7th Grade - Gateway 2

The Grade 7 materials are connected by and organized into modules with grade-level appropriate topics. At the beginning of each module, guiding questions and big ideas are presented to thematically tie anchor and up to eight supporting texts together. The texts build knowledge and vocabulary; they provide opportunities to comprehend complex texts across a school year. Academic and domain-specific vocabulary are introduced at the beginning of some lessons. Related narrative and expository texts are placed together to encourage students to make meaning of the texts; a variety of text types related to the topic are presented to build knowledge. Several nonfiction and fiction texts are used in reading, writing, speaking, and listening learning experiences. Differentiated supplemental texts, supports, and extensions provide learners at multiple levels with independent reading opportunities.

Examples of how modules are organized around a topic include:

• In Module 1, students read texts about conflict in Sudan and the experiences of the Lost Children. The anchor text, The Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, and supplemental texts work together to support students to apply knowledge in various ways including answering Guiding Questions: “What are the habits of character the Lost Children used to survive?” Students identify big ideas and create an ebook that includes a narrative about a Lost Boy or Lost Girl. In Unit 2, Lesson 1, students work with academic vocabulary terms, human rights violations, commodity, dominated, and the domain-specific terms, central ideas and summarize.

• In Module 2, students read texts about epidemics. The anchor text, Patient Zero: Solving the Mysteries of Deadly Epidemics by Marilee Peters, and supplemental texts help them build knowledge around the topic. As the unit progresses, students extend their knowledge from medical epidemics to social epidemics. Guiding Questions include: “What are epidemics? How do they develop?” In Unit 3, Lesson 1, students work with the term, podcast.

• In Module 3, students read texts around The Harlem Renaissance. The anchor text, One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes, and supplemental texts encourage deeper understanding of its history and impact. Guiding Questions include, “How does collaboration influence an artistic renaissance? What are some of the lasting legacies of the Harlem Renaissance?”  By the end of the module, students create a Harlem Renaissance museum exhibit. In Unit 3, Lesson 7, students work with the term, curator’s statement.

• In Module 4, students read texts about the effects of plastic pollution. The anchor text, A Plastic Ocean; Trash Vortex: How Plastic Pollution is Choking the World’s Oceans by Danielle Smith-Llera, and supplemental texts encourage students to look at the way facts and ideas connect across multiple texts. Guiding Questions include, “What can be done about plastic pollution? What is being done about plastic pollution?” In Unit 1, Lesson 9, students work with academic vocabulary terms, benign, distinguish, and inert. 

Throughout the year, students analyze the structure, language, point of view, and characters of anchor texts in order to determine theme and central idea. The skills are practiced in various activities that include reading, writing, speaking, and listening and are embedded in students’ work through discussions, activities such as Language Dives, and collaborative anchor charts in the student workbook. Tasks are logically organized and increase in complexity over the course of a module and year. The materials place emphasis on comparison and synthesis of ideas, particularly providing opportunities to compare and contrast the ideas and concepts in the supplemental materials to the anchor texts.

Examples of questions and tasks include, but are not limited to: 

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 3, students read A Long Walk to Water and complete a quick write exercise to answer the question, “How does the setting shape the characters and plot in Chapter 2? Use evidence to support your response.” In Lesson 4, students continue to analyze craft and structure by answering the following questions: “What is Nya’s point of view of arriving at the pond? How do you know? How has the author developed this point of view?” Students answer the same questions about a different character.

• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 4, students determine the text structure of each section of Patient Zero and select one of following two questions to answer: “How does the section ‘Unequal Treatment’ on page 27 develop the ideas in ‘New Knowledge, but No Cure’ on page 26?” or “How does the section ‘Fleas and Rats and Plague, Oh No’ on page 29 develop the ideas in ‘Finding Answers in Hong Kong’ on pages 30-31?” As a class, they discuss the following questions about text structures: “Why does Peters use so many different text structures? How do the additional sections relate to the narration?”

• In Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 2, students read the poem, “On Bully Patrol” and analyze the structure by answering the following questions with a partner: “How is the poem organized? What is the gist of each section (line, couplet, or stanza) of the poem? How does structure (including rhyme and repetition) contribute to meaning? How does the language (including word choice and figurative language) in the poem influence meaning? What is the theme of this poem?”

• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 7, students write an argument and components of key ideas and craft and structure are embedded in the students’ work. Questions in the Argument Writing Planner where they consider their own key ideas and details and craft and structure are as follows: “What is the focus of your piece? How will you catch the reader’s attention? (Consider using facts, statistics, quotations, or anecdotes.) What context about the text or topic does your reader need to make sense of the rest of your essay? What counterclaim might others raise to refute your claim? What evidence from the text supports this point/reason?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 2c.

Texts and instructional activities are included to develop student knowledge about topics in science, social studies, arts, and technology. They read, discuss, and write about a topic across a module to integrate knowledge across multiple texts. The materials encourage students to provide evidence from text, show thorough understanding of concepts, and think creatively about applying the concepts. Reading tasks, question series, and culminating tasks provide coherent opportunities for analysis. The materials also provide guidance for teachers in supporting students’ integration of knowledge and ideas through Teacher Supporting Materials, ELL supports, and Additional Resources guides.

Examples of ways students integrate knowledge include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, students read texts and complete activities to increase their knowledge of The Lost Children of Sudan. Guiding Questions include: “Who are the Lost Children of Sudan? What are the habits of character the Lost Children use to survive?” Students read the anchor text, A Long Walk to Water, and several supplemental texts, including “The Lost Boys of Sudan” and “The Lost Girls of Sudan.”  An end of unit assessment  includes writing to compare and contrast A Long Walk to Water and “The Lost Girls of Sudan”. The module ends with multiple displays of student learning, including students creating ebooks to share with elementary school children about a lost child of Sudan and the lessons revealed through their journeys.

• In Module 2, the anchor text, Patient Zero, includes many scientific terms and abstract ideas. Tasks are included to help students build the knowledge needed to comprehend the text. For example, in Unit 1, Lesson 3, students discuss and analyze a section of the anchor text and then write a “gist” statement. In Unit 2, Lesson 1, students read a supplemental text, “Kindness Contagion” and answer questions that scaffold the text to build knowledge: “List examples of bad conformity. List examples of good conformity. Why does good conformity seem to narrow?”

• In Module 4, students read texts and complete activities to increase their knowledge of “Plastic Pollution.” Guiding Questions include: “Where and how does plastic pollute? What can be done about plastic pollution?” Students read the anchor text, Trash Vortex, and supplemental texts, including “Five Weird Materials that Could Replace Plastic” and “Boyan Slat: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Kid.”  For an end of unit assessment, students write an argument essay using evidence from the texts to defend a claim about which part of the plastic life cycle is the best place to intervene to reduce plastic pollution. The module ends with displays of learning, such as students “develop an action plan they can enact through research, advocacy, or personal commitment.”

The Grade 7 materials include culminating tasks that require students to demonstrate their knowledge of a topic through integrated literacy skills. The culminating tasks, identified in the program as Performance Tasks, occur at the end of each of the four modules and allow students to apply their learning in experiential ways. Performance Tasks have authentic audiences, including classmates, school peers, and the wider community. They require students to demonstrate comprehension and application of the module’s topic through mastery of several different standards including reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language skills. The topics and anchor texts of each module together support the integration of Habits of Character, a key component of the curriculum which focuses on habits such as perseverance, responsibility and compassion. Throughout the course of each module, students complete coherently sequenced text-dependent questions to build knowledge and prepare them for the complexity of the Performance Task.

Examples of how culminating tasks build knowledge and integrate skills include:

• In Module 1, the Performance Task is to create the Illustrated Ebook: Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan. Early in the module, students analyze the audio version of selected chapters of A Long Walk to Water for techniques like sound effects, music, pauses, and how actors add to or change their experience of the story with emotion in their voices. In Unit 2, they write an essay to compare and contrast the novel to an informational article about the Sudanese civil war to analyze how the author of the novel uses or alters history. In Unit 3, they draft a children’s book narrative that showcases the habits of character that a Lost Boy or Girl of Sudan demonstrated. For the Performance Task, students write an informative foreward explaining the context of the narrative ebook they wrote. 

• In Module 2, the Performance Task is a Podcast of an Epidemic. In Unit 2, students write an informational essay about how social scientists use ideas from the study of epidemics to explain human behavior. In Unit 3, students listen to exemplar podcasts and read a model podcast script about epidemics and how people responded to them. Then they write their own podcast scripts. For the Performance Task, students turn their Unit 3 scripts into podcasts with sound effects, music, and other podcast features, such as a variety of voices; a charismatic, engaging tone; interviews; description.

• In Module 3, the Performance Task is a Harlem Renaissance Museum Collection. In Unit 2, while reading One Last Word: Wisdom From the Harlem Renaissance, additional texts, and artwork, students write a literary argument essay connecting three of the works. In Unit 3, students present a “Curator’s Statement.” For the Performance Task, students share the works they studied with an audience beyond their classroom in a museum exhibit. The exhibit must include at least three pieces from the Harlem Renaissance, a related contemporary work the student found, a curator’s statement about how the pieces are important and connected by theme, and labels explaining each piece.

• In Module 4, the Performance Task is a Plastic Pollution Documentary Clip. In Unit 2, students read three articles and revisit the anchor text, A Plastic Ocean, to understand what interventions can be taken at each stage of the plastic life cycle. To build understanding and skill for a debate, students write an argument essay using evidence from the texts to defend a claim about which part of the plastic lifecycle is the best place to intervene. In Unit 3, they revise a section of a documentary film script and present a documentary film pitch. For the Performance Task, students work in triads to film and edit their documentary clips with the purpose of sharing the message with peers and a larger audience.

The Grade 7 materials align to the standards for the grade level and support writing growth over the course of the school year. Across the grade levels, the program uses the read-think-talk-write cycle. First, students analyze a model to help them understand how to effectively communicate their thinking about the content. Next, students write a practice piece that is similar to the model with direct instruction and support. Finally, using what they have learned, students write an independent piece. During this three-step process, students meet with their peers and teacher for further guided instruction and support. Process pieces are heavily scaffolded with well-designed lesson plans, models, exemplars, and protocols to support student writing. After each process piece, students complete an on-demand parallel writing piece with fewer scaffolds to assess understanding. Student materials include scaffolds such as Note-Catchers, checklists, and reflection guides to help them monitor their progress toward grade-level standards. Materials include suggestions for keeping “Track Progress” folders for students and teachers to monitor writing progress. Despite the extensive scaffolds, students make few choices about the organizational tools that work for them, and the writing tasks at the end of the year are similarly scaffolded as those at the beginning.

Examples of a year-long plan for writing to meet standards include:

• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lessons 7-11, students write a compare and contrast essay comparing an informational text to A Long Walk to Water. Students use The Painted Essay® template to examine a model compare and contrast essay. The template requires students to color-code parts of the essay depending on purpose.  Materials include an informative writing checklist as well as an anchor chart. Lessons include instruction on gathering evidence, organizing an introduction with a strong focus statement and hook, composing proof paragraphs, and writing a conclusion that relates clearly to the facts presented. Note-Catchers are provided to support students’ writing development. Students track their progress in informative writing by frequently referring to the Informative Writing Checklist in the Student Materials. After students plan their essay with scaffolding, they write the on-demand compare and contrast essay they have been planning. 

• In Module 2, Unit 2, students write an “informative essay about how social scientists use ideas from the study of epidemics to explain human behavior.” Throughout the unit, students complete lessons that support them to write the essay.  In Lesson 8, students examine a model of an informative essay. Students use The Painted Essay® template to generate criteria for their own essays. They also work in pairs and use the “Informative Writing Plan” graphic organizer to plan their essays. In Lessons 9-12, students draft practice essays with support including participating in language dives, working in pairs and teams, and using Note-Catchers.

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lessons 8-16, students write literary argument essays independently and in pairs. They analyze how three Harlem Renaissance poems exemplify a common theme. Students use The Painted Essay® template to examine a model literary argument essay. The template requires students to color-code parts of the essay depending on purpose. Materials include an Argument Writing Checklist as well as an anchor chart and graphic organizers to support students. Lessons include instruction on writing an introduction that provides context, acknowledges a counterclaim, and states a clear claim; composing proof paragraphs that connect evidence to sound reasoning; using transitions to show the relationship between ideas; and writing a conclusion that restates the claim and reflects on its importance. Note-Catchers are provided to support students’ writing development. Students track their progress in argument writing by frequently referring to the Argument Writing Checklist in the Student Materials. After students plan their essay with scaffolding, they write an independent argumentative essay in an on-demand task using the same graphic organizers as they used while writing the process essay in the unit.

• In Module 4, Unit 2, students write an argument essay “using evidence from texts to defend a claim about which part of the plastic life cycle is the best place to intervene to reduce plastic pollution.” Throughout the unit, students complete lessons that support them to write the essay. In Lesson 7, students identify the parts of a model argument essay and explain the purpose of each. Students work in pairs to guide each other through the process of using the Argument Writing Plan graphic organizer to plan their argument essays. In Lesson 8, scaffolded supports include a Language Dive-Model Essay and a Claim Note-Catcher. In Lesson 9, students use the Painted Essay® template to analyze a model “proof paragraph” and attend to topic development and evidence collection. Students track their own progress in Argument Writing by frequently referring to the Argument Writing Checklist in the Student Materials. After students plan their essay with heavy scaffolding, they write an independent argumentative essay in an on-demand task using the self-selected supports they need.

The Grade 7 materials provide multiple opportunities across the school year to develop research skills based on grade-level standards. Students engage in activities requiring them to research both primary and secondary sources for the purpose of further understanding the anchor text or topic of the module. Materials support teachers in employing projects that develop students’ knowledge on a topic via provided resources such as anchor texts within the unit and book lists for independent student research. Shorter and longer research projects are included as well as assessments to check development of research skills. Many useful supports for the student and teachers are included as guides through the research process, research mini lessons for teachers, and peer support for students.

Examples of short and long research projects and activities include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 3, students conduct research to answer a question about the Lost Boys of Sudan. In previous lessons, students collected questions about the novel, A Long Walk to Water. They evaluate which questions are more suitable for research using the criteria: too narrow or too broad, specific to the topic, significant (important not only to you, but to others), and can be answered using sources. The teacher models how to use a Search Engine and refine search terms. The lesson further focuses on teaching students to determine the relevance and credibility of sources.

• In Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 3, students refine research questions as they prepare to create a podcast on a topic related to epidemics. They evaluate sources for credibility and reliability. They are provided a “Researcher's Toolbox” document which outlines ways to determine whether an internet source is reliable by identifying the publisher, author, bias, accuracy and timeliness of the source. Additional information is provided on how to quote and cite accurately.

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 8, students research the anchor text and secondary sources to create an argumentative essay about why, as a curator, they will select particular pieces to display that illustrate the powerful theme. 

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 13-14, students write a literary argument essay about three Harlem Renaissance works that illustrate the theme of the power of dreams, being sure to clearly introduce and support their claim with well-organized reasons and relevant evidence.

• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 12-13, students plan and write an argument essay about addressing plastic pollution in the middle of the plastic life cycle. Students base their research on texts from Units 1 and 2.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 2g.

The Grade 7 materials are designed to ensure that nearly all instructional time is focused on content that is aligned to standards. The standards alignment is clearly documented in teacher planning materials. Each lesson segment is aligned to grade-level standards with grade-level appropriate questions and tasks; assessments cover the key standards taught in each module.

The program is organized so students encounter skills and topics with increased complexity that reinforce previous learning. The materials also are presented in a logical sequence and repeated in a way to address the full extent of the standard. While a few standards, such as RI.7.6 and RL.7.5, are taught only once, most standards are taught and assessed at least twice throughout the school year with a few key standards receiving instruction and assessment in every module. Optional materials are rare, though there are opportunities for diverse learners to meet the standards through scaffolded questions, activities, and assessments rather than providing less rigorous instruction. A few questions and tasks per module focus on the curriculum’s habits of character teachings and learner-based reflections; however, most are directly standards-based. Consideration is given in the program to ensure students understand the quality of the standards, how they are addressed, and how individual students feel about their progress toward meeting standards.

Examples of how the curriculum is arranged include:

• Key standards (RI.7.1, RI.7.2, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.10, SL.7.4, SL.7.6, L.7.4, L.7.6) are taught and assessed to some degree in three to four of the modules. 

• In each module, students track their progress several times on standards. For example, in Module 3, Unit 2, Lessons 12-13, students use a chart to rate how they feel they are performing on the standards. Both teacher and student provide a written reflection concerning progress toward the standards. 

• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 8, students consider how Linda Sue Park, the author of A Long Walk to Water, used or altered history in the novel (RL.7.9). As part of the lesson, students use the article, “The ‘Lost Girls; of Sudan”, to compare and contrast facts from the article to the novel. Students use a note-catcher to analyze the text. Teachers use student work to ask questions. Students use the information on the note-catcher to write a compare and contrast essay on the same topic.  

• In the Module 2, Unit 1 Mid-Unit Assessment, students read an excerpt from Patient Zero and answer standards-aligned questions: “Select a phrase that helps the reader determine the meaning of devastating in this excerpt” (RI.7.4, L.7.4, L.7.6). “How is the section ‘The Great Debate: Miasma or Germs’ mainly structured?” (RI.7.5).

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 2, ELL support includes a differentiated note-catcher with sentence stems and questions that students fill out as they read “His Motto” (RL.7.3, RL.7.6) with the same text as the rest of the class. 

• In Modules 1 and 2, students have multiple opportunities for instruction in and practice of writing informational texts.

• In Modules 3 and 4, students have multiple opportunities for instruction in and practice of writing arguments.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 2h.

The Grade 7 materials are organized to balance time and resources throughout the course of a year; however, because individual lessons and tasks may take longer than the curriculum estimates, completing all modules may not be possible in a school year. The materials provide 36 weeks of instruction, which does not allow for any variation in the schedule including state testing, assemblies, etc.  There are four modules that are each designed to last eight to nine weeks and include two assessments. Each module consists of three units. At the beginning of each unit, a time frame is given in weeks and daily sessions. Each lesson is designed for a 45-minute instructional day. Each lesson includes a time allotment for each of the four to six daily activities, aligned to core learning and standards-based objectives. At the lesson level, the requirements of the tasks would likely take longer than the allotted time. Most suggested times do not seem possible for students achieving below honors level. Standards are scaffolded to increase rigor and relevance over the course of a given year. While no optional activities are listed, diverse learners have scaffolds embedded in the lessons to assist with understanding which likely would take longer than the allotted time. Your Curriculum Companion offers a section called “How Can I Stay on Track and on Target With My Pacing” to assist teachers in the pacing of the day, the unit, and the module.

Examples of implementation guidance and ways the program timelines may not allow for full implementation include, but are not limited to:

• In all modules, most lessons are divided into the following segments: Opening, Work Time, Closing Assessment, and Homework. The allotted time for each segment would be challenging especially for novice teachers. For example in Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 9, the plan suggests that the Work Time segment of the lesson takes 30 minutes. This includes students analyzing for ten minutes, reading for ten minutes, and discussing for ten minutes. 

• In all modules, students are given an appropriate amount of time to read anchor and supplemental texts both in class and for homework. For example, in Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 2, student homework is to “read pages 16-25 of Patient Zero in preparation for studying an excerpt from the chapter in the next lesson.”

• In each lesson, teachers are given suggested scripts to read prior to teaching. Your Curriculum Companion suggests using a printed version of the lesson and to “mark it up with a highlighter or use sticky notes to keep yourself focused and to aid a smooth delivery.”  For example, in Module 4, Unit 2, Lessons 5-6, the Teacher Edition includes a script marked in red and italicized font to help teachers quickly identify and concisely give directions in the interest of pacing and clarity.

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 8, suggested time frames are given in an agenda format for the three activities listed for the day: Opening - Engage the learner (5 minutes), Work Time - Analyze a model (20 minutes) and Closing and Assessment - Pair Practice - Plan argument essay (20 minutes).

• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 8, materials suggest spending 20 minutes to introduce the anchor text and have students “determine two or more central ideas and trace their development over the course of Trash Vortex.” (RI.  7.2) During this 20 minute segment, students receive and preview the book, discuss images that connect to A Plastic Ocean, read six pages orally, define new words, discuss the habits of character students notice, and use the Note-Catcher to identify two central ideas within the excerpt. In a typical class, this would likely take more than 20 minutes.

Examples of information for alternate implementation to maintain alignment to the standards include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1: The Lost Children of Sudan, optional extensions include arranging for guest speakers to share refugee or immigration stories, creating “mini documentaries” of community members, and learning how water is processed in their community.

• In the Module 3 Performance Task, options for students include extensions such as allowing them to select art and texts from the unit for their Harlem Renaissance Museum, finding a piece that exemplifies the themes on their own, or creating one inspired by the Harlem Renaissance. The Performance Task also includes options for teachers, such as suggestions for creating the Harlem Renaissance Museum and creating an anthology of the Harlem Renaissance to share with an authentic audience.