10th Grade - Gateway 2

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria that materials contain a year-long, cohesive plan of writing instruction and practice which support students in building and communicating substantive understanding of topics and texts.

The materials include a variety of resources and supports to provide a year-long, cohesive plan of writing instruction and tasks. Throughout each unit, at the end of each reading selection, informal writing activities are provided. Students are gradually released to perform independent reading and tasks towards the end of each unit; each unit culminates with a Writing Workshop that has a highly scaffolded process toward a writing piece, as well as a scaffolded on-demand writing prompt. The assessments for Units 5 and 6 include an extended writing prompt, increasing the cognitive demand on students toward the end of the year. Throughout the year, both teacher and peers provide feedback to ensure that students' writing skills are increasing. Multiple additional writing supports can be found in the support materials of the curriculum.

• The Common Core Assessment Practice booklet that contains reading selections with occasional short answer questions that refer to the text and constructed response writing prompts covering argument, informational/explanatory, and narrative writing types.

• The Meeting the Standards booklet has short answer questions that relate to texts and the use of literary elements, and it has worksheets that can be used to scaffold some of the Extend the Text writing prompts.

• The Exceeding the Standards booklet gives detailed, structured support for the entire writing process for one type of writing per unit.

• The Assessment Guide has a summative assessment for each of the reading selections in each unit that includes a writing prompt that requires students to reference the text.

When all of the program resources are used in coordination with each other, teachers can provide a year-long, cohesive plan of writing instruction and tasks which support students in building and communicating substantive understanding of topics and texts.

Examples of a cohesive plan of writing instruction and tasks to meet the criteria for this indicator include, but are not limited to, the following:

In Unit 1, Annotated Teacher's Edition, the first selection is a Close Reading of “The Open Window,” a short story by Saki. In the Extend the Text, Writing Options, Creative Writing section, students are given the following prompt: “Using what you have learned about Frampton and his sister from the story and filling in the rest with your imagination, write the letter of introduction Frampton presents to Mrs. Sappleton. Keep in mind that the Suttles and Framptons belong to ‘polite society.’" An additional support for this story is provided in the Meeting the Standards Guide, Analyze Literature, Characterization section. To gain a better understanding of the author’s fleshing out of the characters, students find evidence in the story that supports the character descriptions provided. There is a graphic organizer with sections for each character beginning with Vera. Students fill in the following three columns: What a character says, What a character does, and What the author says.

In Unit 2, Annotated Teacher's Edition, the first selection is a Close Reading of “Montgomery Boycott” by Loretta Scott King. Students are provided the following writing opportunities:

• In Extend the Text, Writing Options, Creative Writing section, students are given the following prompt: “Write a leaflet to promote the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Your purpose is to get the proper information to people and to convince them to join the boycott. The leaflet should be persuasive, as well as informative."

• In Extend the Text, Writing Options, Media Literacy, Analyze Civil Rights Coverage section, students are given the following prompt: “Research coverage of the Civil Rights movement in newspapers and magazines and on the radio, television, and internet. How objective is each report? Whom does each report quote, and how long is each quotation? Write a report on the overall impression of the stories you investigated."

In Unit 3, students read Joy Harjo’s poem, “Remember.” At the close of the reading selection, students compose a piece of informative writing: “Imagine the city you live in is considering building a history center to teach visitors about the city’s past. Write a business letter to the mayor of your city in which you express approval of the plan for a history center and point of the importance of remembering the past. Incorporate into your letter some of the ideas Joy Harjo expresses in her poem about what makes the past significant.” Students are also supported in building and communicating substantive understanding of topics and texts through the Analyze Literature section that focuses on voice and theme: “Reread the poem. Then, in two or three sentences, describe your impression of the poet’s voice, or unique personality and attitude. Consider how the poet chooses to speak directly to the reader. How does this choice affect the theme of the poem?”

In Unit 4, students are presented with a writing workshop opportunity where they must compose an argumentative essay: “Write an argumentative essay, aiming to convince a larger audience to consider your viewpoint about a subject that is important to you.” This writing prompt is supported by all topics and texts covered within the unit: “People thrive on sharing ideas and perspectives and use persuasion as a tool to argue viewpoints, remedy injustices, weigh alternative visions, and simply present opinions, sometimes in ways that improve the human condition. In the Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus and Antony attempt to persuade the Romans of their contrasting views on Caesar’s assassination. In A Marriage Proposal, Lomov tries to persuade Natalia and Chubukov the Oxen Meadows are his...Persuasive language occurs everywhere...In an argumentative essay, the writer respectfully presents a clear position on an issue, using logic, reason, and information, to convince readers to see his or her viewpoint and, if appropriate, to take action on it.”

In Unit 5, after reading selections from Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali by D.T. Niana and The Once and Future King by T.H. White, students complete a writing activity to extend the text: “How is each of these stories a Cinderella story, or a tale of an unexpected hero? Write a literary analysis on which you state this theme and discuss how each selection develops it. Begin by writing a thesis statement that expresses the shared theme. In your introduction, describe the plot of each selection. Devote one body paragraph to theme development, and add a brief conclusion. The Meeting the Standards booklet has several supporting activities for this text, including one that supports this prompt where students “Complete the table by providing details and general information about the hero of each selection.”

At the end of Unit 5, Folk Literature, students participate in a writing workshop where they complete a Research Paper: “Research a conflict and write an informative paper reporting your findings. Use sources, document them carefully, and prepare a final bibliography to accompany your paper.” Every aspect of the writing process is detailed for the students, including selecting a topic; narrowing a topic; finding sources; taking notes; organizing ideas; writing a thesis statement; drafting the introduction. body, and conclusion; using proper documentation; evaluating the draft; revising, proofreading, and publishing.

At the end of Unit 6, Independent Reading, students participate in a writing workshop where they complete a short story: “Write a short story about a strange happening.” Every aspect of the writing process is detailed for the students, including selecting a conflict; planning the story; drafting the opening, middle, and end; evaluating the draft; revising; proofreading; editing; and publishing.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria that materials include a progression of focused, shared research and writing projects to encourage students to develop and synthesize knowledge and understanding of a topic using texts and other source materials.

The materials provide frequent opportunities for students to engage in research activities that support the understanding of texts and topics within texts. Each selection is followed by at least one opportunity for students to engage in a research task, which includes a variety of individual, partner, and small group projects. Throughout each unit, students are presented with an After Reading section after each text or grouping of texts. Within most After Reading sections, students complete tasks in categories such as: Media Literacy, Lifelong Learning, Critical Literacy, Collaborative Learning, etc. Within these categories, students compose research that is influenced by the topic(s), themes, and genre of the specified reading selection. The textbook offers research opportunities through various writing options also located within the After Reading section. Materials meet the expectations of including a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials. Research projects are varied throughout the instructional materials and offer tasks that are connected to most texts within a unit.

In addition to opportunities in the textbook, the Exceeding the Standards resource provides extension activities for several selections that ask the students to engage in a more complex research process with multiple steps. The grade 10 research tasks support the intent and depth of the standards.

In Unit 1, in the Annotated Teacher’s Edition, students read, “The Open Window,” a short story by Saki. In The After Reading, Extend the Text, Writing Options, Critical Literacy section, students Research and Compare Social Conventions: “Research the social conventions of another time in American or world history. Provide as much information as you can to explain the reasons behind the conventions. Then write a report comparing and contrasting these conventions (or rules of etiquette) with modern conventions for similar situations.”

In Unit 2, in the Annotated Teacher’s Edition, students read, “Montgomery Boycott,” a memoir by Coretta Scott King. In the After Reading, Extend the Text, Writing Options, Media Literacy section, students Analyze Civil Rights Coverage: “Research coverage of the Civil Rights Movement in newspapers and magazines and on the radio, television, and the internet. How objective is each report? Whom does each report quote, and how long is each quotation? Does each story appear at or near the beginning, middle, or end of the medium? Can you tell what the reporter thinks of the movement? Write a report on your overall impression of the stories you investigated.”

In Unit 3, students read “Making a Fist,” a lyric poem by Naomi Shihab Nye. At the close of the text in the After Reading section, students complete Critical Literacy, Develop Interview Questions: “Locate one or two of Naomi Shihab Nye’s collections of poetry: for example, Different Ways to Pray (1980), Yellow Glove (1986), or The Flag of Childhood: Poems for the Middle East (2002). Read other poems by this author, and think about the common elements among their subjects and themes. Then prepare a list of interview questions for Nye, asking her to comment on ways in which her poetry reflects her life experiences and her most important values. Share your questions with a small group of classmates.

In Unit 4, students read “A Marriage Proposal,” a one-act play by Anton Chekhov. At the close of the text in the After Reading section, students Research a Russian Writer: “Fyodor Dostoevsky, Ivan Turgenev, and Leo Tolstoy were all, like Chekhov, nineteenth-century Russian writers. Research one of these authors and read a short story by him. As you read the story, note characteristics of the writer’s style, themes, and characters. In an informative speech, present your findings to the class."

In Unit 5, students complete a Writing Workshop. For this Writing Workshop, students must compose a research paper. The assignment states, “Research a conflict and write an informative paper reporting your findings. Use sources, document them carefully, and prepare a final bibliography to accompany your paper”; the purpose in completing this writing workshop is “To research and analyze a conflict and inform your audience about the issues involved.” For this research paper, students must complete a Prewrite section that supports students in the following areas: Select Your Topic, Narrow Your Topic, Find Sources, Take Notes, Organize Your Ideas, K-W-L Chart, and Write Your Thesis Statement. Students then complete a Draft phase of their research that supports in the following areas: Draft Your Introduction, Draft Your Body, and Draft Your Conclusion, Use Proper Documentation. To close the research Writing Workshop, students must complete the Revise section that supports students in the following areas: Evaluate Your Draft and Revise for Content, Organization, and Style. Students then compose a Writing Follow-Up: Publish and Present and Reflect. Within this Writing Workshop, students see an exemplar example through all stages of the writing process.

In Unit 6, students read In a Sunburned Country, a piece of travel writing by Bill Bryson. At the close of the text, students are presented with the following writing option: “Bryson mentions several different types of poisonous creatures native to Australia. Choose one of these creatures to research. Then create an informative fact sheet about the creature and what people should do if they encounter the creature.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria that materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

The materials use a gradual release of responsibility model in order to engage, motivate, and challenge students. The selections for Units 1-5 begin as Guided Reading, move to Directed Reading, and end in Independent Reading. Instead of students choosing texts that they would like to read, the textbook provides the independent texts. In the independent reading phase, there is minimal support before and after reading, and students apply the skills they have learned throughout the unit independently. At the close of every Independent Reading, students are are held accountable for their independent reading task in their answering of three Refer and Reason questions and two Writing Options.

Unit 6 focuses entirely on independent reading with selections that have students practice the reading strategies and skills that students have learned. At the end of each unit, there is a list of suggested readings that relate to the topics and subject matter in the unit as a reference for students who wish to further their interests. The Program Planning Guide includes a Reading Log for students to keep track of their weekly reading: date, title, author, pages read, summary/reactions, and genre. The Reading Log provides accountability for outside of class reading, and end-of-selection Refer and Reason questions provide accountability for in-class independent reading selections. Additional supports for students are found in several of the curricular resources such as the Meeting the Standards and the Exceeding the Standards resource guides.

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

In Unit 1, students read from A Kite Runner, a novel excerpt by Khaled Hosseini and “The Kite Runner: A Servant’s Son,” a review by Edward Hower. At the close of the text, students are held accountable for their independent reading task in their answering of three Refer and Reason questions and two Writing Options.

• An example of a Refer and Reason question is as follows: “3. Quote what the narrator says that the end of the selection about people who say what they mean. Write a continuation of the story that shows how this assumption might be a problem for Hassan in the future.”

• An example of a Writing Options question is as follows: “1. Write a retelling of the incident described by Amir from Hassan’s point of view. Keep in mind what you know about Hassan and his relationship with the Amir.”

In Unit 2, students read “Something Could Happen to You,” an autobiography by Esmeralda Santiago. At the close of the text, students are held accountable for their independent reading task in their answering of three Refer and Reason questions and two Writing Options.

• An example of a Refer and Reason question is as follows: “2. Describe what the narrator of 'Something Could Happen to You' learn about being Hispanic. How does she feel about being Hispanic? What are her greatest obstacles as a recent immigrant?”

• An example of a Writing Options question is as follows: “1. Imagine that you are Miami, young Esmeralda's mother. In a series of journal entries, record your impressions of American life soon after your arrival in Brooklyn. Also jot down your thoughts about how Esmerelda seems to be adjusting to life and her new neighborhood.”

In Unit 3, Annotated Teacher’s Edition, Independent Reading, there are seven lyric poems, a map, and a villanelle. The Independent Reading section begins with Reading Poetry Independently, Theme, Realizations. Reading skills addressed include: understand denotation and connotation, use context clues, determine the appropriate meaning for the context. The villanelle, entitled “The Waking,” is written by Theodore Roethke. Students answer Refer and Reason, text-dependent questions after reading. The Independent Reading, Respond to Drama, Independent Reading Activity is: “Ask students what they think makes a play worth reading.” Students respond to several questions, and have a choice of six plays in which to choose to read.

In Unit 4, Annotated Teacher’s Edition, Program Resources, EMC Access Editions, instructs teachers that for additional independent reading, they may wish to refer students to one of EMC’s Access Edition titles, such as the “Tempest” by William Shakespeare. Each Access Edition contains a thorough study apparatus, including background information, literal comprehension questions, footnotes, vocabulary definitions, and related projects and activities. An Assessment Manual offering worksheets and exams is available for each Access Edition.”

In Unit 5, students read an excerpt from Homer’s The Iliad. At the close of the text, students are held accountable for their independent reading task in their answering of three Refer and Reason questions and two Writing Options.

• An example of a Refer and Reason question is as follows: “2. As he is near death, what does Hector beg of Achilles? How does Achilles respond? Judge whether his reaction is justified. Why or why not?”

• An example of a Writing Options question is as follows: “2. Why do heroes matter to a culture or society? In a personal essay of two or three paragraphs, discuss your ideas about heroes and heroism, with an emphasis on the role that they play in contemporary society.”

In Unit 6, students read Sandra Cisneros’s short story, “Geraldo No Last Name.” At the close of the text, students are held accountable for their independent reading task in their answering of three Refer and Reason questions and two Writing Options.

• An example of a Refer and Reason question is as follows: “Describe how the hospital staff and police react to Geraldo’s emergency situation and death, and what the staff does for Marin. What apparent attitudes do they have toward Geraldo and Marin? Do you think these attitudes are warranted? Explain.”

• An example of a Writing Options question is as follows: “2. What roles do race, class, and ethnic background play in the story? Choose one of these things and examine the part it plays in the story. Consider the attitudes Marin, the hospital staff, and police have toward Geraldo’s race, class, and ethnicity. Think about ways the story might have been different if Geraldo were of a different race, class, or ethnicity. Then write a three-paragraph literary analysis that explains what you’ve discovered.”

Within the Program Planning textbook, teachers are provided a Reading Log to give students. The Reading Log consists of sections for the date in which the text was read, title, author, pages read, and a section for summary/reactions. At the bottom of the Reading Log, students must select the genre read, which consists of the following: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, and Folk Literature. This reading log is kept throughout the entirety of the unit.