7th Grade - Gateway 3

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials are well-designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing.

The materials for Grade 7 contain four units containing 15-19 activities. The units are “The Choices We Make,” “What Influences My Choices?,” ''Choices and Consequences,” and “How We Choose to Act.” Each unit has several suggested Instructional Pathways for teachers to consider in personalizing instruction to meet the needs of all students. The Instructional Pathways include English Language Arts Pathway, Language Development Pathway, and Flexible Pathway, which includes Close Reading Workshop, Writing Workshop, and Flexible Novel Units. Lessons are designed for a 50-minute time frame. The instructional activities are designed to follow the same lesson structure of “Plan, Teach, Assess, Adapt.” In several units, students are engaging with the concepts multiple times to learn a skill from initially using models for instruction to finally completing tasks independently.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Instructional Pathways section, teachers are provided with several types of Instructional Pathways depending on students’ needs. For example, one possible Instructional Pathway integrates “Digital Assessments, Language Workshops, Close Reading Workshops, and Writing Workshops” into a 26-30 day unit for a 50-minute instructional period.
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.2, students read “How Kids Can Resist Advertising and Be Smart Consumers” by Caroline Knorr to learn about advertising. In Activities 2.4, 2.5, and 2.6, students review a variety of advertisements and the claims and techniques used in advertising. In Activity 2.7, students watch a film entitled The Myth of Choice: How Junk-Food Marketers Target Our Kids and gather information about marketing to kids. Then, in Embedded Assessment 1, students write an informational essay and engage in a discussion regarding the media’s impact on consumers.
• In Unit 3, Planning the Unit section, teachers are provided an instructional sequence section that offers an overview of the unit. For example, the text states that the first half of the unit will have students “examining the structure of the novel.” Then students read to consider the use of setting, point-of-view and author’s language. The students complete a double-entry journal. Finally, they learn about locating and evaluating sources, and then create an annotated bibliography as they research a leader who has “made a positive difference in the world.”
• In Unit 4, Instructional Pathways section, the table specifies that 36.5-41.5 class periods (50 minutes) should be allotted for the unit. A table is provided for each activity which indicates the number of class periods needed to complete the activity. Embedded Assessment 2 indicates four class periods are needed. This is an appropriate pacing for students to “Work collaboratively to prepare and present a scene from William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.” Students are guided through the steps of Planning, Analyzing, Preparing, Rehearsing, Evaluating, and Performing the play. There is also a short reflection following the performance.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that the teacher and student can reasonably complete the content within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding.

The suggested amount of time and expectations for teachers and students of the materials are viable for one school year as written and do not require significant modifications. Instructional Pathways are provided for each unit which include a core English Language Arts Pathway, a Language Development Pathway, and Flexible Pathways. The four English Language Arts units total 122.5-138.5 days of instruction for class periods of 50 minutes. This allows teachers the flexibility to utilize the supplemental lessons that are available for Close Reading, Language Workshops, Foundational Skills Workshops, and Writing Workshops where needed. A balance of time is spent on activities and assessments to allow for maximum student understanding. In the Teacher Wrap, there are specific time recommendations for each part of the activity. Each of the four units contains 15-18 activities and two Embedded Assessments, thus allowing a teacher to complete an activity in a 50 minute class period. Considering all the resources, a teacher could reasonably complete the main activities and complete several of the additional workshops in a school year.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Instructional Pathways, English Language Arts Pathway, a total of 26-30 days are suggested for the unit. Twenty-one days are suggested for the 15 activities and one Language Checkpoint, and six days are suggested for the Embedded Assessments 1 and 2. For the Language Development Pathway, Language Development Workshops are suggested in addition to or in place of activities for a total of 26-40 suggested days. Suggested Close Reading, Foundational Skills, and Writing Workshops are listed and detailed pacing information is provided for each.
• In Unit 2, Teacher Wrap, Activity 2.3, students analyze informational text by reading “Mobile Kids” from Nielsen. The Teacher Wrap suggests the lesson will take two 50-minute class periods.
• In Unit 2, Instructional Pathways section, there are several possible activity configurations Springboard recommends. The first recommendations include 33-37 days of instruction that include 16 activities from the main Language Arts program, two Language Checkpoints from the Language Workbook, and two Embedded Assessments. Another recommended Instruction Pathway for students who need extra language support includes a total of 33-47 days of instruction that include sixteen activities from the main Language Arts program, twelve activities from the Language Workshop, a Language Checkpoint and two Embedded Assessments.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that the student resources include ample review and practice resources, clear directions, and explanation, and correct labeling of reference aids (e.g., visuals, maps, etc.)

The Grade 7 materials from the English Language Arts program and the additional Workshop resources have an instructional sequence that allows teachers and/or students to practice skills with ample opportunities for scaffolding as the activities progress. Each unit and workshop are designed with the end in mind and sequenced with activities and Embedded Assessments. They follow the “Plan-Teach-Assess-Adapt” phases in order to provide teachers opportunities to measure student progress and provide differentiated instruction as needed. Every unit begins by “Previewing the Unit” where students engage in exploring the Learning Targets, Making Connections, Essential Questions, and Developing Vocabulary. Every unit ends with an Embedded Assessment and reflection. All illustrations, photographs, diagrams, and other visual representations are correctly labeled.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Activity 2.10, this activity unpacks Embedded Assessment 2 and gives students a preview of the second half of the unit on argument writing. Each activity in the second half of the unit focuses on elements of argument writing, including: claims, evidence, rhetoric and logic appeals, and acknowledging opposing claims. The prompt for Embedded Assessment 2 states “write an argumentative essay that states and supports a claim about an issue of importance to you.” Clear directions within the assessment lead students through the steps of Planning and Prewriting, Drafting, Evaluating and Revising the Draft, and Checking and Editing for Publication. A brief reflection also follows. The rubric for the assessment is provided on the page as well and provides clear explanations of score points for students.
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.13, students watch three clips from the film Invictus by Clint Eastwood. Before viewing the clips, students are provided with the Learning Targets, Preview, and About the Film sections to provide context about the film. A clearly labeled photograph from the film accompanies the Setting a Purpose for Viewing section. Students answer several questions about information on the DVD packaging and the film clips. A detailed graphic organizer is provided for students to complete for each of the three film clips noting their questions about the characters, events, and setting of each clip. Students use these understandings to begin researching a great leader of their choice for their biographical presentation for Embedded Assessment 2.
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.16, students practice gathering information from and making inferences with a variety of visual pieces, namely photographs, pie charts, posters, bar graphs, and timelines.
• In the Close Reading Workshop, Activity 2, students conduct a close read of a map of the Underground Railroad. In the first read, the students are instructed to write a list of details they notice and then write questions they have about the map. For the second read, students make inferences about the map. Finally, the students make connections between their list and inferences.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items.

Alignment documentation is provided for each unit, activity, and assessment within the Teacher Wrap. The Scope and Sequence documents and the Grade 6-12 English Language Arts Standards Correlations documents are provided in the Teacher Resources. In every activity (in the English Language Arts program and the workshops), CCSS are listed for the teacher, and for the student in a student-friendly format. Assessments are correlated to CCSS through rubrics or metadata information. Metadata information includes the difficulty level of the question, DOK (Depth of Knowledge), Bloom's Taxonomy level, and the Common Core Standard associated with that assessment.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Embedded Assessment 2, Teacher Wrap, the following writing standards are identified for the Creating An Illustrated Myth prompt: W.7.3, W.7.4, and W.7.5, as well as, W.7.3a-e, W.7.10, W.7.1, and W.7.2a.
• In the Scope and Sequence document, every activity is listed for the English Language Arts program with the focus standards and additional standards addressed in the activity. For example, in Unit 3, Activity 3.4, the focus standards provided are RL.7.1, RL.7.3, RL.7.6, W.7.2, and the additional standards that are addressed are RL.7.2, RL.7.4, W.7.2a, W.7.2b, W.7.5, W.7.9a.
• In the Springboard digital platform, there are assessments including quizzes that align to CCSS. For each question, there is metadata available that provides the difficulty level of the question, DOK, Bloom's Taxonomy level, and the Common Core Standard associated with that assessment. For example, on the National Grade 7 Activity 1.15 Quiz — Digital, the first question is considered hard difficulty, a D3-Thinking/Reasoning, B4-Analyze, and CCSS RL.7.3.
• The 6-12 ELA Standards Correlations document states that Writing Standard 7.1 can be found in the ELA book for the following questions and steps of activities: Unit 2, pages 136–137, Writing to Persuade; Unit 2, page 143, Writing Process: Writing a Claim for an Argumentative Essay; Unit 2, page 155, Step 15, Argumentative Writing Prompt; Unit 2, page 167, Argumentative Writing Prompt; Unit 2, page 176, Argumentative Writing Prompt; Unit 2, page 180, Argumentative Writing Prompt; Unit 2, page 185, Embedded Assessment 2; and Unit 2, page 186, Scoring Guide. Links are also provided that lead directly to the page within the materials.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that 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 materials include annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the Teacher Wrap. The Teacher Wrap has several sections which aid teachers in presenting content, including Teacher to Teacher and Plan-Teach-Assess-Adapt. The annotations are accurate, understandable, and give teachers assistance with presenting content. SpringBoard Digital offers embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Activity 1.11, Teacher Wrap, Teacher to Teacher section, teachers receive the following information to help guide their instruction: “Students worked with these terms and used this same plot diagram in SpringBoard Grade 7. Use students' understanding of these terms as a formative assessment to guide your instruction, emphasizing the elements students are struggling to understand. Students begin working on creating myths.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.3, students learn to analyze informational text through reading “Mobile Kids” from Nielsen. In the Teacher Wrap, Teach section, teachers receive detailed guidance on presenting content, including instructions on conducting the first read, scaffolding text dependent questions, the second read, research, and vocabulary development. For example, the Teacher Wrap states, “After reading the text for the first time, have students form groups and briefly discuss the Knowledge Quest questions. Ask follow-up questions or prompt them to revisit sections of the article if needed before moving on to the text-dependent questions.”
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.7, Teacher Wrap, Adapt section, teachers receive suggestions to help students who are experiencing difficulty with the assignment. “If students need additional help creating a topic sentence and determining the differences between the two schools, have them work in pairs to fill out the Venn Diagram for Writing a Comparison graphic organizer.”
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.9, students study drama through analyzing “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar. After reading, students “Select a line from one of the readings in the unit or from your independent reading. Create a mask with symbols and imagery to convey the tone of the quote. Include colors and other details that you associate with the emotion or attitude of your chosen quote.” In the Teacher Wrap, Teach section, teachers receive the following guidance, “Either in class or as a homework assignment, have students create their masks. Next, have students memorize their chosen quote. Note: If this activity is assigned for homework, you can invite students to find their own quotes online.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher's edition that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literacy concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

Grade 7 SpringBoard materials include a Teacher Edition introduction, Teacher Wrap section for each activity, and a resource list at the end. These materials support teachers as they plan, teach, and assess. The introduction gives teachers an overview of the features and purposes for the activities. The Teacher Wrap provides parallel support for teachers as students engage in the activities, including, but not limited to explaining the standards, giving teachers guidance on specific parts of the text on which to focus, and providing ideas and recommendations for support. The resources section provides teachers with more support including a list of the different strategies used in the activities. The teachers receive a definition of the strategy, as well as its purpose. These materials in tandem provide teachers with the knowledge and explanation to support all students.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Teacher Edition introduction provides teachers with an overview of all the features available for them. This introduction includes, but is not limited to, Instructional Pathways that provide guidance for different activities to include based on student needs, and Leveled Differentiated Instruction which provides the verbiage to support students of various needs. All of these features are further explained in the Teacher Wrap section which is a parallel feature for each activity in the unit. For example, in Unit 2, Activity 2.14, the learning targets are written in student-friendly language, while the Teacher Wrap has the College and Career Readiness Standards. In this same activity, students examine the concept of logos. The Teacher Wrap includes guidance instructing teachers to ask students to “...think of other words that come from the Greek word logos. Students read the speech “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth. The teacher prompts the students to “...mark examples of logos as they read.” The Teacher Wrap lists the claim made by Sojourner Truth, and where to have students focus on the support of her argument.
• A list of resources for the teacher including an Independent Reading Log, a list of Reading Strategies, a Graphic Organizer Directory, and a Glossary is included at the end of the Teacher Edition and is also listed in the Teacher Wrap. In the Reading Strategy section, the materials list all of the strategies including reading, writing, and speaking that students will use and then give the definition and the purpose of each strategy. For example, in Unit 3, Activity 3.7, students use the learning strategy “Double-Entry Journal.” In the Resources: Reading Strategies section for the “Double-Entry Journal,” the materials note that the strategy involves “Creating a two-column journal with a students-selected passage in one column and the student’s response in the second column.” The purpose is listed as “To assist in note-taking and organizing key textual elements and responses notes during reading in order to generate textual support.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher's edition that explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum. The criteria that the visual design (whether in print or digital) is not distracting or chaotic, but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.

The Grade 7 materials provide explanations for the role of the course content in the overall materials in the Scope & Sequence Document, Introduction to SpringBoard English Language Arts, Planning the Unit, and the Teacher Wrap. Detailed standards information is provided for each activity, assessment, writing prompt, and for many individual text-dependent questions. Additionally, the Introduction to SpringBoard English Language Arts provides connections across multiple grade levels through AP/SAT Connections. The Grade 6–12 Standards Correlations document also traces how each standard is represented throughout the sequence of courses from Grade 6 to Grade 12.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Introduction to SpringBoard English Language Arts, the materials state, “SpringBoard offers core instructional materials in print and digital form that are aligned to College and Career Readiness Standards, Advanced Placement (AP) coursework, and the SAT Suite of Assessments.” Furthermore the materials note, “SpringBoard English Language Arts focuses on the same essential knowledge and skills that are the center of the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing sections of the SAT Suite of Assessments.”
• In the Planning the Unit section before each unit, a detailed list of AP and SAT Connections is provided. This list helps to contextualize the role of the standards across multiple grade levels. For example, in Unit 2, the following SAT Connections are provided: “In this unit, students will practice many important skills that will help them succeed on the SAT and other college readiness exams, including: Recognizing and correcting inappropriate shifts in pronoun person and number within and between sentences. (LC 3.17), Recognizing and correcting problems with unclear or ambiguous antecedents. (LC 3.17), Recognizing and correcting lack of agreement between pronoun and antecedent. (LC 3.17).”
• In each activity, the Teacher Wrap specifies both Focus Standards and Additional Standards covered. Standards are also specified for Scaffolding Text Dependent Questions and writing prompts embedded within the materials. This helps contextualize the standards within each activity. For example, in Unit 3, Activity 3.4, the Focus Standards listed are as follows: “RL.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL.7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot). RL.7.6 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. W.7.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials contain explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.

Explanations of both the instructional approaches used within the text, as well as the research-based strategies incorporated, are located in the Teacher Edition. From these explanations, it is clear that the SpringBoard English Language Arts curriculum has considered not only the ways to evaluate students, but also the necessary skills that students need to build in order to be successful. The instructional design rationale is based on research-based strategies by leaders in the field of education.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Teacher Edition, on page xxi under Assessments, it states that the units are built to provide effective scaffolding for students as they prepare to complete the Embedded Assessments. In addition, teachers may assign short quizzes throughout the unit and longer assessments that mirror the types of questions students will be required to answer on other standardized tests like the SAT. On this same page, the research-based strategy is described as assessment for learning.
• In the Teacher Edition, on page xvii, it states that this curriculum uses The Writing Revolution’s method, which is a part of the Hochman Method, to teach the foundational elements of writing. Specifically, the SpringBoard English Language Arts curriculum uses the Focus on the Sentence tasks to blend grammar with reading.
• In the Teacher Edition, Closing pages, the Learning Strategies Charts include the name of the learning strategy, the definition of the strategy, and the purpose of the strategy. For example, on page 392, the Think-Pair-Share strategy is listed in the chart. The definition provided is as follows: “Pairing with a peer to share ideas before sharing ideas and discussion with a larger group.”
• In the Teacher Edition, in the Introduction: Teacher Edition Features section, the materials note that “SpringBoard uses the widely respected Wiggins and McTighe Understanding by Design model. The program back maps from a defined set of essential skills and knowledge that is shown to propel students on their path to college and career.”
• In the Teacher Edition, in the Introduction: Teacher Edition Features section, the program’s authors explain that the “SpringBoard's lesson design also takes into account the work of the American Institutes of Research in its focus on students moving through multiple levels of cognitive engagement.” The lesson design also pulls in the research of Charlotte Danielson’s research on teaching instruction, Marzano and Pickering’s research on academic vocabulary development, and Robyn Jackson’s research on active instruction.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that genuinely measure student progress.

The Grade 7 SpringBoard units build to Embedded Assessments that direct the instructional pathway and give teachers a clear destination. Each task leading up to the Embedded Assessments provides teachers with a multitude of ways to measure students’ progress towards mastery of the standards required for the Embedded Assessment. Students are assessed in multiple ways including speaking, listening, reading, writing, and language tasks. These activity assessments include anecdotal evidence from the teacher for monitoring discussion and task completion, text-dependent questions, Check for Understanding tasks, Focus on the Sentence tasks, completion of graphic organizers, and completion of writing prompts. Each assessment is designed to prepare students for upcoming lessons and assessments since the SpringBoard materials are designed with the “end in mind” and are based on what students will need to be college and career ready and successful in their next grade level.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Embedded Assessment 2, students “...write an argumentative essay that states and supports a claim about an issue important to you.” This assessment is graded using a standards-aligned rubric to measure the students’ development of ideas, structure, and use of language. In Unit 2, Activity 2.6 students learn to evaluate print and online sources using five separate criteria. In Activity 2.9, students learn about the structure of an informational essay and practice writing conclusions. In Activity 2.14, students analyze the effectiveness of a counterclaim and learn about the use of rhetorical appeals. The students engage in a variety of tasks including text-dependent questions and completing a graphic organizer. Then the students return to a body paragraph written in a previous lesson to “...add counterclaims, rhetorical devices and appeals to logic to strengthen your argument.”
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.13, teachers assess students on their viewing skills as well as their listening and speaking skills. Students view a film clip from Invictus and gather their observations on graphic organizers. In the Teacher Wrap, Assess section, teachers receive the following suggestions: “Review the students' Active Listening Notes graphic organizers to ensure they have answered the questions with specific details from the film.” After this process is complete, students use their notes to participate in discussions about their findings in the clip, while the teacher listens in to assess student progress toward gathering meaningful information from multimedia sources.
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.3, students examine clips of a comedic monologue and analyze each for ideas, structure, and language. In the lesson, there are multiple points for assessing students' understanding. At the end of Activity 4.3, students complete a Narrative Writing Prompt to “Draft an original narrative monologue…” Later in the unit, they complete Embedded Assessment 1, which requires the students to use their learning to “....write and present a monologue about a topic that sparks a strong emotion….” In the Teacher Wrap, Assess section, the materials include the following suggestions: “Review students' responses to the writing prompt to ensure they understand how to use narrative techniques. Look for logical sequences of events and specific language that communicates a humorous tone. Also, check that students have noted where they should use movement, facial expressions, and changes in intonation to enhance their performances.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that assessments clearly denote which standards are being emphasized.

The materials include both formative and summative assessments, including end of unit assessments, embedded assessments, and activity quizzes. Standards are clearly denoted for each assessment. The standards are divided into Focus Standards—those that are emphasized and are always included—and Additional Standards when applicable. Assessments include a list of correlated standards and standards for individual items are located in the Assessments tab. Other locations of standards include the following: on the actual Assessment (End of Unit Assessments and Activity Quizzes) and in the Teacher Wrap (for Embedded Assessments).

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Embedded Assessment 2, students create an illustrated myth. The Teacher Wrap includes these Focus Standards and their associated full text: W.7.3, W.7.4, and W.7.5. Additional Standards W.7.3a, W.7.3b, W.7.3c, W.7.3d, W.7.3e, W.7.10, L.7.1, and L.7.2a are listed without their associated full text.
• In Unit 2, Embedded Assessment 1, students write an informative essay and participate in a collaborative discussion. The Teacher Wrap lists the Focus Standards as W.7.2, W.7.5, and SL.7.1. The Additional Standards listed are W.7.2a, W.7.2b, W.7.2c, W.7.2d, W.7.2e, W.7.2f, SL.7.1a, SL.7.1b, SL.7.1c, SL.7.1d, and L.7.2.
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.7, students answer two questions aligned to standards RL 7.1 and W 7.2 during an Activity Quiz. The Activity Quiz includes a link to the full text of the standard.
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.7, students read “The Highwaymen of Hounslow Heath” (no author cited) and answer text-specific questions. These Focus Standards along with their associated full text are listed: RL.7.4, RL.7.9, and W.7.3.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials should include routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress.

The materials include routines to monitor student progress. Questions after reading, activity quizzes, and discussion questions all offer teachers the opportunity to gauge student progress throughout each unit. These monitoring suggestions are provided in the Teacher Wrap.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Activity 1.5, students complete a first read of an excerpt from Bad Boy by Walter Dean Myers. The Teacher Wrap includes guidance to monitor student understanding of the text: “Monitor students’ engagement with the text as you read. Be sure they are annotating the text and noticing the multiple incidents in the story.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.16, students write an essay for Embedded Assessment 1. In the Assess section of the Teacher Wrap, teacher directions include: “Check to see that students are able to identify the components of an introduction and conclusion both while reading the model text and in their own writing. See the indicators in the “'Be sure to' statements and the outline format.”
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.9, students analyze how the conflicts in the novel shape the plot and subplot. In the Teacher Wrap, the materials include the following information for teachers to assess students effectively: “Review students' journal entries to be sure students are accurately identifying Part 3 conflicts and subplots and making reasonable predictions. Check students' literary analysis paragraphs to look for a clear topic sentence describing the conflict, supporting evidence from the text, and use of active voice with a variety of sentence structures. As you review students' paragraphs, also check to ensure understanding of the story's subplot and how it reflects the main conflict.”
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.13, students read Scene 4 from Act I from Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare and answer text-specific questions after reading. In the Teacher Wrap, teachers guidance to monitor student progress includes: “Move from group to group and listen in as students answer the text-dependent questions. If students have difficulty, scaffold the questions by rephrasing them or breaking them down into smaller parts. See the Scaffolding the Text-Dependent Questions boxes for suggestions.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of range of learners so the content is accessible to all learners and supports them in meeting or exceeding the grade-level standards.

The materials include strategies to meet the needs of all learners in meeting the grade-level standards. In the Planning the Unit section, the materials provide multiple Pathways to incorporate the core ELA activities with additional Foundational Skills, Language, Close Reading, and Writing Workshops to support the needs of a range of learners. The Planning the Unit section also includes an Independent Reading List to provide options for independent reading based on topic, student choice, and text complexity The Teacher Wrap includes strategies for scaffolding activities in the Scaffolding Text-Dependent Questions, Leveled Differentiated Instruction, and Adapt sections. Additionally, the Teacher Wrap provides specific guidance on how to adjust tasks to meet students on the following levels—Developing, Expanding, Bridging, Support, and Extend.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Planning the Unit section there is a Spanish cognates list for every unit to support ELL students whose first language is Spanish. For example in Unit 1, the list includes, but is not limited to coherence/cohencia and myth/mito.
• In the Planning the Unit section, there are a few customized pathways for teachers to follow based on students’ needs. For example, the Language Development Pathway includes additional activities that include the Language Workshop and Foundational Skills Workshop. For example, in Unit 2, the Language Development Pathway includes, but is not limited to, a Language Workshop 2A.1 Genre Focus and the option to complete the Embedded Assessment 1 collaboratively.
• For many Activities, the Teacher Wrap includes a section called Leveled Differentiated Instruction that offers support to the teacher to differentiate a task based on students’ Developing, Expanding, Bridging, Support, or Extend levels. For example, in Unit 3, Activity 3.4, students compare and contrast the two characters in the text they are reading. In the Teacher Wrap, there is a section labeled Leveled Differentiated Instruction, which gives the teacher suggestions on how to differentiate this activity. For example, the Developing instructions state, “Have students use the completed Venn diagram to write a comparison using comparison sentence frames. For Bridging, the instructions are “Have students use the completed Venn diagram to write longer original sentences to compare the two characters using words such as both, similarly, like and unlike. Have them include details from the text in their sentences.”
• The Teacher Wrap includes specific prompts to scaffold each activity’s text-based questions. For example, in Unit 4, Activity 4.5, Question # 3 asks students “How does the speaker describe his mood in lines 7-12 of the poem? What can you infer about the cause of his mood?” In the Scaffolding the Text-dependent Questions section of the Teacher Wrap, teacher guidance includes the following verbiage to support students: “From what feeling does the speaker want relief? What is causing this feeling? What can you infer about Lenore?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level, or in a language other than English, with extensive opportunities to work with grade level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards.

The SpringBoard instructional materials include multiple opportunities and support for English Language Learner (ELL) students. The materials include a Cognate Directory in the Planning the Unit section in order to provide support for students whose first language is Spanish. Teachers have the option to substitute Language Development Pathway units for Instructional Pathway units. While the Language Development Pathway includes many of the activities from the core ELA Pathway, this supplemental support also includes additional embedded language in the form of Language Workshops to support ELLs. Additionally, Foundational Skills Workshops are suggested for small groups of students who need support for and practice with fundamental reading skills. The Leveled Differentiated Instruction section of the Teacher Wrap provides detailed guidance for supporting English Learners at World-class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) levels—Beginning, Developing, Expanding, Bridging—as well as differentiation for a level called Support. This guidance includes both accommodations and modification of work for students at varying levels where appropriate. Furthermore, in the Teacher Wrap, the Plan-Teach-Assess-Adapt sequence Adapt section provides strategies for students who need additional scaffolding or support. For activities with Returning to the Text questions, a section on Scaffolding Text-Dependent Questions is provided in the Teacher’s Wrap. This section gives guidance on scaffolding vocabulary or concepts for students for each of the Returning to the Text questions.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Planning the Unit, the materials provide the following guidance: “If your class includes Spanish speakers, consider adding the following cognates to your classroom Word Wall. For English Language Learners whose primary language is not Spanish, consider using an online translator or dictionary to support comprehension of vocabulary terms.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.12, the Adapt section contains suggestions for teachers to use to help those who are struggling with using SOAPSTone. First, teachers offer students another opportunity to use the SOAPSTone technique with another text that they have already read and are familiar with. Also, if needed, teachers can review a claim with the class.
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.3, the Teacher Wrap section includes the following considerations for teachers of English Language Learners: “If students need additional help identifying a choice a character made, have them work in pairs to revisit and discuss the notes they made in their double-entry journals.”
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.2, the Adapt section includes support for students who are having difficulty connecting how an oral presentation of the poem affects the listeners. Students may work in pairs to read the poem to each other. Then, students may share something that they learned from the oral interpretation that they had not noticed during their silent reading of the text. Also, if students are having difficulty comparing and contrasting, teachers may provide them with a Venn diagram.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials regularly include extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

Within each unit, the Teacher Wrap includes suggestions for Leveled Differentiated Instruction. The Extend level provides ways “to stretch students who are ready for a challenge.” The teaching model provided in the Teacher Wrap follows a plan, teach, assess, and adapt structure. There are sometimes suggestions for ways in which teachers can engage their students in a greater challenge, within the Adapt section of the Teacher Wrap. SAT and AP connections for all students are provided in the Planning the Unit section. Occasionally, the Suggestions for the Independent Reading List provide suggestions for students who read above grade level. The materials also state that the Flexible Pathways offer opportunities to extend learning, but explicit directions on how to utilize the workshops to provide more advanced opportunities for students above grade level are not provided.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Introduction to SpringBoard English Language Arts, the materials state, “flexible activities from SpringBoard's Close Reading Workshop, Writing Workshop, or Flexible Novel Units that enable teachers to extend, support, or customize instruction.” However, it is unclear in the materials how these Workshops are intended for extending instruction for advanced students as explicit instructions are not provided.
• In the Introduction to SpringBoard English Language Arts, the materials provide an overview of the support offered in the Leveled Differentiated Instruction section of the Teacher Wrap; “The suggestions provide the tools that learners at various levels of language proficiency need to successfully participate in class.” Support is provided for the WIDA levels Beginning, Developing, Bridging, and Expanding, as well as two additional levels labeled Support and Extend. The Extend level is defined as, “Extend suggests ways to stretch students who are ready for a challenge.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.7, the Teacher Wrap provides an extension activity for students in the Teacher to Teacher section. The materials state, “You can extend students’ learning by sharing additional short films or audio podcasts about advertising to youth. Have students use the same graphic organizers to analyze, respond to, and discuss the films.”
• In Unit 3, Planning the Unit, Suggestions for Independent Reading, three titles of the thirty-four titles included have a Lexile measure that is at or beyond the recommended stretch band for Grade 7.
• In Unit 4, Leveled Differentiated Instruction in the Teacher Wrap includes Extend suggestions three times. In Activity 4.5, Teacher Wrap, Leveled Differentiated Instruction, Extend, students write an additional stanza in their poem. In Activity 4.9, Teacher Wrap, Leveled Differentiated Instruction, Extend, students write a poem in addition to the work in the activity. In Activity 4.12, Teacher Wrap, Leveled Differentiated Instruction, Extend, students write and then perform additional lines to a play.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

The Grade 7 SpringBoard materials provide multiple, but strategic collaborative grouping settings in every unit. Students are placed in pairs, triads, small or large group settings to maximize their learning opportunities. For example, there might be discussion before writing, or collaborative work before independent work. The Teacher Wrap gives specific instructions on how to group the students, and materials needed for the task. The Resource section at the end of the textbook lists the Collaborative Strategies included in the materials with the definition and purpose of the strategy.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Activity 1.2, the Teacher Wrap provides teachers with the following instructions: “Form groups of four and assign one quote to each group. Give the groups a set amount of time to define unfamiliar words using either print or digital resources. Then have student groups complete the graphic organizer on the next page by paraphrasing the quote, brainstorming and listing examples from life and literature that support the speaker's ideas about challenges, and voting as a group to categorize the quote as an obstacle, a difficult task, or an opportunity.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.2, students participate in a collaborative discussion of a text and video. The groups receive guidelines such as “Be alert, use appropriate eye contact and engage with your partner” and “Paraphrase comments from other group members to ensure understanding” to use during the discussion.
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.2, students participate in literature circles to improve their active listening and collaboration skills. This activity serves as a prerequisite for the novel study to ensure students are knowledgeable about working effectively in literature circles since they will follow this format through the novel study. Collaborative Strategies in the Resource section of the materials includes the following information about Literature Circles: “Definition: Groups of students read the same text to participate in a mutual reading experience; based on the objective(s) of the lesson, students take on a variety of roles throughout the reading experience; texts may be selected based on individual preferences or on the demands of the text. Purpose: To provide opportunities for students to interact with one another as they read, respond to, and interpret a common text.”
• In Unt 4, Activity 4.10, guidance in the Teacher Wrap instructs teachers to “Assign different summaries to pairs of students to role play and to prepare an improvisational performance. Point out that their lines do not need to be written down or memorized and that they can change every time they rehearse.”