10th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for anchor texts being of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading and consider a range of student interests.

The texts are high quality and worthy of students’ attention due to literary richness, rhetorical technique, and/or topical relevance. A large number or texts come from authors that are well-known, award-winning or iconic. A number of undisputed classic texts are present, including works for male, female, and multicultural authors. There is sufficient effort to include texts on topics of current interest or select older texts that have a potential to resonate with contemporary students.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, is a humorous, satirical short story with a dystopian setting that would be of high interest to Grade 10 students.
• In Unit 1, “The Race to Save Apollo” by Michael Useem is an informational narrative text that includes both academic and content vocabulary. The text is used to build knowledge about the history of space exploration in the In United States.
• In Unit 2, “Tell the Truth but tell it slant” by Emily Dickinson is rich in vocabulary and themes that are worthy of multiple critical reads.

• In Unit 4, “The Interlopers” by Saki is a short story, written by a well known British author. The text is rich with rich language and symbolism.
• In Unit 9, “Nobel Peace Acceptance Speech” by Elie Wiesel, gives students insight to the historical oppression during the holocaust. This is a multilayered text that requires close analytical reading.

• In Unit 9, “Montgomery Boycott” by Coretta Scott King highlights a historical event with a personal perspective. The text is rich with historical content and uses anecdotes and vivid descriptions that will captivate Grade 10 students.
• In Unit 11, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is a time honored text which is rich in language and symbolism. Many contemporary texts allude to this text.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for texts having the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task.

The materials include a variety of texts that are appropriate for 10th grade students and range in complexity. Texts that are moderate in complexity are accompanied by tasks that increase the level of rigor by demanding higher order thinking skills and analyses. Texts that are exceedingly complex are accompanied by a variety of scaffolds such as graphic organizers and discussion questions. Texts range in quantitative measure from Lexile 760 to Lexile 1380, with one text measuring Lexile 440 as well as including challenging Shakespearean texts.

Texts that fall below the Grade 10 quantitative band include qualitative features or reader and task considerations that make them appropriate for Grade 10 students. For example:

• In Unit 2, students read the text “Like the Sun” by R.K. Narayan which measures Lexile 740. This text is connected to the poem “Tell all the Truth but tell it slant” by Emily Dickinson and “The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson which measures at Lexile 1110. The combination of these texts, as well as the student task to compare and contrast ways the characters respond to moral dilemmas to find the different perspectives about telling the truth make this text appropriate for Grade 10 students.
• In Unit 9, students read text from Night by Elie Wiesel which measures at Lexile 440. This memoir has a mature topic and subject matter. This text is connected to Elie Wiesel’s Nobel Acceptance Speech. Students connect, analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions across both texts which make it appropriate for Grade 9 students.

Texts that rise above the Grade 10 quantitative band include qualitative features or reader and task considerations that make them appropriate for Grade 10 students. For example:

• In Unit 11, students read The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. This text will be challenging for Grade 10 students. To help students access the challenging text, students learn about the life of Shakespeare as well as the characteristics and language of a Shakespearean Drama.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text dependent/specific, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text; this may include work with mentor texts as well).

The materials include a range of text dependent questions and tasks throughout each unit. Questions and tasks cover a wide continuum of standards and strategies. Each unit offers many opportunities for students to engage in evidence-based discussions and activities. Most of the questions and tasks are text-dependent and ask students to engage with the text directly. Students are given opportunities to use evidence pulled directly from the text as well as make inferences.

Before each text, students are directed to take notes in the Reader/Writer Notebook as they read. Most questions in the margins of the text require students to note and interpret grammatical, literary, and rhetorical features. Each excerpt has close read questions which are on the page next to the text itself for students and teachers to reference directly. Key passages are outlined in a red box with text-dependent questions for the teacher. At the end of each selection or compared groups of selections there is a section of three to five questions sub-headed Text Analysis Questions. These questions guide students directly back to the text. Questions and tasks cover comprehension, summarizing, clarifying, drawing conclusions, making inferences evaluating, synthesizing ideas, and analyzing and identifying literary devices.

Students engage with and draw evidence from the texts through Tiered Discussion Prompts, After Reading Questions, Analyzing Visuals and Reading-Writing Connection questions and tasks. Examples of these include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, an activity before Anton Chekhov’s “A Marriage Proposal” has students create a chart of traits for each main character. Questions in the margins of the text ask text specific/dependent questions about character development in a farce: “Reread lines 104-120. What pattern of behavior appears evident in Natalia’s responses to Lomov’s claims.”
• In Unit 4, on page 478, Question B directs students to, “reread stanzas one, three, and five. Identify the images of war presented in each stanza. What do these images have in common?”Page 481 includes a text analysis question for making inferences; “According to the speaker of each poem why do people fight wars? Cite evidence to support your answer.” Then on Page 481, Question 7 states, “evaluate which poem makes a stronger statement about war and its victims? Give evidence from the poem to support your opinion.”
• In Unit 6, an activity ahead of Carl Sagan’s “On Nuclear Disarmament,” as well as questions alongside the text, ask students to identify and evaluate the validity of multiple examples of inductive reasoning: “As you read, use a graphic organizer like the one shown to help you analyze Sagan’s inductive reasoning.”
• In Unit 8, Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum” are followed by three comprehension questions and five analysis questions on topics including character, sound devices, and imagery. “Consider the narrator’s words, thoughts, and actions in ‘The Pit and the Pendulum. What can you infer are his greatest strengths in his battle against the inquisitors? Support your answer with details from the story.’ This analysis question, like the others, require student engagement with the text.
• In Unit 10, after reading “The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights” students answer questions such as:
  • “What theme about knighthood does Steinbeck communicate in the selection? Cite evidence to support your answer.”
  • “Steinbeck’s style features many tightly constructed characterizations. Choose a passage of at least five lines that illustrates the author’s ability to create a briefe, effective portrait. Explain your choice.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for having sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent/specific questions and tasks that build to a culminating task that integrates skills (may be writing, speaking, or a combination).

The materials provide opportunities for rich and rigorous evidence-based discussions and writing about texts and integrates strategies to help students build literacy skills. The materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent/specific questions and activities which build to a variety of tasks, including, but not limited to: hort, on-demand written responses, longer (processed) essays, storyboards, re-writing in the author’s style, and movie scripts. These tasks and activities often ask students to compare/contrast works that have been presented as sets or series or synthesize the meaning, themes, or central ideas of the text sets.

Additionally, tasks often connect to a non-traditional text form such as a news report or movie scene.

At the end of majority of the texts or text sets, a culminating activity is provided. Each of the culminating activities within the unit lead to a larger culminating task for the unit. At the end of each unit there is a Writing Workshop, including a Timed Writing Practice, along with a Multiple Choice Assessment Practice. While these culminating activities seem to build off of each other, the standards associated with the writing and speaking activities are not well-supported throughout the entire unit; either through other writing tasks nor the reading questions aligned with core passages . The questions in the end of unit assessment (based on the two new texts) are mostly aligned with the reading skills presented throughout the unit but do not represent a true assessment as they appear to be printed in the student edition along with the new selections to read.

In Unit 2, students read, “The Possibility of Evil” and answer a short constructed response that asks, “Has Miss Strangeworth lost her sanity? Is she truly evil? Using evidence from the text, write one or two paragraphs in response to these questions. Be sure to present a clear opinion in your answer, and use quotations from the story to support your argument.” S“A Celebration of Grandfathers” / “Simply Grand” Then, “After reading ‘A Celebration of Grandfathers’ and ‘Simply Grand,’ what general statements can you make about the grandparent-grandchild relationship? Write an essay in which you make three generalizations about this relationship. Use information from both selections and your own experiences to support your response.” Students also respond to, “Suppose Lomov and Natalia have just gotten married. Write a half-page dialogue in which they discuss the behavior of their relatives at the wedding. In your dialogue, include details that contribute to a definite mood or tone.” The culminating unit task during Writing Workshop asks students to, “ Write a short story that is centered on an event or experience that you find interesting. Use sensory language, dialogue and suspense to develop the story’s setting, characters, plot, mood , and theme.

• In Unit 7 students read, “There Will Come Soft Rains” / “Meeting at Night” / “The Sound of Night” and answer an Extended Constructed Response question, “Write three-to-five paragraphs comparing and contrasting the themes of each poem. In your response, consider the figurative language used in each poem. How does the figurative language reflect the time and place in which the poem was written and help illustrate its theme?” They then read, “Lord Randall” / “Ballad / Balada” / Midwinter Blues” and “Compare and contrast the experiences of each speaker. What do their experiences suggest about the nature of romantic love? Support your argument with details from the poem in a three-to-five paragraph response.” The culminating unit task during Writing Workshop asks students to, “Choose a poem, and write an analysis. In your essay, analyze the poet’s use of stylistic elements and their effects, using quotations and other evidence from the poem to support your ideas and help your audience gain a new understanding of the poem’s meaning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g. multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate.

The Grade 10 materials provide opportunities for students to write in both process and on-demand formats and incorporates technology when appropriate. Throughout the units, short-constructed, on-demand writings are found. In addition, the end of units provide a processed writing task in a Writing Workshop strategy. The Writing Workshop strategy provides guidance in the steps of the writing process. The process writing assignments include segments on: planning, drafting, revising and editing, publishing with several opportunities for publishing. Digital publishing is often encouraged. There are a variety of Short Constructed Responses and Extended Constructed Response at the end of text sets that are on-demand writing assignments. These responses connect to one or more selections in the previous text sets. The responses vary in mode and do offer revision tips and direct the students to the thinkcentral.com site for interactive support. The quick writes are placed at the beginning of text sets and connect to the Big question that focuses the students and provides a common theme to consider while reading the texts.

Examples of the mix of on-demand and process writing include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, on page 48, “In the material ahead of ‘Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use,’ students are given a quick write prompt: ‘If you could save only one precious possession of yours from being destroyed or left behind, what would you save? Write a short paragraph identifying the item and telling why it is valuable to you.’”
• In Unit 4, on page 498, during Writing Workshop, students address the prompt, “Writing Task: write a comparison and contrast essay in which you identify the similarities and differences between two subjects. Make sure to include a controlling idea that is supported by details, quotations, and other evidence.”
• In Unit 4 on page 505, students incorporate digital resources when students are told to, “submit your essay to an online literary magazine or your school newspaper or prepare a computer slide presentation for an interested local organization or group.”
• In Unit 8 on page 914, students write an article to address the prompt, “Write an online feature article that informs the audience about a topic that interests you.”
• In Unit 11, on page 1198, students write on-demand, “Think of a time you made a wrong decision, even though your intention was good. Write a paragraph explaining why you have this unexpected outcome.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing (year long) that reflect the distribution required by the standards. May include “blended” styles.

The 10th grade curriculum provides opportunities to meet the variety of writing styles mandated by the standards. These styles include: argumentative, explanatory, and narrative writing. Some of the styles could be considered “blended” writing styles.

Examples of opportunities for students to address the different types of writing reflected by the standards include, but are not limited to:

• Blended Style: In Unit 3 on p. 393, a blend of argumentative and narrative writing styles is found. “Is technology more harmful or helpful to us? Consider both the advantages and disadvantages of living in a heavily mechanized society. Use your objective summaries of both the short story and the newspaper article to help you form an opinion.”
• Argumentative: In Unit 6 on p. 645, and example of argumentative writing is found. “Write a three-to-five paragraph editorial in which you argue that children reap greater benefits from participating in structured activities.”
• Explanatory: In Unit 7 on p. 823, an example of explanatory writing is found. “Make a short to-do list of things you’d like to accomplish if success were assured Then, with a partner, discuss your list. What are some of the entries? How do you feel inside as you imagine completing these tasks?”
• Narrative: In Unit 11 on p. 1164, an example of narrative writing is found. “Write a video script about a character who is struggling with the consequences of a choice. In your script, develop and resolve the conflict the character faces. Make sure your script uses dialogue and well-chosen details that create a vivid picture of the events you want to present in your video.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for materials including frequent opportunities for research-based and evidence-based writing to support analysis, argument, synthesis and/or evaluation of information, supports, claims.

Throughout the materials, a variety of writing tasks provide opportunities for research-based, evidence-based writing. Writing tasks include formal and informal writing to support analysis of poetry and prose. Many opportunities for the composition of arguments are found within the text. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Unit 4, a written analysis is found which involves comparison and contrast of two different pieces of literature read in the unit. “The stories in the unit are from different time periods, but they share a similar theme about conflict: ‘After a time, hatred becomes pointless.’ Compare and contrast the ways each story expresses this theme. Using examples from the stories, write a three-to-five paragraph response.” The stories are as follows:
  • “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” Short Story by Jhumpa Lahiri (454)
  • “Two Friends” Short Story Guy De Maupassant (440)
  • “The Interlopers” Saki (428)

• In Unit 4, students making claims and provide evidence based on the following prompt. “Of the three poems on pages 816-820, which best matches Young’s description of the blues? Use excerpts from the poems and descriptive details from the essay to support your response.”
• Another example of argument requiring evidence from text is found on in Unit 6. “How does the dialogue and imagery in “Mending Wall” help illuminate the differences between the speaker and his neighbor? How do the differences between them help reveal the poem’s theme? Using examples and direct quotations from the poem, write a three-to five paragraph response.”

• In Unit 4, students will “Write a comparison-contrast essay in which you identify the similarities and differences between two subjects. Make sure to include a controlling idea that is supported by details, quotations, and other evidence.”