8th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for central texts being of publishable quality and worthy of careful reading and considering a range of student interests.

Central texts consider a range of student interests including but not limited to refugees, taking a stand, Shakespeare, historical conflicts, civil rights, and food supply sustainability. Many of the central texts have won awards, are written by award-winning authors, or are considered classics, and all are worthy of careful reading.

Examples of central texts that are worthy of careful reading include the following:

• Module 1 - Inside Out and Back Again, Thanhha Lai
• Module 1 - "The Vietnam Wars," Tod Olson
• Module 2A - To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
• Module 2B - A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare
• Module 2A - “Ain’t I a Woman?” Sojourner Truth
• Module 3A - Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, Laura Hillenbrand
• Module 3B - A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School, Carlotta Walls LaNier and Lisa Frazier Page
• Module 4 - The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat, Michael Pollan (Young Readers’ Edition)

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards.

Central texts include a mix of informational texts and literature. Supplemental text within the modules are also a mixture of literature and informational texts. A wide distribution of genres and text types as required by standards are evident including but not limited to speeches, plays, historical fiction, non-fiction, articles, poetry, periodicals, and blogs.

The following are examples of literature found within the instructional materials:

• Module 1 - Inside Out and Back Again, Thanhha Lai
• Module 2A - To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
• Module 2B - A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare

The following are examples of informational text found within the instructional materials:

• Module 2A - "Ain’t I a Woman?” Sojourner Truth
• Module 3A - Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, Laura Hillenbrand
• Module 3B - Little Rock Girl 1957: How a Photograph Changed the Fight for Integration, Shelley Tougas
• Module 4 - The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat, Michael Pollan

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for texts having the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task.

Most texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade. For example, in Module 3A, students read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand which has a Lexile measure of 1010 as stated by the publisher. The quantitative measure is within the range indicated by the standards for the grade band 6-8. In addition, this text qualitatively shows evidence that supports placement at this grade level. Some examples of this include but are not limited to complex text structure, vocabulary, and text organization. The text uses a variety of sentence structures, such as simple, compound, and complex sentences. The text is organized with clear development of Louie's journey of survival, resilience, and redemption in his life. Students use structured notes and answer text-dependent questions. Students analyze the text’s thematic concept of “becoming visible again” by following the main character’s journey.

Texts that are quantitatively above grade band have scaffolds in place to ensure student access. For example, in Module 2B students read A Midnight's Summer Dream by William Shakespeare which has a Lexile measure of 1350 as stated by the publisher. The quantitative measure is above the range indicated by the standards for the grade band 6-8. The text has layers of meaning and purpose, varied sentence length and structures, rich language and unfamiliar vocabulary. With support and scaffolding from the teacher, students examine the theme of control as they engage in activities and questions that require them to analyze dialogue, conduct character studies, and review author's craft as they culminate with the development of essays that present an argument and a narrative around Shakespeare's characters' manipulation of control.

Texts that are quantitatively below grade band are accompanied by tasks that increase the level of rigor requiring students to use higher order thinking skills or complete a task more independently.

• In Module 1, students read Refugee Writing on the Journey by Karim Haidari which has a Lexile measure of 610 as stated by the publisher. The Lexile level of this text is below the complexity band for Grade 8. However, this text qualitatively shows evidence that supports grade-level appropriateness for Grade 8 students. An example of this includes but is not limited to the text structure. The text is written in first person with excerpts from a diary which may confuse some readers. The text is used as a gateway into a research project. It is one text in a larger research folder which include texts of higher quantitative and qualitative measures.
• In Module 2A, students read “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth, which has a Lexile of 790 as stated by the publisher. The Lexile level of this text is below the complexity band for Grade 8. However, this text qualitatively shows evidence that supports grade-level appropriateness for Grade 8 students. Some examples of this include but are not limited to vocabulary, dialect, allusions, and mature subject matter. The content of this speech makes it more appropriate for older students. Readers may struggle to read across the text to interpret Truth’s argument. Students determine central ideas and analyze the speech for perspective, structure, and meaning in teams.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for materials supporting students’ increasing literacy skills over the course of the school year. Series of texts are at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band.

There is a gradual release of responsibility as each unit and module moves forward throughout the year.

• In Module 1, students read and understand complex text. Students participate in several opportunities to complete deep analyses of characters. Students then study and analyze universal themes across times and cultures. Lessons provide students with opportunities to uncover unifying themes of refugee's experiences and then read the poem "Last Respects" and complete the Note-Catcher looking at key details and key details relating to universal theme. Finally, students study and analyze universal theme across texts. Students write narrative poems based on studies of mentor text.
• In Module 2A, students read three historical speeches from real people who took a stand leading up to the study of To Kill a Mockingbird. Students analyze the protagonist’s actions, dialogue and other characters’ viewpoints of the main character to complete an in-depth character study over several lessons. Students also connect the biblical theme of “The Golden Rule” to the novel and related poems. The final performance task requires students to form groups to create a Readers Theater montage based on key quotes from the text, write an associated commentary to explain how and why their scripts relate to the quote, and explain their script’s connections to the novel.
• In Module 3B, students examine the U.S. Civil Rights movement with an emphasis on the Little Rock Nine. Students engage in multiple activities that include analyzing dialogue, various incidents, and perspectives; citing text evidence; determining themes; and summarizing informational texts. Students integrate these skills as they write argumentative essays to gain a deeper understanding of this very significant time in American history.
• In Module 4, students learn how to make evidence-based decisions as they consider the issue of how to best feed all the people in the United States. They analyze Michael Pollan’s arguments and evidence along with other informational texts and videos to determine whether sufficient and relevant evidence has been used to support the claim. They first read The Omnivore’s Dilemma to build background knowledge about what happens to food before it gets to the consumer and the different choices the consumer can make when buying food. Students then research and investigate the consequences of each of the food chains and the stakeholders affected and use an evidence-based process to take a position. For a culminating project, students write a position paper.

Students revisit and build on knowledge and skills introduced in earlier modules as they progress through the year. Students gradually move towards being able to complete tasks independently after extensive modeling and group activities.

• In Module 2A students are introduced to the idea of " taking a stand" through various activities including viewing photographs, using graphic organizers, and closely reading a speech by Shirley Chisholm regarding equal rights for women. In Module 4, students use these same skills to write a position paper and create a visual representation of their position paper.
• In Module 4, Unit 2, lesson 4, the lesson includes a note that teachers should “Be aware that a similar lesson format will be used for the other three food chains with gradual release to allow students to become more independent in the process of identifying stakeholders for each food chain. Each time students complete the stakeholders chart, they will take more responsibility for the work. However, in this lesson they are both heavily teacher modeled. The stakeholders chart for the industrial food chain used in this lesson is partially complete to allow time for teaching how to fill it out, and to show students what a good model looks like."

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for materials being accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. The Curriculum Map includes the quantitative Lexile measure of central texts for each Module.

Rationales for the educational purpose and placement in grade level are provided at the beginning of each unit in the Unit Overview, and includes qualitative information. Some examples include the following:

• Module 1, Unit 1, Unit Overview - "In this first unit, students will build their close reading skills as they consider the crisis of war coming close to home. They begin the novel Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhha Lai, focusing on how critical incidents reveal the dynamic nature of Ha, the main character, whose Vietnamese family is deciding whether to flee during the fall of Saigon. The novel is poignantly told in diary entries in the form of short free-verse poems. Students will consider how text structure, figurative language, and specific word choice contribute to a text’s meaning as they closely read selected poems. Their study of the novel is paired with reading a rich informational article, 'The Vietnam Wars,' which gives students key background knowledge about the history of war in Vietnam. Students build their skills using context clues, and also begin the routine of "Quick Writes,” receiving explicit instruction and then practicing writing strong paragraphs in which they effectively cite and analyze text."
• Module 3A, Unit 2, Unit Overview - "In this second unit, students will continue to closely examine the case study of imprisoned Louie Zamperini as they read Unbroken. They will expand their study as they learn about interned Japanese-American Miné Okubo in a separate biographical account. As students read both Zamperini’s and Okubo’s stories, they will focus on the theme of resisting forced “invisibility” while being imprisoned or interned. This theme concept will be analyzed through a dual lens: the internal struggle to maintain dignity, identity, and self-worth against dehumanizing efforts; and the external isolation of being closed off from the outside world while in captivity."

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for texts providing opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to achieve grade-level reading.

Each unit includes lessons with supplementary texts of varying lengths. These texts are read independently, in groups, aloud, and silently, offering multiple opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading.

• In Module 3A, Unit 1, lesson 4, students read an excerpt from the article “War in the Pacific” and gain background knowledge about the Pacific Theater in War World II, determine the gist of the text, and identify new vocabulary.
• In Module 4, Unit 2, lesson 2, students read an article “Lunch or Junk” and determine the overall meaning of the article.

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities for students to build fluency to become independent readers at the grade level.

• In Module 2B, Unit 2, lesson 6, students are invited to read along silently as teacher reads aloud the first paragraph of “Pyramus and Thisbe” by Thomas Bulfinch to the class.
• In Module 2B, students read scenes aloud from A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a drama circle.
• In Module 3B, Unit 1, students read nightly and record answers to guiding questions in structured notes.
• The preface offers the following explanation of homework - "Due to the rigors demanded by the CCSS, in Expeditionary Learning’s Grades 3–8 ELA curriculum, students are required to practice the skills they learn in the classroom independently at home every day, for approximately 30–45 minutes. This usually involves a reading activity (e.g., reading or rereading a certain number of paragraphs or pages in a text) with a response task (e.g., highlighting or recording evidence to answer a question). Students also are expected to read independently every evening according to independent reading routines."

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-dependent and require students to engage with the text directly and to draw on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text.

Most questions, tasks, and assignments are structured and designed to encourage understanding of key ideas of texts and determine most important learning from the readings. Instructional materials include questions, tasks, and assignments that are text-dependent over the course of a school year. Teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation by providing exemplar answers.

• In Module 1, Unit 1, lesson 2, students answer text dependent questions to analyze the relationship between character and events in literary texts and connect themes in a poem and a novel.
• In Module 1, Unit 1, lesson 13, students find specific images, words, and phrases the author uses that strike them emotionally and then determine the tone of the poem, pulling evidence from the text.
• In Module 2A, Unit 2, lesson 18, students write gists of what they read and answer a focus question using evidence from the text. Students are asked to complete the following: "How is the Golden Rule illustrated in Chapter 11? Use the strongest evidence from the novel in your answer."
• In Module 2B, Unit 1, students use key details to write a summary of a scene, and as the play is reread, students are required to give text-based evidence to support their interpretation of Shakespearean quotes from the text.
• In Module 2B, Unit 2, lesson 5, students collect information from reading material as they a complete a Venn diagram to examine author's craft.
• In Module 3A, Unit 1, lesson 7, students answer text-dependent questions about the informational text “War with Japan.” Exemplar answers are provided in the teacher's materials. An example question is as follows: "According to Hillenbrand, what belief was central to the Japanese identity?"

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations that materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and activities that build to a culminating task that integrates skills.

Materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and activities that build to a culminating task. Each module has a Final Performance Task. This is a culminating project that takes place during Unit 3 of every module. Performance tasks are designed to help students synthesize and apply their learning from the module in an engaging and authentic way. Performance tasks are developed using the writing process, are scaffolded, and almost always include peer critique and revision. Performance tasks are not “on-demand” assessments. Students who demonstrate success with sequences of questions can complete the culminating tasks. Culminating tasks are rich and provide opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and are able to do using speaking and writing.

• In Module 2B, students answer text-dependent questions and activities to examine the theme of control and write an argument essay using this theme and the text A Midsummer Night's Dream.
• In Module 3B, students select four photographs form Little Rock Girl 1957: How a Photograph Changed the Fight for Integration to use as key events in a film based on the memoir A Mighty Long Way, and students select a song for the soundtrack. Student present arguments for why each was selected citing evidence from texts to support their arguments.
• In Module 4, students present a position speech to answer the question, “Which of Michael Pollan’s four food chains would best feed the United States?” Students state a claim and provide two reasons for making that claim based on the consequences and affected stakeholders they have identified for each food chain throughout the unit. They select evidence to support their reasons, and they provide a counterclaim and respond to it. To prepare for this paper, students are shown step-by-step during the lessons how to conduct research, determine consequences, create a claim, and provide evidence.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for evidence-based discussion that encourages the modeling of academic vocabulary and syntax.

Vocabulary addressed in each lesson is noted in teacher planning documents.

There are many opportunities and protocols throughout modules and within lessons that support academic vocabulary and syntax. Teacher materials support implementation of these standards to grow students’ skills.

• In Module 1, students engage in the Jigsaw small group protocol, requiring students to reread poems, explore vocabulary and answer text-dependent questions.
• In Module 1, Unit 1, lesson 3 students engage in the "Gist Mix Share" and "Think Pair Share" discussion on text clues supporting affects.
• In Module 2A, Unit 1, lesson 13, students discuss context clues using a graphic organizer to determine the meaning of words and phrases in Chapter 4 of To Kill a Mockingbird.
• In Module 2B, Unit 2, lesson 6, students Turn and Talk multiple times while discussing the structure of “Pyramus and Thisbe.” Students then work in pairs to use their “Pyramus and Thisbe” narrative structure note-catcher to write a summary of the story.
• In Module 3B, Unit 1, lesson 5, students examine key phrases of the document, "Plessy v. Ferguson."
• In Module 4, Unit 1, lesson 1, students participate in fishbowl discussions to advocate persuasively for either local sustainable or hunter-gatherer to feed their family. Rubrics are provided for speaking and listening using evidence from the text.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching with relevant follow-up questions and evidence.

Speaking and listening work requires students to gather evidence from texts and sources. Opportunities to talk and ask questions of peers and teachers about research, strategies and ideas are present throughout the year. The curriculum includes a host of protocols and graphic organizers to promote and scaffold academic discussions.

• In Module 1, Unit 3, lesson 6, students present two poems describing how the narrator, or refugee, turns "inside out and back again" as he or she flees home and adapts to life in a new country. After presenting, students will be listening for the answers to specific questions to ensure that the prompt was met.
• In Module 2B, Unit 1, lesson 11, students view a short segment of the film version of A Midnight Summer's Dream and discuss.
• In Module 3A, Unit 1, lesson 12 students participate in fishbowl discussion comparing conflicting accounts of the Pearl Harbor attack. Students are assessed formally with a rubric.
• In Module 3B, Unit 3, lesson 8, students present photos and songs that they have chosen as key events for a film about the experiences of The Little Rock Nine.
• In Module 4, Unit 3, lesson 6, students create a presentation sharing visual representations of their position papers; students create a poster to present at a gallery walk to give and receive feedback.

TThe instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations that materials include a mix of on-demand and process writing and short, focused projects. Students write both "on demand" and "over extended periods" throughout every module.

Materials include short and longer writing tasks and projects. Writing tasks and projects are aligned to the grade level standards being reviewed.

• In Module 1, students write an on-demand narrative poem.
• In Module 1, Unit 1, lesson 3, students use quick write to write responses to text dependent questions which builds to End-of-Unit Assessment.
• In Module 2A, students write an extended response to justify a scene selection.
• In Module 2B, Unit 2, lesson 12, students write to complete an exit ticket that requires them to identify a claim regarding the success of Shakespeare's characters’ attempts to control other people's actions.
• In Module 2B, Unit 3, lesson 3, students complete an on-demand writing assessment and are required to write a commentary to answer specific questions about the connections between their narrative and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
• In Module 3A, students gather information and analyze model narrative to prepare to write their own narrative "Writing from Mine Okubo perspective, tell the story of one episode in her struggle to become visible again after leaving the internment camp."
• In Module 3B, students write an analysis of language techniques in a short constructed response.
• In Module 4, students read text and complete series of writing activities that lead them to write a position paper: "Which of Michael Pollan’s Four Food Chains Would Best Feed the United States?

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year 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 sources. Materials provide opportunities that build students' writing skills over the course of the school year.

• In Module 1, students write a literary analysis: Explain the Significance of the Novel’s Title.
• In Module 2A, students write an argument: Taking a Stand.
• In Module 3A, students write an informational essay: Invisibility of Captives during WWII.
• In Module 3A, students write a research-based narrative: Becoming Visible after Internment.
• In Module 4, students write a position paper: Which of Michael Pollan’s Four Food Chains Would Best Feed the United States?

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the expectations that materials include frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information.

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year 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 sources. Materials provide opportunities that build students' writing skills over the course of the school year.

• In Module 2A, Unit 1, students follow jigsaw protocol to identify evidence for claims made in a speech.
• In Module 2A, Unit 1, summary writing graphic organizer directs students to include six details that support the controlling idea of speech text
• In Module 2B, Unit 1, lesson 3, students complete a "Shakespeare Shakedown" and answer text-dependent questions around perspective.
• In Module 3A, students determine author's purpose of an information text. Students use evidence from the informational text to support analysis, reflection, and research.
• In Module 3B, Unit 2, lesson 8, students answer text-dependent questions and collect evidence using structured notes.