6th Grade - Gateway 1
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Focus & Coherence
Gateway 1 - Does Not Meet Expectations | 42% |
|---|---|
Criterion 1.1: Focus | 0 / 2 |
Criterion 1.2: Coherence | 0 / 4 |
Criterion 1.3: Coherence | 6 / 8 |
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 do not meet the expectations for focusing on major work and coherence. There were many concepts assessed that are beyond the Grade 6 CCSSM, and the instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 had approximately 52 percent of the work on the major clusters for 6.RP.A, 6.NS.A, 6.NS.C, 6.EE.A, 6.EE.B and 6.EE.C. However, this content could be covered in 155 school days. There are areas where the materials have strong connections and areas that could be stronger. In the teacher’s and the student’s edition, the CCSSM are listed for each lesson and are tied to the CCSSM.
Criterion 1.1: Focus
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 do not meet expectations for assessing material at the Grade 6 level. There are too many concepts assessed that are beyond the Grade 6 CCSSM, and the alteration or omission of these items would significantly impact the structure of the materials. In chapters 8, 9 and 11, there are assessment items that most closely align to standards above Grade 6, and their inclusion is not mathematically reasonable for Grade 6. The alteration or omission of these items would significantly impact the underlying structure of the materials.
Indicator 1a
The instructional materials for Grade 6 do not meet the expectations for assessing materials at the Grade 6 level. There are some assessment items that align most closely to standards above Grade 6 whose inclusion is mathematically reasonable. However, there are too many items that align most closely to standards above Grade 6 whose inclusion is not mathematically reasonable and whose alteration or omission would significantly impact the underlying structure of the materials.
- In Chapter 1, square roots and cube roots, which most closely align to 8.EE.A.2, are assessed with a few items. The inclusion of these items is mathematically reasonable as they are introduced along with numerical expressions that contain whole-number exponents.
- In Chapter 5, there are assessment items that examine students’ knowledge of extended ratios. The inclusion of these items is mathematically reasonable as they are introduced along with ratios that contain only two quantities.
- The Chapter 6 test has a few problems on sales tax, simple interest, markup, and discounts, which align to 7.RP.A.3. The inclusion of these items is mathematically reasonable as they are introduced along with items that align to Grade 6 standards.
- In Chapter 8, there are assessment items with inequalities that include “equal to.” Although this is only a slight extension of the Grade 6 standards, this inclusion introduces confusion for students as they are initially learning and understanding the similarities and differences between algebraic equations and inequalities. This confusion makes the inclusion of inequalities that are not strict mathematically unreasonable.
- In Chapter 9, there are assessment items asking students to classify quadrilaterals that do not have vertical or horizontal sides. To classify quadrilaterals without horizontal or vertical sides would require students to calculate distances using a method that is beyond Grade 6 standards. The inclusion of this extension is not mathematically reasonable as it could detract from the understandings Grade 6 students are developing concerning distance between points in the coordinate plane.
- The vast majority of Chapter 11 has questions that assess finding the area and circumference of circles, which aligns to 7.G.B.4. The inclusion of these items is not mathematically reasonable, and the omission or alteration of the chapter would significantly impact the underlying structure of the materials.
- Chapter 12 has a very small number of questions that assess the volume of a triangular prism, which aligns to 7.G.B.6. The inclusion of these items is mathematically appropriate as they are introduced with items that align to Grade 6 standards.
*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 6 do not meet the expectations for spending the majority of class time on the major clusters for Grade 6. The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 have approximately 52% of the work on the major clusters for 6.RP.A, 6.NS.A, 6.NS.C, 6.EE.A, 6.EE.B and 6.EE.C.
Indicator 1b
Instructional material spends the majority of class time on the major cluster of each grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 do not meet the expectations for spending the majority of class time on the major clusters for Grade 6.
- The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 had approximately 52% of the work on the major clusters for 6.RP.A, 6.NS.A, 6.NS.C, 6.EE.A, 6.EE.B and 6.EE.C.
Criterion 1.3: Coherence
Coherence: Each grade's instructional materials are coherent and consistent with the Standards.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the expectations for coherence. The content could be covered in 155 days. There are areas where the materials have strong connections and areas that could be stronger. "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 CCSSM.
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 6 partially meet the expectations for the supporting content enhancing the major work.
- There are areas where the materials have strong connections and areas that could be stronger.
- Lesson 3.3 connects the work of greatest common factor to dividing fractions.
- Lesson 3.4 connects operations with decimals to dividing fractions.
- Lesson 9.3 connects solving real-world problems on coordinate graphs with using formulas and rates.
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 6 partially meet the expectations for the amount of content designated being viable for one school year.
- The content could be covered in 155 days.
- While overall it is viable for a school year, the amount of time on the major work for Grade 6 is less than 65% of the year, and teachers would need to find supplemental materials in order to cover the content required for Grade 6.
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 6 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.
- Every lesson has the CCSSM identified, even if the standards are from different grade levels.
- The Grade 6 lessons 1.4 and 1.5 on square and cube roots are connected to Grade 8 8.EE.A.
- In Grade 6, chapter 11 is on circles, which is identified as a Grade 7 standard.
- Every chapter starts with a section of recalling prior knowledge for the students 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 6 meet the expectations for fostering coherence through connections at a single grade.
The CCSSM are listed for each lesson within the teacher edition.
The lesson objectives in the student edition are based on the CCSSM and are listed next to each lesson.
Connections are evident between two or more clusters in a domain or two or more domains:
- Lessons 7.1 and 7.3-algebra expressions-each connect two cluster headings, 6.EE.A and 6.EE.B.
- Lesson 3.4-word problems with fractions and decimals-connects two cluster headings, 6.NS.A and 6.EE.B, though one of them is additional work.
- Lessons 8.1 and 8.2-algebra equations-connect the cluster headings 6.EE.A, 6.EE. B and 6.EE.C.
- All of Chapter 9 on the coordinate plane connects domains such as 6.NS.C, 6.G.A, 6.EE.A and 6.RP.A.
- Lesson 10.1-area of triangles-connects domains 6.EE.A and 6.G.A.
- Chapter 12-surface area and volume-connects domains 6.EE.A and 6.G.A.
- Lesson 13.1-collecting data-connects cluster headings 6.SP.A and 6.SP.B.
- Chapter 14-mean, median, mode-connects cluster headings 6.SP.A and 6.SP.B.