7th Grade - Gateway 3

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 3a.

The Grade 7 materials include useful annotations in the Teacher Edition, guide for English Language Learners, and supporting materials. The introduction in the Teacher Edition explains the design and principles of the curriculum. Each daily lesson is divided into Opening, Work Time, Closing and Assessment, and Homework. Lesson annotations include clear directions, scripting in red and italics when appropriate, time stamps, and bolded references to any student materials. Suggestions are included for varying levels of scaffolds for each lesson. Answer keys are provided for all activities, including homework. Text guides address sensitive issues in the anchor texts with suggestions of how to handle them.

Examples of lesson annotations and suggestions include:

• Each teacher-facing lesson begins by highlighting CCSS, daily learning targets, and ongoing assessment. 

• An agenda for the day is presented with time stamps for opening, work time, closing and assessment, and homework..

• Teaching Notes provide helpful information on ways to adapt the lessons. 

• Teachers are provided with ways technology and multimedia may be used in the lesson.

• Academic or domain-specific vocabulary is listed.

• A list of materials needed to complete each lesson is listed.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 3b.

The Grade 7 materials include explanations and examples so that teachers can improve their knowledge. Teaching Notes are included in each lesson and provide adult-level explanations on numerous topics: purpose of the lesson, information on alignment to the standards for assessments, ways to monitor instruction, support to make informed decisions on adapting the curriculum, suggestions for accommodations and differentiation, links to professional articles explaining the purpose of a protocol, opportunities and guidance to extend student learning and assessments, and a preview of upcoming lessons.

Examples of explanations include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 3, the Teacher Edition includes this Teaching Note to support all students: “Read aloud the first several chapters of A Long Walk to Water in these first lessons to ensure student comprehension, engagement, and enjoyment of the text. However, if all students are already engaged, determine how students will read chapter 2 of A Long Walk to Water to best support their comprehension, or give students choice to build empowerment and engagement in learning. Alternatives to read-alouds include the following: another fluent reader (including students or an audiobook) reads aloud to the whole class, small groups, triads, or pairs; individuals read silently; or a combination of any of these.”

• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 1, the Teacher Edition includes this Teaching Note that shows purpose of a protocol: “The Gallery Walk, Infer the Topic, and Think-Pair/Triad-Share protocols are used in this lesson. Protocols are an important feature of our curriculum because they are one of the best ways we know to engage students in discussion, inquiry, critical thinking, and sophisticated communication. A protocol consists of agreed-upon, detailed guidelines for reading, recording, discussing, or reporting that ensure equal participation and accountability in learning. The Classroom Protocols document (see the Tools page: http://eled.org/tools) includes instructions on implementing these protocols.”

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 9, the Teacher Edition includes this Teaching Note that shows opportunities to extend learning: “Release students who are ready to read and analyze the model introduction independently and move on to drafting the introduction to their practice essay with a partner rather than during modeling.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 3c.

The Grade 7 materials include a Teacher Edition that provides an overview of the standards that are addressed in each module. In each lesson, an agenda describes the lesson sections, including the Opening, Work Time, and Closing and Assessment, and identifies the standards that are addressed.  Supporting standards are also identified in each lesson. For supporting standards, the Teacher Edition states,  “These are the standards that are incidental - no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.” In Your Curriculum Companion, the key shifts of the CCSS are explained in the context of the curriculum. It explains previous practice, the instructional shift, and how the curriculum supports the shift. This section also includes a table that correlates the College and Career Ready ELA/Literacy Standards to the curriculum. A case study in this section illustrates in-depth how the Topic, Tasks, Targets, and Texts are used to achieve daily, unit, and module-length goals. The section gives teachers advice on making instructional decisions that keep the integrity of the standards intact.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 3d.

The Grade 7 materials include an introductory welcome letter in the Additional Resources tab that teachers send at the beginning of the year to give families an overview of the year’s modules, units, and goals. The letter includes an overview of the program and anchor texts students will read throughout the year. A rationale is given for including each text along with the main tasks for each module and how those tasks fit into a full year’s learning. In the Teacher Supporting Materials for each unit, homework resources are included for families. These detailed documents include, Guiding Questions and Big Ideas, homework per lesson, and  information on independent reading and vocabulary.

Examples of resources include:

• In Module 2, the homework resources for families include these Guiding Questions and Big Ideas: ”What are epidemics? How do they develop? How do people respond to an epidemic? What is the role of character and mindset in solving epidemic crises? What methods and tools help people to solve epidemics? What will your student be doing at school?  And, How can you support your student at home?” Then the unit’s homework is presented including information on research and choice reading and vocabulary logs. A chart of each lesson’s homework is presented. Next, instruction on how to keep an independent reading log is presented along with a list of example prompts for the student to choose from to respond to their reading.

The Grade 7 materials include a section in Your Curriculum Companion that explains how research impacts the design of the curriculum and how the curriculum addresses College and Career Ready standards. Chapter 1 describes how research impacts the vocabulary, knowledge-building, syntax, and fluency components of the curriculum to close the opportunity gap. It also includes chapters that explain the instructional approaches of the curriculum, including preparing to teach, supporting students to read complex texts, writing with evidence, supporting students to meet grade-level expectations, and helping students grow as learners and people. 

Examples of instructional approaches include:

• In the Your Curriculum Companion, the section, “How Did Research Impact the Design of the Curriculum, and What Difference Will It Make to My Students?” addresses student gaps due to varying levels of readiness. Research citing systemic inequities and the Matthew Effect, “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer,” are included along with a mission from the publisher. This mission is to “give all students access to a challenging, engaging, and empowering curriculum built on best practices in literacy instruction in order to accelerate their achievement.” Included in this section is research for the following four elements of literacy instruction: vocabulary, knowledge-building, syntax and fluency.

• In the Your Curriculum Companion, chapters explain the instructional approaches, including preparing to teach, supporting students to read complex texts, writing with evidence, supporting students to meet grade-level expectations, and helping students grow as learners and people. The chapters include QR codes for videos showcasing the pedagogy within the curriculum, including the routines such as Language Dives, Peer Critique, Jigsaw, Unpacking a Learning Target, and Close Reading.  

• In the Your Curriculum Companion, the section, “How Will the Curriculum Help Me Address College-and Career-Ready Standards?” explains the three main shifts in the creation of the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts/Literacy. Details concerning how the shifts are more aligned with research on best practice is included along with an explanation of how the new shifts are more beneficial to student learning and closing the gap among all learners. In addition, a table is provided that describes how the curriculum materials address the specific aspects of the standards in the areas of Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening.

The Grade 7 materials include a 6-8 Required Trade Books and Resources Procurement List, including titles, authors, publishers, quantities, ISBN or UPC codes, Text Types, Lexiles, and Publication Dates. These details are provided for all texts and videos used in the program. Each lesson includes a list of required materials, including “Materials from Previous Lessons” and “New Materials.”  Material lists are also categorized by items used by students and teachers. In each Module Overview,  the Texts and Resources section includes a list of required textbooks and resources and the number of each resource needed. The Preparations and Materials sections explain what the teacher needs to prepare in advance and where to find those materials. In addition, any new materials needed for both teacher and student are listed.

The Grade 7 materials include information on which standards are assessed. The Teacher Edition and the Teacher Guide for English Language Learners for each module provides an overview of the standards being taught and assessed in each series of lessons. Each module’s Teacher Supporting Materials includes an Assessment Overview and Resources section. This section details the standards assessed in each Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit Assessment. Each question in the assessments includes an annotation of what standard the question is intended to evaluate. For assessments that include a discussion, materials provide a checklist with the standards and performance criteria for teachers to aid in assessment.  For assessments that involve writing, materials provide an annotated exemplar showing where the exemplar achieves the standards being assessed. Assessment Design in Expeditionary Learning in Grades 3-8 is another document that provides details about the assessment design process and explains how modules assess student achievement of the Common Core Standards, the groupings of standards in each assessment, and how the learning of each module scaffolds students toward meeting the standards in the assessments.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3j.

The Grade 7 materials include assessments with scoring guidelines to interpret student performance; however, specific suggestions for follow-up or interventions are not provided. The discussion or performance assessments include a checklist with the standards and performance criteria for teachers to aid in assessment.  The speaking assessments include forms for running records of student performance with standards references. The writing assessments include rubrics and annotated exemplars showing where the exemplar achieves the standards being assessed. Assessments that include revising are accompanied by a Teacher Reference with the revisions made and an explanation of the reason each revision is necessary. Accommodations and extensions are suggested for the assessments, and opportunities for students to reflect on their own performance are included. Materials prompt teachers to provide students with specific feedback and allocate time to conferencing with students about performance. Because ELA standards are cyclical and often revisited, follow-up can be provided in that way, but the curriculum does not specifically provide suggestions.

The Grade 7 materials include assessments that measure the expectations of the standards regarding rigor and depth. There are six unit assessments per module at mid-unit and the end of the unit. A variety of item types are presented including, selected response, short and long constructed response, text-based discussion, written reflection, online research and note-taking, presentations, and essays. Standards-based formative and summative assessments are included in each unit in all modules. Also, each lesson includes a section titled Ongoing Assessment at the beginning of the lesson, and an Assessment Guidance section within the Teaching Notes that detail the kinds of data the teacher can collect on student progress toward the standard. 

Daily formative assessments include writing and reflection, strategic observation and listening, and debriefs. Writing and reflection assessments include summary writing, Note-Catchers and Entrance Tickets, and Exit Tickets. Strategic observation and listening are assessments made by the teacher while students are engaged in conversation during a Turn-and-Talk or other conversation-based protocol. Debriefs occur at the end of each lesson when students reflect on their progress toward the learning targets and standards. 

Summative assessments are standards-based constructed responses to culminating discussions, presentations, or on-demand writing. Anchor writing standards are taught and assessed in every module. Students write essays to inform or to express a claim, or they write narratives. As a summative assessment, these writing tasks are independent and on-demand. 

Examples of formative assessment types include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 8, students complete an Entrance Ticket answering text-based questions about what they have read in the anchor text ( RL7.4).

• In Module 4, Unit 3, Lessons 6-7, students complete a Language Dive titled “Model Documentary Script Section Note-Catcher” to assess paraphrasing skills (SL7.4, L7.1a).

Examples of summative assessment types include, but are not limited to: 

• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lessons 5-6, students complete a Mid-Unit Summative Assessment titled “Research to Answer a Question” (RI7.1, RI7.2, SL 7.2, W7.7, W7.8).

• In Module 1, Unit 1, the Mid-Unit Assessment directions state, “Students read a new chapter from A Long Walk to Water. Then students use strategies to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words in selected response questions. Students also respond to short response questions, analyzing how the setting shapes plot and characters and how the author develops and contrasts points of view. Students make sure to include textual evidence to support their responses throughout the assessment.”

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lessons 13-14, students complete an End-of-Unit literary argument essay (W7.1, W7.5, W7.6, W7.9c). Students analyze how three works from the Harlem Renaissance best demonstrate the theme of dreams motivating people to bring a sense of purpose to life. In Part II, students revise and edit their essays.

• In Module 4, Unit 3, the End-of-Unit Assessment directions state, “Students present their solution to the problem of plastic pollution in a documentary film clip pitch. During the presentation, students use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. Additionally, students use formal English and include the visuals of their storyboards in their presentation to clarify claims and emphasize salient points.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 3l.

The Grade 7 materials include accommodations for students while taking assessments so they are able to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment. Teaching Notes for each lesson include a section titled “Support for All Students” and “Assessment Guidance” with suggestions for how to support students in completing the assessment. The Teacher Guide for English Language Learners (ELLs) offers additional teacher assistance to guide teachers in providing the appropriate amount of support for ELLs. The Teacher Guide for English Language Learners includes guidance for each lesson and a section titled, “Levels of Support” to document “lighter support” and “heavier support” for each assessment. Both types of supports are scaffolds only and do not change the content of the assessment.

Examples of accommodations provided include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 14, Teaching Notes in the “Support for All Students” section for the assessment states, “Much of this lesson is discussion-based, so students who struggle with oral language and/or auditory processing may need additional support. Provide sentence frames for students to refer to during peer critique or a note-taking template for students to take notes during critiques.”

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 15, the Teacher Guide for ELLs suggests lighter support for the assessment such as: “During Work Time B, students may be reluctant to share their essays with classmates who are more proficient in English. Utilize careful strategic partnerships in which students will feel comfortable and still gain insights into how they may improve their work. Students may benefit from working with a friend or with someone on or just below their level of proficiency.” The same guide suggests heavier support such as:  ”During Work Time B, students may benefit from both listening to and reading their classmates’ essay. If possible, provide copies of peers’ essays to each student, so that they may follow along as their peer reads aloud. Students may also benefit from time to read the essay once through, then listen to it read as they follow along. Allowing several readings in both modalities will ensure students understand the essay and can give quality feedback.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 3m.

The Grade 7 materials include a Teacher Edition with a section called Support All Students that provides strategies and supports for students in special populations. Lessons provide opportunities and suggestions for differentiation and modifications as needed. In the Teacher Guide for English Language Learners, a black triangle signifies a differentiated version of student-facing materials to support all learners as needed. Lessons are designed to support small groups and individual students. Students also have many opportunities for collaboration through various protocols and debriefs that encourage literacy development, skill improvement, and knowledge enhancement.

Examples of strategies and supports include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 7, in the Support All Students section, instructions state: “In Work Time A, students should read the model essay independently. However, if some or all students need more support, read several paragraphs aloud and then release students to read independently, in pairs, or in small groups.” Also in Work Time A, it states, “Students may require additional support when finding the gist. If so, pair students heterogeneously for this activity, or group students who may need additional reading support together and read aloud for them.”

• In Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 10, in the Support All Students section, instructions state: ”Group together those students who may have difficulty understanding the poem, and offer more readings for comprehension, as well as support finding the gist or basic meaning of the words.” It also states the following:  “Students may need additional support identifying and interpreting figurative language. Remind students of the work they did in the first half of the unit, interpreting language that was made to stand in for or convey another idea. Guide small groups or partners who are struggling to identify and analyze this language.”

• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 12, in the Support All Students section, instruction states: “Some students may have a difficult time reading their Human Timeline card aloud. Invite these students to practice ahead of time or partner read the card with a peer.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 3n.

The Grade 7 materials include extension activities that are authentic applications of higher learning, not just additional work given to students who finish early and accurately. The Teacher Notes include an Opportunities to Extend Learning section that provides extensions for every lesson. Extensions are included in daily lessons, Performance Tasks, and other activities that can be applied across an entire module. Extensions can be applied to daily lessons by assigning different or additional research on the module topic, practicing or deepening skills tied directly to a lesson’s standards, removing scaffolds so students complete tasks independently, and encouraging creative expression and leadership skills. Extensions can be applied to the Performance Tasks by increasing the complexity of the work through higher-order thinking skills; expanding the craftsmanship through increased demands of accuracy, detail, and aesthetic quality of the task; and requiring a higher demand of original thinking or authentic personal voice and ideas to the task. Extensions can be applied across the entire module by providing students with opportunities to listen to experts, conduct fieldwork, and engage in service learning projects. Your Curriculum Companion also provides guidance for which extensions should be considered for the whole class and which should be considered for small groups or individuals. Some extensions are geared to students who show more interest in the topic rather than above grade-level skill. While extensions occasionally amount to more work, on the whole, they provide opportunities for deeper learning.

Examples of extensions for students above grade level include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, the Opportunities to Extend Learning section suggests that as students note vocabulary in the text, they should elaborate on the figurative and connotative meanings and uses of the words they find. They also provide opportunities for students to create new sentences using the words in their Vocabulary Logs. 

• In Module 2, students contact local hospitals, universities, or physicians to arrange meetings with those who treat medical epidemics. In addition, as students explore ideas about social contagion, they have the opportunity to arrange meetings with sociologists and psychologists.

• In Module 2, the Performance Task requires students to create a podcast of an epidemic. As an extension prior to creating their podcast, students listen to several podcasts and create a list of characteristics they would like to include in their podcast. Students also work in a group to record their podcast, using online editing tools to add sound effects and music.

•  In Module 3, the Module Extensions include encouraging students to “record videos of their interviews with community members” and create documentaries or biographies of their interviewees.  

• In Module 4, Unit 3, Lesson 1, students who are familiar with documentaries start their planning and research process earlier without analyzing the exemplar.  

The Grade 7 materials provide various ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge of content and apply specific ELA standards. Anchor writing standards are taught and assessed in each module in on-demand and independent writing tasks. On-demand and culminating tasks encourage students to demonstrate understanding of learning targets and encourage deep analysis of texts. Entrance and Exit Tickets, Note-Catchers, and summary writings are examples of formative tasks in lessons. Research skills are part of lessons and Performance Tasks to build information-literacy and multimedia presentation skills. Opportunities for pairs, trios, and group work are provided throughout the modules and across each grade level, allowing students to develop interpersonal relationships and collaboration skills. Students often consult with peers in pairs and small groups to receive feedback about their work. These collaborative opportunities take place at the lesson level and the end-of-module Performance Tasks. Students use creativity and higher-level thinking skills to complete summative assessments and Performance Tasks. Summative assessments vary in format and include constructed or selected response questions and discussions or presentations. Performance Tasks are designed to encourage student authenticity, complexity, and craftsmanship. They vary in design from creation of an illustrated ebook to a documentary clip. Students complete self-assessments after each summative assessment using the Tracking Progress Form. A “debrief” at the end of one lesson during the closing and assessment phase is another opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning and inform next steps. At the end of the year, students review these forms to review their progress. 

Examples of the variety of learning tasks include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 3, students plan, write, and revise a narrative for an audience, telling the story of a Lost Boy or Lost Girl of Sudan. For the Performance Task, students create an ebook for their narrative with a forward that explains the context of the story. 

• In Module 2, Unit 3, students research a social or medical epidemic to create a podcast with a group. After groups have written the script for the podcast, they add sound effects, music, and other podcast features, such as interviews and a variety of voices. Students share their podcasts with the class. 

• In Module 3, Unit 3, students compile three pieces from the Harlem Renaissance, two texts and a song, dance or work of art to share in the class Harlem Renaissance Museum. In addition, students create a curator’s statement about how the pieces they selected relate to the overall theme of the Harlem Renaissance. Students present their exhibits to an audience and respond to visitor’s questions. 

• In Module 4, Unit 3, students work in groups to create a documentary script regarding solutions to the problem of plastic pollution. Students share their learning with a larger audience by creating a documentary clip. Students work in triads to edit their clips in preparation for the presentation.

The Grade 7 materials provide a systematic approach for students to monitor their own learning. Each lesson begins with learning targets derived from the standards and written in student-friendly language. Students regularly break apart learning targets, determining what parts of the targets are most important. Throughout the module, students complete self-evaluation documents where they track their progress on each learning target. Students participate in debriefs at the end of lessons to reflect on their learning and complete self-evaluation. Students complete checklists to self-evaluate their progress and a protocol for students and teachers to share and accept feedback collaboratively. After each Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit Assessment, students reflect on their performance and set goals for the future. Before the subsequent assessments, students reflect on past successes and set a goal for the assessment at hand.

The Grade 7 materials provide a variety of grouping strategies and protocols to encourage flexible groupings, higher levels of thinking, and knowledge retention. Partners, triads, and groups of four and five engage in learning experiences using various protocols like Face to Face, Back to Back, Chalk Talk, Collaborative Conversations, Fishbowl Discussions, and Socratic Seminar. Additionally, there are partner and small group options and support for text reading including, partner reading, Poetry for Multiple Voices, and Reader Theater Scripts. The protocols encourage students to learn to speak in front of their peers, listen actively, challenge ideas, and collaborate. 

Examples of grouping strategies include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lessons 15-16, students will complete a Think-Pair-Share activity about the Habits of Mind curriculum. Students then update their graphic organizer, Prepare For a Text-Based Discussion: Themes: A Long Walk to Water. Before a discussion, students assess their peers’ use of discussion norms and cues and the strength of their evidence and claims on the Peer Critique Note-Catcher.

• In Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 3, students work in pairs to evaluate the evidence and reasoning of the argument, “Kindness Contagion.” After meeting in pairs, students participate in a class discussion about the article.

• In Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 1, students work in groups of four to build background knowledge about the Harlem Renaissance by watching a video. Students take individual notes about certain characteristics of the video and then come together as a group to share their knowledge. Each participant in the group is assigned a particular role in the note taking. The group shares its findings and writes a cohesive understanding of the video about the Harlem Renaissance.

• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 4, students work in pairs to analyze the video, A Plastic Ocean. In pairs, students complete the Analyze A Plastic Ocean Note-Catcher. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 3q.

The Grade 7 materials provide strategies and supports for ELL students as they work with grade-level content. All students engage in the same anchor and supplemental texts. English Language Learner instruction and strategies are integrated into each lesson of the curriculum. The Teacher Guide for English Language Learners provides support for each lesson to ensure that ELL students of differing abilities receive appropriate scaffolding for language proficiency standards. It  includes unit and lesson highlights and Differing Levels of Language Support for the various items in each lesson to support learners in accessing content at the differing levels of language proficiency.

In the standard Teacher Guide, a black triangle indicates instruction that is particularly supportive of intermediate ELL students. The curriculum includes specific approaches and strategies at the unit and lesson level, highlighting Language Dives as a high-yield strategy. Language Dives are provided throughout the modules and across all grade levels and provide the opportunity to “notice and wonder” about the ways in which language is used to convey meaning. Each Language Dive consists of a “Deconstruct, Reconstruct and Practice” routine which promotes building language, literacy and habits of mind. Conversation Cues are utilized at all grade levels and are designed to build the capacity for all students to engage in rich, collaborative discussions targeted at the ELA standards. Writing Scaffolds are provided throughout the modules and across grade levels. These scaffolds include teacher modeling and sentence and paragraph frames to assist students who need additional language support.

Examples of ELL supports include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 6, materials provide illustrations of key concepts and scenes in A Long Walk to Water to aid ELL students’ understanding of the text.

•  In Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 5, materials suggest using strategic partnerships to scaffold students’ understanding of identifying claims and sentence strips as manipulatives to help “cement their understanding.”  For students who require heavier support, a scaffolded Note-Catcher is provided.

• In Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 8, the Language Dive includes sentence frames to help students produce a sentence with two adverbs and two independent clauses. 

• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 9, materials remind teachers to provide “additional wait time for students to read, process the questions, and formulate their responses” before sharing with the class. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 3u.

The Grade 7 materials include two platforms for accessing the materials and both include images and information with people of various demographic and physical characteristics. One platform is the EL Education Open Up Resources; there are no images in the curriculum. The resources consist of PDF documents for the Teacher Guide and the student workbooks, and worksheets do not include illustrations. The other platform uses the Learnzillion Internet platform. When accessed through Learnzillion, the images include illustrated characters presenting the lesson information.These characters represent various racial and ethnic backgrounds and people of different physical abilities. Reading texts throughout the materials include diverse perspectives. 

Examples of diverse perspectives in the texts include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, students read about the Lost Children of Sudan. 

• In Module 3, students read about African-American artists who thrived during the Harlem Renaissance.

The Grade 7 materials include The Teacher Guide for English Language Learners that provides guidance and strategies for teachers to encourage students to use their home language to facilitate learning. For each module and lesson, there are suggested levels of support from lighter to heavier based on the needs of the student. Heavier support usually includes suggestions for using the student’s home language. In addition, transcripts for some videos are provided to the student in their home language to facilitate comprehension.

Examples of guidance and support include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, heavier support for learning vocabulary includes,  “Translation and cognate: What is the translation in your home language? Does the word look like a similar word in your home language?” 

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 5, heavier support for reading includes, “For homework that supports the work of contrasting fictional and informational text, invite students to identify an informational and literary text in a home language and/or ask families to discuss examples with them. This will support ELLs by drawing on and honoring their existing linguistic and cultural knowledge.”

• In Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 10, heavier support includes, “For Closing and Assessment A, form strategic partnerships to support students to analyze the artwork. Students may benefit from working in home-language or multilevel partnerships so they have support to understand the questions and are able to respond during pair and class discussions.”

• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 4, heavier support includes, “In Opening A, allow students to respond to the prompt in the modality that best suits them. They may want to share their responses in their home language. Allowing students to respond in multiple ways increases their confidence and success in articulating their ideas.”

Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning.  In the daily lesson plans, the Support All Students materials inform teachers about cultural or social issues that may be incorporated within students’ reading and give suggestions on how to support students. The Opportunities to Extend Learning notes frequently provide suggestions about connecting learning to student interests.  The Teacher Guide for English Language Learners (Unit Teacher Notes) encourages teachers to use cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning:  “Investigate the routines, practices, rituals, beliefs, norms, and experiences that are important to ELLs and their families.Integrate this background into the classroom as students engage with texts. Consider the values and narratives embedded in class texts, and try to anticipate their relevance to ELLs.” Additionally, diversity, inclusion, and cultural relevance considerations are provided in the Teaching Notes section of the Teacher Edition for each lesson.

Materials do not include interactive tools, virtual manipulatives, or dynamic software. The materials are available in a digital format in the Learnzillion platform; however, it consists of slides with the lesson materials embedded that are not interactive.

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Materials do not include digital technology.

Materials come in two formats which both have a visual design that supports learning. The design is not distracting or chaotic, and it neither adds to nor distracts from the subject matter. One format includes PDF documents and workbook pages that are organized in an accessible way. Graphic organizers are provided when needed to help with student organization. The use of typography, layout, and space are visually appealing, though there is little variance in color and no engaging images. The other format is the Learnzillion platform that presents lesson information in slideshows and is accompanied by illustrated characters who appear as presenters of the information on the page.

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Materials do not include embedded technology.