11th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 11 meet the criteria for Indicator 1a. 

Materials provide opportunities for students to read a wide variety of texts, including classics by well-known authors. The texts are well-crafted and content-rich and should build students’overall vocabulary and knowledge base. Materials provide six units across the grade level with different themes and multiple texts to engage students.

Anchor texts are of high-quality and consider a range of student interests, are well-crafted, content rich, and engage students at their grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Whole-Class Learning, students read the “Declaration of Independence” by Thomas Jefferson, a seminal work of U.S. history. In Small-Group Learning, students read from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano, an autobiography with rich language and academic vocabulary detailing the journey of a former enslaved person. Students also read from America’s Constitution: A Biography by Akhil Reed Amar, which provides historical context to the foundational document by a leading constitutional lawyer. 

• In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Whole-Class Learning, students read “The Writing of Walt Whitman,” a collection of works by Walt Whitman, including “Song of Myself” and “I Hear America Singing.” In Small-Group Learning, students read an excerpt from Walden by Henry David Thoreau, an established work of the literary canon.

• In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Small-Group Learning, students read “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth, adapted by Frances Gage, a well-known speech by an African American woman and abolitionist. Students also read “Brown v. Board of Education: Opinion of the Court” by Earl Warren, a legal document that provides context for the historical period. 

• In Unit 4: Grit and Grandeur, Whole-Class Learning, students read “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain. The text includes rich language choices highlighting his use of humor and dialogue in telling a story. In Small-Group Learning, students read an excerpt from Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston, which has relatable themes, conversational language, and humor. Hurston is an influential author from the Harlem Renaissance. 

• In Unit 5, Facing Our Fears, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Crucible, Act I by Arthur Miller, which received a Tony Award for Best Play. The subject matter is engaging and related to American history.

• In Unit 6, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Tales, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, which uses imagery, characterization, and an engaging topic. In Small-Group Learning, students read the canonical short story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce, which is set at the end of the Civil War. The short story uses stream-of-consciousness to explore the narrator’s thoughts during his final moments before his execution.  

The materials reviewed for Grade 11 meet the criteria for Indicator 1d.  

The materials provide a series of texts at a variety of appropriate complexity levels for the grade band which support students’ literacy growth. The complexity is mixed throughout the units. Overall, the quantitative measures generally increase across the year, and the qualitative measures are moderately complex throughout the year. The overall quantitative complexity measures across the year range from 460L–1930L. Over the course of the year, 41% of texts lack quantitative ratings. Specifically, the qualitative measures increase through the first five units, though they decrease in the last unit. While this decrease in qualitative and quantitative data suggests a level decrease, the student tasks all meet or exceed the standards. All units consistently provide an opportunity for students to grow their skills with additional support during Whole-Class Learning activities as they engage in reading and writing in relation to the Essential Question. In Small-Group Learning, students have opportunities for repeated reading of texts accessible for the grade level. Students also have opportunities to read and analyze texts independently. In all activities, students have access to models of literacy skills which help them complete tasks that require appropriate application of depth of knowledge and work toward the speaking and listening performance task and Performance-Based Assessment. The text pairings work together to scaffold the student tasks with the scaffolding suggestions provided in the Teacher’s Edition. The students read and annotate the texts while teachers guide them with text-specific scaffolding options throughout the units. The scaffolding suggestions are found in clearly identified locations and are consistent, including providing specific suggestions for various student populations, such as English Language Learners, below level learners, on level learners, and above level learners. While the general scaffolding options remain static throughout units, the Teacher’s Edition provides specific options related to the texts. 

The complexity of anchor texts students read provides an opportunity for students’ literacy skills to increase across the year, encompassing an entire year’s worth of growth. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, the Lexile range is 1140L–1930L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Exceedingly Complex. In Unit 2, the Lexile range is 960L–1900L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Very Complex. In Unit 3, the Lexile range is 750L–1490L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Moderately Complex. In Unit 4, the Lexile range is 920L–1250L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Moderately Complex. In Unit 5, The Lexile range is 980L–1040L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Moderately Complex. In Unit 6, The Lexile range is 460L–1270L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Very Complex. The overall quantitative complexity measures across the year range from 460L–1930L. The overall qualitative range across the year is Slightly Complex to Exceedingly Complex. 

• In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Small-Group Learning, students read from The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation by Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnell (NP). Students interpret images in the graphic novel; teacher guidance includes: “Explain that the images in a graphic adaptation are set apart by panels. A panel refers to a framed image. It offers the reader a perspective, or point of view.” In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Small-Group Learning, students read “Declaration of Sentiments” by Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1490L) and listen to a podcast, “Giving Women the Vote,” before completing a writing assignment to analyze how each selection shows persuasion at work. The instructions include a reminder during Prewriting: “Persuasion involves communicating a point of view and convincing others to adopt it.” Standards students address through the activity include, “Students determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness or beauty of the text.” In Unit 5, Facing Our Fears, Small-Group Learning, students read from Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston (1040L). Students learn that the author uses the first-person point of view from two perspectives, a young child and an adult, and “because the author is recalling these events years after they happened, the narrative unfolds on at least two levels.” Students complete a Read It activity individually, compiling notes on a chart about shifting perspectives in the selection. Then, students complete a Write It activity: “Write a short narrative account of an event from your childhood. Use first-person point of view to tell your story, but shift perspectives to highlight the differences between how you experienced the event as a child and how you understand it now.” As the units progress, the tasks connected to tracing or presenting point of view increase in complexity.

• In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Whole-Class Learning, students read from the collection of works “The Writing of Walt Whitman” by Walt Whitman (1900L),  including “Song of Myself.” In the Analyze the Text section, students interpret with the question, “In ‘On the Beach at Night Alone,’ how does the second stanza state and develop the ‘thought’ the speaker has in the third line of the poem? Explain.” In Unit 4: Grit and Grandeur, Whole-Class Learning, students read the short story “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain (1190L). In the Analyze the Text section, students interpret the historical context with the question, “What insights do you gain about life in nineteenth-century miners’ camps from the story?” In Unit 6, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Tales, Whole-Class Learning, students read the short story  “Everything Stuck to Him” by Raymond Carver (460L). In the Analyze the Text section, students interpret the historical context with the question, “Could this story have taken place in any historical period, or do you see evidence that the tale is specifically anchored in the mid-twentieth century? Explain.” As the units progress, the tasks connected to analyzing craft and structure increase in complexity.

As texts become more complex, appropriate scaffolds and/or materials are provided in the Teacher Edition (e.g., spending more time on texts, more questions, repeated readings, skill lessons). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Whole-Class Learning, students read the “Declaration of Independence” by Thomas Jefferson (1390L), which has an overall complexity level of highly complex. The Teacher’s Edition primarily focuses on scaffolding techniques to support comprehension of the complex texts but also provides suggestions for more rigorous enrichment. In the Decide and Plan section for standard support, teacher instructions state: “Language/Clarity: For students who may have difficulty with difficult and complex sentences, encourage them to break the sentences down into smaller chunks and identify the meaning of unfamiliar words or phrases. It may help to work in pairs and go through the text line by line, paraphrasing as they read aloud.” In the Challenge section for enrichment, teacher instructions state: “Text Analysis: Have students choose a grievance from the ‘Declaration of Independence’ and retell it to a partner. Encourage them to include details and descriptive language. They may refer to the text as needed to remember details, but should use their own words.”

•  In Unit 4: Grit and Grandeur, Small-Group Learning, students read “A Literature of Place” by Barry Lopez.  In the Teacher’s Edition, page 406b, a chart shows the available resources and supports available for the text, such as English and Spanish versions of an audio, first read extension questions, a worksheet on author’s purpose, and an accessible leveled text. On page 406c, there is a text complexity rubric and a graphic organizer providing suggestions for support based on the text’s rubric scores. On page 406d, a flow chart assists teachers in identifying the standards being taught and what supports to use for students below and above the standard.

• In Unit 5, Facing Our Fears, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Crucible, Act II by Arthur Miller. The Teacher’s Edition provides several specific scaffolding suggestions for different levels of students, including the Challenge options for above-level students and several supports for English Language Learners and supports for on-level students. In the Decide and Plan section, teacher instructions state: “Text Analysis: Pair students and have them choose one of the longer speeches in the act and go through it line by line, looking at the unconventional language, biblical allusions, and any other challenging elements.” An English Language Learners teacher support states: “Apostrophes: Students may have difficulty with Miller’s use of apostrophes in dialogue to show characters’ pronunciation. To show that some characters turn the final /ng/ sound to an /n/ sound, Miller uses an apostrophe for the missing letter: nothin’ for nothing, for example. Remind students that apostrophes also signal missing letters in regular contractions, such as can’t/cannot. Write the following on the board, then have students supply the missing letters for each underlined word.” Additionally, the Teacher’s Edition provides supports for on-level students, such as “Strategic Support: Character Development: Call students’ attention to the stage directions in paragraph 187. Have students make a character web for Reverend Hale at the end of each act. Remind them that the words can be nouns, adjectives, verbs, or adverbs. Have students especially note changes in Hale’s behavior and attitude from one act to the next. Then have them use the webs to write a short report tracing Hale’s character development throughout the play.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 11 meet the criteria for Indicator 1e. 

The materials provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading, including accountability structures of independent reading. Six units offer a variety of texts for whole-class, small-group, and independent reading that encourage independent reading goals. Texts connect to a common topic or theme and Essential Question for the unit. Teacher lesson plans include selection resources and explain the connections of the text to the Essential Question and to the performance task. Throughout the year, students engage with texts of a variety of types and genres, and the consistent structure of the materials provides support for students as they grow their skills and ability to read grade level texts. Each unit starts with a launch text which models a specific type of writing, followed by whole group reading and activities, small group reading and activities, and independent reading. There is sufficient guidance to foster independence for all readers, including independent reading procedures and texts for students to read independently. The Frontmatter also provides a selection of trade books with suggestions for how to incorporate them in each unit. Lesson plans for the trade books can be found on myPerspectives+. 

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in reading a variety of text types and genres. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Whole-Class Learning, students read an informative text, a historical perspective article, speeches, and view a photo gallery. In Small-Group Learning, students read a speech, a public document, a short story, a legal opinion, and listen to a podcast. Students choose between two poetry collections, two essays, a historical article, and a podcast tied to the unit’s theme in the independent reading section.

• In Unit 6, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Tales, Small-Group Learning, students read three texts, including a literary history, “A Brief History of the Short Story” by D.F. McCourt, and two short stories, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Amrose Bierce and “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” by Katherine Anne Porter. There are also four independent reading selections available from which to choose.

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in a volume of reading. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Teacher’s Edition Table of Contents and Frontmatter and each Teacher’s Edition for each unit, the time for students to engage with texts during the Unit Introduction, Whole-Class learning, Small-Group learning, and Independent Learning is similar. There is one day for the Launch Text during the Unit Introduction, 14 days for the Whole Class Learning, 11 days for Small-Group Learning, and two days for independent learning. The Teacher’s Edition for each unit also notes, “Pacing is suggested for a 40- to 50-minute class period. If you use block scheduling, you may combine days to meet your schedule needs.” These opportunities to engage with multiple texts and a volume of reading are consistent across the school year. 

• In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Whole-Class Learning, students read six texts over 12 regular classes or six block classes. In Small-Group Learning, students read five texts over nine regular classes or four and a half block classes. Students end the unit by reading one independent text choice over two classes or one block before the final performance task. The Teacher’s Edition provides a pacing guide for each unit and  suggests supports for various student needs in the wrap-around materials.

There is sufficient teacher guidance to foster independence for all readers (e.g., independent reading procedures, proposed schedule, tracking system for independent reading). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Teacher’s Edition Table of Contents and Frontmatter state: “Students self-select a text to explore an aspect of the unit topic and share their learning with the class.” Each unit includes options for students to choose an independent reading selection via the Interactive Student Edition, and the activity takes place over two days. Independent Learning strategies are available in the Teacher’s Edition, including a video. Students can use the “Create a schedule” strategy to track completion and “Assess whether you need to adapt your plan to meet all your goals and deadlines.” 

• In each unit, independent reading selections are listed at the end of the unit. The section provides guidance for students to pick an independent text. In the “Look Back” section, students review the texts already read in the unit for topics of interest, “Look Ahead” includes titles to see which is of interest, and “Look Inside” allows students to scan the selection they choose to be sure it meets their needs. A graphic organizer helps students plan their reading and study of the text. First Read and Close Read guides are included for students during reading to prepare for sharing with the class at the end of the independent reading.

• In Unit 2,  The Individual and Society, Independent Learning, students can choose to read “Reckless Genius” by Galway Kinnell. Resources such as text questions, audio summaries, and a selection test are available. The materials include the Connection to the Essential Question: “Galway Kinnell’s essay, ‘Reckless Genius,’ connects to the Essential Question, ‘What role does individualism play in American society?’ by defending one of America’s most famous poets. The text explores how Emily Dickinson’s genius resulted, in large part, from her willingness to depart from the poetic conventions of her day.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 11 meet the criteria for Indicator 1f. 

Text-specific and text-dependent questions and tasks support students in making meaning of the core understanding of the texts being studied. Text-based questions require students to cite specific evidence as well as draw inferences and conclusions using the cited evidence to support their responses to questions with every story in each unit. The uniform structure includes comprehension check questions, research prompts based on the anchor and exemplar texts, close reading tasks, analysis of craft and structure tasks and questions, vocabulary tasks and questions, author style analysis tasks, writing tasks that ask students to draw on their understanding of the texts, and core writing or speaking assessments that center around understanding from multiple texts in the unit. The questions following each text align with unit Essential Questions and text-specific guiding questions.

The Teacher’s Edition for each unit includes a list of Lesson Resources that include guidance for Making Meaning. The teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation of text-specific and/or text-dependent questions, tasks, and assignments. Guides are provided for choosing appropriate supports and additional text-based questions for students who need scaffolding to access the grade-level material or challenges to go beyond the grade-level material. 

Text-specific and text-dependent questions and tasks support students in making meaning of the core understandings of the texts being studied. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Whole-Class Learning, students read foundational documents, including the “Preamble to the Constitution” by Gouverneur Morris, and answer questions following a First Read: “According to its Preamble, who is responsible for establishing the Constitution? What laws are forbidden in Amendment I of the Bill of Rights? Which amendments cover legal proceedings?”

• In Unit 4: Grit and Grandeur, Small-Group Learning, students read “A Literature of Place” by Barry Lopez and then answer comprehension questions including, “What two things were magical to Lopez when he was a boy?” and “According to Lopez, why are indigenous people good guides to remote places?” 

• In Unit 6, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Tales, Small-Group Learning, students read “A Brief History of the Short Story” by D.F. McCourt. In the reading task associated with analyzing craft and structure, students explore the unit’s Essential Question, “What do stories reveal about the human condition?,” by answering the question: “How does this literary history shed light on the short story’s ability to address the human condition? Discuss with your group.”

Teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation of text-based questions and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Small-Group Learning, students read from “Nature” and from “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. In the Teacher’s Edition, Formative Assessment, Analyze the Text from “Nature” by Ralph Waldo Emerson states, “If students struggle to close read the text, then provide the from Nature and from Self-Reliance: Text Questions available online in the Interactive Teacher’s Edition and Unit Resources.”

• In Unit 5, Facing Our Fears, Small-Group Learning, students read “Antojos” by Julia Alvarez; the Teacher’s Edition includes a Jump Start for the Close Read, which connects with the Analyze the Text questions that students complete: “Engage students in a discussion of how fear can be an obstacle to accomplishing one’s dreams and goal.” Students complete questions, including the following: “1. Review and Clarify With your group, reread paragraphs 1–4 of ‘Antojos.’ What do these paragraphs suggest about the country’s political situation and the economic issues that shape the story?; 3. Essential Question: How do we respond when challenged by fear? What have you learned about people’s responses to fear from reading this story? Discuss with your group.” A possible response is available for the teacher for the first question: “1. The fact that there is a hunger march suggests that some of the country’s citizens are unhappy with their leaders and their economic situation.” The third question also includes the Essential Question of the unit and allows students to make connections with the specific text they are close reading.

• In Unit 6, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Tales, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task, students present an oral response to quotations pulled from the unit texts. The Teacher’s Edition provides a suggestion to support students struggling to formulate their responses: “If students have difficulty connecting the quote to the theme, then suggest they connect the quote to the characters they refer to first.” 

The materials reviewed for Grade 11 meet the criteria for Indicator 1g. 

The materials provide varied protocols to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials. The Teacher’s Edition provides suggestions to support student skills and growth, which includes a standard protocol for working in groups and developing presentations and various prompts and strategies to assist growth in both the content and the speaking and listening skills. Speaking and listening instruction for teachers includes facilitation, monitoring, evaluation guides, rubrics, and support.

Materials provide varied protocols to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials include a Conversation and Discussion guide for high school. This web-based tool gives specific guidelines and directions on discussions such as:

  • Leading a Group Discussion

  • Formal Group Discussion Guidelines

  • Informal Group Discussion Guidelines

  • Debates

• In the Conversation and Discussion guide, materials provide the following guidance for leading a group discussion: “Here are some guidelines for leading a group discussion: 

  • Introduce the topic and purpose of the discussion.

  • Lay out any ground rules for the discussion.

  • Be objective when summarizing the group’s discussion.

  • Make sure that no one dominates the discussion. Invite and encourage contributions from all participants.

• In the Conversation and Discussion guide, materials provide the following guidance for Formal Group discussion guidelines: “Here are tips for successful discussions and an exchange of ideas in a structured setting

  • Do not use an excessive amount of informal or colloquial speech in a formal discussion.

  • Manners are important in any discussion; make sure you allow others to speak, and do not interrupt.

  • Use exclamatory language, or dramatic language, sparingly; a little goes a long way.

  • Diction, or the proper use of vocabulary related to the topic of the discussion, is an important element of any discussion.

  • Stay focused on the subject under discussion.”

• In the Conversation and Discussion guide, materials provide the following guidance for Informal Group discussion guidelines: “Informal discussion is open-ended and participants are free to speak in a more conversational manner, but most rules still apply.

  • Speech may be more colloquial but should still maintain a professional code of conduct.

  • Dramatic and exclamatory remarks help emphasize one's point of view, but overuse weakens their effectiveness.”

• In the Conversation and Discussion guide, materials provide the following guidance for Practices that make for good Debates: “During the debate, be sure to adhere to these practices:

  • Be courteous and listen to your opponent's point of view; allow others the opportunity to speak.

  • If you are debating as a team, support your team members.

  • Speak only when it is your turn, and follow the moderator's instructions.

  • Speak clearly, slowly, and loudly enough to be heard and understood by the audience.

  • Speak with spirit, enthusiasm, and conviction.”

Speaking and listening instruction includes facilitation, monitoring, and instructional supports for teachers. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Launch Text, students read an excerpt from Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington. In the Teacher’s Edition, the teacher wrap Personalize for Learning box suggests supporting students in Active Listening. The teacher instruction states: “Some students may find that taking notes helps them to stay focused while they listen…When the speaker is finished speaking, listeners may want to pose questions.” 

• In Unit 4: Grit and Grandeur, Whole-Class Learning, students read “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett and form two teams to conduct a class debate over the quote drawn from the text, “Were the birds better friends than their hunter might have been,—who can tell?” The Teacher’s Edition provides multiple model language suggestions, such as “Before students begin evaluating claims, they should discuss what the debate question means.” Teacher Resources are included that review and reteach concepts about debates.

• In Unit 5, Facing Our Fears, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task, students present an argument with a speaking and listening focus. In the Teacher’s Edition, Facilitating notes are available with details to assist students as they prepare to present an argument, plan and rehearse with their group, and present and evaluate other group presentations. Teacher support includes, but is not limited to, “Before groups begin work on their projects, have them clearly differentiate the role each group member will play. Remind groups to consult the schedule for Small-Group Learning to guide their work during the Performance Task. Students should complete the assignment using presentation software to take advantage of text, graphics, and sound features.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 11 meet the criteria for Indicator 1h. 

The materials provide multiple opportunities over the school year for students to demonstrate what they are reading and researching through varied speaking and listening tasks. While not all sub-standards for speaking and listening are explicitly outlined in the Teacher’s Edition, varied opportunities are included to collaborate and synthesize ideas as a group. Opportunities are present during speaking and listening work for students to utilize, apply, and incorporate evidence from texts and/or sources. Students regularly engage in speaking and listening in Whole-Group Learning and Small-Group Learning with activities such as small-group discussions, oral presentations, and collaborative dramatic interpretations. Speaking and Listening activities are varied and included as a recurring component in the after-reading activities throughout the units. Small-Group Learning uses informal student discussions for each selection. There are protocols for students to establish norms and roles within the small group. When completing activities, students draw evidence and information from the texts they read and their prior knowledge or research. Each unit includes a speaking and listening-based Performance Task as a part of Small-Group Learning. The Teacher’s Edition includes suggestions for supporting students in successfully participating in these activities, such as guidance on incorporating structure to meet the requirements of the tasks and facilitate the successful demonstration of standards. 

Students have multiple opportunities over the school year to demonstrate what they are reading through varied speaking and listening opportunities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task: Speaking and Listening Focus, students work in groups to present an argument: “You have read a variety of texts, both historic and contemporary…Work with your group to present a panel discussion that addresses this question: Do narratives provide strong evidence to support arguments about American freedoms?” In the Plan With Your Group section, groups “identify the texts in this section that are either fully narratives or include narrative elements. Consider the arguments about freedom that are either directly stated or that readers can infer from the narrative details.” A chart is provided to fill in narrative details and related arguments. In the Rehearse With Your Group section, students are instructed to “Fine-Tune the Content” and “go back to the texts to gather additional details that will help balance the presentation.”

  • In Unit 5, Facing Our Fears, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Crucible, Act II by Arthur Miller, and complete a speaking and listening task: “Participate in a whole-class discussion about whether Mary Warren will defend or condemn Elizabeth Proctor in court.” The instructions include an analysis of Mary Warren’s character: “Scan Acts I and II to find details about Mary’s character. Use the chart to note reasons she may lie in court and reasons she may tell the truth. For each reason you list, jot down reminders of textual evidence you might refer to during the discussion.”

• Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • All units begin Small-Group Learning with an overview of how to work as a small group. Students practice taking a position on a question, sharing their views, and listening to others’ perspectives. Students then decide on group rules, apply the rules to a discussion of their prior learning on the topic, give their group a name, create a group communication plan, make a schedule for reading the texts, and assign roles for the culminating project.

  • In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Small-Group Learning, students read from Walden by Henry David Thoreau and hold a discussion in which they respond to excerpts from Thoreau’s philosophical writings. The materials include instructions for Holding the Discussion: “Make sure that everyone has a chance to speak and to express opinions that are supported with evidence from the text or related research. If questions emerge from your discussion, decide together how you will locate the answers.” Additional instructions are available for students as they Consider All Responses: “Philosophical ideas can generate a wide variety of responses—and that can make a discussion exciting. Be open to the idea that many interpretations can be valid.”

  • In Unit 4: Grit and Grandeur, Whole-Class Learning, students read “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett. The Speaking and Learning activity is to “hold a debate about the question that Jewett poses in the final paragraph of ‘A White Heron.’” Student instructions state: “Decide who will speak for each team. Assign roles to other team members—for example, note-taker, textual evidence finder, and argument evaluator. Discuss issues such as time limits and an alternating order of speakers, and then come to an agreement. Decide whether you will include time for rebuttals to refute the opposing side’s arguments. Finally, determine who will judge the debate: your teacher or a student panel.” 

• Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Whole-Class Learning, students view “Perspectives on Lincoln,” a collection of political cartoons. After review and analysis, students research other political cartoons about a person from the past. They create a slideshow of an “image gallery” that illustrates various perspectives on that person or his/her beliefs. Students prepare an “informative script” to use during their presentation. Following the presentation, groups “discuss how well the various perspectives were captured in the images.”

  • In Unit 4: Grit and Grandeur, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “Chicago” by Carl Sandburg, and view a photo gallery, “Sandburg’s Chicago.” The Writing to Compare activity is to “Create a multimedia presentation about early-twentieth-century Chicago in which you weave together Sandburg’s poem, images from the photo essay, and your own knowledge and ideas.” 

Speaking and listening work requires students to utilize, apply, and incorporate evidence from texts and/or sources. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Whole-Class Learning, students read the “Declaration of Independence” by Thomas Jefferson and participate in a class discussion. The materials ask students in step 4 to Listen and Evaluate: “As your classmates speak, listen attentively. Decide whether you agree or disagree with their ideas and why. Contribute your responses with care, and support them with specific examples.”

• In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Overview: Small-Group Learning, in the Working as a Group section, students begin by discussing the thematic concepts using the question, “Do you think American Teenagers today would rather fit in than stand out? Explain.” Next, they set rules for the group, followed by practicing the rules by having a discussion of what they have already learned about destiny. The provided rules include “Everyone should participate,” and the Teacher’s Edition provides reminders for Accountable Talk: “Remember to ask clarifying questions, which sounds like I think you said ____. Did I understand you correctly?”

• In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Small-Group Learning, students read “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin. This text leads to a group discussion that considers how different social groups of the time would have responded to the story. Students work in small groups to prepare a response to a prompt that focuses on one social group and present their responses to the class.

• Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Small-Group Learning, students read “The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation” by Jonathan Hennessey. In Analyze the Media, students complete three activities. In Present and Discuss, they pick a part of the text they find interesting and share their choice with their group. They synthesize ideas by discussing the questions, “How do the images, speech balloons, and captions work together to reveal the difficult moments in this part of the Constitution’s ‘story’? Do they inform, entertain, or both? Explain.” 

  • In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Small-Group Learning, students read “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin and engage in a speaking and listening assignment and group discussion as they consider “how readers of Chopin’s time might have responded to ‘The Story of an Hour.’” The materials include instructions for Holding the Discussion: “Decide as a group whether you want to go through the story section by section and have each person respond from his or her chosen perspective, or whether you prefer to look at the whole text through one perspective at a time. Either way, make sure that everyone has a chance to speak and to express opinions that are supported with evidence from the text and knowledge about 1890s America. If questions emerge from your discussion, decide together how you will locate the answers.”

  • In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Small-Group Learning, students read from Walden by Henry David Thoreau and “hold a discussion in which [they] respond to… excerpts from Thoreau’s philosophical writing.” Students are reminded by the teacher to consider multiple perspectives: “Philosophical ideas can generate a wide variety of responses—and that can make a discussion exciting. Be open to the idea that many interpretations can be valid.”

• Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Whole-Class Learning, students view an image gallery, “Perspectives on Lincoln,” and create and present an image gallery. Student instructions state: “Conduct research, using print and online sources, to find relevant political cartoons and photographs.” When planning the project, the materials ask, “What sources will you use to conduct your research?” The Teacher Materials include the following: “Remind students that sources are biased, so they must weigh the opinions they find to form their own well-reasoned assessments.” There is no additional guidance or instructions for students to evaluate the credibility and accuracy of each source or that require multiple sources in various formats.

  • In Unit 4: Grit and Grandeur, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “Chicago” and “Wilderness” by Carl Sandburg, and view a photo gallery, “Sandburg’s Chicago.” In the Effective Expression, Writing to Compare assignment, students create a multimedia presentation “about early-twentieth-century Chicago in which [they] weave together Sandburg’s poem, images from the photo essay, and your own knowledge and ideas.” Students choose from the options to create a slideshow presentation, an informative website, or a museum exhibit guide. Part of the Task List is to decide if they need to research to add more photographs or information about Chicago or find additional media. In all three tasks, students evaluate and integrate information from various sources to make a decision on the best information to add to their slideshow. There is no direct instruction on how to evaluate the credibility of sources.

• Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Whole-Class Learning, students listen to radio broadcasts from “Emily Dickinson,” an episode of Great Lives by BBC Radio 4. In the Analyze the Media section, students answer questions: “Lewis thinks that Dickinson speaks through her poetry about her vocation. What does she mean? Do you agree with Lewis’s statement? Why or why not?” Later in Unit 2, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task, students present a personal narrative as a group speech. Questions are available in the materials for students to peer evaluate the presentation: “Does the speech offer clear reasoning and provide enough evidence to support the group’s overall position on nonconformity? Does the speech bring together real-life experiences with examples from the texts in this section?” The Teacher’s Edition also poses additional questions for students, such as “Were the experiences presented in a logical sequence? Did the personal and selection examples support the thesis statement regarding nonconformity? Which presentation techniques did this group excel at?” Guidance is also available for students relating to tone and other elements.

• In Unit 6, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Tales, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker. The Speaking and Listening assignment after reading is a partner discussion about “what factors lead a person to embrace, reject, or feel neutral about his or her heritage…At the end of your discussion, create an extended definition of heritage.” Instructions to help them Craft an Extended Definition state: “To complete the extended definition of heritage, come to a consensus about the most important ideas to include: Summarize your notes in three main points. Summarize your personal experiences with heritage. Draft and refine an extended definition that includes all your most important thoughts.” The substandard is not explicitly stated; however, the evaluation of others’ points of view and reasoning is required to complete the assignment successfully.

• Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Whole-Class Learning, students read foundational documents, including the “Preamble to the Constitution” by Gouverneur Morris, and write and deliver a speech. The materials provide an evaluation guide with instructions: “Did you fulfill the assignment by showing how the Bill of Rights applies to your life? Were your ideas logical, clear, and appropriate to your audience and subject?”

  • In Unit 5, Facing Our Fears, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Crucible, Act IV, by Arthur Miller. After reading, students conduct a “thematic analysis” of the play. They “choose one theme from The Crucible, introduce it, and illustrate it with a dramatic reading of three sections of dialogue from the play.” The five steps to complete the assignment include identifying a theme, locating three examples of text to support the theme, writing an introduction, and preparing to deliver the analysis. Students are encouraged to practice their presentation “in front of a mirror or present it to a friend or family member. Keep these suggestions in mind: Vary your intonation (tone and pitch)...Speak naturally but with attention to enunciation and volume…Use facial expressions…to help convey characters’ emotions and meaning.” Teacher instructions state to “make sure students understand the meanings of the following terms: intonation, tone, and pitch.” Teachers are directed to find more support in the Speaking and Listening: Thematic Analysis document.

The materials reviewed for Grade 11 meet the criteria for Indicator 1i. 

The materials include various on-demand and process writing opportunities. On-demand writing tasks are offered throughout the year, connecting to the Introduction, Whole-Class Learning, Small Group Learning, and Independent Learning sections. They include a mix of summaries, quick writes, and responses to texts. Process writing tasks include various types of essays using single or multiple texts as sources and following standard writing procedures from prewriting/planning to revising and/or editing. Students are provided step-by-step guidance for each task and a checklist or peer review process. At the end of each Whole-Class Learning section, students complete a writing Performance Task over the course of two days. A Performance-Based Assessment writing task is at the end of each unit with a Unit Reflection. Materials include digital resources where appropriate. The Teacher’s Edition provides guidance on how to model each type of writing, including a launch text to start the unit that functions as a model for the Performance-Based Assessment. The Teacher’s Edition also includes Digital Perspectives boxes in each unit that often suggest digital resources but do not provide the resource or links to the resources. 

Materials include on-demand writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Whole-Class Learning, students read a collection of works by Walt Whitman, “The Writing of Walt Whitman,” including “Song of Myself.” After reading, students complete the following task: “Using Section 9 of ‘Song of Myself’ as a model, write a brief narrative account about something that happened to you while you were working.”

• In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Whole-Class Learning, students read from “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” by Frederick Douglass. In the Writing to Sources section, directions state: “In this speech, Douglass mentions Southern laws that made it a criminal offense to teach a slave to read and write. Briefly research how some slaves, including Douglass himself, learned to read. Then, write an informative paragraph in which you draw connections between your research and Douglass’s speech. Include these elements in your paragraph: a clear introduction to the topic, a misconception you correct with a fact, a formal, objective tone.” 

• In Unit 5, Facing Our Fears, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Crucible, Act IV by Arthur Miller and complete a WriteNow on-demand activity in which they express and reflect when creating interview questions and answers: “Review paragraphs 1–3 and ask students to consider what will happen in Act IV…Have students work in a group to come up with useful questions and likely answers for a mock television interview with Arthur Miller. Then have two students conduct the interview, role-playing the interviewer and Miller. Questions and answers should be based on what students wrote beforehand, but role-players might ad-lib some parts of the interview to make it seem more authentic. After the interview, ask students to share any new insights they have into Miller’s life, The Crucible, and Miller’s other works.”

Materials include process writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. Opportunities for students to revise and edit are provided. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write an argument over the course of two days, and they use word processing software to take advantage of editing tools and features. The Teacher’s Edition provides guidance for editing and proofreading the essay, including “As students proofread, they should check for correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation as well as the items listed on the Student Edition page. Remind them that although many word processing programs catch grammar and spelling errors, they are not foolproof. Students should still review their work manually.”

• In Unit 4: Grit and Grandeur, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write an explanatory essay: “Write a five-paragraph explanatory essay in which you address this question: How do American authors use regional details to make the events and themes of a narrative come to life for readers?” The materials provide information on building an informative essay and provide the protocol for the writing process, including prewriting and planning activities, drafting activities which include research method tasks, a language development process focused on adding variety through precise word choice, a revision process that includes evaluating the draft based on a provided rubric, evaluation through the peer review process, proofreading and editing, publishing the work by presenting to the class, and reflecting on the learning and writing process.

• In Unit 6, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Tales, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write a narrative. The task reads, “Write a fictional narrative addressing this question: How do stressful situations often reveal the best and worst in people?” Students review the narratives in the unit and incorporate literary elements into their writing. The task walks students through the writing process with sections called prewriting/planning, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading, publishing and presenting, and reflecting. Each step includes directions and support for the students.

Materials include digital resources where appropriate. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• All units include interactive digital components such as a reader’s notebook for answering specific questions and making notes about selections, audio summaries, video and audio selections, online annotations, and online assessments. 

• In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Small-Group Learning, students read “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin and complete a chart to track Mrs. Mallard’s actions and the emotional journey she undergoes, citing textual evidence. In the Teacher’s Edition, the Digital Perspectives box suggests teachers enrich the text: “To help students analyze how society constricted women and their roles, have them research photos and films of women in the 1890s, examining their clothing and considering how it reflected society’s attitude toward women. Guide students to evaluate the fit of the clothing (especially at the waist), the length of the dresses, and the undergarments, as well. What generalization can they draw about how clothing affects women’s opportunities?”

• In Unit 6, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Tales, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker. Under the text, a box titled Media Connection includes a video. In the Teacher’s Edition, instructions state: “Project the media connection video in class. Then, ask students to open the video in their interactive textbooks.” The prompt for the interactive textbook reads, “How does listening to someone tell this story help you understand Mama and the tensions among the characters?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 11 meet the criteria for Indicator 1k. 

The materials provide frequent opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Writing opportunities are focused on students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with texts and sources to provide supporting evidence. The writing opportunities include shorter specific writing aligned with a specific text or texts, longer process writing in the performance tasks, writing as a preparation for a speaking task, and short, informal written responses to questions. During Whole-Class Learning, most units end with a writing task that involves explicit instruction in the skills needed to complete the task. During Small-Group Learning, students work collaboratively to complete research assignments and other writing projects that reference the text and often require support from the text or other credible sources. Graphic organizers are available to help students organize textual evidence to support a claim. Students are required to go outside the texts and conduct research to add additional evidence for some activities. All units have multiple opportunities to write using evidence, although it is more limited in Unit 6, which focuses on students doing narrative writing. The Teacher’s Edition provides guidance to assist students when completing writing tasks and can offer additional support in the form of modeling and graphic organizers. 

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Whole-Class Learning, students read the “Declaration of Independence” by Thomas Jefferson and write an editorial, including “a list of reasons that support and clarify your claim.” The Teacher’s Edition provides guidance, including but not limited to: “Ask students to give examples of evidence Jefferson offers to support this claim, such as his list of accusations against King George III.” As students write, the teacher provides the following feedback to strengthen their writing “like the Declaration of Independence, [your] editorial includes a claim, evidence, and reasons. It should also include appeals to ethics, logic, authority, and/or emotion.” 

• In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write an informative essay answering the question, “Did the nation achieve the goals Douglass and Lincoln desired?” Students research the Reconstruction, and after taking notes on what they find, students connect their information to specific details from the Whole-Class Learning texts. In the prewriting/planning step of the task, students receive instruction on types of evidence they may want to find to support their thesis. The Teacher’s Edition provides the following guidance for teachers as they give students feedback on evidence gathering. “Remind students that they can glean facts and statistics from any source, but if they use a source from the Internet, it’s important to first evaluate the quality and validity of that source before using it in an informative essay. Encourage students to organize their evidence in a logical manner.” Students find evidence from the unit texts for their essays.

• In Unit 4, Grit and Grandeur, Whole-Class Learning, students read from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain, The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain, and A White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett. After reading, students write an explanatory essay to the prompt: “How do American authors use regional details to make the events and themes of a narrative come to life for readers?” Students are prompted to consider how specific geographic details play into the text they have read. As students plan their essay, the teacher instructs them to gather evidence. The Teacher’s Edition provides teachers with the following guidance as they give students feedback: “encourage students to find at least three examples from each selection. Discuss why particular examples evoked visualization of the place. Did any arouse strong emotions, either positive or negative?” Once students have gathered evidence, the teacher prompts them to evaluate it and “reminds students to ensure that the evidence they have found supports their thesis and that they are able to refute any evidence that might undermine their thesis.”

Writing opportunities are focused around students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with texts and sources to provide supporting evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Small-Group Learning, students read “Innovators and Their Inventions.” In the practice work after the reading, students choose one of three prompts that reinforce their close reading strategies. One of the prompts states: “Essential Question: What role does individualism play in American society? What have these public documents taught you about the role that innovative individuals play in society? Discuss with your group.” Students gather evidence from the texts that help them form their claims/discussions.

• In Unit 3, Power, Protest, and Change, Small-Group Learning, students read “Declaration of Sentiments” by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and listen to the podcast “Giving Women the Vote” by Sandra Sleight-Brennan. In the Writing to Compare activity, students write a compare-and-contrast essay analyzing how each selection shows persuasion at work with a focus on the arguments and strategies used by people involved in the campaign. In prewriting, students analyze the following elements of rhetoric in each selection: argument, tone, repetition, imagery, allusion, and analogy. Then they look for similarities and analyze how the argument and strategies have changed over time. In drafting, students create a thesis and outline for the essay based on their analysis. In the outline, they include specific evidence to use in each section.

• In Unit 5, Facing Our Fears, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write an argumentative essay around the question, “Could any of the characters in The Crucible have done more to end the hysteria in Salem?” Students write the argument in response to the reading of the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller and after listening to an audio performance of Act I of the same play. The materials ask students to “Choose a position and state a claim. Then, develop and support that claim with quotations and examples from the text, as well as information about mass hysteria from secondary sources.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 11 meet the criteria for Indicator 1m. 

The materials provide a comprehensive year-long plan for students to acquire both academic and concept vocabulary in a systematic way. Attention is paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and to high-value academic words (e.g., words that might appear in other contexts/content areas). Materials include lessons and activities for vocabulary critical to understanding the text, the overall concept of the unit, and the genre of writing for each unit. Vocabulary is repeated in various contexts (before texts, in texts) and across multiple texts. Units systematically build vocabulary, as each unit includes academic vocabulary instruction before reading texts in the Introduction and builds during the reading of individual texts. Students rank their familiarity with the words before reading and, after reading, think about the connection between the words and practice using the words and Greek and Latin roots in the Word Study and Concept Vocabulary sections. Concept Vocabulary is found in Whole-Class and Small-Group Learning activities for the texts in each unit. Activities for demonstrating understanding of the Concept Vocabulary become more complex as the year progresses. Vocabulary is associated with the writing focus of the Performance Tasks, and students can incorporate vocabulary in authentic ways during the Performance Tasks and from their Word Networks during the Performance-Based Assessment. Stand-alone vocabulary assessments include a pre-test, mid-year assessment, and end-of-year assessment. The Vocabulary Center includes supplemental practice resources for students to work with common general academic and domain-specific words using Interactive Vocabulary Lessons, Word Study Worksheets, Domain-Specific Academic Vocabulary lessons, and General Academic Vocabulary lessons. Materials provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive vocabulary development component. 

Materials provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Teacher’s Edition Table of Contents and Frontmatter, the materials include a Standards Correlation, including Language: Conventions, Effective Use, and Vocabulary: “The vocabulary standards focus on understanding words and phrases, their relationships, and their nuances and on acquiring new vocabulary, particularly general academic and domain-specific words, and phrases.” Each unit includes Vocabulary/Word Study, and the Unit at a Glance includes the academic vocabulary, concept vocabulary, and word study, such as the following: Latin Prefix, Latin Root, Cognates, Connotation and Denotation, and Multiple-Meaning Words. The materials include a consistent approach for students to interact with word relationships and build academic vocabulary regularly. Each unit offers information in the Introduction regarding the Academic Vocabulary for students to interact with and with teacher guidance, such as offering possible student responses. The materials offer Language Development consistently in the Whole-Class and Small-Group Learning sections with Word Networks and through annotations when close reading. The Teacher’s Edition End Matter also includes a Glossary: Academic Concept Vocabulary and the academic vocabulary appears in blue type. The Index also offers a list of the academic vocabulary and concept vocabulary with corresponding page numbers.

• In the Teacher’s Edition during the Launch text of each unit, the Vocabulary Development box provides teachers with additional Academic Vocabulary Reinforcement activities.  

Vocabulary is repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts) and across multiple texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In each unit, academic and concept vocabulary are embedded throughout. In each unit Introduction, students view a chart with academic vocabulary for the unit, read mentor sentences with the words, and complete a chart for the predicted meaning and related words. Each text Introduction includes a Concept Vocabulary section where students rank words from least familiar to most familiar. All words are defined in the footnotes of the text. After reading, the Concept Vocabulary section includes activities with words from the Introduction, and the Word Study section includes practice with Latin and Greek word parts. The structure of the vocabulary lessons remains consistent throughout the year.

• In Unit 1, Writing Freedom, Whole-Class Learning, students read the “Declaration of Independence” by Thomas Jefferson and encounter the word despotism in the text: “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.” Later in the same unit, students read “Speech in the Convention” by Benjamin Franklin. During Making Meaning before the reading, students rank their familiarity with the word despotism. Following the reading, students consider why vocabulary was selected, including despotism. Students respond to questions in their notebooks, including “2. What are two negative effects that might result from a government ruled by despotism?”

• In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Introduction, the Academic Vocabulary: Personal Narrative activity introduces the word sequence. It is also used again in Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, where students are encouraged to use the academic vocabulary in their personal narrative essays. In the end of unit Performance-Based Assessment, students are reminded they will need to know the meaning of the academic vocabulary to successfully complete the final assessment. While Academic Vocabulary is included in three activities in Unit 2, it is not formally revisited in other units.  

• In Unit 6, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Tales, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Everything Stuck to Him” by Raymond Carver. In the Concept Vocabulary activity in the introduction, students rank their familiarity with the words waterfowl, letterhead, overcast, and shotgun. In the Concept Vocabulary activity, students consider how compound words contribute to the internal setting and action of the story. Next, they use the words in sentences showing they understand the meaning, then rewrite the sentences replacing the vocabulary words with one or two other words. The activity ends with a Word Study section on endocentric compound words. During the Writing to Sources activity, students consider how they could incorporate some of the Concept Vocabulary into the essay they are writing. While students engage with the words several times within the story, they are not included in concept vocabulary for any other text in this or other units.

Attention is paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and to high-value academic words (e.g., words that might appear in other contexts/content areas). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Vocabulary Center, Interactive Vocabulary Lessons, Grades 11–12 General Academic Vocabulary, the lesson includes Show It, Try It, and Apply It sections. Examples of Vocabulary Terms include, but are not limited to: anachronism, epiphany, immutable, tenacious, engender, and theoretical. In the Interactive lessons, student instructions state: “Drag each vocabulary word in the left-hand column to match it with the vocabulary word in the right-hand column that has the same root.” 

• In the Vocabulary Center, Interactive Vocabulary Lessons, Grades 11–12 Domain-Specific Academic Vocabulary, the lesson includes Show It, Try It, and Apply It sections. Examples of Vocabulary Terms include, but are not limited to: absolutism, entropy, gigabyte, chromosome, correlate, exponent, invest, and vicious. The Interactive lessons include the following student activity: “Identify the domain of each vocabulary word. Drag each word into the correct subject area column.” 

• In Unit 2, The Individual and Society, Small-Group Learning, students read “Innovators and Their Inventions” (author not cited). In the Introduction, Media Vocabulary section, students read definitions and example sentences for the following technical vocabulary: specifications, cross-section, and figure. The words are also used in other contexts. After reading, in the Media Vocabulary activity, students answer questions about the definitions for the words when used in discussing media. 

• In Unit 5, Facing Our Fears, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Focus Period 1920–1960: Times of Trouble” (author not cited). The materials provide instruction on the Tier II academic vocabulary words: assert, relevant, certify, immutable, and definitive. The words are related to the Performance Task of writing an argument.