7th Grade - Gateway 1
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Focus & Coherence
Gateway 1 - Does Not Meet Expectations | 28% |
|---|---|
Criterion 1.1: Focus | 0 / 2 |
Criterion 1.2: Coherence | 0 / 4 |
Criterion 1.3: Coherence | 4 / 8 |
The materials reviewed for Grade 7 do not meet the expectations for focusing on major work and coherence. There are concepts assessed that are beyond the Grade 7 CCSSM. The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 had less than 50 percent of the work on the major clusters of 7.RP.A, 7.NS.A 7.EE.A and 7.EE.B. The content could be covered in 153 days. There are areas where the materials have strong connections and areas that could be stronger. In the teacher edition, the CCSSM are listed for each lesson. In the student edition, the lesson objective is listed each time and these objectives are based on the CCSSM.
Criterion 1.1: Focus
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 do not meet expectations for assessing material at the Grade 7 level. There are too many concepts assessed that are beyond the Grade 7 CCSSM, and the alteration or omission of these items would significantly impact the structure of the materials. In chapters 1, 6, 7 and 8, there are assessment items that most closely align to standards above Grade 7 grade, and their inclusion is not mathematically reasonable for Grade 7. The alteration or omission of these items would significantly impact the underlying structure of the materials.
Indicator 1a
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 do not meet the expectations for assessing materials at the Grade 7 level. There are some assessment items that align most closely to standards above Grade 7 whose inclusion is mathematically reasonable. However, there are too many items that align most closely to standards above Grade 7 whose inclusion is not mathematically reasonable and whose alteration or omission would significantly impact the underlying structure of the materials.
- In Chapter 1, there are items that assess irrational numbers, which align to 8.NS.A. Also, Chapter 1 assesses rounding using significant digits which does not closely align to any Grade 7 standards. The inclusion of these items is not mathematically reasonable, but the items could be altered or omitted without significantly impacting the underlying structure of the materials.
- In Chapter 4, there are equations and inequalities with variables on both sides, which most closely aligns to 8.EE.C.7. The inclusion of these items is mathematically reasonable as they are introduced along with equations and inequalities that do align to Grade 7 standards.
- In Chapter 5, there are questions that directly assess whether or not students specifically know inverse proportions. In Grade 7, students need to be able to identify proportional and non-proportional situations, 7.RP.A.2. The inclusion of these items is mathematically reasonable as inverse proportions could be one example of non-proportional situations.
- In Chapter 6, there are a few questions that assess angle properties associated with parallel lines and triangles, which most closely align to 8.G.A.5. The inclusion of these items is not mathematically reasonable, and their alteration or omission would significantly impact the underlying structure of the materials.
- Perpendicular and angle bisectors are assessed in Chapter 7, which aligns to G.CO.D.12. The inclusion of these items is not mathematically reasonable, and their alteration or omission would significantly impact the underlying structure of the materials.
- Chapter 8 assesses volume of cones, cylinders and spheres, which aligns to 8.G.C.9. The inclusion of these items is not mathematically reasonable, and their alteration or omission would significantly impact the underlying structure of the materials.
*Evidence updated 10/27/15
Criterion 1.2: Coherence
Students and teachers using the materials as designed devote the large majority of class time in each grade K-8 to the major work of the grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 do not meet the expectations for spending the majority of class time on the major clusters for Grade 7. The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 spend approximately 50% of the time on the major clusters 7.RP.A, 7.NS.A, 7.EE.A and 7.EE.B.
Indicator 1b
Instructional material spends the majority of class time on the major cluster of each grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 do not meet the expectations for spending the majority of class time on the major clusters for Grade 7.
- The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 spend approximately 50% of the time on the major clusters 7.RP.A, 7.NS.A, 7.EE.A and 7.EE.B.
Criterion 1.3: Coherence
Coherence: Each grade's instructional materials are coherent and consistent with the Standards.
The materials reviewed for Grade 7 do not meet the expectations for coherence. The content could be covered in 153 days. There are areas where the materials have strong connections between concepts and skills and areas that could be stronger in connecting domains and clusters. "Concepts and Skills Across the Curriculum" link the current material to the skills progression to both the previous and the next grade. In the teacher edition, the CCSSM are listed for each lesson. In the student edition the lesson objective is listed each time and these objectives are based on the CCSS.
Indicator 1c
Supporting content enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by engaging students in the major work of the grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 do not meet the expectations for the supporting content enhancing the major work.
- Some of the supporting work noted for Grade 7 is actually Grade 6 or Grade 8 work.
- The work that is Grade 7 does support the major work for Grade 7.
Indicator 1d
The amount of content designated for one grade level is viable for one school year in order to foster coherence between grades.
The materials reviewed for Grade 7 partially meet the expectations for the amount of content designated being viable for one school year.
- The content could be covered in 153 days.
- While overall it is viable for a school year the amount of time on the major work for Grade 7 is less than 65% of the year and teachers would need to find supplemental materials to cover the content for the grade.
Indicator 1e
Materials are consistent with the progressions in the Standards i. Materials develop according to the grade-by-grade progressions in the Standards. If there is content from prior or future grades, that content is clearly identified and related to grade-level work ii. Materials give all students extensive work with grade-level problems iii. Materials relate grade level concepts explicitly to prior knowledge from earlier grades.
The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the expectations for the progressions in the standards.
- "Concepts and Skills Across the Curriculum" link the current material to the skills progression to both the previous and the next grade.
- Grade level clusters are mostly focused on one cluster for each chapter (e.g., chapter 2: 7.NS1-2, chapter 4: 7.EE.4, chapter 5: 7.RP.1-2)
- Every chapter starts with a section of recalling prior knowledge with a review and a quick check practice.
- Math background pages give teachers a review of the background knowledge needed for the unit.
Indicator 1f
Materials foster coherence through connections at a single grade, where appropriate and required by the Standards i. Materials include learning objectives that are visibly shaped by CCSSM cluster headings. ii. Materials include problems and activities that serve to connect two or more clusters in a domain, or two or more domains in a grade, in cases where these connections are natural and important.
The materials reviewed for Grade 7 partially meet the expectations for fostering coherence through connections at a single grade.
- In the teacher edition the CCSSM are listed for each lesson.
- In the student edition the lesson objective is listed each time and these objectives are based on the CCSSM.
- Grade level clusters are focused on one cluster for each chapter.
- There are not explicit connections between domains or clusters.