7th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria of Indicator 1a. 

Anchor texts are well-crafted and content rich. The texts are rich in language and academic vocabulary. The combination of short stories, photo galleries, classic dramas, autobiographies, and news articles offer rich diversity which should appeal to a variety of student interests. 

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, Generations, Whole-Class Learning, students read A Simple Act by Tyler Jackson. This article chronicles the real-life experience of a woman who befriends a child who asks for money to buy food. The text explores how an unlikely friendship develops when one person shows kindness towards another. Students also explore the perspectives on life through two different generations and answer the Essential Question, ”What can one generation learn from another?”

• In Unit 2, A Starry Home, Whole-Class Learning, Anchor Text, students read  "Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed" by Ray Bradbury, a science fiction short story about Mars that is both imaginative and engaging. While reading this short story, students address the ability of humans to adapt to living on another planet. 

• In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Small-Group Learning, students read the lyrical poem "“Nature” is what We see –" by Emily Dickinson, a well-known American poet. The poem challenges students with layered meanings and uses language to have students explore what we see, hear, and know about nature. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1b.

Materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards including, but not limited to, poetry, science fiction stories, argumentative essays, and historical accounts. Over the course of the school year, materials include 27 informational texts and 13 literary texts resulting in a 67/33 balance, which exceeds the 55/45 balance of informational and literary texts across the school day that is required by the standards. 

Materials reflect the distribution of text types/genres required by the grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 1, Generations, Whole-Class Learning, Anchor Text, students read “A Simple Act” by Tyler Jackson. This news article helps students understand how different generations can learn valuable lessons from one another.  

• In Unit 2, A Starry Home, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Dark They Were and Golden Eyed” by Ray Bradbury. This short story is set on Mars and a fictional version of Earth. The theme explores the way catastrophic changes lead to lasting impacts for humans.

• In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Small-Group Learning, students read How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun by Michael Kaduto and Joseph Bruchac. This retelling of a Muskogee myth tells the story of how the sun came to be in the sky and explores the natural way of things from a Native American perspective.

Materials  reflect a balance of informational and literary texts that support the 55/45 balance required by the standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 1, Generations, students read nine core texts. In this unit, 78% of the texts are informational and 22% of the texts are literary. 

• In Unit 2, A Starry Home, students read eight core texts. In this unit, 63% of the texts are informational and 38% of the texts are literary.

• In Unit 3, Turning Points, students read six core texts. In this unit, 50% of the texts are informational and 50% of the texts are literary. 

• In Unit 4, People and the Planet, students read nine core texts. In this unit, 56% of the texts are informational and 44% of the texts are literary. 

• In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, students read eight core texts. In this unit, 88% of the texts are informational and 12% of the texts are literary.

• Throughout the year students read 40 texts, 27 or 67% of which are informational texts and 13 or 33% of which are literary texts.  

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1d.

The materials support the development of students’ literacy over the course of the school year. The materials provide an opportunity for students to read a variety of texts at various levels of complexity throughout each unit and throughout the school year. The overall quantitative complexity measures across the year range from 480L to 1290L, and the qualitative measures are Slightly Complex to Very Complex. Each unit consists of complex texts that, when paired with literacy activities, promote literacy skills and reading independence over time. Through appropriate scaffolds and support materials located in the Teacher’s Edition, the program supports the literacy growth of all students. Teachers are provided with resources to build background knowledge, guide language demands, and help students identify the meaning of each text. 

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:

• The quantitative and qualitative complexity of texts in each unit is as follows:  

  • Unit 1, 610L to 1020L, Slightly Complex to Moderately Complex 

  • Unit 2, 480L to 1290L, Slightly Complex to Very Complex

  • Unit 3, 800L to 1050L, Slightly Complex to Very Complex

  • Unit 4, 870L to 1190L, Slightly Complex to Very Complex

  • Unit 5, 600L to 1020L, Slightly Complex to Very Complex

• In Unit 1, Generations, Small-Group Learning, students read “Tutors Teach Seniors New High-Tech Tricks” by Jennifer Ludden (1020L). The quantitative measure of this news article is On Level, and the qualitative measure of this text is Slightly Complex. Overall, this Complex text gives students the opportunity to analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. After reading the story, students Analyze Craft and Structure to determine the central idea or main idea from the text. While analyzing the text for the central idea, students reflect on the author’s use of quotations from program participants for question three. Students write a response showing how the quotations contribute to the development of the central idea. They analyze the conclusion in depth by providing an answer to the final prompt, “At the end of the article, the author describes how seniors and teens continue to maintain their friends through Facebook. In what way does this detail connect with the central idea of the text?” In Unit 2, A Starry Home, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Danger! This Mission to Mars Could Bore You to Death” by Maggie Koerth-Baker (1290L). The quantitative measure is Above Level, and the qualitative measure of this text is Moderately Complex. Overall, this Very Complex text allows students to analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. Before students even begin to analyze the text by writing answers to the questions, the teacher provides prompting during the Close Read of the text. The text requires students to stop and analyze the reason the author may have included details or made certain choices while writing the news article. The first question students consider when it comes to the author’s choices is, “What point is the author making by listing such details?” The Teacher’s Edition points out that “the writer uses these examples to show that even the most basic creatures—-amoebas—need sensory stimulation.” Students continue to reflect on the author’s placement of specific facts in paragraph seven. The Teacher’s Edition states that “the author included the facts to emphasize the seriousness of the problem.” Not only do the questions ask students to think about the reasons behind the author’s choices, but the questions also ask students to evaluate the level to which the author supports the arguments. The Teacher’s Edition helps the teacher support students as they analyze the author’s explanations, tone, and the author’s use of vocabulary. In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, Small-Group Learning, students read “A Young Tinkerer Builds a Windmill, Electrifying a Nation” by Sarah Childress (1020L). The quantitative measure of this news article is on grade level, and the qualitative measure of this text is Slightly Complex. Overall, this Complex text provides students with the opportunity to analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. They explore the Text Structure of Biographical Writing while they participate in activities that have them practice finding the elements of biographical writing in the text. Students locate the paragraph in which they find information about a real-life person, factual information about the setting and context, details and descriptions that help develop the subject’s character, direct quotations, and narrative pacing, which is the way an author shapes the flow of the information in the text. Students choose two paragraphs to analyze. They identify the elements of biographical writing and provide examples that show the contribution the elements have on the development of the author’s ideas. As the units progress, tasks related to analyzing intentional text structure increase in complexity.

• In Unit 2, Animal Allies, Small-Group Learning, students read “The Last Dog” by Katherine Paterson (820L). Although the quantitative measure of this text is Below grade level, the qualitative measure is Moderately Complex. Overall, this Moderately Complex text gives students the opportunity to analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact. After reading the story, students Analyze Craft and Structure by learning about the types of conflict and how they interact with the resolution. During this exercise, students learn that “the plot centers on a conflict, or struggle between opposing forces.” Since this story has more than one conflict, students analyze how the “series of small conflicts lead to the main conflict.” In the Teacher’s Edition, the teacher reminds students that external and internal conflicts escalate in a story until the story reaches the climax. After that, the conflict “lessens in intensity and moves towards resolution.” They determine the resolution or outcome of the story when all of the conflicts are settled. To track the conflicts, students fill in a chart with text-based details to show what the main character struggles with, the types of conflicts (external or internal) that show up in the story, and how the conflicts are resolved. When they finish, they share details from their chart with a group as they answer the following questions:

  • Is there a main conflict that stands out in the story? Explain.

  • How are the external conflicts and the internal conflicts related?

  • Did the resolution settle the conflicts in the story? Did you find the resolution satisfying?

In Unit 3, Turning Points, Whole-Class Learning, students read A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley, Acts I and II by Israel Horovitz (NP). Qualitatively, this Very Complex text has students analyze how particular elements of the story or drama interact when they Analyze the Text. The teacher prompts students to answer, “What effects have Scrooge’s past experiences had on the person he has become?” Students then answer a second question that asks if  Scrooge “should be excused for his current attitudes and behaviors because of his upbringing?” These two questions have students analyze multiple elements of the plot and how it interacts with Scrooge’s current behavior patterns.” In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, Whole-Class Learning, students read an excerpt from The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (600L). Although the quantitative measure of this text is Below grade level, the qualitative measure is Very Complex. Overall, this Complex text gives students the opportunity to analyze how particular elements of a story, such as characterization, interact with the resolution of the story when they answer the following question, “Why do the characters burn their belongings at the end of the excerpt?” As the units progress, tasks related to analyzing characters 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, Generations, Whole-Class Learning, students read “A Simple Act” by Tyler Jackson (930L), which is slightly below the Lexile stretch band. This Slightly Complex text that has an overall rating of Moderate is positioned early in the year to support all learners. During the Decide and Plan Section, the teacher is provided with ideas for supporting an English Language Support discussion  centered around the use of figurative language in the story. In the same section, the teacher provides Strategic Support for students as they read the text. First, they “Make sure students understand that Maurice is living in a welfare hotel with his family and begging for food when he meets Laura.” The Teacher asks students questions that help them focus on the meaning of different words and phrases in the story, such as: “What does it mean that the welfare hotel might as well have been a different planet?” The Teacher can also provide some text analysis activities to challenge students’ thinking. Students discuss the questions that Laura asks herself in paragraph four. They discuss the emotions that come into play as a result of each question. Then students write a response explaining a possible result of Laura’s choice if she hadn’t gone back and talked to Maurice. Students are encouraged to include details about what Laura and Maurice might do and how they would feel.

• In Unit 3, Turning Points, Small-Group Learning, students read an excerpt from An American Childhood by Annie Dillard (1050L). In this On Level text, students are exposed to Very Complex qualitative exercises. Overall this Very Complex text is one of two written for this grade level. The scientific references, not all of which are explained, may require the teacher to provide some background to clarify the references. In addition, some sentences are complex, with multiple clauses and domain-specific vocabulary. Many of the concepts have multiple meanings that are not always explicit. For the most part, the main idea is clear, but the supporting concepts are complicated. The teacher is provided with the background to support the Technical Vocabulary that arises in the memoir. First, the teacher asks groups to look closely at the information about base words and how to use them to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words, such as: tissue, enlarged, and amoeba. Having the knowledge of the words before beginning the story will help students understand some of the complex ideas that the author writes about. As students begin the reading, the Teacher’s Edition brings the words tissue and enlarged to the forefront of the instruction. The teacher points out how to use the context clues or how to look up a word in a dictionary if it does not have a base word like tissue. For the word enlarged, if students are struggling to define it, the teacher points out the base word, large. Students look at the word, use the base word, and the context to determine the meaning of enlarged. These help students use strategies to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.

• In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Whole-Class Learning, students read an excerpt from Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (1080L). This On Level descriptive nonfiction text is rated Moderately Complex for the qualitative measure but has an overall rating of Complex. To help students focus on important aspects of the author’s choices, students are reminded in the First Read to annotate any passages “they feel are particularly evocative or worthy of analysis in their close read.” The Teacher’s Edition has an example to support the teacher as they help students locate passages to consider. For example, the text suggests that “students may want to focus on Carson’s language or on specific changes that affect the town or the people. If they complete this well, they will have some evidence to support the Close Read of the text. Students gain some support during the questions that follow the Close Read of the Text. They are asked to read the model from paragraph three, which shows two sample annotations. They revisit another section and practice annotating what they notice and why the author made this choice. If they already have ideas from the First Read, they can refer back to those paragraphs to support their new annotations.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1e. 

The materials clearly identify opportunities for students to engage in reading a wide variety of text types and genres. Students read 40 texts during Whole-Class and Small-Group learning. Students are provided with Independent reading tasks that are centered around the topics and themes provided for each unit. Students have opportunities to read text types and genres such as, but not limited to, historical accounts, poetry, speeches, dramas, and arguments. Students are provided with graphic organizers, note-catchers, and evidence logs to support their independent reading. The teacher’s edition provides sufficient guidance to foster independence in reading, including, but not limited to, prompts and scaffolds such as a reading plan. Guidance is also provided to help teachers support students with independent reading choices such as, but not limited to, guiding questions and text complexity charts. 

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 2, A Starry Home, students read a memoir, historical fiction, poetry, an essay, a short story, and news articles.

• In Unit 3, Turning Points, Small-Group Learning, students read a short story with a linear narrative, "Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes. Students are challenged with a text full of dialogue with urban dialect, slang, and ironic and or sarcastic statements.

• In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, Small-Group Learning, students read a short journalistic piece, “A Young Tinkerer Builds a Windmill, Electrifying a Nation” by Sarah Childress. This inspirational news article introduces students to cultural traditions, economic struggles, and entrepreneurism in Africa.

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 the 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, 12 days for Whole-Class Learning, 10 or 11 days for Small-Group Learning, and two days for Independent Learning. In the Teacher’s Edition, a text box in the margin notes, “Each day in this pacing calendar represents a 40–50 minute class period. Teachers using block scheduling may combine days to reflect their class schedule.” These opportunities to engage with multiple texts and a volume of reading are consistent across the school year. 

• In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Whole-Class Learning, students read two texts and listen to a speech over 12 classes or six blocks. In Small-Group Learning, students read five texts over 11 regular classes or five blocks. Students end the unit by reading one independent choice text over two classes or one block before the final performance task. The Teacher’s Edition provides a pacing guide for each unit and suggests ideas for supporting the needs of various students 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:

• Each unit has Independent Reading that is connected to the topics and themes presented in the main texts. Teachers instruct students to preview the choices for independent reading and choose one title. Prompts such as, “Think about what you have already studied. What more do you want to know about the topic of imagination?” help students decide which text to read. After selecting a book, students create a schedule, practice strategies from Whole-Class and Small-Group lessons, and take notes. Each independent text includes a Text Complexity Rubric as well. Graphic organizers are provided for first and close reads. Teacher materials also provide a guide for students to share their independent learning. 

• The Teacher’s Edition recommends trade books that connect with the themes and topics in Unit 3, including Robot Dreams by Isaac Asimov, Crater by Homer Hickam, and James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. The Teacher’s Edition also recommends additional independent online research with the article “NASA’s Next Horizon in Space” by Michael Rosten and a video called Bill Nye Talks Aliens on Mars by Bill Nye.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1f.

The tasks, questions, and assignments connect to the text students read and require students to collect textual evidence. Every unit includes a section for a Model Annotation and an Evidence Log. There are sections to help students conduct an analysis of a text, a close reading of the text, and an analysis of the language used in the text. Students provide textual evidence to support their responses to questions for every story in every unit. There are multiple opportunities for teachers to model annotating the text and for students to practice this skill in a small group setting. During independent learning, students complete tasks that require text-based evidence for completion. At the end of each unit, students use their Evidence Log to complete a Performance-Based Assessment based on the Essential Question for the unit.

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 2, A Starry Home, Small-Group Learning, students read texts prior to meeting as a group to engage in a text-based discussion. For example, after reading various texts and viewing related videos, students are asked to take a position in response to the question: “Would you rather stay here on Earth or experience life on another planet?” Although the question elicits opinions, students are required to reference the texts to support their opinions. In the directions they are reminded to “provide examples for your choice” as they discuss their positions. 

• In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Whole-Group Learning, students view a Nobel Speech delivered by Al Gore after annotating, reading, and discussing the printed version of the speech. Students then compare the printed version to the video. They write a text-based argument in response to the following prompt: “Write an argument in which you state a claim as to which medium more persuasively conveys Gore’s argument. Explain how the elements of the video or the written text either strengthen or weaken the argument.”

• In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, Small-Group Learning, students read "A Work in Progress" by Aimee Mullins. While reading, students “mark words and phrases that are examples of hyperbole, or using exaggeration for comic effect.” Students discuss and answer the essential question, “How do we overcome obstacles?” The students are directed to “cite text evidence to support your ideas.” 

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

• Each unit contains a Decide and Plan section for teachers that provides guidance on how to provide support for all students using appropriate scaffolds, modeling, and enrichment all based around text analysis.

• Units all contain teacher notes throughout that include places in the texts students may need additional vocabulary or comprehension support, scaffolded questions, and support for all learners. The Teacher’s Edition supports the system for annotating, noticing, and connecting by highlighting the key places in the text to show where students should look for answers.

• In Unit 3, Turning Points, Launch Text, students read "At the Crossroads" by Hajir Khouri. After reading the text, the students participate in a Launch Activity. In this activity, the students take a position on the following statement: “A person’s life can change in an instant.” A question from the Student Text asks the students to discuss examples from the text or their own prior knowledge that led them to choose the position. In the margin on page 9 of the Teacher’s Edition, Unit 3 PDF, the teacher is to “Remind [students] that there is no right or wrong position, but they should be able to support their positions with evidence from the material they’ve viewed, read, and analyzed as well as their prior knowledge.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1g. 

Materials provide varied protocols to support students’ speaking and listening skills across the year’s scope of instructional materials. Students engage in discussion throughout the unit through classroom discussions, small group discussions, and culminating discussions. Students are provided with a variety of structures to support their text-based discussion including, but not limited to, goal setting, graphic organizers, and reflection. Teachers are provided with speaking and listening guidance for most discussions with structure including, but not limited to, instructional videos, completed graphic organizers, prompts, and sentence starters for struggling students. Teachers facilitate discussions throughout each unit and over the course of the school year. 

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 middle 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 rules for the discussion.  

  • Make sure that no one talks so much that others don’t get a fair turn. Invite and encourage contributions from all participants. 

  • Try to keep speakers from going off into topics that aren’t related to the subject of the discussion.  

  • At the end of the discussion, give a summary of the results of the discussion and any decisions that were made.”

• In the Conversation and Discussion guide, materials provide the following guidance for Formal Group discussion guidelines: “Here are some tips for successful discussions in a formal setting:

  • Limit your use of informal (everyday, casual) speech in a formal discussion. Informal speech is also called colloquial speech or language.

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

  • Avoid using too much exclamatory language, or dramatic language. A little goes a long way.  

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

  • Stay focused on the subject under discussion. Avoid jumping in with different issues or unrelated remarks or stories.”

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

  • Speech may be more informal but should still maintain a polite code of conduct.  

  • Dramatic and exclamatory remarks help emphasize your point of view, but if you use them too much, they become less effective.”

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

• Materials include a PDF download for monitoring speaking and listening standards. This resource defines a group, provides a graphic organizer for preparing for discussion, and a graphic organizer for students to keep track of who and what ideas were presented and discussed in the group. 

• Materials include teacher support in Annotating the Text and Participating in Discussion. This video shows a teacher and a group of students discussing texts. The video focuses more on how and what to annotate in the text. The video also has students describing the benefits of discussion for them as learners.

• Materials include support in Facilitating Peer-Group Learning. This video shows students working in a group to fill out a chart. The teacher gives directions to a group including roles, and focus of discussion. Teachers refer to charts and checklists to monitor group discussions. Teachers model taking anecdotal notes during discussion including giving specific feedback to students.

• In Unit 2, A Starry Home, Whole-Class Learning, Anchor Text, students read "Danger! This Mission to Mars Could Bore You to Death" by Maggie Koerth-Baker and create a visual presentation with the support of their teachers. For example, during the delivery component of their presentation, teachers are guided to, “Remind students to take their time when they give their presentations. Tell students that when they present calmly and without rushing, they will appear more confident and project more authority.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1h. 

The materials provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate knowledge about what they are reading and learning through speaking and listening tasks. Students practice these skills during tasks through discussions with partners, small groups, and the whole class. The tasks require students to connect to evidence from texts, build on others’ ideas, and present information to an audience. Students synthesize and analyze evidence from texts to create presentation products. Opportunities to practice presentation skills such as eye contact, volume, and use of multimedia resources are also available. In addition, students are given opportunities to evaluate and incorporate multimedia resources. 

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 or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, A Starry Home, Small-Group Learning, students complete a Research assignment after watching the video interview “Ellen Ochoa: Director, Johnson Space Center.” Students are instructed to “Work as a group to write and present a short biography of Ochoa’s life. Watch the video again and have each member of the group take notes. Then briefly research Ellen Ochoa’s career. Afterward, hold a group discussion to decide which details from the video and your research to include in the biography.” Students work on the project in a team to “rehearse and then present your finished biography to the class. Inviting questions and feedback from the class after the presentation.”

  • In Unit 3, Turning Points, Whole-Group Learning, students read an excerpt from the memoir An American Childhood by Annie Dillard. Students use the following questions to engage in a collaborative discussion with a group: 

    • “What are the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing an interest on your own, without supervision?

    • What are the advantages and disadvantages of sharing hobbies and interests with family or friends?”

  Then they are instructed to “Gather Support Work with your group to identify evidence from the excerpt as well as examples from your own experience that supports your responses to the question your group chose to discuss. Create a T-chart to list the pros and cons, or advantages and disadvantages, for your topic.”

  • In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task, students present a multimedia presentation after reading the selections. As they “Gather Evidence and Media Examples, determine which group members will work to identify examples from the texts that support [their] claim and which members will work on gathering multimedia. Then, brainstorm ideas for your multimedia presentation. Identify photos, illustrations, audio, and video that illustrate the examples you will use to support your claim.”

• Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Generations, Introduction, students rate themselves on the Unit Goals before proceeding to read the texts in the Unit. For this Unit, the Speaking and Listening Goals include: 

    • “Collaborate with your team to build on the ideas of others, develop consensus.

    • Communicate, integrate audio, visuals, and text in presentations.”

  • In Unit 2, A Starry Home, students share a final version of their editorial. Instructions are given to work as a group to discuss the similarities and differences between the editorials. Students are instructed to “Always maintain a polite and respectful tone when commenting on someone else’s work.”

  • In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Small-Group Learning, students read four poems, “The Turtle Watchers” by Linda Hogan, “Nature is what We see–” by Emily Dickinson, and “The Sparrow” by Paul Laurence Dunbar. During the Speaking and Listening Assignment, students are to “assign roles for each member of [their] group. For groups who have chosen the dramatic reading, roles can include speakers to recite the poem, a sound person, a costume designer, and a person to identify and organize visuals and music. For groups who have chosen the digital multimedia presentation, roles can include a speaker, a multimedia researcher, and a person to organize the information for the presentation.”

• Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Generations, Small-Group Learning, students read “Tutors Teach Seniors New High-Tech Tricks” by Jennifer Ludden. Students are tasked “to create a multimedia presentation in which [they] incorporate text, charts, images, videos, music, or other media that help you [them] to convey your [their] ideas effectively.” They are tasked with choosing between an instructional brochure that explains how to use a technology application or a program proposal “that would connect teens and seniors in new ways.” 

  • In Unit 3, Turning Points, Small-Group Learning, students create a digital multimedia presentation on one of the topic choices. Students “plan and deliver a multimedia presentation about turning points.” They are instructed to read and reflect on the turning points in each of the texts before they start the project. When students plan the project they have to “include a digital Works-Cited list with electronic links to Internet sources.” Students also decide which information is better conveyed through text, images, spoken word, music, or sound.

  • In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Whole-Group Learning, students read an excerpt from Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. The Speaking and Listening Assignment instructs the students to plan and deliver a multimedia presentation.  Students can project the importance that Silent Spring had on humans and how they view the environment, the struggle to ban DDT and the eventual victory, or the parallels between the current threats to bee populations and the impact DDT had on wildlife when the author wrote this story. One of the evaluation criteria includes “the presentation included well-sequenced multimedia that emphasized the main points.”

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: 

• Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Generations, Small-Group Learning, students read “Tutors Teach Seniors: New High-Tech Tricks” by Jennifer Ludden. After reading the text, students prepare for a multimedia presentation. When students Present and Evaluate, they are to invite questions, listen to the presentations of others, ask questions if any part of the presentation is unclear and note the creative ideas that other groups used. The teacher is instructed to “discuss how each presentation addressed the topic.”

  • In Unit 2, A Starry Home, Launch Text, students read the argumentative text “Leaving Main Street'' by John Hidalgo. When they conclude the reading, they complete a Four-Corner Debate in response to the following statement: “We should stop exploring space because the money spent on space missions could be put to better use here on Earth.” After students decide which position they agree with, they move to the appropriate corner of the classroom and explain their thinking to their peers. During the small-group discussion, students are instructed to use examples from the text or their own opinion that led to them taking that position. After a class discussion, the teacher allows students to question their initial beliefs. They complete the activity by discussing the ideas of those that changed positions.

  • In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task, students prepare to present information about the challenges that the people in the stories faced. They review the texts to confirm the challenge the person faced, their strengths or qualities, and the outcome of their situation. They present these profiles to the class. In the margin of the Teacher’s Edition, it is suggested that the teacher provide these questions to help provide compliments and constructive criticism:

    • “What was the presenting group’s main idea about each selection?

    • Which supporting details were most effective?

    • Which multimedia best supported the explanation?

    •  In which presentation skills did the group excel?”

• Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, Turning Points, Introduction, students read the Launch Text “At the Crossroads” by Hajir Khouri. After reading the text, students complete the Launch Activity. Students take a position on the following statement: “A person’s life can change in an instant.” Based on their position, they form a discussion group with other students that have a similar perspective. In their groups, they discuss examples from the text or their own knowledge that led them to choose the position. After the discussion, a group member will present the ideas to the entire class. The final activity has the students consider changing groups based on the presentations. If students move to a different position, they must be “ready to explain why.” 

  • In Unit 4, The People and the Planet, Small-Group Learning, students engage in practices that develop their ability to work as a team. In step number one, take a position on and discuss the following question: “What is our relationship with the natural environment?” As a group, they determine some rules they will use for discussions. Then students apply the rules by sharing their ideas about survival in the natural environment. To learn from each other and consider other viewpoints, students listen to each member of the group, take notes, and share with the class something new they learned or heard another group member say. 

  • In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, Whole-Class Learning, students read an excerpt from the Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. After reading, the students use evidence from the documentary video “The Dust Bowl” and the excerpt from The Grapes of Wrath to write an argumentative essay. While Reviewing, Revising, and Editing, students “Swap drafts with a partner and proofread one another’s work. Make changes and correct errors to prepare a final draft.” Proofreading others' work allows students to review other ideas and perspectives.

• Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • In Unit 2, A Starry Home, Whole-Class Learning, the students listen to the radio play Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed by Michael McDonough. Before they listen to the radio play, they are provided with Media Vocabulary. The vocabulary words sound effects, human voice, and silence help the students understand elements that an author places in a radio play to enhance the actions of the plot of the story. After listening to the radio play, students use the Media Vocabulary to highlight the key ideas that a radio play provides:

    • “In what way has the Martian atmosphere been brought to life in the radio play?

    • Do the characters sound the way you thought they would sound based on your reading of the story?

    • How are changes of the scene indicated in the radio play?”

  • In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Small-Group Learning, students view a photo gallery titled “Eagle Tracking at Follensby Pond” by The Nature Conservancy. Students use the photos to determine if “people always have a negative impact on the environment.” The evidence they gather helps them “plan and deliver a multimedia presentation” about the relationship between humans and the natural environment. Since this photo gallery contains both “positive and negative examples” of the impact humans have on the environment, students will have to choose the best examples to fit their position. In their groups, students are also asked to determine which photo and caption they “found to be the most interesting or informative.” With their group, they share their ideas and then determine the questions that the photo and caption raised and the conclusions they could reach.

  • In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, Small-Group Learning, students listen to an interview, “How Helen Keller Learned to Talk” by Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. During the interview, the students collect evidence about the challenges that Helen Keller went through to overcome adversity. In the Performance Task: Speaking and Listening Focus, students can use examples from the video to “present a series of multimedia profiles, in which [they] address the question: “How do people overcome enormous challenges?” As the students present, the teacher will evaluate their work. The Teacher’s Edition has the students consider the following questions before the presentation:

    • “What was the presenting group’s main idea about each selection?

    • Which supporting details were most effective?

    • Which multimedia best supported the explanation?

    • In which presentation skills did this group excel?”

• Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Generations, Small-Group Learning, students read the poem “To James” by Frank Horne. In the introduction, students learn that Horne was the director of the U.S. Housing Authority and fought to end segregated housing. As a poet, “he fought discrimination with poems that conveyed dignity and pride.” As students read the poem, the teacher facilitates a lesson on Analyzing Tone. First, students “mark details in the poem that signify a change in the way the speaker seems to sound, starting at line 29.” Then they “consider what the details might tell them.” To finish the lesson, students formulate conclusions about the importance of the details that the author uses in the text. Students are reminded “that tone expresses the poet’s attitude to the subject and the reader–and the speaker’s attitude to the person he or she is addressing.” During the Comprehension Check, the students use evidence from the poem to  identify the speaker’s goal.

  • In Unit 3, Turning Points, Small-Group Learning, students analyze the interview “Neil deGrasse Tyson on the Future of U.S. Space Exploration After Curiosity" by Keith Wagstaff. In the interview, “Tyson argues that the government should fund space exploration, which ultimately comes from tax money.” Students use evidence from his argument to support their response to the Performance Task: Speaking and Listening Focus. During this activity, students present an argument through a multimedia presentation to address the question: “Should space exploration be a priority for our country?” Each group finds the benefits and drawbacks of space exploration and then organizes the presentation. When the students present, the teacher and students in the audience evaluate the presentation using the following questions from the Teacher’s Edition:

    • “What was the presenting group’s claim?

    • What were some of their supporting ideas?

    • Did the group address the opposing argument successfully?

    • Did the media examples support the group’s argument?”

  • In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Whole-Class Learning, students listen to “Nobel Speech” by Al Gore. Students write and answer the following questions about the speech in the Analyze the Media section:

    • “Identify a section of the video of Al Gore’s speech that you found particularly persuasive. Then, write a short paragraph in which you briefly describe this section and explain why you chose it. 

    • What effects do people have on the environment? What have you learned about the ways in which people affect the environment from watching the video of Al Gore’s speech?”

Students share their answers to demonstrate their understanding of Al Gore’s argument.

• Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Generations, Whole-Class Learning, students read the excerpt Two Kinds by Amy Tan. In the Standards Support Through Teaching and Learning Cycle, Decide and Plan section of the Teacher’s Edition, the teacher can “administer the Speaking and Listening: Monologue (RP) worksheet to help students understand how to orally present a claim effectively through its delivery, clarity, and strong points.” This worksheet provides activities to support students that are Catching Up on ways to present claims and findings along with using appropriate speaking etiquette.

  • In Unit 2, A Starry Home, students engage in Performance-Based Assessment for the entire unit. During the first part of the assessment, students “Write an argument in which you [they] state and defend a claim in response to the following question: Should we spend valuable resources on space exploration?” Then the students use the final draft of their argument “to mark key reasons and evidence that support [their] claim.” They conduct an oral presentation supported by a sequence of visuals that matches the timing of the speaker. Not only are students evaluated on the content and organization of their presentation, but they are also evaluated on the techniques they use to deliver the message to their audience. To receive the top score for Presentation Techniques, a student must maintain eye contact, speak clearly with adequate volume, and present the argument with energy and conviction.

  • In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, Small-Group Learning, students read “The Circuit'' by Francisco Jiménez. After reading and analyzing the text, students design a role-play interview between a reporter and a farm worker. They then present their role-play. The Evaluation Guide requires students to demonstrate the following:

    • “The role-play presented important, relevant Information.

    • The role-play was realistic.

    • The people role-playing stayed in character.

    • The role-players maintained eye contact with each other.

    • The role players spoke loudly enough to hear them.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 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 the use of a Launch Text at the opening of the unit that functions as a model for the student’s 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 1, Generations, Small-Group Learning, students read an excerpt from Maya Angelou’s memoir, Mom and Me. After completing the Comprehension Check at the end of the text, the teacher is instructed to provide directions for the WriteNow Express and Reflect descriptive writing. A brief reflection should be written by students after the teacher reads these directions, “After being apart for so long, Maya and her mother have gotten off to a rocky start, to say the least. Have students write a brief essay about someone they did not initially get along with but later became friends with. Students should describe some differences in their personalities and reflect on what keeps them close even though they don’t always agree.” 

• In Unit 3, Turning Points, Small-Group Learning, students read "Thank You, M’am'' by Langston Hughes. Then students write a group journal entry using the point of view of either Roger or Mrs. Jones. Students decide which character and then gather evidence about their character. Students are instructed to use ideas out of their imagination and from the text. 

• In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, students complete a QuickWrite to answer the prompt, “How can people overcome adversity in the face of overwhelming obstacles?” Instructions include considering the texts and discussions when writing. 

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 2, A Starry Home, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task: Writing Focus,  students write an argument about the advantages and disadvantages of exploring space. Students engage in the writing process by gathering ideas from “Dark They Were, and Golden Eyed” by Ray Bradbury and “Danger! This Mission to Mars Could Bore You to Death!” by Maggie Koerth-Baker. First, students read Elements of an Argument and the Launch Text, “Leaving Main Street” by John Hidalgo. Both of these readings set the students up with the elements and a model of a strong piece of argumentative writing. Students develop a claim and support it with evidence. They also think of a counterclaim to their argument and support it with evidence. After students organize and connect their ideas and write a conclusion, they begin the first draft. The focus of the revision for this assignment is to look for the correct verb tense. In the Teacher’s Edition margin, the teacher expresses that the incorrect or inconsistent verb tense can confuse a reader. The teacher is provided with sentences from “Leaving Main Street” that review the present, present perfect, future, present, and past verb tenses. The sentences can be written on a whiteboard or projected through the Interactive Teacher’s Edition. Students can interact with the sentences as they discuss the correct verbs. Afterward, students review the six basic verb tenses and work through their essays to make sure the verb tenses are correct and consistent.

• In Unit 3, Turning Points, Whole-Class Learning, Performance-Based Assessment: Assessment Prep, students use their collected evidence from each text in the unit to write an Explanatory Essay. The question that they answered while reading each text was, “What can cause a significant change in someone’s life?”  Students review their evidence and identify three things they read about that caused life changes for someone. Then they identify one of those three experiences that illustrate their personal ideas about turning points. Students develop their thoughts into topic sentences and add details. They complete these steps by evaluating their initial ideas using the following question, “How did the texts you read affect your ideas?” In the margin of the Teacher’s Edition, the teacher is instructed to “Encourage students to keep in mind that their cause-and-effect essay should include evidence. Their evidence should support the viewpoint and perceptions that they write about. Evidence should be correctly attributed and come from credible and relevant sources. Once the students are confident with strong topics, they begin to write the essay. They follow a process for rereading the assignment, reviewing academic words presented at the beginning of the unit, reviewing the elements of an effective explanatory essay, and the explanatory essay rubric. After completing their final draft, the students annotate their final draft of the essay to mark the parts they want to emphasize in a brief oral presentation on their topic.

• In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, End of Unit Performance-Based Assessment, students write an Informative Essay and develop an Oral Presentation. Students state and support a thesis in response to the following prompt, “How can people overcome adversity in the face of overwhelming obstacles?” After writing the first draft of the essay and the presentation, students receive the rubrics. They check their products against the rubrics and revise the essay and the presentation to strengthen any limited or missing components. 

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

• All units include Interactive Digital Perspectives such as audio, video, documents, annotation highlights, and online assessments. These resources can be accessed through the Interactive Teacher’s Edition in Realize Reader. For example, in Unit 2, A Starry Home, Whole-Class Learning, the teacher can play an audio recording of the radio play “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed,” written by Ray Bradbury and produced by Michael McDonough. The audio reading takes 28:47, and the teacher can print a transcript of the play for students. 

• In Unit 1, Generations, Whole-Class Learning, students read an excerpt from An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff. In the Teacher’s Edition, there is a box titled Digital Perspectives. To help enrich the reading, the teacher enriches the meaning of the text by explaining, “To give students a better understanding of Laura and Maurice’s relationship developed, show their interview on the Today show to the class. Be sure to preview the video before sharing it with the class. As the episode plays, have the students reflect on the following questions:

  • ‘What special names does Maurice use to refer to Laura?

  • What are the reactions of the hosts while they are listening to the story of friendship between Laura and Maurice? Do you think others would have the same reaction? How does emotion encourage people to promote a cause?

  • Discuss how the relationship has helped spread awareness about child hunger and work to help hungry children.’”

• In Unit 3, Turning Points, Whole-Class Learning, students watch a 1935 adaptation of A Christmas Carol called Scrooge. While the students watch the film clip, they are to note the different ways the story is told between the film and the text, A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley. The film can be projected for the class through the Interactive Teacher Edition or individually on student devices through the interactive textbooks.

• In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, students complete multimedia profiles of people who have overcome challenges. “Students should complete the assignment using presentation software to take advantage of text, graphics, and sound features.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1k. 

The materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing while using evidence. The materials provide opportunities for students to practice writing that is focused on claims developed from reading closely, as well as frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing while using evidence. During Whole-Class Learning, most units end with a writing task that involves explicit instruction in the skills needed to complete the task. The Teacher’s Edition includes expert instruction with support in the form of modeling and graphic organizers. During Small-Group Learning, students work collaboratively to complete writing projects that lead to speaking and listening components. At the end of each unit, the students complete an End of Unit Assessment, applying their evidence-gathering skills to write longer pieces that answer the unit’s Essential Question. 

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, Generations, Introduction, Launch Text, students read “Grounded” (author not cited). After reading, students write a summary of the text. The teacher is instructed to provide students with the following guidance for their summary paragraphs:

  • “Write in the the present tense.

  • Be concise: a summary should not be equal in length to the original text.

  • If you need to quote the author, use quotation marks.

  • Don’t put your own opinions, ideas, or interpretations into the summary. The purpose of writing a summary is to accurately represent what the author says, not to provide a critique.”

• In Unit 3, Turning Points, Small-Group Learning, students read “Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes. They create a journal entry. The instructions guide students to reread the text and brainstorm impressions they have of the two main characters. Students then “Use [their] own imagination and evidence from the text to support [their] ideas” As students write, the teacher gives students feedback to clarify their ideas and evidence as they “make sure they are consistent with the original narrative’s details.” 

• In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, students read “The Circuit” by Francisco Jimenez. After reading, they complete a Writing to Sources activity in which they Write a short explanation of additional patterns [they] find in the story (related to characters’ behavior, actions, seasons, and so on). Conclude [their] explanation[s] with observations about how these patterns give meaning to the story.” In this activity, teachers prompt students to “analyze evidence from the text” and “include details from the text to support [their] ideas.” Teachers are provided with the following guidance as they give students feedback on their writing:

  • “Discuss with students the importance of stating their ideas clearly so readers know exactly what they are explaining in their explanation.

  • Remind students that it’s important they explain why they believe the theme they’ve identified is the theme of the story.

  • If they use ideas the author states directly, they should quote or paraphrase the appropriate text. If they use ideas the author states indirectly, they should explain how they arrived at their conclusion about this text.” 

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

• In Unit 2, A Starry Home, Whole-Class Learning, students read Danger! This Mission to Mars Could Bore You to Death! by Maggie Koerth-Baker. They write an argument “in the form of a blog post in which they state [their] position on the topic of combating astronauts’ boredom while traveling to Mars.” Students follow a direct process to complete this task, including “conducting research, using accurate, credible sources to compile evidence to support [their] argument.”

• In Unit 4, The People and the Planet, Small-Group Learning, students review “Eagle Tracking at Follensby Pond” by The Nature Conservancy and “write a short research paper” on one of three possible topics. Students need to “formulate a research question that will guide [their] research process” and are provided with examples of viable research questions that will lead to the successful completion of the task. Students are directed to use “only information that is meaningfully related to [their] topic” and to organize it in such a way as to address the research question they’ve developed.  

• In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, Small-Group Learning, students read from The Story of My Life by Helen Keller and “How Helen Keller Learned to Talk” by Helen Keller, with Anne Sullivan. Students create a multimedia presentation using one of three different presentation options. In order to create a written presentation, students “analyze the ways in which the text and video portray the subjects of Keller and Sullivan as well as Keller’s Educational Process.” Additionally, students review a film that requires careful analysis because they must look closely at the “key visual elements of the clip, particularly how the body is used, and compare them to the descriptions of the body and physical sensations from the excerpts in the book.” 

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1m. 

The materials provide a comprehensive year-long plan for students to interact with and acquire academic vocabulary in a systematic way. Materials include lessons and activities for vocabulary development critical to understanding the text, the overall concept of the unit, and the genre of writing for each unit. Academic vocabulary is highlighted at the beginning of each unit in the introduction. Concept or Media Vocabulary specific to the text or media that students review is emphasized at the beginning of each reading and throughout the lesson. 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 pretest, mid-year assessment, and end-of-year assessment. Content vocabulary is repeated over the school year and includes, but is not limited to, dialogue and conflict. There is additional independent student practice in the Vocabulary Center and guidance and resources for the teacher in the Program Resources, Teacher’s Edition, and Professional Development Center. 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 section on Standards Correlation. It includes the Key Features of the Standards and how each section of the unit fits into the larger picture of teaching the standards. The Language Standard is complete for teaching Conventions, Effective Use, and Vocabulary. The text states, “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.” In order to teach the Language standards for vocabulary, each unit includes Vocabulary/Word Study. The Unit at a Glance section in the Teacher’s Edition and Resources includes Vocabulary and Word Study concepts that will be introduced during each reading. Each unit offers information in the Introduction regarding the Academic Vocabulary for teacher guidance, such as lessons that help with learning the vocabulary and offering possible student responses to questions that reiterate the vocabulary words. The materials offer Language Development in each of the Whole-Class and Small-Group Learning sections with Word Networks. The students are encouraged to annotate vocabulary when close reading. The Teacher’s Edition End Matter also includes a Glossary: Academic Concept Vocabulary and the academic vocabulary appears in blue font. 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. The structure of the vocabulary lessons remains consistent throughout the year.

• In Unit 3, Turning Points, Introduction, Launch Text, students read “At the Crossroads” by Hajir Khouri. They create a Word Network to collect words that are related to the unit topic, Turning Points. They are encouraged to add words from the story, such as: purposes, journey, and experience. They continue to add to the Word Network. As the students read the texts in the unit, they find words that will help vary their word choice as they write an explanatory essay that answers the following question: “What can cause a significant change in someone’s life?”  

• In Unit 5, Facing Adversity, Unit Introduction, students are provided with a chart of five academic words that help students analyze and write informative texts. They read the following words and mentor sentences, deviate, persevere, determination, diversity, and tradition. Then words reappear as students complete the Performance Task after reading the Whole-Group Learning texts. They are encouraged to “consider using some of the academic vocabulary” in their informative essay. The essay will answer the question: “How did the individuals in the selections cope with the obstacles they faced?” The Teacher’s Edition has the teacher provide time for the students to explore ways they could use the terms in their essays.

• In Unit 1, Generations, Launch Text, students read "Grounded" by Marc Domingo students work with the vocabulary word consequences. In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Small-Group Learning, students read “He-y, Come On Ou-t!” by Shinichi Hoshi, students encounter the word consequences again. 

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 7, Domain-Specific Vocabulary, the lesson includes Show It, Try It, and Apply It, Part 1 and 2. In Part 1, some examples of terms include, but are not limited to: bookmark, erosion, intensity, metamorphic, proportion, and urbanization. The Interactive lessons include the following student activity within the Try It tab: “Drag each word into the correct subject area column.” Students apply their learning by taking a six-question quiz in the Apply it section that asks questions pertaining to the vocabulary, such as:

  • In which sentence is bookmark used correctly?

    • I bookmarked this web page because I visit it almost every day. 

    • I bookmarked this web page because I will probably never visit it again. 

  • In which sentence is intensity used correctly?

    • Because of the intensity of the storm, we decided to spend the day at the beach. 

    • The intensity of the storm forced us to stay inside all day. 

• In the Vocabulary Center, Interactive Vocabulary Lessons, Grades 7, General Academic Vocabulary, the lesson includes Show It, Try It, and Apply It, Part 1 and 2. In Part 1, some examples of terms include, but are not limited to: analyze, culture, inquire, opposition, reflect, and transmit. The Interactive lessons include the following student activity within the Try It tab: “Drag each word in the left-hand column to match it with the vocabulary word in the right-hand column that has the same root.” For example, students would match the new word, cultivate from the right-hand column with the word culture (-cult-) in the left-hand column. They apply their learning by reading a paragraph and filling in the correct vocabulary word. For example, “The National Gardening Association (NGA) recently (produced, defined, or analyzed) 216 school gardens.”

• In Unit 2, A Starry Home, Introduction, the materials include academic vocabulary terms that “help you read, write, and speak with more precision.” Here are five academic words that will be useful to you in this unit as you analyze and write arguments.” Students complete a chart to predict meaning and write at least two related words for the following: justify, alternative, certainty, discredit, and assumption. 

• In Unit 4, People and the Planet, Small-Group Learning, students view a photo gallery, “Eagle Tracking at Follensby Pond” by The Nature Conservancy. The materials provide the Media Vocabulary that relates to discussing photography, documentary photography, vantage point, and monochrome. The words are Tier III or advanced technical words.