9th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 9 meet the criteria for anchor texts being of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading. Texts range in a variety of topics and student interests.

Examples include, but are not limited to: 

• Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. This memoir deals with the Iranian Revolution and the secret ways Iranian women defy the regime. The text is considered a classic of Western Literature that provides insights into current international events. 
• “The Price of Freedom” by Noreen Riols. This essay is based on her service with The Special Operations Executive, a volunteer fighting force created by Winston Churchill to go behind German lines in Europe and blow up trains, bridges, and factories.
• Night by Eli Wiesel. This is a classic text dealing with survival of the Holocaust. The memoir portrays a first person experience of surviving the brutality of the Nazi regime. 
• Excerpt from The Odyssey by Homer; translated by Robert Fitzgerald.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 meet the criteria that anchor texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for purpose and placement in the grade level.

There is a clear rationale for the purpose and placement of the texts chosen. Within the Teacher's Edition, before every single text taught, there is a “Plan” section. Within this section instructors are given a text complexity analysis with quantitative and qualitative measures. This section also includes information on genre elements, learning objectives, and summaries that act as the rationale. The “Instructional Overview and Resources” before every unit also identifies the placement of each text in relation to the section. For example, within the “Analyze & Apply” section, “Collaborate & Compare” section, and “Independent Reading” section, all texts are listed with lexile levels, connection to Notice & Note, Instructional Focus, Online Ed Resources, English Learner Support, and Differentiated Instruction. The “Instructional Overview and Resources” provides a more holistic view of the placement of texts, while the "Plan" section before every text provides more of a breakdown for each text with both qualitative and quantitative measures in consideration, while also providing the rational through the genre elements, learning objectives, and summaries.

Examples demonstrating this information:

• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 2, students read the mentor text, an excerpt from Hidden Figures, by Margot Lee Shetterly. All of the following can be found in the “Plan” section. The lexile level provided is 1140L, and the qualitative measures are as follows: 
• “Ideas Presented: Mostly explicit, but some key ideas are left implied.”
• “Structures Used: Text features help guide reading; narrative events are mostly in chronological order interspersed with information shared via cause-and-effect and main idea and details order.” 
• “Language Used: Mostly Tier II with some Tier III words that are specific to the areas of law or government and aircraft engineering.”
• “Knowledge Required: Most of the background knowledge need to understand the text is provided prior to the text or embedded within the narrative.”
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 6, students read the mentor text, “Archaeology’s Tech Revolution since Indiana Jones,” an informational text by Jeremy Hsu. All of the following can be found in the “Plan” section. The lexile level provided is 1330L and the qualitative measures are as follows: 
• “Ideas Presented: Mostly requires weighing of different perspectives.”
• “Structures Used: Text features such as headings and captioned images guide the reading.” 
• “Language Used: Mostly complex sentence structure including expository and quoted content.”
• “Knowledge Required: Cultural, scientific, and historical references.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 meet the criteria that anchor and supporting texts provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to achieve grade level reading proficiency.

The materials reviewed for Grade 9 include mentor and supporting texts that allow for students to engage in a range and volume of texts in order to achieve grade level reading. There are six units that revolve around an essential question for students and provide multiple texts..

Throughout the year, students are exposed to a wide variety of texts in both print and multimedia formats which are identified in the table of contents for each unit. Each unit begins with an Analyze and Apply section that uses one text as a “Notice and Note reading model” along with another text which serves as a mentor text followed by other supporting texts. The next group of texts, "Collaborate and Compare", provide a comparative analysis of two different selections, both of which connect to the essential question/topic but which may be different in “genre, craft, or focus.” In addition, there are independent reading selections which can be accessed with the digital edition. Finally, there are suggested texts provided which can give educators even more options for text selection.

• In Teacher's Edition, Unit 2: The Struggle for Freedom, the following texts are provided: 
• Notice & Note reading model: “I have a Dream” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (speech)
• Mentor Text: from Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (history writing)
• Supporting Texts:
• Podcast: from Interview with John Lewis  
• Short Story: “The Censors” by Luisa Valenzuela  
• Poem: "Booker T. and W.E.B" by Dudley Randall  
• Collaborate and Compare texts: 
• from Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
• from Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi 
• Independent Reading Texts: 
• Poem: “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar 
• Short Story: “The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses” by Bessie Head
• History writing: "Reforming the World from America’s Women" by Gail Collins
• Autobiography: from Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela  
• Speech: "Eulogy for Martin Luther King Jr." by Robert F. Kennedy  
• Suggested Nonfiction Connection: Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela 
• In Student Edition, Unit 4: Sweet Sorrow, whole class reading includes:
• Personal essay: “The Price of Freedom” by Noreen Riols
• Essay: “Love’s Vocabulary” from A Natural History of Love by Diane Ackerman. (mentor text)
• Poem and video: My Shakespeare by Kate Tempest
• Drama: The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
• Sonnet: “Having It Both Ways” by Elizabeth Jennings
• Sonnet: “Superheart” by Marion Shore
• Independent reading includes:
• Myth: “Pyramus and Thisbe” from the Metamorphoses by Ovid
• Sonnet: “Sonnet 71” by Pablo Neruda
• Science writing: from Why Love Literally Hurts by Eric Jaffe
• Short story: “The  Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant” by W.D. Wetherell
• Suggested novel: Romiette and Julio by Sharon Draper

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 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).

The instructional materials include questions and tasks that require careful reading over the course of a school year. The majority of questions are text dependent and require students read closely for content and author’s craft, such as word choice. Students are required to reinforce their responses and answers to questions using evidence from specific texts that students are required to read. Each unit includes a mentor text with annotation and reflection tasks focused on the primary learning goal of the unit writing task.  Within each of the six units, students experience recurring sections, such as Analyze & Apply and Collaborate & Compare; these sections reinforce concepts, theories, ideas, and critical thinking directly related to each text read. Also, throughout each text, students experience a sidebar on the page that support student annotations to assist in going back to the text for future tasks that require students to re-engage with said text, and are presented with questions that push them to infer, analyze, predict, summarize, among other skills, which directly relate to the passage(s) the sidebar note is next to. The text is linked throughout the units, requiring students to draw evidence from what they have read, as well as inviting them to make inferences.

Examples of how the materials use text dependent questions include, but are not limited to:

• In Student Edition, Unit 1, students read the text “A Quilt of a Country” by Anna Quindlen. Within Analyze & Apply, Lesson Argument, at the side bar, students are presented a “Contrasts and Contradictions” section that requires them to infer: “Why did the author include this contrast? How does it support her claim?” Students are asked to mark the two noun clauses beginning with that in the fifth sentence in paragraph 2. "How do these noun clauses reveal the contradictions in American society?" Also, at the close of the reading, students are presented with a Check Your Understanding section that asks the following multiple choice questions:
• "1. Which of these best describes the purpose of the selection?"
• "2. What can the reader conclude from paragraph 2?" 
• In Student Edition, Unit 2, Analyze Arguments, Notice & Note, students learn how to take notes to garner understanding from the text.
• What dose King mean by “the whirlwinds of revolt?”
• "Write a response to specific questions about 'I have a Dream'"
• Discuss with a small group: "Have each group member share and discuss the impact of the recording on their understanding of the speech and how it affected them personally to hear King deliver the speech. All students should listen closely and respectfully before asking questions or making comments."
• "How do people find freedom in the midst of oppression?"
• In Student Edition, Unit 3, Analyze & Apply, students listen to a Public Service Announcement (PSA) by The Corporation for National and Community Service, “Americorps NCCC: Be the Greater Good.” Within the Analyze Media section, students must support their “answers with evidence from the video” using the following prompts:
• "1. Summarize: In your own words, describe jobs that a volunteer for AmeriCorps NCCC might perform."
• "2. Infer: How does AmeriCorps NCCC want the audience to feel about volunteering as part of a team? What audio and visuals in the PSA help communicate this? Cite specific words, scenes or images in your response." 
• "5. Critique: Think about the purpose of the PSA. Consider the hook, the call to action, and the techniques used to present information. Do you think “Be the Greater Good” is an effective PSA? Why or why not?"
• In the Student Edition, Unit 4, students are asked to read two poems, “Having it Both Ways” by Elizabeth Jennings and “Superheart” by Marion Shore. Following their reading, in the Collaborate and Compare section, students are asked to complete the chart to closely examine the poems. It also asks students to “support their ideas with text evidence”. The chart asks students to compare the two poems in the areas of: Theme, or message about life/Tone/Mood/Use of Language.  
• In Student Edition, Unit 5, students need to read the short story “The Leap” by Louise Erdrich. At the end of the text, students have to answer questions in the section Analyze the Text which specifically ask them to answer with evidence. The questions are:
• “In paragraph 9, Anna decides to reach for the hot braided metal rather than her husband as he falls. What does this reveal about her character?”
• “Identify the leaps in the story. What leaps are literal? Which are figurative?"
• “Reread paragraph 26. What does the narrator learn? What inferences can you make about the story’s theme or themes?"
• “Compare the description of the trapeze accident with the description of the house fire. What do these descriptions reveal about the mother’s character?”
• In Student Edition, Unit 6, Collaborate & Compare, students read “The Journey,” a poem, by Mary Oliver. Within the Analyze the Text section, students must respond to the following question which references Notice & Note: “In the last line the speaker expresses determination to ‘save / the only life you could save.’ How does this expand on the speaker’s Aha Moment that a change had to be made?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 meet the criteria for materials containing sets of sequences of text-dependent/text-specific questions with activities that build to a culminating task which integrates skills to demonstrate understanding.

Each unit is organized around an essential question and a mentor text to guide students’ thinking around a topic. Close reading of the mentor text focuses on topic development and writer’s craft. Within each individual lesson, after every reading assignment, students are presented with various sections to complete to represent their understanding of the text and how their understandings and empathizing connects to the outside, “real” world. These tasks that build up to the cumulative tasks at the end of the unit consist of, but are not limited to, the following: Analyze the Text, Create and Discuss, Analyze Podcasts, Research, Create and Present, and Collaborate & Compare. The lessons include sequences of text-dependent questions that guide their understanding of the selections in the unit and build to the culminating writing task. Lessons leading up to culminating tasks require the demonstration of various skills, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 2, students must write a research paper: “This unit focuses on how people find freedom in a society that oppresses them. For this writing task, you will write a research report. For a research report, you gather information from a number of different, valid sources about a specific topic and write about what you have discovered. For an example of a well-written research report you can use as mentor text, review the selection ‘Hidden Figures.’ As you write your report, you will want to look at the notes you made in your Response Log after reading the texts in this unit. Include words and terms you learned from your research.” The prompt is: “Write a research report about one event, or a person or group of people connected to the struggle of freedom.” Students will complete the following sections: Plan, Develop a Draft, Revise, Edit, and Publish. There is also a Create a Podcast section where students must adapt their research paper as a podcast. 
• Students read Martin Luther King’s iconic speech, I Have a Dream. Within the Create and Discuss section students must write a response and discuss with a small group. For the response question, students must “Listen to a recording or watch a video of Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. Write a short response to describe how listening to the speech enhances your understanding of the topic.” And for the discussion section, students must “Have a panel discussion sharing personal thoughts and feelings about the speech.” 
• Students watch and listen to the NPR podcast from the Interview with John Lewis. Students complete the Analyze Podcasts section, and an example of a sequenced question that follows Bloom’s Taxonomy is question three regarding drawing conclusions: “What factors motivated John Lewis to fight for voting rights? Explain why Lewis felt that the risks were worth taking to change the society he lived in.” 
• In the Student Edition, Unit 2, the unit tasks are to write a research report about an event, person, or group of people connected to the struggle for freedom and create a podcast from the adapted report. The mentor text for the unit is an excerpt from Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. 
• Students study the genre of historical writing by analyzing the text structure, making predictions as they read to reflect critical thinking and evaluation of evidence, and understand the cause-and-effect structure of the text.
• After reading, students research the participation of African American women in several organizations that supported efforts in WWII. 
• Students then write a blog post about the African American female mathematicians at Langley. 
• In Student Edition, Unit 5, students are asked to write a formal argument as the culminating writing task. The specific instructions ask students to “look back at the texts you read, and think about the events that place the people and characters in danger and what their reactions are. Then, decide for yourself whether the desire for survival can be selfish. Write an argument that explains your position, using evidence from at least two texts in this unit”.  

There are several tasks and questions throughout the unit that support this culminating writing task: 

• After students read the short story, “The Leap,” the question under the heading Infer reads, “In paragraph 9, Anna decides to reach for the hot braided metal rather than for her husband as he falls. What does this reveal about her character?
• On page 437, students are asked to read the argument, “Is Survival Selfish?” Students are asked several focused questions relating to the question which directly connects to the unit objectives as well as argumentative writing. One example under the heading Notice & Note explains that “in the final paragraph, Wallace writes that there can be ‘a fine line between smart and selfish’ and that ‘sometimes there’s no fine line at all between the two. What does she mean by this apparent contradiction? How does her conclusion restate her claim?”
• On page 455, students are asked to reflect on the unit essential question: What does it take to survive in a crisis? The instructions explain that students should review their notes throughout the unit and think about “what it is like to live in the aftermath of war”.  
• In the Student Edition, Unit 6, the unit tasks are to write an explanatory essay about how an activity described in one of the unit selections meets the human need for challenge and participate in a collaborative discussion. The mentor text for the unit is “Archaeology’s Tech Revolution Since Indiana Jones” by Jeremy Hsu. Students are directed to pay attention to examples the author gives to build the central idea and pay attention in particular to technical terms. Other selections in the unit include an excerpt from The Odyssey by Homer, an excerpt from The Cruelest Journey: 600 Miles to Timbuktu by Kira Salak, and “The Journey” by Mary Oliver. Independent reading includes more from The Odyssey and The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. 
• After the first Odyssey experience, students write an episode from another character’s point of view.
• Students read about a journey then create, give, receive, and discuss directions. 
• Students read a poem then create a visual response. 
• Each text in the unit depicts a challenge, or a series of challenges, and how each is overcome. Reflections provide students various opportunities to explore author’s craft and topic development across the unit. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 meet the criteria for materials providing frequent opportunities and protocols to engage students in speaking and listening activities and discussions (small group, peer-to-peer, whole class) which encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

There are frequent opportunities where students are expected to participate in evidence-based discussions. After reading assignments, there are small group or one on one interactions that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax. Specifically, within the online materials, students and instructors are presented with the Speaking & Listening Studio, where additional discussion supports are in place. Also, within the Teacher's Edition, at the beginning of most texts, when instructors are setting up the lesson, instructors are presented with two grouping strategies to support discussion titled Small-Group Options.  These opportunities can also be found in Respond sections after texts, where students are encouraged to work with a panel to discuss what they have learned from the text, as well as modeling the style of the reading assigned. This can also be seen in Critical Vocabulary sections in Respond at the end of a text, allowing students to model the language and syntax, as well as work with a peer. Speaking and listening instruction occurs frequently throughout the year and is supported through teacher resources and materials. 

Examples include, but are not limited to: 

• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 1, students read the mentor text “Unusual Normality,” a personal essay by Ishmael Beah. Teachers are presented with Small-Group Options, and one of these options is as follows:
• “Four Corners: Write on the board: ‘No matter where people grow up, they have similar childhood experiences.’ Display possible responses to the statement, one each in four different classroom corners: ‘Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree.’ Read aloud the statement. Have students choose a response by moving to one of the corners. In each corner, have students form a group to discuss their reasons for choosing that response. Then, invite volunteers from each group to summarize the group’s ideas.”
• In Student Edition,  Unit 3, students read “At Dusk,” a poem by Natasha Trethewey. Within the Create and Present section, students are paired in an already determined group, and students must hold a poetry reading with their group; students have the creative freedom to choose “At Dusk,” or they may choose another poem “discovered during [their] research.” Students must discuss in their small groups: 
• Students must read their poem aloud to their group.
• “Listen carefully as the members of your group read their poems...Take notes on the critique form given to you by your teacher. Answer any questions your classmates have about the poem’s diction or meaning.”
• “After everyone has read, exchange information from your critique form with group members. Discuss how you gain a sense of the poet’s voice, mood, and tone from hearing the poems read aloud.”
• In Student Edition, Unit 5, Analyze and Apply, students read “The End and the Beginning” by Wislawa Szymborska.  In order to make sure students understand tone, imagery, diction, and syntax, they:
• During reading, ask questions including:
• What do the author’s word choices reveal about her attitude toward the subject? What words might describe this attitude - the tone of the poem?
• What are the most striking images in the poem? How do they make the reader feel?
• How does the arrangement of words and ideas convey the author’s attitude, or tone?

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

• The online materials, Speaking & Listening Studio, where teachers and students are presented with interactive lessons regarding discussions:
• Participating in Collaborative Discussions: Overview
• Participating in Collaborative Discussions: Introduction
• Participating in Collaborative Discussions: Preparing for Discussion
• Participating in Collaborative Discussions: Establishing and Following Procedure
• Participating in Collaborative Discussions: Speaking Constructively
• Participating in Collaborative Discussions: Listening and Responding
• Participating in Collaborative Discussions: Wrapping Up Your Discussion
• Participating in Collaborative Discussions: Credits

Evidence of the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax is found: 

• In Student Edition, Unit 1, Collaborate & Compare, Analyze Rhetorical Devices: repetition, parallelism, understatement. Demonstrate understanding of this academic vocabulary when engaging in each ensuing task:
• "Deliver an oral critique evaluating the effectiveness of “The Gettysburg Address.” Prepare for presentation in a small group discussion to refine the presentation using criteria for the task to seek and share feedback from peers."
• "Review the presentation of “The Gettysburg Address,” by Abraham Lincoln as it is portrayed in the film, Saving Lincoln. Hold a panel discussion to share ideas about the effectiveness of the film’s interpretation and presentation of the speech." 
• "In a small group, use a framework provided to listen and share ideas, then come to a consensus and construct a single statement about the purpose, meaning, and impact of the “The Gettysburg Address.” 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking (and discussions) about what they are reading and researching (shared projects) with relevant follow-up questions and supports.

Materials in the Grade 9 curriculum provide ample opportunities for rich and rigorous evidence-based discussions about texts to build strong literacy skills. All discussions encountered required students to go directly back to the text, reference evidence, or repeated reading and analysis; and in many cases, instructors are presented possible student responses for additional support. Sections where questions and supports are seen within the Student and Teacher's Editions are: Reflect on the Unit, Introduce the Selection and Quick Start, the Revise section within all major cumulative writing tasks, Create & Discuss, Applying Academic Vocabulary and Collaborate and Present.  The Speaking and Listening Studio is a digital resource that provides a quick reference for students to address specific speaking and listening actions. The margin notes remind students to use the Speaking and Listening Studio for more information about the task. The Speaking and Listening Studio also provides an opportunity for targeted instruction and supports teachers to help guide students in speaking and listening areas.

Evidence that supports this rationale includes, but is not limited to: 

• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 3, students read Natasha Trethewey’s poem, “At Dusk.” In the Teacher's Edition, instructors are presented with two sections: Introduce the Selection and Quick Start. Within the Quick Start section, instructors pair students together where they must “discuss the mood and emotions that dusk evokes.” Students are presented with the following questions:
• "What colors are in the sky at dusk?"
• "How do city streets change at that time?"
• "What sights and sounds of nature appear at dusk?"
• "What activities do you associate with that time of day?"
• "Does your energy level change at dusk--and, if so, how?"

This references the Introduce the Selection where students will discuss observations: “Provide frames like the following to allow students to practice using the terms: Today I made an observation about ___. ___ makes me imagine ___. Sometimes I wonder about ___.”

• In the Student Edition, Unit 2, “I Have a Dream,” by Martin Luther King Jr.:
• Discuss with a small group: have a panel discussion to share personal thoughts and feelings about the speech.
• Have each member share and discuss the impact of the recording on their understanding of the speech and how it affected them personally to hear King deliver the speech. All students should listen closely and respectfully before asking questions or making comments. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 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.

For every text that students read or view, there is a writing task that either clarifies and deepens understanding of the text, explores the essential question, or helps prepare the student for the end of unit writing task. These are both long assignments with multiple drafts, short assignments for in class responses, focused projects, and other short answer responses. These can be found both before and after a reading assignment within each unit.  At the end of every unit, students must complete a cumulative writing task that emulates one of the following: short story, personal narrative, explanatory essay, literary analysis, argumentative essay, and research essay. These process writing tasks have multiple layers for support. On-demand writing assignments, including shorter, more focused writing projects, are found throughout all six units.

Evidence of on-demand writing includes, but is not limited to:

• In Student Edition, Unit 1, students read Abraham Lincoln’s iconic speech, “The Gettysburg Address,” and watch a film clip from Saving Lincoln. In the Collaborate & Compare section under Discuss and Present, students must complete questions one through three, and question one states, “1. Synthesize Ideas: Review the different interpretations of the speech that you have studied--the transcript of the speech and the excerpt from the film as well as any performances or recordings you found online. How was the speech presented? How did each interpretation add to your understanding of the speech’s purpose, meaning, and impact, as well as its audience?” A framework is provided to assist students in synthesizing their thoughts and understandings between the two.
• In Student Edition, Unit 2, on the first page of the unit, students are asked an essential question: "How do people find freedom in the midst of oppression?" On the following page, students are asked to revisit the essential question as they read and then gather their ideas in a response log. Then it reminds them that “at the end of the unit, you will have the opportunity to write a research report about the difficulties people have as they struggle for freedom”.

Examples of process writing include, but are not limited to:

• In Student Edition, Unit 4, students must compose a literary analysis. The directions are as follows: “This unit explores the many facets of love--joy, pain, passion, and conflict--to name just a few. For this writing task, you will write a literary analysis on a topic based on this idea. Look back at the texts in the unit and consider the aspects or characteristics of love that are represented in each text. Synthesize your ideas by writing a literary analysis. For an example of a well-written analytical text you can use as a mentor text, review the essay ‘Love’s Vocabulary.’ You can also use the notes you made in your Response Log after reading the texts in this unit.” The prompt is: “Write a literary analysis comparing two selections in this unit. Explain how the portrayal of love is similar and different in each text.” There are multiple steps in this process writing assignment:
• 1. Plan
• 2. Develop a Draft
• 3. Revise
• 4. Edit
• 5. Publish
• In Student Edition, Unit 5, once students read “The Leap,” a short story by Louise Erdrich, students are to complete the Create and Discuss section. In this section, students must compose a research summary: “Write a four-to-five-paragraph summary of your research results.” And students are given the following support reminders: “Introduce the topic and share the goals of your research; decide on an organizational strategy, then in your two to three body paragraphs, share what your questions were and the details of what you learned; in your final paragraph, state your conclusion about the use of circus imagery in ‘The Leap.’” Students will then discuss with their group after completing the initial on-demand writing task. And, located within the sidebar, there are further supports:
• “Go to the Writing Studio for more on writing a research summary.”
• And, “Go to the Speaking and Listening Studio for help having a group discussion.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 meet the criteria for materials provide opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. (Writing opportunities incorporate digital resources/multimodal literacy materials where appropriate. Opportunities may include blended writing styles that reflect the distribution required by the standards.)

The text types students must compose that reflect the standards are short story, personal narrative, explanatory essay, literary analysis, argumentative essay, and research essay.  Students write after each reading or viewing experience. Most writing experiences are elements of the writing process and may be completed as a stand-alone product or part of a larger task or learning experience. Digital application is expected and some writing tasks are specifically designed for digital media. A few of the writing tasks are primarily visual, supporting learning about an element of written and spoken presentation: the graphic representation of an idea. Across the entire school year, students write six process essays that reflect deep understanding of the unit’s essential question and of the genre study within each unit.  

Examples of the different types of writing that reflect the distribution of the standards include, but are not limited to:

• In Student Edition, Unit 1, end of unit writing task: Write a personal essay (W2).
• In Student Edition, Unit 2, end of unit writing task: Write a research report; create a podcast (W2).
• In Student Edition, Unit 3, end of unit writing task: Write a short story (W3).
• In Student Edition, Unit 4, end of unit writing task: Write a literary analysis (W1).
• In Student Edition, Unit 5, end of unit writing task: Write an argument; present and respond to an argument (W1).
• In Student Edition, Unit 6, end of unit writing task: Write an explanatory essay (W2).

A representative example of how students engage with the different writing types is found here: 

In Student Edition, Unit 4, in-unit writing tasks:

• “The Price of Freedom” by Noreen Riols: write a professional letter.
• “Love’s Vocabulary” by Diane Ackerman: discuss the author’s statement.
• “My Shakespeare: by Kate Tempest: write a poem.
• The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: write a journal entry; write a eulogy.
• From The Odyssey by Homer: write a narrative.
• “Archeology’s Tech Revolution Since Indiana Jones” by Jeremy Hsu: write a summary.
• From The Cruelest Journey: 600 Miles to Timbuktu by Kira Salak: create directions.
• “The Journey” by Mary Oliver: create a visual response.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 meet the criteria for materials including frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support sophisticated analysis, argumentation, and synthesis.

Each unit contains multiple opportunities for students to compose and refine research-based and evidence-based writing. Students are offered opportunities to evaluate and support claims both in formal assignments and informal in-class assignments. This can be seen in the Respond section of readings, where students have opportunities in both Research and Create and Present. In some texts, there are also opportunities to research and analyze in Respond to the Essential Question. This asks students to review annotations and notes to develop support for specific questions. The Teacher's Edition provides  a road map of the year which is presented in six units. Each text - or sometimes pair of texts - in the unit is followed by both a brief research prompt and a writing assignment informed by the research. The on-demand writing tasks reflect development of skills necessary to complete the end of unit writing task.

• In the Student Edition, Unit 1, students are asked to read the article “A Quilt of a Country” by Anna Quindlen. After students read the text, they are asked to research a cultural group and record what they learned in a chart that is provided. Following that, they meet with a partner “to compare the results of your research.” Students then write a breakdown of their data and share that research with their class. The instructions for the sharing say to “introduce the cultural group you have chosen and where they are located”. After that they “discuss similarities and differences between your cultural group and the one your partner chose.” Finally they are asked to “state a conclusion about these two cultural groups and how Quindlen’s claim relates to your conclusion.” 
• In the Student Edition, Unit 3, students read “Monkey See, Monkey Do, Monkey Connect” by Frans de Waal. After reading the text, they brainstorm at least three questions about the topic. Once they have brainstormed questions, they “put a star by the question that interests you most, then research its answer.” Finally, they need to write down any additional questions that occur to them during their research. 
• In Student Edition, Unit 4, students are asked to read two sonnets: “Having it Both Ways” by Elizabeth Jennings and “Superheart” by Marion Shore. After they have completed both texts, they read three additional sonnets. They read them aloud several times, paying attention to various techniques and then briefly describe the theme of each one. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 9 meet the criteria for materials including instruction and practice of the grammar and conventions/language standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application in context.

Before reading most of the texts, there is a section titled Language Conventions which provides students with a grammatical mini-lesson and gives students something grammatical to look for as they read. 

Each (written) text includes a Language Conventions section at the beginning of the reading that provides information about a convention relative to the text, and directions for what to look for while reading. Texts often include prompts in the margin notes to annotate and respond to the convention identified. After reading, students extend the learning with direct instruction of the language convention and practice by applying what they have learned. In the Create and Apply section, there is another heading labeled Language Conventions which provides additional instruction to students in that grammatical category as well as a Practice and Apply formative assessment in which students can demonstrate their understanding in that particular category. The Grammar Studio is a digital resources that provides students with additional information and practice about specific components of the grammar standards. Students explore spelling, punctuation, parts of speech, clauses, and more throughout the Studio. Teachers can assign specific lessons for students to study independently or in small groups. Teachers can also assign module assessments to track student progress with the topic/standard.

• In the Student Edition, Unit 1, students read “The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln. 
• "Before reading: Language conventions: one grammatical feature that makes Abraham Lincoln’s rhetoric so effective is his use of parallel structure, or the repetition of grammatical forms within a sentence. The repetition can occur at the word, phrase, or clause level. Lincoln uses parallel structure as a rhetorical device to express and connect ideas that are related or equal in importance, and to create rhythm and evoke emotions."
• While reading: (prompt in margin notes) "Annotate: Mark the phrases 'of the people, by the people, for the people.' Respond: What does Lincoln’s use of parallel structure say about the importance of people's participation in government?"
• After reading: "With a partner, look back at "The Gettysburg Address' and identify additional examples of parallel structure. Then imagine you were at Gettysburg on the day President Lincoln delivered the speech. Write a brief letter to Lincoln explaining how you were affected by his remarks. Use parallel structure at least twice in your letter." 
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 1, students read “Unusual Normality” by Ishmael Beah, a personal essay. Students are presented with two sections that equate to the conventions and language standards:
• In the Language Conventions section, active and passive voice are discussed explicitly, and direct examples are provided. In the sidebar of the TE, instructors are supported with explanations and direct instruction regarding active and passive voice before students delve into the reading selection to best prepare them for the text they’ll encounter. Also, within the sidebar, instructors are given the following support: “Encourage students to note examples of the author’s use of active and passive voice, and how each influences the reader’s understanding.”
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 2, students read an excerpt from Azar Nafisi’s memoir Reading Lolita in Tehran. In the sidebar of the text, that students can see within the Student Edition, there is a language conventions response expectation where students must first annotate, “Underline examples of present tense verbs” directly in the text, and then they must respond, “How do the present tense verbs help you understand the current living conditions of the women?” There is also another sidebar support that students can see within the SE dealing with rhetorical devices. Students must first annotate, “Mark the rhetorical questions in paragraph 5.” Students then must respond: “What is the effect of these questions?”
• In the Student Edition, Unit 3, students read several texts, including:
• “The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket” by Yasunari Kawabata, translated by Lane Dunlop and J. Martin Holman
• Before reading: In this lesson, you will learn that a sentence may have a single-word verb or a verb phrase. A verb phrase consists of a main verb and one or more helping verbs. Helping verbs can also be used to indicate ability or permission. 
• While reading: (prompt in margin notes) Annotate: Mark the verb phrase that uses a form of the helping verb have in paragraph 21. Connect: What is the effect of this verb phrase? What subtle shift in time does the verb phrase help express?
• After reading: With a partner, review the letters you created in response to the selections Create and Discuss assignment. Note the use of verb phrases in your letters. Help each other revise verb phrases to make your writing more effective in showing shifts in time, or work together to create sentences that contain verb phrases. 

Within the sidebar of the Teacher's Edition, there are supports for instructors to assist students in reaching understanding: “Have volunteers read the rules and then discuss the examples that appear in the chart. Review the use of lowercase prepositions and conjunctions within titles…” There is also an online platform to assist students: “Go to Proper Nouns and Adjectives, People and Places, and Titles in the Grammar Studio to learn more about capitalization.”

• In Teacher's Edition, Unit 5, students are asked to read the argument “Is Survival Selfish?” by Lane Wallace. Before reading the text on page 438, students are given a grammar mini-lesson under the heading Language Conventions. This passage discusses commas and their purposes. In the teacher sidebar, it explains that teachers should “discuss how the first three clauses in the sentence list ways in which people responded to the explosion. Point out that the author could have used a comma to separate the third clause from the coordinating conjunction, but the ellipsis signals that the examples are an incomplete list of people’s reactions.” 
• End of unit writing task: write an argument. 
• Edit: Language conventions.
• Look for places in your argument where you can use transition words, also known as connecting words, to link ideas, events, or reasons. 
• Contrast: Connection words and phrases can also show that two ideas are being contrasted. Some examples include but, on the one hand, conversely, however, but then, nonetheless, in spite of, in contrast to. 
• Sequence: Connection words and phrases can also show time relationships between ideas. Some examples include then, when, first, second, next, last, finally. Dates are also sequence connectors.