questions about character development during reading, such as “How does the narrator’s family background affect her sense of belonging in her town community?”  

• In Unit 3, Section 1: During Reading Questions, students read the memoir Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (990L) and “...analyze how the setting develops the character” with recommended teacher-led and scaffolded modalities, which meets grade-level expectations. The qualitative complexity is very complex. Students refer to the text and answer During Reading questions, such as, “What ideas does the poem ‘The Woodsons of Ohio’ develop about what it means to be a Woodson (8-9)?” to better understand how Woodson’s setting impacted her character. 

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “Teens Say Social Media Isn’t As Bad for Them As You Might Think,”  students read “Teens Say Social Media Isn’t as Bad for Them as You Might Think” by Katie Notopoulos (1270L) and take notes on “the ways that social media use is affecting teens” while reading independently in order to arrive at the central idea of the text. The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. After reading, students add to their Research Note-Taking Graphic Organizer to respond to the research question, “Is social media more risky or more rewarding for teens? How can we promote teens making better decisions online?” Although the term central idea is not used, the Arc of Reading Instruction states that in this reading lesson, “Students determine the central idea and analyze its development through supporting details.” In Unit 6, Reading Lesson: “Reading, Writing And Roasting: Schools Bring Cooking Back Into The Classroom,” students read “Reading, Writing and Roasting: Schools Bring Cooking Back Into The Classroom” by Allison Aubrey (1200L). The qualitative complexity is slightly complex. While reading with partners, students take notes on the benefits of taking a cooking class. After reading, students add their notes to their graphic organizer to help them respond to the culminating task prompt, “Which of the following three electives would you save and why: Computer Science, Cooking, or Music?” While the student copy never mentions central ideas, the Arc of Reading Instruction says, “Students read to analyze central and supporting ideas in a text.”

As texts become more complex, appropriate scaffolds and/or materials are provided in the Teacher Edition (e.g., spending more time on texts, more questions, repeated readings, skill lessons). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “The White Umbrella,” students read a short story, “The White Umbrella,” by Gish Jen (570L), and analyze character motivations and interactions as a whole class read with teacher guidance. The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. The notes for teachers state, “This lesson is designed to be a whole class lesson because it provides students with more guidance on analyzing character motivations and interactions, which they will apply more independently in the next reading lesson.” The instructions indicated appropriate scaffolds in place as the standard is first introduced, and then less support is suggested for the next reading. After reading, students move to a Paired activity for a Student-Led Discussion. 

• In Unit 3, students read Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (990). The qualitative complexity is very complex. Whole Class reading with scaffolds is suggested throughout this unit. Teacher notes suggest, “This passage contains sensitive material which may evoke strong emotions. Consider how you will handle this content sensitively with your students.” Appropriate scaffolds, such as teacher guidance through the reading experience, are implemented to address the text’s sensitive content. Students move from teacher-led to independent work when responding to questions during reading and partner work for student-led discussion. 

• In Unit 6, Reading Lesson: “Arlington Heights parents oppose District 25's Plan to Cut Electives”, students read the article “Arlington Heights Parents Oppose District 25’s Plan to Cut Electives” by Karen Ann Culotta (1200L). The qualitative complexity is slightly complex. The materials suggest the lesson should be taught in a teacher-led format. The notes state that teachers should “facilitate a guided reading of this text” and “model how to annotate the text for the reasons behind the proposed change in electives.” Throughout the lesson, students move from whole-class reading and answering questions to independently reading and answering questions to partner-led reading and answering questions. Then, students move to independent practice. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1e.  

The materials provide students with opportunities and support to read a wide variety and volume of texts. The materials contain 32 core unit texts throughout the six units. These texts range in text types and genres. Text types include, but are not limited to, novels, informational texts, news articles, short stories, poetry, and speeches. The materials provide independent reading resources for the teacher and student to utilize. The materials provide best practices for independent reading, a suggested independent reading list for each unit, and a reading response notebook template. 

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in reading a variety of text types and genres. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, the texts include but are not limited to an essay, “What is ‘community’ and why is it important?” by Toby Lowe; an informational text, “How the Need to Belong Influences Human Behavior,” by Kendra Cherry; five short stories and a poem, “Violin,” by Nikki Wallschlaege.

• In Unit 2, the texts include the short story “The Party” by Pam Muñoz Ryan, the poem “Saturday at the Canal” by Gary Soto, and the informational text “How the Teen Brain Transforms Relationships” by Daniel Siegel. 

• In Unit 4, the texts include a variety of informational pieces, including “This is Your Brain on Instagram” by Kelly McSweeney, “Teens Say Social Media Isn’t As Bad for Them As You Might Think” by Katie Notopou, “This Muslim-American Teen Turned His Suffering Into A Full-Fledged Battle Against Stereotypes” by Rae Paoletta, and “Why Young Adults Are Taking a More Mindful Approach to Social Media,” by Jessica Matlin.

• In Unit 6, the texts include the news article, “Arlington Heights Parents Oppose Disctrict’s 25’s Plan to Cut Electives,” by Karen Ann Cullotta; the informational text “Coding–It’s All Around Us” by Michael Signal; and the essay, “The Value of Taking Electives” by Ashleigh Lutz. 

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in a volume of reading. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, students read eight core texts over the course of five to seven weeks. Students engage in various ways from text to text. Many texts begin with whole-class reading and then transition to paired and independent reading. For example, in the essay, “What is ‘community’ and why is it important?” by Toby Lowe, students begin with Whole Class Reading and respond to two “during reading” questions. They then work with a partner to read a few paragraphs and respond to the written prompt, “How does Lowe’s example of belonging to the Newcastle community support his definition?” Students then finish the text in Whole Class Reading mode. 

• In Unit 2, students read eight core texts over the course of five to seven weeks. Although the unit does not include any choice texts, students can select from various supplemental texts that include a short story, informational texts, memoirs, and a poem. 

• In Unit 4, students read four core texts over the course of five to seven weeks. The unit also includes five choice texts. Students engage with at least two of these texts beginning in reading lesson assignment 13. The materials state, “In this activity, students choose at least two texts about teens and social media (from a set of five). Students will add notes from these texts to their Research-Note Taking Graphic Organizer.”

• In each unit, the materials provide supplemental texts. The materials state, “These texts range in both their complexity and thematic links to the unit. Each text is available digitally and prepared with an annotation task, Guided Reading Mode multiple choice questions, and Assessment multiple choice and short-answer questions.” 

There is sufficient teacher guidance to foster independence for all readers (e.g., independent reading procedures, proposed schedule, tracking system for independent reading). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Independent Reading and Book Club Resources, the materials contain a document titled “Best Practices for Independent Reading.” This document contains suggestions for the teacher, including, but not limited to, “Provide class time for students to self-select their next book” and “monitor and support readers during independent reading time through small-group and 1:1 conferences.”  In the Independent Reading and Book Club Resources, the materials contain a suggested independent reading list for each unit, a reading response notebook template, a “Books I’ve Read” template, and a teacher resource on how to run a student book club. The materials also include a reading response notebook template where students write the title and author of their independent book, the category (nonfiction, literary, etc.), and a reading response. Unit-specific reading response questions are also included. 

• Choice Board texts foster independence for readers while providing teachers with tools and guidance. In Unit 5, Choice Board texts can be found under lesson 17. When teachers access this lesson, they view assignment materials, including a slide deck, a student copy, and a teacher copy. The slide deck guides the students through the independent process of reading the speech and demonstrating an understanding of the text. For example, one slide guides students to annotate, “As you read, annotate for the claims the speaker made and the rhetorical choices that support each of them.” The teacher copy provides a student view for teachers and also options for facilitation depending upon the skill level of students.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1f.

The materials provide students with opportunities to respond to text-specific and text-dependent questions and tasks such as During Reading questions, Independent Reading multiple choice questions, note-taking around text content, and completion of graphic organizers that require textual evidence. The majority of the During Reading questions are text-dependent. Text-specific discussion prompts are included. The materials provide support for teachers in planning and implementation of text-based questions and tasks through tools such as the Unit Guide and the teacher copy of the Lesson Overview. Teachers can access notes to plan lesson tasks and example responses to guide students.  

 Text-specific and text-dependent questions and tasks support students in making meaning of the core understandings of the texts being studied. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “What is ‘community’ and why is it important?,” students read the informational text, “What is ‘Community’ and Why is it Important?” by Toby Lowe, and find evidence during the reading process. One example asks, “What claim does Lowe make about the word ‘community’ in paragraph 1?”

• In Unit 3, students read “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson. In the lesson Section 2: During Reading Questions, students answer During Reading Questions, such as,” Describe the shift in mood between the scene in ‘home’ (32) and the previous scene on the bus in ‘greenville, south carolina, 1963’ (30-31).”

• In Unit 5, Reading Lesson: Second Annual Back to School Speech,” students read “Second Annual Back to School Speech” by Barack Obama. During the Independent Practice, students answer questions about the speech. One question asks, “Which piece of evidence best supports Obama’s claim that we should be proud of our differences?”  Multiple-choice answer options include four different excerpts from the text.

• In Unit 6, Reading Lesson: “Arlington Heights parents oppose District 25’s plan to cut electives,” students read the news article “Arlington Heights Parents Oppose District 25’s Plan To Cut Electives” by Karen Ann Cullotta. Students read paragraphs 1–7 and participate in a Think Share task. The text-dependent question asks, “What does paragraph 4 suggest about the proposed change?”

Teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation of text-based questions and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “Island Rodeo Queen,” students read “Island Rodeo Queen” by Yamile Saied Méndez. In the notes to teachers in the Lesson Overview, the materials state, “The Further Analysis Questions section of the lesson supports students by asking them to reread sections of the text and pay particular attention to unit themes about community.” The materials include three Further Analysis Questions with example answers for the teacher to use. 

• In Unit 2, Reading Lesson: “How the Teen Brain Transforms Relationships,” students read the informational text “How the Teen Brain Transforms Relationships” by Daniel Siegel and answer During Reading questions. The materials provide teachers guidance to help students respond to the During Reading questions. Under the How to Facilitate These Lessons section, option 1 suggests, “Pause to answer the During Reading Questions during reading.”

• In Unit 3, students read the memoir “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson. The materials include a Lesson Overview document, which contains several resources that support teachers in helping students experience success in responding to text-based questions. For example, the section titled Independent Practice includes a student checklist for summarizing evidence and writing that guides students with prompts, such as, “Highlight or bold each example of summarized evidence.”

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “Teens Say Social Media Isn’t As Bad for Them As You Might Think,” students read and annotate “Teens Say Social Media Isn’t As Bad for Them As You Might Think” by Katie Notopouloa. The materials provide teachers with notes suggesting how to model annotating texts. The materials provide sentence starters such as, “Social media…and Teens say that…” and sample annotations for paragraphs 1–3, such as, “Social media is helping teens connect with friends and show their creativity.” 

• In the Professional Development section under How-To Guidance, the materials provide a PDF called Annotating Effectively. This document describes the research on annotating, how to navigate struggles, and how to get started. For example, the Getting Started section includes the following guidance, “Model by verbalizing your thought process for determining what to highlight or what notes to write.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1g. 

The materials provide a variety of protocols to support students in speaking and listening skills. Throughout the course of the year, students participate in turn and talk, whole class discussions, small group discussions, debates, and culminating discussions. The materials provide a variety of PDFs in the Professional Development section titled “How-To Guidance.” These PDFs provide protocols for discussions, debates, and presentations. The materials include the student’s reflection documents and data trackers for the teacher. Speaking and listening opportunities are provided throughout the course of the year. 

Materials provide varied protocols to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The “Facilitating a Productive Debate” PDF provides the stages of a debate. The stages include Before the Debate, Round 1, Round 2, and Reflect.

  • Before the Debate, “students are assigned or select sides and are placed in partners or teams. They establish claims and gather evidence.” 

  • For Round 1, the materials state, “Each side presents their claims and evidence, while the opposing side takes notes.”

  • For Round 2, “Each side presents their claims and evidence, while the opposing side takes notes.”

  • For Reflect, “students complete a post-reflection independently and use their new knowledge to inform the culminating task.”

• The  “Facilitating Productive Discussions” PDF explains how a productive discussion should function. 

  • The materials state, “Discussion lessons often start with a teacher-led instruction on a speaking and listening skill. This portion of the lesson prepares students for the student-led discussion that follows.” A handout with sentence starters and a place for students to take notes is also provided. 

• The “Facilitating Productive Discussions” PDF provides tips for derailment:

  • “Be Realistic and Persistent” suggests that discussion will fall flat and the discussion practice will lead to fluent class discussions. 

  • “Redirect when Needed” suggests using questions to breathe life into stale discussions. For example, “Did anyone else interpret that quote differently? Can you explain?”

  • “Have a Plan B” suggests depending upon the discussion, students may need to regroup and gather more evidence or create new discussion questions. 

  • “Share Ownership…Solicit class reflection regarding the success of the discussions. Privately enlist ‘discussion leaders’ to notice and respectfully engage their quieter classmates.”

• The “Facilitating a Student Presentation” PDF provides presentation models for whole-class presentations, small group presentations, gallery walk presentations, and pre-recorded presentations. The materials include but are not limited to an instructional practice overview, instructions on preparing for presentation days, active listening strategies, and teacher verbal prompts. 

  • Whole Class Presentations: “Students present to a whole class. Teachers circulate to ensure active listening.”

  • Small Group Presentations: “Students present to a small group. Teachers circulate to pace presenters and ensure active listening.”

  • Gallery Walk Presentations: “Students develop visual presentations only. The audience circulates and reviews presentations with an established purpose. Teachers circulate to pace and ensure engagement.”

  • Pre-recorded Presentations: Students create a video, audio, or screencast for an audience to watch and reflect on asynchronously. Teachers circulate to pace and ensure engagement.”

Speaking and listening instruction includes facilitation, monitoring, and instructional supports for teachers. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Teachers have access to a variety of How-To Guidance PDFs. The “Facilitating Productive Discussions” guide includes a section about getting started, dealing with discussion derailments, and assessment. The PDF provides a few questions to help keep the conversation going. Questions include, but are not limited to, “Did anyone else interpret that differently? Can you explain? What in the text makes you say that? Can anyone else build upon ____’s idea that…?” Other PDFs include, but are not limited to, “Facilitating a Productive Debate” and “Facilitating a Student Presentation.” 

• The teacher materials include a “Student Voice Tracker.” This template provides a spot for the focus discussion skill and a chart where the teacher can record student names, the number of times each student has spoken, and a place to mark additional notes. 

• The materials provide a Teacher Guide on “5 Ways to Have a Great Class Discussion.” The materials provide the following five discussion options: Silent Discussion (Distance Learning Option), Concentric Circles, Conversations Stations, Fishbowl, and Socratic Seminar. The document provides the how-to, preparation considerations, and variations for each type of discussion.

• In Unit 4, Discussion Lesson, students participate in a discussion skill lesson. The Discussion Skill Lesson Teacher Copy includes activities to support students with the skill of “Acknowledging New Ideas and Changing Your Thinking.” The first part of this lesson includes analyzing a sample student discussion and answering questions about it. In the second part, students use sentence stems to participate in a discussion, and at the end of the lesson, they go over the key points of the lesson, which are 

  • “Listen for and acknowledge new information expressed by others. 

  • Share how your thinking has changed based on new information.”

In this Teacher handout, the exemplar answers are in blue text for the teacher to refer to.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1h. 

The materials provide opportunities across a variety of speaking and listening skills for students to demonstrate knowledge of what they are reading. Throughout the course of the year, students have opportunities to come to discussions prepared, follow discussion rules and protocols, and include multimedia components for presentations. Students participate in discussion lessons in almost every unit, as well as culminating tasks. Most discussions and presentations emphasize using and interpreting text evidence.

Students have multiple opportunities over the school year to demonstrate what they are reading through varied speaking and listening opportunities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 3, Discussion Lesson, students prepare for a class discussion in a discussion preparation handout. Students revisit parts of the novel, finding evidence and explaining it in response to the discussion question, “In an interview about Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson says, ‘If you know where you’ve been, you’ll know where you’re going.’ What do you think this means? How does this idea show up in Brown Girl Dreaming?” On the handout, students complete a brainstorm. Then, they complete a graphic organizer where they have space to include evidence and their own explanations. 

• Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Discussion Lesson, students complete a discussion lesson. Students complete the document, How to Introduce New Ideas and Check Your Understanding. The document starts by asking the students to respond to the following prompt, “What expectations should we follow to have a strong class discussion?” The materials tell students to “add to your notes as your teacher reviews a set of discussion expectations.” Then, students review a sample discussion and consider why it is effective. Afterward, they are given discussion sentence starters to introduce new ideas and check their understanding. Lastly, students apply this learning in a class discussion on the prompt, “What is the effect of acceptance and rejection in the different texts?” After this discussion, students complete a reflection where they track their progress on the discussion skills they learned at the beginning of the lesson. Students check off and then reflect on the following statements: 

    • “I used the discussion skill sentence starters to introduce new ideas.

    • I used the discussion skill sentence starters to check my understanding.

    • I respected other people’s ideas.

    • I responded to my classmates’ ideas, not just my teacher’s.”

• Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 4, Discussion Lesson, students engage in discussion on a culminating argumentative presentation where they develop a social media campaign that promotes a message about social media. The components of the campaign required four unique posts that included a user profile, an image, a caption, and three hashtags. Students present their campaigns to a partner. Prior to presenting, students consider the following questions: 

  • “What visual and writing choices did you make within your social media campaign?

  • What was effective about the choices you made to present your research and argument?”

Speaking and listening work requires students to utilize, apply, and incorporate evidence from texts and/or sources. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 4, Related Media Exploration: Status Update, students engage in a “Related Media Exploration: Status Update” whole class discussion. After gathering evidence to respond to questions during the reading process, students are expected to “Share your answer to the question from Part 5 with the class. Then, keep the conversation going by discussing the following optional questions.” One suggestion to keep the discussion going is, “Do you feel it is necessary to curate the pictures and content you post online?”

• Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 4, Discussion Lesson, students engage in a discussion lesson on their social media campaigns. Prior to sharing their campaigns with a peer, students are introduced to the discussion skills of “acknowledging new ideas and changing your thinking.” They receive a handout with sentence starters for both of these skills. Students respond to the prompt, “What visual and writing choices did you make within your social media campaign? What was effective about the choices you made to present your research and argument?” Students practice two key skills during the discussion: “acknowledging new information” and “sharing how [their] thinking has changed.” After the discussion, students reflect on how they integrated these skills and others into the discussion. 

• Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • In Unit 1, Related Media Exploration: What role do we play in creating community? students participate in the “Related Media Exploration: What role do we play in creating community?” task. Students watch three videos related to the unit theme, community and belonging. After watching the videos, students participate in a whole class discussion. Discussion questions include, but are not limited to: 

    • “Which video(s) show an example of belonging? Explain your reasoning. 

    • Which video(s) illustrate the damaging effects of feeling rejection? Explain your reasoning. 

    • Based on Toby Lowe’s assertion that a community shares an ‘identity-forming narrative,’ is it possible for a community to be fully inclusive? Explain your reasoning.”

• Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 6, Culminating Task Part B: Delivery of Argumentative Presentation, students deliver a culminating argumentative presentation on the prompt, “Imagine your school is considering cutting some elective courses. Which of the following three electives would you save and why: Computer Science, Cooking, or Music?” As students present, their peers complete the Argumentative Presentation Student Tracker handout, where they collect information on the elective each peer chose, the overall effectiveness of the presentation, and one thing they want to remember about each presentation (such as evidence, claims, visuals, delivery, and ethos/pathos/logos). 

• Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 4, Discussion Lesson, students engage in a discussion lesson on their social media campaigns. After presenting, students reflect on their presentations using a checklist. One of the things they reflect on is “I supported my ideas by referring to specific pieces of text evidence.” 

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1i. 

The materials provide a variety of on-demand and process writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. On-demand writing is included throughout the reading lessons. Students pause and write about sections they have read or respond to their reading in the independent practice prompts. Each unit contains a process writing piece that includes time for planning, drafting, and editing/revising. Materials include digital resources when appropriate. Most graphic organizers or planning documents allow students to type their thinking or draft, and digital copies of checklists are included.

Materials include on-demand writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “The Stolen Party,” students read “The Stolen Party” by Liliana Heker. After reading paragraphs six through nine, students respond to the following writing prompt, “Explain the different understandings Rosaura and her mother have about the rich family.” 

• In Unit 2, Narrative Writing Prompt, students write a short narrative responding to the prompt, “You have read the short story “Popularity” by Adam Bagdasarian. In paragraphs 31-32 of the story, the narrator describes an interaction that occurs between himself and Mitch Brockman on the playground. Rewrite this part of the story from Mitch’s perspective. Use details from the paragraphs and add elaboration of your own to show Mitch’s thoughts and feelings.” 

• In Unit 3, Writing Lesson: Writing About Visual Sources, students respond to the following prompt, “In Brown Girl Dreaming, Woodson says, ‘I do not know if I will be strong like Ruby’ (4). Using at least two details from the photograph of Ruby Bridges with the U.S. marshals, explain why Woodson calls Ruby ‘strong.’” The lesson includes example student responses, how to write about visual sources, and a graphic organizer to help students prepare to write. 

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “This Muslim-American Teen Turned His Suffering Into a Full-Fledged Battle Against Stereotypes,” students read an informational text and respond to an Independent Practice prompt, “You have just read ‘This Muslim-American Teen Turned His Suffering Into a Full-Fledged Battle Against Stereotypes,’ by Rae Paoletta. According to the article, how can social media create a community for teens? Use text evidence to support your response.” Students are guided on creating strong evidence in their writing, for example, “Did you choose strong evidence that is testimonials or interviews from others?” 

• In Unit 5, Reading Lesson: “Senate Statement on Rock Lyrics and Record Labeling,” students read “Senate Statement on Rock Lyrics and Record Labeling” by John Denver. While reading the text, paragraphs five through eight, the students respond to the prompt, “How did Denver’s rhetorical question in paragraph 8 support his point of view?”

Materials include process writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. Opportunities for students to revise and edit are provided. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Planning the Culminating Task, Drafting the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, and Revision, students complete a literary analysis essay. Students respond to the prompt, “In the article, ‘What is ‘community’ and why is it important?’ Toby Lowe argues that ‘a community is a group of people who share an identity-forming narrative.’ Explain how this idea can be seen in the community’s view of the painter lady in ‘The War of the Wall.’ Use evidence from both texts in your response.” Over four lessons, students plan, draft, and revise their literary analysis essay. 

• In Unit 2, Planning the Culminating Task, Drafting the Culminating Task, and Peer Reviewing the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students write a literary analysis essay responding to the prompt, “In this unit, you have learned from both fiction and nonfiction texts about experiences that many adolescents have in common. Explain how author Adam Bagdasarian uses at least two literary devices in the short story ‘Popularity’ to show what those experiences are like. Support your response with textual evidence.” The writing process includes planning, drafting, and peer reviewing.

• In Unit 3, Planning the Culminating Task, Drafting the Culminating Task, and Peer Reviewing the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students read Brown Girl Dreaming By Jacqueline Woodson. For the culminating task, students write an essay responding to the prompt, “Jacqueline Woodson grew up during a time of great change. How did the world around Woodson shape her dreams for her future? Use evidence from Brown Girl Dreaming and at least one additional unit source to support your analysis.” The writing process includes planning, drafting, and peer reviewing.

• In Unit 4, students engage in an Argumentative Presentation culminating task that entails, “In this final project, convince other teens to make more positive decisions while online. Create a social media campaign in order to inform teens of the effects of frequent social media usage—positive or negative.” Students follow a step-by-step process to polish their final draft through lessons that teach visual presentation techniques, outlining a presentation, writing engaging captions, drafting, and citing sources.  

• In Unit 5, Planning the Culminating Task, Drafting the Culminating Task: Rhetorical Analysis Essay and Revision, students write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay. Students respond to the prompt, “You have learned about how the speakers in this unit develop their central idea and purpose through specific rhetorical choices. Write an essay about the Choice Board text you read in which you explain the rhetorical choices the speaker made that helped them accomplish their purpose. Include evidence from text and video to support your essay.” Students work on the essay for three lessons, including a planning and drafting lesson. 

Materials include digital resources where appropriate. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Related Media Exploration: What experiences do middle schoolers share?, students have access to a digital slideshow and a digital handout. The digital handout allows students to record short responses to questions relating to a video, a podcast, and a recording of “Act Two: Stutter Step.” On this same digital document, students record an Independent Reflection responding to an on-demand writing opportunity. 

• In Unit 4, for the culminating task of creating an Argumentative Presentation, students have access to a digital template through Google Slides or canva.com to create a social media post.

• In Unit 5, Writing: Revision: Finishing Strong in a Body Paragraph, students revise their rhetorical analysis essay to finish a strong body paragraph. The materials include a checklist students can use to check their work. Students highlight aspects of their essays on the document and check off the items on the checklist through the online student copy of the materials.  

• In Unit 6, students are provided a digital template for the Culminating Task Presentation. The slides allow students to input their research and evidence from the culminating task argumentative presentation work. The slides include options for text, images, video, and headlines with supporting text.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1k. 

Materials include frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice and apply writing using evidence and include explicit instruction to guide teachers step by step. Many evidence-based writing opportunities are found in writing lessons that support the culminating task as well as the culminating final task of each unit. These writing tasks require students to revisit paragraphs within a unit text for evidence to use when responding to prompts. Teacher materials include how to facilitate each part of the writing lesson and notes to guide students in their writing. Evidence-based writing lessons are found across the school year and include multiple opportunities to support analysis and claims linked to unit texts. Writing prompts include requirements such as, “How does the evidence support the use of this literary device?” and “Explain your evidence and how it connects to the claim.” 

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Writing Lesson: Introducing Evidence with Context, teachers guide students in learning about context in writing and why it matters. Students compare two writing samples “in order to identify how a lack of context about evidence can be confusing.” Then, students review notes on how to add context. Next, teachers prompt students to engage in partner practice, where they answer three questions about how a fictional student is applying context to their evidence. Last, students independently apply their learning as they draft a response to the prompt: “Author Pam Muñoz Ryan intentionally leaves the ending of ‘The Party’ up for the reader’s interpretation. Based on your interpretation of this story, what does the narrator’s smile indicate?” 

• In Unit 2, Writing Lesson: Adding Reasoning to Your Writing, teachers guide students in learning about strong reasoning. Students work in pairs to analyze a sample piece of writing where the reasoning is weak. The Teacher Copy provides the following notes for this activity: “Students work collaboratively to analyze an example of weak reasoning.” Students learn that this particular reasoning is weak “because it repeats the evidence almost exactly. It doesn’t explain how the evidence supports the claim.” Next, students analyze a writing sample where the reasoning is strong. The Teacher Copy provides the following notes for this activity: “Students will read exemplary reasoning and answer questions to help them understand why the reasoning is strong.” Next, students independently take notes on strong versus weak reasoning. They learn that strong reasoning “explains what the evidence means or shows (without repeating it exactly) and connects the evidence to the claim.” Lastly, students practice writing strong reasoning by revising a paragraph missing reasoning with a prompt based on the text “Saturday at the Canal” by Gary Soto. The Teacher Copy of the lesson includes the following notes for this section: “Now students apply their learning by completing the missing reasoning in a paragraph about ‘Saturday at the Canal.’”

• In Unit 5, Writing Lesson: Summarizing Evidence, teachers guide students in learning about how to summarize evidence. Students work in pairs to analyze a model piece of writing and identify why writers might choose to do this, as well as how summarizing evidence and using direct evidence strengthen writing. Then, teachers lead students in note-taking on this topic. Students learn that writers might choose to summarize when “a piece of evidence is very long” and alternating how evidence is presented “adds variety” and makes writing “flow better.” Last, students apply their learning as they independently draft responses to the prompt, “In your opinion, why is it sometimes harder to be the ‘man in the arena’ than the ‘critic’? Use both direct and summarized evidence from the text. Make sure to incorporate relevant unit vocabulary in your writing.” The Teacher Copy of the lesson includes the following notes for this section: “Students apply their knowledge of how to summarize evidence to a prompt about ‘The Man in the Arena.’” 

• In Unit 6, Writing Lesson: Drafting Your Pitch, students analyze an example of an argumentative pitch in order to draft their own writing. One of the things students learn they must include in their pitches is the “key points and evidence to share to convince your audience.” Teachers guidance states, “Follow the guidance on each section of the lesson. Each part has clear facilitation directions that indicate if the section should be teacher-led or assigned as partner work or independent practice.” In the note to teachers sections, the material states, “There are a few ways that students could draft their pitch. Methods include (a) using this handout, (b) using speaker notes in the Google deck or (c) notecards or sticky notes. Make sure to show students how to access their speaker notes if you elect to have them add them to their deck.”

Writing opportunities are focused around students’ careful analysis and claims developed from reading closely and working with evidence from texts and sources. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “Where I’m From,” students read “Where I’m From” by Misa Sugiura. During reading, students respond to the following prompt, “Find Evidence: Highlight two pieces of evidence that show the other kids at camp view Eriko as different. Write: How does the conversation in this section add to the conflict established in paragraphs 12-18?”

• In Unit 1, Planning the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students begin planning their literary analysis essay. Students respond to the prompt, “In the article, ‘What is ‘community’ and why is it important?’ Toby Lowe argues that ‘a community is a group of people who share an identity-forming narrative.’ Explain how this idea can be seen in the community’s view of the painter lady in ‘The War of the Wall.’ Use evidence from both texts in your response.” One example states, “Review ‘The War of the Wall’ for three pieces of evidence that reveal the community’s views of the painter lady. Jot your evidence below.” 

• In Unit 3, Peer Reviewing the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students peer review their culminating task. Students respond to the following prompt, “Jacqueline Woodson grew up during a time of great change. How did the world around Woodson shape her dreams for her future? Use evidence from Brown Girl Dreaming and at least one additional unit source to support your analysis.” During peer revisions, students need to discuss questions with their partners. One question asks, “Which example of introducing evidence from a text or visual was strongest? Why?” After the discussion, students revise their essays. 

• In Unit 5, Reading Lesson: “Ronald Reagan on the Challenger Disaster,” students read “Ronald Reagan on the Challenger Disaster” by Ronald Reagan. After reading, students respond to the following prompt, “You have just read ‘Ronald Reagan on the Challenger Disaster’ by Ronald Reagan. How did Reagan’s shift in tone develop one of his central ideas? Use text evidence to support your response.”  

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1m. 

The materials include a year-long plan for students to interact and build vocabulary. The materials include a vocabulary routine for the teacher, which discusses the use of the vocabulary activities, vocabulary quizzes, and word wall. Every unit includes the Grade 7 Key Terms Glossary, which focuses on academic and literary key terms. Each unit also includes unit vocabulary words and introduces them using the vocabulary activity set, the activity slide deck, word wall, and word wall teacher guidance. The slide deck is used to introduce all the new vocabulary words to the whole class at the beginning of the unit. Unit vocabulary words are listed at the beginning of every text in which they appear. Every unit includes at least one multiple-choice vocabulary quiz. The materials also include other key terms lists, such as poetry terms, when relevant to the text. Other potentially unfamiliar words or terms are listed with their definition in the footnotes of the texts. Some during reading questions use the unit vocabulary words and students are asked to incorporate vocabulary words in various writing assignments. Literary and Content terms are repeated across the school year, and Academic Vocabulary words are repeated across unit texts. 

Materials provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Program Guide, the materials communicate the importance of vocabulary development. In this section, the materials discuss the vocabulary routines and materials, which include a Vocabulary Introductory Activity and a Word Wall. For the Vocabulary Introductory Activity, the materials state, “A slide deck guides students through the first unit vocabulary activity, supporting students in inferring the meaning of vocabulary words through the use of context clues in an example sentence.” Under Word Wall, the materials state, “The Word Wall Teacher Guidance also suggests ways for teachers to extend student practice and application of unit vocabulary throughout protocols beyond the word wall.” 

• Each unit provides a link to the Unit Key Terms Word Wall Cards, which focus on the key terms in that specific unit. The Teacher Copy Directions state, “Use these Word Wall Cards to build a classroom visual of key terms for this unit and throughout the year” to support attention to high-value academic words across the school year.

• Each unit contains at least one Vocabulary Activity Set. This includes the Student Vocabulary Activity set, Activity Slide Deck, Word Wall, and Word Wall Teacher Guidance. The materials state, “Use the Slide Deck to facilitate the Vocabulary Activity whole-class. Flexibly assign the remaining activities as warm-ups, homework, or practice to prepare students for the Vocabulary Quiz.”

Vocabulary is repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts) and across multiple texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, the materials provide a Vocabulary Activity Set. The activity set asks students to predict the definition of the vocabulary words, including the vocabulary word motivation. Students also need to fill in the blanks using the vocabulary word and determine synonyms for each vocabulary word. Students read “How the Need to Belong Influences Human Behavior and Motivation” by Kendra Cherry. Motivate is included in the list of vocabulary words for the text. Students respond to prompts such as, “What motivates people to belong to a group?” 

• In Unit 4, the materials provide two Vocabulary Activity Sets containing 17 high academic vocabulary words found in unit texts. These words are bolded within texts and addressed before reading, indicating the need to focus on meaning and pronunciation. The Reading lesson addressing the text “Why Young Adults Are Taking a More Mindful Approach to Social Media” by Jessica Matlin provides additional opportunities for students to review academic vocabulary when responding to an independent writing prompt regarding lessons learned from social media. Students are prompted to “Also, make sure to incorporate relevant unit vocabulary in your writing.”

• In Unit 5, the materials provide a Vocabulary Activity Set that will “help students master the ten high-impact academic vocabulary words they will see in the texts as they read.” One high-impact academic vocabulary word for unit 5 is intellect. The first vocabulary activity asks students to make an in-context prediction about the meaning of the word. The teacher then provides the correct definition. The word intellect is a vocabulary word in “Ain’t I a Woman” by Sojourner Truth, and intellectual is a vocabulary word in “Steve Job’s Stanford University Commencement Speech” by Steve Jobs. Students also complete the Vocabulary Quiz that checks their understanding of the vocabulary words, such as intellect, with a multiple choice quiz. Students complete a rhetorical analysis essay. The rubric states, “Includes carefully selected academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including from the text while avoiding wordiness and redundancy.” 

• In Unit 6, Vocabulary Activity Set, the set contains ten academic vocabulary words and five activities to introduce vocabulary. The word overwhelm is a focus across two texts in this unit, including the essay “The Value of Taking Electives” by Ashleigh Lutz and the news article “Dinner At Home is the Main Ingredient for Healthy Eating” by Meredith Cohn. Before reading the text, students note overwhelm under vocabulary and view the pronunciation of the word. The word is also bolded in the text. 

Attention is paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and to high-value academic words (e.g., words that might appear in other contexts/content areas). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Each unit includes a Key Terms Glossary for the grade level focusing on literary-based vocabulary and a unit vocabulary list for high-frequency words used within the unit. Students complete activities with these vocabulary words and are expected to use them when responding to writing prompts. Definitions for text-specific vocabulary are included in the footnotes of every text. 

• Each Unit includes one or two Vocabulary quizzes depending on the number of Vocabulary Activity Sets. Quizzes assess understanding of high-value academic words as they select vocabulary that best fits the scenario for each question. The words assessed are then included in the texts in the following lessons.

• In each Unit Introduction, students are introduced to the Grade 7 Key Terms Glossary reference sheet. These key terms are almost exclusively literary or academic terms. Directions state, “These terms will appear throughout the year. Some terms may appear in more than one unit. Use this reference sheet as needed.” Seventh-grade key terms include hyperbole, conflict, juxtaposition, memoir, and resolution.

• In Unit 3, students read Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. The materials include the words movement, emancipate, and inherit. Students predict the words’ meaning in context, learn the definition, and complete fill-in-the-blank and matching activities. These academic vocabulary words cross the content area to social studies and history. For example, movement is a vocabulary word in “The First Time John Lewis and I Integrated the Buses” by Bernard Lafayette Jr. The passage states, “Along with others in the Nashville Student Movement, they put their lives at risk again and again, in nonviolent protests in Nashville, and as Freedom Riders…”