7th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for anchor texts being of publishable quality, worthy of careful reading, and consider a range of student interests.

Anchor texts are of publishable quality and worthy of careful reading.  They include works from award-winning authors, as well as traditional classics. They consider a range of student interests including but not limited to, reality vs. fantasy. 

• In Unit 1, Taking Action, students read the text “Women in Aviation” by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack. This informational text was written by award winning authors. It is relatable or easily imagined, appropriate for the grade level, and includes authentic images from the time period. 
• In Unit 2, Reality Check, students read “Eldorado” by Edgar Allan Poe. Figurative language and sound devices are included in this narrative poem about the mythical “city of gold.” It is age appropriate and easy for students to relate to in their own lives. 
• In Unit 3, Inspired by Nature, students read the text embedded in  the film Trash Talk, by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Students compare the structure of informational text in the video versus a typical written informational text.
• In Unit 5, More Than a Game, students read an excerpt from The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander. The novel, written in verse with a relatable plot, engages students in narrative elements in an interesting way.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

Texts include a mix of informational and literary texts integrated throughout every unit. The variety of genres and text types include, but are not limited to the following:  science fiction, poetry, editorials, memoirs, dramas, informational articles, and folktales. For each of the six units, there are also suggested independent reading books that can be used to enhance or extend the provided reading selections.

The following are examples of literature found within the instructional materials:

• Unit 1, Taking Action- “The Flight of Icarus”- Greek myth by Sally Benson
• Unit 2, Reality Check- “Two Legs or One?”- folktale by Josepha Sherman
• Unit 5, More Than a Game- “Double Doubles”- poem by J. Patrick Lewis
• Unit 6, Change Agents- “Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push”- short story by Walter Dean Myers

The following are examples of informational text found within the instructional materials:

• Unit 2, Reality Check- “The Camera Doesn’t Lie”- magazine article by Meg Moss
• Unit 3, Inspired by Nature- “You’re Are Part of the Solution”- poster by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Unit 4, The Terror and Wonder of Space- “Seven Minutes of Terror”- video by National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Unit 5, More Than a Game- “It’s Not Just a Game!”- informational text by Lori Calabrese

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 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.

Most anchor texts are placed at the appropriate grade level in the Current Lexile Band (860L-1010L) or the Stretch Lexile Band (925L-1185L) for grades 6-8.  Texts below the stretch band increase in complexity due to qualitative features and associated tasks. Texts that are above the stretch band quantitatively have supports in place and associated tasks which enable students to access the text and demonstrate understanding. 

Examples of texts that have the appropriate level of complexity for Grade 7 include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Reality Check, students read the short story, “Heartbeat.” It has a Lexile level of 840L, which falls within the Current Lexile Band for grades 6-8. The qualitative features of this short story increase the level of complexity due to some implied meaning, inferential reasoning, figurative, allusive and colloquial language.
• In Unit 3, Inspired by Nature, students read an excerpt from a memoir, Mississippi Solo. It has a Lexile level of 830L, which is below the Current Lexile Band for grades 6-8, but the qualitative features increase the complexity which make it appropriate for grade 7.  The qualitative features include figurative language and implied meaning. Students answer Notice & Note questions as they read, honing skills around analyzing the particular uses of figurative language and structural components of a memoir. Students use this mentor text at the end of the unit as they write a culminating personal narrative.
• In Unit 4, The Terror and Wonder of Space, students read the argument piece entitled, “Challenges for Space Exploration.” It has a Lexile level of 880L, which falls in the Current Lexile Band for grades 6-8. Students learn qualitative skills, such as rhetorical arguments, as they analyze author’s purpose. Students later use this argument piece as a mentor text for the culminating task for the unit.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials support students’ literacy skills (understanding and comprehension) over the course of the school year through increasingly complex text to develop independence of grade level skills (Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels).

Assessments provide teachers a good “picture” of reading ability increasing over the course of the school year.  The materials are designed with texts that increase in rigor and complexity, in turn increasing students’ literacy skills as they advance month-to-month and year-to-year. Careful attention is paid to the collection of anchor texts and the design of instruction with those texts and text sets. Students practice a variety of literacy skills including but not limited to: analyzing setting and character, analyzing how a character develops plot, analyzing structure, determining key ideas and details, identifying and analyzing point of view, making inferences, making predictions, citing evidence, analyzing structure, analyzing language, and publishing.

• In the beginning of the year, the students are reintroduced to the skill of identifying author’s purpose in Unit 1, Taking Action. Students read “Women in Aviation,” an informational text by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack, and complete a Notice & Note signpost where they must identify a quotation in the text and then answer “How does it relate to the overall purpose of the selection.” After reading, Check Your Understanding multiple choice questions assess comprehension by asking things such as “The author’s main purpose for ending the selection by mentioning Bessie Coleman’s flight training school is to--,” requiring students to choose the correct answer from a pre-populated list. 
• In the middle of the year students are analyzing author’s purpose further in Unit 4, The Terror and Wonder of Space. Before reading “Challenges for Space Exploration” by Ann Leckie, teachers instruct students to focus on author’s purpose as conveyed through their rhetoric: word choice, tone, and voice. After reading, students answer Analyze the Text questions such as “How does the author’s use of repetition convey tone, or her attitude towards space exploration? How does it help her achieve her purpose?” (304-310).
• By the end of the year, students are able to compare author’s purpose across texts in Unit 6, Change Agents. Students read “Frances Perkins and the Triangle Factory Fire” by David Brooks and an excerpt from The Story of the Triangle Factory Fire by Zachary Kent. After reading, students work with a partner to complete a chart where they take notes on each reading and the author’s tone, point of view, emphasized details, and purpose and message. They later use this information to research the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire further and present a research report to their classmates.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 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. 

Grade 7 instructional materials include a text complexity analysis for anchor texts and series of texts connected to them. There is an accurate rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. The materials offer a range of texts appropriate for the grade level and qualitative features increase the level of thinking required of students with texts that fall below the stretch band quantitatively for students. The text complexity information is available consistently in the Teacher Edition in the Plan and Text X-ray sections.

• In Unit 1, Taking Action, students read the short story “Rogue Wave” by Theodore Taylor. Quantitatively, the text places at 980L, which is within the grade band. Qualitatively, the text increases in complexity due to the ideas presented: “Mostly explicit, but moves to some implicit meaning” and some difficult vocabulary. 
• In Unit 2, Reality Check, students read and compare the poems “The Song of Wandering Aengus” by W.B. Yeats and “Eldorado” by Edgar Allan Poe. There is no quantitative measure for poetry, however, the qualitative measures indicate that both poems use symbolism, imagery, figurative language, and demand the reader make inferences to understand the multiple levels of ideas presented. The structure is conventional, language has implied meanings, with more figurative and metaphorical language. Due to the more complex themes, students must be able to understand more cultural and historical references. 
• Unit 3, Inspired By Nature, includes an excerpt from a memoir titled Mississippi Solo by Eddy Harris. The text is measured at 830L and is utilized as a mentor text by students for personal narrative writing. Students study the text’s chronological structure, figurative language, and other literary devices. 
• In Unit 4, The Terror and Wonder of Space, students read an informational text titled “Martian Metropolis” by Meg Thatcher. The text provides the introduction to the unit and its essential question “Why is the idea of space exploration both inspiring and unnerving?” The text has a Lexile of 930L which falls below the Grade 7 Lexile “Stretch” Bands. The qualitative measures provided state that this text is not complex in the areas of meaning, structure, language, and mildly complex for the knowledge measure.
• Unit 5, More Than A Game, consists of an excerpt from a novel in verse, The Crossover, written by Kwame Alexander, and a poem, “Double Doubles,” written by J. Patrick Lewis. Both texts are written about sports, though neither have a quantitative Lexile level as they are written in verse. The texts are included for their implied meanings and use of figurative language that require readers to deduce the meaning of the verses. Students compare both poetic works after reading. 
• In Unit 6, Change Agents, students read an excerpt from the historical text The Story of the Triangle Factory Fire by Zachary Kent. This excerpt has a Lexile of 1110L which is at the top of the Lexile “Stretch” Bands for grade 7. The qualitative measures state complexity in knowledge demands.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 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 instructional materials for Grade 7 meet the expectations for anchor and supporting texts provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of texts to achieve grade level reading.

• In Unit 1, Taking Action, students analyze four texts using the Notice & Note reading model. The first text is a short story “Rogue Wave” by Theodore Taylor, the second is a myth “The Flight of Icarus” retold by Sally Benson, the third is a poem “Icarus’s Flight” by Stephen Dobyns, and the fourth is an informational text “Women in Aviation” by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack. There are selection tests available following each reading and a Reading Studio is available online for additional support and instruction. Students then collaborate and compare a short story “Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes and an article “A Police Stop Changed This Teenager’s Life” by Amy B. Wang. The texts connect to a topic linking the selections to the essential question: “What helps people rise up to face difficulties?” Independent reading selections are available for students as a Reader’s Choice. Selections for independent reading options in Unit 1 range in complexity from 830L - 890L and are accessible to students at various levels. These include a legend, a myth, and poetry. The suggested pacing is 30 days to complete Unit 1 (1A-1D).
• In Unit 2, Reality Check, students analyze three texts using the Notice & Note reading model. The first text is a short story “Heartbeat” by David Yoo the second is a magazine article “The Camera Does Lie” by Meg Ross, and the third is a folk tale “Two Legs or One?” by Josepha Sherman. There are selection tests available following each reading and a Reading Studio is available online for additional support and instruction. Students then collaborate and compare two poems “The Song of Wandering Aengus” by W.B. Yeats and “Eldorado” by Edgar Allan Poe. An additional opportunity for comparing two works follows with analysis of the drama “The Governess” by Neil Simon and production images from “The Governess.” The texts connect to a topic linking the selections and to the essential question: “What can blur the lines between what’s real and what’s not?” Independent reading selections are available for students as a Reader’s Choice. Selections for independent reading options in Unit 2 range in complexity from 610L - 1030L and are accessible to students at various levels. These options include short stories, informational text, and a personal essay. The suggested pacing is 30 days to complete Unit 2 (96A-96D).
• In Unit 3, Inspired by Nature, students analyze four texts using the Notice & Note reading model. The first text is an argument by Paul Fleischman entitled “Never Retreat” from Eyes Wide Open. The second selection is an excerpt from a memoir by Eddy Harris entitled Mississippi Solo. The third is a poem by Amy Helfrich entitled “The Drought,” and the fourth one is a short story by Naomi Shihab Nye entitled “Allied with Green.” There are selection tests available following each reading and an online Reading Studio for additional support and instruction. Students collaborate and compare on the following texts: “Ode to Enchanted Light” by Pablo Neruda, “Sleeping in the Forest” by Mary Oliver, and a persuasive poster entitled “You’re Part of the Solution.” The unifying essential question for Unit 3 is: “What does it mean to be in harmony with nature?” The reading level of independent reading selections in Unit 3 ranges from 920L-1020L and are accessible at various levels. These include poems, excerpts from memoirs, and informational articles. The suggested pacing is 30 days to complete Unit 3 (180A-180D).
• In Unit 4, The Terror and Wonder of Space, students analyze four texts using the Notice & Note reading model. The first text is an informational piece by Meg Thatcher entitled “Martian Metropolis.” The second science fiction selection is “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” by Ray Bradbury. The third text is an argument entitled “Challenges for Space Exploration” by Ann Leckie. The fourth text is a poem called “What if we Were Alone?” by William Stafford. There are selection tests available following each reading and an online Reading Studio for additional support and instruction. Students collaborate and compare on the following texts: “Space Explorations Should Be More Science Than Fiction” by Claudia Alarcon and “Humans Should Stay Home and Let Robots Take to the Stars” by Eiren Caffall. The reading level of independent reading selections in Unit 4 ranges from 970L to 1140L and are accessible at various levels. These include an argument, personal essay, poetry, and a biography. The suggested pacing is 30 days to complete Unit 4 (262A-262D).
• Unit 5, More Than A Game, students read a short story, multiple informational texts, an excerpt from a novel in verse, and a poem. The texts vary in complexity, purpose, and length, but all relate back to the Essential Question of the unit. The teacher’s edition provides instructions for teachers to determine how texts will be read, whether independently, as a whole group, or in small groups; students continue to use the Notice & Note cloze read strategy as they analyze texts. Students read a text set comprised of an excerpt of a novel in verse and a poem which they utilize in order to complete the Collaborate & Compare section, analyzing both texts for theme with a partner. Students independently conduct research on various topics throughout the unit that relate to text selections, exposing them further to informational articles. Independent reading selections which directly extend the unit’s theme and span a variety of text types are provided at varying proficiency levels. The titles included are: “Battling After Sophie” by Sue Macy, “Bridging the Generational Divide Between a Football Father and Soccer Son” by Jon McCormick, “Arc of Triumph” by Nick D’Alto, and “Amigo Brothers” by Piri Thomas. The optional novel pairing is Slam! By Walter Dean Myers. The online Reading Studio offers numerous other full-length titles for download in order to encourage further independent reading by students. The suggested pacing for this unit is 30 days (T28, 360A-360D).
• In Unit 6, Change Agents, students read varied genres of text related to the essential question, “What inspires you to make a difference?” This unit encompasses six texts and four independent texts. The students analyze four texts at the beginning of the Unit. The first text is an essay titled “Craig Kielburger Reflects on Working Towards Peace” by Craig Kielbuger. Then they watch an excerpt of a documentary titled “It Takes a Child” by Judy Jackson. They read a short story by Walter Dean Meyers titled “Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push”. The last text for this section is a poem “A Poem for My Librarian, Mrs. Long” by Nikki Giovanni. Students keep a Response Log throughout the unit where they collect evidence as they read. There are additional supports for students who need extra support. In the Collaborate and Compare section of the unit, the students read and compare two historical writings: “Frances Perkins and the Triangle Factory Fire” by David Brooks and an excerpt from The Story of the Triangle Factory Fire by Zachary Kent. Students with the digital feature have access to four independent texts: “Difference Maker: John Bergman and Popcorn Park” by David Karas (Article), an excerpt from Walking with the Wind by John Lewis (Autobiography), “Doris is Coming” by ZZ Parker (Short Story), and “Seeing is Believing” by Mary Morton Cowan (Informational). The suggested pacing for this unit is 30 days (434A-434D).

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 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 for Grade 7 include questions, tasks, and assignments that are text-dependent over the course of the school year. Notice & Note Signposts are activities that guide students and assist them to analyze works of fiction or nonfiction.  Also culminating projects, both oral and written, require students to draw from readings and notations to support their final assessments with evidence. Text-dependent questions, tasks, and assignments support students’ literacy growth over the course of the school year. Students practice the following skills, including but not limited to: summarize, critique, interpret, and connect to their reading. Teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation of text-dependent writing, speaking, and listening standards. In the teacher’s edition, there are additional suggestions to prompt writing and discussion around the text with possible answers provided.

• In Unit 1, Taking Action, students read “Icarus’s Flight” and analyze the text by answering the following questions:  “Examine the questions in lines 1-2. What is the purpose of these questions in the poem? What do they show about Dobyns’s beliefs about Icarus? Look at the last stanza in “Icarus’s Flight.” What tone is conveyed here, and how does the poet achieve it?” Through text-based questions and discussion, students deeply analyze and appreciate how the author develops the tone in the poem. 
• In Unit 2, Reality Check, Small-Group Options are available in the teacher’s edition to provide students opportunities to discuss their reading and analyses of “Heartbeat: “After students have read and analyzed ‘Heartbeat’, pose this question: Why is having good self-esteem important?”. Think-Pair-Share includes a procedure for teachers to encourage writing, speaking, and listening around the text. 
• In Unit 3, Inspired by Nature, students read the short story  “Allied with Green” and answer questions that require them to produce evidence from the text to support their claim. For example, students are asked: “What do you know about Lucy’s father? Why does that matter to the story?” 
• In Unit 4, The Terror and Wonder of Space, students read a poem titled “What If We Were Alone?” by William Stafford. The students' Notice & Note in the text “the words that the speaker imagines Galileo saying.” They must then extend their thinking by interpreting “How are Galileo’s words a response to the title of the poem?"  Later, students answer the question: “What do you think is the theme of ‘What if We Were Alone?’ Why do you think so?” and must include evidence from the text to support their answer.
• In Unit 5, More Than a Game, students read “Get in the Zone: The Psychology of Video Game Design” and draw on textual evidence to support their inferences and answer the following question: “Reread Madigan’s quotation in paragraph 7. Based on what you know about him from paragraph 4, how do you think he came to understand feedback in video games?”
• In Unit 6, Change Agents, after reading “Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push” by Walter Dean Myers, students complete a Check Your Understanding task by answering text-dependent questions such as:  “Which statement best explains why this story is an example of realistic fiction?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for having sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent/specific questions and tasks build to a culminating task that integrates skills (may be writing, speaking, or a combination).

Materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and activities that build to a culminating task. Each unit has several tasks which include text-dependent questions and activities (speaking and writing) such as, but not limited to, the following:  Check Your Understanding, Analyze the Text, Collaborate and Compare, and Notice & Note. The culminating tasks are designed to help students synthesize and apply their learning from the unit in an engaging and authentic way through writing and speaking. 

• In Unit 2, Reality Check, students Cite Evidence when drawing conclusions. When reading “The Camera Does Not Lie” students annotate: “In paragraph 12, mark the facts about golden eagles that Rhett Allain uncovered during his research” and they draw conclusions: “Could the video be real? Why or why not?” Supports are in place when students struggle to cite evidence throughout the reading: “Point out the main idea of section Faux Flight is included in the first sentence of paragraph 18…” At the end of Unit 2, students create a multimodal presentation as the culminating task. During the planning session the teacher will “Point out that their scripts will follow the form of the magazine article ‘The Camera Does Not Lie’ in citing facts and examples related to the theme of illusion.” Students present their work to classmates.
• In Unit 3, Inspire by Nature, students Analyze the Text and answer text dependent/specific questions such as, “In paragraph 4, to what does the author compare our dependence upon fossil fuels? How does this comparison relate to other instances of the author’s use of extreme language?” This builds toward a culminating task in which students write a personal narrative to share an experience in nature or a lesson learned by observing some part of the natural world. 
• In Unit 5, More Than a Game, students read a text set comprised of an excerpt from a novel in verse, The Crossover and a poem, “Double Doubles.”  While reading, students take notes on what they believe the theme of each selection might be. After, they work with a small group to complete a venn diagram about the similarities and differences in the poems and how they might affect the overall themes. Students also answer a variety of text-dependent questions with their small group, meant to help them analyze the text on a deeper level. Finally, the small groups determine an overall theme for each poem with supporting evidence and present their findings to the class. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials providing frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small groups, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

The materials offer numerous opportunities for students to have evidence-based discussions across many texts in each unit. The groupings during the evidence-based discussions vary greatly, offering students the opportunity to engage in whole group discussions, peer-to-peer discussions, and various configurations of small group discussions. Evidence-based discussions are supported by explicit grouping directions and supports for struggling students within the teacher’s edition. Specifically in the Plan section of each text in the unit, there are specific protocols, sentence frames, and differentiated supports for different types of groupings.The teacher’s edition also includes  supports embedded throughout the student’s text encouraging the incorporation of academic vocabulary. Word Networks provide a means to introduce and discuss academic vocabulary with a partner to begin each unit. Speaking and Listening Studio is included following the reading of each text to prepare the students for collaborative discussions explaining and modeling roles of the members of the group. Then students participate in collaborative discussions and analyze and evaluate presentations.  

• In Unit 1,Taking Action, in the Plan section of the teacher’s edition, teachers are given two different small group options for students after they finish reading “The Flight of Icarus.” In the Teacher Edition in the Plan section there are directions for conducting a Sense It strategy and a Numbered Heads Together discussion. 
• In Unit 2, Reality Check, students complete and discuss a Word Network with a partner about the academic word abnormal. Support is in place for modeling and the materials ask teachers to “...encourage them to include all the categories shown in the completed network, if possible, but point out that some words do not have clear synonyms or antonyms. Some words may also function as different parts of speech–for example, feature may be a noun or a verb.” The materials include four other academic vocabulary words: feature, focus, perceive, and task. After completing and discussing a Word Network for each academic vocabulary word, students will learn and practice the academic vocabulary throughout the remainder of the unit.
• In Unit 3, Inspired by Nature, the teacher’s edition provides two grouping options for a teacher to have students read and discuss “Never Retreat,” an argument written by Paul Fleischman. Directions are given for a Pinwheel Discussion and a Think-Pair-Share setup. Both options include question stems for students regarding claim and personal experience. The teacher’s edition provides a strategy to utilize when students “have difficulty identifying claims, supporting evidence, and counter-argument presented in the text.” It also encourages teachers to assign the Reading Studio Level Up tutorial: Analyzing Arguments to struggling students. 
• In Unit 4, The Terror and Wonder of Space, students respond to the essential question “Why is the idea of space exploration both inspiring and unnerving?” following the reading of the science fiction story “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” Students discuss what they have learned from the text using their previous annotations and relevant details from the text. A reminder to students includes, “As you write and discuss what you learned from the text, be sure to use the Academic Vocabulary words. Check off each of the words that you use.” 
• In Unit 5, More Than a Game, students use information from the text to work in a small group and discuss their reading of “It’s Not Just a Game.” Students do a Give One and Get One to answer “How do sports utilize all of our talents and abilities?” Students write lists and exchange responses, adding their ideas to their partner’s list. They repeat the process with new partners. Finally, students share out their idea and the source (who they got the idea from). The whole class compiles a list to use for a writing assignment. 
• In Unit 6, Change Agents, after reading an excerpt from The Story of the Triangle Factory Fire students write historical fiction and create a graphic novel page. Teacher guidance is in place to assist students with historical writing and further writing support “for students at varying proficiency levels, see the Text X-Ray on page 490D.” When students finish creating a graphic novel page, they share their "first draft with a classmate and ask for feedback. Revise the images or words for the greatest impact; then share your final version in a brief presentation.” There is guidance to assist students in “Using Media in a Presentation in the Speaking and Listening Studio.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and supports. 

Students are engaged in speaking and listening tasks throughout each unit. Specifically, the Collaborate & Compare section of every unit has extensive opportunities for students to discuss with peers around the topic of the unit. These tasks are often accompanied by a checklist that guides and provides feedback to students on the speaking and listening standards. Additionally, at the conclusion of each unit, a culminating writing assignment (Writing Task) is accompanied by speaking and listening opportunities (Speaking and Listening Task). Supplemental speaking and listening resources are provided for teachers and students. In the teacher guides, teachers are provided with prompts and guidance for supporting students’ discussion. For students, the online resource (ED) provides interactive videos on speaking and listening skills.   

• In Unit 2, Reality Check, students create and present a multimedia presentation to an audience after reading “The Camera Does Lie”, by Meg Ross.  Students respond to the essential question: “What can blur the lines between what’s real and what’s not?” Students create and deliver a multimodal presentation to demonstrate and explain certain illusions and the techniques used to create them. Students research examples of illusions, devise an interactive activity for audience participation, end with a summary, and explain why illusions are interesting.
• In Unit 3, Inspired by Nature, the teacher’s edition provides two grouping options for a teacher to have students read and discuss “Never Retreat,” an argument written by Paul Fleischman. Directions are given for a Pinwheel Discussion and a Think-Pair-Share setup. Both options include question stems for students regarding claim and personal experience. The teacher’s edition provides a strategy to utilize when students “have difficulty identifying claims, supporting evidence, and counter argument presented in the text.” It also encourages teachers to assign the Reading Studio Level Up tutorial: Analyzing Arguments to struggling students (182B & 190).
• In Unit 5, More Than A Game, students work in a small group to create a podcast discussing their responses to an excerpt from The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Students are provided with a checklist to help guide their discussion.  Teachers are given a Speaking Support section that helps them assist students with the podcast activity, suggestions for discussions, and an English Learner support section. 
• In Unit 6, Change Agents, students create and present a video critique. In pairs, students tape brief critiques, or reviews, of the story “Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push,” by Walter Dean Myers.  Students discuss the story, write an outline of a short critique, practice delivering the critique, and then videotape it. After viewing the videos, students can offer feedback of each pairs video to continue polishing them.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 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 materials for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing. There are multiple opportunities throughout each unit for students to write about texts on-demand in shorter responses. At the end of each unit, there is a process writing piece called the Writing Task. There are multiple times where students spend time researching their ideas and tying them back to written text. Opportunities for students to revise and/or edit are provided. Materials include digital resources where appropriate. Writing tasks and projects are aligned to the grade level standards being reviewed.

• In Unit 2, Reality Check, students have multiple opportunities for writing connecting to texts they have read. These include writing a text for an infographic, an opinion essay, a friendly letter, a poem, a personal narrative, and a dialogue. At the end of the unit, students create a multimodal presentation “that can include images, videos, music, and other elements of media...demonstrate and explain certain illusions and the techniques used to create them.” During the writing task, there are opportunities to revise and edit drafts, as well as use a scoring guide to evaluate the presentation. 
• In Unit 4, The Terror and Wonder of Space. Before reading “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” students complete a quick start writing task. “Films and TV shows often focus on characters who find themselves in predicaments- that is, difficult situations. What types of predicaments fascinate you? What is it about them that draws you in and holds your attention? Record your thoughts in your journal.”
• In Unit 5, More Than a Game, students write a process piece, a short story, about sports or game-playing. Students think carefully about “How do sports bring together friends, families, and communities?” Next, students are guided to create a plan for characters, setting, point of view, and conflict. Then, they develop a draft, revise, edit, and publish their short story. A writing task scoring guide is provided to guide and support students and teachers during the writing process. 
• In Unit 6, Change Agents, students complete a chart to record what they learn while researching “wheelchair basketball” and the materials offer the following tip: “The best sources for information about the rules of a sport are often organizations dedicated to or related to that sport. These web addresses usually end in .org. Also, as you scroll through your search results, scan the brief description under each result to find the sites that are most likely to have the information you seek.” The research activity follows the reading of the short story “Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push.” In addition, there is an opportunity to extend their learning: “When and why did people first begin playing wheelchair basketball? Find out about the origins of wheelchair basketball.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. 

Grade 7 materials provide multiple opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply different genres/modes of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. Students write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. In addition, students write informative/explanatory and narrative responses. These opportunities are often connected to text types and/or topics students have explored throughout the unit. Teachers and students can monitor their writing skills through writing tasks following the readings and the use of rubrics and checklists. 

• In Unit 1, Taking Action, students write an informational essay “about the qualities needed for overcoming an obstacle and achieving a goal” following the reading, “Women in Aviation.” A scoring guide is available for students to evaluate their work and to “write a paragraph explaining the reasons for the score he or she awarded in each category.”
• In Unit 3, Inspired by Nature, students write a personal narrative at the end of the unit. The reading students complete prior to the task, such as Mississippi Solo, will assist them in successfully writing a narrative. Teachers can point out to students “...when Eddy Harris writes about being caught in a storm, he uses descriptive language such as ‘splintery crackle of lightening’ to help the reader feel what it was like to be there.”
• In Unit 4, The Terror and Wonder of Space, students have a variety of types of writing, including writing an argument. As an end of unit writing task, students “...write an argument about whether human space travel is necessary.”  A reminder to provide evidence to support their position is available within the materials. 
• In Unit 5, More Than a Game, students write a short story as an end of unit task following the reading of the story “Ball Hawk.” Students “write a short story that portrays some aspect of sports or game-playing.” 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials including frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information appropriate for the grade level.

Grade 7 materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Writing opportunities are focused around students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with sources. Annotations and shorter writing tasks take place consistently throughout the unit. At the end of every text, there is a section called Analyze the Text that proposes five short response questions and all require text support. The students use notes, answers, and annotation to add to an on-going Response Log. Students keep this Response Log throughout each unit to gather text evidence to support the culminating writing task. A culminating writing task (Writing Task) follows each unit, connecting to the essential question and topic. Materials provide opportunities that build students' writing skills over the course of the school year. Also, online resources are available which include interactive peer and teacher feedback with writing lessons and Level Up tutorials are available to focus on specific writing skills.

• In Unit 1, Taking Action, as students read “Rogue Wave” by Theodore Taylor, they are instructed to use annotations and the margin of the textbook to answer questions and prompts. For example, as they read the beginning of the text they answer and annotate for this question, “Annotate: In paragraph 1, mark details that describe rogue waves. Interpret: What do these details suggest about the conflict in the story.” At the end of the lesson for this text, students are asked to “Review your annotations and notes...Add relevant details to your Response Log.” Then students are reminded they will “use their notes in their Response Log to write an informational essay.” 
• In Unit 2, Reality Check, students read “The Camera Does Lie,” an informational article by Meg Moss. In the Analyze the Text section, students create many claims and defend them with the text. Students must decide how a technique called graphing camera shake in video footage reveals fake videos. Students support their claim with evidence from the text. Students interpret why the author discussed this topic and must support their claim with evidence from the text.  
• In Unit 5, More Than a Game, students write a short story at the end of the unit. The Writing Task asks students to “use the notes from your Response Log, which you filled out after reading the texts in this unit.” Students use a mentor text to assist with author’s craft and descriptive language; then, they use a scoring guide to evaluate their short stories. 
• In Unit 6, Change Agents, students read “Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push,” a short story by Walter Dean Myers. Students answer questions such as “Consider what you know about Chris’ character. What do you think motivates him to join the wheelchair basketball team? Why?” and “How does Chris’ dad’s opinion of an interest in wheelchair basketball change from the beginning of the story to the end? Why?” in the Analyze the Text section that require evidence from the text to be cited in order to support their deductions.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials including explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context. 

Grade 7 materials include explicit instruction of grammar and conventions standards for the grade level, including all skills connecting to the anchor standards to ensure college and career readiness. In the materials, Notice & Note direct students to the Language/Grammar within the text. Explicit instruction is provided in the Teacher’s Notes. Students improve their fluency with these language standards through practice and application in and out of context. Within all tasks, including culminating tasks, directions and rubrics for grammar and conventions are considered.  In the Teacher's Edition, there are lesson ideas for students who are struggling, as well as reminders for use of the Grammar Studio for interactive lessons on the language standards.  

• In Unit 2, Reality Check, students focus on Language Conventions: Subject-Verb Agreement and Prepositional Phrases during the reading of “Heartbeat” by David Yoo. The materials provide opportunities in context and prompt students: “How might the prepositional phrase in this sentence confuse subject-verb agreement?”. In addition, online resources include a Grammar Studio, Module 8: Lessons 1 & 2: Agreement of Subject and Verb. Teachers can assign additional grammar activities, such as “Select the verb that agrees with the subject.” 
• In Unit 3, Inspired By Nature, students read the short story, “Allied With Green” . Students have already learned about complex sentences in Unit 1, but are reminded of the convention in conjunction with this text. After reading, students learn about subordinate clauses and how to correctly create complex sentences. They apply this by writing a paragraph utilizing complex sentences for most of their writing. Students can view the Complex Sentences lesson in the Grammar Studio for additional guidance. 
• In Unit 5, More Than A Game, students learn about commonly confused words such as accept and except and keep an eye out for the usage of these words in the short story, “Ball Hawk”. After reading, students practice the correct usage of words by identifying which word is correctly used in each sentence that contains commonly confused words. 
• In Unit 6, Change Agents, after reading "Frances Perkins and the Triangle Factory Fire,” students learn how to make sure their antecedents agree with their pronouns in number, gender, and person. Explicit instruction is included in the Teacher’s Notes. Students practice by writing 4 or 5 sentences that summarize this piece of history writing. They check their writing for pronoun-antecedent agreement.