2017

Ready

Publisher
Curriculum Associates
Subject
Math
Grades
K-8
Report Release
07/10/2019
Review Tool Version
v1.0
Format
Core: Comprehensive

EdReports reviews determine if a program meets, partially meets, or does not meet expectations for alignment to college and career-ready standards. This rating reflects the overall series average.

Alignment (Gateway 1 & 2)
Meets Expectations

Materials must meet expectations for standards alignment in order to be reviewed for usability. This rating reflects the overall series average.

Usability (Gateway 3)
Meets Expectations
Our Review Process

Learn more about EdReports’ educator-led review process

Learn More

Note on review tool version

See the top of the page to confirm the review tool version used for this report:

Report for 8th Grade

Alignment Summary

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for alignment to the CCSSM. In Gateway 1, the instructional materials meet the expectations for focus by assessing grade-level content and spending at least 65 percent of class time on the major clusters of the grade, and they are coherent and consistent with the Standards. In Gateway 2, the instructional materials reflect the balances in the Standards and help students meet the Standards’ rigorous expectations, and they connect the Standards for Mathematical Content and the Standards for Mathematical Practice.

8th Grade
Alignment (Gateway 1 & 2)
Meets Expectations
Gateway 3

Usability

36/38
0
22
31
38
Usability (Gateway 3)
Meets Expectations
Overview of Gateway 1

Focus & Coherence

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for focusing on the major work of the grade and having a sequence of topics that is consistent with the logical structure of mathematics. The materials do not assess topics before the grade level indicated, spend at least 65 percent of class time on the major clusters of the grade, and are coherent and consistent with the standards.

Criterion 1.1: Focus

02/02
Materials do not assess topics before the grade level in which the topic should be introduced.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectations for not assessing topics before the grade level in which the topic should be introduced. Overall, the materials assess grade-level content and, if applicable, content from earlier grades.

Indicator 1A
02/02
The instructional material assesses the grade-level content and, if applicable, content from earlier grades. Content from future grades may be introduced but students should not be held accountable on assessments for future expectations.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectations that they assess grade-level content. The program provides two versions (Form A and Form B) of Mid-Unit assessments, Interim assessments, and End of Unit assessments for each unit. The assessments are available online and in print format.

Assessments contain grade-level content questions. Examples of questions include the following:

  • In Unit 4 Interim Assessment question 2, students find the volume of a sphere. Students are given the diameter, must identify the radius, substitute the value of r for the radius in the formula, and evaluate. (8.G.9)
  • In Unit 5 End of Unit Assessment Form A question 3 Part A, students make a two-way table to display the results of a given survey with two categorical variables. (8.SP.4)

Overall, assessment items are aligned to Grade 8 standards.

Criterion 1.2: Coherence

04/04
Students and teachers using the materials as designed devote the large majority of class time in each grade K-8 to the major work of the grade.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for students and teachers using the materials as designed devoting the majority of class time to the major work of the grade. Overall, the instructional materials spend at least 65 percent of class time on the major clusters of the grade.

Indicator 1B
04/04
Instructional material spends the majority of class time on the major cluster of each grade.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for spending a majority of instructional time on major work of the grade. To determine focus on major work, three perspectives were evaluated: the number of units devoted to major work, the number of lessons devoted to major work, and the number of instructional days devoted to major work. Of the three perspectives, the number of instructional days is most representative and was used to determine the score for this indicator.

  • Grade 8 instruction is divided into five units. Unit 1 addresses 8.EE.A. Unit 2 addresses 8.F. Unit 3 addresses 8.EE.B and 8.EE.C. Unit 5 addresses 8.SP. Therefore, 4 out of 5 units, approximately 80 percent, focus on major work of the grade.
  • Grade 8 instruction is divided into 31 lessons. Twenty-four out of 31 lessons, approximately 77 percent, focus on major work of the grade or supporting work connected to major work.
  • Grade 8 instruction consists of approximately 139 instructional days. One hundred seventeen out of 139, approximately 84 percent, of the instructional days focus on major work of the grade or supporting work connected to major work.


Criterion 1.3: Coherence

08/08
Coherence: Each grade's instructional materials are coherent and consistent with the Standards.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for being coherent and consistent with the CCSSM Standards. Overall, the instructional materials have supporting content that enhances focus and coherence, are consistent with the progressions in the standards, and foster coherence through connections at a single grade, where appropriate and required by the standards.

Indicator 1C
02/02
Supporting content enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by engaging students in the major work of the grade.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations that supporting work enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by engaging students in the major work of the grade. Supporting standards/clusters are connected to the major standards/clusters of the grade.

Examples of the connections between supporting work and major work include the following:

  • Unit 5 Lesson 30 Solve Problems with Linear Models (8.SP.3) is connected to the major work of functions (8.F.4). Students use equations to model linear relationships between two quantities to determine rate of change and initial value of functions.
  • Unit 4 Lesson 24 Solve Problems Using the Pythagorean Theorem (8.G.7) is major work that is connected to supporting standard (8.NS.2) as students apply the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for missing side lengths and use square roots to solve these problems.


Indicator 1D
02/02
The amount of content designated for one grade level is viable for one school year in order to foster coherence between grades.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations that the amount of content designated for one grade level is viable for one year. As designed, the instructional materials can be completed in approximately 124 days with 15 additional days for assessment and diagnostics, for a total of 139 days. The suggested amount of time and expectations for teachers and students of the materials are viable for one school year as written and would not require significant modifications. According to the Teacher Guide page A44, each lesson is expected to last between 45 and minutes. Other lesson resources include Fluency Skills Practice, Practice and Problem Solving, Unit Opener Lessons, and Classroom Routine Lessons for the first 5 days, which is included in the total number of days for this program.

Indicator 1E
02/02
Materials are consistent with the progressions in the Standards i. Materials develop according to the grade-by-grade progressions in the Standards. If there is content from prior or future grades, that content is clearly identified and related to grade-level work ii. Materials give all students extensive work with grade-level problems iii. Materials relate grade level concepts explicitly to prior knowledge from earlier grades.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for the materials being consistent with the progressions in the CCSSM Standards.

The instructional materials clearly identify content from prior and future grade levels and use it to support the progressions of the grade-level standards. Overall, the materials develop according to the grade-by-grade progressions in the standards. The instructional materials relate grade-level concepts explicitly to prior knowledge from earlier grades. Each unit begins with a Unit Opener progression overview chart. The Learning Progressions set a context for the standards of the lessons based on how the standard builds on prior knowledge from the previous grades. For example, in the Unit 3 Lesson 13 Overview, the Learning Progression states: “In Grade 7, students solved equations by applying the properties of operations. In this lesson, students extend their understanding of the process of solving equations. They solve equations with a variable on both sides of the equation.” The Learning Progression also includes connections between the lesson and future math instruction by stating, “In high school students will extend this concept to solve equations with two variables that have solutions that form a set of ordered pairs that can be plotted on a coordinate plane.” Additionally, prerequisite skills are connected to new skills and concepts in the Lesson Overview document through Small Group Differentiation and Personalized Learning Lessons.

In general, the instructional materials attend to the full intent of the grade-level standards by giving all students extensive work with grade-level problems. This is achieved through on-grade level problems in all lessons. In addition to the problems present in the Ready Instruction Book, there are on grade-level problems present in the Practice and Problem Solving Book. Additional practice with grade level content is provided in the Additional Fluency Practice section of the teacher website.

However, in some cases, students do not have adequate opportunities to practice with critical concepts. For example, Unit 3 Lesson 12 does not provide enough practice with deriving the equation y = mx for a line through the origin and the equation y = mx + b for a line intercepting the vertical axis at b in order to meet the full intent of Standard 8.EE.6.

Indicator 1F
02/02
Materials foster coherence through connections at a single grade, where appropriate and required by the Standards i. Materials include learning objectives that are visibly shaped by CCSSM cluster headings. ii. Materials include problems and activities that serve to connect two or more clusters in a domain, or two or more domains in a grade, in cases where these connections are natural and important.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations that materials foster coherence through connections at a single grade, where appropriate and required by the standards. Overall, materials include learning objectives that are visibly shaped by CCSSM cluster headings and problems and activities that connect two or more clusters in a domain, or two or more domains in a grade, in cases where these connections are natural and important.

Instructional materials are clearly shaped by the CCSSM cluster headings. The units are divided into grade-level domains, and Expressions and Equations is divided between Units 1 and 3. Grade 8 standards are clearly identified in the Table of Contents and on the Ready Mathematics Standards Correlations pages, which identify the lessons that address specific standards. Instructional materials shaped by cluster headings include the following examples:

  • Unit 2 Lesson 10 Graphs of Functional Relationships is shaped by 8.F.B, use functions to model relationships between quantities.
  • Unit 3 Lesson 11 Represent Proportional Relationships is shaped by 8.EE.B, understand the connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations.
  • Unit 4 Lesson 18 Understand Properties of Transformations is shaped by 8.G.A, understand congruence and similarity using physical models, transparencies, or geometry software.

Instructional materials include problems and activities that serve to connect two or more clusters in a domain or two or more domains in a grade, in cases where the connections are natural and important. At the end of every unit there is a Performance Task and/or Interim Assessment that connects two or more clusters in a domain. For example:

  • Unit 2 Lesson 9 Analyze Linear Functions connects 8.F.B, use functions to model relationships between quantities, with 8.F.A, define, evaluate, and compare functions.
  • Unit 3 Lesson 15 Understand Systems of Equations connects 8.F.B, use functions to model relationships between quantities, with 8.EE.C, analyze and solve linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations.
  • Unit 4 Performance Task connects 8.G.B, understand and apply the Pythagorean Theorem, with 8.NS.A, know that there are numbers that are not rational and approximate them by rational numbers.


Overview of Gateway 2

Rigor & Mathematical Practices

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for aligning with the CCSSM expectations for rigor and mathematical practices. The instructional materials attend to each of the three aspects of rigor individually, and they also attend to the balance among the three aspects. The instructional materials emphasize mathematical reasoning, identify the Mathematical Practices (MPs), and partially attend to the full meaning of each practice standard.

Criterion 2.1: Rigor

08/08
Rigor and Balance: Each grade's instructional materials reflect the balances in the Standards and help students meet the Standards' rigorous expectations, by helping students develop conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and application.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for reflecting the balances in the Standards and helping students meet the Standards’ rigorous expectations, by helping students develop conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and application. The instructional materials develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, give attention throughout the year to procedural skill and fluency, spend sufficient time working with engaging applications, and do not always treat the three aspects of rigor together or separately.

Indicator 2A
02/02
Attention to conceptual understanding: Materials develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific content standards or cluster headings.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations that the materials develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific standards or cluster headings. The materials include problems and questions that develop conceptual understanding throughout the grade level. The materials provide opportunities for students to independently demonstrate conceptual understanding throughout the grade through the use of visual models, real-world connections, mathematical discourse prompts, concept extensions, and hands-on activities.

  • In Unit 3 Lesson 11 Represent Proportional Relationships, students graph and compare proportional relationships. Students examine the connection between tables, graphs, and equations and are guided through a series of questions to help them interpret the slopes of the graphs. They apply their understanding to a new problem and make a connection between price per pound represented in an equation to the same rate represented in a graph. Students examine multiple representations of proportional relationships and make connections between the various representations and the underlying unit rates.
  • In Unit 2 Lesson 7 Compare Functions, students create a table to be used with developing an expression and create a graph with the same data to examine multiple representations of functions.
  • In Unit 4 Lesson 25 Distance in the Coordinate Plane, students create a model for finding the distance between two points. Students draw a right triangle, find the lengths of the legs, and develop an understanding of how the Pythagorean Theorem is used to find the distance between two points on the coordinate plane.


Indicator 2B
02/02
Attention to Procedural Skill and Fluency: Materials give attention throughout the year to individual standards that set an expectation of procedural skill and fluency.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for giving attention throughout the year to individual standards that set an expectation of procedural skill.

The instructional materials attend to procedural skills in the following ways: lessons that address specific standards, activities, and problem sets. Many of these opportunities are provided in the Additional Fluency Practice book for 8th grade. In the Practice and Problem Solving book the development of procedural skills happen daily. In addition, the resources include math games for centers and unit practice are included in the units. Some examples of lessons where procedural skills are used and practiced include:

  • In Unit 4 Lessons 26 and 27, standard 8.G.9 is explicitly taught, and students practice using formulas in lesson problems.
  • In Unit 3 Lessons 13 and 14, standard 8.EE.7 is explicitly taught, and procedural skills are practiced in problems throughout the lessons as students substitute numbers for variables including rational numbers to solve equations and/or find equivalent solutions.
  • In Unit 1 Lesson 5 Operations and Scientific Notation, students are given guided instruction on the procedure for adding, subtracting, and multiplying numbers in scientific notation. Students then practice solving problems independently that involve addition, subtraction, and multiplication of numbers in scientific notation. Question 6 reads, “Find the perimeter of the rectangle in scientific notation.” A rectangle is shown with one length and width measurement given in scientific notation.
  • In Unit 3 Lesson 13 Solve Linear Equations with Rational Coefficients, students are given guided instruction on the procedure for solving an equation with rational coefficients. This guided instruction includes five steps to solving the equation. Students then practice the procedure for solving the equations in six questions.
    • Question 2, “Suppose that you first want to eliminate the fraction in the example equation. What would your first step be? Is -2 still the solution when you start by eliminating the fraction first? Explain.”
    • Question 4, “Describe the first step you would use to solve the equation 20 = 7y + 2 - y. Is that the only possible first step?”


Indicator 2C
02/02
Attention to Applications: Materials are designed so that teachers and students spend sufficient time working with engaging applications of the mathematics, without losing focus on the major work of each grade

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Mathematics Grade 8 meet the expectation that teachers and students spend sufficient time working with engaging applications of mathematics without losing focus on the major work of the grade. Overall, the materials have opportunities for students to apply mathematical knowledge and/or skills in a real-world context.

  • In Unit 2 Lesson 10 Graphs of Functional Relationships (8.F.5), students interpret slopes of graphs that reflect Mr. Dilla driving through the neighborhood. There are several different representations of his driving to work. During Independent Practice students are to “Think about a trip that you have taken, or a route you travel often. Sketch a graph of the trip and write a description.” Students choose how to represent the independent and dependent variables, for example, graphing distance versus time or speed versus time, and there is opportunity for discussion of different approaches.
  • Lesson 27 Problem and Practice Solving Problem 5 states: “A toy company makes sphere-shaped and cone-shaped toys. Two of the toys are shown at the right. Lawrence says that because the height and radius of the cone are equal to the radius of the sphere, the two toys have the same volume. Explain why Lawrence is incorrect.” Students apply their understanding of volume to the cone and sphere in order to analyze Lawrence’s thinking.
  • The Unit Assessment Form B for Unit 5 Problem 3 allows students to apply their understanding of representation of survey data in multiple ways and analyze the results: “Dottie surveys students at her school to find out if there is an association between grade level and a favorite hobby. Of the 7th graders responding to the survey, she found that 18 prefer reading, 19 sports, and 15 crafts. Of the 8th graders responding to the survey, she found that 11 prefer reading, 25 sports, 9 drawing, and 11 crafts.” Students complete 3 parts, in Part A students make a two-way table to display the results of the survey. In Part B, students make a relative frequency table, and in Part C students answer: “Do the data support the idea that the older students get, the more likely they are to favor sports? Explain.”


Indicator 2D
02/02
Balance: The three aspects of rigor are not always treated together and are not always treated separately. There is a balance of the 3 aspects of rigor within the grade.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Mathematics Grade 8 meet the expectations for balance. Overall, the three aspects of rigor are not always treated together and are not always treated separately.

The Teacher’s Resource Book Program Overview Built for Rigor and Engagement outlines how the materials balance conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application. The consistent structure of the lessons presents opportunities to “Understand,” where they develop conceptual understanding, followed by the sections Think It Through, Connect, and Apply, where they explore different procedural skills and application of the mathematics of the lesson. In addition, the Practice and Problem Solving book includes problems that present further opportunities to engage with the three aspects of rigor.

Students engage in the three aspects of rigor independent of each other. For example:

  • Unit 1 End Unit Assessment Form A Problem 7 requires students to apply their understanding of volume of a cube to find a side length: “Matteo is making a wooden cube to hold his little sister’s jewelry. The volume of the cube is 343 in3in^3. What is the length of one side of the jewelry box?”
  • In Unit 4 Lesson 23 Understand the Pythagorean Theorem, students develop conceptual understanding of the geometric proof of the Pythagorean Theorem with a hands-on activity.
  • Unit 3 Lessons 15, 16, and 17 show how aspects are treated separately. Unit 3 Lesson 15 develops conceptual understanding of systems of equations through activities which students solve a system graphically and determine the number of solutions to the equation. Lesson 16 begins to develop procedural skill by having students practice solving systems of equations algebraically. Lesson 17 has students apply those skills to multi-step real-world problems.

Balance is displayed in each unit with multiple lessons where two or three aspects of rigor are interwoven.

  • Unit 2 Lesson 9 Analyze Linear Functions develops conceptual understanding as well as application of analyzing linear functions. The lesson contains application questions asking students to construct functions and interpret slope and y-intercept. Students write a function for a real-world situation and identify the rate of change and initial value. Conceptual understanding is developed by having students graph a situation, model it as a table and equation, and then use a visual model of a double number line to aid with interpretation of the slope and y-intercept.
  • In Unit 4 Lesson 21 Understand Angle Relationships, students explore relationships of angles cut by a transversal to develop conceptual understanding. Students develop procedural skill through practice problems included in the Practice and Problem Solving section.


Criterion 2.2: Math Practices

09/10
Practice-Content Connections: Materials meaningfully connect the Standards for Mathematical Content and the Standards for Mathematical Practice

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for meaningfully connecting the Standards for Mathematical Content and the Standards for Mathematical Practice. Overall, the materials identify and partially attend to the full meaning of the MPs, emphasize mathematical reasoning by prompting students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others, assist teachers in engaging students in constructing viable arguments and analyzing the arguments of others, and attend to the specialized language of mathematics.

Indicator 2E
02/02
The Standards for Mathematical Practice are identified and used to enrich mathematics content within and throughout each applicable grade.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations that the Standards for Mathematical Practice are identified and used to enrich mathematics content within and throughout the grade level.

The Teacher Resource Book identifies the MPs for each lesson in the Table of Contents and in the CCSS Focus section as part of the Lesson Overview. SMP TIPs are found in the Teacher Resource Book throughout the lessons, and these tips highlight the integration of particular MPs within the lessons. Some examples of where the MPs are identified and used to enrich the mathematics content include:

  • In Unit 4 Lesson 27 Solve Problems with Cylinders, Cones and Spheres, the SMP Tip for MP 7 states, “Students make use of the structure of the expressions for volume to think about the ratio of the volume of the cone to the volume of the cylinder. Remind students that sometimes they can figure out what they want by analyzing an expression without actually doing the computation.”
  • In Unit 5 Lesson 9 Analyze Linear Functions, the SMP Tip for MP 8 states, “Students have calculated the rate of change by finding the change in y-values and dividing by the change in x-values. They made the connection between rate of change and the slope formula. Through repeated reasoning they are able to make sense of change in y divided by change in x to find slope as shown in the modeled instruction. Ask them to use the table and graph on the page to describe as many ways as they can to find the slope. (SMP 8)”
  • In End of Unit Performance Tasks students reflect on mathematical practices. For example, in the Unit 4 Performance Task, students draw a model based on a situation. Students explain how the model assisted the students to decide lengths of the sides for each triangle. (MP 4)

The Mathematical Practices Handbook describes each of the MPs for students and provides students with questions to elicit thinking and discuss with a partner.

Indicator 2F
01/02
Materials carefully attend to the full meaning of each practice standard

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 partially meet expectations that the instructional materials carefully attend to the full meaning of each practice standard. Overall, the materials attend to the full meaning of most of the MPs, but there are two MPs for which the full meaning is not addressed.

Examples where the full intent of an MP is met include:

  • MP 1: In Unit 4 Lesson 23, students make sense of a problem by restating the Pythagorean Theorem in their own words and relating the theorem to a diagram. The SMP Tip states, “When students restate a theorem in their own words and then relate it to a drawing of the situation, they make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Encourage students to see theorems as understandable tools they can use to solve problems, not just as a collection of words to be memorized. (SMP 1)”
  • MP 2: In Unit 2 Lesson 10, students reason abstractly by interpreting and summarizing different sections of qualitative graphs. The SMP Tip states: “Interpreting the different sections of the graph and summarizing what the whole graph shows requires students to reason abstractly. Encourage students to describe the thinking they used to get their answers. This will let you assess strengths and flaws in their reasoning and help guide them toward a logical thought process. (SMP 2)”
  • MP 7: In Unit 1 Lesson 2, students look for structure when working with square roots and cube roots. In Unit 4 Lesson 26, students find the volume of Cylinders, Cones, and Spheres. The SMP Tips states, “Students look for similarities in the structure of the formulas to compare them and explain differences. (SMP 7)”
  • MP 8: In Unit 1 Lesson 5, students look for repeated reasoning when performing operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation. The SMP Tip states: “Students must look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning as they rewrite a problem to have the same power of 10 and then use the distributive property to simplify it. Encourage them to think about each step by asking questions such as, What is the purpose for doing this step? and What property allows us to do this step? (SMP 8)”

The instructional materials do not always attend to the full meaning of MPs 4 and 5.

  • MP 4: Students read about and see models throughout the curriculum and have opportunities to use models created for them. Students do not construct models to analyze mathematical relationships or to draw conclusions except in a few instances in Performance Tasks.
  • MP 5: The Ready Instruction Book identifies SMP 5 in Lessons 2, 4, 7 - 10, 16 - 20, 22, 24, 26 - 31; however, there is no evidence of students being given an opportunity to choose tools. In Unit 2 Lesson 7, the SMP Tip states: “As students answer questions that require them to analyze the tables and graphs, emphasize the idea that these are two tools that can help them solve the problem. As you discuss answers to the questions, encourage students to explain how they used the graph or table to find the answer (SMP 5).” MP 5 is also noted in Lessons 31, 32, and 33 but is not mentioned on the lesson pages.


Indicator 2G
Read
Emphasis on Mathematical Reasoning: Materials support the Standards' emphasis on mathematical reasoning by:
Indicator 2G.i
02/02
Materials prompt students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics detailed in the content standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for prompting students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others. Overall, the materials offer students multiple opportunities to construct viable arguments and/or analyze the arguments of others.

Examples where students are prompted to construct viable arguments and/or analyze the arguments of others include:

  • Lesson 1 Quiz prompts: “Is Josh correct? Explain why or why not.”
  • In Unit 2 Lesson 10, students critique the reasoning of others when they analyze how a student got the wrong answer. They pair/share with the question, “Does Amir’s answer make sense? Discuss.”
  • In the Unit 3 Performance Task, students give advice to a friend (construct an argument) about which online gaming club to join. They are given a checklist and a question, “Did you justify your advice to Sharleen?


Indicator 2G.ii
02/02
Materials assist teachers in engaging students in constructing viable arguments and analyzing the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics detailed in the content standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for assisting teachers to engage students in constructing viable arguments and analyzing the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics detailed in the content standards. The materials provide teachers with SMP TIPs to help facilitate students to construct arguments and/or analyze the arguments of others.

Examples where teachers are supported to help students construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others include:

  • In Unit 2 Lesson 8, teachers put students in pairs to present arguments and discuss whether they agree with their partner’s logic.
  • In Unit 3 Lesson 11, teachers ask questions in the Mathematical Discourse section which encourage critiquing the reasoning of others. For example, “Suppose another classmate said the unit rate is 5 because it takes 5 minutes to run 1 mile. Is the classmate correct? Explain.”
  • In Unit 5 Lesson 31 - Find Out More, students give two examples of categorical variables and explain why it would not be possible to display the variables in a scatter plot. The SMP Tip states, “Discussion of student examples of categorical data will allow students to listen to and critique the reasoning of others. By listening to the logical reasoning of others, students should decide if the reasoning makes sense, and, if necessary, ask useful questions to clarify. (SMP 3)”


Indicator 2G.iii
02/02
Materials explicitly attend to the specialized language of mathematics.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectations for explicitly attending to the specialized language of mathematics. Overall, the materials for both students and teachers have multiple ways for students to engage with the vocabulary of mathematics.

  • Lesson Vocabulary is identified at at the beginning of every lesson and used correctly to refer to mathematical terms and topics. For example, Unit 4 Lesson 25 includes a definition of the Pythagorean Theorem in the teacher materials as well as the student materials. Pythagorean Theorem is defined as, “In any right triangle, the sum of the squares of the lengths of the legs, a and b, is equal to the square of the length of the hypotenuse, c.”
  • Each lesson has an English Language Learners section in the Teacher Resource Book that contains some ways to support vocabulary development for all students. Some examples are:
    • In Unit 1 Lesson 2, the teacher reviews the meaning of inverse operations and calls on volunteers to explain the inverse of squaring a number.
    • In Unit 2 Lesson 8, teachers are given the following Mathematical Discourse prompts: “How are the two equations on the page similar? How are they different? How are the graphs of the two equations similar? How are they different?” The guidance for teachers attends to the mathematical vocabulary students use in discussion.
  • Teachers pose questions to students and attend to precision using appropriate terminology. For example, in Unit 4 Lesson 24, teachers pose the following question, “Suppose you have a triangle that is not a right triangle. Can you use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of one of the sides? Explain.”
  • In the Teacher Instruction Book, mathematical vocabulary is defined in the Find Out More section.
  • Teachers are prompted in the Teacher Resource Book to have students use precise mathematical language. For example, in Unit 2 Lesson 7 Find Out More, students describe the initial value and rate of change for given snowfall amounts shown on a graph.
  • In the Student Practice and Problem Solving Book, mathematical terms are defined, along with a picture example in small square sections labeled “Vocabulary.”


Criterion 3.1: Use & Design

08/08
Use and design facilitate student learning: Materials are well designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectations for being well-designed and taking into account effective lesson structure and pacing. The instructional materials distinguish between problems and exercises, have exercises that are given in intentional sequences, have a variety in what students are asked to produce, and include manipulatives that are faithful representations of the mathematical objects they represent.

Indicator 3A
02/02
The underlying design of the materials distinguishes between problems and exercises. In essence, the difference is that in solving problems, students learn new mathematics, whereas in working exercises, students apply what they have already learned to build mastery. Each problem or exercise has a purpose.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation that the underlying design of the materials distinguishes between problems and exercises.

Students engage with problems and exercises through a consistent lesson structure. Use What You Know presents problems where students connect prior knowledge to the new concepts. Find Out More introduces the lesson, followed by Model It, Picture It, Connect It and Try It. This sequence repeats during Learn About as students engage with exercises during modeled and guided instruction. During Independent Practice, students complete problems and apply their learning. Additional problems and exercises are provided in the Practice and Problem Solving Book. For example:

  • In Unit 4 Lesson 19 Transformations and Congruence, students are shown models for solving problems and then practice solving problems using the models. In each section, students solve problems with a specific skill.
  • In Unit 3 Lesson 12 Understand the Slope Intercept Equation for a Line, students compare, analyze, and verify problems in order to demonstrate their understanding of the slope-intercept form of a linear equation. Students demonstrate their understanding of slope and the slope-intercept form for a linear equation as they examine equations and determine if they are all linear and if they can be written in the form y=mx+b. If they can, students show how. During Independent Practice students use their understanding of proportional relationships to complete a three-part task named, “Put it Together.” In the task, students show different ways to find the slope given points in a table and a graph.
  • In Practice and Problem Solving Lesson 25, students solve problems using the Pythagorean Theorem to find the height of a pole and the length of a diagonal in a rectangle. They engage in exercises to find the distance between two points on the coordinate plane.


Indicator 3B
02/02
Design of assignments is not haphazard: exercises are given in intentional sequences.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation that the design of assignments is not haphazard; exercises are given in intentional sequences. Students are presented with a problem at the beginning of each chapter to introduce new concepts and build upon prior knowledge.

The Ready lesson structure is consistent across the series. Within each unit, concept development is sequential. Understand lessons expose students to a concept for the first time and have a heavier emphasis on developing conceptual understanding. There are consistent sections within these lessons that scaffold student learning. Find Out More activities engage students in whole-class examples within a lesson. Learn About reinforces the mathematical concept of the lesson through pictures, models, examples of possible solutions and independent practice. Practice provides ongoing practice of newly learned mathematical concepts and skills as students explain and reflect.

The Ready progression chart shows what students learned in previous grades, what they will learn in their current grade, and how this will relate to future grades. In the Teacher Resource Book at the beginning of each lesson, the Learning Progression restates what had been taught in the previous grade, what is taught in the current grade, and what will be taught in the next grade. Lessons are designed using a scaffolded approach that begins with teacher-guided instruction, moves to working with partners, and concludes with completing problems independently. For example, in Unit 2, the lessons are sequenced to build understanding of functions. Lesson 6 starts with understanding functions. In Lesson 7, students compare functions. In Lesson 8, students are introduced to linear functions, and in Lesson 9, students analyze functions. On the End-of-Unit Performance Task, students apply their understanding of functions to solve a multi-step problem that involves reasoning about how the rates of change for different functions are related.

Indicator 3C
02/02
There is variety in what students are asked to produce. For example, students are asked to produce answers and solutions, but also, in a grade-appropriate way, arguments and explanations, diagrams, mathematical models, etc.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations that there is a variety in what students produce.

Students respond and produce solutions in a variety of ways. Students provide evidence through drawings, representations, and written explanations. Students analyze and defend the work of others, and they justify their conclusions with verbal statements and mathematical reasoning.

In Picture It, Model It, Connect It, and Try It, students represent the problems in drawings and make connections between the drawings and the equations. In Pair/Share, students discuss approaches to solving problems with another student, promoting students to justify their work and reason through the work of others. Question types vary and include multiple choice, true/false, draw a model, short answer, solve, explain, find the mistake, and multi-step performance tasks. For example:

  • In Unit 1 Lesson 5 Operations and Scientific Notation, students individually solve problems using properties of exponents as well as the distributive and associative properties. Students pair up to discuss their solutions with a partner. Students discuss the following: “Would you rather solve this problem with both numbers expressed in standard form or in scientific notation? Explain.”
  • In Unit 2 Lesson 7 Compare Functions, teachers pose the following question for students, “Do you think you can compare any two rates? Why or why not?”
  • In Unit 5 Lesson 29 Scatter Plots and Linear Models, students invent their own 10-point set of bivariate data. They list all the values in the data set in a table as well as writing a story to describe where they may collect the data. Students produce a scatter plot for the data and trend line. The data set must meet certain provided conditions.


Indicator 3D
02/02
Manipulatives are faithful representations of the mathematical objects they represent and when appropriate are connected to written methods.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for providing manipulatives that are faithful representations of the mathematical objects they represent and when appropriate are connected to written methods.

In the Hands-On Activities found within each lesson, students use a variety of manipulatives such as sticky dots and construction paper. For example:

  • In Unit 1 Lesson 2, students illustrate the difference between doubling a number and squaring a number using sticky dots and construction paper. Manipulative use is appropriate for the mathematics content it represents.
  • In Unit 3 Lesson 19, students rip a sheet of paper into triangles to describe the conditions that they observed about angles of a triangle. Students make sense of the conditions for drawing triangles.

A detailed Manipulative List is included in the Program Implementation section. For Grade 8 these include centimeter cubes, two or more color counters, number cubes, algebra tiles, tangrams, pan balance, etc. These are used throughout the series to represent mathematical ideas and connect to written methods. For example, in Unit 1 Lesson 2, students draw models of square roots using unit cubes as a reference.

Indicator 3E
Read
The visual design (whether in print or online) is not distracting or chaotic, but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.

The visual design of the instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 is not distracting or chaotic and supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.

The format of each lesson is consistent in both the Teacher Resource Book and Student Instruction Book. The pictures within the Student Instruction Book and the Interactive Tutorials on the Ready Teacher Toolbox are colorful, engaging, and represent items that are relevant to students.

Interactive tutorials are available for each lesson on the Online Teacher Toolbox. The Interactive Tutorials provide students with on-level or prerequisite skills needed for that lesson with animation that engages the students with real-world situations. While students wait for the video to load, comments by the characters provide insight into the lesson and help capture students’ attention. For example, in Unit 3 Lesson 15 Understand Systems of Equations, the interactive tutorial uses an example of going to a concert to help students understand how to solve systems of linear equations by graphing the equations.

The students have adequate white space to work within the Student Instruction Book and Practice and Problem Solving Book. Each lesson for the teacher and student has a consistent layout throughout the series. The pictures match the concepts addressed.

The student materials are clearly labeled as guided instruction and independent work, and the problem sets provide consistent numbering for each section.

Criterion 3.2: Teacher Planning

08/08
Teacher Planning and Learning for Success with CCSS: Materials support teacher learning and understanding of the Standards.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectations for supporting teacher learning and understanding of the Standards. The instructional materials support through: planning and providing learning experiences with quality questions; containing ample and useful notations and suggestions on how to present the content; containing full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced mathematics concepts; and containing explanations of the grade-level mathematics in the context of the overall mathematics curriculum.

Indicator 3F
02/02
Materials support teachers in planning and providing effective learning experiences by providing quality questions to help guide students' mathematical development.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectations that materials support teachers in planning and providing effective learning experiences by providing quality questions to help guide students' mathematical development. Support is provided in the following ways:

In Step by Step, each lesson organizes content into chunks for student learning and includes guiding questions, key points, and teacher prompts. For example, in Lesson 21, students are presented information on how same-side interior angles are supplementary and asked to name other pairs of corresponding angles in the given figure. Teachers are prompted with: “Discuss linear pairs. Note that a line measures 180°, so the measures of the angles in a linear pair add to 180°. Ask: What is the name for two angles whose measures add to 180 ̊? [Supplementary]”

The Mathematical Discourse section in each lesson includes questions to engage students and advance their mathematical understanding. For example, the Lesson 29 Mathematical Discourse prompt states: “The relationship shown in the scatter plot appears to be positive and linear. Explain why this may or may not make sense. How might you convince a peer that this is a sensible relationship?” Question 2 asks: “Explain the reasonableness of the line in the scatter plot extending in both directions. Can you provide examples that would make some data points along this line unreasonable? Explain. At which point may this graphic appear unrealistic? Explain.”

Indicator 3G
02/02
Materials contain a teacher's edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations that they contain a teacher edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

The instructional materials provide resources to support teacher planning.

  • The Teacher Resource Book provides a separate pacing guide for the year, month, week, and day.
  • The Unit Overview page includes lesson titles, page numbers, the primary and supporting standards, and content objectives. Two Common Core correlation charts, Ready Instruction Correlation, and Interim Assessment Correlation are included.
  • The Cognitive Rigor and Ready Chart lists specific questions identified as DOK level 3.

The Teacher Resource Book contains components to assist with lesson delivery.

  • At a Glance explains what students will be doing during each component of the lesson.
  • Step by Step organizes the lesson into chunks and provides guiding questions.
  • SMP Tips highlight specific Standards for Mathematical Practice.
  • Mathematical Discourse includes questions to engage students and advance their learning. Possible answers and key ideas to listen for in student responses are included.
  • Try It Solutions provide complete explanations and, in some cases, multiple solutions.
  • Concept Extensions, ELL Support, and Visual Models provide support, suggestions, and strategies to engage students with activities that support varied abilities.
  • Solutions in the Independent Practice section includes a correct response, at least one possible solution method, and the DOK level for the problems.
  • Quick Check and Remediation includes an exit slip to monitor understanding. A chart includes error analysis and remediation suggestions.
  • Hands-On Activity extends the concepts and skills, using manipulatives and a collaborative group approach.
  • Challenge Activity extends the learning of those students who have mastered the skills and concepts.

The Teacher Toolbox found online contains the following technology components to assist with lesson delivery:

  • Interactive Tutorials are referenced as part of Day 1 instruction for most lessons and provide interactive video clips for delivery of student mathematical learning.
  • i-Ready Door 24 Plus is a free iPad app for fact fluency practice but is not explicitly included in the Teacher Resource Book for instruction.

i-Ready (available for additional purchase and used by most Ready users) is an Online Diagnostic and Instruction component.

Indicator 3H
02/02
Materials contain a teacher's edition (in print or clearly distinguished/accessible as a teacher's edition in digital materials) that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced mathematics concepts in the lessons so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for containing a teacher edition in print and online that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced mathematics concepts in the lessons so that teachers can improve their knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

In each lesson, information is provided for the teacher to understand and make connections between the mathematical content and practices, errors or misconceptions that may arise, and the rationale behind specific lesson parts.

  • In Unit 2 Lesson 10, the Learning Progression states, “In this lesson, students take this analysis further by qualitatively describing a graph by the slopes of its sections. They will discern that steeper slopes represent faster rates, while horizontal segments represent a time of no change or movement. Students will also determine whether a function is increasing, decreasing, or constant; interpret the situation represented by the graph; and solve problems related to the graph. Finally, students will sketch graphs of functions based on verbal descriptions.”
  • In Unit 5 Lesson 30, the SMP TIP for MP2 states, “By asking students to explain the meaning of mathematical ideas like slope and y-intercept in terms of the context of an everyday problem, students are learning how to reason abstractly. Students decontextualize by writing an equation for the trend line, and then judge the reasonableness of their answer by going back and considering their answer in light of the original context.”

Throughout Ready Grade 8 there is guidance for teachers that identifies and connects the underlying mathematics of a lesson. These are written in adult language.

Indicator 3I
02/02
Materials contain a teacher's edition (in print or clearly distinguished/accessible as a teacher's edition in digital materials) that explains the role of the specific grade-level mathematics in the context of the overall mathematics curriculum for kindergarten through grade twelve.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for containing a print teacher edition (in print and in the online Teacher Toolbox) that explains the role of the specific grade-level mathematics in the context of the overall mathematics curriculum.

Each unit begins with a Lessons Progressions Chart. This chart begins by listing lessons on which students are building. These lessons can come from previous grades and from Grade 8. For example, Unit 4 Lesson 27 builds upon Grade 7 Lesson 23 and Grade 8 Lesson 26. The chart also lists standards for which students are preparing. For example, Unit 4 Lesson 23 is preparing students for G-SRT.B.4.

Each Lesson Overview includes a Learning Progression section. This section begins with an explanation of how the lesson builds on prior knowledge from Grade 7. The Learning Progression explains the lesson's overall connection to Grade 8 and the mathematical content of the lesson. This section also explains connections to high school standards.

Indicator 3J
Read
Materials provide a list of lessons in the teacher's edition (in print or clearly distinguished/accessible as a teacher's edition in digital materials), cross-referencing the standards covered and providing an estimated instructional time for each lesson, chapter and unit (i.e., pacing guide).

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 provide a list of lessons in both the printed and digital versions of the Teacher Resource Book that cross-reference lessons and standards and provide an estimated instructional time for each unit, chapter, and lesson.

  • Pacing for Ready Mathematics includes a pacing guide detailing the number of days expected for each lesson and unit for the entire year.
  • The Table of Contents contains a list of CCSS and SMPs for each lesson. In addition, each lesson overview contains the domain, cluster, and standard for the lessons in the unit.
  • In the Teacher Guide for the Practice and Problem Solving Book, there is a Correlation Chart on pages A13-A16 that lists the CCSS, organized by domain, and the corresponding Ready Practice and Problem Solving Lesson.
  • A Unit Correlations chart lists the five units of study and which CCSS are present in the Game, Unit Practice, and Performance Task for each unit. The correlation chart is also included in the online toolbox in the Program Implementation section called Ready Mathematics Standards Correlations.


Indicator 3K
Read
Materials contain strategies for informing parents or caregivers about the mathematics program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

The Ready Grade 8 instructional materials contain strategies for informing parents or caregivers about the mathematics program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

Each lesson contains a Family Letter included in the Practice and Problem Solving book. The letter includes a brief overview of the lesson as well as an example of a problem that students encounter in that lesson. The letter is provided in English and Spanish. For example, in Lesson 8 Understand Linear Functions, the Family Letter contains an explanation and examples of linear vs. non-linear functions and gives a specific example of a problem where students determine if a function is linear. The letter includes how to determine if a function is linear, using a table, a graph, and an equation.

Indicator 3L
Read
Materials contain explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.

The Ready Grade 8 instructional materials contain explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of research-based strategies.

The Teacher Resource Book contains the following explanations of the program's instructional approaches:

  • “Answering the Demands of the Common Core with Ready” details how the program addresses the shifts in the standards.
  • “Supporting Research” provides the instructional methods used by Ready, examples of where these methods are found in the program, and research that supports these methods.
  • “Cognitive Rigor and Ready” provides a table that combines the hierarchies of learning of Webb (Depth of Thinking) and Bloom (Types of Thinking) and provides a table that charts where higher-complexity items can be found within lessons.
  • References are provided at the back of the Teacher Edition. This list details key research reports on math instruction and learning.


Criterion 3.3: Assessment

08/10
Assessment: Materials offer teachers resources and tools to collect ongoing data about student progress on the Standards.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 partially meet the expectations for offering teachers resources and tools to collect ongoing data about student progress on the Standards. The instructional materials provide opportunities for identifying and addressing common student errors and misconceptions, ongoing review and practice with feedback, and assessments with standards clearly denoted. The instructional materials do not consistently provide strategies for gathering information about students’ prior knowledge or include aligned rubrics and scoring guidelines that provide sufficient guidance to teachers.

Indicator 3M
01/02
Materials provide strategies for gathering information about students' prior knowledge within and across grade levels.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 partially meet expectations for providing strategies for gathering information about students’ prior knowledge within and across grade levels.

While no explicit method for assessing students’ prior knowledge is used, there are some ways that the materials collect this information. Prerequisite skills are listed for each unit and lesson. Prerequisite support lessons are provided for the teacher within each lesson to review prerequisite concepts or fill in gaps in student knowledge.

In the Practice and Problem Solving workbook, the Prerequisite is labeled, but there are no teacher directions of how to assess this knowledge.

  • In Unit 5 Lesson 29 Scatter Plots and Linear Models, the prerequisite skills listed are: Understand linear and nonlinear relationships, graph a linear relationship, interpret data in a scatter plot.

However, there are no pretests included within the program or systematic ways to gather information about students’ prior knowledge. The i-Ready online component (available for additional purchase and used by most Ready users) is the tool provided to gather information about prior knowledge.

Indicator 3N
02/02
Materials provide strategies for teachers to identify and address common student errors and misconceptions.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for providing strategies for teachers to identify and address common student errors and misconceptions.

The Quick Check and Remediation at the end of a lesson presents a question to monitor understanding of the content of the lesson. This section includes a chart of incorrect answers, common errors, and remediation suggestions.

Lesson Quizzes provide the teacher with a Common Misconceptions and Errors section that describes common misconceptions and errors.

Within lessons themselves, directions instruct teachers to watch for specific errors and misconceptions, and suggestions are provided to address these. For example:

  • Unit 2 Lesson 10 Step by Step Error Alert states: “Students who only describe prices as increases and decreases probably don’t understand that a horizontal segment represents no change in price over time.”


Indicator 3O
02/02
Materials provide opportunities for ongoing review and practice, with feedback, for students in learning both concepts and skills.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for providing opportunities for ongoing review and practice, with feedback, for students in learning both concepts and skills.

Over the course of each lesson, responsibility for the learning process transfers from the teacher to the student. Students move from scaffolded support within the Guided Practice to independent problem solving within the Independent Practice. With guidance from the Teacher Resource book, feedback is provided to students from the teacher throughout the lessons. Feedback can be given in the Mathematical Discourse section in each lesson. Written feedback can be provided through the rubrics and student quizzes.

Indicator 3P
Read
Materials offer ongoing formative and summative assessments:
Indicator 3P.i
02/02
Assessments clearly denote which standards are being emphasized.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for offering ongoing formative and summative assessments that clearly denote which standards are being emphasized.

  • Standards are clearly noted within assessments found in the Mathematics Assessments Teachers Guide.
  • An Interim Assessment is provided for each unit. Interim assessments provide standards correlations for each item. This information is in the Interim Assessment - Teacher section of the Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit Resources tab at the end of each unit.
  • Unit Assessments provide standards correlations for each item. Unit Assessments and correlations are found in the Unit Assessment Answer Key - Teacher section of the Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit Resources tab at the end of each unit.
  • Lesson quizzes and quick checks are provided for most lessons. These quizzes assess the specific standards being taught in the lesson.


Indicator 3P.ii
01/02
Assessments include aligned rubrics and scoring guidelines that provide sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 partially meet expectations for the inclusion of rubrics and scoring guidelines that provide sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.

Scoring rubrics are provided throughout the course. Rubrics can be found within lessons for student answers, in quizzes, and interim assessments. Within lessons, rubrics and scoring guidelines direct teachers to follow-up, and throughout Ready, there is guidance for teachers on behaviors to look for, error alerts, and misconceptions. However, the lesson quizzes, mid- and unit assessments, interim assessments, and the Assessment Books provide little guidance for teachers on how to interpret student performance or suggestions for follow-up. For example, scoring rubrics are provided for Unit Performance Tasks, but follow-up suggestions based on scoring criteria are not provided.

Indicator 3Q
Read
Materials encourage students to monitor their own progress.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 encourage students to monitor their own progress.

  • There is a Self Check for students at the beginning of each unit. It is to be marked both before and then again after the unit.
  • There is a red pictorial reminder at the end of each lesson labeled Self Check that states, “Go back and see what you can check off on the Self Check on page ….” The page numbers vary as it refers to each unit’s Self Check page.


Criterion 3.4: Differentiation

12/12
Differentiated instruction: Materials support teachers in differentiating instruction for diverse learners within and across grades.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectations for supporting teachers in differentiating instruction for diverse learners within and across grades. The instructional materials provide a balanced portrayal of various demographic and personal characteristics. The instructional materials also consistently provide: strategies to help teachers sequence or scaffold lessons; strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners; tasks with multiple entry points; support, accommodations, and modifications for English Language Learners and other special populations; and opportunities for advanced students to investigate mathematics content at greater depth.

Indicator 3R
02/02
Materials provide strategies to help teachers sequence or scaffold lessons so that the content is accessible to all learners.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for providing strategies to help teachers sequence or scaffold lessons so that the content is accessible to all learners.

  • Each lesson follows a gradual release model in which scaffolded support is withdrawn as students gain mastery. Each lesson consists of four components: Introduction, Modeled and/or Guided Instruction, Guided Practice, and Independent Practice.
  • Lessons are sequenced to build conceptual understanding, using concrete and pictorial representations to more abstract representations.
  • The marginal notes in the Teacher Resource book often suggest ways to support students as a whole and subgroups of students who might need extra support. Notes include sections on vocabulary, concept extensions, visual models, hands-on activities, real-world connections, and challenge activities.
  • Some lessons contain a Differentiated Instruction page which contains an Intervention Activity, On-Level Activity, and a Challenge Activity.


Indicator 3S
02/02
Materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for providing teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners.

The Teacher Resource Book contains the following support:

  • Each lesson includes a section called Small Group Differentiation that consists of two subsections: Reteach and Teacher-led Activities. (Some lessons have both subsections while others have one.) Specific lessons from earlier in the material, as well as the previous grade-level material in the series, are identified and can be used to review or fill in gaps in student knowledge. Every lesson also contains a Personalized Learning-Independent section.
  • The marginal notes in the Teacher Resource Book suggest ways to support students as a whole and provide specific strategies for subgroups of students who might need extra support. This includes sections on vocabulary, concept extensions, visual models, hands-on activities, real-world connections, and challenge activities.
  • Some lessons contain a Differentiated Instruction page that includes an Intervention Activity, On-Level Activity, and a Challenge Activity.
  • The student Practice and Problem Solving book includes three levels of problems (basic, medium, challenge) that include verbal, visual, and symbolic representations.


Indicator 3T
02/02
Materials embed tasks with multiple entry-points that can be solved using a variety of solution strategies or representations.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for embedding tasks with multiple entry-points that can be solved using a variety of solution strategies or representations.

The lesson structure introduces students to different strategies and representations for solving problems, and the embedded tasks use multiple representations (drawings, charts, graphs, numbers, or words) and different solution strategies that provide multiple points of entry to tasks. For example:

  • In Unit 3 Lesson 17 Solve Problems Using Systems of Equations, students solve a system of equations by graphing and then solve the same system algebraically. During Guided Practice, students solve systems of equations using specific representations. During Independent Practice, students use what they know about solving systems of equations solved in a graph and algebraically to determine if three lines (given points on the line) intersect another line and how many points of intersection (solutions to the system) there are.
  • Unit 4 Lesson 26 Guided Instruction “Lets Explore the Idea” prepares students to compare different formulas for volume. In “Let’s Talk About It,” students work in groups to solve questions that require different entry points, using the formula for a volume of a cylinder. In “Try It Another Way,” students answer questions that relate to components of the volume formula for cylinders and cones, for example, what happens to volume when the radius is doubled. During Independent Practice, students solve problems, “Using Volume Formulas,” where they compare and describe relationships of volume to determine the volume of given figures.

Performance Tasks on interim assessments and Practice and Problem Solving include opportunities to engage with tasks with multiple entry points. For example:

  • Practice and Problem Solving Book Lesson 10 problem 4 presents students with two different payment options, one presented as a narrative and the other graphically. Students determine which plan has a greater monthly payment.
  • In the Unit 4 Interim Assessment Performance Task, students are given the dimensions of a cone used to hold popcorn at a movie and asked to determine what happens to the cone if the volume was to be doubled, showing and explaining their considerations to double the volume. Students then need to determine whether a container that is triple the volume of the original container is a reasonable size to hold popcorn, and if not, how to change the dimensions of the cone to be reasonable.


Indicator 3U
02/02
Materials suggest support, accommodations, and modifications for English Language Learners and other special populations that will support their regular and active participation in learning mathematics (e.g., modifying vocabulary words within word problems).

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for suggesting support, accommodations, and modifications for English Language Learners and other special populations that will support their regular and active participation in learning mathematics.

  • ELL strategies can be found throughout the curriculum to build language development and understanding. For example, in Unit 2 Lesson 7, the “Find Out More” section of the lesson includes two prompts for teachers to support English Language Learners: “Write the following on the board: initial value: 2 inches. Guide students to understand this is the point at which the graph starts.” and “Ask students to find the change in y-values and the change in x-values between several pairs of points on the graph to verify that the ratios are all equivalent to 1.5/1.”
  • Performance tasks found at the end of every unit provide students with a graphic organizer to help build vocabulary.
  • In each lesson, there are tips for using visual models in order to provide support, suggestions, and strategies to engage students with activities that support varied abilities.
  • Some lessons include a Differentiated Instruction section that includes an Intervention Activity, On-Level Activity, and a Challenge Activity.
  • Small Group Differentiation guidance is also included in the Lesson Pacing Guide. For example, in Unit 4 Lesson 23 Understand the Pythagorean Theorem, Small Group Differentiation identifies prerequisite lessons from Grade 7 and Grade 8.


Indicator 3V
02/02
Materials provide opportunities for advanced students to investigate mathematics content at greater depth.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet expectations for providing opportunities for advanced students to investigate mathematics content at greater depth.

Materials offer the following instructional support for advanced learners:

  • Each lesson of the Teacher Resource Book includes a Challenge Activity that provides students who have mastered the concepts and skills of the lesson with a more sophisticated problem. For example, in Unit 2 Lesson 10 Graphing Functional Relationships Challenge Activity, students write a scenario that a given graph could represent.
  • Concept Extensions provide an opportunity for students to extend their learning at a greater depth. In Lesson 30, the Concept Extension includes introducing domain and range: “Now that students are encountering a situation where the input and output values are restricted, explain to students the meaning of domain and range. Explain that the range represents all of the possible values for the y-variable. For the water height, the range is 0 less than or equal to y which is less than or equal to 19.”


Indicator 3W
02/02
Materials provide a balanced portrayal of various demographic and personal characteristics.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 meet the expectation for providing a balanced portrayal of various demographic and personal characteristics.

  • The names of characters and the context of real-world situations in problems represent a variety of cultural groups.
  • Interactive Tutorials found in the online Teacher Toolbox represent students of both genders and various ethnicities.
  • Cartoon characters presented in the student edition represent students of both genders and various ethnicities.


Indicator 3X
Read
Materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

The following strategies are found in the Teacher Resource Book:

  • Each lesson provides teachers with a lesson plan that includes teacher-led activities for whole group instruction and small group instruction.
  • Throughout the curriculum there are ample opportunities for students to Pair/Share with step-by-step directions for teachers.
  • The Online Teacher Toolbox provides math games at the end of each unit with recommended grouping strategies.


Indicator 3Y
Read
Materials encourage teachers to draw upon home language and culture to facilitate learning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Ready Grade 8 provide limited support for teachers to draw upon home language and culture to facilitate learning.

The online Teacher Toolbox provides an English and Spanish version of the family letters in the Practice and Problem Solving book. However, the English Language Learner strategies contained within most lessons do not provide guidance for teachers on how to engage students with different levels of language acquisition or how to integrate home language into daily classroom activities.

Criterion 3.5: Technology

Read
Effective technology use: Materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning. Digital materials are accessible and available in multiple platforms.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 integrate technology in ways that engage students in the Mathematical Practices. The digital materials are web-based and compatible with multiple internet browsers, but they do not include opportunities to assess student mathematical understandings and knowledge of procedural skills. The digital materials do not include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, and the materials offer some opportunities for customized, local use. The instructional materials do not include opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other.

Indicator 3AA
Read
Digital materials (either included as supplementary to a textbook or as part of a digital curriculum) are web-based and compatible with multiple internet browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.). In addition, materials are "platform neutral" (i.e., are compatible with multiple operating systems such as Windows and Apple and are not proprietary to any single platform) and allow the use of tablets and mobile devices.

The Ready Grade 8 digital materials are web-based and compatible with multiple internet browsers. The Teacher Resource Book, Teacher Toolbox, and Student Books are platform neutral and can be accessed on tablets and mobile devices. The i-Ready Door 24 Plus is used for fact fluency, and practice is only available for iPads.

Indicator 3AB
Read
Materials include opportunities to assess student mathematical understandings and knowledge of procedural skills using technology.

The instructional materials for Ready Grade 8 do not include opportunities to assess students’ mathematical understanding and knowledge of procedural skills using technology.

i-Ready is an online diagnostic and monitoring tool (available for additional purchase and used by most Ready users). i-Ready has two components. i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive diagnostic, and i-Ready Standards Mastery is designed to provide information about mastery of individual grade-level standards.

Indicator 3AC
Read
Materials can be easily customized for individual learners. i. Digital materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations. ii. Materials can be easily customized for local use. For example, materials may provide a range of lessons to draw from on a topic.

The Ready Grade 8 digital instructional materials cannot be customized for individual learners or users. An additional purchase of i-Ready (available for additional purchase and used by most Ready users) does provide adaptive diagnostic and growth measures to support personalized instruction.

There are limited opportunities for the teacher to customize lessons for local use. In the digital material, Prerequisite Lessons can be accessed as well as teacher-led activities for small group differentiation. The Tools for Instruction digital materials can be used for additional instruction and/or review of prerequisite concepts.

Indicator 3AD
Read
Materials include or reference technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other (e.g. websites, discussion groups, webinars, etc.).

The Ready Grade 8 instructional materials do not provide opportunities for teachers to collaborate with other teachers or students to collaborate with other students.

Indicator 3Z
Read
Materials integrate technology such as interactive tools, virtual manipulatives/objects, and/or dynamic mathematics software in ways that engage students in the Mathematical Practices.

The Ready Grade 8 instructional materials include Interactive Tutorials that are animated interactive lessons. These tutorials include integrative technology such as interactive tools and virtual manipulatives/objects to engage students in the Mathematical Practices as they model the mathematical content of the lesson.