12th Grade - Gateway 2

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that texts are organized around a topic/topics or themes to build students’ knowledge and their ability to read and comprehend and analyze complex texts proficiently.

The materials for Grade 12 are organized around topics or themes to build students’ knowledge and their ability to read and comprehend texts proficiently. Each of the six units has four Essential Questions that provide a theme for the unit with strands for deeper exploration. All of the texts are arranged in whole-class sets as Analyze and Apply, then small group or partner sets as Collaborate and Compare, then independent readings with a suggested novel are provided. All of the text sets in a unit explore the Essential Question for the unit. Within the Analyze and Apply instruction, the mentor texts provide students the opportunity to read closely and examine the genre of writing which is also the end of unit writing task.  Supporting texts in each of the text sets including the Independent Learning sections provide information relative to the essential topic and culminating task. Many of the texts represent multiple and sometimes conflicting perspectives about the essential topic, and include a variety of styles, genres, and media. The lessons in each of these learning modalities include activities that further student comprehension of progressively difficult text. Students’ knowledge based on the specific topic/lens is deepened after every text is analyzed, based on supporting questions. Assigned to keep an evidence log along with multiple graphic organizers, students can chart their growth as independent readers. Additionally, students display their knowledge in the completion of end of unit tasks that always include writing and often presenting in mixed media. 

• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 1, the title of the unit is, Origin of a Nation, which focuses on the Anglo-Saxon and medieval time periods, and there are multiple Essential Questions presented: “What makes someone a hero?” “What is true chivalry?” “Can we control our fate?” and, “What happens when a society unravels?” By the end of Unit 1, students must be able to compose a short story. The mentor text for this unit is Neil Gaiman’s short story “Chivalry.” Within the Grade 12 textbook, students have been scaffolded from Grades 9 and 10 from one EQ per unit to four EQ’s per unit by Grade 11. Within the Teacher's Edition, there is a break down of each essential question that is referenced throughout the chronologically ordered Grade 12 textbook. For example, within the sidebar of the Teacher's Edition, under the EQ “What happens when a society unravels?” instructors are offered the following support for students: “Help students connect to their own lives by having them identify systems in the modern world that are designed to maintain peace and stability. How might those systems be threatened, and what might be the consequences for the students personally if modern social or governmental systems fell apart?” Throughout the unit, students read fiction and nonfiction texts that relate to the essential questions and overall topic of the unit, Origin of a Nation. The culminating writing and speaking/listening task directly relates back to the essential question and mentor text: “This unit focuses on literature from the Anglo-Saxon and medieval periods, when England began to develop as a nation. Many works of these periods portrayed national heroes such as Beowulf and King Arthur. For this writing task, you will write a short story about a hero from the past or from your own world. For an example of well-written fiction, you can review, and use as a mentor text, the short story ‘Chivalry’ by Neil Gaiman.” Students also end Unit 1 with a reflection task that directly requires them to revisit the EQ’s, reflect on their reading throughout the whole unit, and their cumulative writing task in relation to the overall topics discussed within the unit. 
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 3, the title of the unit is Tradition and Reason, which focuses on the restoration and the 18th century, and there are multiple Essential Questions presented: “How can satire change people’s behavior?” “What is your most memorable experience?” “What keeps women from achieving equality with men?” and, “Why are plagues so horrifying?” By the end of Unit 3, students must be able to compose a personal narrative. The mentor text for this unit is an excerpt from Steven Hatch’s memoir Inferno: A Doctor’s Ebola Story. For example, within the sidebar of the Teacher's Edition, under the EQ “What keeps women from achieving equality with men?” instructors are offered the following support for students: “Challenge students to identify additional ways in which women have not yet achieved social or political equality with men. Which beliefs or assumptions about the differences between men and women contribute to these inequalities? Ask students how they believe gender equality can be achieved and steps they can take to help create a society in which women and men benefit equally.”  Throughout the unit, students read fiction and nonfiction texts that relate to the essential questions and overall topic of the unit, Tradition and Reason. The culminating writing and speaking/listening task directly relates back to the essential question and mentor text: “This unit focuses on literature from the Restoration and 18th century. Although writers in these periods often addressed social issues and historical events, there were also important portrayals of personal experiences, especially in memoirs and journals. For this writing task, you will write about an important personal experience and connect that experience to a topic of wider significance that may be important to a reader. You can use the excerpt from Steven Hatch’s memoir Inferno: A Doctor’s Ebola Story as a mentor text.” Students also end Unit 3 with a reflection task that directly requires them to revisit the EQ’s, reflect on their reading throughout the whole unit, and their cumulative writing task in relation to the overall topics discussed within the unit. 
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 5, the title of the unit is An Era of Rapid Change, which focuses on the Victorians, and there are multiple Essential Questions presented: “What is a true benefactor?” “How do you view the world?” “What brings out cruelty in people?” and, “Which invention has had the greatest impact on your life?” By the end of Unit 5, students must be able to compose a research report. The mentor text for this unit is Melissa Dickson’s essay “The Victorians Had the Same Concerns About Technology As We Do.” For example, within the sidebar of the Teacher's Edition, under the EQ “Which invention has had the greatest impact on your life?” instructors are offered the following support for students: “Remind students that many of the inventions that might immediately come to mind could not exist without earlier inventions. Challenge students to identify the ‘small’ underlying inventions that had to come before the ‘big’ inventions that they are more familiar with.”  Throughout the unit, students read fiction and nonfiction texts that relate to the essential questions and overall topic of the unit, An Era of Rapid Change. And, the culminating writing and speaking/listening task directly relates back to the essential question and mentor text: “This unit focuses on the Victorian period, when rapid technological changes affected nearly every aspect of society, including government, transportation, communication, religious practice, and relations between classes. For this writing task, you will do some research and use outside sources to write about how technology has affected society in our own time. For an example of an essay that uses outside sources well, review the article ‘The Victorians Had the Same Concerns About Technology as We Do.’” Students also end Unit 5 with a reflection task that directly requires them to revisit the EQ’s, reflect on their reading throughout the whole unit, and their cumulative writing task in relation to the overall topics discussed within the unit. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet  the criteria that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced higher order thinking questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language (words/phrases), key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts in order to make meaning and build understanding of texts and topics.

The 12th grade text is split into two, with Units 1-3 in the first text, and Units 4-6 in the second. In both textbooks, the reading material is supported with opportunities for students to develop higher level thinking. This can be found in Notice & Note, as it asks students to analyze tone, examine and analyze author’s purpose, or look at language conventions and how they influence the text. At the beginning of each unit, there are four essential questions for students to consider as they read the selections, and at the close, students compose a cumulative writing task that requires students to address the essential question; students must also reflect on the unit within the Reflect on the Unit section, specifically Reflect on the Essential Question. Within Analyze Text, there are a variety of question types that require students to look not only at the initial structure but to make inferences about word choice, narrative voice, and structure. The questions and prompts in Analyze the Text provide a variety of complexities from DOK 1 through DOK 4. Students experience questions and tasks within the sidebar that require higher order thinking that occurs after an annotation or margin note is made; by students directly touching and rereading the text and reflecting, they may then more adequately analyze, compare and contrast, synthesize, critique, and evaluate.

• In the Student Edition, Unit 1, students are asked to compare two primary sources: The Paston Letters by the Paston Family and diary entries from My Syrian Diary by Marah. At the end of reading both pieces, students are asked to collaborate in a small group under the heading, “Share and discuss connections.” The directions explain “In a small group, discuss your conclusions about the diaries you analyzed. Consider how writing in the diary form affects the way authors achieve their purposes, convey their messages, and reach their audiences.” 
• In the Student Edition, Unit 2, students read two poems: “To His Coy Mistress,” by Andrew Marvell and “Twenty-One Love Poems (Poem III),” by Adrienne Rich. Students compare themes between the two poems, and within the Analyze the Text section, students complete the following higher order thinking questions and discuss their responses in groups:
• "1. Compare: How does the speaker of each poem feel about the passage of time? How are the speakers’ feelings similar? How do they differ?"
• "2. Evaluate: Which speaker is more reasonable in his or her urgency about the relationship? Why do you think this is the case?"
• "3. Analyze: How does each speaker respond to the inevitability of death?"
• "4. Synthesize: According to these two texts, how does being in love affect our perception of age and the passing of time?"
• In the Student Edition, Unit 5, students are asked to read a selection from the novel, Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. Before reading, students are asked to “pay attention to how Jane reacts to conditions at the school and to the people she meets there.” In the sidebar labeled Analyze First Person Point of View, students are asked to “mark details about what Jane sees after being lifted from the coach.” In addition, they are asked to analyze “how does this description give the impression that we see everything through Jane’s eyes?” 
• In Student Edition, Unit 6, students read T. S. Eliot’s poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” Within the Analyze the Text section, students must respond in short response to questions that ask them to analyze, infer, draw conclusions, and connect. For example:
• "3. Analyze: Read the side margin notes about the quotation from Dante’s Inferno at the beginning of the poem and the allusion to Lazarus in line 94. What do the quotation and the allusion have in common? How are they connected to Prufrock’s experience?"
• "4. Draw Conclusions: Why might Eliot have chosen not to clarify the nature of Prufrock’s “overwhelming question” or what he wants to say to the woman at the party?"
• "5. Connect: Eliot wrote 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' at a time when new technology and media were rapidly changing society. How might Eliot’s use of stream of consciousness reflect such changes?"

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent and text-specific questions and tasks that require students to build knowledge and integrate ideas across both individual and multiple texts.

Every single unit for the Grade 12 text includes an Essential Question (EQ) that students must track throughout each unit. All EQ’s are represented throughout each text and within all materials and tasks. Also, within every single unit, students must complete a Collaborate & Compare section, which requires students to individually evaluate, analyze, synthesize, etc. both texts, and students do this as they compare and contrast texts as well. Within the Collaborate & Present section, students complete small group work to better synthesize what they have learned across the two texts, while also utilizing previously gained skills throughout the unit and previous units. Within each Collaborate & Compare section, there are the following sections: Compare, Analyze, and Collaborate. Each of these section titles may vary depending upon the texts and text types, such as Compare Themes and Collaborate and Present. Students also build knowledge and integrate ideas across every individual text within the unit; students also usually compare texts further within the culminating task at the close of the unit.

• In the Student Edition, Unit 1: Origin of a Nation, students are asked to look at texts from the Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Periods. The first text in the unit is the epic poem by Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney on page.  After reading the text, students are asked in the section Analyze the Text to “reread lines 268-313. The poet uses various techniques--alliteration, caesura, kennings--in the description of the battle between Grendel and Beowulf. How might these techniques have helped Anglo-Saxon poets chant or sing the poem and convey its meaning?” Then, at the end of the unit students are asked to write a short story as a culminating writing task. Specifically the instructions for the task read: “This unit focuses on literature from the Anglo-Saxon and medieval periods, when England began to develop as a nation. Many works of these periods portrayed national heroes such as Beowulf and King Arthur.” 

Once students read both individual texts, and complete necessary tasks associated with both, individual, texts, students then must complete the Collaborate and Compare tasks, located within the Collaborate & Compare section. Students must complete the following Compare Themes task: “...Compare how the poems develop this theme. What reasons do they give for the necessity of enjoying the present moment?” 

Students will then complete the Analyze the Texts within the Collaborate and Compare section in groups, where they will discuss the questions below:

• “Compare: How does the speaker of each poem feel about the passage of time? How are the speaker's’ feelings similar? How do they differ?”
• “Evaluate: Which speaker is more reasonable in his or her urgency about the relationship? Why do you think this is the case?”
• “Analyze: How does each speaker respond to the inevitability of death?”
• “Synthesize: According to these two texts, how does being in love affect our perception of age and the passing of time?” 

Students then complete the Collaborate and Present section, where students must get in groups and “...continue exploring the ideas in these texts by discussing the pros and cons of carpe diem and living for the moment. Work together to gain an understanding of the arguments pro and con, and then come to an agreement about your position as a group...” Students are given specific steps to follow as support.

• In the Student Edition, Unit 3, students are asked to read the argument from A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft and then compare it to the article “Education Protects Women from Abuse” by Olga Khazan. Before reading the first text, students are instructed “As you read, make note of Wollstonecraft’s evaluation of women’s education at the time, her suggestion for needed changes, and her conclusions about how these changes would affect the lives of women. This information will help you compare her argument with the article ‘Education Protects Women from Abuse’ which follows it.” After reading the second text, under the section Compare and Analyze, students “with your group, discuss the similarities and differences between the central ideas of the selections and the ways in which each author develops and supports those ideas. Then analyze how the central idea and techniques used by each author reflect her purposes for writing.” 

Once students read both individual texts, and complete necessary tasks associated with both, individual, texts, students then must complete the Collaborate and Compare tasks, located within the Collaborate & Compare section. Students must complete the following Compare Themes task: “...To begin gathering details with which to make inferences about themes, complete the following chart.” Within the chart, students must gather information regarding form, imagery, figurative language, diction, and other elements.  

• Students will then complete the Analyze the Texts within the Collaborate and Compare section in groups, where they will discuss the questions below:
• “Compare: With your group, review the imagery that you cited in your chart. How are the images in the two poems similar? How do they differ?”
• “Interpret: Both poems describe some of the ways we relate to nature. Discuss each poem’s treatment of nature. Cite evidence in your discussion.”
• “Evaluate: ...Shelley uses elevated language and formal diction; however...Du fu does the opposite. Which approach do you find most effective, and why?”
• “Draw Conclusions: According to the two poems, what insights about life or human nature can we gain by considering the wind and other elements of the natural world?” 

Students then complete the Collaborate and Present section, where students must get in groups and “...continue exploring the ideas in the poems by identifying and comparing their themes...” Students are given specific steps to follow as support.

• In the Student Edition, Unit 5, students are asked to read several texts that occurred during the Victorian era, a time period when “rapid technological changes affected nearly every aspect of society.” For example, they are asked to watch the documentary “Factory Reform” by Timelines.tv, an excerpt from the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and the essay/mentor text “The Victorians Had the Same Concerns About Technology As We Do.” The culminating writing task for this unit is to write a research report. In the directions on page 681, students are instructed to “review the notes you have taken in your Response Log that relate to the question, ‘Which invention has had the greatest impact on your life?’ Texts in this unit provide background reading that will help you formulate and develop the topic for your research report. 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that the questions and tasks support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic through integrated skills (e.g. combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

There are many opportunities for students to demonstrate their knowledge of a topic through integrated skills. This can be a combination of reading, writing, speaking and listening. This can be found in Writing Tasks, Respond, Notice and Note, and other exercises throughout each reading assignment. These are meant to build upon the text and allow students to complete culminating tasks. Every unit is comprised of one or multiple Essential Questions. While the titles of the units hint at what each unit consists of, all readings, assignments, tasks, and culminating tasks are centered around the Essential Questions. Within the Grade 9 and 10 textbook, students are presented with one essential question to focus on throughout the entirety of each unit;  however, once students reach Grades 11 and 12, some scaffolds are removed. Students are presented with two or more Essential Questions, and more choice is presented. Within the Grade 9 and 10 textbook, students are scaffolded to higher expectations as only a few units consist of two cumulative tasks (i.e. writing and speaking/listening); and, when students reach Grades 11 and 12, it is an expectation that students complete both writing and speaking/listening sections within the cumulative, combined task. Also located within the “Unit Tasks” section, is the “Reflect on the Unit” section where the topics, or Essential Questions, are revisited once more. All cumulative tasks are a combination of writing, speaking and listening, reading--or rereading--and all cumulative tasks reinforce all Essential Questions presented throughout the unit.

• In Teacher's Edition, Unit 1, students are presented with four essential questions, and the unit title “Origin of a Nation,” which focuses on the Anglo-saxon and medieval time periods. Based on the Teacher's Edition, instructors must connect to the essential questions: “Read aloud the Essential Questions and the paragraphs that follow them. Open the discussion of each idea by having students respond to the questions that conclude each paragraph.” The EQ’s are as follows:
• What makes someone a hero?
• What is true chivalry?
• Can we control our fate?
• What happens when a society unravels?

Located within the sidebar of the Teacher's Edition, instructors are supported with additional information regarding the EQ’s. For example: With the Essential Question, “What happens when a society unravels?” instructors are provided the following support commentary, “Help students connect to their own lives by having them identify systems in the modern world that are designed to maintain peace and stability. How might those systems be threatened, and what might be the consequences for the students personally if modern social or governmental systems fell apart?”

• In Unit 1, students are presented with a culminating writing task where they must compose a short story; they are also responsible for creating a podcast. The learning objectives can be found within the Plan section of the Teacher's Edition. For the writing task, the learning objectives are as follows in a bullet-pointed list, but not limited to: “Write a short story about a hero; Use the Mentor Text as a model; Decide how setting, characters, conflict, and story events reflect the theme of heroes; Use genre characteristics to write a first draft; publish writing to share with an audience.” The learning objectives for the speaking task are as follows in a bullet-pointed list, but not limited to: “Adapt a short story as a podcast; Choose readers and practice characters; Create sound effects; Provide and consider advice for improvement.” Students will complete the following sections for the writing task: Plan, Develop a Draft, Revise, Edit, and Publish. 
• Within the same unit of the Teacher's Edition, “Unit 1 Tasks,” students must reflect on the Essential Questions: “By completing your short story, you have created a writing product that is enriched by your thoughts about the reading selections. Now is a good time to reflect on what you learned.” Some of the questions posed in the “Reflect on the Unit” section are as follows: “Review the four Essential Questions on page 1. How have your answers to these questions changed in response to the texts you read in this unit?”, “How did the heroes you read about in this unit affect other characters?”, “Think about texts in the unit that show a society that is coming apart. How does this social disorder affect people?”, and “What improvements did you make to your story as you were revising?”
• In the Student Edition, Unit 4: Emotion and Experimentation, students are asked to write an explanatory essay “on the relationship between humans and nature.” More specifically, students are asked to use the article “Frankenstein: Giving Voice to the Monster” as a mentor text to plan and draft their own essay. Further instructions explain that students should
• have a big idea that your essay develops
• organize your essay into paragraphs that present a key idea
• support your key idea with evidence such as facts, quotations, expert opinions or evidence
• write an opening that catches your reader’s attention while introducing your topic
• write a conclusion that wraps up your ideas and leaves your reader with “food for thought” 

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that materials include a cohesive, consistent approach for students to regularly interact with word relationships and build academic vocabulary/language in context.

At the beginning of every unit, students are presented with the Academic Vocabulary section, where students must complete a Word Network chart for five academic terms utilized and practiced throughout the entire unit, with most texts, and reinforced at the close of the unit within the culminating task. Also, before students read almost every single text, students are presented with the Critical Vocabulary section that presents five to ten words that are extremely important to the overall understanding of the text selection; students are required to practice these terms, just as they have with the Academic Vocabulary, by answering questions before and after reading the text. Students also experience a sidebar and footnotes per reading selection where they are further supported with unfamiliar vocabulary within the text being read. Within each unit, students are presented with the Collaborate & Compare section--where they must read two texts and compare--and vocabulary is also presented within this section and the tasks that follow. Another Critical Vocabulary section follows the reading and is used to check for understanding after reading. These tasks may be cloze sentences, using the words another way, answering questions containing the words, or other assessments.  Supports for English Learners in the Teacher’s Edition include notes about especially challenging words, phrases, or concepts that may need further explanation for language learners.

• In the Student Edition, Unit 1, students read a passage from Beowulf by the Beowulf Poet, translated by Seamus Heaney. The Critical Vocabulary section presents the following words: aghast, unrelenting, affliction, plight, baleful, wail, loathsome. Students complete a cloze activity for each word. For example: "He was _____ at the number of casualties that occurred." While reading, these seven words are presented in bold and defined in the margin. After reading, students respond to questions featuring the target vocabulary. “Which is an example of a baleful action? Throwing a rock intentionally or dropping a rock accidentally.” Following this section is a vocabulary strategy: Homophones. The strategy is explained. Students select the correct homophone in sentences containing two choices. Grendel’s powers of destruction were (plane, plain) to (sea, see).
• In the Student Edition, Unit 3, students read a passage from “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” by Mary Wollstonecraft. The Critical Vocabulary section presents the following words: vindication, prerogative, evanescent, dissimulation, abrogate, inculcate, congenial, Utopian. Students answer questions using one of the vocabulary words in a complete sentence. For example: "Which word means to revoke, or take away?" While reading, these eight words are presented in bold and defined in the margin. After reading, students respond to questions featuring the target vocabulary. Following this section is a vocabulary strategy: Literary Allusions. The strategy is explained. Students explain literary allusions in several paragraphs and analyze how the allusion strengthens the author’s argument.
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 4, students read an excerpt from Mary Shelley’s iconic novel, Frankenstein. Students are presented with critical vocabulary in the section titled Critical Vocabulary. The words in this section are as follows: infuse, ardor, inarticulate, precipice, inanimate, tumult, misdeed, and odious. The directions are as follows: “To see how many Critical Vocabulary words you already know, use them to complete the sentences.” Students are given five sentences to complete, two vocabulary terms per sentence, and instructors are presented the answer key within the Teacher's Edition sidebar. There is also an English Learner Support section within the Teacher's Edition sidebar: “Tell students that one of the Critical Vocabulary words has a Spanish cognate: odious/odioso.”
• In the Student Edition, Unit 5, students read a passage from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. The Critical Vocabulary section presents the following words: self-possessed, trinket, aversion, gilded, dogged, brooding. Students complete a cloze activity for each word. For example: "Eva’s favorite _____ was the necklace her grandmother gave her." While reading, these six words are presented in bold and defined in the margin. After reading, students respond to questions featuring the target vocabulary. Following this section is a vocabulary strategy: Idioms. After the strategy is explained, students apply the strategy by completing sentences that use idioms relative to dogs. “The possessive child clutched the toy _____. (like a dog with a bone) The combat flyer had a _____ with an enemy pilot. (dogfight)”
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 6, students read Katherine Mansfield’s short story “A Cup of Tea.” Students are presented with critical vocabulary in the section titled Critical Vocabulary. The words in this section are as follows: presentable, tactfully, listless, vile, and engagement. The directions are as follows: “To check your familiarity with the Critical Vocabulary words, answer the following questions.” Students are given five sentences to complete, and instructors are presented the answer key within the Teacher's Edition sidebar. There is also an English Learner Support section within the Teacher's edition sidebar: “Point out that one of the meanings of the Spanish word tacto is the same as the English word tact. Although tacto has several meanings...”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 (meet the criteria that materials contain a year long, cohesive plan of writing instruction and practice which support students in building and communicating substantive understanding of topics and texts. 

Students develop substantive understanding of a central topic and of all texts in each unit through writing which is used throughout each unit to help students learn as well as show students’ understanding of the texts. Writing assignments are scaffolded so students will develop a sense of understanding of what they are reading before they begin writing. Within each text, students will complete smaller writing assignments such as answering questions in the section Analyze the Text or responding to the essential question. At the close of every single text read, students must compose a short response, short essay, or respond to questions regarding the reading; every reading is directly related to an Essential Question (EQ). For Grades 11 - 12, there are a total of four EQs per unit, which allows students more student-choice. After each text, students complete a more in-depth assignment under the heading Create and Discuss, which can have students complete an essay, respond to a writing prompt, or write in preparation for a discussion. There are several learning tools to help students develop more substantial writing habits which are included in the Language Conventions section. Finally, at the end of each unit, students are asked to complete a culminating writing task that synthesizes student understanding. This is a multi-step assignment that is carefully scaffolded for student success. In addition, students can write in response to the reflection questions at the end.

• In the Student Edition, Unit 1 revision guide, the end of unit writing task is to write a short story about a hero from the past or in your own world. In unit one, students analyze characteristics of an epic poem, structure, narrator, conflict, characterization, author’s purpose, and tone. The revision guide includes questions to ask with tips and techniques for revising. 
• "Are the characters fully developed?
• Mark descriptions of the characters’ appearance, thoughts, and actions.
• Add details that provide insight into the characters’ feelings and motivation."
• "Does the dialogue sound natural?
• Mark important dialogue in the story.
• Add words and phrases to give each character’s dialogue a distinctive style. Include contradictions and incomplete sentences to make dialogue more informal, or natural."
• "Is the conflict resolved in a logical way?
• Mark the resolution." 
• "Add details to make the resolution more satisfying, and tie up loose ends."
• In Student Edition, Unit 3 revision guide, the end of unit writing task is to write a personal narrative about a significant experience you have had. In unit three, students analyze satire, satirical devices, development of ideas, tone, arguments, counter arguments, and author’s perspective. The revision guide includes questions to ask with tips and techniques for revising so that they can apply their learning from their reading to their writing. 
• "Do I include enough sensory details?
• Highlight the sensory details you used.
• Add such sensory details as images, sounds, smells, and physical sensations."
• "Does the reader understand my emotions?
• Look for the moments where you describe your emotions.
• Elaborate on emotional moments with details that 'show' emotion rather than just telling."
• "Is my 'big idea' clearly conveyed to the reader?
• Write a sentence or two that summarizes your “big idea.” 
• Add reflection, emotions, and details to bring out the 'big idea' throughout the story."
• In the Student Edition, Unit 5 revision guide, the end of unit writing task is to write a research report about one modern invention that has changed the social order or the way people live their daily lives. Students analyze point of view, documentaries, allegory, mood, compare and contrast essay, extended metaphors, imagery, and sound devices. The revision guide includes questions to ask with tips and techniques for revising in order for students to apply what they have learned from their reading to their writing. 
• "Does the body include only relevant key ideas and supporting evidence? 
• Mark the key ideas. Number supporting evidence for each key idea.
• Delete irrelevant ideas and evidence. Add evidence to support ideas."
• "Are sources credited and citations punctuated correctly?
• Place check marks next to material that requires citation. 
• Add parenthetical citations if necessary, and correct punctuation."
• "Does the conclusion restate the thesis? 
• Bracket the restatement of the thesis.
• Add works cited entries if necessary and revise incorrectly formatted entries."
• In Student Edition Unit 6, students are asked to write an argument for their culminating writing task of the unit. Specifically, students are told to “write an argument about a social or political issue in your community such as school choice or homelessness”. Also, students are given additional instructions about the structure and organization of the essay, as well as a logical plan, details about revision, editing and publication.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria that materials include a progression of focused, shared research and writing projects to encourage students to develop and synthesize knowledge and understanding of a topic using texts and other source materials.

After each individual text is presented within each unit, students must complete the “Research” section that requires students to branch outside of the text, within the specific topic posed by the Essential Question. The purpose is for students to further research the elements discussed or introduced within or surrounding specific texts. Also located within the “Research” section are “Connect” and “Extend” tasks that reinforce synthesis and additional research. And, throughout each grade level textbook, at least one culminating activity between the six units requires students to compose an extensive research report.

• In the Student Edition, Unit 1, essential questions are:What makes someone a hero? What is true chivalry? Can we control our fate? What happens when a society unravels?  Students read “Chivalry” by Neil Gaiman.
• Research: Sir Galahad was considered one of the greatest knights at King Arthur’s court. With a partner, conduct an internet search to discover more about the legend of Sir Galahad. 
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 2, students read Hamlet and are presented with the “Research” section: “Hamlet pretends to be mad in the play, and Ophelia actually loses her sanity. Do some research on ideas about mental illness in the Renaissance.” 
• Students are given a chart that indicates “What did physicians think caused madness?” “What medical treatments were used on mentally ill people?” “How were the mentally ill viewed by society?”
• There is a “Research Tip” provided in the sidebar of the Student Edition: “Use your sources to find sources. If you have an article that is exactly what you are looking for, use that article’s references page to find more relevant sources.”
• There is also an “Extend” task presented within the “Research” section: “Research how Shakespeare portrays madness in other plays. Synthesize this information with what you learned from your other sources.”
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 4, students read “Frankenstein: giving Voice to the Monster” and are presented with the “Research” section: “Winner Suggests that some problems resulting from the development of artificial intelligence might be related to the ‘future of automation and employment.’ He quotes Bill Gates, who also mentions the issue of machines doing many of our jobs. Research these concerns What jobs are currently being replaced by machines? What jobs are in danger of being replaced in the future? Use the chart below to record your findings.” 
• There is a “Research Tip” provided in the sidebar of the Student Edition: “Look for sources that include up-to-date research and provide evidence in the form of facts, statistics, and logical reasoning.”
• There is also an “Extend” task presented within the “Research” section: “Use the information you found to think about your own plans for a future career. Write a brief paragraph explaining how the research might influence your planning for the future.”
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 6, students read “A Cup of Tea” and are presented with the “Research” section: “‘A Cup of Tea’ was written in 1922, at a time when British and American women’s lives were undergoing radical change. Do some research to find out about some of the social changes of the 1920s, and complete the graphic organizer.” 
• Students are given a chart that indicates responses for the following sections: "Education, political power, labor and employment, and fashion.”
• There is a “Research Tip” provided in the sidebar of the Student Edition: “When researching many aspects of a broad subject, look for websites run by organizations dedicated to that subject, and look through the website’s menu for a ‘Resources’ page. This is a good way to find helpful and credible sources.”
• There is also an “Extend” task presented within the “Research” section: “How did these changes affect women’s relationships with men on an individual and societal level?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 12 (meet, partially meet, do not meet) the criteria that materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

Students are presented with an “Independent Reading” section within the Grade 12 textbook where they are required to use their understanding of the Notice & Note Signposts to aide in their reading, analysis, and deconstruction of their self selected independent reading texts. Within the “Independent Reading” section of the Teacher's Edition instructors are presented with English Learner Support and “When Students Struggle…” sections, as well as lexile levels to help instructors make a more quantitatively conscientious choice for students that struggle to select texts. Also, at the close of the paper copy of the textbook, students also must complete a “Collaborate and Share” section that requires students to discuss a summary of the text(s), signposts seen throughout, what they enjoyed, and a recommendation to a fellow student or group of students.

In addition, the online portal offers assessments after students have read each individual text that include text-reference based questions at the close of every independent reading; and the assessments include the Notice & Note Signpost skills and skills learned throughout the entire unit. And, each unit is centered around an Essential Question that is part of the design of the “Independent Reading” section of the textbook, as all texts in some way revolve around the concepts of the EQ(s). Also, each unit includes the “Suggested Novel Connection” novel that can be incorporated within the whole class model. Students can read this text independently, and unlike the shorter independent reading selections, the suggested novel is generally less complex than the whole class texts. Most students will be able to tackle this text independently, on their own.

In addition to the response log and annotations, each text in the independent reading collection is followed by an assessment which the teacher can assign. The assessment begins with selected response items and includes a short constructed response prompt as well as an extended response prompt. Questions in the assessment are primarily text-based items.

The texts in the independent reading collection represent a variety of modes, genres, and complexities which provides students the opportunity to build stamina through a volume of independent reading or to build strength by reading stretch-level texts.

• In the Student Edition, ED Online, Unit 1 Independent Reading: 
• Epic poem: from Beowulf by the Beowulf Poet, translated by Burton Raffel
• Grendel’s Mother
• The Battle with Grendel’s Mother
• Beowulf’s Last Battle
• The Death of Beowulf
• Mourning Beowulf
• In the Student Edition, ED Online, Unit 3 Independent Reading:
• Poem: “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray
• Article: “Once Below Gas Station, Virginia Cemetery Restored” by Wyatt Andrews
• Poem: “On Her Loving Two Equally” by Aphra Behn
• Article: “King George’s Letters Betray Madness, Computer Finds” by Mindy Weisberger
• Suggested novel: Candide by Voltaire 
• In the Student Edition, ED Online, Unit 5 Independent Reading:
• Poem: “Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
• Poem: “Remembrance” by Emily Bronte
• Article: “The Great Exhibition” by Lara Kriegel
• Short story: “Christmas Storms and Sunshine” by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
• Essay: “Evidence of Progress” by Thomas Babington Macaulay
• Suggested novel: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
• In the Teacher's Edition, Unit 6, the Essential Questions are: “What makes people feel insecure?” “Why is it hard to resist social pressure?” “What is the power of symbols?” “When should the government interfere in our decisions?” The independent reading selections are:
• Short story: “Araby” by James Joyce
• Speech: "Professions for Women" by Virginia Woolf
• Poem: “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas
• Poem: “Digging” by Seamus Heaney
• Short Story: “Marriage Is a Private Affair” by Chinua Achebe
• Suggested Novel Connection: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe