MyPerspectives Grade 6 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: Childhood
• Unit 2: Animal Allies
• Unit 3: Modern Technology
• Unit 4: Imagination
• Unit 5: Exploration

An example of the way the publisher organizes the unit by theme with appropriate texts and differentiated learning modality is illustrated below with Unit 5: Exploration (theme)

• Launch text – “What on Earth is left to Explore?”
• Anchor text – from A Long Way Home
• Media: Video – “Animation All About Exploration”
• Small Group Learning
• News Article – “Mission Twinpossible”
• Argument – “Should NASA Pay companies to Fly Astronauts to the International Space Station”
• Argument – “Should Polar Tourism Be Allowed?”
• Media: Graphic Novel – from Lewis & Clark

My Perspectives Grade 6 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 examples from unit assignments to illustrate how materials contain sets of coherently sequences questions and tasks:

From Unit 1, "Childhood" After reading, “I Was a Skinny Tomboy Kid” p 69, students are given several activities one is found in the section, entitled “Making Meaning” under Analyze Craft, and Structure p 74 where students are asked to read and learn the definition for Theme, Imagery, and Figurative Language. The assignment reads as follows: “Work as a group to fill in the chart, showing how the poet develops the theme of this poem.” The students must cite the “Text” and “How Poet Expresses Theme” in the chart and then share it with the findings with group members.

From Unit 2, "Animal Allies"

Media vocabulary. The teacher is given instructions for how to teach media vocabulary, including having students to discuss where (in other texts) they have seens the terms before and whether or not they have used them in speaking and writing. Students work together in groups to find commonalities between the terms. Also, instructions are given on how to teach domain specific vocabulary: student identify a domain specific term in a podcast that will eventually be included in a class dictionary that any student may access as they discuss the podcast.

From Unit 3, "Modern Technology"

Students read the blog post, “Teens and Technology Share a Future” by Stefan Etienne.

Students annotate the texts, such as in paragraph 3 where they mark the metaphor.
In the Comprehension Check sections, they answer questions such as: "According to Etienne, why is technology a 'window into a new world'? In what way does Etienne suggest that technology is like a superpower?"
In their notebook, students list three important ideas from the selection to show your understanding. In Analyze the Text, students Paraphrase, Evaluate, Speculate, Interpret, Essential Question. In Analyze Craft and Structure, students Determine Author’s Purpose and Point of View

My Perspectives Grade 6 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 1, students are analyzing one author’s presentation of facts with another using a chart on first-person point of view during class discussion. They then write an explanatory essay comparing the point of view of A Simple Act and the excerpt from An Invisible Thread to analyze the effect of each point of view on the reader.

Later in the Unit, students are provided graphic support in developing ideas in their small group comparing video with text. They are then to use the chart they developed, along with terms, phrases and/or sentences from the text to achieve Maya Angelou’s voice in writing either a journal entry letter, or video script (pp 84-85).

In Unit 5, students read an excerpt from A Long Way Home, a memoir by Saroo Brierley. Students answer, "What is Brierley looking for, and how is he conducting his search?" Next, they view the video, “Animation All About Exploration” and answer: What types of things did people long ago use to help them navigate?

For the "Write an Argument Performance Task," students receive the prompt: You’ve read a memoir excerpt and you’ve watched a video about exploration...use your knowledge...and defend a position on the topic of exploration. In the "Connect Across Text," students use evidence from both texts to support the claims they make about the essential question: What drives people to explore?

My Perspectives Grade 6 meets the expectations of indicator 2d. The series is organized into five units and the culminating task for each unit is a Performance-Based Assessment. 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. Imbedded in each unit are both writing and speaking/listening performance tasks preparing students for success on the end-of-unit performance-based assessment.

Unit 1: Childhood

The culminating writing task is a nonfiction narrative answering the question, “When did a challenge lead to a triumph?” p 86, which students then present as a recitation for the speaking/listening portion of the assessment. Students begin the unit by answering this question in a quick write after reading the launch text, p 9. While analyzing the anchor text, Brown Girl Dreaming, students respond to the question, “What have you learned about the challenges and triumphs of growing up from reading the selection?” p 20. The culminating activity for the anchor texts requires students to write a personal narrative responding to the prompt, “When did you have to use your imagination to find another way to do something?” pg. 32. Throughout the unit, students keep an evidence log to record textual evidence in preparation of the unit culminating activity.

Unit 3: Modern Technology

Performance-Based Assessment (culminating task for the unit): This task is organized in two parts: (1) write an argumentative essay written to sources about our reliance on technology and (2) present an oral presentation based on the final draft of the argumentative essay in part 1. Students have read, watched, and viewed/listened to selections prior to this culminating task.

In Part 1, students demonstrate their ability to make claims supported by relevant evidence and to draw evidence from texts to support their analyses. In Part 2, students demonstrate their ability to identify claims and reasons in their own writing (introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs) and present them orally to an audience.

Unit 4: Imagination

Students are comparing the drama and video of The Phantom Tollbooth as their whole class learning activity (p. 282, 312, 346) which supports R.L 6.7. Students are given a graphic organizer to record similarities and differences of character, setting, and events after discussing with a partner. Students are then asked to write a compare and contrast essay noting what is similar to and different from what they “see” and “hear” when reading and watching the video. They are also asked to use evidence from each medium to support their ideas. This supports students’ need to perform analysis of parts to complete quality cumulative tasks and to integrate knowledge and ideas.

Students also are integrating Knowledge and Ideas in informational Text. With The Black Hole of Technology (p.222-223) students must compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (R.I 6.9) and trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not (R.I 6.8) with The Black Hole of Technology p.222-223 and Should Polar Tourism Be Allowed? P. 464-465.

The instructional materials for Grade 6 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.

Excerpts from the program that highlight some vocabulary work are listed here:

Unit 1

memoir: The term is first introduced on page 5 through a nonfiction narrative chart and then reviewed more closely on page 32 through a writing focused, performance task for nonfiction narrative. On page 86, students encounter the term once again through a performance-based writing assessment.

Unit 2

Concept Vocabulary p 141 - Three words, ripple, nuzzled, caress, are listed for students. Then, the SE asks, “Why These Words” The three concept vocabulary words from the text are related. With your group, determine what the words have in common. How do these word choices enhance the impact of the text?

Under Practice, students are asked to write in their Notebook - The concept vocabulary words appear in “A Blessing.” Gain a better understanding of them by working in a group to write a sentence using each word.

Unit 3

After reading The Phantom Tollbooth, Acts I, II, and media, pp. 282-349, students complete the following activities:

• Prior to reading the first selection, pg. 282, 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. Additionally, Tier II vocabulary are identified and defined in the margin.
• At the end of the text, pg. 310, students revisit the concept vocabulary and respond to two questions:

How does the concept vocabulary sharpen the reader’s understanding of some of the ideas being explored in The Phantom Tollbooth, Act I? What other words in the selection connect to this concept?

The online TE provides additional support in the form of a Concept Vocabulary and Word Study document.

The instructional materials for Grade 6 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 units, students keep an Evidence Log to record information they gather and connections they make.

Some examples of how the program works with writing include (but are not limited to) the following:

Unit 1: Students read and analyze Bad Boy and I Was a Skinny Tomboy Kid. A graphic organizer is given for them to use as a tool to gather information and details needed for writing. For additional writing support, students are assigned to write what they have learned about both selections in their Evidence Log. Using their notes from both the graphic organizer and the Evidence Log, students write a compare-and-contrast essay in which they analyze the different ways the memoir excerpt and the poem address a common theme.

Unit 3: Performance Task: Students are asked to write an argument in the form of an editorial taking a position on “Which blogger made a better case for his or her argument?”

Performance Based Assessment: Students are asked to write and present an argument defending a claim in response to “Do we rely on technology too much?”

The textbook provides supports for the students throughout the writing process. It lists the elements of an argument and gives bulletpoints of the different elements an argument contains. It also provides a model argument for students to review. Students may use their student books or the online student book to work through the unit. Next is the Prewriting/Planning templates where it prompts students to write a claim and then to consider possible counterclaims.

Unit 5: After reading “Mission Twinpossible” based on the lives of astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly, students are assigned a Research: How-To-Essay where they work in their groups to explain the steps in a process. They can choose from two topics:

1. Conduct research to learn more about these effects (negative effects of gravity) while they are traveling in space. Write an essay in which you explain “how to minimize the effects of space travel on the human body.”
2. Conduct research to find out more about the training and preparation required to become an astronaut. Write an essay in which you explain “how to become an astronaut.”

The texts gives students on how to write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic. They learn to conduct research, organize information, cite sources, and avoid plagiarism. To personalize learning, teachers are given notes under “Strategic Support” that offers steps on how to teach students to find trustworthy online sources.

The instructional materials for Grade 6 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 5 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 students to analyze different aspects of the topic using multiple texts and source materials.

Some examples of how students engage with research practice and projects are listed here:

Unit 1: Conduct research in preparation for a class discussion about the connections between the comic characters’ names (Calvin and Hobbes) and the historical figures for whom they were named. Research the following questions: Who were Calvin and Hobbes named after? What were some of the personality traits and beliefs of these historical figures? Why might Bill Watterson have decided to name his characters after these figures? Students are guided to consider multiple reliable sources of information, both print and digital, to write down relevant ideas and details, and to note any additional questions that their research raises and that they would like to discuss with the class.

Unit 3: After reading a blog post entitled “The Black Hole of Technology,” students are asked to “Choose at least one unfamiliar detail from the text” and research it. Then, students are asked to answer the following question, “In what way does the information you learned shed light on the blog post?”

Unit 4: Research to clarify/research to explore: Choose at least one unfamiliar detail from the text. Briefly research the detail. In what ways does the information you learned shed light on an aspect of the poem? Choose something that interested you from the text and formulate a research question.

Unit 5: After reading “Mission Twinpossible,” students work in their group to write a how-to-guide, choosing one of these options:

The article mentions the negative effects that the lack of gravity in space has on the human body. Conduct research to learn more about how astronauts minimize these negative effects while they are traveling in space. Write a how-to-guide for keeping fit in space.

Astronauts must go through years of training and preparation before traveling to space. Conduct research to find out more about the training and preparation required to become an astronaut. Write a how-to-guide for people who want to become astronauts.

Steps for conducting research are included in the SE along with tips for organizing the information and reminders to cite sources and to use correct citation style.

The instructional materials for Grade 6 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 1 students choose among The Secret Life of Bees by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Young Landlords by Christopher Paul Curtis, and But, Not Buddy Walter Dean Myers. In Unit 3, the independent reading choices include A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin, and My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.

Students are regularly provided charts to record strategies and action plans as they read ahead and develop their own patterns and protocols for independent reading. The chart already includes some strategies and students are encouraged to add their own. The SE contains a First-Read Guide to record ideas during a first read, and a Close-Read Guide to record close read ideas. Text questions are available in the online TE that can be assigned after students read.

Students then prepare to share with classmates by reflecting on the text they read and making notes about its connection to the unit, answering the questions, “Why does this text belong with the unit?” When they share with their peers, they jot down a few ideas they learn from them. Finally, they mark the most important insight gained from the writing and discussion and explain how this idea adds to their understanding of the relationship between people and animals.

In some units, students are given a list of online selections to choose one to read independently. For example, in Unit 3 the genres are news articles and poetry. 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.

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 next graphic organizer “Close-Read Guide” asks students to “record your close-read ideas” about the selection of their choice.

The materials for Grade 6 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 6, 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 6 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 6 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 6 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 6 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 6 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 6 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 6 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 6 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.

For example, the rubric for the Nonfiction Narrative that is part of the Performance-Based Assessment at the end of Unit 1, includes the following indicators for a student to receive the highest score relating to Standard W.6.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequence:

o The introduction is engaging and introduces the characters and situation in a way that appeals to readers.
o Events in the narrative progress in logical order and are linked by clear transitions.
o The conclusion effectively follows from the narrated experiences or events.
o The narrative effectively includes techniques such as dialogue and descriptions to add interest and to develop the characters and events.
o The narrative effectively includes precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.
o The narrative effectively establishes voice through word choice, sentence structure, and tone.

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 6 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. For example, in Unit 2, pg. 122, students are to respond to questions analyzing the text and citing text evidence. If students fail to cite evidence, teachers are instructed to remind them to support their ideas with specific information. If students struggle to identify why “Hachiko symbolizes loyalty”, teachers are to discuss the term “symbolize” and illustrate with examples.

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 6 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 6 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 4-6 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 6 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.

• In Reading CCSS RI.6 students determine an author’s point of view or purpose and explain how it is conveyed in a text. To go deeper, those students are asked to “find three details from the text that help them identify the point of view and three details that help them identify the author’s purpose.” (TE grade 6 p. 100D)

The Teacher’s Edition has tips for the teacher throughout the unit under the heading of Personalize For Learning and one category is Challenge. Here are suggestions to extend the learning for students who are exceeding grade level standards.

• In this example students are asked to create a brief video where they are a news crew interviewing Dr. Goodall and will write scripts for their interviews (TE grade 6 p. 106). The format is similar for each unit and each grade level.

Materials for Grade 6 provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies. Lessons provide whole class, small group, and independent learning opportunities throughout the school year. Some examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

Unit 1

Whole-Class Learning: After reading an excerpt from Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming, students are asked to think about the authors claim, “Maybe the truth is somewhere in between/all that I’m told/and memory.” They are asked, “At what point does the use of imagination become lying?” Students are asked to take a position and participate in a debate with classmates.

Take a stand: Form two groups. One group will take the position that Woodson is lying, and the other group will take the position that she is just using her imagination

Small-Group Learning Performance Task: What childhood challenge from either your own experience or observation is addressed or illustrated in a selection you have read?

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 4

Whole-Class Learning: After reading “The Phantom Tollbooth,” students are asked to compare the text with its animated movie adaptation by analyzing the two. They are asked to have a “discussion with a partner” in which they “analyze the ways in which the experience of reading the play was similar to and different from the experience of watching the video.”

Small-Group Learning: After reading “Jabberwocky” from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass, students are asked to work within their groups to choose one stanza from the reading. Then, using their knowledge of English grammar and syntax, work together to define every invented word in the stanza.

Personalize for Learning: English Language Development. Students are asked to work in pairs to look for a passage in the selection where the author tells about her mother’s impact on her vocation.