12th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Whole-Class Learning, students read from Beowulf, translated by Burton Raffel, an epic poem canonized as one of the oldest literary works in Old English. In Small-Group Learning, students read “How Did Harry Patch Become an Unlikely WWI Hero?” from BBC iWonder, which gives students a primary account of historical events pertinent to the literary works that students read. 

• In Unit 2, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Prologue from The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, translated by Nevill Coghill. The inclusion of topics such as wealth, competition, and social class should make this an engaging text for students. Students also view “The Prologue From the Canterbury Tales: The Remix” by Patience Agbabi, a spoken word poem performed by the author which interprets the original piece into modern times using the common contemporary language found in a modern poetry slam. 

• In Unit 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I by William Shakespeare, a renowned writer and one of the most well-known tragedies.

• In Unit 4, Seeing Things New: Visionaries and Skeptics, Whole-Class Learning, students read an excerpt from Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. The thought-provoking nature of this satire makes it worth reading. Students also read a poetry collection of John Donne, including “A Valediction” by John Donne. The collection is the first of four poetry collections in this unit. Donne’s poetry is considered one the best representations of the Metaphysical poets. 

• In Unit 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Whole-Class Learning, students read from Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, a well-known canonized text, written by a woman and one of the first modern science fiction novels. In Small-Group Learning, students listen to “When Memories Never Fade, the Past Can Poison the Present,” heard on All Things Considered by Alix Spiegel. The audio text shares stories of people with perfect memory and its effect on relationships.

• In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell, which recounts an experience Orwell had as a police officer in Burma, India, that required him to kill an aggressive elephant. Often regarded as metaphorical for the negative impacts of colonialism, the story pushes readers to examine their own beliefs.

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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 780L–1450L. Over the course of the year, 72% 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 measure is 1050 with numerous non-prose (NP) texts. The qualitative range is Moderately Complex to Very Complex. In Unit 2, the Lexile range is 1030L–1380L. The qualitative range is Moderately Complex to Exceedingly Complex. In Unit 3, the Lexile range is 950L–1130L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Exceedingly Complex.  In Unit 4, the Lexile range is 940L–1200L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Exceedingly Complex. In Unit 5, The Lexile range is 780L–1450L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Exceedingly Complex.  In Unit 6, the Lexile range is 900L–1280L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Moderately Complex. The overall quantitative complexity measures across the year range from 780L–1450L. The overall qualitative range across the year is Slightly Complex to Exceedingly Complex. 

• In Unit 1, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen and “The Song of the Mud” by Mary Borden. Students analyze craft and structure, and the activity allows students to “analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant.” In Unit 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act IV, by William Shakespeare. Students complete a Read It activity when they reread Scene iii and note situations when exclamation marks indicate possible exclamatory phrases. Students complete a Write It activity: “Write some lines of verse that contain exclamatory phrases. Experiment with using iambic pentameter. Your verse may be original or retell a moment from the play from a different character’s point of view.” In Unit 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Small-Group Learning, students read “The Madeleine” from Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust (1450L). Students complete a Writing to Sources activity in which they write a narrative as a group, choosing from one of three options including, “Write a narrative retelling of the event of ‘The Madeleine’ from another point of view. Create a third-person omniscient narrator—or one who knows the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in your story—and describe what happens when Proust’s narrator has tea with his mother. Include dialogue that reveals the narrator’s thoughts and his mother's reactions.” As the units progress, the tasks connected to analyzing craft and structure increase in complexity.

• In Unit 2, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Whole-Class Learning, students read the allegory “The Prologue” from The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, translated by Nevill Coghill (NP). In the Analyze the Text section, students interpret with the question, “Judging from the descriptions of the Friar and the Parson, what does Chaucer think can cause a religious person to fail in his or her duty?” In Unit 4, Seeing Things New: Visionaries and Skeptics, Whole-Class Learning, students read an excerpt from Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (1200L). In the Analyze the Text section, students interpret with the question, “Fearing that the author would be charged with treason, the original publisher of Gulliver’s Travels censored the novel. Why would the novel have been so controversial in the early 1700s?” In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Whole-Class Learning, students read the personal essay “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell (1700L). In the Analyze the Text section, students interpret with the question, “Orwell speaks of the British Empire as being in a state of decay. How true does Orwell’s statement prove to be?” As the units progress, the tasks connected to analyizing an argument 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, Forging a Hero, Launch Text, students read "A World of Heros" (author not cited). The Teacher’s Edition suggests the teacher explain the nuance of the figurative language in the phrase “larger than life” for English Language Learners. This explanation is intended to build a knowledge base of common idioms. 

• In Unit 4, Seeing Things New: Visionaries and Skeptics, Small-Group Learning, students read “Araby” by James Joyce. In the Teacher’s Edition, page 540b, 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 analyzing craft and structure: narrative structure, and an accessible leveled text. On page 540c, there is a text complexity rubric and a graphic organizer providing suggestions for support based on the text’s rubric scores. On page 540d, 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 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Small-Group Learning, students read from “A History of the English Church and People” by Bede, translated by Leo Sherley-Price. In the Teacher’s Edition, page 730b, 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 analyzing craft and structure: elements of historical writing, and an accessible leveled text. On page 730c, there is a text complexity rubric and a graphic organizer providing suggestions for support based on the text’s rubric scores. On page 730d, a flow chart assists teachers in identifying the standards being taught and what supports to use for students below and above the standard.

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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 2, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Small-Group Learning, students read four texts, including an historical account “The Worms of the Earth Against the Lions” from A Distant Mirror by Barbara W. Tuchman, an essay “Shakespeare’s Sister” by Virginia Woolf, poetry, and “Passenger Manifest for the MV Empire Windrush,” a public document. There are also eight independent reading selections available from which to choose.

• In Unit 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Whole-Class Learning, students read a personal narrative, poetry collections, a historical perspective article, and a novel excerpt. In Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection, novel excerpts, a science journal article and listen to a radio broadcast. Students choose between newspaper articles, an essay, and a novel excerpt tied to the unit’s theme in the independent reading section.

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, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, students read three texts over 12 regular classes or six block classes. In Small-Group Learning, students read three 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 4,  Seeing Things New: Visionaries and Skeptics, Independent Learning, students can choose to read “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Resources such as text questions, audio summaries, and a selection test are available. The materials include the Connection to the Essential Question: “This poem will help students reflect on the essential question, ‘Why are vision and disillusion necessary?’ In ‘Kubla Khan,’ Coleridge is relating his vision of both Kubla Khan’s palace and the city of Xanadu. The power of imagination and poetic ‘vision’ are central to the poem and vital to its creation.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Whole-Class Learning, students read from Beowulf by Gareth Hinds and answer questions after a First Read: “1. What does Beowulf order his smiths to do at the beginning of the excerpt?; 3. By what other word or name does Beowulf refer to the dragon?; 5. How does the excerpt end?”

• In Unit 4, Seeing Things New: Visionaries and Skeptics, Whole-Class Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “A Valediction” by John Donne, and answer the following text-based questions: “What two points about sleep does the speaker make in ‘Holy Sonnet 10’? What point about death does the speaker make with these comparisons?”

• In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Back to My Own Country: An Essay” by Andrea Levy and answer questions: “What is the status of the author’s parents when they were living in Jamaica? How did that status change when they got to England? Why is Levy now happy to be called a black British Writer - and to write about her Caribbean heritage?”

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, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Small-Group Learning, the Teacher’s Edition wrap-around material for “On Seeing England for the First Time” by Jamaica Kincaid and “XXIII” from Midsummer by Derek Walcott under Formative Assessments - Analyze the Text,  includes the directions, “If students struggle to close read the text, then provide the On Seeing England,  XXIII from Midsummer: Text Questions available online in the Interactive Teacher’s Edition or Unit Resources. Answers and DOK levels are also available.”

• In Unit 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection including “Apostrophe to the Ocean” by George Gordon, Lord Byron. The Teacher’s Edition includes a Jump Start for the First Read: “How can reading poetry help us discover ourselves? Engage students in a discussion about how writing and reading poetry can help people pose and answer questions about the self. Discuss with students how song lyrics are a type of poetry and ask students to discuss how songs explore self-discovery.” The Jump Start will prepare students for reading the poetry and when they Analyze the Text: “3. Essential Question: How do we define ourselves? What have these poems taught you about how people define themselves? Discuss with your group.”

• In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Whole-Class Learning, the Teacher’s Edition wrap-around materials for “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell include under Jump Start- Close Read the following directions: “Use these prompts to engage students in a discussion about how people’s actions in one situation might be quite different from their actions when faced with similar circumstances in another situation. What influences your decisions and actions? How does the situation you are in affect the kinds of decisions you make?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Small-Group Learning, students read “The Worms of the Earth Against the Lions” from A Distant Mirror by Barbara W. Tuchman and “have a group discussion about the issues of social justice and social order raised by the selection.” In the Teacher’s Edition, scaffolds are provided: “Point out to students that if they choose to hold a debate, they will be making a claim and supporting it with evidence from the text. A panel discussion is more open-ended, but by the end of the discussion, students should be able to make a claim and support it.” 

• In Unit 4, Seeing Things New: Visionaries and Skeptics, Whole-Class Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “A Valediction” by John Donne. In the Teacher’s Edition wrap material for the Speaking and Listening activity, teachers are told for the Prepare Your Recitation section, “Remind students of the importance of practice with any speaking assignment. Encourage students to practice their poem several times. They might want to practice in front of a mirror first and then with another student, friend, or family member. Students might use the Presentation Evaluation Guide to help them prepare their reading.”

• In Unit 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task, students present a personal narrative 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 a personal narrative, plan and rehearse with their group, and present and evaluate other groups. 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 12 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, Forging a Hero, Small-Group Learning, students read “To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars” by Richard Lovelace and “The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In the Close Read the Text section, student instructions state: “With your group, revisit the text you marked during your first read.” In the Analyze the Text section, students complete three activities, two of them state: “Review and Clarify: With your group, discuss how lines 11-12 of ‘To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars’ and lines 50-55 of ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ reveal each poet’s attitude toward war. Present and Discuss: Now, work with your group to share the passages from the two poems that you found especially important…Discuss what details you noticed, what questions you asked, and what conclusions you reached.”

  • In Unit 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I by William Shakespeare, and engage in a speaking and listening assignment by performing a soliloquy. Students draw on evidence from the text to Create Your Character who will either support or discourage the murder of King Duncan. Examples of questions students consider include but are not limited to: “What is my motive in arguing for or against the murder? Do I have anything to gain?

  • In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task: Speaking and Listening Focus, students participate in a panel discussion after reading multiple poems: “You have read a variety of texts in which a sense of place is key. Work with your group to hold an informative panel discussion on this question: What makes a place important enough to write about?” One step in the Plan With Your Group section is to Analyze the Text, where students choose three texts from a provided list and individually “analyze how each writer conveys a strong sense of place.” In the provided chart, they gather details and descriptions to build their analysis. The next step is gathering evidence and examples: “Reconvene with your group to share your analysis and identify the strongest ideas. Combine your ideas.” When students complete the panel discussion, one group member will be the moderator, and the others respond to the moderator’s questions.

• 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, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Small-Group Learning, students read “The Worms of the Earth Against the Lions” from A Distant Mirror by Barbara W. Tuchman, after which students conduct a group discussion on the following topic that addresses the unit’s Essential Question: “Have a group discussion about the issues of social justice and social order raised by the selection.” In the task, students decide what format to discuss: debate, panel discussion, or role-play. The standards listed next to the assignment include the substandard, but there is no instruction on how students would do that.

  • In Unit 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Small-Group Learning, students read from Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf and create an oral presentation. The materials include requirements for holding a panel discussion, staging a debate, or presenting a response to literature, such as “begin by assigning roles. Choose who will serve as moderator and who will participate as panelists. Work together to come up with discussion questions, and then work individually to find textual evidence and developer answers.”

• 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 1, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task, students present an argument in which they organize visuals for their group presentations. They plan with the group, including gathering evidence and media examples: “work with group members to locate online photographs, artwork, or video clips that illustrate your claim.” Students organize, practice, and fine-tune the content of the presentation, improve the timing of the media, and practice their presentation techniques. 

  • In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “Escape from the Old Country” by Adrienne Su, and work collaboratively to create a podcast. This is a multimedia presentation in which students must evaluate and develop different perspectives to present their findings. 

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, Forging a Hero, Independent Learning, students read a variety of text that focuses on the theme for the unit. Once they have completed analysis tasks related to their independent reading, they are asked to consider how the reading contributes to their overall understanding of the topic. They take notes on their thoughts and ideas and share this information with their classmates. As they share, they are encouraged to ask clarifying questions and politely challenge each other’s thinking. Afterward, they are asked to reflect on the discussion and consider ways in which the ideas of others may or may not have impacted their own.

  • In Unit 4, Seeing Things New: Visionaries and Skeptics, Small-Group Learning Overview, in the Working as a Team section, students are instructed to hold a discussion of the question, “In what ways is growing up a process of finding your own vision?” Next, they set rules for the group, followed by practicing the rules by having a discussion of what they have already learned about visionaries and skeptics. The provided rules include “Everyone should participate,” and the Teacher’s Edition gives suggested reminders to provide students for Accountable Talk, such as, “Remember to ask clarifying questions, which sounds like I think you said ____. Did I understand you correctly?”

• 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, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task, students present an argument that involves analyzing the text with a group, discussing the personality traits that apply to the heroes of each selection and then noting any discrepancies or differences among them. Students must agree on a claim and work effectively as a group to present their findings. As students fine-tune the content, they can “replace slides with visuals that better support” their claims and create a balanced presentation.

  • In Unit 2, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Whole-Class Learning, the Launch Activity is “Give one - Get one.” Students consider the question, “What are three aspects of society today that I would like to reform, improve, or change?” They write their three aspects on three different sticky notes. Next, they circulate through the room, talking to individual students to give their ideas and get the other students' ideas. Students are reminded, “As you trade, talk to each classmate about how your responses differ and why you made the choices you did.” Students choose an idea from another student to share in a whole-class discussion, including “Try to explain your classmate’s reasoning to the rest of the class.”

  • In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection and create a podcast. One of the steps to complete the task is to Conduct Research. Student instructions state: “Once your group has agreed on a focus…begin to gather details that will provide clear and distinct perspectives on your topic.”

• 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 1, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Whole-Class Learning, students read from Beowulf, translated by Burton Raffel, and “prepare a research presentation focusing on one aspect of the culture that told and retold the story of Beowulf—the Anglo-Saxons of the eighth to eleventh centuries. Enrich your presentation with digital media that you find online. Deliver your presentation to the class.” The instructions provide a checklist to evaluate the credibility and accuracy of each source, considering questions including but not limited to: “Is the source reputable? Is it known to provide solid information? Is the source transparent or open about its  information-gathering practices? Does the source avoid bias or a political agenda? Is the content thorough and well-written? Does the source accurately cite other sources?” 

  • In Unit 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Whole-Class Learning, students read from Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and create a research presentation that surveys the range of adaptations. The materials require students to “locate multiple adaptations of Frankenstein. Choose three very different versions of the story. Make sure at least one of your adaptations is a film, video, or television show.” Students must also incorporate “digital media, such as photos, video clips, or audio.”

  • In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “Escape from the Old Country” by Adrienne Su. The Speaking and Listening assignment is to create an informative podcast, choosing from three modes: contribute to an informative presentation, descriptive analysis about the development of poetry, or roundtable discussion about the ocean as a metaphor. One step to complete the task is Conduct Research. Students’ instructions state: “Work together to integrate information from each person’s sources into a cohesive podcast.” The Teacher’s Edition states: “Remind students to use only credible sources, ones that have been created within the last five years by either educational institutions or governmental agencies or academic, peer-reviewed journals and other resources. Writers should avoid popular and collective websites, open-source encyclopedias, or material based solely on opinion.”

• 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 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act III by William Shakespeare and prepare and deliver an oral recitation of a speech from this act in which either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth argues for a particular course of action: “Make sure your recitation reflects your insights into the character’s purpose and personality.” The materials provide instructions to analyze the speech, including: “point of view—think about how the character’s point of view affects the delivery of his or her speech; reasoning—consider how the character’s reasoning is reflected in the speech; word choice—what words are particularly effective in revealing the character’s state of mind?; emphasis—what is the main emphasis in the speech?; links between ideas—how does the character connect his or her ideas? Are the connections logical and realistic?”

• 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 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task, students present a personal narrative. As students practice with their groups, the materials provide a checklist to evaluate effectiveness, focusing on content, collaboration, and presentation techniques. Content is evaluated by considering whether the narrative “clearly responds to the question asked in the prompt” and “incorporates examples and details from the text.” Student group collaboration is evaluated by considering whether “Presenters work together to form a cohesive narrative with a clear sequence of events” and “build on each other’s ideas in a clear and engaging way.” Presentation techniques are evaluated by considering whether “Presenters speak clearly and respond to one another” and “presenters seem confident and well prepared.” Students are not required to address opposing perspectives.

  • In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Small-Group Learning, Performance Task, students present a panel discussion on what makes a place important enough to write about. Students begin by choosing three texts from the Small-Group Learning to analyze. After discussing their analysis and choosing the strongest examples, the group organizes the panel discussion with a moderator to direct specific questions for other members to answer using the examples chosen by the group as the most effective. The presentation is recorded, then the group reviews it and makes changes, including finding more text-based evidence, before recording the final panel discussion. Students are not required to address opposing perspectives.

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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 1, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Whole-Class Learning, students read from Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel. In the Teacher’s Edition, the WriteNow Analyze and Interpret box states: “Instruct students to reread lines 30–40 and then write what is happening, rephrasing it in modern English. Encourage them to describe the settings, such as the quiet banquet hall and the night outside as Grendel returns to his lair.”

• In Unit 2, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Prologue from The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, translated by Nevill Coghill. After reading, students complete the on-demand task: “Write a response to criticism in which you agree or disagree with Condren’s take on Chaucer.” 

• In Unit 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Whole-Class Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “Ode to the West Wind” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, and complete an on-demand WriteNow activity considering the point of view: “Review lines 57–70 of the poem and help students see that the speaker directs a request to the West Wind. Changing the perspective in a poem or story adds a different level of interest and complexity. Encourage students to write poems in which the West Wind replies to Shelley. Have students divide their poems into five parts, like Shelley’s poem, and make sure that each part is a response to the corresponding section of Shelley’s work.”

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 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write an argument over the course of two days as they consider the question, “In what ways does Macbeth attempt to control the future and to bury the past?” The Teacher’s Edition provides Revision guidance, including but not limited to: “1. Display your first draft on the screen. Use think-alouds as you use RADaR strategies for revision: REPLACE, ADD, DELETE; REORDER. For each change you implement, mark the type of change you made.” Students complete a full writing process, including editing for conventions and proofreading for accuracy.

• In Unit 4, Seeing Things New: Visionaries and Skeptics, Whole-Class Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “A Valediction” by John Donne; read from Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift; and write a reflective narrative over the topic: “When do we need a new vision of things?” The materials provide information on building an informative essay and provide the protocol for the writing process, including prewriting and planning activities which include narration development tasks, drafting activities, a language development process focused on varying sentence structure, a revision process that includes evaluating the draft based on a provided rubric and focus on sophistication of narrative technique, evaluation through the peer review process, proofreading and editing, publishing the work by presenting to the class, and finally reflecting on the learning and writing process.

• In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell and “Back to My Own Country: An Essay” by Andrea Levy. In the Write to Compare section, directions state: “Write a comparison-and-contrast essay in which you analyze the two works. Focus on the authors’ voices and the structures of the stories they tell. Draw conclusions about what each essay does particularly well.” The activity includes prewriting, drafting, reviewing, revising, and editing steps. The Teacher’s Edition provides additional information to help teachers guide students through the writing process.

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, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Performance-Based Assessment, students write an argument in the form of a response to literature that answers the question: “What is the relationship of human beings to time?” Then, students present their response to literature as a TV commentary that might appear on a talk show about books and literature. In the Teacher’s Edition, the Digital Perspectives box suggests teachers assist students in preparing for the assignment: “Show the class examples of an engaging TV commentary. After viewing the examples, have students discuss whether they found the commentary engaging and why. To help them integrate this information and prepare for their own presentations, have them rate these examples using the TV Commentary Rubric. Discuss their ratings, as well as the reasons for them.”

• In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Small-Group Learning, students read The Seafarer, translated by Burton Raffel. After the text, the Media Connection box includes a video clip of “The Seafarer.” The Teacher’s Edition states to play the video and then have students write in their interactive notebooks their answer to the question, “In what ways is the cellist’s relationship to the cello similar to or different from the sailor’s relationship to the sea in The Seafarer?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 meet the criteria for Indicator 1j. 

The materials reflect a 36/42/22 balance of argumentative, informative or explanatory, and narrative writing, which mostly reflects the 40/40/20 distribution of writing modes as required by the standards. The Teacher’s Edition offers some guidance and includes explicit instruction within argumentative, informative, and narrative writing tasks. Where appropriate, writing opportunities are often connected to texts and/or text sets (either as prompts, models, anchors, or supports). 

Materials provide multiple opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply different genres/modes/types of writing. Materials include an appropriate distribution of writing types with the following percentages for the different modes of writing: 36% argumentative, 42% informative, and 22% narrative. The number of writing opportunities in each mode is 12 argumentative, 15  informative, and eight narrative. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Percentage or number of opportunities for argumentative writing: five units address argumentative writing. 36% of writing opportunities over six units are argumentative.

Unit 1: 3

Unit 2: 3

Unit 3: 4

Unit 4: 2

Unit 5: 1

Unit 6: 0

• Percentage or number of opportunities for informative/explanatory writing: six units address informative/explanatory writing. 42% of writing opportunities over six units are informative/explanatory.

Unit 1: 3

Unit 2: 3

Unit 3: 2

Unit 4: 1

Unit 5: 1

Unit 6: 5

• Percentage or number of opportunities for narrative writing: two units address narrative writing. 22% of writing opportunities over six units are narrative.

Unit 1: 0

Unit 2: 0

Unit 3: 0

Unit 4: 4

Unit 5: 4

Unit 6: 0

• Explicit instruction in argumentative writing:

  • In Unit 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students read The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare and write an argument on the prompt, “In what ways does Macbeth attempt to control the future and to bury the past?” The text guides students through a standard writing process that includes prewriting, drafting, a step focusing on style (formal tone in voice), revision, and peer review. Each stage of the writing process uses graphic organizers, checklists, models, and explanations to support the writing process. The Teacher’s Edition also provides suggestions that include ways to make the process interactive in the model example for transitions and examples of reflecting back to the text to pull evidence.

• Explicit instruction in informative/explanatory writing:

• In Unit 2, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write an explanatory essay. The task reads, “Write a brief explanatory essay in which you discuss this question: How does Chaucer find humor in the difference between the ideal and the real in the characters that populate The Canterbury Tales?” Students receive explicit instruction for each stage of the writing process. Students are walked through all steps of the writing process with specific directions and support, starting with a review of the parts of the explanatory essay and a model essay for students to use while writing. In prewriting, students develop their thesis statement and complete an organizer for their evidence. This section includes having students choose evidence, add to their evidence with research, and organize their essays. Students then receive additional explicit instruction in drafting, revising, editing, and publishing the essay. In each step, the Teacher’s Edition wrap-around material provides the teacher with additional information to use while instructing students.

• Explicit instruction in narrative writing:

  • In Unit 5, Discovering the Self, students read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and write a personal narrative i,”n which [they] describe events that led to [their] achieving insight on [their] own identity or self-awareness of [their] place in the world. Connect the story [they] recount to the experiences  of Frankenstein’s creature.”Teachers explain to students that “a personal narrative not only recounts an event that was important to the narrator bu also includes reflection about that event. Then point out that just like a news story, their narrative should contain these five essential elements: who the story is about, what happened, when it happened, where it happened, why it happened, and how it affected them.” After students write, teachers prompt them to reflect on their writing through questions like “How did writing your own narrative change your understanding of the Creature in Frankenstein?” 

Different genres/modes/types of writing are distributed throughout the school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Students have opportunities to engage in argumentative writing. 

  • Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 1, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students read from Beowulf by Gareth Hinds and write an argument. As a part of the writing process, student instructions state to introduce the claim but do not give explicit instruction. However, the text provides a brainstorming activity to help students develop their claim. The activity requires research and considering reservations. Guided organizational options are provided for the essay. 

  • Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 2, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Small-Group Learning, students read “Shakespeare’s Sister” by Virginia Woolf. In Writing to Sources, students write an argument choosing from one of three tasks to answer the prompt: “With your group, prepare to write an argument defending a claim and responding to a counterclaim.” The Teacher’s Edition states: “Remind students that arguments can use either inductive reasoning or deductive reasoning. With inductive reasoning, the writer begins with specific evidence and then arrives at a general claim based on that evidence. With deductive reasoning, the writer begins with a general claim and then supports it with specific evidence.” Further instructions state: “If students have difficulty…suggest that they read newspaper editorials as models to identify the claim and any counterclaims.” No models are provided.

  • Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students read The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act V by William Shakespeare, and write an argument. The text guides students through the process of “sophisticated cohesion” by providing model writing and practice: “Read over your first draft. Are the connections between ideas and from paragraph to paragraph clear? Could you vary the beginnings of sentences by adding a word, a phrase, or a clause that clarifies the links between your examples or your evidence and your claim?; Take notes on your draft and write your new ideas for rewording [on the provided graphic organizer].” 

  • Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 1, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students read from Beowulf by Gareth Hinds and write an argument. As a part of the writing process, the text tells students to ensure they are using formal style and tone, as well as provides exemplars for integrating citations. 

  • Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students read The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act V by William Shakespeare, and write an argument. Student instructions state to include a conclusion that reinforces the argument but do not provide explicit instruction for providing and developing the conclusion. The other unit that addresses this standard also does not provide explicit instruction for concluding statements in arguments. 

• Students have opportunities to engage in informative/explanatory writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 1, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars” by Richard Lovelace and “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen. In the section Writing to Compare, students are told to “Write a compare-and-contrast essay in which you analyze the diction and tone of Lovelace’s and Tennyson’s poems and the diction and tone of Borden’s and Owen’s poems.” Students begin prewriting by analyzing the words and phrases and the effects of diction on the poems’ tone before drawing conclusions about the poems’ themes. During drafting, students work on choosing the best pieces of evidence and method of organization to support their thesis. When reviewing, students are told to “Ask for feedback about the clarity of your thesis, the integrity of your organization, the strength of your evidence, and the effectiveness of your conclusion.” 

  • Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write an informative essay to answer the question, “How did British colonialism complicate the idea of home?” In the prewriting/planning stage, students receive instruction on gathering evidence through the research process. Students learn about print and electronic sources, vetting websites, and using primary sources and media sources. In the drafting stage, students are reminded to “use a variety of evidence, details, quotations, and examples to support your ideas.” 

  • Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, students listen to audio performances of The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act V, Scene I by L.A. Theatre Works and The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act V, Scene I by LibriVox. In the section Writing to Compare students write a comparison-and-contrast essay for the two works. In the review, revise, edit section, students are reminded to “Make sure your transitions from sentence to sentence and from paragraph to paragraph are clear and logical.”

  • Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write an informative essay. Within the drafting step is a lesson titled “Create a Coherent Whole: Use Transitions.” Students receive explicit instruction on picking the transitions that best serve their purpose while writing, using a variety of transitions, and how to connect and show relationships between ideas with transitions. 

    • In Unit 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Whole-Class Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey” by William Wordsworth, and a poetry collection including “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats. Students write an informative essay comparing the historical context and setting of early and later Romantic poems. In the section review, revise, and, edit students are reminded to “Make sure you use appropriate literary terms such as setting, theme, image, and symbol.”

  • Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “The Widow at Windsor” by Rudyard Kipling. In the section Writing to Compare, students write a formal analysis of the key features of dramatic monologues. Within the directions, it says, “As you write, maintain an appropriately formal academic style and tone.” In the review and revise section, students are told: “proofread your analysis to ensure it is free from errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.”

  • Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Back to My Own Country: An Essay” by Andrea Levy and “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell. In the Writing to Compare activity, students write a comparison-and-contrast essay to analyze the two authors’ voices and structures. In the review, revise, and edit section, students are told to focus on the conclusion and ask themselves, “Does your conclusion state what each essay does particularly well?”

• Students have opportunities to engage in narrative writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 4, Seeing Things New, Whole-Class Learning, students read from Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. In Writing to Sources, students write a satiric narrative. The student instructions state: “Use Gulliver as your main character, and place him in a twenty-first-century version of Lilliput.” Students choose one of four options to complete and are instructed: “Make sure your narrative is consistent with the characters and situations presented in Swift’s satire.” The Teacher’s Edition states: “Remind students that when writing a satiric narrative, it is important to explain why the practice or person is wrong and how people can make things right.” 

  • Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 4, Seeing Things New, Whole-Class Learning, students read a poetry collection including poems by John Donne and “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning '' by Anne Donne. In Writing to Sources, the assignment states: “Write a narrative scene presenting the discussion between John and Anne Donne as they consider the issue of his leaving on his journey. Base your narrative on the information in the poem ‘A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning.’” Students choose from two questions and use the following elements in the narrative: “dialogue for both characters, details and examples drawn from the poem, and a resolution that resolves the conflict between the characters.” The Vocabulary and Conventions Connection section states: “In your scene, consider using several of the concept vocabulary words. Also, consider including one or more periodic sentences to arouse curiosity or to create suspense.” Six vocabulary terms are provided. No further instructions are provided on periodic sentences or creating suspense. 

  • Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 4, Seeing Things New, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, Write a Reflective Narrative, students address the prompt: “When do we need a new vision of things?” Students’ instructions state: “Start by recalling an incident from your life that presented a difficult challenge. Develop that memory into a narrative, sequencing events so that they reveal how you used that experience to develop and grow and see things differently.” Students can use the Launch Text, “The Assignment of My Life” by Ruth Gruber as a Model Reflective Narrative. The Teacher’s Edition states: “Encourage students to think about the elements of a plot as they begin to write. Their narrative can have exposition, rising action, a climax, falling action, and a resolution.” The Student Edition states: “It is easy to write about events in order. That is something you have done since childhood. It is harder to ‘shape’ events so that they tell a story worth telling.”A chart is provided to help students organize their event using “Before, Event, After” sections to help shape their story. In the Sentence Variety: Varying Syntax section, the Teacher’s Edition states: “Remind students that varying their sentence lengths also adds interest to their writing.” A section in the Student Edition shares that the “writer may use a variety of narrative techniques to connect events over time” and offers several suggestions for accomplishing this.

  • Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 5, Discovering the Self, Small-Group Learning, students read “The Madeleine” from Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust. In Writing to Sources, the assignment states: “Write a narrative based on ‘The Madeleine.’ Keep in mind that a strong narrative includes well-drawn characters, a clear sequence of events, and effective use of narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and sensory language.” Students work in groups to choose from one of three options: narrative retelling, a fictional diary entry, or an extension of a scene. The Teacher’s Edition states: “Remind groups that…the options will require them to use their imaginations and make up certain details about the characters and plot.” Students create a t-chart graphic organizer to plan how they will adapt “The Madeleine”; on the left, they write passages from the text, and on the right, how they will adapt the text. 

  • Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 5, Discovering the Self, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write a personal narrative that answers the question, “How does the world around us contribute to our sense of self?” This narrative must include “a conclusion that reflects on an experience and the insights gained from it.” During the draft process, students are reminded: “Provide a conclusion that explains what you learned from the events you have described. Summarize your insights and connect them to broader ideas about how the world contributes to one’s sense of self.”

Where appropriate, writing opportunities are connected to texts and/or text sets (either as prompts, models, anchors, or supports). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Performance-Based Assessment, students write an argument in the form of a response to literature to answer the question, “What is the relationship of human beings to time?” The student instructions state: “Use examples and evidence from the diverse texts in the unit to justify a claim that you make. State your assertions with specific evidence from several of the texts.”

• In Unit 4, Seeing Things New: Visionaries and Skeptics, Whole-Class Learning, students read from Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. In Writing to Sources, students write a satiric narrative modeled on the excerpt from the text: “Use Gulliver as your main character, and place him in a twenty-first-century version of Lilliput…Make sure your narrative is consistent with the characters and situations presented in Swift’s satire.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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 around 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, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Whole-Class Learning, Performance Task, students write an argument addressing the question, “Which counts more–taking a stand or winning?” The materials ask students to “take a clear position on the question. Incorporate your analysis of the Beowulf texts to support your ideas. You may also cite incidents from history or from your own experience or observations to support your claim.” The Teacher’s Edition provides te following guidance for teachers as they give students feedback on their essay planning “Remind students to avoid making emotional judgments about claims with which they disagree. Instead point out the importance of developing a counterclaim that is based on evidence or reasoning.” 

• In Unit 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II by William Shakespeare. In the Writing to Sources activity, students write a psychological report as if they are a psychologist who has just met with either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth. Students consider what the patient has done, said, and their motivations for how they think, feel, and behave as they write an explanation of their patient’s behavior, including evidence from the play to support their claims. The  Teacher’s Edition provides te following guidance for teachers as they give students feedback on their psychological reports “Make sure that students make connections between their statements and evidence. Evidence that Macbeth suffers from guilt might include his hallucination of the dagger; Lady Macbeth’s cool indifference to Duncan’s murder suggests she is in denial of the action.”

• In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Whole-Class Learning, students read Back to My Own Country: An Essay by Andrea Levy an Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell. After reading, students complete an informative essay in which conduct research and use these two texts to answer “How did British colonialism complicate the idea of home?” The  Teacher’s Edition provides te following guidance for teachers as they give students feedback on their essay planning, “[tell students that] they should not “rely simply on a single source of information, or a single type of information.” 

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, Reflecting on Society: Argument, Satire, and Reform, Whole-Class Learning, students read The Prologue from The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, translated by Nevill Coghill. After the reading, students write a critical essay for the prompt: “Read the following quotation from the literary critic Edward I. Condren’s book Chaucer and the Energy of Creation. Now, write a response to criticism in which you agree or disagree with Condren’s take on Chaucer. In your response, address this question: Do you agree that the poet’s main intent is to capture life in all of its glory, or do you suspect that he has an agenda of reform or censure? Include these elements in your essay: a clear introduction that includes a precise claim, an evaluation of Condren’s quote and your own claim regarding Chaucer’s purpose, valid reasoning backed up with relevant and sufficient evidence, such as specific details, examples, and quotations from the Prologue, and a conclusion that sums up your argument.”

• In Unit 4, Seeing Things New, Small-Group Learning, students read Araby by James Joyce and write a compare-and-contrast essay selecting one of three options. Each option asks students to compare Araby to another piece of classic literature. As students develop their ideas, they are reminded to identify evidence from the sources to support their ideas. A Venn diagram is recommended to help students organize their thinking and develop their ideas. The Teacher’s Edition also directs students to several examples of the different writing styles one can use for this writing type. Students are reminded to cite their text accurately. 

• In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “The Widow at Windsor” by Rudyard Kipling. In the Writing to Sources activity, students “write a formal analysis of the key features of dramatic monologues, and consider what makes the form powerful or effective.” In addition to the poems in the collection, students may use other poems with dramatic monologues for supporting examples. Students choose one of the following three topics as their focus: “an overview of the most important features of dramatic monologues, an explanation of how the use of dialect in dramatic monologues contributes to the development of character, musicality, and meaning, or a compare-and-contrast analysis of Kipling’s and Berry’s poems, highlighting key similarities and differences between them.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Whole-Class Learning, students read from Beowulf translated by Burton RaffelI. In the Making Meaning section, students rank the concept vocabulary words in order from most familiar (1) to least familiar (6) before they read the text. An example is writhing: “...That trip to Herot/Was a miserable journey for the writhing monster!”

• In Unit 3, Facing the Future, Confronting the Past: Shakespeare Extended Study, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Focus Period 1485–1625: Renaissance and Reformation: A Changing England” (author not cited) and encounter the vocabulary word allegiance: “Religious affiliation and allegiance to the king were suddenly united.” Later, during Whole-Class Learning, students read The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II by William Shakespeare and encounter allegiance again: “My bosom franchised and allegiance clear.'' During Language development, students consider why the vocabulary words are chosen: “These concept words relate to the ideas of loyalty and betrayal. For example, Banquo swears his allegiance to Macbeth, as long as that allegiance or devotion does not violate his conscience.” As students complete a Writing to Sources task following the reading, they consider including the vocabulary words in their writing, providing a list that includes allegiance.

• In Unit 6, Finding a Home: Nation, Exile, and Dominion, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell. The Concept Vocabulary words are imperialism, supplant, despotic, conventionalized, resolute, and pretext. Students rank their familiarity with the words prior to reading the text. In the Teacher’s Edition, the teacher’s instructions state to review the meaning of the suffix -ism and have students guess the meaning of imperialism and then check their guess while reading. In the Concept Vocabulary activity, students learn the words all have to do with political struggle and answer how the words sharpen the depiction of political conflict in the essay. Students create fill-in-the-blank sentences for each word, including context clues for the meaning. Students exchange papers with a partner and fill in each other’s sentences. The Word Study section focuses on word origins and connotations. The Teacher’s Edition suggests that if students are still struggling with the meaning of the words, have them create graphic organizers with the definition, a sample sentence, synonyms, and antonyms. 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. The Interactive lessons include the following student activity: “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 1, Forging a Hero: Warriors and Leaders, Small-Group Learning, students read a poetry collection, including “To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars” by Richard Lovelace. The materials provide instruction on the following Concept Vocabulary: embrace, adore, and honor. These are high-frequency words important to the concepts in the anchor texts. 

• In Unit 5, Discovering the Self: Individual, Nature, and Society, Whole-Class Learning, students read “Focus Period 1798–1832: An Era of Change” (author not cited). The materials provide instruction on the following academic vocabulary: inanimate, infuse, anachronism, repercussion, and revelation. These words are Tier II words relevant and referenced for the Whole Group performance task assessment.