The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that texts are organized around a topic/topics (or, for grades 6-8, topics and/or themes) to build students’ ability to read and comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently.

Grade 6 materials are grouped around topics such as Unit 1’s focus on wolves, Unit 3’s focus on prehistoric art, and Unit 4’s focus on energy consumption; this intense focus builds not only literacy skills but students’ content knowledge. The instructional materials allow students to develop a range of reading and writing skills. Texts are set up to increase in complexity both in regards to the reading difficulty, as well as the writing tasks complexity.

• Unit 1 develops students’ abilities to read closely for textual details and is centered around the topic “The Wolf You Feed.” The instructional materials provide students with a variety of texts related to the social behavior of wolves, human impact on wolves, and the differences between wolves and dogs. Students are offered a variety of texts in this unit ranging from photographs to excerpts of Jack London’s White Fang to scientific studies.

• Unit 2 asks students “to make evidence-based claims through activities based on a close reading of the Commencement Address Steve Jobs delivered at Stanford University on June, 2005.” The materials divide this speech into sections providing students scaffolding at the beginning of the unit. As the unit progresses, students are expected to read and analyze the speech with peers and then independently.

• Unit 3 focuses on conducting research to deepen understanding and is centered on the topic “Prehistoric Art.” The instructional materials provide a common text set that serves not only as a resource for investigation and/or teacher modeling but as the foundation for the activities in the unit plan. This common text set offers a variety of sources such as virtual tours, images of cave paintings, encyclopedia entries, and online articles.

• Unit 4 asks student to write evidence-based arguments centered on the topic “Energy Crossroads.” The instructional materials provide students with texts related to “the broad area of energy consumption and production and more specifically on issues and controversies related to the use of hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, to access natural gas deep underground.” Students are offered a variety of sources including videos, scientific articles, political cartoons, and animated guides.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced higher order thinking questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language (words/phrases), key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts in order to make meaning and build understanding of texts and topics. Consistently throughout the Grade 6 instructional materials, higher order thinking questions are provided in the form of both text-dependent and text-specific questions. These questions are embedded into Questioning Path Tools that are used by students as guides when analyzing texts.

• In Unit 1, students read a variety of texts centered around the topic “The Wolf I Feed”. Students analyze these texts via Questioning Path Tools which provides questions that require students to analyze language (words/phrases), key ideas, details, craft, and structure. For example:
  • Text 2 “A Brief History of Wolves in the United States”
    • Which details in paragraph 7 to 9 cause me to rethink the historical persecution of wolves in the United States?
  • Text 7 “All About Wolves”: Pack Behavior
    • What is the author’s purpose for writing this explanation on the Isle Royle website?
    • In Paragraph 21, the authors make a claim that "wolves are like humans." What details in the text support this claim?

• In Unit 2, students read Steve Job’s Stanford Commencement Address. Students analyze these sections of this text via Questioning Path Tools which provides questions that require students to analyze language (words/phrases), key ideas, details, craft, and structure. For example:

• Text Steve Job’s Stanford Commencement Address, Paragraphs 1-8
  • At the end of paragraph 4, we learn that Steve Jobs’s mother “refused to sign the adoption papers.” Why did she do this, and why did she “relent” a few months later?
  • What do you think Steve Jobs means when he says “you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards”? What evidence does he use to support this claim?
• Text Steve Jobs’s Stanford Commencement Address, Paragraphs 15-21
  • What details or words suggest the author’s perspective?
  • How does Steve Jobs explain that puzzling claim he makes in paragraph 21 that “Death is very likely the single best investigation of Life”?

• In Unit 3, students read a variety of texts on the topic of prehistoric art. Students analyze these texts via Questioning Path Tools which provides questions that require students to analyze language (words/phrases), key ideas, details, craft, and structure. For example:

• • Text 2 “Forgotten Cave in France was Hiding Stone Age Art”
    • The article says that the cave still “fills Chauvet’s voice with wonder.” What details from the article might be the cause for Chauvet’s “wonder”?
    • How do the section titles help you understand the article?

• • Text 6.2 “Hand across Time”
    • Mary Reina admires prehistoric artists for their “courage, imagination and artistry.” Which details from the text lead her to this conclusion?

• • Text 9 “Origins of Religion”
    • What words and phrases does the author use to describe how Paleolithic humans thought about religion?

• In Unit 4, students read a variety of texts on the topic “Energy Crossroads.” Students analyze these texts via Questioning Path Tools which provides questions that require students to analyze language (words/phrases), key ideas, details, craft, and structure. For example:

• • Text 4.2 “The Costs of Fracking”
    • What seems to be the author’s attitude or point of view (based on their relationship to the issue)?
    • Which sentences best communicate the Environment America’s position about fracking?
    • How does one of the bolded sentences relate to the author’s overall argument, and what specific evidence do they offer for support?

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials contain text-dependent and text-specific questions and tasks that require students to build knowledge and integrate ideas across texts. These questions are provided through Questioning Path Tools and the Guiding Questions Handout. These questions guide teachers as they support student growth in analyzing language, determining main ideas and supporting evidence, identifying author’s purpose and point of view, and analyzing structure of text. Both the student work with individual and multiple texts and teacher materials provide support in growing analytical skills of students.

• In Unit 1, Part 2, Activity 2, the Questioning Path Tools provides text-dependent questions such as, “What do I learn about how wolves 'consume...their prey'? Which words and details suggest the author’s perspective?” These questions help student analyze texts as they build content knowledge about wolves.

• In Unit 2, students examine the speech, “Stanford University Commencement Address” by Steve Jobs, June 12, 2005. Students work across this text in chunks to make evidence-based claims. Throughout the unit, students encounter several opportunities to respond to text dependent questions and tasks that require them to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across this individual text. For example, In Unit 2, Part 1, Activity 2, students answer text-dependent questions such as “What were the reasons why Steve Jobs 'decided to drop out' of college? Why was doing so 'one of the best decisions I ever made?' and What are the 'dots' that Steve Jobs connected between his post-college experiences and his designing of the first Mac computer?”

• In Unit 3, students read a variety of texts and use information from these sources to organize a body of research and write a reflective research narrative that communicates their evidence-based perspective on their area of investigation, which can also be expressed in an optional multimedia presentation. In Unit 3, Part 3, Activity 1, the teacher is provided with text notes for texts 10 through 12. The Text Notes include “sample text-specific questions to drive initial close reading and discussion.” For example, for Text 11, “Neanderthals: The Oldest Cave Painters,” the instructional materials include questions such as, “What details from the text help you understand more about cave art? What would you still want to explore?”

• In Unit 4, students read a variety of texts and use information from these sources to write an argumentative essay. The instructional materials provide text-specific questions, via Questioning Path Tools, to help students analyze some of these common sources. For example, in Unit 4, Part 2, Activity 5, students answer questions such as, “Which sentences best communicate the Environment America’s position about fracking?” Questions like this help students see the topic of energy from different perspectives.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that the questions and tasks support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic and/or theme through integrated skills (e.g., combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

Grade 6 materials include sets of questions and tasks to support students to complete culminating tasks in which they are demonstrating knowledge of topics and/or themes. Each module has several Questioning Path Tools that scaffold the material to encourage the successful completion of culminating tasks. The materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and activities that build to each culminating task. Tasks engage students in speaking, listening, reading and writing, which provide learning through integrated skills. Culminating tasks showcase students' demonstration of topics and themes through a combination of skills, print, and nonprint texts.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Unit 1’s culminating task states, “Students will be reading and studying texts with increasing independence and will be expected to write a text-based explanation and lead a group discussion about one of the final texts at the end of the unit.” Because the focus of this unit is for student to read closely for textual details, the instructional materials integrate the development of explanatory communication skills into the close-reading process and provide Questioning Path Tools to guide students. For example, in Unit 1, Part 3, Activity 5, students participate in structured text-centered discussions in which they examine discoveries they have made by explaining and comparing textual analyses with their peers.

• In Unit 2, Part 5, Activity 4, students write an evidence-based essay using claims they created based on Steve Jobs’s “Connecting the Dots” as a way to demonstrate their mastery of the unit’s objectives. This activity requires students to express their understanding of the text through writing. In Unit 2, Part 5, Activity 5, “the class discusses final evidence-based claims essays...and reflects on the Literacy Skills and Academic Habits involved in making and communicating evidence-based claims.” This activity asks students to speak about “the process through which they arrived at their claim - how it emerged from their reading of the text and how they honed it.” They also listen as other students share their experience.

• Unit 3’s culminating task states, “Students will have an organized body of research and will write a reflective research narrative that communicates their evidence-based perspective on their area of investigation, which can also be expressed in an optional multimedia presentation.” To prepare for this final task, students explore topics, collaborate with peers, pose and refine questions, and organize information. Questions and tasks are designed to help students analyze connections that “aid in comprehension, deepen understanding, and prepare students to express their evolving perspective.” For example, students build their listening and speaking skills in Unit 3, Part 1 when they are initiating inquiry. Students initially explore a topic and build background knowledge through reading and text-centered discussion, then initiate inquiry by generating questions collaboratively that can frame and direct their research.

• The final goal of Unit 4 is for students to be able to write an evidence-based argument. In Unit 4, Part 5, Activity 1, “students learn about the collaborative, question-based approach to developing and improving writing...in the context of talking out a first draft.” This is part of the four components of the Collaborative Workshop. Through this collaborative process, students read each other’s papers and write and edit their own papers. This process is driven through peer editing that asks students to both speak and listen about their own writing and the writing of others.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials support students’ increasing writing skills over the course of the school year, building students’ writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of the school year.

Grade 6 materials meet the expectation for materials supporting students’ increasing writing skills over the course of the school year, building students’ writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of the school year. Students are supported through the writing process in well-designed lessons, models, and protocols for teachers to monitor writing development. Feedback is provided by peers, the teacher, and self-evaluations to ensure that students' writing skills are increasing throughout the year. Students apply their learned knowledge to their writing and continue to build on it to make it strong and meet grade-level expectations following rubrics and standards.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Part 2, Activity 3, students write a short paragraph of clear, coherent, and complete sentences that states and then explains something from their analysis of text 5, specifically connected to what they have noted on their Analyzing Details Tool. In Part 3, Activity 3, students draw from their notes, tools, annotated texts, and sentences from earlier activities to construct a paragraph answering their comparative questions. The writing assignments in Unit 1 lead, guide, and instruct students to the final project, which require students to independently write a text-based explanation by including paragraphs that are drawn from their notes from one of the three final texts that they have read.
• In Unit 2, Part 4, Activity 3, students work in pairs to write “a paragraph that communicates an evidence-based claim using one of their claims from previous assignments." In Part 5, Activity 4, students independently draft an evidence-based essay. The writing assignments in Unit 2 lead, guide, and instruct students to the final project which require students to write a one to two paragraph evidence-based claim.
• In Unit 3, Part 2, Activity 3, the teacher models for students how to take notes related to a specific topic through research. In Part 3, Activity 2, “students develop an evidence-based claim about some of the common sources using their notes and annotations.” The writing assignments in Unit 3 lead, guide, and instruct students to the final project which requires students to write a reflective research narrative.
• In Unit 4, Part 1, Activity 5, “students develop and write an evidence-based claim about the nature of the issue.” In Part 2, Activity 7, “students write paragraphs analyzing an argument.” The writing assignments in Unit 4 lead, guide, and instruct students to the final project which require students to write an evidence-based argument.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials include a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials.

The progression of research activities is organized as follows: Units 1 and 2 build skills, such as reading closely for textual details and making evidence-based claims, that will be needed to conduct the research projects outlined in Units 3 and 4. Units 3 and 4 encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and sources. Students engage in research projects that require them to analyze different aspects of the topic using multiple texts and source materials.

In Unit 1, Part 1, Activity 5, students use Guiding Questions to independently explore the Living With Wolves website or the Lobos of the Southwest website. This activity asks students to “apply close-reading skills in the context of Internet research but also enrich their understanding of the topic and other texts they will encounter in the unit.” This activity also asks students to share information they acquired through the Internet research with their small groups.

In Unit 2, Part 2, Activity 1, “students independently read part of the text...to look for evidence to support a claim made by the teachers.” This activity helps prepare for later research by asking them to find supporting evidence from a nonfiction text to support a claim.

In Unit 3, students conduct research centered on the topic Prehistoric Cave Art; students choose an area to investigate and gather information to deepen their knowledge on the topic using multiple texts and sources. There is a learning progression in this unit to help guide students through the research process. For example, in Unit 3, Part 2, Activity 3, students “annotate sources and record key information, personal impressions, and ideas for further exploration.” In Part 4, Activity 2, students organize evidence and evidence-based claims in preparation for the culminating writing task.

In Unit 4, students conduct research centered on the topic, “Energy Crossroads,” and write argumentative essays; students choose an area to investigate and gather information to deepen their knowledge on the topic using multiple texts and sources. There is a learning progression in this unit to help guide students through the research process. For example, in Unit 4, Part 2, Activity 3, “student teams read and delineate arguments and write an evidence-based claim about one position on the issue.” This activity prepares students for the culminating task by asking them to analyze “a text that briefly summarizes the pros and cons of fracking.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials are well-designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing. The lesson structure is built upon four units. Each unit has 5 parts and each part is broken down into 4-8 activities. The activities can be completed within 1-2 days. At the end of each part, there are formative assessment ideas. At the end of each unit, students complete a culminating project (summative assessment).

Example include, but are not limited to:

• Students are taught how to read closely in Unit 1:
  • Part 1-Understanding Close Reading
  • Part 2-Questioning Texts
  • Part 3-Analyzing Details
  • Part 4-Explaining Understanding
  • Part 5-Discussing Ideas
    • The culminating project for Unit 1 is a reading closely final writing and discussion project. Students study a text by reading it closely, write a text-based explanation, lead, and participate in a text-centered discussion.
• Students are taught how to make evidence-based claims in Unit 2:
  • Part 1-Understanding Evidence-Based Claims
  • Part 2-Making Evidence-Based Claims
  • Part 3-Organizing Evidence-Based Claims
  • Part 4-Writing Evidence-Based Claims
  • Part 5-Developing Evidence-Based Claims
    • The culminating project for Unit 2 is an Evidence-Based Claim Final Writing Tasks. Students develop and write an evidence-based claim.
• Students are taught how to research in order to deepen their understanding in Unit 3:
  • Part 1-Initiating Inquiry
  • Part 2-Gathering Information
  • Part 3-Deepening Understanding
  • Part 4-Finalizing Inquiry
  • Part 5-Developing and Communicating an Evidence-Based Perspective
    • The culminating project for Unit 3 is a Research Written Task. Students write a research reflective narrative.
• Students learn how to write evidence-based arguments in Unit 4.
  • Part 1-Understanding the Nature of an Issue
  • Part 2-Analyzing Arguments
  • Part 3-Evaluating Arguments and Developing a Position
  • Part 4-Organizing an Evidence-Based Argument
  • Part 5-Developing Writing Through a Collaborative Process
    • The culminating project for Unit 4 is an argumentative final essay

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that the teacher and student can reasonably complete the content within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding.

The materials provide effective guidance and flexibility for teachers to address all the content and supplement with local academic goals and curricula. The materials address intertwined essential skills delineated in four units. Each unit focuses on a Core Proficiency for literacy that builds skills applicable beyond the English language arts classroom. The materials are vertically aligned by consistently addressing the same Core Proficiencies in four units for grades six, seven, and eight.

Evidence that supports this rationale is as follows:

• The materials consist of four units focused on four essential proficiencies that are designed to intertwine the building of knowledge. Each unit delineates standards-aligned Academic Habits into five parts with a varying amount of activities that range from 1 to 3 instructional days as determined by the teachers.
• The materials recursively focus on 20 essential Literacy Skills and 12 Academic Habits applied to text-centered analysis tasks in order to maximize student understanding of skills. Tasks include reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
• The materials bundle multiple standards and literacy skills into four Core Proficiencies. Each unit focuses on a different proficiency for students to master. The Core Proficiencies include: Reading Closely for Textual Details, Making Evidence-Based Claims, Researching to Deepen Understanding, and Building Evidence-Based Arguments.
• The materials provide guidance for structuring yearlong instruction and supplementing with local curricular content based on students’ needs as determined by the teacher.
• The materials are vertically aligned and follow the same formula and address the same Core Proficiencies from grade to grade with increasingly complex texts and opportunities for independent work.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that the student resources include ample review and practice resources, clear directions, and explanation, and correct labeling of reference aids (e.g., visuals, maps, etc.)

The student resources include texts for Units 1 and 2. There are lists of texts available for units 3 and 4. All 4 units include various tools (graphic organizers) to assist students with reviewing, practicing, and completing activities. All of the tools are labeled correctly with clear directions and/or explanations for how to use the tools.

Examples include:

• Unit 1 of the student edition, pages 7-43, include a list of texts that will be read for this unit. The tools/graphic organizers provide an Approaching the Text Tool, Analyzing Details Tool, Questioning Path Tool, Model Questioning Paths, Reading Closely Graphic, Guiding Questions Handout, Attending to Details Handout, Reading Closely Skills and Habits Checklists, and Final Writing and Discussion Assignment.
• Unit 2 of the student edition, pages 87-93, include the speech that will be read for this unit. The tools/graphic organizers provide an Approaching The Text Tool, Analyzing Details Tool, Questioning Path Tool, Modeling Questioning Paths, Forming Evidence-Based Claims Tool, Supporting Evidence-Based Claims Tool, Organizing Evidence-Based Claims Tool, Attending to Details Handout, Guiding Questions Handout, Writing Evidence-Based Claims Handout, Making Evidence-Based Claims Skills and Habits Checklists, Self and Peer Review Checklists, and Final Writing Tasks Handout.
• Unit 3 of the student edition, pages 134-135, include a list of texts that will be read for this unit. The tools/graphic organizers provide a Forming Evidence-Based Claims Research Tool, Organizing Evidence-Based Claims Research Tool, Taking Notes Tool, Exploring a Topic Tool, Potential Sources Tool, Research Evaluation Tool, Research Plan Handout, Research Portfolio Handout, Attending to Details Handout, Posing Inquiry Questions Handout, Assessing Sources Handout, Connecting Ideas Handout, Researching to Deepen Understanding Skills and Habits Checklist, Area Evaluation and Research Evaluation Checklists, and Final Writing Tasks Handout.
• Unit 4 of the student edition, pages 179-181, include a list of texts that will be read for this unit. The tools/graphic organizers provide an Analyzing Details Tools, Questioning Path Tool, Forming Evidence-Based Claims Tool, Organizing Evidence-Based Claims Tool, Delineating Arguments Tool, Evaluating Arguments Tool, Guiding Questions Handout, Connecting Ideas Handout, Evidence-Based Arguments Terms Handout, Model Arguments Handout, Building Evidence-Based Arguments Skills and Habits Checklist, and Final Writing Tasks Handout.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items.

The materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of both primary and supporting standards at the following levels: year, unit, and part. Both the Reading Closely: Guiding Questions Handout and the Questioning Path Tools, which are used extensively throughout the instructional materials, are aligned to specific reading and writing standards.

Evidence that supports this rationale is as follows:

• In the Developing Core Literacy Proficiencies: User Guide, the materials provide an Alignment of Targeted CCSS with OE Skills and Habits chart. This chart provides the CCSS Anchor Standards and the aligned Literacy Skills and Academic Habits.

• For each Unit, the materials provide the CCSS alignment and divide the standards into primary targeted skills and related reading and writing skills from supporting CCSS; in addition, the instructional materials provide the targeted and supporting standards for each part of each unit.

• Throughout the materials, students use the Reading Closely: Guiding Questions Handout. This handout organizes questions into four areas: Language, Ideas, Perspective, and Structure. The language questions address Common Core State Standards R.4, L.3, L.4, and L.5. The ideas questions address Common Core State Standards R.2, W.3, R.8, R.9. The perspective questions address Common Core State Standard R.6. The structure questions address the Common Core State Standard R.5.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher’s edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

The Grade 6 teacher’s edition provides annotations and suggestions for how to present the content in the student edition through text and instructional notes. The technology that is embedded to support and enhance student learning include The Odell Education Literacy Toolbox and texts. The Odell Education Literacy Toolbox (www.wiley.com/go/coreliteracy) is an electronic version of the graphic organizers that are included in the teacher and student editions.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, the technology used in this unit includes videos and websites for students to view. An example of a video that students view is Two Wolves by Dave Owens. An example of a website that students use is www.livingwithwolves.org. An Instructional Note in Part 1, Activity 5 states the following:

“This activity is an optional extension of Part 1, in which students can enrich their skills of looking for details with web-based text. It is recommended for students who have access to a computer either as an individual or in groups. Accessing an informational site can not only help students apply close-reading skills in the content of internet research but also enrich their understanding of the topic and other texts they will encounter in the unit. Students might be expected to develop deeper understanding of a part of the website through close reading and viewing and to bring details and information they have found back to a small-group discussion.”

• In Unit 2, Part 2, Activity 2, a text notes state:

“Paragraphs 9 through 14 present Steve Job’s second illustrative story that he shares with the Stanford graduates, a story ‘about love and loss.’ In this section of the speech, Jobs chronicles the rapid ascension of Apple from ‘two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4,000 employees’- and also his fall from grace: ‘And then I got fired.’ This second section of the speech presents students with a perplexing story to unravel and understand. Discerning the meaning Jobs wants the graduates to find in his story of failure and redemption will require students to examine his perspective and the language he uses to convey his view of his professional life.”

• In Unit 3, all of the texts that students read “are accessible for free on the Internet without any login information, membership requirements or purchases. Because of the ever-changing nature of website addresses, specific links are not provided. Teachers and students can locate these texts through web searches using the information provided.” An example of Instructional Notes in Part 3, Activity 1 is the following:

“In this activity, students employ skills developed in the Reading Closely for Textual Details and Making Evidence-Based Claims units to analyze selected sources for content and perspective. The approach to close reading developed in those units and incorporated here involves strategically questioning texts to access deep meaning associated with key textual details. In the Reading Closely unit, students develop this proficiency using a general Guiding Question and Questioning Path Framework. Now, in the context of their research, students use their Inquiry Questions to guide their analysis. If students need further work on developing independence in close reading, teachers are encouraged to use the additional materials such as the Questioning Path and Analyzing Details Tools contained in the Reading Closely Unit.”

• Unit 4 states, “the unit generally employs texts that are accessible on the web for free without any login information, membership requirements, or purchase. Some informational texts may; however, need to be accessed through online database portals (e.g., EBSCO, Gale), which are available to teachers and students through their state or district library systems. Because of the ever-changing nature of website addresses, links are not provided. Teachers and students can locate these texts through web searches using the information provided.” An example of text notes in Part 1, Activity 2 is the following:

“This site enables students to read about renewable, nonrenewable, and secondary energy sources. Because many of the common texts for the unit focus more specifically on the topic of natural gas and the issues concerning fracking, all students might read and discuss selected parts of the section of the site on ‘Natural Gas,’ specifically ‘Where Our Natural Gas Comes From’ and ‘Natural Gas and the Environment.’ Then students could be assigned to read about another energy form or be allowed to select those forms they want to read about. Each topic provides information about the source, how energy is produced, and how people use the energy that results.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher’s edition that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literacy concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

The Grade 6 teacher’s edition contains a user guide including adult-level explanations and definitions of the more advanced literacy concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject.

The User Guide includes the following: an explanation of the Proficiency-Based Approach to Developing Literacy, a list of definitions for Literacy Skills and Academic Habits (teacher and student versions), The Literacy Toolbox, Question-Based Approach to Reading, Text-Centered Discussions, Text-Centered Writing, A Skills-Based Approach to Assessment and Evaluation, Alignment of Targeted CCSS, Media Supports, and Electronic Supports/Electronic Version of Materials.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher’s edition that explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum.

The Grade 6 teacher’s edition explains the role of the literacy CCSS standards for each of the 4 units. Units are broken down into parts, and the literacy CCSS standards are listed for each part.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Part 1, the CCSS standards aligned to the 5 activities are RI.6.1, RI.6.2, and RI.6.4.
• In Unit 2, Part 3, the CCSS standards aligned to the 6 activities are RI.6.1, RI. 6.2, RI. 6.3, and SL. 6.1.
• In Unit 3, Part 1, the CCSS standards aligned to the 6 activities are W.6.7, W.6.8, W.6.9, W.6.4, RI.6.1, RI.6.2, and SL.6.1.
• In Unit 4, Part 4, the CCSS standards aligned to the 4 activities are W.6.1, W.6.5, W.6.9, RI.6.1, and SL.6.1.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials contain explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research based strategies.

The Grade 6 materials contain instructional approaches of the program and research-based strategies in the User Guide of the teacher’s edition.

The User Guide contains explanations of how to use the graphic organizers/literacy toolbox, text-centered discussions, text-based writing, teacher modeling, read alouds, rubrics, checklists, and academic vocabulary.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations.

Teachers determine whether students need increased scaffolding and time or less. Differentiation support is integrated into the scaffolding and design of the instructional materials. At times, teachers are reminded to determine whether students need more or less time to develop a Core Proficiency. Most units include supplemental texts. These can be used by the teacher to give students additional opportunities to develop skills. The supplemental texts are categorized as “Extended Reading.” In addition to this, the materials claim to be designed so schools can use local curricular materials. This flexibility allows for teachers to determine the text complexity appropriate for students.

Examples of general supports found on pages xxx-xxxi of the teacher’s edition include, but are not limited to:

• Unit Design and Instructional Sequence: Students encounter visual images and multimedia texts that reinforce the skills of identifying details and making text-based observations from those details. Thus before they ever encounter print texts of grade-level complexity, students begin to develop skills and strategies through visual learning experiences. Then they learn to transfer these skills to the reading of more complex texts.
• Short Texts, Focused Reading: Many texts are short in length which enables students to focus on sections of the texts. Text-dependent questions included in the Instructional Notes help with more challenging sections of the texts. More complex texts are “chunked” into smaller reading sections.
• Read Aloud and Modeling: Students listen to teachers read fluently as they follow along.
• Guiding Question Framework: This structure helps scaffold students’ thinking as they develop reading skills.
• Graphic Organizers: The program’s instructional tools provide students with precise and guided processes and scaffolds for interacting with texts.
• Reading Teams: Students are given opportunities to work on different reading teams or individually. These reading teams can be based on ability, depending on the teacher’s grouping.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level, or in a language other than English, with extensive opportunities to work with grade level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards.

Opportunities to read, write, speak, and listen to grade level text and meet or exceed grade level standards are found. The students read the same grade level texts throughout each unit, with the teacher modeling, scaffolding instruction, or reading aloud during whole group learning. There are general supports built into the series to help make students who are not at grade level and students who speak a language other than English successful with the grade level text and grade level standards.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• Unit Design and Instructional Sequence: Students encounter visual images and multimedia texts that reinforce the skills of identifying details and making text-based observations from those details. Thus before they ever encounter print texts of grade-level complexity, students begin to develop skills and strategies through visual learning experiences. Then they learn to transfer these skills to the reading of more complex texts.
• Short Texts, Focused Reading: Many texts are short in length which enables students to focus on sections of the texts. Text dependent questions included in the Instructional Notes help with more challenging sections of the texts.
• Read Aloud and Modeling: Students listen to teachers read fluently as they follow along.
• Guiding Question Framework: This structure helps scaffold students’ thinking as they develop reading skills.
• Graphic Organizers: The program’s instructional tools provide students with precise and guided processes and scaffolds for interacting with texts.
• Reading Teams: Students are given opportunities to work on different reading teams or individually. These reading teams can be based on ability, depending on the teacher’s grouping.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials regularly include extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

Materials contain integrated suggestions, Extended Readings, and optional activities to extend learning. The mix of activities offered allow for advanced students to explore texts or more complex texts while practicing the Core Proficiencies skills at greater depth.

Evidence that supports this rationale is as follows:

• The materials suggest teachers consider the needs and background experiences of students before beginning a unit of study. Specifically, if a student has “advanced skills” or “extensive previous experience,” the teacher can expect the instruction to “move more rapidly.”
• For advanced students, the materials also suggest teachers concentrate time on engaging students with the Extended Reading texts provided in some units and “emphasize more complex topics.”
• The materials are vertically aligned and utilize the same lists, handouts, and rubrics provided in the Literacy Toolbox. For advanced students and students with previous experience, the materials recognize they will rely less on the Literacy Toolbox supports and are encouraged to “use their own, developing strategies” for analyzing texts.
• At times, the materials will present optional assessment opportunities for teachers to collect evidence and for students to demonstrate understanding. In Unit 1, Part 5, the Summative Assessment Opportunities offers an optional collection of evidence through a writing task. Multiple pathways to accomplish the writing are provided by the materials. This is done as a supplement to the summative discussion activity. Due to the intentional vertically aligned design of the materials, this option is presented in every grade level.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

The materials are designed with collaboration as an essential Academic Habit. Students are provided regular opportunities to work as a class, in pairs, and in small groups. In each variation, students develop literacy skills by completing a Literacy Toolbox resource, analyzing text, and collaborating on writing.

Evidence that supports this rationale is as follows:

• In Unit 2, Part 1, Activity 4, after the teacher models the formation of an evidence-based claim (EBC), students practice the skill in pairs with the support of the Literacy Toolbox resources.
• In Unit 3, Part 1, Activity 5, after the teacher uses the Area Evaluation Checklist with the class to determine if an area warrants investigation, student reading teams use the same checklist to review their own Areas of Investigation.
• In Unit 4, Part 1, Activity 2, “students are placed in expert groups to read and analyze one of three texts. Then...students jigsaw into cross-text discussion to share and compare what they have learned from the text each has read.”