## Alignment: Overall Summary

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for alignment to the CCSSM. In Gateway 1, the instructional materials meet the expectations for focus, and they meet the expectations for coherence. In Gateway 2, the instructional materials meet the expectations for rigor, and they meet the expectations for practice-content connections. Since the materials meet expectations for alignment, they were reviewed for usability in Gateway 3.

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## Gateway 1:

### Focus & Coherence

0
7
12
14
13
12-14
Meets Expectations
8-11
Partially Meets Expectations
0-7
Does Not Meet Expectations

## Gateway 2:

### Rigor & Mathematical Practices

0
10
16
18
17
16-18
Meets Expectations
11-15
Partially Meets Expectations
0-10
Does Not Meet Expectations

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## Gateway 3:

### Usability

0
22
31
38
32
31-38
Meets Expectations
23-30
Partially Meets Expectations
0-22
Does Not Meet Expectations

## The Report

- Collapsed Version + Full Length Version

## Focus & Coherence

#### Meets Expectations

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Gateway One Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for focus and coherence in Gateway 1. The instructional materials meet the expectations for focus by assessing grade-level content and devoting the large majority of class time to major work of the grade. The instructional materials meet expectations for coherence due to being consistent with the progressions in the standards and making connections within the grade.

### Criterion 1a

Materials do not assess topics before the grade level in which the topic should be introduced.
2/2
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Criterion Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for not assessing topics before the grade level in which the topic should be introduced. There are above grade-level assessment items that could be modified or omitted without impact on the underlying structure of the instructional materials.

### Indicator 1a

The instructional material assesses the grade-level content and, if applicable, content from earlier grades. Content from future grades may be introduced but students should not be held accountable on assessments for future expectations.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for assessing grade-level content.

Each unit includes Form A and Form B Assessments as well as Tiered Assessments Form AT and Form BT, all of which include selected response and constructed response sections. Performance Tasks are also included with each unit. In addition, Gem Challenges are online, standards-based items for use after a standard has been addressed and are located after certain lessons.

• Unit 2, Proportional Relationships, Form A, Part II, Problem 1: “Write two different ratios that would form a proportion with the ratio of 8/6.” (7.RP.1)
• Unit 5, Products & Quotients of Rational Numbers, Form A, Part I, Problem 5: “What is the value of the expression below? 6(−1+5)−30; a. -66,  b. -54,  c. -6,  d. 6” (7.NS.2a)
• Unit 6, Algebraic Expressions, Form A, Part II, Problem 16: “Explain two different ways to simplify 3(1.2x − 6+2.1x). Show that both ways lead to the same simplified expression.” (7.EE.1)
• Lesson 10.1, Probability, Online Gem Challenge 1, Problem 3: “Students in a math class will be randomly assigned a polygon for a class project. The only types of polygons being assigned are quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, octagons and decagons. If there is an equal number of each type of polygon, what is the probability that the first polygon assigned will be a hexagon?” (7.SP.7)

There are above grade-level assessment items that could be modified or omitted without impact on the underlying structure of the instructional materials. These items include:

• Unit 9, Part I, Problem 9: “The area of the base of a trapezoidal pyramid is $$34ft^2$$. The pyramid is 12 feet tall. What is the volume of the pyramid?” (8.G.9)
• Unit 9, Part 1, Problem 10: “The perimeter of the base of a square pyramid is 12 yards. The height of the pyramid is 13.5 yards. What is the volume of the pyramid?” (8.G.9)
• Unit 8, Part I, Problem 2: “What is the approximate area of the shaded sector? Use 3.14 for pi.” (G-C.5) Students are using a circle with a sector shaded. The angle within the sector is labeled as 100* and the radius is labeled as 3 cm.
• Unit 8, Part II, Form A, Problem 4: “Determine if the following pair of triangles must be the same shape or not. Explain your reasoning.” (8.G.4)

### Criterion 1c - 1f

Coherence: Each grade's instructional materials are coherent and consistent with the Standards.
7/8
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Criterion Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for being coherent and consistent with the Standards. The instructional materials have supporting work that enhances focus and coherence simultaneously, are consistent with the progressions in the standards, and foster coherence through connections within the grade.

### Indicator 1c

Supporting content enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by engaging students in the major work of the grade.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations that supporting work enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by engaging students in the major work of the grade. Supporting standards and clusters are connected to major standards and clusters of the grade, and lessons address supporting standards while maintaining focus on the major work of the grade. Examples of supporting work being used to support the focus and coherence of the major work of the grade include:

• Lesson 2.2 connects 7.G.6 and 7.RP.3 as students use facts about polygons to solve proportions. An example is, “Two squares have a scale of 1 : 8 1/2 . The perimeter of the larger square is 170 units. What is the side length of the smaller square?”
• Lesson 8.4 connects 7.EE.3 and 7.G.6 as students write and solve equations to determine area and missing side lengths of polygons. An example is, “The length of a rectangle is 2.5 cm. The area is $$20 cm^2$$. What is the width of the rectangle?”
• Lesson 10.2 connects 7.RP.2c and 7.SP.7 as students use proportions to predict outcomes using probability. For example, Example 2 states, “Last week in practice, Lou had 12 hits in 40 at-bats. Use experimental probability to predict how many hits he will have next week if he gets 30 at-bats.” The worked-out example describes how to set up a proportion to solve.
• Lesson 10.3 connects 7.SP.8 and 7.NS.2 as students find the probability of events by multiplying rational numbers. An example is, “A shirt comes in three colors (blue, red and black) and can be either long-sleeved or short-sleeved. If you choose one shirt from a pile, what is the probability that it is a short-sleeved blue shirt?”

### Indicator 1d

The amount of content designated for one grade level is viable for one school year in order to foster coherence between grades.
1/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 partially meet expectations that the amount of content designated for one grade level is viable for one year.

As designed, the instructional materials can be completed in 110-144 days. If teachers followed the pacing guide, and used the minimal amount of days allocated, the materials would not be viable for a full school year. If teachers followed the pacing guide, and used the maximum amount of days allocated, the materials would be viable for a full school year. Considering the variability of instructional days, these materials partially meet expectations that the amount of content designated for one grade level is viable for one year.

The materials include ten units, containing 43 lessons. Lessons range in length from one to four days. Each unit includes lessons, assessments, and targeted interventions.

• The Pacing Guide designates one lesson as 1-2 days, 22 lessons as 2-3 days, one lesson as 3-4 days, and 19 lessons as 2 days, leading to a total of 86-110 lesson days.
• 1 lesson = 1 to 2 days
• 22 lessons = 44 to 66 days
• 1 lesson = 3 to 4 days
• 19 lessons = 38 days
• Lesson length is 45-60 minutes.
• The Pacing Guide designates 24-34 days for assessments and targeted review. Each unit has a range of lesson days and a total amount of days including assessments and targeted review. Assessments within each unit include: Exit Cards, Gem Challenges, Performance Tasks, Rich Tasks, Unit Assessments and Tiered Assessments.

Additionally, there is a discrepancy within the Grade 7 materials. Based on each unit overview page there is a range of 114-151 instructional days, with 86-110 days for lessons and 28-41 days for assessment. Based on the Scope and Sequence document, there is a range of 113-146 instructional days, with 86-110 days for lessons and 27-36 days for assessment. In addition, on the top of some of the Scope and Sequence documents within the units of Grade 7, it gives a range of 110-144 days, such as in Units 1 and 2, but Unit 10 gives a range of 121-160 days.

### Indicator 1e

Materials are consistent with the progressions in the Standards i. Materials develop according to the grade-by-grade progressions in the Standards. If there is content from prior or future grades, that content is clearly identified and related to grade-level work ii. Materials give all students extensive work with grade-level problems iii. Materials relate grade level concepts explicitly to prior knowledge from earlier grades.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for being consistent with the progressions in the Standards. In general, the instructional materials clearly identify content from prior and future grade-levels and use it to support the progressions of the grade-level standards. In addition, the instructional materials give all students extensive work with grade-level problems.

Each Unit Overview describes how the work of the unit is connected to previous grade level work, for example:

• The introductory paragraph of the Unit 7 Overview, Solving Equations and Inequalities, states, “In Grade 6 CCSS, students solved one-step equations. In this unit, students will apply their understanding of balancing an equation to solving two-step equations. They will also use their skills of simplifying expressions to solve equations that include like terms or the Distributive Property. Students have previously used the inequality symbols to compare numbers and graph solutions to an inequality. Students will also combine that knowledge with the equation-solving process to solve inequalities and graph their solutions on a number line.”

Each Unit Overview includes Learning Progression, and each Learning Progression includes statements identifying what students have learned in earlier grades and what students will learn in future grades, for example:

Unit 6: Algebraic Expressions, In earlier grades, students have…

• Evaluated expressions in which letters stand for numbers. (6.EE.2)
• Applied properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions. (6.EE.3-4)
• Used variables to represent numbers and write expressions for real-world problems. (6.EE.6)

• Solve multi-step equations that require simplifying before solving. (8.EE.7)
• Add, subtract and multiply polynomials. (A-APR)
• Interpret expressions that represent a quantity in terms of its context. (A-SSE.1)

In some units, the Unit Overview references connections to current grade level work that was addressed in prior units. Examples include:

• Lesson 2.2, Problem Solving With Proportions, the Teaching Tips Section includes, “In this lesson, students utilize their knowledge of scale factors and scales from Lesson 1.4 and apply these scales using proportions.”
• Lesson 5.3, Dividing Rational Numbers, “Students divided fractions when working with complex fractions in Unit 1. Make connections to that work to remind students about the process of dividing fractions by multiplying by the reciprocal.”

The instructional materials present opportunities for students to engage with work with grade-level problems within each Student Lesson, Explore activity, Student Gem (online activities to provide practice with the content), Online Practice & Gem Challenge (only in some lessons), Exit Card, and Performance Task. For example:

• In Lesson 5.4, students solve problems by identifying where to put parentheses in numerical expressions (7.NS.3). For example, “Insert one set of parentheses to make the equation true: Problem 31. 5 + 3 + 9 ÷ 3 = 9.”

The materials include one example of off grade-level content that is not identified that distracts students from engaging with the grade-level standards:

• In Lesson 8.6, students find the area of sectors of circles (G-C.5). Example 5 presents a diagram of a circle with a 115 degree shaded sector and states, “Find the area of the shaded sector in circle M. Round to the nearest hundredth.”

Each unit includes a Parent Guide with Connecting Math Concepts, which includes, “Past math topics your child has learned that will be activated in this unit and Future math this unit prepares your child for.” For example, in Unit 6, Algebraic Expressions, “Past math topics your child has learned that will be activated in this unit; evaluating expressions in which letters stand for numbers, applying properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions, and using variables to represent numbers and write expressions for real-world problems.” “Future math this unit prepares your child for; solving multi-step equations that require simplifying before solving, adding, subtracting and multiplying polynomials, and interpreting expressions that represent a quantity in terms of its context.”

Each Lesson Guide includes Teaching Tips, which often include connections from prior or future grades, for example:

• Lesson 2.4, Proportional Relationships Equations, “In later grades (starting in Grade 8), students begin calling the constant of proportionality the slope of the line. You may want to connect to the concept of slope in this lesson as students are solidifying the idea that the constant of proportionality is the rate at which the function is increasing or decreasing. The larger the absolute value of the constant of proportionality, the steeper the line.”

In each Lesson Guide, Warm Up includes problems noted with prior grade-level standards. For example:

• Lesson 3.2, Percent of a Number, Concepts and Procedure (5.NF.4), Question 36, Skill: Find the value of each expression:
• a. (0.05)(100)
• b. (0.2)(48)
• c. (35/100)(90)
• d. (3/100)(57)
• e. (1.1)(14.5)
• f. (125/100)(32)

### Indicator 1f

Materials foster coherence through connections at a single grade, where appropriate and required by the Standards i. Materials include learning objectives that are visibly shaped by CCSSM cluster headings. ii. Materials include problems and activities that serve to connect two or more clusters in a domain, or two or more domains in a grade, in cases where these connections are natural and important.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Grade 7 meet expectations for fostering coherence through connections at a single grade, where appropriate and required by the standards.

Examples of learning objectives that are visibly shaped by CCSSM cluster headings include:

• The objective of Lesson 1.2, “I can calculate unit rates and use unit rates to solve problems,” is shaped by 7.RP.A, Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.
• The objective of Lesson 5.1, “I can find the value of multiplication and division expressions involving integers,” is shaped by 7.NS.A; Apply and extend previous understandings of operations with fractions to add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers.
• The objective of Lesson 6.2, “I can use the Distributive Property to write equivalent expressions,” is shaped by 7.EE.A, Use properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions.
• The objective of Lesson 9.2, “I can calculate the surface area of prisms,” is shaped by 7.G.B, Solve real-life and mathematical problems involving angle measure, area, surface area, and volume.

The materials include problems and activities connecting two or more clusters in a domain, or two or more domains in a grade, in cases where these connections are natural and important. Examples include:

• Lesson 1.4 connects 7.G.A and 7.G.B as students use scale factor to find the base and height of a triangle and use them to find area.
• Lesson 2.1 connects 7.NS.A and 7.RP.A as students perform operations with rational numbers to solve multi-step problems involving percent of change.
• Lesson 7.3 connects 7.EE.B and 7.NS.A as students solve multi-step, real-world problems by writing and solving equations and performing appropriate calculations while applying the properties of operations.
• Lesson 6.3 connects 7.EE.A and 7.EE.B as students use properties of operations to create equivalent expressions and solve problems.
• Lesson 10.5 connects 7.SP.B and 7.SP.C as students use random sampling to draw inferences about two populations using various measures of center.

### Criterion 1b

Students and teachers using the materials as designed devote the large majority of class time in each grade K-8 to the major work of the grade.
4/4
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Criterion Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for devoting the large majority of class time to the major work of the grade. The instructional materials spend approximately 73% of class time on the major work of the grade.

### Indicator 1b

Instructional material spends the majority of class time on the major cluster of each grade.
4/4
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for spending a majority of instructional time on major work of the grade.

• The number of units devoted to major work of the grade (including assessments and supporting work connected to the major work) is 6.5 out of 10, which is 65%.
• The number of lessons devoted to major work of the grade (including supporting work connected to the major work) is 27.5 out of 43, which is approximately 64%.
• The approximate number of days devoted to major work (including assessments and supporting work connected to the major work) is 102 out of 140, which is 73%.

A day-level analysis is most representative of the instructional materials because this perspective includes all connections to major work and follows the recommended pacing suggestions for addressing major work. As a result, approximately 73% of the instructional materials focus on major work of the grade.

## Rigor & Mathematical Practices

#### Meets Expectations

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Gateway Two Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for rigor and practice-content connections in Gateway 2. The instructional materials meet the expectations for rigor, and they meet the expectations for practice-content connections.

### Criterion 2a - 2d

Rigor and Balance: Each grade's instructional materials reflect the balances in the Standards and help students meet the Standards' rigorous expectations, by helping students develop conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and application.
8/8
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Criterion Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for reflecting the balances in the standards and helping students meet the standards’ rigorous expectations. The instructional materials attend to conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, applications, and balance among the three aspects of rigor.

### Indicator 2a

Attention to conceptual understanding: Materials develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific content standards or cluster headings.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for developing conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific standards or cluster headings.

The materials include problems and questions that develop conceptual understanding throughout the grade level. The instructional materials include Teacher Gems and Student Gems which provide links to activities that build conceptual understanding. Explore! activities provide students the opportunity to develop conceptual understanding at the beginning of each new lesson. In addition, Exercises, Online Practice, and Gem Challenges include problems to allow students to independently demonstrate conceptual understanding. Evidence includes:

• Lesson 4.3, Subtracting Integers, the Explore! activity uses number lines to build conceptual understanding of integer subtraction as adding the additive inverse. (7.NS.1c)
• In Lesson 6.3, Equivalent Expressions, the Teacher Gems, “Categories”, students connect verbal descriptions and different forms of algebraic models for expressions. Students use the cards to create their own categories using the sets of mathematical models and verbal descriptions. An example is, one card has the expression 1.16x, another has x + 0.16x, and a third has the statement, “Brandon buys lunch at a restaurant and leaves a 16% tip.” (7.EE.2)
• In Lesson 7.4, Linear Inequalities, the Teacher Gems include activities teachers can use with their students to develop conceptual understanding. An example is, “Four Corners” provides a sort activity with sections labeled Inequality, Graph, Situation, and Solution Set. Students match the cards given to each of the sections, making sure that all sections describe the same inequality. (7.EE.4b)
• Lesson 7.3, Rotations, Exercises, Problem 26, students demonstrate conceptual understanding by identifying the parts of an equation and explaining the context of the problem. An example is, “James went to Central Park one Saturday in October with his cross-country team for a 90 minute workout. He ran m minutes at a rate of 0.15 miles per minute. During the time he was not running, he walked at a rate of 0.06 miles per minute. He totaled 9.9 miles. This situation is represented by the equation: 0.15m + 0.06(90 − m) = 9.9. a. What does (90 − m) represent in this situation? b. Solve the equation to determine how many minutes James ran. Explain how you know your answer is correct.” (7.EE.2)
• Lesson 6.2, The Distributive Property, Exercises, Problem 14, students demonstrate conceptual understanding of the distributive property by rewriting expressions in different forms within a problem context to help solve the problem. “Three friends went out to lunch. Each person bought a salad and sparkling water. The salads were $8.50 each and each sparkling water cost$1.25. Show how you could use the Distributive Property to find the total cost for the three lunches.” (7.EE.2)

### Indicator 2b

Attention to Procedural Skill and Fluency: Materials give attention throughout the year to individual standards that set an expectation of procedural skill and fluency.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for attending to those standards that set an expectation of procedural skill and fluency.

The materials include problems and questions that develop procedural skill and fluency and provide opportunities for students to independently demonstrate procedural skill and fluency throughout the grade. The materials develop procedural skills and fluencies in Student Gems, Lesson Examples, Student Exercises, and Teacher Gems. The materials provide opportunities for students to independently demonstrate procedural skills and fluencies in Proficient, Tiered, and Challenge Practice, Online Practice, Gem Challenges, and Exit Cards. Each unit provides additional practice with procedural skills in the Student Gems. Additional practice activities are specific to the standard(s) in each lesson. Included in each unit are links to: Khan Academy, IXL Practice, and Desmos Practice. Examples of developing procedural skill and fluency include:

• Lesson 6.2, Student Lesson, students use the distributive property to factor expressions, “Factor each expression using the greatest common factor. 15. 5x + 15, 16. 2x − 24, 17. 4x − 4” (7.EE.1)
• Lesson 6.2, Student Gems, Khan Academy Quiz, students combine terms to simplify expressions, “Which expressions are equivalent to z + (z + 6)?” (7.EE.1)
• Lesson 4.2, Adding Rational Numbers, Explore!, students apply the Associative Property to add three or more rational numbers using an efficient strategy. “Step 1: How might you use the Associative Property to find the sum of 53 + 38 + 17 mentally (without writing anything down) ?  Step 2: Look at the expression below. Which two numbers would you group together to add first? Explain your reasoning. −2 2/3 + (−1 1/2)+2/3. Step 5: Do you think it is easier to group numbers with the same sign first or numbers with similar parts of whole (i.e. common denominators)? Explain your reasoning.” (7.NS.1d)
• Lesson 5.1, Multiplying and Dividing Integers, students multiply and divide integers. Example 1 states, “Find each product. a. 5(−4) b. −2(−3).” Example 2 states, “Find each quotient. a. 40 ÷ (−5) b. −20/-2” Exercises 4-27 contain multiplication and division with integers that have the same sign and different signs. (7.NS.2c)
• Lesson 5.4, Exit Card, students demonstrate procedural skill when solving multi-step problems with rational numbers, “Find the value of each expression. $$3(-5) + 5^2 - 1$$” (7.EE.4)
• Lesson 7.3, Simplifying and Solving Equations, Exit Card, students independently demonstrate solving equations, “Solve each equation. Check each solution. 1. 4(x –2) = 32, 2. 3y + 5 + y + 10y = 19” (7.EE.1,4)

### Indicator 2c

Attention to Applications: Materials are designed so that teachers and students spend sufficient time working with engaging applications of the mathematics, without losing focus on the major work of each grade
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for being designed so that teachers and students spend sufficient time working with engaging applications of the grade-level mathematics. Engaging applications include single and multi-step problems, routine and non-routine, presented in a context in which the mathematics is applied.

The instructional materials include multiple opportunities for students to engage in routine and non-routine application of mathematical skills and knowledge of the grade level. Students engage with materials that support non-routine and routine applications of mathematics in the Explore! activities, Teacher Gems, Performance Tasks, and Rich Tasks. Some of the Student Pages and Proficient, Tiered, and Challenge Practice allow students to engage with problems including real-world contexts and present multiple opportunities for students to independently demonstrate application of grade-level mathematics. Examples include:

• Lesson 1.2, Unit Rates, Explore! engages students in real-world application of representing proportional relationships between quantities. (7.RP.2) “Ethan and Priscilla bought cookies at the store. Ethan bought two dozen cookies for $6.20. Priscilla bought 5 dozen of the same cookies.” Students solve problems about the situation. For example, “Step 1: How much did Priscilla pay for five dozen cookies? Explain how you found your answer. Step 2: Write a ratio comparing the total cost of the cookies to the number of dozens purchased for Ethan. Write a similar ratio for Priscilla’s purchase. Step 4: One week later, Ethan went back to the store to buy eight dozen of the same cookies. The cookies were still the same price per dozen. Ethan used a proportion to determine the cost for eight dozen cookies. Look at the proportions below. Circle the proportion that could be used to find the cost of the eight dozen cookies. Why does the other proportion not work?” • Lesson 5.1, Multiplying and Dividing Integers, Teacher Gems, Station activity, students solve real-world problems involving operations with rational numbers. (7.NS.3) The Stations activity includes a variety of tasks for students to complete as they move from station to station. Examples include, Station 4: “The price of a stock drops$4 each day for 8 days. If the stock was worth $120 before the drop began, how much is the stock worth now?” Station 6: “The width of a piece of land is changing at a rate of −13 inches per year. What integer represents the change after 8 years?” Station 7: “A loaf of bread requires 3-1/2 cups of flour. If Nathan plans to double the recipe but already has 2-1/4 cups of flour, how much more flour does he need?” • Lesson 10.3, Compound Probability, Explore! activity, students find the probability of events in a real-world setting. An example is, “Each trimester in PE a student plays one sport. In the first trimester the possible sports are soccer, tennis or golf. Second trimester the possible sports are basketball or volleyball. For third trimester the possible sports are dodgeball or rugby. How many different possibilities are there of which three sports students will play? What is the probability a student will be enrolled in tennis, basketball and dodgeball if a schedule is assigned at random?” (7.SP.8) • Unit 1, Ratios and Rates, Performance Task, students apply unit rates to solve problems. (7.RP.1) The task provides students with the situation, “Pedro and Ivan raced each other in a 24-mile bike race. After 20 minutes, Pedro had traveled 5 miles. Ivan had spent the 20 minutes traveling at a rate of 16 miles per hour.” The following questions are included: “1. Which person was in first place after 20 minutes? Use words and/or numbers to show how you determined your answer. 2. Pedro and Ivan continued bicycling at their original rates. After one hour, Pedro realized he needed to increase his speed to catch Ivan. Pedro assumed Ivan would continue to travel at a rate of 16 miles per hour. At what constant speed from now to the end of the race does Pedro need to travel to tie Ivan at the finish line? Write your answer using feet per minute." ### Indicator 2d Balance: The three aspects of rigor are not always treated together and are not always treated separately. There is a balance of the 3 aspects of rigor within the grade. 2/2 + - Indicator Rating Details The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations that the three aspects of rigor are not always treated together and are not always treated separately. All three aspects of rigor are present independently throughout the program materials. Examples include: • In Lesson 1.3, students develop procedural skill by solving multiple problems to compute unit rates of complex fractions. One example is, “Find the unit rate. 1. 4/3 inches $$\div$$ 4/9 minutes” (7.RP.1) • In Lesson 4.1, Adding Integers, Student Lesson, Example 2, students develop conceptual understanding by using a number line to model integer addition. An example is, “Find the value of each expression using a number line. a. 4 + (−2) b. −5 + (−3).” (7.NS.1c) • In Lesson 4.3, Subtracting Integers, students solve real-world problems by subtracting integers. An example is, “At 20,310 feet above sea level, Denali in Alaska is the highest point in the United States. The lowest point in the United States is in Death Valley, California. Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level. Write a subtraction expression to determine the difference in elevation between the highest and lowest points in the United States. Find the difference.” (7.NS.3) Multiple aspects of rigor are engaged simultaneously to develop students’ mathematical understanding of a single topic/unit of study throughout the materials. Examples include: • In Lesson 2.2, Problem Solving with Proportions, Proficient Practice, students develop procedural skill within application as they decide whether two quantities are in a proportional relationship. Problem 5 states, “Luis found a new text messaging plan which will charge him$2.00 for 80 messages. Using this plan, how much would he pay for 900 text messages in one month?” Problem 6 states, “A truck driver travels 93 miles in 1 hour and 30 minutes. At this rate, how far will he travel in 4 hours?”
• In Lesson 2.1, Proportional Relations, students develop conceptual understanding and procedural skills to solve proportions (7.RP.2). In the Explore!, Are You My Equal? activity, students make sense of proportions and find a strategy for solving. The Teacher Guide states, “Are You My Equal?” is an activity that is meant to be done prior to any instruction in this lesson. Students are given the definition of a proportion and then use this understanding to create proportions and learn about cross-products.”
• In Lesson 8.4, Area of Polygons, Exercises, students develop procedural skill within and application problem by finding the area of polygons. (7.G.6) Exercises 1-9 provide students with diagrams of polygons (triangles, parallelograms, trapezoids) with dimensions and are instructed to, “Find the area of each polygon.” Exercises 10-18 provide students with diagrams of polygons (triangles, parallelograms, trapezoids) with one dimension and the area and are instructed to, “Find the missing measure.” There are multiple exercises where students must find area to solve real-world problems. For example, question 27 states, “The Owen family built a new house and wanted to put down sod in their rectangular front yard. The sod cost $0.32 per square foot plus$10 per square yard to lay the sod. The front yard is 30 feet by 50 feet. How much will it cost to purchase and lay the sod?”

### Criterion 2e - 2g.iii

Practice-Content Connections: Materials meaningfully connect the Standards for Mathematical Content and the Standards for Mathematical Practice
9/10
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Criterion Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for meaningfully connecting the Standards for Mathematical Content and the Standards for Mathematical Practice. The instructional materials identify the Standards for Mathematical Practice and use them to enrich mathematics content, prompt students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others, assist teachers in engaging students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others, and attend to the specialized language of mathematics.

### Indicator 2e

The Standards for Mathematical Practice are identified and used to enrich mathematics content within and throughout each applicable grade.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for identifying the Standards for Mathematical Practice and using them to enrich mathematics content within and throughout the grade level.

All 8 MPs are identified throughout the materials. Each lesson includes a Lesson Guide with a section titled, Mathematical Practices - A Closer Look that explains a few of the MPs that will be used within that lesson. The MP is identified and an explanation of how to address the MP within the lesson is provided. At times, the identification is targeted, and gives a specific problem where the MP is included, but often it is broad and provides a general statement of how to include the MP within the lesson.

Examples of MPs that are identified and enrich the mathematical content include:

• Lesson 7.3, Simplifying and Solving Equations, “MP1: To start class, have students (with a partner or small group) choose either Exercise 14 or 15 and attempt to solve the problem before learning the process of solving an equation which requires simplifying prior to solving. Have students present their process to arrive at the solution and discuss, as a class, the method(s) that seem most effective.”
• Lesson 5.3, Dividing Rational Numbers, “MP2: Write a division expression on the board. Have students contextualize it (write a story problem that matches the expression) and find the solution. Have students create a new expression using a different operation to give to a partner and repeat the process.”
• Lesson 1.1, Ratios, “MP3: Consider using Exercise 16 with students in pairs and have them share their work as a class, including their explanations. This will help students understand how to justify their thinking as well as help them begin to listen to the reasoning of others.”
• Lesson 2.4, Proportional Relationships Equations, “MP4: In this lesson, students are introduced to one more model (the equation) for a proportional relationship. Students can now model relationships with tables, graphs, equations and contexts. The Explore! allows students to practice this new model while connecting it to previously-learned models.”

### Indicator 2f

Materials carefully attend to the full meaning of each practice standard
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 partially meet expectations for carefully attending to the full meaning of each practice standard.

The materials do not attend to the full meaning of MP4 and MP5. Throughout the materials MP4 is marked, however, most of the examples given for modeling use drawings and tools to solve rather than connect the content to real-world scenarios, thus not attending fully to the practice. Within the materials students use tools, however, specific tools are given for the students to use without an opportunity to choose appropriate tools strategically. Examples include:

• MP4: Lesson 7.2, Solving Two-Step Equations, “The Explore! activity requires students to use equation mats as a model for showing the importance of equality in an equation. The model gives students a visual representation of the process of solving an equation.” Students use a model but do not model mathematics in a real-world situation.
• MP4: Lesson 1.3, Rates and Ratios with Complex Fractions, “The double number line is very helpful for many students in the sense-making process of complex fractions. Use the Explore! activity to work through this model as a class.” Students learn a useful visual representation/model, but students do not model math in a real-world situation.
• MP5: Lesson 5.1, Multiplying and Dividing Integers, “Once again, the number line is used as a tool for solving integer operations. Repeated use of a common tool, such as the number line, will build student confidence with the tool.” Students are not given the opportunity to choose a tool.
• MP5: In Lesson 7.1, Solving One-Step Equations, “Equation mats are used as a physical model in this and future lessons in this unit to help students see the process of solving equations. When students work with equation mats, they have a visual image in their minds to return to when working through the process of solving equations on paper.” The instructions describe a specific tool for students to utilize.

Examples of the instructional materials attending to the full meaning of the MPs include:

• MP1: In Lesson 3.4, Percent Applications, teachers are instructed to, “Begin the lesson presentation by giving students the problem in Example 1 to solve independently or in pairs. Have students share their plan for solving the problem and their solution. Make sure all strategies given in the text for each example are shared.” Students make sense of given values and percent relationships to solve multi-step problems in a real-world situation.
• MP2: In Lesson 6.1, Algebraic Expressions, “In this lesson, students are introduced to the concept of a variable to write contextual situations using abstract symbols. Use a variety of examples to show how variables can be helpful for generalizing real-world scenarios.” This allows students the opportunity to reason both abstractly and quantitatively throughout the lesson with the content.
• MP7: In Lesson 4.4, Subtracting Rational Numbers, Lesson Guide, “In this lesson, students are connecting the structures they have used for subtracting positive rational numbers with the structure they just learned of subtracting integers. Help students see the connection to what has been done previously and how it applies to the current learning target.” Students use structure to extend their understanding to include rational numbers.
• MP8: In Lesson 5.4, Order of Operations, “Have students look at the value of (−2)¹, (−2)², (−2)³, (−2)⁴, (−2)⁵, etc. Use the Explore! to have students make a conjecture regarding the sign of a power with a negative base based solely on the value of the exponent.” Students look for a repeated pattern to express regularity in reasoning.

### Indicator 2g

Emphasis on Mathematical Reasoning: Materials support the Standards' emphasis on mathematical reasoning by:
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### Indicator 2g.i

Materials prompt students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics detailed in the content standards.
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations that the instructional materials prompt students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics.

Examples of the student materials prompting students to construct viable arguments and/or analyze the arguments of others include:

• In Lesson 2.1, Proportional Relationships, Exercise 27, students construct an argument to explain their understanding. “Describe two different ways you can determine if a pair of ratios have a proportional relationship.”
• Lesson 2.3, Tables and Graphs of Proportional Relationships, “Nina claimed that if you graph the ordered pairs from a table and they form a straight line, it is a proportional relationship. May-Lin said that is not always true. Sketch a graph that supports Nina’s claim and sketch a different graph that shows why a graph that forms a straight line is not always proportional.” Students provide evidence in the form of a graph to support a mathematical argument.
• One of the Teacher Gems activities is called “Always, Sometimes, Never.” The instructions for this type of activity state, “Always, Sometimes, Never is best used with concepts that allow for situations that create exceptions to the “rule” or require students to understand subcategories to fully understand the standard. Students create evidence to support whether a statement is always true, sometimes true or never true.” For example, in Lesson 4.4, Subtracting Rational Numbers, the student directions for the Always, Sometimes, Never Activity state, “Decide if the statement in the box below is always true, sometimes true, or never true. Use the remainder of the page to provide mathematical evidence that supports your decision. Statement 1: If you subtract a positive number from a negative number, you get a negative answer.”
• In Lesson 7.1, Solving One-Step Equations, Exercise 25, students write an equation and construct an argument to explain why their solution is correct. “Willis is thinking of two numbers. Their sum is −5. If one of the numbers is 19, what is the other number? Write an equation and solve it to find the other number. Explain how you know your answer is correct.”
• In Lesson 1.2, Unit Rates, Exercise 12 students analyze the solutions given by two students in which both students are correct, but the answers look different. “Levi walked 2 miles in 30 minutes. He and Sally found Levi’s unit rate as shown in the table. Explain why both of these rates are accurate but look different.”
• Lesson 3.1, Fractions, Decimals, and Percents, Exercise 7, “René needed to convert 334 to a decimal. She made an error in her work shown below. Describe her error and rewrite 334 as a decimal.” Students critique the work of others and provide the correct answer.
• In Lesson 4.2, Adding Rational Numbers, problem 27, students analyze mathematical reasoning and correct mistakes made, “Alicia incorrectly added 34.6 and −5.7 as shown below. Explain what she did wrong and find the correct sum.”
• In Lesson 7.4, Linear Inequality, exercise 25, students critique the reasoning of others and justify their thinking. “Elijah claims that the solution set to −x ≤ 7 is the same as the solution set to x ≤ −7. Do you agree with Elijah? Explain your reasoning.”

### Indicator 2g.ii

Materials assist teachers in engaging students in constructing viable arguments and analyzing the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics detailed in the content standards.
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for assisting teachers in engaging students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics.The Teacher/Lesson Guide and Teacher Gems within most lessons support teachers to engage students in constructing viable arguments and analyzing the reasoning of others. Examples include:

• In Lesson 1.1, Ratios, Teacher/Lesson Guide, teachers support students to analyze and critique the reasoning of others, “Consider using Exercise 16 with students in pairs and have them share their work as a class, including their explanations. This will help students understand how to justify their thinking as well as help them begin to listen to the reasoning of others.”
• In Lesson 3.3, Percent of Change, Teacher/Lesson Guide, teachers engage students in constructing a viable argument with the Explore! activity and analyzing others reasoning with a problem in the lesson. “Use the Explore! to lead students to a conjecture about how to find percent of change (that they will need to know the change in values and the original amount). Also, Exercise 15 asks students to critique the work of a student to fix an error that was made.”
• In Lesson 6.2, The Distributive Property, Teacher/Lesson Guide, teachers engage students in critiquing the reasoning of others “Refer to Exercise 13 for a common student mistake. Ask students to look over the problem and critique the reasoning shown in the exercise.”
• In Lesson 7.2, Solving Two-Step Equations, Teacher/Lesson Guide, teachers purposely make common errors that students make while solving equations. Students work in partners to explain the error and correct the error.
• Lesson 8.2, Vertical and Adjacent Angles, Teacher Guide/Lesson Guide instructs teachers to “Use Exercise 21 for a turn and talk with partner sets. Ask one student in the partner set to complete the sentence starter: “Martin’s mistake was...” The partner should respond, “He can fix his mistake by…” In this manner, students are critiquing and analyzing the reasoning of others.
• In Lesson 8.3, Drawing Triangles with Given Conditions, Teacher/Lesson Guide, teachers support students to make conjectures and analyze the reasoning of others. “In both parts of the Explore! students make conjectures. Have students share their conjectures and listen to the reasoning of others. Also, use Exercises 7–11 to have students discuss whether or not each statement is always, sometimes or never true. These can be difficult for students to answer and they will need to listen to the reasoning of others to learn how to reason through each statement on their own.”
• In Lesson 2.2, Problem-Solving with Proportions, Teacher Gem, Task Rotations, teachers support students in analyzing the reasoning of others. “At the fourth rotation, students do not complete the task, but rather read through the task card and examine the three team papers that have been left under the task card. In the fourth rotation, the team’s goal is to pick which paper they believe is the strongest paper. They mark this paper with a star and then each person in the group writes on their corresponding half-sheet using sentence starters like: “We chose Team __’s paper. Some reasons why we believe this paper is the best are _____.”
• In Lesson 10.2, Using Probability to Predict, Teacher Gem, Categories, teachers support students to conduct viable arguments. “Once sharing has been done informally in groups and through the use of the observers, the teacher may choose to ask students to share out what categories they created and how they knew what went in each category. Choosing a specific card and asking students which of their categories they would put it in and why allows students to construct arguments and attend to precision.”

### Indicator 2g.iii

Materials explicitly attend to the specialized language of mathematics.
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for explicitly attending to the specialized language of mathematics. The materials provide explicit instruction in how to communicate mathematical thinking using words, diagrams, and symbols. Throughout the materials, precise terminology is used to describe mathematical concepts, and each lesson includes a visual lesson presentation. In most of the lesson presentations, there is at least one slide dedicated to explicit teaching of vocabulary. The Teacher/Lesson Guide, Student Lesson, and Parent Guide all contain information about mathematical language. Examples include:

• In the Student Lessons, the font for vocabulary words is red and a definition is included.
• Each unit includes a Parent Guide which contains “Important Vocabulary” related to the unit.
• In Lesson 4.1, Adding Integers, the Lesson Presentation includes a slide to introduce the terminology and definitions of the concepts, “Negative Numbers - A number less than 0. Positive Numbers - A number greater than 0. Opposites - Numbers that are the same distance from 0 on a number line but are on opposite sides of 0. Integers - The set of all whole numbers, their opposites, and 0. Absolute Value - The distance a number is from 0 on a number line.”
• In Lesson 7.4, Linear Inequalities, the Lesson Presentation includes a slide to introduce students to the vocabulary of the lesson and shows symbols related to the terminology. “Inequality - A mathematical sentence using <, >, ≤ or ≥ to compare two quantities. Solution Set - A set of numbers that make an equation or inequality statement true.”
• Lesson 2.3, Tables and Graphs of Proportional Relationships, Teacher/Lesson Guide, Teaching Tips includes information about mathematical language. “It is important to connect the idea that the rate of a proportional relationship is also called the constant of proportionality.”
• Lesson 5.4, Order of Operations, Teacher/Lesson Guide, Teaching Tips includes information about mathematical language. “When a power is 2 it is often read “squared”. Connect this with area and the fact that they write the units as square units or u2.”
• Lesson 6.3, Equivalent Expressions, Teacher/Lesson Guide, Teaching Tips includes practice with mathematical terms. “Practice with the vocabulary: term, constant, like terms and coefficient. These all appear multiple times in this text and future math courses. Perhaps have students demonstrate the vocabulary on whiteboards or with a partner. Be sure students use the vocabulary when talking about terms in problems.”
• In Lesson 8.4, Area of Polygons, Teacher/Lesson Guide, Communication Prompt, students describe and define math vocabulary. “Explain the difference between perimeter and area.”
• In Lesson 8.2, Vertical Angles and Adjacent Angles, Teacher/Lesson Guide, students practice using correct mathematical terminology. “Emphasize the names of the special angle pairs. During instruction and work time, listen for students using correct names for each special angle pair.”
• In Lesson 1.3, Rates and Ratios with Complex Fractions, the Student Lesson describes the concept using mathematical terminology and highlights new vocabulary by providing examples. “A complex fraction is a fraction that contains a fraction expression in its numerator, denominator or both. The following are examples of complex fractions.”

## Usability

### Criterion 3a - 3e

Use and design facilitate student learning: Materials are well designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing.
8/8
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Criterion Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for being well designed and taking into account effective lesson structure and pacing. The instructional materials distinguish between problems and exercises, have a design that is intentional and not haphazard, have variety in what students are asked to produce, and have manipulatives that are faithful representations of the mathematical objects they represent.

### Indicator 3a

The underlying design of the materials distinguishes between problems and exercises. In essence, the difference is that in solving problems, students learn new mathematics, whereas in working exercises, students apply what they have already learned to build mastery. Each problem or exercise has a purpose.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for distinguishing between problems and exercises. Each Unit presents lessons with a consistent structure. The instructional sections, which vary by day, include: Warm-Up, Introduction to lesson using Lesson Presentation, Explore! Activity, and Focused Assignment or Online Practice.

Within the Teacher/Lesson Guide, the student work is referred to as exercises, activities, and independent student practice. For example:

• In Lesson In Lesson 2.4, Proportional Relationship Equations, Teacher/Lesson Guide, the lesson planning suggestion states, “This lesson may take 2-3 class periods (45-60 minutes per period). A suggested order for covering the content in this lesson in two days is below. Additional Teacher Gem activities may be used on Day 3 to help students have more experiences with proportional relationships. Day 1:  Choice of warm-up activities from above, Lesson Presentation, Explore! Activity: “Equation Connection”, Exit Card.”

Within the Student Lessons throughout the materials, multiple examples are provided to show the steps to take when working with the content. The students then practice the content out of context before working with the content in story problems within context. For example:

• In Lesson In Lesson 6.2, The Distributive Property, Student Lesson, students learn the content by solving problems without context and apply the content in real-world contexts. “Use the Distributive Property to rewrite each expression without parentheses. 4. 8(x + 5)” Near the conclusion of the problems, students evaluate the reasoning of others. “30. Store A put items on sale for 20% off the original price. Later they took an additional 30% off the sale price. Store B first put the same items on sale for 30% off the original price. Later they took an additional 20% off the sale price. Francis says it doesn’t matter which store she purchases a sale item from because now it is the same price at both stores. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your reasoning.”

### Indicator 3b

Design of assignments is not haphazard: exercises are given in intentional sequences.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations that the design of assignments is intentional and not haphazard. Overall, lessons are sequenced so students develop an understanding of mathematical concepts and skills. The structure of the lessons provides students with the opportunity to activate prior learning, build procedural skills, and engage with multiple activities that increase in complexity, utilizing concrete and abstract representations.

In each Teacher/Lesson Guide, there are Lesson Planning Suggestions. These suggestions sequence the content in an order to help students develop understanding. For example, in Lesson 3.1, Fractions, Decimals, and Percents, Lesson Planning Suggestions builds from guided practice to more abstract and contextual work with the content, “This lesson may take 2-3 class periods (45-60 minutes per period). A suggested order for covering the content in this lesson in two days is below. Additional time may be given to use Teacher Gem activities or independent student practice.”

Day 1:

• Explore! Activity: “Fractions and Decimals”
• Lesson Presentation
• Focused Assignment or Online Practice

Day 2:

• Exit Card as entrance activity
• Choice of Teacher Gem Activity (7.NS.2d Partner Math, MATHO, Categories)
• Leveled worksheet assignment

### Indicator 3c

There is variety in what students are asked to produce. For example, students are asked to produce answers and solutions, but also, in a grade-appropriate way, arguments and explanations, diagrams, mathematical models, etc.
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for having a variety in what students are asked to produce. In the practice pages, students develop concepts and skills by answering multiple questions on the content. For example:

• In Lesson 1.2,  Unit Rates, Exercises, students find unit rates through multiple examples, “Find each unit rate. 1. 70 miles/2 hours”

Students connect content to real-world situations through the Student Gems, linked resources from Open Educational online sites. For example:

• In Unit 4, Sums and Differences of Rational Numbers, Student Gem from Illustrative Mathematics, students use the difference of rational numbers to work out a problem that has a real-world connection. "Imagine that the temperature has dropped to the freezing point for ocean water. How many degrees more must the temperature drop for the antifreeze to turn solid?”

With the Teacher Gems, students create arguments and justify their answers. For example:

• In Lesson 8.2, Vertical and Adjacent Angles, Teacher Gem: Partner Math, students solve problems to find a missing variable using the properties of vertical and adjacent angles, they justify their answers to others to compare work, “4. Once the students have a new partner, they need to compare answers from the previous two tasks. If they agree, they sign their initials in the circle connecting the two task boxes. If students disagree, they work to determine who is correct prior to signing. Once students compare, the teacher should have posted what the next two tasks are and they work with this partner to complete the next two tasks.”

### Indicator 3d

Manipulatives are faithful representations of the mathematical objects they represent and when appropriate are connected to written methods.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet expectations for having manipulatives that are faithful representations of the mathematical objects they represent and, when appropriate, are connected to written methods.

• The series does not often incorporate the use of manipulatives, but when they are included, manipulatives are consistently aligned to the content in the standards. For example, In Lesson 7.1, Solving One-step Equations, “‘Introduction to Equation Mats’  is an activity that requires algebra tiles. Algebra tiles can be purchased or made from card stock. In this activity, students use the concept of zero pairs to cancel out positive or negative tiles. Talk to students about the fact that one negative and one positive, when combined, form a zero pair and can be removed from the equation mat as the pair is worth zero together. This activity works best when students work in partner sets with one equation mat between them. One student can be responsible for manipulating the tiles on the board while the other records on the Explore! activity sheet. Have student pairs share out Step 8 with the class to wrap up the activity.”
• Examples of manipulatives include: Algebra tiles, grid paper, rulers, patty paper/tracing paper, cylinders and cones, protractor, and x-y tables.

### Indicator 3e

The visual design (whether in print or online) is not distracting or chaotic, but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 are not distracting or chaotic and support students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject. The entire series, both print and digital, follows a consistent format, which promotes familiarity with the materials and makes finding specific sections more efficient. The page layout in the materials is user-friendly.

The interface for each digital lesson is the same for the teacher. It includes the “Teacher/Lesson Guide, Student Lesson, Explore!, Teacher Gems, Student Gems, Online Practice & Gem Challenges, Online Class Results, Exit Card, Proficient Practice, Tiered Practice, Challenge Practice, Answer Keys, eBook, Student Lesson in Spanish and Power-Point Lessons”.

The Student Lesson is organized the same for each lesson. It includes an introduction of the concept, Examples with Solutions, Exercises, and Review. For example:

• In Lesson 5.3, Dividing Rational Numbers, the Student Lesson begins with, “As you learned in Unit 1, two numbers are reciprocals if their product is 1. To find the reciprocal of a fraction, “flip” the fraction. The numerator becomes the denominator and the denominator becomes the numerator.” Then there are three examples with solutions, twenty-five Exercise items, and three Review items.

### Criterion 3f - 3l

Teacher Planning and Learning for Success with CCSS: Materials support teacher learning and understanding of the Standards.
6/8
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Criterion Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 partially meet expectations for supporting teacher learning and understanding of the standards. The instructional materials provide quality questions to help guide students’ mathematical development, contain ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content, and explain the role of the grade-level mathematics in the context of the overall mathematics curriculum. The instructional materials do not contain adult-level explanations so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject.

### Indicator 3f

Materials support teachers in planning and providing effective learning experiences by providing quality questions to help guide students' mathematical development.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for providing quality questions to help guide students’ mathematical development. There is a Communication Prompt in every lesson that provides questions to help guide students’ mathematical development. For example:

• In Lesson 4.3, Subtracting Integers, Communication Prompt, “How is subtracting integers similar to adding integers?”
• In Lesson 8.6, Area of a Circle, Communication Prompt, “What is the same about the formulas for area and circumference of a circle? What is different about the formulas for area and circumference of a circle?”

Questions are also located in the Mathematical Practice  and Teaching Tips section, but these questions are not located in every lesson.

• In Lesson 3.3, Percent of Change, Mathematical Practices - A Closer Look, “MP3: Use the Explore! to lead students to a conjecture about how to find percent of change (that they will need to know the change in values and the original amount). Also, Exercise 15 asks students to critique the work of a student to fix an error that was made.”
• In Lesson 9.2, Surface Area of Prisms, Teaching Tips, “ In sixth grade, students found surface area for the first time in the standards. They may have been introduced to the process using nets or formulas. Ask students about their experiences by introducing the lesson by saying, ‘If I wanted to find the surface area of a prism, how could I do that? What is surface area?’”

### Indicator 3g

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.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for containing ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials.

• In the Unit Overview, there is information provided to help teachers understand the materials in order to present the content. The Unit Overview provides a brief overview of the content contained within the unit. It also includes standards, learning progression, pacing, and assessments contained within the unit.
• The Student Gems contain links to outside technology-enhanced activities. These contain instructions for students, but there is no guidance for the teacher as to when to use these activities to enhance student learning.
• Explore! Summary and Suggestions provides details about the Explore! Activity and suggestions for how it can be implemented. For example, in Lesson 6.1, Algebraic Expressions, “In this activity, students will evaluate geometric formulas by substituting values for the variables in the formulas. This activity connects to previous work students have done finding area, surface area and volume. ‘Formula Frenzy’ should be used at the end of Day 1 or the start of Day 2 of this lesson. It could also be sent home as homework at the end of Day 1. If this is done, it would be best to group up students to compare solutions at the beginning of the next class as a warm-up activity”
• Mathematical Practices - A Closer Look, contains information related to each Mathematical Practice contained in the lesson and suggestions for teachers. For example, in Lesson 1.4, Scale Drawings, “MP6: Emphasize paying close attention to units in the problems to understand whether the measurement is an actual measurement or a scaled measurement.”
• There are Extra Examples found in each of the lessons for teachers to present if needed.
• Teaching Tips provide teachers with suggestions for teaching the content within the lesson. For example, in Lesson 9.1, Three Dimensional Figures, Teaching Tip, “You may want to review vocabulary with students by asking them to discuss the difference between parallel and perpendicular prior to starting the lesson.”

### Indicator 3h

Materials contain a teacher's edition (in print or clearly distinguished/accessible as a teacher's edition in digital materials) that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced mathematics concepts in the lessons so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.
0/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 do not meet the expectations for containing adult-level explanations so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject. The materials do not include explanations and examples of the mathematics that are not designed to be used with students, explanations and examples that build teacher understanding of content, or explanations and examples for teachers of mathematical concepts that extend beyond the course

### Indicator 3i

Materials contain a teacher's edition (in print or clearly distinguished/accessible as a teacher's edition in digital materials) that explains the role of the specific grade-level mathematics in the context of the overall mathematics curriculum for kindergarten through grade twelve.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for explaining the role of the grade-level mathematics in the context of the overall mathematics curriculum.

The materials provide information that explains the progression of the content across multiple grades and within the series itself. Each Unit Overview includes Learning Progression which includes concepts and skills that students have experienced in the past and ones that they will experience in the future. For example in Unit 5, Products and Quotients of Rational Numbers, the Learning Progressions contains:

• Used positive and negative rational numbers to represent situations. (6.NS.5)
• Graphed rational numbers on a number line. (6.NS.6)
• Compared rational numbers. (6.NS.7)
• Multiplied and divided fractions. (5.NF and 6.NS.1)
• Multiplied and divided decimals. (6.NS.3)

• Use rational numbers to solve multi-step equations. (8.EE.7)
• Simplify expressions with rational exponents. (HS.N-RN)”

### Indicator 3j

Materials provide a list of lessons in the teacher's edition (in print or clearly distinguished/accessible as a teacher's edition in digital materials), cross-referencing the standards covered and providing an estimated instructional time for each lesson, chapter and unit (i.e., pacing guide).
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 provide a list of lessons in the teacher's edition, cross-­referencing the standards addressed, and a pacing guide.

There is clear documentation that provides lesson alignment to the standards and estimated instructional time for lessons. Each Teacher Unit Page includes a Pacing Guide & Correlations which contains a Scope and Sequence that specifies CCSS Alignment, Recommended Lesson Pacing, and Recommended Unit Pacing. It also has a Standards Alignment that lists all the grade-level standards and indicates which lessons address each standard. Also, “Standards Correlation by Lesson” contains a table that lists each lesson with the CCSS Alignment.

### Indicator 3k

Materials contain strategies for informing parents or caregivers about the mathematics program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 include strategies for parents or caregivers to support their students' progress and achievement.

The materials include a Parent Guide in each unit that contains information about the content and vocabulary in the unit, as well as a table that contains “Past math topics your child has learned that will be activated in this unit” and “Future math this unit prepares your child for.”

The Parent Guide also has, “How You Can Help at Home,” that provides ways parents can support student achievement. For example in Unit 10:

• Calculate probabilities of winning a game using theoretical or experimental probability.
• Use words like “certain”, “equally likely” or “impossible” to describe the probability something will happen.
• Create a tree diagram to display options for lunch items or outings (see Lesson 10.3).
• Look for different types of data displays online or in magazines. Ask questions about the information presented in the displays.
• Create flash cards to practice the many vocabulary terms in this unit.
• Collect data together and display the data using one or more of the data displays above.

### Indicator 3l

Materials contain explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 explain instructional strategies and routines in the Teacher Gems PD Overview, however, there are no sections that include how any of the materials in the resource are research-based. Example of an instructional strategy:

• In Unit 3, Teacher Gems PD Overview, MATHO is an activity that can be used when students need motivation to practice a procedural skill. Students complete a set of problems individually and then participate in a BINGO-type activity with their solutions. MATHO works best with items addressing the “recall and reproduce” level of cognition.
• In Unit 6, Teacher Gem PD Overview, Four Corners is used with standards that ask students to represent their learning flexibly with models, expressions, equations, and/or context situations. Students receive one piece of information and must create three other models for that same information.

### Criterion 3m - 3q

Assessment: Materials offer teachers resources and tools to collect ongoing data about student progress on the Standards.
7/10
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Criterion Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 partially meet the expectations for offering teachers resources and tools to collect ongoing data about student progress on the standards. The instructional materials provide strategies for teachers to identify and address common student errors and misconceptions, and they have assessments that clearly denote which standards are being emphasized. The instructional materials partially provide strategies for gathering information about students’ prior knowledge, opportunities for ongoing review and practice, with feedback, and assessments that include aligned rubrics and scoring guidelines.

### Indicator 3m

Materials provide strategies for gathering information about students' prior knowledge within and across grade levels.
1/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 partially meet the expectations for providing strategies for gathering information about students’ prior knowledge within and across grade levels.

• The Teacher/Lesson Guide in each unit provides suggested Warm-Up problems from the previous lesson. These are found in the Exercise section of the Student page and are usually the last three, four, or five items given.
• The Unit Overview contains two sections that identify prior learning, Previously Learned and Learning Progression. These sections provide overarching information about the mathematical content but do not provide information that is designed for students’ prior knowledge.

### Indicator 3n

Materials provide strategies for teachers to identify and address common student errors and misconceptions.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for providing strategies for teachers to identify and address common student errors and misconceptions. Each Unit contains a Common Misconceptions document that discusses the common misconceptions for each lesson. This document also provides mathematically sound strategies for the teacher to address student errors. For example:

• In Lesson 7.4, Linear Inequalities, Common Misconceptions, “Students may forget to switch the inequality sign when multiplying or dividing by a negative. Help students by asking them to check answers in their solution sets in the original inequality to see if they satisfy the inequality.”

### Indicator 3o

Materials provide opportunities for ongoing review and practice, with feedback, for students in learning both concepts and skills.
1/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 partially meet the expectations for providing opportunities for ongoing review and practice, with feedback, for students in learning both concepts and skills. The materials include limited support for teachers to provide feedback.

• Each lesson ends with 3-4 Review questions for ongoing practice in Exercise of the Student Lesson. The Teacher Guide includes which standard is being addressed and a small description of the skill. For example:
• In Lesson 8.7, I can find the area of composite figures, Concepts and Procedure  (7.NS.2): Page 167 #23 Skill: Rational number operations
• Each lesson contains Online Practice, where a student is given the correct answer, if they choose, but feedback is not provided.

### Indicator 3p

Materials offer ongoing formative and summative assessments:
0/0

### Indicator 3p.i

Assessments clearly denote which standards are being emphasized.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7  meet the expectations that assessments clearly denote which standards are being emphasized.

Standards for the unit are denoted at the unit level in the Unit Overview in the Standards and Recommended Pacing. The unit standards are also noted on the Pacing Guide for each lesson in the unit. The assessments, tiered assessments, and performance tasks indicate which standards are being assessed at the question level. Standards are provided on the Teacher Unit Page with a blue “i” icon for the assessments, tiered assessments, and performance tasks. Standards are noted using the blue “i” icon for Exit Cards on the Lesson pages. The standards are noted on the Unit Overview in the Assessment section for the Gem Challenges.

### Indicator 3p.ii

Assessments include aligned rubrics and scoring guidelines that provide sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.
1/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 partially meet the expectations that assessments include aligned rubrics and scoring guidelines that provide sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.

• The assessments do not provide follow-up steps or suggestions for the teacher.
• The Unit Performance Task Rubrics do not suggest Reteach Lessons, but they do provide solutions and reasoning as to why an answer is incorrect.

### Indicator 3q

Materials encourage students to monitor their own progress.
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 encourage students to monitor their own progress. The materials include Target Trackers for each unit for students to monitor their progress. The Target Tracker contains the objective from each lesson within the unit with a picture of a thermometer that students can fill in as they progress toward the objective. It also contains a section where students can list “Skills to Improve.”

### Criterion 3r - 3y

Differentiated instruction: Materials support teachers in differentiating instruction for diverse learners within and across grades.
11/12
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Criterion Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for supporting teachers in differentiating instruction for diverse learners within and across grades. The instructional materials provide strategies to help teachers sequence or scaffold lessons, strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners, tasks with multiple entry-points that can be solved using a variety of solution strategies or representations, opportunities for advanced students to investigate mathematics content at greater depth, and a balanced portrayal of various demographic and personal characteristics.

### Indicator 3r

Materials provide strategies to help teachers sequence or scaffold lessons so that the content is accessible to all learners.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for providing strategies to help teachers sequence or scaffold lessons so that the content is accessible to all learners.

• Every lesson in the Teacher/Lesson Guide has Teaching Tips which provide information on strategies to use when teaching the concept, manipulatives that might be useful, questions to focus on, and other tips depending on the lesson.
• At the beginning of each Unit, Learning Progressions makes connections to both prior and future skills and standards to scaffold instruction.
• Each lesson provides a Warm-up to activate prior knowledge.
• The materials provide three different levels of practice for each lesson (Tiered, Proficient, and Challenge Practice) as well as tiered assessments, however, there are no strategies or instructions for teachers on how to sequence or scaffold these items.

### Indicator 3s

Materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for providing teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners.

Within the materials there are three levels of practice pages: Proficient (on level), Tiered (more focused development), and Challenge (extension). These pages allow for more development of the content knowledge regardless of the level of the students. The material presents different types of questions all related to the content from the lesson. For example:

• In Lesson 2.4, Proportional Relationship Equations, Proficient Practice for on-level students has questions focusing on the content, “Complete each input-output table and graph each function in Quadrant I. 1. y = 2x”. The Challenge practice, focused on extension of the concept, includes determine if a relationship represents a proportional relationship “Tell whether or not each table shows ordered pairs that model a proportional relationship. If the ordered pairs represent a proportional relationship, write an equation for the table in the form y = rx. If the ordered pairs do not show a proportional relationship, explain how you know.”. The Tiered Practice is geared towards students that need more focused help with the content which is done by providing more scaffolding by providing a partially complete table, “Complete each input-output table and graph each function in Quadrant I. 1. y = 2x”.
• Assessments and Tiered Assessments are located in each Unit.

### Indicator 3t

Materials embed tasks with multiple entry-points that can be solved using a variety of solution strategies or representations.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for embedding tasks with multiple entry-points that can be solved using a variety of solution strategies or representations. The materials have Performance Tasks embedded into each Unit, and teacher guidance on how to help students solve these problems is limited.

• Each Unit includes Performance Tasks, some of which include multiple entry-points. Within the Unit Overview, Assessment section, the Performance Tasks (Formative or Summative) for each unit are identified.
• Each Lesson has an Explore! task which does include instructions on its use. For example: Lesson 10.3, Compound Probability, Teacher Guide, “In ‘Three Sports’, students are introduced to three models for finding the total number of possible outcomes of an event happening, as well as being introduced to compound probability. This Explore! activity may take a full class period and the Lesson Presentation may need to be moved to Day 2. In this activity, students make lists, tree diagrams and tables and then get a chance to talk about the model they prefer. It may work best for every student to have his or her own activity sheet during the group work so each student has the opportunity to see first-hand how to create each of the models.”

### Indicator 3u

Materials suggest support, accommodations, and modifications for English Language Learners and other special populations that will support their regular and active participation in learning mathematics (e.g., modifying vocabulary words within word problems).
1/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 partially meet the expectations for suggesting support, accommodations, and modifications for English Language Learners and other special populations that will support their regular and active participation in learning mathematics. All supports given are general statements about ELL students and other special populations.

• Proficient, Tiered, and Challenge Practices are located in each lesson.
• Assessments and Tiered Assessments are located in each unit.
• There is an ELL Guide that includes unit-based and lesson-based general strategies to assist teachers in meeting the needs of all learners.

### Indicator 3v

Materials provide opportunities for advanced students to investigate mathematics content at greater depth.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for providing opportunities for advanced students to investigate mathematics content at greater depth. The materials provide some opportunities for advanced students to investigate the course-level mathematics at a greater depth. Each lesson includes Tiered Practice, Proficient Practice, and Challenge Practice sheets. The Challenge Practice sheets include more complex problems than the Tiered and Proficient Practice sheets, and the number of problems is comparable.

### Indicator 3w

Materials provide a balanced portrayal of various demographic and personal characteristics.
2/2
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 meet the expectations for providing a balanced portrayal of various demographic and personal characteristics. Lessons contain a variety of demographic and personal characteristics.

• Names and wording are chosen with diversity in mind. The materials include various names throughout the problems for example: Katie, Keisha, Willis, Juan, Seth, Sherry, Mikayla, Julio, Jaylynn, Kobe, Ebizah, Ginger, Gracin, Kitts, Vadek. The names are used in ways that do not stereotype characters by gender, race, or ethnicity.
• Images portrayed of students throughout the lessons show a wide range of students according to gender, race, and ethnicity.
• When multiple characters are involved in a scenario, they are often doing similar tasks or jobs in ways not expressing gender, race, or ethnic bias, and there is no pattern in one character using more/fewer sophisticated strategies.

### Indicator 3x

Materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies. Teacher and Student Gems include various strategies for teachers to group students in multiple Lessons. For example:

• In Lesson 1.3, Rates and Ratios with a Complex Fraction, the Teacher Gems activity titled “Partner Math” instructs students to work with one partner.
• In Lesson 3.1, Fractions, Decimals, and Percents, the Teacher Gems activity titled “Categories”, states that students can be grouped with partners or small groups of students.
• The Teacher Gems include multiple activities such as Always, Sometimes, Never and Climb the Ladder that instructs teachers to either assign partners or work in small groups to complete the activities given.

### Indicator 3y

Materials encourage teachers to draw upon home language and culture to facilitate learning.
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 do not consistently encourage teachers to draw upon home language and culture to facilitate learning. The materials include a PDF booklet, “Strategies for English Language Learners Using EdGems Math”. This is located in the Teacher Unit page of each unit. The materials include a multilingual glossary for ELL students, and all lessons are offered in both English and Spanish. A Parent Guide is found in each unit. However, it is only provided in English, and it addresses only the mathematical concepts included in the upcoming unit and does not incorporate student culture.

### Criterion 3aa - 3z

Effective technology use: Materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning. Digital materials are accessible and available in multiple platforms.
0/0
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Criterion Rating Details

The instructional materials for EdGems Math Grade 7 integrate technology, including interactive tools, virtual manipulatives, and dynamic software, are web-based and compatible with multiple internet browsers, include Gem Challenges with online multiple choice items, include opportunities for teachers to assign specific elements of a lesson to personalize individual student learning. They do not incorporate technology that provides opportunities for multiple students to collaborate with the teacher or one another.

### Indicator 3aa

Digital materials (either included as supplementary to a textbook or as part of a digital curriculum) are web-based and compatible with multiple internet browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.). In addition, materials are "platform neutral" (i.e., are compatible with multiple operating systems such as Windows and Apple and are not proprietary to any single platform) and allow the use of tablets and mobile devices.
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 are web-based and compatible with multiple internet browsers.

• EdGems Math can be accessed through multiple internet browsers. All features are accessible through all web browsers. Clicking on lesson elements opens new tabs which do not have clear labels attached to them across all web browsers.
• Materials can be accessed from multiple platforms with no loss of content. However, if typing in the address bar, the URL needs to be typed www.edgems.com. If the www is left off an error message occurs, this is consistent across multiple web browsers and across device types.
• Many of the options in the lessons require downloading of documents onto the mobile device such as in Lesson 7.3, Simplifying and Solving Equations, the Student Lesson requires a PDF download.

### Indicator 3ab

Materials include opportunities to assess student mathematical understandings and knowledge of procedural skills using technology.
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 include Gem Challenges with online multiple choice items. However, all unit assessments are PDF or editable Word document and cannot be completed online. While there is no feature that allows teachers to construct their own assessments, teachers can edit the assessments using the included Word documents in the Editable Resources file on each Teacher Unit page.

### Indicator 3ac

Materials can be easily customized for individual learners. i. Digital materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations. ii. Materials can be easily customized for local use. For example, materials may provide a range of lessons to draw from on a topic.
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 include opportunities for teachers to assign specific elements of a lesson to personalize individual student learning. No online data analytics are provided for a teacher to use for personalization. However, teachers can personalize student learning in each student account.

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 are easily customized for local use. Specific tasks can be assigned to specific students from the materials. All Explore, Proficient Practice, Tiered Practice, Challenge Practice, Exit Cards, Performance tasks, and assessments can be edited for local use using the linked Word documents in a Google Sheet found in the Editable Resources file on each Teacher Unit page.

Materials include or reference technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other (e.g. websites, discussion groups, webinars, etc.).
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 do not incorporate technology that provides opportunities for multiple students to collaborate with the teacher or one another.

### Indicator 3z

Materials integrate technology such as interactive tools, virtual manipulatives/objects, and/or dynamic mathematics software in ways that engage students in the Mathematical Practices.
0/0
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Indicator Rating Details

The instructional materials reviewed for EdGems Math Grade 7 integrate technology, including interactive tools, virtual manipulatives, and dynamic software in ways that engage students in the Mathematical Practices. Technology integration is located in Student Gems and Online Practice & Gem Challenge. For example:

• Lesson 3.3, Percent of Change, Student Gems includes two Desmos Activities, one Khan Academy video lesson, one Math Mess video, and one PBS LearningMedia task.
• Lesson 8.4, Areas of Polygons, Student Gems includes three Desmos Activities, one Khan Academy video lessons, and one Learner.org task.
• All lessons have Online Practice and Gem Challenges included for student use.
abc123

Report Published Date: 2019/11/07

Report Edition: 2018

Title ISBN Edition Publisher Year
7th Grade Core Math Annual Online Teacher Subscription 978‑1‑948860‑57‑4 EdGems Math, LLC 2018

## Math K-8 Review Tool

The mathematics review criteria identifies the indicators for high-quality instructional materials. The review criteria supports a sequential review process that reflect the importance of alignment to the standards then consider other high-quality attributes of curriculum as recommended by educators.

For math, our review criteria evaluates materials based on:

• Focus and Coherence

• Rigor and Mathematical Practices

• Instructional Supports and Usability

The K-8 Evidence Guides complements the review criteria by elaborating details for each indicator including the purpose of the indicator, information on how to collect evidence, guiding questions and discussion prompts, and scoring criteria.

## Math K-8

K-8 K-8

The EdReports rubric supports a sequential review process through three gateways. These gateways reflect the importance of alignment to college and career ready standards and considers other attributes of high-quality curriculum, such as usability and design, as recommended by educators.

Materials must meet or partially meet expectations for the first set of indicators (gateway 1) to move to the other gateways.

Gateways 1 and 2 focus on questions of alignment to the standards. Are the instructional materials aligned to the standards? Are all standards present and treated with appropriate depth and quality required to support student learning?

Gateway 3 focuses on the question of usability. Are the instructional materials user-friendly for students and educators? Materials must be well designed to facilitate student learning and enhance a teacher’s ability to differentiate and build knowledge within the classroom.

In order to be reviewed and attain a rating for usability (Gateway 3), the instructional materials must first meet expectations for alignment (Gateways 1 and 2).

Alignment and usability ratings are assigned based on how materials score on a series of criteria and indicators with reviewers providing supporting evidence to determine and substantiate each point awarded.

Alignment and usability ratings are assigned based on how materials score on a series of criteria and indicators with reviewers providing supporting evidence to determine and substantiate each point awarded.

For ELA and math, alignment ratings represent the degree to which materials meet expectations, partially meet expectations, or do not meet expectations for alignment to college- and career-ready standards, including that all standards are present and treated with the appropriate depth to support students in learning the skills and knowledge that they need to be ready for college and career.

For science, alignment ratings represent the degree to which materials meet expectations, partially meet expectations, or do not meet expectations for alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards, including that all standards are present and treated with the appropriate depth to support students in learning the skills and knowledge that they need to be ready for college and career.

For all content areas, usability ratings represent the degree to which materials meet expectations, partially meet expectations, or do not meet expectations for effective practices (as outlined in the evaluation tool) for use and design, teacher planning and learning, assessment, differentiated instruction, and effective technology use.