MyPerspectives Grade 7 materials are grouped around topics/themes to grow students' knowledge over the course of the school year. The sequence of texts around these topics/themes and the provided lesson scaffolds ensure that students are able to read and comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently. Texts within units are connected and arranged by topics around an essential question.

As illustrated below, unit titles are themes that connect the reading selections:

• Unit 1: Generations
• Unit 2: A Starry Home
• Unit 3: Turning Points
• Unit 4: People and the Planet
• Unit 5: Facing Adversity

An example of the way the publisher organizes the unit by theme with appropriate texts and differentiated learning modality is illustrated below with Unit 4:

Theme/topic: People and the Planet

• Launch text – “Rethinking the Wild”
• Anchor Text: Essay – from Silent Spring
• Anchor text: Speech – “Nobel Speech”
• Media: Video – “Al Gore’s Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech”
• Small Group
• Poetry – “Turtle Watchers,” ““Nature” is what we see-,” and “The Sparrow”
• Media: Photo Gallery – Eagle Tracking at Follensby Pond
• Short Story – “He-y, Come On Ou-t!”

My Perspectives Grade 7 materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts. This provides students with opportunities to share their learning through written and oral projects.

Below are direct examples from unit assignments to illustrate how materials contain sets of coherently sequences questions and tasks:

From Unit 3, "Turning Points"

“Urban Farming is Growing a Greener Future” (media: art and photography):

Students analyze photographs, noting details, making inferences, and drawing conclusions. They also complete a graphic organizer where they analyze what the photograph shows and how it relates to the text that accompanies each image.

Concept vocabulary are introduced at the beginning of the selection and revisited again at the end where students are asked to use the vocabulary in their answers to sequenced questions: What turning point is described in the background information for this selection? Identify at least one thing that all of the images have in common. What benefits of urban farming do the photos illustrate?

From Unit 4, "People and the Planet"

• Media - Photo Gallery: “Eagle Tracking at Follensby Pond” by Nature Conservancy
• Notes text boxes are given after all six photos.
• Comprehension Check Questions:
• Where did conservationists collect eaglets for eventful release in New York State?
• According to the article, what bas been the result of this repopulation project?
• Notebook: Confirm your understanding of the selection by writing a brief explanation of the reason the eagles were brought from Alaska.
• Close Review - With your group…
• Analyze the Media (p 418) - Present and Discuss, Review and Synthesize, Essential Question
• Media Vocabulary: documentary photography, vantage point, monochrome
• Research: Assignment, Research Project, Present

My Perspectives Grade 7 materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent question and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts. The questions for each text are written to give students preparation for the culminating tasks while building answers to the Essential Questions. Students are provided opportunities in each unit to integrate knowledge and ideas through text-dependent questions and writing assignments across both individual and multiple texts.

In Unit 4, students are asked to evaluate an argument in a persuasive speech, “Nobel Speech”, by Al Gore, completing a chart identifying types of persuasion used in the speech, then responding to questions and writing a summary to summarize the effectiveness of the arguments.

Following this, students then compare the video of Al Gore’s acceptance speech with the previous text, writing an argument answering the questions: How did the video and speech affect you? How does the delivery of the speech impact Al Gore’s words? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each medium? State your opinion about which medium you think is most effective.

In Unit 5, students engage with “Surviving the Dust Bowl” and Grapes of Wrath (non-fiction video paired with literary text task) and then compare and contrast images from the video with personal images from the text, recording their ideas in a chart and writing an essay based on information gathered in the chart. This represents the integration of knowledge and ideas across multiple texts.

My Perspectives Grade 7 meet the expectations of indicator 2d. The series is organized into five units which each conclude with Performance-Based Assessment to not only provide information for the teacher to understand students' learning, but also for students to grow their own abilities in synthesizing knowledge and multiple standards.

After reading the anchor texts during whole group instruction, which all have a connection to the unit’s Essential Question and the culminating task, the unit begins writing to sources with one of the 3 types of CCSS writing (Performance Task: Writing Focus). Throughout each unit there are questions and tasks that support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic through integrated skills. Embedded in each unit are both writing and speaking/listening performance tasks preparing students for success on the end-of-unit performance-based assessment.

Examples of these include (but are not limited to) the following:

Unit 2: A Starry Home

The culminating writing task is an argument answering the question, “Should we spend valuable resources on space exploration?” and a brief oral presentation on the topic. Students begin the unit by answering this question in a quick write after reading the launch text, viewing the unit introductory video, and participating in class discussion. While analyzing the anchor text Dark They Were and Golden Eyed, students respond to the question, “What have you learned about living in space by reading this story?” p 142. The culminating activity for the anchor texts requires students to write an editorial responding to the prompt, “Do the benefits of exploring Mars outweigh the risks?” p 164. Throughout the unit, students keep an evidence log to record textual evidence in preparation of the unit culminating activity.

Unit 3: Turning Points

Performance-Based Assessment (culminating task for the unit): This task is organized in two parts: (1) write an informative essay written to sources about causes of significant changes in someone’s life and (2) present a multimedia oral presentation based on the final draft of the informative essay in part 1. Students have read selections related to this topic prior to this culminating task.

In Part 1, students demonstrate their ability to develop a clear thesis supported by specific textual evidence such as examples and quotations. In Part 2, students review their informative essay and identify the most salient ideas (taken from the introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs) to present in the multimedia oral presentation.

Unit 4: People and the Planet

A comparison of media with text can be found in unit 4. The task is much more difficult with students needing to make a comparison between Al Gore’s Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech. They must give both similarities and differences in the two versions. This is a more difficult task due to subject specific vocabulary, figurative language, and many quotes from scientists and world leaders. Lastly, in unit 5 students are asked to write and comparison and contrast essay in which they discover the differences between two versions of an episode in Helen Keller’s life (pp 516-517).

The instructional materials for Grade 7 include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts. Students are provided frequent opportunities to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts throughout all five units. In each unit, students have a section labeled “Making Meaning” for several of the texts, including readings and videos. In that section, students are given subsections called “Concept Vocabulary,” “Word Study” and “Analyze Craft and Structure.” Additionally, students are given a section called “Word Network” that allows them to choose “interesting words” from a particular text and add it to their ongoing list of words over the course of the year.

Some samples of the vocabulary process in the program include the following:

Unit 2

ascertain: The term is first introduced on page 119 through an argument chart and then reviewed more closely on page 164 through a writing focused, performance task for argument. On page 220, students work with the term once again through a performance-based writing assessment.

Unit 4

Concept Vocabulary p 340 - Three words ancestors, wisdom, heed, are listed for students. Then the SE asks, “Why These Words? The concept vocabulary words from the text are related. With your group, determine what the words have in common. Write your ideas and add another word that fits the category.

Under Practice, students are asked to “Confirm your understanding of these words holding a group discussion of the connection between people and the environment.”

Under Word Study, students are given the definition of etymology, along with an explanation of how the word “ancestor” is built by combining a Latin prefix and a Latin verb.

After reading Silent Spring (SE p 368) students are given the concept vocabulary again and asked about the author’s choice to use these words with questions such as: “How does the concept vocabulary sharpen the reader’s understanding of what happens to the town and its people?” and “What other words in the selection are related to the town’s changing landscape?”

Unit 5

In preparation for and after reading an excerpt from The Grapes of Wrath, pp. 456-462, students complete the following activities:

• Prior to reading the selection, pg. 456, students are provided 6 concept vocabulary words to rank in order from most familiar to least familiar. After their first read of the text, they are to return to the vocabulary and make changes to their original ranking as needed.
• As students read, concept vocabulary is highlighted in blue and defined in the margin.
• Following the reading of the text on pg. 464, students complete the Concept Vocabulary section. Students respond to the following questions:

1. How does the concept vocabulary sharpen the reader’s understanding of the characters in the story?
2. What other words in the selection are related to the difficult conditions these characters face?
3. Use each concept word in a sentence that demonstrates your understanding of the word’s meaning.

• Students are introduced to the suffixes -ness and -less in the Word Study section. They complete the following:

1. Write your own sentence that correctly uses the word bitterness.
2. Write your own sentence that correctly uses the word ruthless.
3. Using a dictionary or thesaurus, find two other words that have the suffix -ness and two other words that have the suffix -less. Record a definition for each words and write a sentence that correctly uses it.

The instructional materials for Grade 7 support students’ increasing writing skills over the course of the school year, building students’ writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of school year. The five units are divided into Unit Introduction, Whole-Class Learning, Small-Group Learning, Independent Learning, Performance-Based Assessment, and Unit Reflection. Following the backward design model, the writing activities within the units lead to Performance Tasks that prepare students for the Performance-Based Assessment. Throughout the unit, students keep an Evidence Log to record information they gather and connections they make.

Examples that demonstrate MyPerspectives' approach to teaching writing include (but are not limited to) the following:

Unit 1: After reading the poem, “Mother to Son,” students are asked to write a narrative poem in which the speaker shares a lesson learned through personal experience with another person. The texts provides assignments for group work where each member writes a brief description of a lesson learned through personal experience. This is shared as a part of the planning process, so students can select one description to base the assigned poem. A list of questions are given to help the group brainstorm further about their intended topic. Additional steps are given to assist students with combining their work, revisions, presentation, and discussion.

Unit 3: Following the Launch Text, an Informative Essay model, “At the Crossroads,” students write a summary of the text and in a quick write address the prompt, “What can cause a significant change in someone’s life?” Teachers draw students’ attention to the structure of the text, making note the author does not state a position, simply tells the story and makes clear cause-and-effect relationships among the events in the story.

During whole-class learning, students read the short story, A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley Acts I and II, and write a brief explanatory essay in which they explain how the stage directions in the play enhance their understanding and enjoyment of the selection. Teachers review with students what stage directions are their role in a play. There is also a document, Writing to Sources: Explanatory Essay, in the online Interactive Teacher’s Edition or Unit Resources.

Unit 5: Students are asked to view a video, Surviving the Dust Bowl, read an excerpt from The Grapes of Wrath, and read a short story, The Circuit. After analyzing each and writing about them with graphic organizers or their Evidence Log, students are asked to use this information along with their class discussion to write an essay in which they compare and contrast the fictional portrayal of people in the text excerpt to the historical account in the video.

The instructional materials for Grade 7 include 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 sources. Each of the units has students engaged in research projects, sequenced throughout the unit and across the year, to developing their knowledge on a given topic centered around the essential question for the unit, and requiring they analyze different aspects of the topic using multiple texts and source materials.

Some examples of how Grade 7 students will work on research skills over the year include:

Unit 2: After reading the news article, “Future of Space Exploration Could See Humans on Mars, Alien Planets, students are asked to choose at least one unfamiliar scientific detail in the excerpt, such as Proxima Centauri or possible methods to wrap space-time and research that detail. Then, students are asked to respond to the question, “In what way does the information you learned from your research shed light on the excerpt and on the 100-Year Spaceship project? Finally, students share their findings with their group.

Unit 4: After students have finished reading the essay, Silent Spring, and writing an argument essay in which they state a position on whether they feel the author’s description inspires readers to take action or discourages action because the problem is too big, they conduct research and deliver an informational multimedia presentation on one of the following topics:

• The importance of Silent Spring and the impact it had on revolutionizing the way in which humans view their environment
• The struggle to ban DDT and the ban’s eventual victory
• The parallels between the current threats to bee populations worldwide and the impacts DDT had on wildlife when Carson wrote Silent Spring

Students are instructed to research the topic and use credible internet and library resources to gather information and relevant visual aids. A presentation evaluation guide is provided in the SE for peers to rate each other.

Unit 5: Research to clarify/research to explore: Research an unfamiliar detail in the excerpt. For instance, you might want to learn more about Helen Keller’s teacher, Anne Sullivan. In what way does the information you learned shed light on the excerpt? Share your findings with your small group.

The instructional materials for Grade 7 provide a design for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading. Each unit follows the same format of whole group, small group, and then independent reading. Students connect the Essential Question to the Independent Reading selections and continue adding to their Evidence Log.

This series has an “Independent Learning” section within each unit. The section is color-coded purple so that it is easily recognized by teachers and students. During the scheduled days for Independent Learning, students choose one online selection to read independently centered around the unit essential question. When introducing the Independent Learning, teachers encourage students to think about what they have already learned about the unit topic. They review independent learning strategies by watching the video on Independent Learning Strategies.

Graphic organizers are used to record the student’s response to the selected reading for this section. Students are held accountable by completing two graphic organizers - First-Read Guide and Close-Read Guide and a series of questions under Share Your Independent Learning.

Trade books are integrated throughout the school year, per unit of study. For example, in Unit 2 students choose among Parasite Peg by William Sleator, Crater by Homer Hickam, and James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. In Unit 4, the independent reading choices include Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, My Side of the Mountain by Jan Craighead George, and Hoot by Carl Hiaasen.

Students are periodically provided choice to engage them in independent reading. In Unit 2, students can choose from a poetry selection “Science Fiction Cradlesong”, an article “UFO Sightings and News”, an essay “Packing for Mars”, and an article “Trip to Mars Could Damage Astronauts’ Brains."

Students are given a list of online selections to choose one to read independently as well. In Unit 3, the genres include a reflective essay, news article, biography, and short story. In the SE a section on Independent Learning Strategies is given to assist students as they learn to “rely on yourself to learn and work on your own.” Students are asked to review the strategies and put them into practice as they focus on Independent Learning.

Tools for students to practice building reading skills on their own are included. For the “First-Read Guide” graphic organizer, students are asked to “Use this page to record your first-read ideas.” The boxes on the organizer are divided into the follow sections:

NOTICE new information or ideas you learn about the unit topic.
ANNOTATE by marking vocabulary and key passages you want to revisit.
CONNECT ideas within the selection to other knowledge and the selections you have read.
RESPOND by writing a brief summary of the selection.

The materials for Grade 7 are well-designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing. Each unit is organized into the following sections: unit introduction, whole-class learning, small-group learning, independent learning, performance-based assessment, and unit reflection. Teachers and students are also directed to additional materials such as digital resources including media selections, modeling videos, and audio recordings.

The curriculum is composed of five, seven week units. Each unit follows the same sequence of instruction focused on the unit essential question. A sample of how lessons and units are organized and what components are included with each unit is listed below:

Unit Introduction – 2 days
Whole-Class Learning – 13 days followed by 3 days for performance task
Small-Group Learning – 12 days followed by 2 days for performance task
Independent Learning – 2 days followed by 2 days for performance based assessment

Each section begins with an overview followed by the lesson plan for the text. Each lesson plan includes:
Summary of text
Insight into the text itself
Connection to the essential question
Connection to the performance task
Lesson Resources including:
Instructional Standards for the lessonStudent and Teacher Resources are found online in Interactive Teacher’s Edition

Also included:
Reteach/Practice resources
Assessment component
Text Complexity Rubric
· Support for ELLs, struggling learners, and gifted
· Teaching and Learning Cycle: Decide and Plan → Teach → Analyze and Revise Identify Needs → Decide and Plan

For Grade 7, the teacher and student can reasonably complete the content within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding. The pacing is such that students can master the content by the end of the course. The pacing guide appears in the TE on the first page of each unit, on the Whole-Class Learning overview page, on the Small-Group Learning overview page, and on the Independent Learning overview page of each unit.

The total number of lessons available for Grade 6 is 180. Each unit provides 7 weeks of instruction. With 5 units, the curriculum could be covered in a 36 week academic year. Teachers may choose to deliver whole-class learning, assign students to groups for small-group learning, or assign the independent learning lessons to individual students.

Support for block scheduling of the course content for individual lessons in each unit is available. For example, each day in the pacing plan represents a 40-50 minute class period. Teachers are advised to combine days to reflect their class schedule and they are given guidance on revising the pacing for differentiation (integrating lesson components and resources as necessary for students).

The student resources for Grade 7 include ample review and practice resources, clear directions, and explanation, and correct labeling of reference aids. Materials include but are not limited to: evidence log; word network; learning strategies for whole-class, small-group and independent learning; genre specific first and close read guides; text dependent questions; App for scanning multi-media; model text for writing; support charts; concept vocabulary; essay rubrics; organization chart for small group work; choice in many assignments; selection audio; presentation rubrics; and sentence stems.

Student directions are clearly written and units and assignments follow the same predictable sequence making it easy for students to complete activities. By beginning the Unit with a launch text written in the type of writing students will be practicing throughout the unit, and by having students address the essential question in response to the launch text, throughout the unit, and again in the culminating performance assessment, students continue to interact with the theme through reading, writing, and speaking.

The First-Read Guide is divided into quadrants titled: Notice, Annotate, Connect, and Respond.

• Notice new information or ideas you learn about the topic as you first read this text.
• Annotate by marking vocabulary and key passages you want to revisit.
• Connect ideas within the selection to other knowledge and the selections you have read.
• Respond by writing a brief summary of the selection.

The Close-Read Guide is divided into three sections:

• Close read the text – Revisit sections of the text you marked during your first read. Read these sections closely and annotate what you notice. Ask yourself questions about the text. What can you conclude? Write down your ideas.
• Analyze the text – Think about the author’s choices of patterns, structure, techniques, and ideas included in the text. Select one and record your thoughts about what this choice conveys.
• Quick Write – Pick a paragraph from the text that grabbed your interest. Explain the power of this passage.

Ample review and practice resources are available:

• Evaluating Your Draft checklist:
  • Purpose and Organization
    • Provides an introduction that establishes a clear context and introduces the characters.
    • Presents a clear chronological sequence of events that are linked by a variety of transitions.
    • Provides a conclusion that follows from the events and experiences in the narrative.
  • Evidence and Elaboration
    • Effectively uses narrative techniques such as dialogue, pacing , and description.
    • Uses descriptive details, sensory language, and precise words and phrases.
    • Establishes the writer’s voice through word choice, sentence structure, and tone.
  • Conventions
    • Attends to the norms and conventions of the discipline.

Directions and explanations are clear and reference materials are correctly labeled:

• Peer Review
  • Exchange papers with a classmate. Use the checklist to evaluate your classmate’s nonfiction narrative and provide supportive feedback

Materials for Grade 7 include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items. Alignment to the standards is found repeatedly throughout the series.

On pages T48-T59 of the TE, there is the Standards Correlation noting, by standard, the name of the text or assignment and page number on which it appears. In Lesson Resources prior to each text in the TE, the standards appear in the chart broken down by Reading, Language, Writing, and Speaking and Listening.

In the SE, Standards are found on pp. xx-xxix and noted in the margins throughout each text selection, with the activities and questions following the text, with the performance tasks, and with the culminating Performance-Based Assessment.

There is alignment between questions, tasks and assessment items. Examples like the one below, can be found throughout the textbook:

• Question
  • What was the author’s dream at age 12?
• Task
  • Using this chart, cite three of the author’s influences and explain how each influence affected the central idea of the text. Share your responses with your group.
• Assessment Item
  • You have read about imaginary characters and settings. Work with your group to develop, plan, and perform a fictional narrative for your class in which you address this question: What might Alice and the Jabberwock discuss if they had met and had a conversation?

My Perspectives: English Language Arts - Grade 7 includes a teacher’s edition with ample and useful annotation suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

The series includes an overview for each of the five units that include a pacing plan with suggested days for unit introduction, whole-class learning, small-group learning, and independent learning. After each type of learning there are performance tasks that lead to the performance-based assessment at the end of each unit. To further assist teachers, there is a connection to standards, other lessons, trade books, skills, and vocabulary. The units include notes for cross-curricular perspectives and differentiation of instruction.

Throughout the unit, teacher guidance is provided in the margins on every page. For example, during Close Read the narrative guides teachers through this process by reminding students of what to look for, Annotate gives modeling language,Question models questioning and has the teacher talk through what they are wondering following the narrative, and finally, Conclude where the teacher makes a conclusion based on the modeled think aloud.

Pearson Realize has online resources supplementing the TE and SE. Digital Perspectives in the TE shows what digital resources are available for each lesson. For example, audio, video, document, annotation highlights, EL highlights, and online assessments. Students have an online Evidence Log that is used to record evidence from all selections in a unit to aid in writing the culminating task of the Performance Based Assessment.

The teacher's edition materials for My Perspectives: English Language Arts - Grade 7 contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literacy concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

Each unit in this series includes labels (Introduction with Unit Goals, Overview, Planning, and Teaching) that give teachers an explanation of how to teach the texts and skills. The Personalize for Learning offers English Language Support, as well as Challenges for advanced students. This and other resources are available at http://eladashboard.com/myperspectives - the online support for the Teacher Edition.

Throughout the unit, teacher guidance is provided in the margins on every page. Pages are also color coded, Whole Group Learning is green and says Teaching at the top of the page, Performance Tasks are color coded in orange, Small Group Learning is blue with Facilitating at the top of the page, and Independent Learning is dark blue with Advising at the top of the page. The teacher should be very clear what his/her role will be at every point in the unit.

Author’s Perspective notes are integrated throughout each unit and assist teachers by offering an expert opinion on topics such as the Importance of Background Knowledge, Why Goal Setting Matters,Using Sentence Starters, Strategic Use of Media,etc. My Perspectives has a team of four experts in the educational field who are known for their best practices.

The teacher's edition for My Perspectives: English Language Arts - Grade 7 clearly explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum.

Teachers are provided with a Pacing Plan for each unit that includes the Unit Introduction, Whole Group Learning, Small Group Learning, and Independent Learning. Within each section, there is a recommended number of days allocated for each reading selection and activities, including Performance Tasks. This gives a great overview of the unit and what to expect for ease of planning.

The teacher’s edition shows the connections between the standards and myPerspectives: ELA series. The Personalize for Learning notes include opportunities for teachers to address standards with additional resources in the online resource http://eladashboard.com/myperspectives.

My Perspectives: English Language Arts has an online explanation for the correlation between standards and the texs at http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PS2rBh&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbSubSolutionId=&PMDbCategoryId=3289&PMDbSubCategoryId=28138&PMDbSubjectAreaId=&PMDbProgramId=144499&elementType=correlations

The instructional materials for Grade 7 meet the expectations of indicator 3i. The materials contain explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies. The program outline includes foundational background:

“The program is backward designed from standards-based learning outcomes. All activities, instruction, and assessments contribute to students demonstrating their learning in response to an achievable performance-based assessment. Students integrate the knowledge they acquired, apply critical thinking skills, cite evidence, and use effective expression to respond to a complex multi-step writing and/or speaking and listening task.”

Teachers are provided with a Pacing Plan for each unit that includes the Unit Introduction, Whole Group Learning, Small Group Learning, and Independent Learning. Within each section, there is a recommended number of days allocated for each reading selection and activities, including Performance Tasks. This gives a great overview of the unit and what to expect for ease of planning.

Pages are also color coded, Whole Group Learning is green and says teaching at the top of the page, Performance Tasks are color coded in orange, Small Group Learning is blue with Facilitating at the top of the page, and Independent Learning is dark blue with Advising at the top of the page. The teacher should be very clear what his/her role will be at every point in the unit.

There is also a Planning section before each text selection showing the Lesson Resources, both student and teacher resources organized by Making Meaning, Language Development, and Effective Expression. Next, is a Personalize For Learning: Reading Support that gives the Text Complexity rubric for that reading selection and a Decide and Plan section which gives teachers additional information for English Language Support, Strategic Support, and Challenge support as well as a Read and Respond teaching scaffold. Decide and Plan also includes CCSS Instructional Standards for the selection with a Catching up suggestion and a looking forward selection for the various standards covered in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language.

Materials for Grade 7 regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that genuinely measure student progress. The series provides for year-long assessments in the form of a Beginning-of-Year Test on all standards taught in the academic year for planning standard focus, a Mid-Year Test for mastery of standards taught the first half of year, providing opportunities to remediate, and End-of-Year Test to determine mastery of standards, future class placement, and to capture final assessment data.

• Selection activities formatively used to assess students’ grasp of critical concepts such as analyzing text, analyzing craft and structure, concept vocabulary, word study, and author’s style. (Notes in the TE offer suggestions for re-teaching, if needed.)
• Selection tests tracking student progress toward mastering standards taught with the selection
• Performance tasks including both a writing and a speaking and listening performance task preparing students for success on the end-of-unit Performance-Based Assessment
• Unit tests requiring students to apply standards taught in the unit with new text, providing an opportunity for teachers to remediate
• Performance-Based Assessments where students use their notes, knowledge, and skills learned to complete a project on their own.

The materials meet the expectations of indicator 3l.i. Included assessments for Grade 6 clearly denote which standards are being emphasized. On pages T48-T59 of the TE, there is the Standards Correlation noting, by standard, the name of the text or assignment and page number on which it appears. In Lesson Resources prior to each text in the TE, the standards appear in the chart by activity and assessment, broken down by Reading, Language, Writing, and Speaking and Listening.

In the SE, Standards are noted in the margin next to each text, activity, assessment and performance task. Standards identified align with the appropriate tasks and questions students complete.

Assessments for Grade 7 provide sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.

When assessing taught standards, Mid-Year Tests and Unit Tests can be administered online and remediation is assigned automatically. If not administered online, an interpretation guide can be used to assign remediation resources.

The writing portion of each Performance-Based Assessment includes a genre specific rubric in both the TE and SE. The second part of the Performance-Based Assessment, speaking and listening, includes a rubric specific to the type of presentation. The wording in these rubrics is taken directly from the standards. Formative assessment tips and suggestions are included with each activity. A section entitled, Personalize for Learning, located in the bottom margin of the TE throughout each unit, provides support for ELLs, Strategic Support, and Challenge.

Materials for Grade 7 include routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress.

Prior to the introductory launch text, students complete a self-assessment, rating themselves on how they meet the unit goals.

The first activity students complete at the end of each text during Whole-Group and Small-Group Learning is a Comprehension Check, in which students respond to several open-ended questions following the first read of the text and write a summary of the text. During Small-Group Learning, students respond individually, then review and clarify details with group members.

Formative assessment tips and suggestions are included in the TE in the margins with each of the activities student are to complete following a text. In the lesson plan for each text, teachers are provided the list of resources to go with that text found in the Interactive TE or Unit Resources. The list includes Reteach/Practice documents and Assessment for the text if available.

Materials for Grade 7 provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners, so the content is accessible to all learners and supports them in meeting or exceeding the grade-level standards.

Each unit begins with a Launch Text that is a lower Lexile, so that students can read independently and complete the assigned homework. There is also an audio summary for students to build additional background for students before reading.

There is a Personalize For Learning: Reading Support section that gives the Text Complexity rubric for that reading selection and a Decide and Plan section which gives teachers additional information for:

• English Language Support with suggestions for Knowledge Demands and Language
• Strategic Support with suggestions for Knowledge Demands and Language/Clarity
• Challenge support with suggestions for Text Analysis and Written Response

As part of supporting the standards throughout the unit’s teaching and learning cycle, under Decide and Plan is the standard being taught.

• Next to the standard under Catching Up, selection scaffolds are provided before the lesson is assigned in the SE to scaffold learning for students who are below grade level or students who need English Language support.
• The Looking Forward section provides activities to practice mastered skills in depth

There are also notes in the TE under the heading Personalize For Learning to provide extra support. There is a Vocabulary Development section that focuses on multiple meaning words and gives examples for several meanings of selected word.

Under Lesson Resources in the TE there are Reteach/Practice materials available online for students who may need extra teaching and practice with author’s craft, word study, conventions and writing/discussion. Each selection has the option to listen to the audio online as well as the Word Network graphic organizer and the Evidence Log.

Author’s Perspective gives teachers pertinent information to assist with providing differentiated instruction.

Materials for Grade 7 regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level, or in a language other than English, with extensive opportunities to work with grade level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards.

All students have extensive opportunities to read, write, speak, and listen to grade level text and meet or exceed grade level standards. The students read the same grade level texts throughout each unit, with the teacher modeling and scaffolding instruction during whole group learning and facilitating during small group learning. The students do have a choice of selections during Independent Learning. These selections vary in genre and Lexile but are all tied to the unit’s Essential Question and have a similar lesson plan and expectations.

There are supports built into the series to help make students who are not at grade level and students who speak a language other than English successful with the grade level text and grade level standards. For example, when introducing a unit, there is an introduction video and a Launch Text that is always a model of the type of writing students will be expected to write at the end of the unit. Audio Summaries are also available in both English and Spanish to help build background knowledge before reading.

Materials for Grade 7 regularly include extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

All students have extensive opportunities to read, write, speak, and listen to grade level text and meet or exceed grade level standards. The students read the same grade level texts throughout each unit, with the teacher modeling and scaffolding instruction during whole group learning and facilitating during small group learning.

Under Personalize For Learning: Reading Support the Decide and Plan section gives teachers additional information for Challenge support with suggestions for Text Analysis and Written Response.

Under Standards Support Through Teaching and Learning Cycle, the Looking Forward section provides activities to practice mastered skills in depth for those students exceeding grade level standards. Within the Teacher’s Edition (TE), there is a chart that has the CCSS grade level standard listed that includes a column called “Looking Forward.” This gives advanced opportunities for students who have mastered the standard to go deeper into the standard.

Materials for Grade 7 provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies. Some examples of this include (but are not limited to) the following:

Unit 1

Whole-Class Learning: After reading the anchor texts, a news blog and a memoir, students are assigned to “Plan with Your Group.” The directions are as follows: “Analyze the Text. With your group, discuss the lessons taught in each text listed. Summarize your ideas on this chart. Then circle the lesson that you think best matches your own experience or observation.”

Small-Group Learning: Under the title “Working as a Team,” students are asked to discuss the following question: “What kinds of ideas and experiences can young people and adults share?” Prior to the discussion, students are asked to create group rules, choose a group name and create a communication plan.

Independent Learning: After choosing a text from the selections offered as independent readings for this unit, students are asked to share what they have learned with classmates (pairing or small groups). The task is as follows: “Reflect on the text you explored independently and write notes about its connection to the unit. In your notes, consider why this text belongs in the this unit.” Under “Learn From Your Classmates,” students are asked to “Share your ideas about the text you explored on your own. As you talk with others in your class, jot down a few ideas that you learned from them.”

Unit 5

Whole-Class Learning: After reading “The Circuit” by Francisco Jimenez, students are given an assignment that requires them to work with a partner. “First , work with a partner to research what life was like for migrant farm workers and their families in the time period of “The Circuit.”

Small-Group Learning: After reading an excerpt from Helen Keller’s The Story of My Life, students are asked to review the concept vocabulary words found in the text (imitate, mystery, barriers). With their group, they are asked to “determine what the words have in common.” Additionally, the group is assigned to “add another word that fits the category.”

Independent Learning: After choosing a text from the selections offered as independent readings for this unit, students are asked to share what they have learned with classmates (pairing or small groups). The task is as follows: “Reflect on the text you explored independently and write notes about its connection to the unit. In your notes, consider why this text belongs in the this unit.” Under “Learn From Your Classmates,” students are asked to “Share your ideas about the text you explored on your own. As you talk with others in your class, jot down a few ideas that you learned from them.”