12th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1c. 

Grade 12 texts quantitatively range between 600L–1600L for the year. Most texts that fall outside of the Grades 11–CCR Lexile Stretch Band have qualitative measures that make them appropriately complex for the grade. The relationship of the quantitative and qualitative analyses to the associated reader task is not appropriately complex. While some Extend the Text tasks serve as associated reader tasks, these tasks are optional and may not occur during core instruction. Although materials include text complexity information for quantitative and qualitative measures, the documentation does not include a rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. 

Core/Anchor texts do not have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to documented quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task. Documentation does not include a rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Anchor/Core texts do not have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task. 

  • In Unit 2, Social and Cultural Change, Medieval Period 1066–1485, of the seventeen  selections students read, eleven do not have a Lexile level. Two fall within the Grades 11–CCR Lexile Stretch Band, two fall significantly below it, and two fall above it. Students read and compare the anchor text, an excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a romance text by the Pearl Poet, translated by John Gardner (Non Prose-NP) to an excerpt from Le Morte d’Arthur, a romance text by Sir Thomas Malory (1240L). This text set also includes a Primary Source Connection selection, an excerpt from the treatise The Art of Courtly Love by Andreas Cappellanus (750L). The anchor text has a Reading Level of Moderate with inconsistent capitalization, vocabulary and unfamiliar context and setting identified as Difficulty Considerations and action, dialogue, and compelling story listed as Ease Factors. Malory’s work falls within the Grades 11–CCR Lexile Stretch Band and has a Reading level of Challenging. Difficulty Considerations include vocabulary and the Ease Factor is a familiar protagonist. Cappellanus’ work falls significantly below the Grades 11–CCR Lexile Stretch Band and has a Reading Level of Easy. Some language and vocabulary are identified as Difficulty Considerations, while Ease Factors include length and numbered lists. While reading the two main texts, students study the elements of Arthurian romance and the authors’ use of alliteration. After reading, students respond to Analyze Literature prompts addressing Arthurian romance and alliteration.  

  • In Unit 6, New Freedom and Equality, Romantic Period 1798–1832, of the  twenty-three selections students read, twenty do not have a Lexile level. The  three remaining texts fall within the Grades 11–CCR Lexile Stretch Band. One of the anchor texts students read is “To A Mouse,” a lyric poem by Robert Burns (NP). This text is noted as having a Challenging Reading Level, with unfamiliar Scottish language and the title being important to understanding the poem identified as Difficulty Considerations and the aaabab rhyme scheme listed as an Ease Factor. Students study dialect and meter as they read: “While you read, consider the effect the dialect has on your understanding and appreciation of the poem. Also notice the meter Burns uses throughout the poem.” Students respond to Analyze Literature questions addressing dialect and meter after reading.   

  • In Unit 9, Finding a Place in the World, Postmodern Era 1945–Present, of the twenty-four selections students read, thirteen do not have a Lexile level and eleven fall below the Grades 11–CCR Lexile Stretch Band. Students read the essay “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell (1060L), as one of the anchor texts in this unit. This text falls well below the Grades 11–CCR Lexile Stretch Band and has a Reading Level of Moderate. Vocabulary is listed as a Difficulty Consideration and simple sentence structure is listed as an Ease Factor. Students “identify Orwell’s thesis and look for the evidence he presents to support it. Also list the examples of irony in the selection. Consider what types of irony Orwell uses and how the use of irony supports his thesis.” Students “take notes on key details and the pages on which they appear.” Although students respond to post-reading Analyze Literature questions addressing thesis and irony, students do not complete an associated reader task addressing key details. Extend the Text options also do not address key details.   

• Anchor/Core texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by an accurate text complexity analysis; however, the text complexity analysis does not include a rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level.

  • The text overview page for each selection includes the following text complexity information: Reading Level and Lexile level, Difficulty Considerations, and Ease Factors. Materials do not explain the educational purpose of the text and the reason for its placement in the grade level.

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1d.  

While series of texts are largely at a variety of complexity levels, the complexity levels of anchor texts and supporting texts students read do not provide an opportunity for students’ literacy skills to grow across the year. Extend the Text tasks, while optional, often do not provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of the focus area. When provided, associated reader tasks do not increase in complexity over the course of the year. While the program’s gradual release of responsibility reading model “emphasizes scaffolded instruction,” it is unclear which texts are Directed Reading selections and which are Independent Reading selections, as the Reading Support levels are not identified on the Scope & Sequence guide or on the text overview pages.

Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band to support students’ literacy growth over the course of the school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• The complexity of anchor texts students read does not provide an opportunity for students’ literacy skills to increase across the year, encompassing an entire year’s worth of growth. 

  • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, most texts have a quantitative measure of NP, as this unit largely contains poems and sonnets. The small number of informational text selections range from 700L–1420L. Students read “One day I wrote her name upon the strand” (Sonnet 75) from Amoretti by Edmund Spenser (NP). Materials list the Reading Level of this selection as Moderate with difficult vocabulary listed as a Difficulty Consideration and length and some dialogue listed as Ease Factors. Students focus on alliteration and theme, responding to questions and prompts, such as “Ask students to summarize the theme of the poem. In what lines is it expressed?” and “Ask students to read the poem aloud to identify examples of alliteration and its overall effect.” Although the Narrative Writing option in the Extend the Text section addresses alliteration, there is no associated reader task that addresses theme. 

  • In Unit 5, Harmony and Reason, Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries 1625–1798, texts range from 920L–1600L. Students read two lyric poems by Richard Lovelace: “To Althea, from Prison” (NP) and “To Lucasta, Going to the Wars” (NP). The Reading Level for “To Althea, from Prison” is identified as Moderate with long sentences listed as a Difficulty Consideration and love theme listed as an Ease Factor. In the Set Purpose inset of the text overview page for both selections, materials include the following guidance: “As you read, identify the themes that Lovelace conveys in these poems and determine whether each theme is state or implied. Also note the symbols Lovelace uses. Make a list of the symbols you find in each poem, and label each as a conventional or personal symbol.” While reading, students respond to Analyze Literature prompts and questions that address theme and symbol. During the Informative Writing Extend the Text option, students “[w]rite a comparison-and-contrast essay examining how Lovelace’s poems ‘To Lucasta’ and ‘To Althea’ treat [the] topic [of freedom.]”   

  • In Unit 8, Struggle for Peace and Progress, Modern Era 1901–1945, texts range from 600L–1600L. Students read a text set containing three lyric poems by William Butler Yeats: “When You Are Old” (NP), “The Wild Swans at Coole” (NP), and “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” (NP). The Reading Level for “When You Are Old” is listed as Easy with personification listed as a Difficulty Consideration and simple language and length listed as Ease Factors. The Reading Level for “The Wild Swans at Coole” is identified as Easy with ideas don’t end at line breaks listed as a Difficulty Consideration and descriptive and simply written listed as Ease Factors. The Reading Level for “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” is listed as Moderate with personification listed as a Difficulty Consideration and simple sentence structure and vivid images listed as Ease Factors. The Set Purpose section of the text overview includes this guidance: “These poems by Yeats seem to have commonplace subjects, yet their themes run deeper. After you read each poem, express its central message in a sentence or two. Consider which lines best support the theme of each poem. Evaluate whether the theme is stated or implied and universal.” After reading, students respond to the following Analyze Literature prompt: “The themes of the three Yeats poems are implied rather than stated. For each poem, combine the information explicitly stated with your own knowledge and observations to infer, or figure out, the author’s message. Use textual evidence to support each inference. Is the theme universal? How does identifying the theme help you appreciate and understand the work?” 

• As texts become more complex, some scaffolds and/or materials are provided in the Teacher Edition (e.g., spending more time on texts, more questions, repeated readings, skill lessons).

  • The front matter of the Teacher Edition explains the program’s gradual release of responsibility reading model: “Close Reading Models walk students through the selections and demonstrate how to analyze literature and apply reading skills and strategies to each genre.” Next, the gradual release reading model transitions students to Directed Reading. During this stage, “the teacher begins to transfer responsibility to the students. Students are directed through explicit pre- and post-reading instruction, but during-reading support is reduced to encourage students to practice reading skills and monitor comprehension on their own.” The reading model concludes with Independent Reading. This stage “advances the total release of responsibility from the teacher to the students, who can now apply the skills and knowledge required to read increasingly more difficult selections on their own.”

  • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, the first anchor text of this unit is “Speech to the Troops at Tilbury” by Queen Elizabeth I (1310L). The Reading Level for this text is listed as Moderate with vocabulary and style identified as Difficulty Considerations. The quantitative measure of the text places it on the high end of the Grades 11–CCR Lexile Stretch Band. The Build Background section of the text overview includes historical context information, while the Meet the Author section of the same page provides biographical information about Queen Elizabeth I. The Preview Vocabulary list on the text overview page contains two words. These words are defined in the footnotes as students read the text. The Teacher Wrap in the Teacher Edition also includes a Connecting with Literature: History annotation. The Analyze Literature inset of the text overview defines parallelism and the post-reading Analyze Literature inset includes additional information on Queen Elizabeth I’s use of parallelism.   

  • In Unit 9, Finding a Place in the World, Postmodern Era 1945–Present, students read a paired selection containing the villanelle, “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” (NP) and the lyric poem, “Fern Hill” (NP), both by Dylan Thomas. The Reading Level for “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” is identified as Easy with figurative language listed as a Difficulty Consideration. The Reading Level for “Fern Hill” is listed as Challenging with abstract concepts, ideas do not end at line breaks, and vocabulary identified as Difficulty Considerations. Materials provide Literary Context information on each text in the Build Background section of the text overview. The Analyze Literature inset of this page defines villanelle and sensory details. After students read both selections, materials provide additional information on villanelles and sensory details in the Analyze Literature inset. Materials do not address the identified Difficulty Considerations.   

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1g.  

The materials provide frequent opportunities for students to engage in speaking and listening activities and projects. Materials also include directions for conducting such exercises; however, there is no evidence of  protocols for these activities and projects found in the core materials, nor  guidance for how or when teachers should model speaking and listening techniques. At the end of each unit, materials include a Speaking and Listening Workshop where students can practice, present, and actively listen to oral presentations. These Workshops include steps on how to conduct a particular speaking and listening project, as well as a rubric and speaking and listening tips. 

Materials provide frequent opportunities for speaking and listening; however, speaking and listening opportunities do not include protocols. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Materials do not provide varied protocols to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials.

  • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, students read “The Prodigal Son” from The King James Bible. The Teacher Wrap of the Teacher Edition includes a Teaching Note on developing and presenting self-generated questions in a small group: “Divide the class into groups, and have each group write one or more important question for the selection. Then instruct each group to create musical answers for each question. Finally, invite the groups to present their questions and answers to the class.” While the Teaching Note includes directions for the activity, there is no evidence of a specific protocol used to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills. 

  • In Unit 6, New Freedom and Equality, Romantic Period 1798–1832, students read a text set containing the following selections by William Wordsworth: “The World Is Too Much with Us,” “Composed Upon Westminster Bridge,” and an excerpt from the Preface of Lyrical Ballads, with a Few Other Poems.” During the Media Literacy Extend the Text option, students participate in a panel discussion. Directions include: “Use logical transitions to help listeners follow your arguments. Include rhetorical devices, such as parallelism and repetition, to help emphasize your points and to sway listeners. Allow time for questions.” While materials include directions for this optional activity, there is no evidence of a specific protocol used to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills.

  • In Unit 7, Reconciling Ideals and Realities, Victorian Era 1832–1901, during the End-of-Unit Speaking & Listening Workshop, students present an argument. For this Workshop, students choose a topic, locate supporting evidence, practice delivery, and listen actively to arguments. The Workshop includes a rubric for the task and evaluates Content, and Delivery and Presentation. Although materials include directions for students to complete this Workshop, there is no evidence of protocols for students to conduct the speaking and listening task and develop their speaking and listening skills.

• Teacher guidance includes modeling of academic vocabulary and syntax during speaking and listening opportunities.

  • In Unit 1, Heroes and Kings, Anglo-Saxon Period 449–1066, students read an excerpt from Beowulf by Anonymous, verse translation by Burton Raffel, translation of prologue by Robin Lamb. While analyzing the text, the teacher illustrates how a particular passage sets up the theme of good versus evil, noting that this theme occurs throughout the heroic epic. After reminding students that the original text predated Christianity, the teacher leads the class in a discussion on whether the theme “might have been present in the original pre-Christian version of the tale or might have been added to convey a religious message.” Students also “explore the idea that the theme of good versus evil is not exclusive to Christianity, and that ‘God’ may be a reference to a deity other than the Christian God.”   

  • In Unit 6, New Freedom and Equality, Romantic Period 1798–1832, students read the supernatural ballad “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The teacher uses specific lines of the text to “draw students’ attention to the poetic sound devices,” such as parallelism and alliteration, “that Coleridge employs to create the eerie, chantlike rhythm of the poem.” When reading a different passage of the text, students identify the author’s use of alliteration and explain its effect on the mood of the poem.

  • In Unit 9, Finding a Place in the World, Postmodern Era 1945–Present, students focus on style as they read the drama That’s All by Harold Pinter. The teacher defines style when setting the purpose for reading the text and discusses Pinter’s sparse style, dialogue, word usage, and phrasing during the reading. Students discuss the author’s style when responding to the following questions: “What kinds of sentences does he use? What kinds of words? Does the language sound natural or stilted? What elements affect the flow of the dialogue?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1h. 

Materials include opportunities for stand-alone and text-based discussions. Students may respond to Close Reading, Analyze Literature, Use Reading Skills, Refer to Text, and Reason with Text questions in writing or orally as instructed by their teacher. Where appropriate, the Teacher Wrap in the Teacher Edition contains Critical Thinking Discussion Guides, which provide opportunities for text-based discussions. Although the Discussion Guide includes a series of text-specific questions and suggested answers, materials do not provide evidence of follow-up questions or supports, such as entry points for students who may have difficulty initiating or engaging in conversation. Some Extend the Text options include speaking and listening opportunities; however, the enactment of these activities are based on teacher selection and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction. Mirrors & Windows, and Use Reading Skills: Make Connections questions are often stand-alone in nature, allowing students to reflect on personal experiences while discussing sub-themes and topics related to texts of study. Materials do not include evidence of teacher guidance for monitoring students’ speaking and listening opportunities. Explicit speaking and listening instruction occurs during the end-of-unit Speaking & Listening Workshop; however, this Workshop is not a part of core instruction.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Speaking and listening instruction includes some facilitation, monitoring, and instructional support for teachers.

  • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, students read an excerpt from the romance work, Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory. In the Media Literacy Extend the Text option, students find a modern version: “Select a modern adaptation of the story of Arthur to read or watch. Possibilities include The Once and Future King (1958), by T.H. White; Camelot (film version, 1967); The Mists of Avalon (1983), by Marion Zimmer Bradley; and Prince Valiant comics, by Hal Foster. After reviewing the work, discuss in a small group how it compares to Mallory’s story.” Though the materials include these directions, there is no evidence of  teacher guidance on monitoring the student discussion or instructional support for students who may be having difficulty starting or engaging in the conversation.

  • In Unit 5, Harmony and Reason, Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries 1625–1798, students read an excerpt from The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope. The Teacher Wrap in the Teacher Edition contains a Critical Thinking Discussion Guide to support the teacher with facilitating a discussion with students on “some of the ways in which the tone of the satire can be a crucial factor in the audience’s understanding and for the author’s purpose.” Materials include suggested answers, but there is no evidence of guidance for monitoring the student discussion or for supporting any learners struggling in taking part in the discussion.  

  • In Unit 7, Reconciling Ideals and Realities, Victorian Era 1832–1901, the Teacher Wrap in the Teacher Edition contains a Critical Thinking Discussion Guide for the excerpt from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. The teacher focuses on the importance of setting by asking students the following prompts: “Pip describes walking through dark passages. How does the description of the inside of Miss Havisham’s house affect the mood of the story? Miss Havisham’s dressing room is also dark, with no daylight, lit only by candles. What does the appearance of the house inside and outside, and of Miss Havisham’s dressing room, suggest about Miss Havisham’s character or personality?” Materials include suggested answers, but there is no evidence of guidance for monitoring the student discussion or for supporting any learners struggling in taking part in the discussion. 

• Students may have multiple opportunities over the school year to demonstrate what they are reading through varied speaking and listening opportunities. Instruction occurs during the Extend the Text section, that contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, students read two selections from the King James Bible, “Psalm 23” and “The Prodigal Son.” After reading both selections, students work in small groups to “create a reader’s theater production of ‘The Prodigal Son.’” After dividing the story into scenes and assigning each group member a scene, individual members determine how they want the actors to move during their assigned scene before coming back together as a group to take turns acting out all of the scenes. Students must “give oral instructions about how [they] want the actors to move” when directing their scene and “follow the director’s instructions and monitor [their] understanding by asking questions if [they] need clarification” when acting in a group member’s scene. Students “perform the complete story for the class.” This Critical Literacy activity is one of four Extend the Text options from which the teacher may choose and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 5, Harmony and Reason, Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries 1625–1798, students read two sonnets by John Milton, “How soon hath Time” (Sonnet VII) and “When I consider how my light is spent” (Sonnet XIX). During the Critical Literacy Extend the Text option, students take a closer look at the ideas about self-evaluation and goal setting that Milton expressed: “Analyze how his expression of these ideas reflects the cultural and social views of the seventeenth century.” Students “choose a new way to communicate his ideas by writing a contemporary media piece, such as a rap song, an infomercial, a newspaper editorial, or a magazine article” and share their work in a small group. Students then “discuss what is and is not effective about how each piece communicates its message” and “[a]nalyze whether Milton’s ideas have a modern application and how successfully each media piece reflects the cultural and social views of the twenty-first century.” The Extend the Text section contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 7, Reconciling Ideals and Realities, Victorian Era 1832–1901, in the Extend the Text section for Thomas Hardy’s poem “The Darkling Thrush,” students have the option to form a poetry discussion group: “In small groups, discuss the following questions about the theme of ‘The Darkling Thrush’: (1) What does the speaker of this poem make of ‘terrestrial things’ both ‘Afar’ and ‘nigh around’? (2) What two possible references might the word His in line 30 have? (3) Whose air might this be? (4) What words in the last stanza have connotations of spirituality or religion? (5) What hope might the speaker be intimating by these references?” The Extend the Text section contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

• Speaking and listening work requires students to utilize, apply, and incorporate evidence from texts and/or sources.

  • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, students read “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” and “‘Death, be not proud, (Holy Sonnet 10),” poems by John Donne. In the Collaborative Learning Extend the Text option for the selection, students research the stages of dying: “[i]n a landmark book called On Death and Dying (1969), Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross outlined five stages of death: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. With four other classmates, locate Kubler-Ross’s book and other information and research the stages of death, assigning one person to each stage. Then together, plan and deliver a formal presentation about this topic.” The Extend the Text section contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 5, Harmony and Reason, Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries 1625–1798, students read an excerpt from the epic poem, “Paradise Lost” by John Milton. In the Collaborative Learning Extend the Text option for the selection, students discuss gender roles: “Review Milton’s descriptions of Adam and Eve in lines 107-128. Then discuss these questions with a small group: How are Adam and Eve portrayed? How do they represent men and women? What similarities and differences do you find between the characterizations of men and women? Do you agree with these characterizations? Are these characterizations still relevant today? Generate other questions as a group and discuss the answers. Use details from the text to support your responses.” The Extend the Text section contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 7, Reconciling Ideals and Realities, Victorian Era 1832–1901, students read an excerpt from Jane Eyre, a novel by Charlotte Bronte. During one of the Extend the Text options, students perform a scene: “Jane says that if Mr. Rochester had been handsome and heroic, she probably would not have had the courage to help him. With several classmates, role-play a scene in which Mr. Rochester is a young and dashing man. How does Jane react to the situation? What evidence from the text supports your group’s interpretation?” The Extend the Text section contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1i. 

Materials offer both on-demand and process writing opportunities for students primarily in post-reading Extend the Text tasks and End-of-Unit Writing Workshops. Extend the Text sections contain two, mode-specific writing prompts, and each Writing Workshop focuses on a specific mode of writing. The Workshops guide students through the entire writing process—prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading, and publishing. Materials also include a student model and instructional guidance for teachers in the Teacher Wrap of the Teacher’s Edition; however, there is no guidance to indicate where students should compose their writing. The Writing and Grammar Handbook offers in-depth lessons that expand on these Writing Workshops, and the Writing section of the Language Arts Handbook also offers detailed information for students on the writing process and modes and purposes of writing; however, these ancillary materials are not part of core instruction. Because teachers have the choice of which Extend the Text exercises to complete, there is no guarantee that students will complete the writing opportunities offered. Materials utilize digital resources where appropriate.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Materials include on-demand writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction.

  • In Unit 1, Heroes and Kings, Anglo-Saxon Period 449–1066, students read an excerpt from Beowulf, the heroic epic by Anonymous, translated by Burton Raffel. After reading, students may complete a creative writing assignment: “Write a script for a brief scene in an adventure movie about Beowulf. Decide how to update the dialogue and action to appeal to a contemporary audience.” This activity is one of four Extend the Text options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction. 

  • In Unit 4, Comedy and Tragedy, Renaissance Drama 1485–1642, in the Extend the Text section for Act III of The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, one of the post-reading options is an argumentative writing prompt that reads, “In the role of a prosecuting attorney, write a position statement or argument that will convince a jury to convict Macbeth for murdering Banquo.” This activity is one of four Extend the Text options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 8, Struggle for Peace and Progress, Modern Era 1901–1945, the Writing Skills section of The Test Practice Workshop contains an on-demand writing assignment. Students have forty minutes to write in response to the following prompt: “For various reasons, including the cost of building and maintaining schools, there is increasingly more talk about schools having classes year round rather than closing during the summer. Some people think a twelve-month school year is a good idea. Others are opposed to lengthening the school year. In your opinion, should the school year be extended?” The Test Practice Workshop is an optional activity and may not occur during core instruction, as a result. 

• Materials include process writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. Opportunities for students to revise and edit are provided.

  • In Unit 1, Heroes and Kings, Anglo-Saxon Period 449–1066, the Writing Workshop focuses on narrative writing. The instructional materials provide support for students through each stage of the writing process. In the revision stage, materials include an annotated Student Model to support students with using a rubric to address changes in their drafts. 

  • In Unit 6, New Freedom and Equality, Romantic Period 1798–1832, during the Writing Workshop students “write a personal essay that captures an essential aspect of your character.” Students work through prewriting, drafting, and revising. In the revision stage, materials include student directions on how to evaluate their draft and revise for content, organization, and style. Materials include a student model as an exemplar for how revision and editing improved a student’s writing. After revising their work, students follow provided directions for proofreading before publishing the final draft and presenting their argument using guidance in the student-facing materials.  

  • In Unit 9, Finding a Place in the World, Postmodern Era 1945–Present, the Writing Workshop focuses on argumentative writing through research. Materials provide instructional support to students for each stage of the writing process. During the revision stage, students focus on evaluating the draft and revising for content, organization, and style. Materials include an annotated Student Model based on the Revision Checklist. The Writing Follow-Up provides guidance on publishing and presenting, as well as approaches for students to reflect on their writing. 

• Materials include digital resources where appropriate. 

  • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, students read Queen Elizabeth I’s “Speech to the Troops at Tilbury.” During the Media Literacy Extend the Text option, students use digital resources to compare speeches: “Throughout history, leaders have given speeches to inspire their followers. Memorable examples are Martin Luther King Jr. 's ‘I’ve Been to the Mountaintop' speech the night he was assassinated, and Knute Rockne’s ‘win one for the Gipper’ speech to the Notre Dame football team. An audio recording and a transcript of King’s speech can be found at http://lit.emcp.net/king. A transcript of Rockne’s speech is available at http://lit.emcp.net/rockne, and a dramatization is presented in the 1940 film Knute Rockne--All American. Choose one of these speeches, or another famous inspirational speech, and compare and contrast it with Queen Elizabeth’s ‘Speech to the Troops at Tilbury.’ Consider the audience, purpose, and occasion of each speech, and evaluate how differences in formality and tone reflect variations in these factors.”

  • In Unit 4, Comedy and Tragedy, Renaissance Drama 1485–1642, students read The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. After reading Act V, students use digital resources to review a film or stage production during the Media Literacy Extend the Text option: “Find and view a film version of Macbeth—such as the 1978 version directed by Trevor Nunn or the 1982 version directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman—or attend a live performance of the play. Then write a review that comments on the quality and interaction of the acting, set design, costumes, and sound effects. Evaluate how closely the director followed the original play, pointing out instances of bias (the author’s personal opinions) that change the meaning of the work. Also evaluate how audience played a role in the director’s interpretation of the play.” 

  • In Unit 7, Reconciling Ideals and Realities, Victorian Era 1832–1901, students read the lyric poems, “When I Was One-and-Twenty” and “To an Athlete Dying Young” by A.E. Housman, and the informational text “Cardiac Arrest in Healthy, Young Athletes” by Karen Asp. During the Media Literacy Extend the Text option, students use digital resources to research media coverage: “Choose a famous athlete from the past or present who interests you. Research coverage of this person in several different types of media, including television, print, and film. Evaluate the tone and formality of each piece you find and explain how these vary depending on the intended audience and purpose. Then create your own informative piece about the athlete.” 

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1j. 

Materials provide some opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply different writing modes during on-demand and longer process writing tasks across the school year. Materials include  on-demand creative, narrative, informative, and descriptive writing opportunities during the post-reading Extend the Text section. Because these tasks are optional and based on teacher choice, there is no guarantee students will complete the provided tasks. Other opportunities for writing occur when students read eSelections that are available in Passport, or a digital component of the materials. With access to Passport, students have the ability to use Criterion, which is an online writing evaluation tool; however, it is unclear how to access it or use it. Without access to the digital platform, it is unclear how and where students compose their writing. Process writing instruction and tasks occur during the End-of-Unit Writing Workshops; however, explicit instruction is limited and materials do not meet the required distribution required by the standards.

Materials provide some opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:  

• Materials provide some opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply different genres/modes/types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. 

  • Materials include the following Writing Workshops— three informative, three argumentative, one descriptive, two narrative—resulting in a mostly balanced distribution of explicit instruction on the writing modes required by the standards.

  • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, during the end-of unit Writing Workshop, students ``[w]rite an explication of a poem in this unit...to explain the meanings of and relationships among the elements in the poem.” Materials cover all of the aspects of the writing process including prewriting, drafting, and revising the explication. The Workshop includes a table for organizing the analysis of the poem, a writing rubric, a revision model, a student model of a finished essay, a Revision Checklist for revising content, organization, grammar, style and a Writing Follow-Up rubric that addresses publishing and presenting, and reflection. Materials provide two more opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply informative writing—when writing a cover letter and résumé during the Unit 2 Writing Workshop and when analyzing an advertisement during the Unit 8 Writing Workshop.

  • In Unit 6, New Freedom and Equality, Romantic Period 1798–1832, during the end-of-unit Writing Workshop, students focus on narrative writing as they write a personal essay “that captures an essential aspect of your character.” During the Prewrite stage, students select a topic, gather information, determine how they will organize their ideas, and write an organizing statement. During the Draft stage, students use a three-part framework—introduction, body, conclusion—to write their essay. In the Revise stage, students use the provided Revision Checklist to evaluate their draft and revise their work according to the Content & Organization criteria and the Delivery & Presentation criteria. The Writing Follow-Up rubric includes additional evaluation criteria on publishing and presenting, and reflection. Materials provide one more opportunity for students to learn, practice, and apply narrative writing—when writing a narrative poem during the Unit 1 Writing Workshop. 

  • In Unit 9, Finding a Place in the World, Postmodern Era 1945-Present, during the end-of-unit Writing Workshop, students ``[p]lan, write, and revise a research paper that describes a contemporary conflict and presents an argument about it.” As students progress through the writing process, they gather general background information and specific information about their topic during the Prewrite stage. During the Draft stage, students complete a rough draft using guidance on organization, quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and documenting sources. Lastly, they evaluate, revise, proofread, and polish their writing during the Revise stage. The Writing Follow-Up stage includes information on students publishing and presenting, and reflecting on their work. Materials provide two more opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply argumentative writing—when writing a satire during the Unit 5 Writing Workshop and when reviewing a short story or book during the Unit 7 Writing Workshop.

• Different genres/modes/types of writing are distributed throughout the school year; however, there is no core instructional path. Writing opportunities may not occur during core instruction.

  • Students have opportunities to engage in argumentative writing. 

    • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, students read "Psalm 23" and "The Prodigal Son" from The King James Bible.  Students may respond to the following Argumentative Writing prompt: “You are running for student council president and need to state your position on whether to have an open campus, allowing students to leave school during lunch breaks and study times. Write a persuasive speech using a parable to make this point.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

    • In Unit 4, Comedy and Tragedy, Renaissance Drama 1485–1642, in the Extend the Text section after reading The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II by William Shakespeare, students may respond to the following on-demand Argumentative Writing prompt: “Write an argumentative essay arguing whether the Porter’s scene (Act II, Scene iii) adds to or detracts from the play’s serious mood. Present your argument using elements of a classical persuasive speech: an introduction that states your opinion, a body that outlines your arguments and evidence, and a conclusion that summarizes your points. Use logical transitions to help listeners follow your arguments, and include rhetorical devices, such as parallelism and repetition, to emphasize your points and sway listeners.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode.

    • In Unit 9, Finding a Place in the World, Postmodern Era 1945–Present, students read the essay, “Shooting an Elephant," by Geroge Orwell. After reading, students may complete an argumentative writing task during which they “[u]se the library or Internet resources to research the practice of imperialism, in both the past and the present. Write the introductory paragraph of a personal essay expressing your opinion on the issue of imperialism.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

• Students have opportunities to engage in informative/explanatory writing.

  • In Unit 2, Social and Cultural Change, Medieval Period 1066–1485, students read “The Pardoner's Tale” and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” from The Canterbury Tales by William Chaucer. After reading, students may complete the following Explanatory Writing exercise: “Write step-by-step directions on how to travel from your house to a specific location in your town. Include a map or other graphic representation of your directions. Exchange directions with a partner and evaluate the structure (e.g., format and subheads of each other’s text for clarity (clearness) and organizational coherence (logical connections). Also evaluate the effectiveness of the graphic.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode.

  • In Unit 4, Comedy and Tragedy, Renaissance Drama 1485–1642, in the Extend the Text section for Act IV of The Tragedy of Macbeth, students may complete the following Informative Writing task: “The word weird is derived from the old English word wyrd, meaning ‘fate.’ Some literary scholars say the predictions of the ‘weird sisters’ represent Macbeth’s fate, which arises out of his character. Others note  that Shakespeare’s audience would have believed in witches so they represent the evil that causes Macbeth’s downfall. Write an essay evaluating these two positions, using details from the play to support your analysis.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode.

  • In Unit 7, Reconciling Ideals and Realities, Victorian Era 1832–1901, in the Extend the Text section for the excerpt from The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, students may complete the following Informative Writing task: “Dickens and Hardy approached storytelling in different ways. Compare their different forms of narration in Great Expectations and The Mayor of Casterbridge. Read or reread just the first few pages of the excerpts in your text, then write a brief essay explaining the authors’ different approaches. You may want to focus on differences in one literary element, such as point of view or tone. Include examples from the stories to support your position.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode.

• Students have opportunities to engage in narrative writing.

  • In Unit 2, Social and Cultural Change, Medieval Period 1066–1485, in the Extend the Text section for the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by the Pearl Poet, translated by John Gardner and the excerpt from Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory, students may complete the following Narrative Writing task: “Write a children’s story for some youngsters you know that features alliteration. You may wish to illustrate the story yourself or ask for help from your intended audience.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

  • In Unit 6, New Freedom and Equality, Romantic Period 1798–1832, in the Extend the Text section for “Ozymandias” and “Ode to the West Wind” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, students may complete the following Narrative Writing task: “The speaker in ‘Ode to the West Wind’ recalls his childhood as a time when his own spirit equaled that of the west wind. He then describes how life has beaten down that spirit. Write a one-page memoir that compares your childhood with your present life. How have things changed for you?” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

  • In Unit 7, Reconciling Ideals and Realities, Victorian Era 1832–1901, in the Extend the Text section for the excerpt from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, students may complete the following Narrative Writing task: “In the role of Miss Havissham, write one page of a memoir. Describe what has made her so bitter and sad. What does she think about her life right now? What does she think about the people around her?” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

• Where appropriate, writing opportunities are connected to texts and/or text sets (either as prompts, models, anchors, or supports).

  • In Unit 1, Heroes and Kings, Anglo-Saxon Period 449–1066, students read and compare the elegies, “The Seafarer” by Anonymous, translated by Burton Raffel, and “The Wife’s Lament” by Anonymous, translated by Marcelle Thiebaux. After reading both texts, students may complete an Informative Writing task addressing both selections: “Write an essay comparing and contrasting the themes in the two poems. Consider the realities of Anglo-Saxon life as well as Anglo-Saxon perceptions of life. Share your essay with the class.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, this writing opportunity may not occur during core instruction. 

  • In Unit 6, New Freedom and Equality, Romantic Period 1798–1832, in the Extend the Text section for the narrative poems, “Kubla Khan” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, students may complete the following Narrative Writing task: “Summarize the main plot of ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ in writing. Then retell the story in graphic novel format, with the goal of visually capturing the poem’s more chilling moments. Where possible, include the poem’s original dialogue in the drawings. Share the poem with friends who have not read it.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, this writing opportunity may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 7, Reconciling Ideals and Realities, Victorian Era 1832–1901, in the Extend the Text section for the dramatic poems, “My Last Duchess” and “Porphyria's Lover” by Robert Browning, students may complete the following Informative Writing task: “Write a one-paragraph character analysis of either the Duke or Porphyria’s lover. Include examples from the monologue that illustrate the personality of the speaker about whom you are writing.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, this writing opportunity may not occur during core instruction.

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1k. 

Materials provide practice and application opportunities for evidence-based writing but lack explicit evidence-based writing instruction with the exception of some Writing Workshop tasks. During some post-reading tasks, students cite evidence from the text in their written tasks, make claims, and defend their claims using their comprehension and analysis of texts. Extend the Text tasks are optional and based on teacher choice, so there is no guarantee students will engage in evidence-based writing opportunities when offered. Other opportunities sometimes include the Writing Workshops students complete at the end of each unit, additional writing assignments found in the Grammar and Writing ancillary, and the Analyze Literature prompts. It is important to note that many of the writing activities are optional and do not consistently require students to support their analyses and defend their claims using textual evidence.

Materials include some opportunities for evidence-based writing to support sophisticated analysis, argumentation, and synthesis. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials provide limited opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence.

  • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, students read a paired selection containing two sonnets—”Who so list to hunt” by Sir Thomas Wyatt and “With how sad steps” (Sonnet 31) by Sir Philip Sidney. Students focus on sensory details and conceit while reading Wyatt’s piece and personification while reading Sidney’s piece. During the Lifelong Learning task, students work in groups and “use the Internet and print sources to learn more about the moon.” Materials suggest an article by the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) and include a link to the article. One group of students focuses their research on “cultural and religious beliefs about the moon,” while the other group of students focuses their research on “scientific topics, answering questions about the moon’s surface, distance from the earth, phases, and so on.” Students must synthesize the information from their source, “making logical connections and using evidence from the texts to support their inferences and conclusions.” Students do not receive explicit instruction on using advanced searches to effectively gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, assessing the strengths and limitations of each source, integrating information into their written text to maintain the flow of ideas while avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source, and following a standard format for citation. This activity is one of four Extend the Text options from which the teacher may choose, and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction. 

  • In Unit 6, New Freedom and Equality, Romantic Period 1798–1832, students read a text set containing three lyric poems by William Blake: “The Lamb,” “The Tyger,” and “London.” Students analyze parallelism while reading “The Lamb,” make inferences while reading “The Tyger,” and analyze synesthesia while reading “London.” During the Collaborative Learning activity, students work in small groups to “research changes in graphic elements used in British poetry across time periods.” Students “[c]hoose three poems from different time periods, and compare and contrast how the graphic elements work together with the text to express the theme of each poem,” citing “examples from the poems to support [their] inferences and conclusions.” Students do not receive explicit instruction on using advanced searches to effectively gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, assessing the strengths and limitations of each source, integrating information into their written text to maintain the flow of ideas while avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source, and following a standard format for citation. This activity is one of four Extend the Text options from which the teacher may choose and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction. 

  • In Unit 9, Finding a Place in the World, Postmodern Era 1945–Present, students read a paired selection containing two lyric poems by Seamus Heaney—”Follower” and “Digging.” Students analyze the speaker during their reading of “Follower” and flashback during their reading of “Digging.” Students also compare and contrast how the speaker feels about his father in both poems. During the Informative Writing Extend the Text option, students “write a one-paragraph analysis of [the speaker’s] relationship with his father,” using “details from both poems to support [their] ideas.” Students do not receive explicit instruction on drawing evidence from literary texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. This activity is one of four Extend the Text options from which the teacher may choose and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction. 

• Writing opportunities are focused around students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with texts and sources to provide supporting evidence.

  • In Unit 4, Comedy and Tragedy, Renaissance Drama 1485–1642, after reading Act IV of The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, students may complete the following Informative Writing task: “The word weird is derived from the Old English wyd, meaning ‘fate.’ Some literary scholars say that the predictions of the ‘weird sisters’ represent Macbeth’s fate, which arises out of his character. Others note that Shakespeare’s audience would have believed in witches, so they represent the evil that causes Macbeth’s downfall. Write an essay evaluating these two positions, using details from the play to support your analysis.” This activity is one of four options from which the teacher may choose and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction..

  • In Unit 5, Harmony and Reason, Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries 1625–1798, in the Extend the Text optional activities for “To The Virgins, To Make Much Of Time” by Robert Herrick and “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvel, students may write in response to the following Informative Writing prompt: “Write an essay comparing and contrasting how Marvell’s and Herrick’s poems express the carpe diem theme. In the essay, provide textual evidence from the two poems to support your inferences. In addition, offer possible explanations for why the carpe diem theme or message may have been popular during these poets’ time, given what you know about that era.” This activity is one of four options from which the teacher may choose and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction.

  •  In Unit 8, Struggle for Peace and Progress, Modern Era 1901–1945, in the Extend the Text activities for the excerpt from A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf, students may complete this Informative Writing task: “In the paragraph on page 274, Woolf seems to say that it would have been both impossible and possible for a woman in Shakespeare's day to have had Shakespeare's genius. Write a brief essay in which you explain the effect this sort of ambiguity has on the reader. Use textual evidence to support your inferences and conclusions.” This activity is one of four options from which the teacher may choose and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction.

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1l. 

Each unit contains several Grammar & Style Workshops, which have sections on understanding the concept, applying the skill, and extending the skill. The lessons connect to selections students read just before the workshop. Units also contain Vocabulary & Spelling Workshops with sections on understanding the concept, applying the skill, and spelling practice using words from unit text selections. Workshops may not occur during core instruction, as their enactment is contingent upon the teacher selecting the activity from the Lesson Plan for the text selection. On occasion, materials include informal grammar and convention activities listed in the Teaching Notes of the Teacher’s Edition. Although materials include an array of instructional components, there are missed opportunities for grade-level grammar and usage instruction, practice, and authentic application in context.

Materials include some explicit instruction of the grade-level grammar and usage standards, with opportunities for authentic application in context. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Students have opportunities to apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and is sometimes contested. 

  • No evidence found 

• Students have opportunities to resolve issues of complex or contested usage, consulting references (e.g., Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage, Garner's Modern American Usage) as needed. 

  • No evidence found

• Students have opportunities to observe hyphenation conventions. 

  • In Unit 8, Struggle for Peace and Progress, Modern Era 1901–1945, students complete a Grammar & Style Workshop on hyphens, dashes, and ellipses. In the Understand the Concept section, students learn that “a hyphen is used to connect elements in some compound words and expressions.” The Workshop includes three examples: part-time, shut-up, ink-dark. In the Apply the Skill section, students identify the need for hyphens, dashes, and ellipses by reading passages from the previous reading selection; locating hyphens, dashes, and ellipses; and explaining their function in the sentence, such as in this example: “Toward the end of her day in London Mrs. Drover went round to her shut-up house to look for several things she wanted to take away...Against the next batch of clouds, already piling up ink-dark, broken chimneys and parapets stood out.” Students complete a second exercise in which they read a paragraph based on the selection they just read and rewrite the paragraph, inserting hyphens, dashes, and ellipses where needed. Materials do not include opportunities for authentic application in context. 

• Students have limited opportunities to spell correctly. 

  • The only instances of spelling practice occur as short Spelling Practice activities within an inset in the Vocabulary & Spelling Workshop. These quick lessons explain a rule and include a short practice activity connected to the selection read before the workshop. Spelling Practice exercises do not include opportunities for authentic application in context. For example, In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, students complete a Spelling Practice activity within the Vocabulary & Spelling Workshop on Classifying Words. Students learn about spelling vowel combinations correctly based on pronunciation, such as the ea combination in break and breakfast. Students work in pairs to pronounce the two words and note the difference. They then identify vowel combinations in a list of words from the previous reading selection, read the words aloud, and group them according to the sounds the vowel combinations make.

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1m. 

At the beginning of each unit, materials include an overview of all vocabulary words, academic vocabulary, and key terms. These words are also listed in the Teacher Wrap of the Teacher Edition alongside the corresponding selection. Words listed as Preview Vocabulary are taken from sentences within selections and are defined in the side margin or at the bottom of pages where they appear. Words listed as Selection Words are additional words from the reading that may be challenging, but are not central to the selection. These are Tier One words that can easily be understood by using context clues. Words listed as Academic Vocabulary are words that are used in the directions about the lessons. These are Tier Two words that explain what students should focus on, help establish context, clarify meaning of literary terms, and define goals or instructional purpose. Words that are listed as Key Terms are domain-specific Tier Three words. The repetition of these words throughout the program helps to ensure student mastery. 

Materials include two Vocabulary & Spelling Workshops within each unit. These Workshops correlate to two of the unit selections that use vocabulary words from the text that precedes the Workshop and contain instruction followed by practice exercises. The enactment of this Workshop is based on teacher selection and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction. The Unit  Resources& Selection ancillary also includes vocabulary preview activities and lessons for each unit. The Vocabulary & Spelling ancillary also has lessons that build word study skills and instruction based on vocabulary words from selections. Although materials include multiple elements that address vocabulary acquisition and practice, these elements are not cohesive nor do materials provide teacher guidance on a year-long plan to support students’ vocabulary development. Additionally, ancillary resources are not a part of core instruction.

Materials include opportunities for students to interact with key academic vocabulary words in and across texts; however, the year-long vocabulary plan lacks cohesion. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials do not provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component.

  • There is no explanation of a year-long cohesive plan for vocabulary instruction; rather, materials include multiple components that address vocabulary, and it is up to the teacher to decide which components to use for instruction. For instance, at the beginning of each unit, materials provide Tier One, Tier Two, and Tier Three vocabulary word lists with the corresponding pages for where the words occur in text. Materials also list the vocabulary words in the Teacher Wrap of the Teacher Edition with the corresponding page number in the section where they occur. Materials define the vocabulary words at the bottom of the selection in which they appear. Each selection includes a short Preview Vocabulary section where students try to unlock the meaning of underlined words from the selection before reading. Occasionally, the Teacher Wrap of the Teacher Edition includes instructions for helping students understand the meaning of words. Materials include two Vocabulary and Spelling Workshops which focus on vocabulary skills instruction. If teachers want to explore selection vocabulary in more depth, they must use the Unit & Selection Resources ancillary. Since it is up to teachers to choose which of these program elements to include in instruction, there is no guarantee that the vocabulary development supports offered will occur during core instruction. 

• Vocabulary is repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts) and across multiple texts; however, it is unclear how materials build students’ vocabulary development of Tier One and Tier Two words during core instruction.

  • In Unit 3, Rebirth of Culture and Ideas, Renaissance 1485–1625, materials define the Tier Two Key Term parallelism in the Analyze Literature section of the text overview page for “Speech to the Troops at Tilbury” by Queen Elizabeth I and the subsequent Grammar & Style Workshop focuses on parallelism. The end-of-unit Speaking & Listening Workshop uses the term parallelism when discussing rhetorical devices orators use and their effect. The term repeats again during the end-of-unit Writing Workshop, as students use the Revision Checklist to ensure they have “used parallelism to express similar ideas in similar grammatical forms.”   

  • In Unit 4, Comedy and Tragedy, Renaissance Drama 1485–1642, the Tier Two Academic Vocabulary word benefactor appears in the unit’s historical introduction, “Renaissance Drama 1485–1642,” and in the Vocabulary & Spelling Workshop on contractions during The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I by William Shakesepare. Although the term appears in the Academic Vocabulary list for the historical introduction, the term is not identified or defined in this text or the Workshop. 

  • In Unit 8, Struggle for Peace and Progress, Modern Era 1901–1945, materials introduce and define the Tier Three term argument in the Understanding Literary Forms: The Essay pages. The Analyze Literature section of the subsequent text overview for “Mr. Sassoon’s Poems” by Virginia Woolf also defines the term. Students respond to Analyze Literature prompts addressing argument while reading an excerpt from A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf. Students also encounter the term argument when responding to the Review Questions for “Defending Nonviolent Resistance” by Mohandas K. Gandhi.

• Attention is paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and to high-value academic words (e.g., words that might appear in other contexts/content areas). 

  • At the beginning of each unit, materials include lists of the Tier Two and Tier Three vocabulary words students will encounter over the course of each unit in the Teacher Edition. Each word is followed by the page numbers where the words appear. At the beginning of each selection, materials list Tier One and Tier Two words under the heading Words in Use followed by page numbers for each vocabulary word. Tier Two and Tier Three words often appear in the before reading information and in Vocabulary & Spelling Workshops. Materials repeat certain Key Terms (Tier Three words) throughout the unit to give students more exposure to and practice with vocabulary words. 

• Students are supported to accelerate vocabulary learning with vocabulary in their reading, speaking, and writing tasks.

  • In Unit 2, Social and Cultural Change, Medieval Period 1066–1485, students read excerpts from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by the Pearl Poet, translated by John Gardner, and Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory. The text overview page includes a definition of the Tier Three term Arthurian romance and directs students to look for the qualities of Arthurian romance while reading the texts. During the post-reading Text to Text Connection, Analyze Literature, and Extend the Text Informative Writing tasks, students consider and analyze the elements of Arthurian romance. 

  • In Unit 6, New Freedom and Equality, Romantic Period 1798-1832, students complete a Vocabulary & Spelling Workshop addressing the Tier Three term syntax. Students learn how syntax, or word order, determines meaning. Students look at several examples, including examples from the selection they just read, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Coleridge. Students then complete two practice exercises. During one opportunity, students work with a partner to discuss and critique the effect of syntax on lines from the poem and rewrite them using conventional syntax. During the other opportunity, students write two different sentences with varying syntaxes using a list of words that have two meanings. 

  • In Unit 7, Reconciling Ideals and Realities, Victorian Era 1832–1901, students read the dramatic poems “My Last Duchess” and “Porphyria’s Lover” by Robert Browning. The Analyze Literature section of the text overview page introduces and defines the Tier Three terms mood and dramatic monologue. Students examine the text and determine the mood, and identify the elements of dramatic monologue while reading the texts. After reading both texts, students explain how the use of dramatic monologue helped establish the mood in the selections.