5th Grade - Gateway 1

Instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet expectations for anchor texts of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading and considering a range of student interests. Across the year, selections should appeal to a wide range of student interests, and some materials (e.g. A Midsummer Night's Dream immersive Quest in Unit 7) are presented in novel ways to enhance student engagement. Many texts are by well-known, published authors.

• Unit 1 The Personal Narratives that serve as anchor texts are from published works and are by well-known authors or historical figures including Richard Blanco, Jennifer Lou, Rosa Parks, Bertie Bowman, and Michael Massimino.
• Unit 2 The primary text for Unit 2 consists of 8 chapters of informational text, one chapter combining informational text with myths of the Aztecs and Incas, and two optional enrichment selections-- one including an adaptation of a letter from explorer Hernan Cortes to King Charles V of Spain, and one informational piece on a scientific discovery in the Andes Mountains.
• Unit 3 focuses on developing an understanding of poetry and poetic devices. The “Poet’s Journal” serves as both the student text and activity book for the unit and includes 17 poems by well-known poets. drawing from various literary traditions over the last several centuries, and they range from William Blake to contemporary writers as Virgil Suárez and Marie Howe.
• Unit 4 is centered around an adapted version of Don Quixote paired with Miguel de Cervantes's Adventures of Don Quixote.
• Unit 5 The reader Patrons, Artists, and Scholars focuses on western Europe, particularly Italy, during the cultural movement known as the Renaissance. "Students will be exposed to works of art from such renowned artists as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Bruegel, Dürer, and Van Eyck, among others. Students will learn about the impact of Renaissance writers, such as Machiavelli, Castiglione, Cervantes, and Shakespeare.”(TG, Unit 5, p.2)
• Unit 6 texts focus on the topic of the Reformation movement in European history.
• Unit 7 focuses on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Nights Dream in the form of a learning quest. The original play is excerpted and is accompanied with summaries of Shakespeare's play. Summaries are in different styles and structures to provide engaging challenges to students.
• Unit 8 includes Native American myths and stories from different tribes as well as nonfiction accounts. "The Reader also includes two selections that may be used for enrichment. “The Navajo Code Talkers” explores the unique role Native Americans played during World War II, and “Ancestors’ Words” discusses the struggle to transmit and preserve the diverse languages spoken by Native Americans." (TG, Unit 8, p. 3)

Instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet expectations for reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards. Across the year, student materials include a variety of informational text, stories, poetry, and dramas with selections highlighting a variety of cultures. Units also include many illustrations and diagrams related to the featured texts.

• Unit 1- Personal narratives in both fiction and nonfiction.
• Unit 2- The primary text for Unit 2 consists of 8 chapters of informational text, one chapter combining informational text with myths of the Aztecs and Incas, and two optional enrichment selections-- one including an adaptation of a letter from explorer Hernan Cortes to King Charles V of Spain, and one informational piece on a scientific discovery in the Andes Mountains. “The Reader for this unit, Maya, Aztec, and Inca, includes complex text and prepares students in Grade 5 for the increased vocabulary and syntax demands aligned texts will present in later grades. Maya, Aztec, and Inca focuses on the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. Students will read about each civilization’s geographic location, way of life, developments, and downfall.” (TG, Unit 2, p.4)
• Unit 3- focuses on poetry, and includes poems from many eras and styles. Included poems come from writers across the world and include varying poetry types.
• Unit 4- The main text of Unit 4 is “a full-length adapted version of Don Quixote.”(TG, Unit 4, p.1). This is coupled with a trade book, Adventures of Don Quixote, as the Reader. Students also read the non-fiction text “Gloomy Castles and Jousting Knights” to build background knowledge before reading the novel.
• Unit 5- Students read a variety of informational texts that can be found in the student reader Patrons, Artists, and Scholars, which focuses on western Europe, particularly Italy, during the cultural movement known as the Renaissance. Students will read about the rise of the middle class due to increased trade with other countries, the importance of patrons in supporting the work of artists, and increasing attention to and inspiration from the works of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers and artists. Students will be exposed to works of art from such renowned artists as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Bruegel, Dürer, and Van Eyck, among others.
• Unit 6- presents students with informational text and historical fiction.
• Unit 7- fiction (Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream) and associated supporting texts.
• Unit 8- incorporates narrative nonfiction, historical fiction, and informational texts. Unit 9 includes informational texts that focus on science. Some texts are couched in a fictional structure.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the expectations of indicator 1c of texts having the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task. According to the Program Guide, the texts meet the text complexity criteria for the grade.

Some representative samples of how the materials attend to the quantitative measures for the grade band include (but are not limited to) the following:

• the Student Reader from Unit 2- Eureka! Files: Eureka! Student Early American Civilizations: Maya, Aztec, and Inca- a traditional informational text life in the Early Americas which has a Lexile of 890L.
• the Student Reader from Unit 5-The Renaissance: Patrons, Artists, and Scholars, a traditional informational text with a Lexile of 930L.
• the Student Reader from Unit 7- a Folger Library-approved adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare with a Lexile of 860L.
• the Student Reader from Unit 8—Native Americans: A Changing American Landscape, with a traditional informational text with a Lexile of 970L.

When taken in aggregate over the course of the school year, the majority of texts appear to have the appropriate quantitative and qualitative measures for students' reading in this grade level. Quantitatively, the texts within the Grade 5 materials fall within a 880-1010 Lexile level (the standards call for materials to range from 640-1010 Lexile within the 4-5 grade band). Read-aloud texts are at appropriately accelerated quantitative and qualitative levels, while texts students read on their own and for core instruction fall at the appropriate levels. It is noted that the poetry texts are qualitatively appropriate (as they would not be measured quantitatively) and are accompanied with appropriate tasks and questions. Qualitatively, the materials are appropriate for 5rd grade readers as well. The relationship of the texts to their associated student tasks are appropriate to the grade level, and a rationale for their inclusion is provided in the introduction of each unit.

The materials (texts and sets of texts) for Grade 5 meet the requirements of indicator 1d, supporting students' increasing literacy skills over the course of the school year. Texts and their associated student tasks provide students with increased rigor over the course of the school year and provide a variety of non-fiction texts to help students grow in their content knowledge and their mastery of content-specific and academic vocabulary. By the end of Grade 5, students have opportunities to read and comprehend grade level texts.

Placement of texts across the year provide students with increasing challenges in content and complexity. The first unit, revisits personal narratives, and includes The Prince of Los Cocuyos: The First Real San Giving Day by Richard Blanco and Rosa Parks: My Story, by Jim Haskins. Both the Blanco and Haskins stories have an approximate Lexile of 970L—approximately in the middle of the stretch band for Grade 5. An adapted version of the classic tale, Don Quixote paired with a non-fiction text about the middle ages written for the program is the focus of Unit 4. While, quantitatively, the adaptation of Don Quixote is approximately at the 910L Lexile level, the use of Spanish names and terminology raise the complexity of the text. Unit 7 focuses on a non-fiction text about The Reformation that is at the 990L Lexile level. Portions of the Student Reader for Unit 7 are rich in content and subject matter is complex and laden with new, content-specific vocabulary. Sections of this reader also feature narrative featuring snippets of historical fiction to dramatize portions of the informational text. For example, Chapter 2 of the Unit 7 reader features a story about father and son and their first encounter with a printing press in a print shop as the boy becomes a printer’s apprentice and eventually learns to read. While this text is written at the 980L Lexile level, the students are asked to draw more sophisticated inferences from the readings (e.g., Why might it be surprising to some that Martin Luther was an early reformer who wanted to reform the Catholic Church?). Unit 9 features a realistic fiction story about students on a paleontological dig. The story has an approximate Lexile of 1120—slightly outside of the stretch band for Grade 5. However, this story is written in a narrative style with common, modern language and scaffolded with teacher support for unfamiliar content vocabulary words woven throughout the text.

The materials for Grade 5 meet the expectations that anchor texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for purpose and placement in the grade level. Text complexity analysis information is available for the Grade 5 texts as a whole and rationales for purpose and placement of texts are found at the beginning of each unit.

Text complexity information is provided for the grade-level or units as a whole. Beginning on page 56 of the 3-5 Program Guide (PG), there is prose describing the quantitative measures, qualitative features, and reader characteristics and task demands that were considered when selecting and creating texts for the program. According to the Program Guide, the texts for Grade 4 fall within the 880-1010L band, with the exception of poetry, which does not receive a Lexile rating. Lexile information is not provided for individual texts, though the Teacher’s Guide states that the texts in Grades 4 and 5 become “increasingly sophisticated”. The inclusion of poetry in the Grade 4 materials gives students opportunities to grapple with “highly complex, archaic language” as well texts with more modern, straightforward language that allows them to consider the deeper message of the work.

The beginning of each Grade 5 reading unit includes an introduction that describes why the texts were chosen for the program. For example, Unit 7 features A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. The Unit Guide describes the importance of the inclusion of Shakespeare’s work in any literacy program as it provides students with the opportunity to engage in close reading of an engaging and complex text. The excerpts and rewritten passages were constructed with the assistance of the Folger Shakespeare Library to make the text more accessible for students while maintaining the integrity of the language and the storyline.

Instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet expectations for text-dependent questions, tasks, and assignments requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text). Each unit focuses on a topic that supports students in making self-to-text and text-to-text connections. A variety of activities and questions are designed to support the development of deeper understanding of both content and literary craft.

Some examples of text-dependent questions, tasks, and assignments include (but are not limited to) the following. In some instances, students are required to support inferences with evidence from the text. Discussion questions often require students to cite textual evidence.

Unit 1

• “Why didn’t Blanco mention Thanksgiving to Abuela for a few days? For help, look at the last three paragraphs of the Lesson 1 selection from the text (Reader pages 4–5).” (TG, Unit 1, p.35)
• “Ask students to describe Abuela’s opinion in the first passage. Have them support their answer with a quote from the text. Then do the same for the second passage.” (TG, Unit 1, p.59)
• “Find a line of dialogue that helps show what the relationship between Mamá and Abuela is like. Copy the quote and then explain how it describes the relationship.” (TG, Unit 1, p.84)
• “Ask students if they can infer anything about Rosa Parks’s family and how she lived from the three sentences. Ask students to support their answers with words from the passage.” (TG, Unit 1, p.143)
• “Read the rest of Step by Step from the paragraph beginning ‘Later, after I had eaten my lunch’ (Reader page 48 ) to the end of the narrative. As you read, write down at least two Think as You Read ideas. In describing each idea, include a word or phrase from the text. Review the Think as You Read poster for a reminder of some of the kinds of things you might think and write about.” (TG, Unit 1, p.169)

Unit 2

• “What interesting detail or fact have you learned about the ancient Maya civilization? Why do you find it interesting? Use information from the Reader to support your answer.” (TG, Unit 2, p.69)
• “What words does the narrator use in the myth to show that the corn men were powerful like the jaguar, as the gods intended?” (TG, Unit 2, p.123)
• “What words from the text help you find the Templo Mayor in the image across the pages?” (TG, Unit 2, p.177)
• “Based on the text, how do we know that Viracocha cared about the well- being of the people he had created?” (TG, Unit 2, p.292)

Unit 3

• “Ask for student volunteers to share something they learned from the information in the biography. Remind students that this is a tool they may use to learn more about the author.” (TG, Unit 3, p.13)
• “Based on stanza 2, what does the speaker think the ‘you’ was going to do with the plums?” (TG, Unit 3, p.29)
• “The father gives another way to respond to the worms in stanza 2. Which of the two responses does the father seem to think is the best? Give a reason from the poem for your answer.” (TG, Unit 3, p.101)
• “The arrangement of items in each stanza seems to follow a pattern. For example, the watch appears before the house, and the cities appear before the continent. What pattern seems to exist here?” (TG, Unit 3, p.128)
• “According to the poem, why does the speaker feel isolated in his new country?” (TG, Unit 3, p.151)

Unit 4

• ““Have students silently read the remainder of page 4 and lines 1–3 on page 5Inferential. What does the strange knight mean when he says his lady, Casildea, gives him “such tasks as those imposed on Hercules”?”(TG, Unit 4, p.201)
• “ The strange knight thinks he may have defeated Don Quixote. How does Don Quixote explain this situation?”(TG, Unit 4, p.203)
• “The Duke and the clergyman react to Don Quixote differently. In what way are their reactions different?”(TG, Unit 4, p.233)

Unit 6

• “Ask students: “How did Gutenberg’s printing press influence the Church and the Reformation movement? How is the title of the last section of the Reader, ‘The Power of Communication,’ related to your answer?”(TG, Unit 6, p.40)
• “Tell students that they will reread parts of Chapter 4, “The Reformation Movement,” to review the key events and focus on the motives, or reasons, why key figures of the Reformation did the things they did” (TG, Unit 6, p. 147)
• “Ask students how Johann Gutenberg, Martin Luther, Frederick III, and John Calvin contributed to the Reformation movement” (TG, Unit 6, p. 147)

Unit 7

• “Have students complete the rest of the “Character Organizer” in pairs. Tell them that for now they need only write one adjective in the final column and that multiple answers are possible for all questions, as long as students can support their answer with textual evidence” (TG, Unit7, p. 37)
• “Do you think Hermia is being brave? Support your answer with examples from the text”(TG, Unit 7, p.64)
• “Does the scene look like verse or prose? Write “verse” or “prose” in the margin and give a reason that explains your answer” (TG, Unit 7, p. 137)
• “Ask students what they know about this character based on the similarities in these interpretations. Remind them that many interpretations can be correct as long as they are grounded in the text. (TG, Unit 7, p. 153)

Unit 8

• "Approximately how many Native Americans and how many different tribes existed in California before Spanish settlers arrived?" (TG, Unit 8, p. 93)
• "In the introduction, the narrator states that Raven is a trickster. How does Raven behave like a trickster in this story?" (TG, Unit 8, p. 176)

Unit 9

• "What two reasons does Tess give for the earth’s drying out so fast?" (TG, Unit 9, p. 95)
• "Check for Understanding- How did new compounds get to Achy Breaky when he was covered in sand that became rock?" (TG, Unit 9, p. 114)

Instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet expectations for sets of high quality sequences of text-dependent questions and tasks building to a culminating task that integrates skills (writing, speaking, or a combination.) Each unit focuses on a specific topic. Culminating tasks integrate student learning about writing and speaking while developing a deeper understanding of the content. Some units feature smaller, more frequent tasks that assist the teacher in assessing formatively; some units feature more complex or formal tasks that stretch across many lessons and assist the teacher with summative assessment.

Examples include (but are not limited to) the following:

In Unit 1, students use the main texts as examples to read and analyze, and then they incorporate this learning into their own personal narratives.

• “This unit examines the genre of personal narratives, which consists of works of nonfiction written by a first-person narrator involved in the events being described. Students read five personal narratives, identifying the elements of the genre and, throughout the unit, using these elements in writing a variety of their own personal narratives. ” (TG, Unit 1, p.1)
• “Tell students that before they begin writing their narrative, we will take a look at how many writers structure their paragraphs.” (TG, Unit 1, p.14)
• Writing lessons support students’ development of their own personal narratives.
  • “Write about a time, outside of school, when you taught something to somebody or someone taught you something. Think carefully about what you said to each other so that you can include dialogue in your narrative.” (TG, Unit 1, p.85)
  • “In Lesson 6, you will begin reading and writing a personal narrative about names. In order to get you thinking about names and what they mean to us, we are going to engage in a brainstorming activity called ‘free writing.’” (TG, Unit 1, p.98)
  • “Using an event or time that both you and the students experienced (for example, a class trip, unusual weather, a fire drill), model telling a brief narrative with a point of view.” (TG, Unit 1, p.132)
• “Have students share their event sequences with the class. Write some of their logical event sequences on the board and ask students to describe why the sequence makes sense.” (TG, Unit 1, p.181)
• “Have students rewrite their narratives on Activity Page 13.3, incorporating their revisions into their second drafts.” (TG, Unit 1, p.243)
• “Students listen to classmates’ narratives and provide positive and specific feedback.” (TG, Unit 1, p.262)

In Unit 2, "students will use information from the Reader to compare and contrast the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations and create an informative or explanatory project, called the Codex Project, which encompasses all three civilizations.” (TG, Unit 2, p.5) Students do close readings of the materials, answer text-specific questions about the Mayan, Aztec, and Incan civilizations, and learn and practice literary devices embedded in the texts. Students take notes and engage in writing exercises: “By the end of this lesson, students will have developed paraphrased information into a logical explanatory paragraph for their Codex Project.” (TG, Unit 2, p.163) Students then build their Codex Project using full process skills.

Throughout Unit 4 students are working towards writing a persuasive essay: “In the writing lessons, students will engage in an extended writing project. In this unit, students will build on the practice they had in earlier units in writing paragraphs, and will write a four-paragraph persuasive essay arguing whether they think Don Quixote’s good intentions justify his often calamitous actions. Students will support their claims with reasons and evidence from the text.”(TG, Unit 4, p.4)

Some of the tasks students complete to build up to a completed writing project include the following, which are guided with references and discussion/ teaching questions for the teacher:

• Learning the importance of supporting your opinion
• Explaining the parts of a persuasive essay
• Practice drafting an opinion and supporting it
• Working through conclusion paragraphs
• Sharing and evaluating writing process

In Unit 6, students work toward writing a friendly letter, a unit timeline, and an informative slide presentation.

• “Explain the five parts of a typical friendly letter: heading; greeting, or salutation; body; closing; and signature. Have students correct their colorcoding on Activity Page 2.6 as needed and add labels for each part” (TG, Unit 6, p. 69)
• “Tell students some letters try to convince the reader of something by offering an argument and evidence. Ask students to identify the argument in the sample letter and the sentence in which it appears.” (TG, Unit 6, p. 70)
• “Ask students to identify the five parts of a friendly letter. Have students reference Activity Page 2.6 as needed.◦ Think-Pair-Share. Circulate as students discuss. Have a few pairs share out. • Clarify the five parts of a letter: heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature. Remind students that letters may also contain a postscript, or a note that comes after the signature. • Explain that students will write a friendly letter from Jacques’s point of view after he has learned to read and write. The letter will contain each of the parts of a friendly letter, as well as a clear purpose” (TG, Unit 6, p. 93)

Students work independently, in small groups, and in whole-class structures to give and receive feedback and check for understanding and task completion and quality. They complete a presentation for the class as well.

Unit 7 works toward the culmination of performances of scenes in a play and a memorize a speech.

• “In this lesson, students combine their reading and acting skills to perform a very short selection from Act 3, Scene 1. After sharing their scenes, students will write a profile of one character using both the text and the performance as evidence” (TG, Unit7, p. 220)
• “For the first time in the unit, students combine all the elements of a theater performance. Be sure to reinforce that, although everyone is basing his or her choices on the same text, different groups may make different choices. If they are well-supported by text, all these choices are right. Debating the merits of various choices can lead to fruitful discussions, and you should encourage students to defend their decisions. If these arguments are well-supported by the text, tell students it is okay to agree to disagree!” (TG, Unit 7, p. 220)
• “Tell students that today they will be staging, rehearsing, and performing their mini-scenes in the groups that were assigned in the previous lesson.• Tell students that performances have many components, but they are all grounded in, and must be supported by, the text. Tell students that they must, therefore, be certain they know what happens in their scenes” (TG, Unit 7, p. 222)
• “Students also begin learning Puck’s final speech by heart. This speech has been selected for several reasons. It’s one of Shakespeare’s most famous speeches, and the length and regular meter and rhyme make it ideal for memorization. Because students have already done in-depth character work on Puck, they are now well prepared to understand and perform it with some depth. And because Puck’s final speech concludes the play, this also sets up a class-wide finale to the unit” (TG, Unit 7, p. 232)
• “Have students individually select four moments in the scene (“a moment” = one to two lines). Tell them they will be creating a storyboard panel of each of those moments for a stage production” (TG, Unit 7, p. 268)

Instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet expectations for providing frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax. Vocabulary words are identified in the teacher guides and vocabulary words are highlighted in student texts. However, limited teacher guidance is provided for introducing and reinforcing vocabulary. Discussion questions accompany reading selections in the teacher guides. In some instances there are inconsistent supports for teachers to build students' independent skills when they exhibit struggle in this area.

There are some lesson components that provide protocols for students to learn, practice, and apply how to discuss and present their vocabulary. One example includes a frame protocol to support students' discussion:

• “Write or display the following sentence frames as guidance to students on feedback:Your narrative taught me something about you I didn’t know.The words(s)_____ taught me that _____.Your narrative taught me something interesting about what your name means to you. The words____taught me that_____.The visual element added to the meaning of your narrative. It showed that me that_____.When you described_____ with the words_____, I could really picture it in my mind.” (TG, Unit 1, p.173)

Some discussions are developed around key vocabulary, although support to engage in the discussion (protocols, support for misunderstandings, etc.) are minimal. Support to ensure each student is engaging in the modeling and practice with vocabulary is not ensured. If students exhibit misunderstanding or need more support to fully comprehend and apply the learning, there are few consistent directions for the teacher. Some examples include the following:

• "Circle the word personal. Facilitate a whole-class discussion around the words and ideas students associate with it. As they respond, create a word map by writing students’ responses around the word personal and connecting them with lines. Possible student responses to personal: private, person, people, individual, secret, and owning.” (TG, Unit 1, p.9)
• As a whole class, analyze the next two sentences, calling on students to read a sentence or phrase from the text and then think out loud.” (TG, Unit 1, p.25)

Academic vocabulary is frequently identified for the teacher and prominently highlighted for the student, but there is limited teacher guidance on how to reinforce the meaning, use, and modeling of these words. There are frequent notes for the teacher to remind students of the initial vocabulary presented at the start of units.

• From lessons associated with the student reader, the teacher is directed to highlight the vocabulary: “Preview the core vocabulary words before reading the chapter.
  • Begin by telling students the first vocabulary word they will encounter in this chapter is domesticate.
  • Have them find the word on page 2 of the Reader. Explain that each vocabulary word is bolded the first time it appears in the chapter.
  • Explain that the glossary contains definitions of all the vocabulary words in this Reader. Have students refer to the glossary at the back of the Reader, locate domesticate, and then have a student read the definition.
  • Instruct students to turn to a peer and explain what the word domesticate means. Provide clarification as needed.
  • Explain the following:
    ◦ The part of speech
    ◦ Alternate forms of the word” (TG, Unit 2, pp.19-20)
• While academic vocabulary words are previewed by the teacher, few opportunities are provided for students to practice using the words as they speak. “Remind students that definitions of all of the chapter’s vocabulary words can be found in the glossary at the back of the Reader. Have students reference Activity Page 9.1 while you read each word and its meaning.” (TG, Unit 2, p.194)
• “Tell students they will reread parts of Chapter 3, “Setting the Stage for Reform.” Explain that during this second reading they will focus on the details used by the author, such as certain vocabulary words and sayings and phrases, to gain a deeper understanding of the influence and practices of the Church, and why some practices needed to be reformed” (TG, Unit 6, p. 102)
• “Point out to students that they’ve learned a very important line from the play: “The course of true love never did run smooth.” Remind them that course in this context means “route” or “direction.”(TG, Unit 7, p42)

Lessons 1-14 in Unit 4 all contain a Word Work component. Some sample words included in this part are honorable, meddle, quixotic, deceive, fortune, dumbfounded. Directions for this part of the lesson all follow the same format. The format is as follows:

• “1. In chapter 7, you read, “You must agree that fortune was not with us.” 2. Say the word fortune with me. 3. Fortune means “luck.” 4. Some people believe a four-leaf clover brings good fortune. 5. Have you ever experienced good fortune? Be sure to use the word fortune when you talk about it. • Ask two or three students to use the target word in a sentence. If necessary, guide and/or rephrase students’ responses to make complete sentences: “I experienced good fortune when…” 6. What part of speech is the word fortune? • Use a Making Choices activity as a Check for Understanding. I am going to read you several sentences that all involve fortune (or luck). Fortune can be either good fortune or bad fortune. Raise your hand if what I describe is good fortune; keep your hand down if what I describe is bad fortune: 1. Andrea thought she misplaced her homework and would have to redo it, but she found it in her desk. » good fortune (hands up) 2. Mika spilled ketchup on her new sweater. » bad fortune (hands down) 3. Don Quixote and Sancho did not find any spoils or islands for Sancho to govern. » bad fortune (hands down) 4. Jose learned that the book he wanted to read was already checked out of the library. » bad fortune (hands down).”(TG, Unit 4, p.161)

• “In the chapter you read, “If they persisted in doing something wrong, or in holding to beliefs that did not follow Church doctrine, and refused to recant, they could be accused of heresy.” 2. Say the word recant with me. 3. Recant means to publicly take back an opinion expressed in the past. 4. In the Middle Ages, the Church wanted people to recant their statements if those statements conflicted with Church doctrine. 5. Have you ever expressed an opinion that you later had to recant? • Ask two or three students to use the target word in a sentence. If necessary, guide and/or rephrase students’ responses to make complete sentences: “I once stated ___, but I later had to recant because ___.” 6. What part of speech is the word recant? » verb • Use a Synonyms and Antonyms activity for follow-up. “What does recant mean? What are some synonyms of, or words that have a similar meaning to, recant?”(TG, Unit 6, p. 92)
• “Create a word bank of linking verbs for the first section: are, look, sounded, were, feels, was (used twice), felt, smells, am. • Guide students in referencing the Present Tense and Past Tense posters. • Color-code the different types of linking verbs: being, and the senses verbs. • Have students pantomime the looking, seeing, tasting, smelling, sounding verbs and add a “thumbs up” for sentences with a linking verb and adjective and a “thumbs down” for sentences with an action verb and noun. • Have student turn their heads to look over their shoulder while they say past tense verbs, and face forward while they say present tense verbs. • Provide sentence frames to guide students in creating sentences. Refer them to the previous word bank or create a new word bank.” (TG, Unit 6, p.100)

Instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet expectations for supporting students' listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and evidence. The Unit 7 "Quest" unit is particularly strong in this area with many of the activities supporting high levels of student engagement while integrating writing, speaking, and listening. Throughout the units, students have frequent opportunities to interact and engage with the topics they are reading and researching.

Examples of listening and speaking opportunities include:

Unit 1

• Reading selections are accompanied by questions and suggestions that may be used by the teacher to generate student discussion. Examples include:
  • The teacher models “Think As You Read”: “Tell them that you will begin and that as you read you are going to think out loud about how the text shows the conflict.” (TG, Unit 1, p.24)
  • “Blanco writes that Abuela followed his instructions faithfully and did not add any Cuban spices. What do these details show?” (TG, Unit 1, p.78)“Ask students if they can infer anything about Rosa Parks’s family and how she lived from the three sentences.
  • “In the first paragraph of this section, the author writes, ‘There’s no way I’m gonna get a house call on this one.’ What do you think he means? As a clue, look at the next sentence: ‘No one can help me.’” (TG, Unit 1, p.238)

Unit 2

• Reading selections are accompanied by questions and suggestions that may be used by the teacher to generate student discussion. Examples include:
  • “What evidence is provided in this paragraph as to why this era was called the golden age for the Maya?” (TG, Unit 2, p.45)
  • “The author uses a metaphor in the sentence, “Its religious and ceremonial center was located at the heart of the city.” Why does the author compare the religious and ceremonial center to a heart? What do they have in common?” (TG, Unit 2, p.175)
  • “Based on the text, how do we know that Viracocha cared about the well- being of the people he had created?” (TG, Unit 2, p.292)
• “For each question, have students cite the specific passage in the text that provides the information needed to answer the question. If students have difficulty responding to the questions, reread pertinent passages of the chapter and/or refer to specific images or graphics. If students give one- word answers, and/or fail to use appropriate vocabulary in their responses, acknowledge correct responses by expanding students’ responses using richer and more complex language. Have students answer in complete sentences by restating the question in their responses. It is highly recommended that students answer at least one question in writing and that several students share their writing as time allows.” (TG, Unit 2, p.32)

Unit 3

• Poetry selections are accompanied by questions and suggestions that may be used by the teacher to generate student discussion. Examples include:
  • “In this poem the speaker knew that the plums belonged to someone else, but he ate them anyway. Does his description of the plums make him sound sorry for what he did? Give a reason to support your answer.” (TG, Unit 3, p.29)
  • “There is a purpose in using anaphora. What does the speaker here seem to be stressing by repeating the word when? Give a reason based on the poem that helps explain your answer.” (TG, Unit 3, p.45)

Unit 4

• “Think-Pair-Share. We have described Don Quixote as idealistic and Sancho as realistic, comparing and contrasting these character traits. Nonetheless, is there any evidence in these chapters that suggests Don Quixote is, even momentarily, realistic? Be sure that you provide evidence from the text. Ask several students to share the information exchanged between partners in the Think-Pair-Share activity.”(TG, Unit 4, p.261)

Unit 6

• “Summarize the motives of Reformation figures, cite page numbers, and act out roles while answering questions aloud” (TG, Unit 6, p. 142)
• “What Is at the Center of the Universe?” Answer questions about the chapter while reading and discussing, using complete sentences, citing evidence, and listing page numbers” (TG, Unit 6, p. 160)

Unit 7

• “Because A Midsummer Night’s Dream was created to be performed, this Quest pairs reading and writing with theatrical activities. These games, rehearsals, and performances provide another set of tools to help students explore and take ownership of Shakespeare’s text. While these activities are not designed to teach acting or directing—and should not be presented to students as such— students will also improve their speaking and listening skills and their public-presentation confidence through these exercises” (TG, Unit 7, p. 5)
• “Students will memorize Puck’s speech in Act 5, Scene 1 and develop gestures to physicalize key words in the speech” (TG, Unit 7, p. 230)

Unit 8

• "Lesson Wrap Up: Bring the class back together as a group, and use the following questions to discuss the chapter: 1. Inferential. What did European settlers in North America usually do when they encountered Native Americans in the areas they wanted to settle? Refer to Chapters 1 and 2 of A Changing Landscape to obtain evidence to support answer to this question. 2. Literal. What did the Spanish do in California when they encountered Native Americans living there? Cite evidence from Chapter 4 to support your answer. Have students turn to the last page of Activity Page 4.2. After you read the following question to the class, have students respond to the question in writing. After students finish writing their responses, discuss them as a class. 3. Evaluative. Compare and contrast the way Spanish settlers interacted with Native Americans in what is now California with the way other European settlers interacted with Native Americans in other regions of the country. 4. Evaluative. What impact did the arrival of explorers, miners, missionaries, and settlers in what is now California have on Native Americans’ way of life? Optional: Turn to a partner and discuss." (TG, Unit 8, p. 108)

Unit 9

• "Facilitate a class discussion on the similarities and differences between the two modes. First ask someone from the “scientist” half to read one of the sentences from Tess’s rules. Then ask someone from the “detective” side to comment on a similarity or difference with one of their rules. Then swap sides." (TG, Unit 9, p. 59)

Instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet expectations for materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g. multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects incorporating digital resources where appropriate. Lessons provide varied and frequent opportunities for on-demand and everyday writing. Many on-demand tasks incorporate responses that assess student comprehension of primary student and read-aloud texts. Opportunities for process writing are distributed throughout the year and are the focus of some units such as the Personal Narratives unit. Students engage in pre-writing with graphic organizers that assist with information gathering and categorizing. Frameworks are provided to support student collaboration for sharing feedback and engaging in peer editing. Supplemental resources, including digital content, are suggested for student research in some lessons.

Evidence of on-demand and process writing includes (but is not limited to) the following examples from the materials:

• “In addition to specific writing lessons, the CKLA program provides numerous writing opportunities. For example, students regularly engage in writing short answers in response to text-based questions. In these writing opportunities, students will focus on the use of evidence from the text and on individual sentence construction.” (TG, Unit 2, pp.5-6)

• “A primary goal of the unit is for students to write frequently and, indeed, to begin to identify themselves as writers. To this end, students write every day, often full-paragraph or multi-paragraph narratives, in a low-stakes environment that encourages students to develop their writing skills. We want students to realize that they are all capable of personal writing, that they all have something of interest to say about themselves, and that writing personal narratives can be a fun creative outlet. Most of the writing assignments are connected to practicing a skill, such as writing dialogue or using strong descriptive verbs, which students will have studied in connection with the narratives they are reading. In addition, over the course of the unit, students will have multiple opportunities to share their writing in safe and supportive sessions, with their classmates offering concrete and positive feedback.” (TG, Unit 1, p.3)
• “A wide range of supplementary material is available online for digital display during instructional time. This includes Reader passages to be used to model close reading, sentences and paragraphs demonstrating literary devices and elements of the personal narrative genre, and sentence frames to guide students in providing positive and specific feedback on their classmates’ writing.” (TG, Unit 1, p.4)
• “Choose one of the first-time experiences you outlined in the chart and write a narrative paragraph showing why it was a memorable first. Remember to include a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.” (TG, Unit 1, p.14)
• “Write about a time, outside of school, when you taught something to somebody or someone taught you something. Think carefully about what you said to each other so that you can include dialogue in your narrative.” (TG, Unit 1, p.85)
• “Tell students that although they will still be writing personal narratives, their writing today will also be persuasive (they will write to convince their reader of something); like Rosa Parks, they will bring evidence to support a point of view about a personal experience.” (TG, Unit 1, p.149)
• “Using full sentences, describe at least four events, in the order they happened, that were part of the surprise. Think about what happened before, during, and after the surprise. Think about how you felt inside and how you reacted outside. Think about specific moments you can describe in detail.” (TG, Unit 1, p.181)
• “In the writing lessons, students will review the stages of the writing process and engage in an extended writing project. In this unit, students will use information from the Reader to compare and contrast the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations and create an informative or explanatory project, called the Codex Project, which encompasses all three civilizations. During the first few lessons, students will plan and draft a paragraph about the Maya and practice paraphrasing and note-taking. Next students will plan and draft a paragraph about the Aztec. They will also incorporate images into the project that are related to their topic. Students will practice using linking words and phrases to compare the Maya and the Aztec. Finally students will plan and draft a paragraph about the Inca. Students will also have an opportunity to edit their writing in all three paragraphs. Students will then integrate their writing and images to complete their Codex Project.” (TG, Unit 2, p.5)
• “Earlier grades in the CKLA program include five steps in the writing process: planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Beginning in Grade 4, the CKLA writing process expands to include the following components: planning, drafting, sharing, evaluating, revising, and editing (and the optional component of publishing). In Grades 4 and 5, the writing process is no longer conceptualized as a series of scaffolded, linear steps (an important change from the Grade 3 writing process). Rather, students move among components of the writing process in a flexible manner similar to the process mature and experienced writers follow naturally (see Graham, Bollinger, Booth Olson, D’Aoust, MacArthur, McCutchen, & Olinghouse [2012] for additional research-based recommendations about writing in the elementary grades).” (TG, Unit 2, p.5)
• “Tell students that today they will plan by organizing notes about geographical features of the land where the Maya civilization developed and use these notes to draft an explanatory paragraph.” (TG, Unit 2, p.80)
• “Tell students that today they will practice identifying key information and paraphrasing text related to a cultural aspect of the Maya. Refer to the SR.3 Writing Process Graphic and explain to students that taking notes and paraphrasing key information is part of the planning process as outlined in the graphic.” (TG, Unit 2, p.127)
• “Refer to the Paragraph about a Paragraph and the Codex Project Rubric as you review the three types of sentences in a paragraph. Use the three paragraph components listed below as a checklist for paragraph development.” (TG, Unit 2, p.163)
• “Tell students that noting the source for an image requires writing down the web address and the date you accessed the website to get the image. Write the web address on the board/chart paper using the format of the sample website reference written on the board/chart paper: title of the website; date accessed; web address. Point out where this information would be placed on the Reference List.” (TG, Unit 2, p.186)
• “Tell students they will use an editing checklist to edit their paragraphs and captions. Explain that editing will help them present writing that is free of errors, which would distract a reader from understanding the ideas.” (TG, Unit 2, p.296)
• “In the writing lessons of this unit, students work either independently or collaboratively to create original poems that model the structure and style of those studied in each lesson.” (TG, Unit 3, p.6)
• “A wide range of supplementary materials are available online. These include “Reading Poetry,” a guide to reading poetry aloud, which is accompanied by multimedia examples, critical commentary on each poem in the unit, and additional resources.” (TG, Unit 3, p.7)
• “Students will use the poetic device anaphora to create their personal poem.” (TG, Unit 3, p.49)
• “Students will use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast two characters in a poem.” (TG, Unit 3, p.65)
• “Students will create and share an original poem utilizing parallel structure to contrast scenes.” (TG, Unit 3, p.141)
• “Students will compose and original poem in which two characters respond differently to the same circumstance.” (TG, Unit 3, p.146)
• “In the writing lessons, students will engage in an extended writing project. In this unit, students will build on the practice they had in earlier units in writing paragraphs, and will write a four-paragraph persuasive essay arguing whether they think Don Quixote’s good intentions justify his often calamitous actions. Students will support their claims with reasons and evidence from the text.” (TG, Unit 4, p.4)
• “Tell students they will write a persuasive essay arguing that the actions of the main character, Don Quixote, are or are not justified or acceptable. Explain that to argue in writing means to present an opinion in a reasoned, logical way. Students will be asked when writing this essay to support their opinion using examples from the text. Explain that the purpose of the essay is to persuade, or convince, someone else that the student’s opinion is right.”(TG, Unit 4, p.90)
• “Students will draft the concluding paragraph for their persuasive essay.”(TG, Unit 4, p.299)
• “Explain that the activity page contains four excerpts from Adventures of Don Quixote. Students will use each excerpt to write a one-sentence opinion about Don Quixote based on the actions and dialogue described in that excerpt. Students will provide a reason for their opinion that is supported by evidence from the excerpt.” (TG, Unit 4, p.124)
• “Writing lessons include multiple opportunities for peer collaboration and teacher scaffolding. Additionally, when students write, you should circulate around the room and check in with students to provide brief, targeted feedback” (TG, Unit 6, p.4)
• “Use the following to write your letter from Jacques. (Greeting) (Heading) (Body) (Closing) (Signature) PS (postscript)” (AB, Unit 6, p. 61)
• “Compare and contrast the scientific discoveries made by Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo with the reforms Luther and others were seeking in the Catholic Church” (TG, Unit 6, p. 183)
• “Finally, students are introduced to a recurring writing activity in which they take on the role of an advice columnist (“course smoother”) to the A Midsummer Night’s Dream characters. These informal writing activities are generally freestanding, so you should feel free to collect them at the end of the lessons in which they appear and to take a couple of days to review them” (TG, Unit 7, p. 32)
• “Write a paragraph describing the physical appearance of Oberon, Titania, or one of their fairy followers. Think about the adjectives you have used to describe them and what you know about them from the summary” (AB, Unit 7, p. 38)
• “Read this letter and respond with a one-to-two-paragraph letter to Helena. What clues from the text help you think about her questions? Use these details to support your advice. Underline the places in your response that use evidence from the play” (AB, Unit 7, p. 60)
• “After sharing their scenes, students will write a profile of one character using both the text and the performance as evidence” (TG, Unit 7, p. 220)
• "Students will use a graphic organizer to identify the argument and supporting evidence in a persuasive essay explaining the relationship between Native Americans and the land." (TG, Unit 8, p. 79)
• "Students will choose an image to serve as the foundation for a persuasive essay and will find and use relevant information to summarize or paraphrase information in notes." (TG, Unit 8, p. 135)
• "Have students turn to their writing journals (or use a word processor) and draft a conclusion based on their existing argument and body paragraphs, incorporating the argument and supporting evidence." (TG, Unit 8, p. 284)
• "As time permits, have students recopy their revised and edited persuasive essay drafts onto clean pages. (If students are using a word processor, have them make the edits they have marked on their paper copies.)" (TG, Unit 8, p. 303)
• "Students should not be expected to complete more than a rough first draft in the time available. As noted in the advance preparation, this writing activity can be extended to additional activities, continued at home, or used as written." (TG, Unit 9, p. 31)
• "Ask students to complete the writing prompt on Activity Page 13.5 Think about Amy or Dr Forester. Do you think the reader provided a satisfying resolution for their character? Explain your answer using evidence from the text. Ask students to either choose one of the characters, direct them to write about one, or ask them to write about both." (TG, Unit 9, p. 215)

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet the expectations for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. For grade 5, the standards require a mix of opinion, informational/explanatory, and narrative writing. Units emphasize a variety of genres and include many activities including poetry writing, journaling, drafting letters, and writing with dialogue. Over the course of the year, students have many opportunities to learn about author's craft and apply numerous literary devices to their own writing.

Evidence of a variety of text types of writing includes:

Unit 1 writing focuses on personal narratives and practicing components of other writing types to be applied over the course of the school year. Students are provided sentence frames and protocols for feedback.

• “A wide range of supplementary material is available online for digital display during instructional time. This includes Reader passages to be used to model close reading, sentences and paragraphs demonstrating literary devices and elements of the personal narrative genre, and sentence frames to guide students in providing positive and specific feedback on their classmates’ writing.” (TG, Unit 1, p.4)
• "Choose one of the first-time experiences you outlined in the chart and write a narrative paragraph showing why it was a memorable first. Remember to include a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.” (TG, Unit 1, p.14)
• “One of students’ Lesson 3 writing options will be expanding on a moment from their First Time Narratives. Consider reading students’ First Time Narratives to support them in choosing a moment to develop.” (TG, Unit 1, p.17)
• “In Lesson 6, you will begin reading and writing a personal narrative about names. In order to get you thinking about names and what they mean to us, we are going to engage in a brainstorming activity called 'free writing.'” (TG, Unit 1, p.98)

In Unit 2, students engage further in the writing process via work with informational writing activities. They practice and engage in note taking and information organization work.

• “In the writing lessons, students will review the stages of the writing process and engage in an extended writing project. In this unit, students will use information from the Reader to compare and contrast the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations and create an informative or explanatory project, called the Codex Project, which encompasses all three civilizations. During the first few lessons, students will plan and draft a paragraph about the Maya and practice paraphrasing and note-taking. Next students will plan and draft a paragraph about the Aztec. They will also incorporate images into the project that are related to their topic. Students will practice using linking words and phrases to compare the Maya and the Aztec. Finally students will plan and draft a paragraph about the Inca. Students will also have an opportunity to edit their writing in all three paragraphs. Students will then integrate their writing and images to complete their Codex Project.” (TG, Unit 2, p.5)
• “Students will gather relevant facts about the geographical features of Mesoamerica and paraphrase sentences into note format for planning and drafting a paragraph.” (TG, Unit 2, p.61)
• “Tell students that today they will plan by organizing notes about geographical features of the land where the Maya civilization developed and use these notes to draft an explanatory paragraph.” (TG, Unit 2, p.80)

Unit 3 focuses on poetry. Students learn components and apply to their own drafts.

• “In the writing lessons of this unit, students work either independently or collaboratively to create original poems that model the structure and style of those studied in each lesson.” (TG, Unit 3, p.6)
• “Students will compose their own poems with emphasis on presenting two different tones in their work.” (TG, Unit 3, p.32)
• “Students will use the poetic device anaphora to create their personal poem.” (TG, Unit 3, p.49)
• “Students will use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast two characters in a poem.” (TG, Unit 3, p.65)
• “Students will create original list poems and peer-edit their partner’s poems.” (TG, Unit 3, p.116)
• “Students will compose and original poem in which two characters respond differently to the same circumstance.” (TG, Unit 3, p.146)

In Unit 7, students work with first-person paragraphs, mostly focusing on narrative writing.

• Have students work individually to write a short, first-person paragraph describing what happened in the story in the previous lesson from the perspective of the character” (TG, Unit 7, p. 54)
• “Write a speech in which Puck explains some trouble he’s caused in modern life. The speech should be eight lines long and describe two to four tricks he has played. It does not have to rhyme or use a particular rhythm, but it may do these things if you like” (AB, Unit 7, p. 52)
• “Answer the following questions from Bottom’s point of view. Include examples from the text to support your answer. Then write Bottom a ballad that reflects his story. Your ballad does not need to rhyme or be set to music, but it may do these things. It’s up to you (and Bottom)” (AB, Unit 7, p. 90)

Unit 8 brings students to extended writing. "They will write a persuasive essay in which they convince the reader that a chosen image best shows the connection between Native Americans and the land. Students will focus on note-taking, incorporating evidence, and crafting an argument. Students will also revise, edit, and share their writing." (TG, Unit 8, p. 4) Students use writing journals and incorporate their process practice to create a fully produced essay.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 5 meet expectations for including frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information. Students are asked to provide evidence from texts in many writing activities with frequent opportunities to communicate and defend their thinking. Activities highlighting feedback and editing provide additional opportunities for students to refine how they convey claims and analyses. Activities including organizational charts and strategies support students in using rubrics to ensure that their thinking is clearly supported.

Some examples that represent how the program engages students in evidence-focused writing include, but are not limited to, the following:

• “Tell students to finish reading the projected paragraph and, as an exit slip, to write down one quote from the paragraph that shows Abuela’s strong connection to Cuban culture.” (TG, Unit 1, p.25)
• “Have them imagine that they are the frozen turkey mocking Blanco and write down one or two sentences of what the turkey would say to him.” (TG, Unit 1, p.61)
• “Students will gather relevant facts about the geographical features of Mesoamerica and paraphrase sentences into note format for planning and drafting a paragraph.” (TG, Unit 2, p.61)
• “Remind students of the paragraph they drafted in Lesson 7 about a cultural aspect of the Maya civilization. Remind students to begin by choosing words and phrases to introduce the main idea or topic of the paragraph; to then choose supporting details that go together and add information or explain the main idea; and to then think about words and phrases they want to use to state a final thought or opinion.” (TG, Unit 2, p.229)
• Students “will write a four-paragraph persuasive essay arguing whether they think Don Quixote’s good intentions justify his often calamitous actions. Students will support their claims with reasons and evidence from the text.”(TG, Unit 4, p.4)
• “Explain that the activity page contains four excerpts from Adventures of Don Quixote. Students will use each excerpt to write a one-sentence opinion about Don Quixote based on the actions and dialogue described in that excerpt. Students will provide a reason for their opinion that is supported by evidence from the excerpt.” (TG, Unit 4, p.124)
• “Answer each question thoughtfully, citing evidence from the text and the page number(s) where you found evidence for each answer. Remember to answer in complete sentences, and to restate the question in your answer whenever possible.1. Why did people in the past believe in the geocentric model of the universe? Page(s) 2. How does the heliocentric model of the universe differ from the geocentric model?” (AB, Unit 6, p. 79)

In addition to examples that are driven by texts at hand, there are also writing assignments that provide direction and practice that explicitly promotes students' applying these skills to other text engagements, such as:

• “Tell students that, when writing a persuasive essay, they will first need to develop a claim. In persuasive writing, a claim is a strong opinion that can be backed up (supported) with a reason and evidence from the text. A claim is introduced in the introductory paragraph. In the body paragraphs, students must defend their opinions with reasons and supporting evidence. The claim is an important part of persuading, or convincing, readers. It suggests that students have 'proof' to support their ideas.”(TG, Unit 4, p.149)
• “Have students turn to Activity Page 5.4. Explain that this activity page is a graphic organizer that will guide them through the process of drafting a strong claim.”(TG, Unit 4, p.150)