2024

STEMscopes Math

Publisher
Accelerate Learning
Subject
Math
Grades
K-8
Report Release
10/16/2024
Review Tool Version
v1.5
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

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Additional Publication Details

Title ISBN
International Standard Book Number
Edition Publisher Year
Eighth Grade Student Handbook 978-1-64861-652-5 STEMscopes Math Accelerated Learning Inc 2023
Eighth Grade Teacher Guide 979-8-88826-726-4 STEMscopes Math Accelerated Learning Inc 2023
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About This Report

Report for 8th Grade

Alignment Summary

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for Alignment to the CCSSM. In Gateway 1, the materials meet expectations for focus and coherence. In Gateway 2, the materials meet expectations for rigor and meet expectations for practice-content connections.

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

Usability

26/27
0
17
24
27
Usability (Gateway 3)
Meets Expectations
Overview of Gateway 1

Focus & Coherence

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for focus and coherence. For focus, the materials assess grade-level content and provide all students extensive work with grade-level problems to meet the full intent of grade-level standards. For coherence, the materials are coherent and consistent with the CCSSM.

Criterion 1.1: Focus

06/06

Materials assess grade-level content and give all students extensive work with grade-level problems to meet the full intent of grade-level standards.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for focus as they assess grade-level content and provide all students extensive work with grade-level problems to meet the full intent of grade-level standards.

Indicator 1A
02/02

Materials assess the grade-level content and, if applicable, content from earlier grades.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for assessing grade-level content and, if applicable, content from earlier grades.

The curriculum is divided into 19 Scopes, and each Scope contains a Standards-Based Assessment used to assess what students have learned throughout the Scope. Examples from Standards-Based Assessments include:

  • Scope 4: Irrational Numbers, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Question 5, “The diagonal length of a right triangle for a piece of fabric is 72\sqrt{72} inches. Part A What are the perfect squares that 72 is between? The perfect squares are ____ and ____. Part B Where is 72\sqrt{72} located on a number line? Plot the point on the number line below.” Students see a number line that extends from 7 to 10 with tick marks at every tenth of each number. (8.NS.2)

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Question 3, “Eric says the correct solution to the 83\frac{8}{3}. Explain the error in his reasoning. Find the correct solution. Enter your answers below.” (8.EE.7b)

  • Scope 12: Rate of Change, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Question 2, “The equation h=1004th=100-4t represents the height, h, from the location on a sledding hill after t seconds. What is the meaning of the rate of change and the initial value? Enter your answers below.” (8.F.4)

  • Scope 14: Transformations, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Question 2, “Figure ABCDE is dilated to create figure A’B’C’D’E’ on the coordinate plane below. What is the scale factor for the dilation?” Two figures are shown on a coordinate plane. (8.G.3) 

  • Scope 19: Patterns in Bivariate Data, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Question 5, “The line of fit for a scatterplot is y=1.1x+14y=-1.1x+14. Predict the value of y when x=30x=30. -14.5; -42.9; 13.27; -19.” (8.SP.3)

Indicator 1B
04/04

Materials give all students extensive work with grade-level problems to meet the full intent of grade-level standards.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for giving all students extensive work with grade-level problems to meet the full intent of grade-level standards.

The materials provide extensive work in Grade 8 as students engage with all CCSSM standards within a consistent daily lesson structure, including Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. Intervention and Acceleration sections are also included in every lesson. Examples of extensive work to meet the full intent of standards include:

  • Scope 2: Integer Expressions, Explore, Explore 4 - Exponential Powers, Procedure and Facilitation Points and Exit Ticket, engage students with the full intent of 8.EE.1 (Know and apply the properties of integer exponents to generate equivalent numerical expressions…) In the previous three Explores, students worked on multiplying and dividing with exponential powers. Explore 4 focuses on putting everything together. In Procedure and Facilitation Points, students work in small groups to use the properties of exponents to make equivalent and simplified equations. “1. Read the following scenario to the students: It’s the day before the test, and Ms. Taylor has provided one final review activity for you. She has given you six expressions that include an exponential term raised to a power. Not only do you have to create an equivalent expression, but you also need to explain the steps that you take to make that expression. Show Ms. Taylor that you’re ready for the test by completing her test review. 2. Give a Student Journal to each student. 3. Explain to students that they will collaborate with their groups to use the properties of exponents to determine equivalent expressions they can use for each of the given expressions in the table. 4. As students collaborate, monitor their work and use the following guiding questions to assess student understanding: a. DOK–1 What do the properties of integer exponents teach us about when an exponential term is raised to a power? b. DOK–1 What happens to the exponents when you multiply numbers with like bases? c. DOK–1 What happens to the exponents when you multiply numbers with unlike bases but common exponents? d. DOK–1 What happens when the bases are the same when dividing exponents? e. DOK–1 What happens when the exponents are the same when dividing exponents? 5. After the Explore, invite the class to a Math Chat to share their observations and learning.” On the Exit Ticket, students are given a complex equation to apply what they have learned. Students see the expression and work space to simplify and make an equivalent expression. “The test is finally here! You feel like you’ve done really well, but Ms. Taylor threw in a bonus question that encompasses everything you’ve learned so far. Find an equivalent expression for the expression below. Ms. Taylor’s Expression, (85+3÷(4×2)5)3(8^{5+3}\div(4\times2)^5)^3, Workspace, Equivalent Expression”

  • Scope 4: Irrational Numbers, Explore, Explore 1 - Irrational Numbers vs. Rational Numbers, Procedure and Facilitation Points, engages students in extensive work to meet the full intent of 8.NS.1 (Know that numbers that are not rational are called irrational. Understand informally that every number has a decimal expansion; for rational numbers show that the decimal expansion repeats eventually, and convert a decimal expansion which repeats eventually into a rational number.) “Part I, 1. Read the scenario aloud: You are looking for an internship to improve your job skills. You’ve applied to a local builder, Team Builders, to plan and build youth sporting areas throughout the city. The hiring manager has called you in for an interview. She feels you have great potential, but you will need to prove that you can learn new math skills and apply your new knowledge before she can offer you the job. Help Team Builders sort their numbers by their classifications. 2. Discuss the following questions with the class: a. DOK–1 What types of numbers have we discovered so far? b. DOK–1 What is an example of a whole number? c. DOK–1 What is an example of an integer? d. DOK–1 What is an example of a rational number? 3. Display the Real Numbers Venn Diagram. 4. Discuss the following with the class: This is called a Venn diagram. Venn diagrams help to show information based on relationships. Ask the class the following questions: a. DOK–1 What does this Venn diagram illustrate? b. DOK–1 What set of numbers is within the integers set? c. DOK–1 What are the names of the type of numbers that include integers as subsets? … 8. Monitor and assess students as they work. Use the Real Numbers Classification Explanation Cards to provide hints and guidance as appropriate for each group. Ask students the following guiding questions: a. DOK–2 What are some key words on this classification card that were helpful? How did the key word help? b. DOK–2 What are some key numbers in the examples on this classification card that were helpful? How did the key numbers help? c. DOK–3 How can the Venn diagram help you?... Part II, 1. Read the scenario aloud: The hiring manager for Team Builders was impressed with your ability to sort each classification of real numbers! But can you apply this knowledge? Help determine if each number is rational or irrational. Then, show proof of your decision. 2. Explain to students that they will collaborate with their groups to determine if each of the numbers provided is a rational number or an irrational number. Then they will need to use the Venn diagram to help prove their decisions are correct. 3. Students will collaborate to apply their knowledge of real number classification to a variety of numbers provided. Students should use the Venn diagram completed in Part I to help prove their thinking is correct. Allow students to use a calculator to assist in determining if a number is a repeating decimal or not. 4. Monitor and assess students as they work. Ask guided questioning as needed: a. DOK–1 Why do you think 0.5 is rational? b. DOK–2 Can a decimal that does not repeat be written as a fraction?”

  • Scope 5: Scientific Notation, Explain, Show What You Know-Part 3: Comparing Numbers in Scientific Notation, engages students in extensive work to meet the full intent of 8.EE.3 (Use numbers expressed in the form of a single digit times an integer power of 10 to estimate very large or very small quantities, and to express how many times as much one is than the other…) In previous Explores, students have multiplied, divided, and compared numbers with scientific notation. In Show What You Know, they apply their knowledge. Students see a table with the following information: City, Population, Duncanville, 2.4×1052.4\times10^5, Lumber City, 1.2×1071.2\times10^7, Parkerton, 4.8×1044.8\times10^4.  “A tech company is planning to build a new manufacturing complex in a new city. The executive board needs to decide where the new complex will be built. They have narrowed their decision down to three cities. The final decision will be based on the city’s population. The population of the three cities is shown in the table below. 1. Which city has the greatest population? What is that city’s population? 2. Which city has the smallest population? What is that city’s population? 3. How many times greater is the population of Duncanville than the population of Parkerton? 4. How many times greater is the population of Lumber City than the population of Duncanville?”

  • Scope 18: Volume, Explore 1 and 2, and Show What You Know–Part 3, engages students in extensive work to meet the full intent of 8.G.9 (Know the formulas for the volumes of cones, cylinders, and spheres and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.) Explore 1-Cylinders, Procedure and Facilitation Points, students work in pairs to understand the formula for the volume of a cylinder. “Part I: Understanding the Volume of a Cylinder Formula, 1. Read the following scenario: One of your friends and classmates is named Madeline Dupont. Madeline’s family owns a food processing plant. One branch of the plant involves canning foods. Because a large number of employees are absent today, Madeline’s mom has asked if she has any friends that are good at math who could help with the canning process. Your job today is to show that you understand the volume of cylinders and can determine the volume of cans (cylinders) with a variety of bases, sizes, and heights. 2. Give a Cylinder Net, a dry-erase marker, a glue stick, and a pair of scissors to each partnership. 3. Review students’ prior knowledge of finding the volume of a rectangular prism by asking the following questions: a. DOK–1 How do you find the volume of a rectangular prism? b. DOK–1 When you use the formula V=lwhV=lwh, what formula is being used when you multiply the length times the width? Explain why the formula is being used. c. DOK–2 What is the formula that is used to find the volume of a rectangular prism? V=BhV=Bh where B = area of the base So V = B×\timesheight, or length×\timeswidth×\timesheight. d. DOK–2 What is the volume of this rectangular prism?...6. Instruct students to arrange the centimeter cubes in a single layer at the bottom of the cylinder and to fit as many cubes into the layer as possible. They will also need to find how many layers of cubes fit in the cylinder and will need to make a stack of cubes along the inside of the cylinder. Students will use page 2 of the Cylinder Net/Volume of a Cylinder Work Mat to calculate the area of the base and the volume of the cylinder. (Note that you should show the students how to use the base to determine the radius and how to determine the height of the cylinder using the formula.) Monitor and assess student understanding as each group collaborates by asking the following guiding questions: a. DOK–1 What shapes are in a cylinder? b. DOK–1 What is the shape of the bases on a rectangular prism and cylinder? c. DOK–2 How might finding the volume of a cylinder be similar to finding the volume of a rectangular prism? d. DOK–2 How might finding the volume of a cylinder be different from finding the volume of a rectangular prism? e. DOK–2 How many layers of cubes did it take to fill the cylinder? f. DOK–2 What is the area of the cylinder’s base? Express your answer in terms of π\pi. 4π4\pi, g. DOK–2 What is the volume of the cylinder? Express your answer in terms of π\pi. 48π48\pi, h. DOK–2 How can you determine the approximate number of cubes that will fit in the cylinder? Why is this an approximate number of cubes? i. DOK–2 How can you calculate the volume of the cylinder?... Explore 2-Cones, Exit Ticket, students use what they have learned to find a cone’s volume. Students see a cone with a radius of 15cm and a height of 25 cm. There is also work space to complete the work to find the volume. “The Duponts want to add a new cone to their menu. It’s called the Family Sundae Cone. Look at its dimensions in the model, use the workspace to represent the area of the base expressed in terms of π\pi, and then find the volume. Use 3.14 as an approximation for π\pi. Round to the nearest hundredth, if necessary.” Show What You Know-Part 3: Spheres, Student Handout, students apply what they have learned about the formula for finding the volume of a sphere. “Mr. Kennedy is a physical education teacher at the neighborhood elementary school. He keeps several different kinds of balls in a bin so the students can play sports during their gym time. Use the information provided to determine the volume of each ball. Use 3.14 as an approximation for π\pi. Round your answer to the nearest hundredth. There are several baseballs in Mr. Kennedy’s bin. Each baseball has a radius of 3.7 cm. What is the volume of each baseball? Volume: ___, The girls really enjoy playing volleyball during gym class. A volleyball has a diameter of 8 inches. What is the volume of a volleyball? Volume: ___, Most of the boys like to play basketball during gym class. Each basketball has a radius of 4.7 inches. What is the volume of each basketball? Volume: ___, Mr. Kennedy has several beach balls that he uses for his lessons. He keeps them deflated until he needs to use them. When inflated, each beach ball has a diameter of 11 inches. What is the volume of one beach ball? Volume: ___”

  • Scope 19: Patterns in Bivariate Data, Explore, Explore 2 - Lines of Fit, Procedure and Facilitation Points and Exit Ticket, engages students in extensive work to meet the full intent of 8.SP.2 (Know that straight lines are widely used to model relationships between two quantitative variables. For scatter plots that suggest a linear association, informally fit a straight line, and informally assess the model fit by judging the closeness of the data points to the line.)  In Procedure and Facilitation Points, “1. Read the scenario to the class: Due to a viral outbreak, increased safety measures are imposed in Woodville Hospital. Doctors are not happy as the new shipment of latex gloves are all the wrong size. The staff at Woodville Hospital need to know the hand length and hand width of each doctor to ensure the glove order gets corrected. The hospital needs you to analyze the relationship between the length and width of the hand to help determine the missing dimensions for the glove order. 2. Project the Class Data Table on the front board, or hang a printed Class Data Table on the front board. 3. Explain to students that they will work in their groups to measure each member’s hand in centimeters. Groups will record each person’s data on the Class Data Table on the front board. 4. Give a Student Journal and hard spaghetti noodle to each student. 5. Once all data is collected for the class, have students create a scatterplot of the data on the Student Journal. Instruct students to work with their groups to analyze the scatterplot to complete the glove order for the hospital. 6. As students collaborate, monitor their work and use the following guiding questions to assess student understanding: a. DOK–2 How would you describe the association between the two variables? b. DOK–2 Why would it be useful to draw a line through the data points? c. DOK–2 How do you determine if your line fits the data well? d. DOK–2 Will outliers affect the line that best represents the data? Explain… Students then apply their knowledge on the Exit Ticket.  Data is provided in a graph and students select the line of three given that best represents the data given. “Lines of Fit Exit Ticket In each of the questions below, circle the label of the line that best fits each set of data.”

Criterion 1.2: Coherence

08/08

Each grade’s materials are coherent and consistent with the Standards.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for coherence. The materials: address the major clusters of the grade, have supporting content connected to major work, make connections between clusters and domains, and have content from prior and future grades connected to grade-level work.

Indicator 1C
02/02

When implemented as designed, the majority of the materials address the major clusters of each grade.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations that, when implemented as designed, the majority of the materials address the major cluster of each grade.

The instructional materials devote at least 65% of instructional time to the major clusters of the grade:

  • The approximate number of scopes devoted to major work of the grade (including assessments and supporting work connected to the major work) is 15 out of 19, approximately 79%.

  • The number of lesson days and review days devoted to major work of the grade (including supporting work connected to the major work) is 122 out of 154, approximately 79%.

  • The number of instructional days devoted to major work of the grade (including assessments and supporting work connected to the major work) is 139 out of 180, approximately 77%.

An instructional day analysis is most representative of the instructional materials because this comprises the total number of lesson days, all assessment days, and review days. As a result, approximately 77% of the instructional materials focus on the major work of the grade.

Indicator 1D
02/02

Supporting content enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by engaging students in the major work of the grade.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations that supporting content enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by engaging students in the major work of the grade.

Materials are designed so supporting standards/clusters are connected to the major standards/ clusters of the grade. Examples of connections include:

  • Scope 4: Irrational Numbers, Explore, Explore 2–Decimal Expansion, Exit Ticket, connects the supporting work of 8.NS.1 (Know that numbers that are not rational are called irrational. Understand informally that every number has a decimal expansion; for rational numbers show that the decimal expansion repeats eventually…) to the major work of 8.EE.2 (Use square roots and cube root symbols to represent solutions to equations in the form x2=px^2=p and x3=px^3=p, where p is a positive rational number. Evaluate square roots of small perfect squares and cube roots of small perfect cubes. Know that 2\sqrt{2} is irrational). Students convert fractions to decimals and decimals to fractions to determine if each number is rational or irrational. “Convert the decimals to fractions and the fractions to decimals. Classify each number as rational or irrational. Decimal, Fraction, Rational or Irrational?, 0.75,0.3,18,π,69,40.75,0.3⁻,\frac{1}{8},\pi,\frac{6}{9},\sqrt{4}”.

  • Scope 17: Pythagorean Theorem, Explain, Show What You Know-Part 3: The Pythagorean Theorem in Rectangular Prisms, connects the supporting work of 8.G.9 (Know the formulas for the volumes of cones, cylinders, and spheres and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.) to the major work of 8.G.7 (Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to determine unknown side lengths in right triangles in real-world and mathematical problems in two and three dimensions.) Students are given cones with missing measurements.  “The Pythagorean Theorem in Rectangular Prisms, Use the measurements provided to determine the slant height of each 3-dimensional figure. Round to the nearest tenth if necessary. (1) height = 16 cm radius = 9 cm slant height =, (4) height = 13 inches diameter = 11 inches slant height = ”

  • Scope 19: Patterns in Bivariate Data, Explore, Explore 3–Linear Equations, Procedure and Facilitation Points, connects the supporting work of 8.SP.2 (Know that straight lines are widely used to model relationships between two quantitative variables. For scatter plots that suggest a linear association, informally fit a straight line…) to the major work of 8.EE.6 (Use similar triangles to explain why the slope m is the same between any two distinct points on a non-vertical line in the coordinate plane; derive the equation y=mxy=mx for a line through the origin and the equation y=mx+by=mx+b for a line intercepting the vertical axis at  b). Students work in groups to create a scatter plot and linear equation to represent that data. “Part I, 1. Read the scenario to the class: The Tanaka High School Student Council decided to do a massive 20-week fundraiser to raise money for hurricane relief for a neighboring county. Each grade level chose a different fundraiser and set the goal of raising at least $500 per class. Some of the classes started off with big donations from parents, while the others started at $0. The 9th-grade class chose to sell cookies during lunch periods, and the data for the first 8 weeks has been collected. Based on the data, are they on track to meet the goal of at least $500? 2. Give a Student Journal and ruler to each student. 3. Explain to students that they will work in their groups to create a scatter plot to represent the funds raised by the 9th-grade class over the first 8 weeks of the fundraiser. Instruct them to use the ruler as a straightedge to draw the line of fit. Have students work with their groups to answer the questions to determine whether the 9th-grade class is on track to meet their fundraising goal...” 

Indicator 1E
02/02

Materials include problems and activities that serve to connect two or more clusters in a domain or two or more domains in a grade.

The materials for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations that materials include problems and activities that serve to connect two or more clusters in a domain or two or more domains in a grade. 

Materials are coherent and consistent with the Standards. These connections are sometimes listed for teachers in one or more of the three sections of the materials: Engage, Explore and Explain. Examples of connections include:

  • Scope 12: Rate of Change, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 3: Interpret the Rate of Change and Y-Intercept, connects the Expressions & Equations domain to the Functions domain. Students create equations, find rate of change and y-intercept based on the given scenario. For example, “Interpret the following scenario, and complete the corresponding information. Bike Rental RatesIt costs  $20 to rent a bike and an additional $5 per hour. Equation: ___; Rate of Change: ___; Y-intercept: ___.”

  • Scope 13: Model Function Relationships, Explore, Explore 2–Sketching Graphs, Procedure and Facilitation Points connects the major work of 8.F.A (Define, evaluate, and compare functions.) to the major work of 8.F.B (Use functions to model relationships between quantities.). Students sketch a graph that shows the qualitative features of a function that can be described as linear or nonlinear and increasing or decreasing. “1. Read the following scenario: Lashawn and Diego are going to the beach for another vacation. They will use their software tracking program to keep track of the speed, distance, and time traveled using graphs. Help Lashawn and Diego sketch and analyze the graphs from their software tracking program. 2. Give a Student Journal to each student. 3. Give a set of Beach Cards to each group. 4. Explain to students that they will sketch graphs and will describe the graphs as linear or nonlinear and increasing or decreasing.”

  • Scope 17: Pythagorean Theorem, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 2: Finding an Unknown Side Length in Right Triangles, connects the Expressions & Equations domain to the Geometry domain. Students are given a diagram of a right triangle with side lengths and are asked to find the length of a hypotenuse. For example, “Kevin is a carpenter and enjoys building things for his neighbors. One of his neighbors uses a wheelchair to get around. Kevin wants to help his neighbor move around the outside of his home more easily by building a few wheelchair ramps around his house. The neighbor’s home is elevated, and it has a long front porch and a porch to get to the backyard. Kevin decides to build three ramps: two for the front porch and one for the back porch. Determine the missing side length of each of Kevin’s ramps. Kevin is a carpenter and enjoys building things for his neighbors. One of his neighbors uses a wheelchair to get around. Kevin wants to help his neighbor move around the outside of his home more easily by building a few wheelchair ramps around his house. The neighbor’s home is elevated, and it has a long front porch and a porch to get to the backyard. Kevin decides to build three ramps: two for the front porch and one for the back porch. Determine the missing side length of each of Kevin’s ramps. Given a diagram of a right triangle with side lengths of legs 1.5 ft and 4.8 ft. and labeled x for the hypotenuse. ___”

  • Scope 18: Volume, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 1: Cylinders, Student Handout, connects The Number System domain to the Geometry domain. Students solve real-life problems working with cylinders. “One of the main methods that a fruit company uses to distribute its fruit is in cans. Because the fruit company sells its canned fruit in different forms, it distributes its fruit in cans of different sizes. Label each can with the measurements described. Use those measurements to determine the volume. Use 3.14 as an approximation for π\pi. Round to the nearest hundredth, if necessary. A can of pineapple pieces has a radius of 9 cm and a height of 4 cm. What is the volume of the can of pineapple pieces? Volume = ___, A small can of orange juice has a diameter of 3 inches and a height of 5 inches. What is the volume of the can of orange juice? Volume = ___”

Indicator 1F
02/02

Content from future grades is identified and related to grade-level work, and materials relate grade-level concepts explicitly to prior knowledge from earlier grades.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations that content from future grades is identified and related to grade-level work, and materials relate grade-level concepts explicitly to prior knowledge from earlier grades.

Prior and future connections are identified within materials in the Home, Content Support, Background Knowledge, as well as Coming Attractions sections. Information can also be found in the Home, Scope Overview, Teacher Guide, Background Knowledge and Future Expectations sections. 

Examples of connections to future grades include:

  • Scope 6: Operations with Scientific Notation, Home, Scope Overview, Teacher Guide, Future Expectations connects 8.EE.A (Expressions and Equations Work with radicals and integer exponents.) to work that will be done in upcoming grades. “In high school, students will be working with various scales on all numerical levels including very large whole numbers and very small decimals. Students will be using numerical conversions to change the values in order to understand and guide the completion of multistep real-world or mathematical problems.”

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Home, Content Support, Background Knowledge, connects 8.EE.7b (Solve linear equations with rational number coefficients, including equations whose solutions require expanding expressions using the distributive property and collecting like terms.) to future grades. “Students will be continuing to solve linear equations using the distributive property and combining like terms and inverse operations throughout all levels of high school. Students will be using the various steps to evaluate systems of equations, inequalities, and linear functions, as well as factoring and solving for zeros when working with polynomials.”

  • Scope 10: Functions, Home, Content Support, Background Knowledge, connect 8.F.1 (Understand that a function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output. The graph of a function is the set of ordered pairs consisting of an input and the corresponding output.) to future grades. “In the coming years, students will continue their work with linear and nonlinear functions. They will expand this thinking into quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, and other types of functions. Students will learn how to express the inputs and outputs of functions in function notation as well as how to build and interpret all types of functions and their rules.”

Examples of connections to prior grades include:

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Home, Content Support, Background Knowledge, connect 8.EE.7b (Solve linear equations with rational number coefficients, including equations whose solutions require expanding expressions using the distributive property and collecting like terms.) to prior grades. “In Grade 6, students began to identify and apply properties of operations in order to develop equivalent expressions that may be written in different forms. As students developed an understanding of equivalent expressions, students started to use variables to represent unknown values in real-life and mathematical problems. Students then used one inverse operation to solve for the appropriate value that the variable is representing. In Grade 7, students applied properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand linear expressions with rational coefficients in order to develop equivalent expressions. Students included more than 1 inverse operation or property in order to solve for the missing variable value when working with a single variable.”

  • Scope 10: Functions, Home, Content Support, Background Knowledge, connect 8.F.1 (Understand that a function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output. The graph of a function is the set of ordered pairs consisting of an input and the corresponding output.) to prior grades. “In previous grades, students learned how to plot points on a graph. They learned about the relationship between the x- and y-coordinates and how to analyze tables and graphs. In Grade 7, they discovered proportional relationships between quantities. All of these concepts will tie together in order for students to understand the basics of functions.”

  • Scope 14: Transformations, Home, Scope Overview, Teacher Guide, Background Knowledge, connects 8.G.A (Understand congruence and similarity using physical models, transparencies, or geometry software.) to learning done in prior grades. “In previous grades, students developed an understanding of congruence and similarity. They created scale drawings and discussed the relationship between geometrical figures. Being able to determine these relationships will be the foundation of transformations as students discover how images map onto one another.”

Indicator 1G
Read

In order to foster coherence between grades, materials can be completed within a regular school year with little to no modification.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 foster coherence between grades and can be completed within a regular school year with little to no modification. 

According to the STEMscopes Grade 8 Scope List, there are 19 Scopes, each with between 2 and 5 Explores. In addition, there are materials for Daily Numeracy and Mathematical Fluency. According to the Teacher Toolbox, Parent Letter, lessons are built by using the research-based 5E+IA model, which stands for Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate, Intervention, and Acceleration. The Engage section includes Accessing Prior Knowledge, Foundation Builder, and Hook. With the Explores, there are Virtual Manipulatives and Skill Basics. The Explain section includes Anchor Charts, Picture Vocabulary, Interactive Vocabulary, Show What You Know, and Interactive Notebook. The Elaborate section includes Fluency Builder, Spiraled Review, Interactive Practice, PhET (Interactive Simulations), and Data Science. The Evaluate section includes Standards Based Assessment, Mathematical Modeling Task, Technology-Enhanced Questions, and Skills Quiz. The Intervention and Acceleration sections include Skill Review and Practice, Quick Check, Review, Checkup, Interactive Skill Review, Supplemental Aids, Would You Rather, and Choice Board.

STEMScopes provides a Scope and Sequence for each grade level, “The STEMscopes Math Suggested Scope and Sequence for each grade level is based on a 180-day school calendar. The natural progression of mathematics was the greatest factor in determining the order of scopes.” The Scope and Sequence assigns All Weeks to Daily Numeracy and Mathematical Fluency.

The STEMscopes Math Suggested Scope and Sequence for Grade 8 provides each scope, name, and number of weeks to be spent on the scope. “STEMscopes Math Suggested Scope and Sequence, The STEMscopes Math program is flexible, and there are variations in implementation within the guidelines provided here. This Scope and Sequence is meant to serve as a tool for you to lean on as you find how STEMscopes Math best meets the needs of the students in your classroom.”

STEMscopes provides several choices for the Grade 6-8 Lesson Planning Guide, which includes activities from the Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Intervention, and Acceleration sections, and Assessment and Closure which includes Exit Ticket, Show-What You Know, and Standards Based Assessment. Teachers may choose a Lesson Planning Guide for class length (50 minutes or 90 minutes), instruction structure (whole group or small group), and number of Explores (1-3 Explores or 3-6 Explores). Footnotes on the Lesson Planning Guide advise teachers: “The essential elements are highlighted. If time is limited, teach these elements to fully cover the standards. ¹Use (Foundation Builder) as intervention if APK shows foundational gaps. ²Set your pace according to the number of Explores included in this scope. Use Exit Tickets as well as Show What You Know for each Explore completed. ³Choose from the following elements. (Teacher Choice³ Meets level: Would You Rather, Choice Board, Approaching Level: Interactive Practice, Skills Quiz) We have suggested activities for students including recommended tasks for students at each skill level.”

In Grade 8, the STEMscopes Math Suggested Scope and Sequence shows 180 days of instruction including:

  • 131 lesson days

  • 18 scope assessment days 

  • 23 review days

  • 3 days for Pre, Mid, and Post-Assessment

  • 5 days for State Testing

Overview of Gateway 2

Rigor & the Mathematical Practices

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for rigor and balance and practice-content connections. The materials help students develop procedural skills, fluency, and application. The materials also make meaningful connections between the Standards for Mathematical Content and the Standards for Mathematical Practice (MPs).

Criterion 2.1: Rigor and Balance

08/08

Materials reflect the balances in the Standards and help students meet the Standards’ rigorous expectations, by giving appropriate attention to: developing students’ conceptual understanding; procedural skill and fluency; and engaging applications.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for rigor. The materials develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, give attention throughout the year to procedural skill and fluency, and spend sufficient time working with engaging applications of mathematics. There is a balance of the three aspects of rigor within the grade.

Indicator 2A
02/02

Materials develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific content standards or cluster headings.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for developing conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific content standards or cluster headings.

STEMscopes materials develop conceptual understanding throughout the grade level. In the Teacher Toolbox, STEMscopes Math Philosophy, Secondary, Conceptual Understanding and Number Sense, STEMscopes Math Elements, this is demonstrated.“In order to reason mathematically, students must understand why different representations and processes work.” Examples include:

  • Scope 12: Rate of Change, Explore, Explore 3–Interpret the Rate of Change and y-Intercept, students develop conceptual understanding about interpreting the rate of change and the y-intercept in a given situation. “Read the following scenario to the class: The Young Leaders Community Service Organization will now have an opportunity to volunteer at the local Boys and Girls Organization. The Boys and Girls Organization has created verbal descriptions of what the volunteers do. Help Javier use the verbal descriptions to write linear functions and create tables and graphs to represent the situations.Give a Student Journal to each student.Have students use the verbal descriptions to write linear functions and create tables and graphs that represent the situation. They will interpret the rate of change and y-intercept. Monitor and assess student understanding as each group collaborates by asking the following guiding questions: DOK-1 Given a y=mx+by=mx+b function, how do you identify the y-intercept? DOK-2 How can you determine the y-intercept in a situation? DOK-2 How can you determine the rate of change in a situation?” (8.F.4)

  • Scope 17: Pythagorean Theorem, Explore, Explore 4–The Pythagorean Theorem on a Coordinate Grid, Procedural and Facilitation Points, students develop conceptual understanding of using the Pythagorean Theorem to solve problems. “1. Read the following scenario to students: Miniature golf course designer Yvette is adding several right-triangle- shaped holes to the existing golf course. She begins planning by using a coordinate grid to determine the layout for each hole. Let’s help Yvette by mapping out several outlines that she can use for her additions. 2. Give a Student Journal to each student. 3. Give a calculator and a number cube to each partnership. 4. Explain to students that they will create Addition 1. Instruct students to begin by plotting Point A on the coordinate grid. Then, have students use the number cube to generate the ordered pairs for Points B and C. Have students form a triangle using these three points. Have students record the measurements of each side using the table provided. Allow students to use calculators when applying the Pythagorean theorem. Then, have students repeat this process by creating Addition 2, a second right triangle. 5. Monitor and assess student understanding as each group collaborates by asking the following guiding questions: a. DOK-1: How many ordered pairs are needed to create a right triangle on a coordinate grid? b. DOK-1: How are the two perpendicular legs of a right triangle measured on a coordinate grid? c. DOK-2:  What types of numbers did you use when rolling the number cube to generate ordered pairs?” (8.G.8)

  • Scope 19: Patterns in Bivariate Data, Explore, Explore 2–Lines of Fit, Procedural and Facilitation Points, students develop conceptual understanding of scatter plots and use straight lines to informally fit data. “1. Read the scenario to the class: Due to a viral outbreak, increased safety measures are imposed in Woodville Hospital. Doctors are not happy as the new shipment of latex gloves are all the wrong size. The staff at Woodville Hospital need to know the hand length and hand width of each doctor to ensure the glove order gets corrected. The hospital needs you to analyze the relationship between the length and width of the hand to help determine the missing dimensions for the glove order. 2. Project the Class Data Table on the front board, or hang a printed Class Data Table on the front board. 3. Explain to students that they will work in their groups to measure each member’s hand in centimeters. Groups will record each person’s data on the Class Data Table on the front board. 4. Give a Student Journal and a hard spaghetti noodle to each student. 5. Once all data is collected for the class, have students create a scatter plot of the data on the Student Journal. Instruct students to work with their groups to analyze the scatter plot to complete the glove order for the hospital. 6. As students collaborate, monitor their work and use the following guiding questions to assess student understanding: a. DOK-2 How would you describe the association between the two variables? b. DOK-2 Why would it be useful to draw a line through the data points? c. DOK-2 How do you determine if your line fits the data well? d. DOK-2 Will outliers affect the line that best represents the data? Explain.” (8.SP.2)

The materials provide opportunities for students to independently demonstrate conceptual understanding throughout the grade level. Examples include:

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 2: One-Variable Equations, students solve the one-variable equations and determine special cases. “Solve the equations below for problems 12 to 14 to find the equation with no solution. Circle the best answer, explain your choices, and show your work. 12. 4(k8)=32+4k4(k – 8)= -32+4k ___; 13. 3(v+4)=2v37-3(v+4)=2v-37 ___; 14. 367p=7(p5)36-7p=-7(p-5) ___”  (8.EE.7a)

  • Scope 8: Proportional Relationships, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 3: Similar Triangles, Student Handout, students determine if the rate of change is constant using similar triangles. “Max wanted to know whether the electronic robot he bought traveled at a constant rate around the track. He gathered data on the time (in minutes) it took for the robot to make laps around the track. Plot the data points on the graph below for time (x) and laps (y). Find the unit rate (slope) by using similar triangles A and B to determine whether the robot was traveling at a constant rate. Show your work.” Students see a chart with values and a blank coordinate graph. (8.EE.6)

  • Scope 12: Rate of Change, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 3: Interpret the Rate of Change and Y-Intercept, Student Handout, students represent the same function in multiple ways to interpret the slope and y-intercepts. “Interpret the following scenario, and complete the corresponding information.” Students see the following scenario: “It costs $20 to rent a bike and an additional $5 per hour.” There is a table with the x-values labeled “Hours (x)” and the y-values labeled “Cost $ (y).” Students have a blank coordinate graph labeled the same way.  They must find the equation, rate of change, and y-intercept for the scenario. Then, they must graph the equation.  These two questions are at the bottom of the page “What does the rate of change in this situation represent? What does the y-intercept in this situation represent?” (8.F.4)

Indicator 2B
02/02

Materials give attention throughout the year to individual standards that set an expectation for procedural skill and fluency.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for giving attention throughout the year to individual standards that set an expectation of procedural skill and fluency.

STEMscopes materials develop procedural skills and fluency throughout the grade level. In the Teacher Toolbox, STEMscopes Math Philosophy, Elementary, Computational Fluency, STEMscopes Math Elements, these are demonstrated. “In each practice opportunity, students have the flexibility to use different processes and strategies to reach a solution. Students will develop fluency as they become more efficient and accurate in solving problems.” Examples include:

  • Scope 2: Integer Exponents, Explore, Explore 4–Exponential Powers, Procedure and Facilitation Points, students develop fluency by generating equivalent expressions. “1. Read the following scenario to the students: ‘It’s the day before the test, and Ms. Taylor has provided one final review activity for you. She has given you six expressions that include an exponential term raised to a power. Not only do you have to create an equivalent expression, but you also need to explain the steps that you take to make that expression. Show Ms. Taylor that you’re ready for the test by completing her test review.’ 2. Give a Student Journal to each student. 3. Explain to students that they will collaborate with their groups to use the properties of exponents to determine equivalent expressions they can use for each of the given expressions in the table. 4. As students collaborate, monitor their work and use the following guiding questions to assess student understanding: a. DOK-1 What do the properties of integer exponents teach us about when an exponential term is raised to a power? b. DOK-1 What happens to the exponents when you multiply numbers with like bases? c. DOK-1 What happens to the exponents when you multiply numbers with unlike bases but common exponents? d. DOK-1 What happens when the bases are the same when dividing exponents? e. DOK-1 What happens when the exponents are the same when dividing exponents?” (8.EE.1)

  • Scope 6: Operations with Scientific Notation, Elaborate, Fluency Builder–Operations with Scientific Notation, students develop procedural skill and fluency, with teacher support, of performing operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation. “Procedure and Facilitation Points Show students how to shuffle the cards and place them face down in a stack. Model how to play the game with a student. Shuffle the cards, and place them face down in a stack between the players. Player 1 flips over one card. Both players analyze the problem and determine if the provided solution to the problem is correct and the student who answered it is a math expert or if the solution is incorrect and it is necessary to fix the mistake. Players take turns flipping over one card at a time. Players continue taking turns until all of the cards have been solved. Players should fill out the Fix the Mistake! Student Recording Sheet as they play the game. (Players should fill out the row on the Fix the Mistake! Student Recording Sheet that corresponds to each card number.) Once all of the cards have been analyzed, students use the Fix the Mistake! Answer Key to check their answers. The player with the most correct answers is the winner. Distribute the game materials. Then, instruct students to shuffle the cards and lay them facedown in a stack between the players. Monitor students to make sure they find and record accurate responses to each card using the Fix the Mistake! Student Recording Sheet.” (8.EE.4)

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Explore, Explore 2–One-Variable Equations, Procedure and Facilitation Points, Part 2, students develop fluency by solving multistep equations. “1. Read the following scenario: ‘Tammi’s aunt wants the girls to help develop an app to determine how many solutions there are for different equations. Help the girls solve different equations to predict if the equation will have only one value for x, many values for x, or no values for x.’  2. Explain to students that will collaborate with their groups to solve each equation for x. Then each group will discuss to make a prediction if the equation will have only one solution for x, many solutions for x, or no solutions for x. 3. Monitor and assess students as they are working by asking the following guiding questions: a. DOK-1 Why do you think 4x6=4x4x-6=4x has no solution? b. DOK-1 Why do you think that 12x+15=3x3012x+15=3x-30 will have only one solution for x? c. DOK-1 Why do you think that x+6+2x=3x+6x+6+2x=3x+6 will have many solutions?” (8.EE.7)

The materials provide opportunities for students to independently demonstrate procedural skills and fluency throughout the grade level. Examples include:

  • Scope 2: Integer Exponents, Elaborate, Fluency Builder–Integer Exponents, Instruction Sheet, students build procedural fluency with integers as they match a problem card with an answer that includes an integer exponent. “4. Players take turns asking each other for the answer to match one of the problem cards or the problem card to match one of the answer cards. If the opponent has the matching card, the opponent must give it to the player. If the opponent does not have the matching card, the other player must pick a card from the deck.” Go Fish! Cards example, “Create an equivalent expression using the properties of exponents. 3043730462304^37\cdot304^{62}; Answer Card, 30462304^{62}" (8.EE.1)

  • Scope 6: Operations with Scientific Notation, Evaluate, Skills Quiz, students demonstrate procedural skill and fluency by performing operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation. “DirectionsSolve each problem and show the steps you took to get your answer. Question 1: (3.6×105)+(2.7×104)(3.6\times10^5)+(2.7\times10^4), ___; Question 2: (9.3×105)(4.5×107)(9.3\times10^{-5})-(4.5\times10^{-7}), ___.”  (8.EE.4)

  • Scope 10: Functions, Elaborate, Fluency Builder–Functions, Bam! Cards (Front of Page 1)  students demonstrate fluency by understanding that a function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output. “{(0, 0), (0, 1), (0, 2), (0, 4)} Function or not a function?” (8.F.1)

Indicator 2C
02/02

Materials are designed so that teachers and students spend sufficient time working with engaging applications of the mathematics.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for being designed so that teachers and students spend sufficient time working with engaging applications of mathematics.

STEMscopes materials include multiple routine and non-routine applications of mathematics throughout the grade level, both with teacher support and independently. Within the Teacher Toolbox, under STEMscopes Math Philosophy, Elementary, Computational Fluency, Research Summaries and Excerpt, it states, “One of the major issues within mathematics classrooms is the disconnect between performing procedural skills and knowing when to use them in everyday situations. Students should develop a deeper understanding of mathematics in order to reason through a situation, collect the necessary information, and use the mechanics of math to develop a reasonable answer. Providing multiple experiences within real-world contexts can help students see when certain skills are useful.” 

Examples include:

Engaging routine applications of mathematics include:

  • Scope 5: Operations with Scientific Notation, Elaborate, Fluency Builder–Operations with Scientific Notation, provides an opportunity for students to perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation with teacher support. Fluency Builder–Operations with Scientific Notation. “Procedure and Facilitation Points Show students how to shuffle the cards and place them face down in a stack. Model how to play the game with a student. Shuffle the cards, and place them face down in a stack between the players. Player 1 flips over one card. Both players analyze the problem and determine if the provided solution to the problem is correct and the student who answered it is a math expert or if the solution is incorrect and it is necessary to fix the mistake. Players take turns flipping over one card at a time. Players continue taking turns until all of the cards have been solved. Players should fill out the Fix the Mistake! Student Recording Sheet as they play the game. (Players should fill out the row on the Fix the Mistake! Student Recording Sheet that corresponds to each card number.) Once all of the cards have been analyzed, students use the Fix the Mistake! Answer Key to check their answers. The player with the most correct answers is the winner.Distribute the game materials. Then, instruct students to shuffle the cards and lay them facedown in a stack between the players. Monitor students to make sure they find and record accurate responses to each card using the Fix the Mistake! Student Recording Sheet.” (8.EE.4)

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Explore,  Explore 2–One-Variable Equations, students demonstrate application alongside conceptual understanding to solve linear equations with one variable and determine if the equations have one solution, infinite solutions, or no solutions. “Procedure and Facilitation Points, Part I, Read the following scenario: For week two of summer savings Erika and Tammi decided to work for Tammi’s aunt. Tammi’s aunt owns a research company. This week’s project is determining solutions to equations. Help the girls determine if given values are valid solutions to given equations. Give a Student Journal to each student. Explain to students that they will need to substitute the values of 0, 5, and 10 for x in each of the equations that Tammi and Erika are working with. Then students will shade in the boxes of the equations that are true for each value of x. Monitor and assess students as they are working by asking the following guiding questions: DOK-1 What operation did you solve first? DOK-1 What does it mean to substitute x=0x=0? DOK-1 What does 6=46= -4 mean when you substitute 0 for x in the equation x+6=3x4x+6=3x-4?” (8.EE.7a)

  • Scope 12; Rate of Change, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 3: Interpret the Rate of Change and Y-Intercept, Student Handout, students independently demonstrate application of slope and rate of change in a real world problem. “It costs $20 to rent a bike and an additional $5 per hour. Equation: ___ Rate of change: ___ Y-intercept: ___ “ Students see a blank table and a blank coordinate for them to use to identify and plot points. “What does the rate of change in this situation represent? ___ What does the y-intercept in this situation represent? ___” (8.F.4)

Engaging non-routine applications of mathematics include:

  • Scope 3: Square Roots and Cube Roots, Evaluate, Mathematical Modeling Task, students develop application of using cube roots with teacher support to solve real-world problems. “Rabbit Cages, Josephine has two pet rabbits, Oreo and Double Stuff. She has decided that they are in need of a bigger cage. The front door of the cage has to be at least 64 in3^3 in order for the rabbits to be able to go in and out safely. Pet Mart sells three different-sized cube cages. The dimensions of those cages are shown below.” Pictures of cubes are shown labeled Cage A, Volume: 343 in3^3, Cage B, Volume: 216 in3^3, Cage C, Volume: 12 in3^3. Part I, 1. Which of the cages would be the best size for the rabbits? Justify your answer.” (8.EE.2)

  • Scope 8: Solving Pairs of Linear Equations, Engage, Hook, Procedure and Facilitation Points, Part 1–Pre-Explore, students develop application of using systems of linear equations to solve real-world problems with teacher support. “1. Introduce this activity toward the beginning of the scope. The class will revisit the activity and solve the original problem after students have completed the corresponding Explore activities. 2. Explain the situation while showing the video behind you. Mr. Lott and Mr. Marquette are neighbors who take their children to the movies the first Saturday of every month. It’s a tradition. Each dad usually buys something from the refreshment stand for their kids. One day, they went to a new movie theater and forgot to look at the prices on the menu. However, the dads thought they could figure out the cost of each item based on what each dad ordered and the total bill each dad paid. 3. Ask students the following questions: What do you notice? What do you wonder? Where can you see math in this situation? Allow students to share all ideas. Student answers will vary. Sample student answers: I notice that Mr. Lott and Mr.Marquette are solving for at least one variable. I wonder what snacks the dads bought at the refreshment counter. What did the dads buy that was different, and what did they buy that was the same? I can use math to determine the price of each snack item the dads bought by solving for the variable. 4. Project Order Up!.” Students see a table of Mr. Lotts and Mr. Marquette’s purchases at the movie theater.  Below the table, students see two linear equations in standard form that represent the purchases made by each man. “5 Explain to students that Mr. Lott and Mr. Marquette each shared what he ordered and what the total cost of his order was. Discuss the following questions: a. DOK-1 What did Mr. Lott order and what was his total cost? b. DOK-1 What did Mr. Marquette order and what was his total cost? c. DOK-1 What is similar about their orders? d. DOK-1 What is different about their orders?” (8.EE.8c)

  • Scope 16: Pythagorean Theorem, Evaluate, Mathematical Modeling Task–Saving Petra’s Kitten, Student Handout, students demonstrate application of Pythagorean Theorem in a real- world problem. Students see a picture of a home with a ladder leaning against it.  The length of the ladder is labeled “x” while the height of the building is labeled “12 ft.” and the distance of the base of the ladder from the base of the building is labeled “5 ft.”. “Petra is outside of her home and sees that her kitten is stuck on the roof. The firefighters are outside of her home taking measurements in order to rescue the kitten, and Petra is trying to determine the distance from the bottom of the ladder to the top of the building. Part I What is the relationship that the firefighters can use to determine the distance from the bottom of the ladder to the top of the building? Explain. ___ Part II 1. The firefighters have ladders measuring 8 feet, 10 feet, 13 feet, and 15 feet. Use the table to help the firefighters determine the measurements at which each ladder can be used.” Students see a table and each column is titled differently.  The first column is titled “Distance from Bottom of Building to Bottom of Ladder.” The second column is titled “Distance from Bottom of Building to Top of Building.” The third column is titled “Distance from Bottom of Ladder to Top of Building.” “2. Based on the table, which ladder should the firefighters use? Explain. ___” (8.G.7)

Indicator 2D
02/02

The three aspects of rigor are not always treated together and are not always treated separately. There is a balance of the three aspects of rigor within the grade.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations in that the three aspects of rigor are not always treated together and are not always treated separately. There is a balance of the three aspects of rigor within the grade.

All three aspects of rigor are present independently throughout the grade. Examples where instructional materials attend to conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and application include:

  • Scope 3: Square Roots and Cube Roots, Elaborate, Fluency Builder–Square Roots and Cube Roots, Procedure and Facilitation Points, students demonstrate procedural fluency with square roots and cube roots. Students play a game of Concentration, where they match a question or problem to its solution. “Show students how to shuffle the cards and place them face down in a 4×64\times6 array. 2. Model how to play the game with a student. a. Player 1 flips over 2 cards to try to find a match. A match is a problem with its correct answer. Problems will need to be solved in order to determine matching answers. b. If player 1 matches a problem with the correct answer, then player 1 keeps the matched set and takes another turn. c. If player 1 does not find a match, then they place the cards face down again, and it is the next player’s turn. d. Players continue taking turns until all of the matches have been found. e. The player who collects the most cards wins. 3. Distribute materials. Then, instruct students to shuffle the cards and lay them face down. 4. Monitor students to make sure they find accurate matches.” (8.EE.2)

  • Scope 6: Operations with Scientific Notation, Engage, Hook, Procedure and Facilitation Points, Part II: Post-Explore, students develop application of scientific notation to solve a real world problem. “1. Show the Phenomena Video again, and restate the problem. 2. Refer to Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and discuss the following questions: a. DOK-2 What is the process to determine how many times farther from Earth Neptune is than the Sun? b. DOK-1 What is the quotient of the decimal numbers between one and ten? c. DOK-1 What is the quotient of the powers of ten? d. DOK-1 What is the solution? How many times farther away is Neptune from Earth than the Sun is from Earth?” (8.EE.4)

  • Scope 8: Proportional Relationships, Explore, Explore 1–Graph Proportional Relationships, Procedures and Facilitation Points, students develop conceptual understanding by graphing proportional data given in a table or equation. “1. Read the following scenario: Isabella and her friends are planning a trip to New York City. They thought of the costs for flights, food, tours, souvenirs, and the hotel. All of their research has different prices for a certain number of people. Help Isabella and her friends find out how much it costs for one person and for the whole group. 2. Give a Student Journal to each student. 3. Give a set of Trip Costs Scenario Cards to each group. 4. Explain to students that they will collaborate with their groups on graphing the data from the equations and tables from the Trip Costs Scenario Cards. 5. Have students use the information on the Trip Costs Scenario Cards to graph the proportional relationships that are represented in the tables or equations. Next, students will answer the questions on their Student Journals. 6. Monitor and assess students as they are working by asking the following guiding questions: a. DOK-2 How do you create a graph using an equation? b. DOK-2 How do you represent proportional relationships with equations? c. DOK-2 What relationships do you see among the numbers in the table?” (8.EE.5)

Multiple aspects of rigor are engaged simultaneously throughout the materials in order to develop students’ mathematical understanding of a single unit of study or topic. Examples include:

  • Scope 5: Operations with Scientific Notation, Evaluate, Skills Quiz, Question 1 and 2, students apply knowledge alongside procedural fluency to solve problems with scientific notation. “Solve each problem and show the steps you took to get your answer. Question 1: (3.6×105)+(2.7×104)(3.6\times10^5)+(2.7\times10^4), ____; Question 2, (9.3×105)(4.5×1017(9.3\times10^5) - (4.5\times10^{17}, ____.” (8.EE.4)

  • Scope 9: Solving Pairs of Linear Equations, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Question 1, students demonstrate procedural skill alongside conceptual understanding to solve 2 linear equations. “What statement is true about the system of linear equations? y=4x+3yy=4x+3y, y=4x1y=4x-1, A. The graph of the system of equations has no points of intersection and has no solution. B. The graph of the system of equations has no points of intersection and has more than one solution. C. The graph of the system of equations has more than 1 point of intersection and has no solution. D. The graph of the system of equations has more than 1 point of intersection and has more than one solution.” (8.EE.8a)

  • Scope 18: Volume, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Question 1, students demonstrate conceptual understanding alongside application of knowledge of the formula of volume to solve problems. “The ball of a snow globe has a radius of 3 inches. What is the volume? A. 904.8 in3^3, B. 113.1 in3^3, C. 84.8 in3^3, D. 12.6 in3^3" (8.G.9)

Criterion 2.2: Math Practices

10/10

Materials meaningfully connect the Standards for Mathematical Content and Standards for Mathematical Practice (MPs).

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for practice-content connections. The materials meaningfully connect the Standards for Mathematical Content and the Standards for Mathematical Practice (MPs).

Indicator 2E
02/02

Materials support the intentional development of MP1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them; and MP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively, for students, in connection to the grade-level content standards, as expected by the mathematical practice standards.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for supporting the intentional development of MP1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them; and MP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively, for students, in connection to the grade-level content standards, as expected by the mathematical practice standards.

Students have opportunities to engage with the Math Practices across the year and are identified for teachers within the Standards of Mathematical Practice within the Explore sections of the scopes. MP1 is identified and connected to grade-level content, and there is intentional development of the MP to meet its full intent. Students make sense of problems and persevere in solving them as they work with the support of the teacher and independently throughout the scopes. Examples include:

  • Scope 9: Solving Pairs of Linear Equations, Explore, Explore 1–Graph Pairs of Linear Equations, Standards of Mathematical Practice, “MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them: Systems of equations can come in many forms. The equations can be written for you, or they can be embedded inside a word problem and need to be discovered. It is important to make sense of the system-of-equations word problem by determining what the variables are representing and how they are used to develop the equations.” Exit Ticket, students develop MP1 because they must understand what the components of an equation represent to successfully solve the problem. “The equation y=2x+6y=-2x+6 is plotted on the graph. Plot y=2x2y=2x-2 on the same graph. Based on your graph, what is the solution to the system of equations? ___”

  • Scope 11: Compare Functions, Explore, Explore 1–Compare Functions in the Same Form, students make sense of problems as they dissect different forms of functions (graphs, tables, equations, etc). They determine similarities and differences between these functions, noting any relationships. Procedure and Facilitation Points, “Read the following scenario: Ethan wants to create a budget so that he can buy a new car. In order to save the money, he needs to get a second job. He has collected information on how much money different jobs will pay him per hour. He has also documented how much money he spends on certain bills and payments. Help Ethan determine which job has the highest pay per hour by discovering which function has the greatest slope. Give a Student Journal to each student. Distribute the 4 bags of Comparison Cards to groups. Explain to the students that they will compare functions of the same form to determine which function has the greatest slope. These forms will include equations, verbal descriptions, tables, and graphs. Monitor and assess students as they are working by asking the following guiding questions: DOK-2  In regard to the equations’ cards, why is the ice cream shop slope greater than the cell phone slope if 14 is greater than 7? DOK-2 In regard to the graphs cards, when looking at the graphs, do you think that a steeper line represents a greater or smaller slope? DOK-1 What does it mean if two jobs have the same slope?”

  • Scope 16: Pythagorean Theorem, Explore, Explore 1–Modeling the Pythagorean Theorem and the Converse of the Pythagorean Theorem, Standards of Mathematical Practice, “MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them: Students will be able to identify the two legs and hypotenuse, given the side lengths of a right triangle.”  In the Exit Ticket, students develop MP1 as they make sense of a real-world problem and determine how to use the Pythagorean theorem to solve it.  “Molly is hosting her birthday at the local mini-golf course. She notices two of the holes on the course are shaped like right triangles. Use the triangles to help answer the following questions.” Students see two images of a golf course.  The two images are in the shape of a right triangle and have measurements on each side.  “1. Create a formula that could be used to determine whether hole 4 is a right triangle. ___ 2. Is hole 4 a right triangle? Justify your reasoning by using the Pythagorean theorem. ___ 3. Is hole 10 a right triangle? Justify your reasoning by using the Pythagorean theorem.”

MP2 is identified and connected to grade-level content, and there is intentional development of the MP to meet its full intent. Students reason abstractly and quantitatively as they work with the support of the teacher and independently throughout the scopes. Examples include:

  • Scope 8: Proportional Relationships, Explore, Explore 2–Compare Proportional Relationships, Standards of Mathematical Practice, “MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively: Students will reason abstractly and quantitatively as they describe the slopes of various lines as equal or not. Students will use reason to determine why slopes of horizontal and vertical lines will always have the same value.” Exit Ticket, students show development of MP2 by analyzing a graph and a table. “Isabella and her friends are looking for the cheapest flight back to Houston. Determine the slope of each graph and table to find the cheapest flight.” Students see a graph and a table with values for cost of flights. “How can the slope be interpreted as the unit rate for the cost of plane tickets on Flight 1? ___ How much does it cost to purchase 9 plane tickets on Flight 1? ___ How can the slope be interpreted as the unit rate for the cost of plane tickets on Flight 2? ___ How much does it cost to purchase 9 plane tickets on Flight 2? ___ Compare the unit rates for both days using <, >, or =. “

  • Scope 10: Functions, Explore, Explore 1–Understand Functions on a Graph, students reason abstractly and quantitatively as they determine whether graphs are functions or not functions. Students will use the function to find the outputs that correspond with each input. For Example: “Procedure and Facilitation Points Part I Read the following scenario: Rosie is the sole owner of Rosie’s Boutique. As owner, she has the job of making sure that all of the store’s finances are well documented. It is almost tax season, and her accountant has asked her to gather together these important documents and send them over to him. Before she can do that, she must create monthly and quarterly graphs of her deposits and revenues. Help Rosie analyze her graphs to determine whether they are functions or not. Give a Student Journal to each student. Give a set of Monthly Deposits Cards to each group. Explain to the class that they will use the Monthly Deposits Cards Part I to graph the coordinates of the monthly deposits and analyze each graph. Discuss the following with the class: DOK-1 What could you label the x-axis? DOK-1 What could you label the y-axis? DOK-1 Would it make sense to connect the points with a line? DOK-1 When plotting coordinates on a graph, which direction does the x-value go? DOK-2 In Diagram 1, why are three different arrows pointing to $1,550? DOK-2 In Diagram 2, why are there two different arrows coming from November? DOK-1 Why do you think Rosie deposited money twice in the month of December?...” 

  • Scope 12: Model Function Relationships, Explore, Explore 1–Analyzing Graphs, “MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively: Students will reason abstractly and quantitatively as they analyze the graphs to determine the relationships of the data on a graph. Students use the context of each problem to explain the meaning of the data presented.” In the Exit Ticket, students use reason to analyze a graph. Students see a  graph with the x-axis labeled “Time (min.)” and the y-axis labeled “Distance From Finish Line (mi.).” “LaShawn ran a marathon during the road trip and tracked his progress. Describe the graph as linear or nonlinear and increasing or decreasing. Create a description that represents the graph. 1. How can the descriptions linear, nonlinear, constant, increasing, and decreasing be used to describe the graph? ___ 2. What is the y-intercept of the graph?  ___ Description: ___”

Indicator 2F
02/02

Materials support the intentional development of MP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others, for students, in connection to the grade-level content standards, as expected by the mathematical practice standards.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for supporting the intentional development of MP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others, for students, in connection to the grade-level content standards, as expected by the mathematical practice standards.

The materials provide opportunities for student engagement with MP3 that are both connected to the mathematical content of the grade level and fully developed across the grade level. Mathematical practices are identified for teachers within the Standards of Mathematical Practice within the Explore sections of the Scopes. Students construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others, in connection to grade-level content, as they work with support of the teacher and independently throughout the Scopes. Examples include:

  • Scope 5: Scientific Notation, Standards for Mathematical Practice and Explore, Explore 2–Estimating Numbers and Scientific Notation, Procedure and Facilitation Points, “MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning to others: As numbers are being estimated and converted from standard form to scientific notation, students will be able to follow the direct relationship between the decimal moves and the exponential value that is attached to the power of 10. Students will be able to support their exponential values by relating them to the powers of 10 that are being collected from each movement of the decimal. Students will understand that the actual value and estimated value in both standard and scientific forms are similar but not exactly the same values.” Procedure and Facilitation Points, “1. Read the following scenario to students: Every Monday, the local news station creates a report of the top movies from the weekend, based on ticket sales. Pierre is developing the report; however, he believes that using the actual amount of money each movie made isn’t necessary to the viewer. Pierre decides to develop a reasonable estimate of each movie’s ticket sales. Let’s help Pierre create reasonable estimates of these large numbers. 2. Give a Student Journal to each student. 3. Give a set of Estimation Card Match cards to each partnership. Give a pair of scissors and a glue stick to each student. 4. Review the purpose of estimation with students to ensure they understand why we would need to estimate numbers using scientific notation: a. DOK-1 Why should we estimate numbers? b. DOK-1 How does estimation help with scientific notation? c. DOK-1 How do you estimate large numbers using scientific notation? d. DOK-1 How do you estimate small numbers using scientific notation? 5. Explain to students that they will estimate numbers using scientific notation. Each student will then cut their own set of Estimation Card Match cards. Students will use their set of matching cards to determine each movie’s reasonable estimates according to the actual values. (Note that all cards will not be used.) Students will check each other’s work before gluing the appropriate cards to the Student Journal. 6. Monitor and assess student understanding as each group collaborates by asking the following guiding questions: a. DOK-2: Is there only one way to estimate a large or small number? b. DOK-3: What makes an estimation reasonable? c. DOK-1: Does estimating a number change the actual value of the number?”

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Elaborate, Fluency Builder–Equations with Variables on Both Sides, Procedure and Facilitation Points, students show development of MP3 by performing error analysis on worked problems. “1. Show students how to shuffle the cards and place them face down in a stack. 2. Model how to play the game with a student. a. Shuffle the cards, and place them face down in a stack between the players. b. Player 1 flips over one card. Both players analyze the problem and determine if the provided solution to the problem is correct and the student who answered it is a math expert or if the solution is incorrect and it is necessary to fix the mistake. c. Players take turns flipping over one card at a time. d. Players continue taking turns until all of the cards have been solved. e. Players should fill out the Fix the Mistake! Student Recording Sheet as they play the game. (Players should fill out the row on the Fix the Mistake! Student Recording Sheet that corresponds to each card number.) f. Once all of the cards have been analyzed, students use the Fix the Mistake! Answer Key to check their answers. g. The player with the most correct answers is the winner. 3. Distribute the game materials. Then, instruct students to shuffle the cards and lay them facedown in a stack between the players. 4. Monitor students to make sure they find and record accurate responses to each card using the Fix the Mistake! Student Recording Sheet.” 

  • Scope 10: Functions, Explore, Explore 1–Understand Functions on a Graph, students build experience with MP3 as they collaborate with their groups to graph each of the monthly deposits on the coordinate plane on the Student Journal. Then, students will analyze their graphs to answer the questions that follow. For example “Procedure and Facilitation Points Part I Read the following scenario: Rosie is the sole owner of Rosie’s Boutique. As owner, she has the job of making sure that all of the store’s finances are well documented. It is almost tax season, and her accountant has asked her to gather together these important documents and send them over to him. Before she can do that, she must create monthly and quarterly graphs of her deposits and revenues. Help Rosie analyze her graphs to determine whether they are functions or not. Give a Student Journal to each student.Give a set of Monthly Deposits Cards to each group. Explain to the class that they will use the Monthly Deposits Cards Part I to graph the coordinates of the monthly deposits and analyze each graph. Discuss the following with the class: DOK-1 What could you label the x-axis? DOK-1 What could you label the y-axis? DOK-1 Would it make sense to connect the points with a line? DOK-1 When plotting coordinates on a graph, which direction does the x-value go? DOK-2 In Diagram 1, why are three different arrows pointing to 1,550? DOK-2 In Diagram 2, why are there two different arrows coming from November? DOK-1 Why do you think Rosie deposited money twice in the month of December?”

  • Scope 19: Patterns in Bivariate Data, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 1: Bivariate Data, Student Handout, students show development of MP3 by making a conjecture about an outlier. “1. Sketch the scatter plot created by each group of data.” Students see two sets of data with two blank coordinate planes where they can graph the data. One set of data is about minutes played and baskets made.  The other set of data is about age and hair color.  “2. Does the data on the first scatter plot show a positive or negative relationship? Does that make sense? ___ 3. Does the data on the second scatter plot show a linear relationship? Does that make sense? ___ 4. Look at the data on the scatter plot below.” Students see a scatter plot relating temperature to electric bills. “Circle all of the terms that correctly describe the association between the temperature and the electricity bill. Positive, Negative, Linear, Nonlinear 5. There is one outlier on the scatter plot. Give an explanation as to what would cause that outlier.”

Indicator 2G
02/02

Materials support the intentional development of MP4: Model with mathematics; and MP5: Use appropriate tools strategically, for students, in connection to the grade-level content standards, as expected by the mathematical practice standards.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for supporting the intentional development of MP4: Model with mathematics; and MP5: Use appropriate tools strategically, for students, in connection to the grade-level content standards, as expected by the mathematical practice standards.

Students have opportunities to engage with the Math Practices across the year and are identified for teachers within the Standards of Mathematical Practice within the Explore sections of the Scopes. MP4 is identified and connected to grade-level content, and there is intentional development of the MP to meet its full intent. Students model with mathematics as they work with the support of the teacher and independently throughout the Scopes. Examples include:

  • Scope 1: Integer Exponents, Explore, Explore 1–Properties of Integer Exponents, Procedure and Facilitation Points, Part II, students show development of MP4 by modeling expanded exponents to demonstrate combining expressions with exponents. “1. Give a set of Property Cards to each student and a pair of scissors and a glue stick to each pair of students. 2. Have students cut out the Property Cards. 3. Explain that they will use the If and But sections on the tables of their Student Journals to match the correct Property Card to the correct section. 4. Monitor and assess student understanding as each group collaborates by asking the following guiding questions: a. DOK-1 What is happening with the exponents in the first If section? b. DOK-1 What do you notice about the integers in the If section? c. DOK-1 What is changing in the If section? What is staying the same? d. DOK-2 Looking at the equation 4243=454^2\cdot4^3=4^5, how can you tell that is a true statement? 424^2 is (44)(4\cdot4) and 434^3 is (444)(4\cdot4\cdot4). e. DOK-2 How is the If section different from the But section?”

  • Scope 10: Compare Functions, Evaluate, Standards Based Assessment, students show development of MP4 by using different models to represent and solve real-world problems. “2. Two friends, Robert and Casey, are investing in a micro-investment account as indicated in the text and graph. Robert  He invested $400 after 10 months and invested $550 after 20 months.” Students see a linear graph that represents Casey’s investments. “Which statement is true when comparing the functions? A. The weekly investment is greater for Robert. B. The initial investment is greater for Robert. C. The amount invested for Robert will always be $5 greater than Casey. D. The amount invested for Robert will always be $20 greater than Casey.”

  • Scope 12: Model Function Relationships, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 2: Sketching Graphs, students demonstrate development of MP4 by modeling real-life situations with a graph. “Last Saturday, Annette rode her bike. Listed below is how she spent the first half of her day. At 11:00 a.m., she rode 3 miles to the park. She arrived at the park at 11:30 a.m. She stayed at the park for an hour. Next, she rode home and arrived at 1:00 p.m. She stayed at home for an hour. Then, she rode 1 mile to her friend’s house and arrived at 2:10 p.m. Sketch a graph representing Annette’s distance and time between 11:00 a.m. and 2:10 p.m.” Students see the first quadrant of the coordinate plane. The x-axis is labeled “Time” and the y-axis is labeled “Distance.”

MP5 is identified and connected to grade-level content, and there is intentional development of the MP to meet its full intent. Students use appropriate tools strategically as they work with the support of the teacher and independently throughout the Scopes. Examples include:

  • Scope 4: Irrational Numbers, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 3: Locate and Compare Irrational Numbers on a Number Line, Student Handout, students show development of MP5 by using a number line to estimate square roots. Using a number line will help students find the value of a square root by providing a visual model to help guide their thinking. “A development company has purchased several plots of land in a county to build attractions that will increase tourism in the area. Convert the measurements of each plot to decimal approximations without a calculator. Explain your reasoning.” Students see a table with measurements of the length and width, written as a square root, of a plot of land.

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Explain, Show What You Know–Part 1: Solve Equations with Variables on Both Sides, Student Handout, students show development of MP5 by using algebra tiles to solve equations. Using algebra tiles helps students stay focused on the procedures needed to solve multi-step problems with variables. Algebra tiles can also help to minimize errors leading to incorrect solutions. “Read the scenario. Determine an equation to represent the scenario. Then, solve by using algebra tiles and solve algebraically. Greyson earns a certain number of minutes to play video games for each chore that he completes. He loses a minute of video game time for each time he gets in trouble. On Tuesday, he completed 5 chores and got in trouble 6 times. On Wednesday, he completed 4 chores but only got in trouble once. If he earned the same amount of video game time each day, how much time does he get for each chore he completes? ___”  

  • Scope 14: Transformations, Explore, Explore 1–Identifying Transformations, Procedure and Facilitation Points, students demonstrate MP5 by using transparent paper to determine if figures are congruent. Students can use the transparent paper to see how figures “move”. Students can draw the initial figure, and then determine how the figure transforms to make the second figure (slides, turning clockwise, etc.) “1. Read the following scenario: Missy and her good friend Fay are attending a summer camp for artists this week. Today they will learn about different ways to use two-dimensional figures in their paintings. The instructor, Ms. Drawert, wants to show her students that shapes can be oriented in many ways to make paintings more interesting. Help Missy and Fay determine how each of the figures moved. 2. Give a bag containing How Did it Move? Cards and 6 pieces of tracing paper to each partnership and a Student Journal to each student. 3. Explain the following to students: To determine how each figure moves, we can trace one of the figures onto tracing paper and then move the tracing paper around until the second figure matches the first figure that we traced onto the paper.Have students take turns tracing the first figure from each card onto their tracing paper. Then, have students work together to determine the movement of the first figure to create the second figure. 4. Monitor and assess students as they are working by asking the following guiding questions: a. DOK-2 What did you notice about the movement of the first figure on Card 1 to become the second figure? b. DOK-2 What did you notice about the movement of the first figure on card 5 to the second figure? c. DOK-2 What did you notice about the movement of the first figure on card 7 to create the second figure? ”

Indicator 2H
02/02

Materials attend to the intentional development of MP6: Attend to precision; and attend to the specialized language of mathematics for students, in connection to the grade-level content standards, as expected by the mathematical practice standards.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for supporting the intentional development of MP6: Attend to precision; and attend to the specialized language of mathematics, for students, in connection to the grade-level content standards, as expected by the mathematical practice standards.

Students have opportunities to engage with the Math Practices across the year and are identified for teachers within the Standards of Mathematical Practice within the Explore sections of the Scopes. MP6 is identified and connected to grade-level content, and there is intentional development of the MP to meet its full intent. Students attend to precision as they work with the support of the teacher and independently throughout the Scopes. Examples include:

  • Scope 6: Operations with Scientific Notation, Explore, Explore 1–Adding and Subtracting with Scientific Notation, Procedure and Facilitation Points, students show development of MP6 while attending to precision as they solve addition and subtraction problems involving Scientific Notation. “1. Read the following scenario to the class: Plus/Minus Electronics has a special service for people who need more storage space on their computers or external hard drives. They will combine the hard drives of people’s computers and external hard drives so that they have enough room to store all of their data. They record all data sizes in bytes. Some of their new work orders are placed around the room. Help Plus/Minus know the sizes of the combined data as well as how much free space will be on the hard drive after the data is combined. 2. Give the Student Journal to each student. 3. Explain to students that they will collaborate with their groups to add hard drive 1 and hard drive 2 to find the total amount of hard-drive space used. Then students will subtract the total space used in hard drives 1 and 2 from the new hard-drive space.”

  • Scope 12: Rate of Change, Explain, Show What You Know–Part : Sketching Graphs, Student Handout, students show development of MP6 as they attend to precision while creating a Distance-Time Graph and use precise vocabulary as they describe relationships within the graph. “Last Saturday, Annette rode her bike. Listed below is how she spent the first half of her day. At 11:00 a.m., she rode 3 miles to the park. She arrived at the park at 11:30 a.m. She stayed at the park for an hour. Next, she rode home and arrived at 1:00 p.m. She stayed at home for an hour. Then, she rode 1 mile to her friend’s house and arrived at 2:10 p.m. Sketch a graph representing Annette’s distance and time between 11:00 a.m. and 2:10 p.m.” Students see a blank coordinate with axes labeled appropriately for the situation. “Use terms (linear, nonlinear, increasing, decreasing, or constant) to describe relationships within this graph.”

  • Scope 17: Pythagorean Theorem, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Student Handout, Question 2, students show development of MP6 while using the Pythagorean theorem to solve problems. “Right Triangle DEF is shown.” Students see an image of a right triangle with measurements labeled on each leg. “What is the length of the hypotenuse, x, of triangle DEF? Round your answer to three decimal places. Enter your answer in the box. ___”

Indicator 2I
02/02

Materials support the intentional development of MP7: Look for and make use of structure; and MP8: Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning, for students, in connection to the grade-level content standards, as expected by the mathematical practice standards.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for supporting the intentional development of MP7: Look for and make use of structure; and MP8: Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning, for students, in connection to the grade-level content standards, as expected by the mathematical practice standards.

Students have opportunities to engage with the Math Practices across the year and are identified for teachers within the Standards of Mathematical Practice within the Explore sections of the Scopes. MP7 is identified and connected to grade-level content, and there is intentional development of the MP to meet its full intent. Students look for and make use of structure as they work with the support of the teacher and independently throughout the Scopes. Examples include:

  • Scope 8: Proportional Relationships, Explore, Explore 2–Compare Proportional Relationships, Procedure and Facilitation Points, students build experience with MP7 as they look for and make use of structure and as they explain how variously spread information can have the same slope. They will use the structure of the equation of a line to be able to determine the slope from an equation as well as write an equation given the slope. “Part I: Comparing Proportional Relationships Using Graphs, 1. Read the following scenario: Isabella and her friends are trying to figure out what time of the year they can fly to New York City. They want to fly out when the flight prices are cheapest. Using the graphs on the cards, help Isabella and her friends determine which season is the most expensive time and which season is the cheapest time to fly to New York City. 2. Give a Student Journal to each student. 3. Give a set of Flight Prices by Season Cards to each group. 4. Explain to students that they will analyze each graph on the cards, help Isabella and her friends compare the costs of flights from Houston to New York, and determine the best time of the year to fly to New York. 5. Have students compare the graphs on the Flight Prices by Season Cards to determine the seasons that have the highest prices and use the graphs to determine the equation and unit rate that is represented by each graph. 6. Monitor and assess student understanding as each group collaborates by asking the following guiding questions: a. DOK-2 How is each graph different? b. DOK-2 How is each graph similar? c. DOK-2 How do you determine the slope from the graph?”

  • Scope 9: Solving Pairs of Linear Equations, Explore, Explore 1–Graph Pairs of Linear Equations, Exit Ticket, students build experience with MP7 as they look for structure when using the x or y equations to help solve the other equation. “The equation y=2x+6y=-2x+6 is plotted on the graph. Plot y=2x2y=2x-2 on the same graph. Based on your graph, what is the solution to the system of equations?

  • Facilitation Points, students build experience with MP7 as they look for and make use of structure as they describe the slope and y-intercept of functions in several different forms. They will recognize how to determine these relationships based on the structure of the model. “Part I: Determine the Y-Intercept in Tables and Graphs Read the following scenario: Javier is a member of the Young Leaders Community Service Organization and has been volunteering at the local hospital to get community service hours. Every department tracks the number of hours that the volunteers work. They track the hours by creating tables and graphs to show the number of hours that each volunteer works in their departments. Help Javier use the number of hours worked to determine the y value in the tables and graphs when the x value is 0. Give a Student Journal to each student. Give a set of Volunteer Hours Cards Part I, a Y-Intercept Work Mat, and a dry-erase marker to each group. Explain to students that they will analyze each Volunteer Hours Card carefully and will determine the y value on a table and a graph.Have students use the tables and the graphs to determine the y value when the x value is 0. Monitor and assess student understanding as each group collaborates by asking the following guiding questions: DOK-1 What is the independent variable? DOK-1 What is the dependent variable? DOK-1 What are the domain and range? DOK-1 What does the y value represent in the table when the x value is 0? DOK-1 What does the y value represent in the graph when the x value is 0? DOK-1 What is the ordered pair when x is 0?”

MP8 is identified and connected to grade-level content, and there is intentional development of the MP to meet its full intent. Students look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning as they work with the support of the teacher and independently throughout the Scopes. Examples include:

  • Scope 4: Irrational Numbers, Explore, Explore 3–Locate and Compare Irrational Numbers on a Number Line, Math Chat, students build experience with MP8 as they use repetitive division to help identify differences between rational and irrational numbers. “Questions, Sample Student Responses, DOK-2 How does a number line help to determine the approximate decimal value of a square root that is not a perfect square? A number line can help determine the approximate value of a square root that is not a perfect square because you can determine which 2 perfect squares your square root would be between and what whole number the square root would be closer to. DOK-2 Estimate the value of 42\sqrt{42}. 62=366^2=36 and 72=497^2=49, so the square root of 42 is between 6 and 7. DOK-2 Would the square root of 42 be closer to 6 or closer to 7? Explain your thinking. I think it would be closer to 6 because 42 is 6 away from 36 and 7 away from 49. DOK-3 What would the value of 4-\sqrt{4} be? I know that 4\sqrt{4} is 2, so the opposite of 2 would be −2.

  • Scope 11: Compare Functions, Explore, Explore 3–Linear vs. Non-Linear Functions, Procedure and Facilitation Points, students build experience with MP8 as they use repeated reasoning to find functional relationships as well as regularity in values on graphs and tables. Students use mock sales information for car sales at dealerships in graphs and tables. “Part II, 1. Read the following scenario: As Ethan visits the different dealerships, he begins to ask questions about each company and the number of cars that they sell per month. He believes that the dealership with the most consistent sales must be the best place to purchase his vehicle. Help Ethan determine whether the functions given to him are linear or nonlinear. 2. Distribute the 3 bags of Monthly Car Sales Cards to each group. 3. Explain to the students that they will compare functions of different forms to determine whether the functions are linear or nonlinear. 4. Monitor and assess students as they are working by asking the following guiding questions: a. DOK-1 In regard to the Tables Cards (point to a linear table), what type of graph do you think this table would create? b. DOK-1 In regard to the Graphs Cards, how do you determine the equation of these graphs? c. DOK-2 What if the x value had an exponent greater than 2, would it still be nonlinear?”

  • Scope 14: Transformations, Explore, Explore 1–Identifying Transformations, Procedure and Facilitation Points, students build experience with MP8 as they look for regularity in repeated reasoning of transformations. Students will discover the relationships between an image and its preimage and recognize patterns in the properties of each individual transformation. “Read the following scenario: Missy and her good friend Fay are attending a summer camp for artists this week. Today they will learn about different ways to use two-dimensional figures in their paintings. The instructor, Ms. Drawert, wants to show her students that shapes can be oriented in many ways to make paintings more interesting. Help Missy and Fay determine how each of the figures moved.Give a bag containing How Did it Move? Cards and 6 pieces of tracing paper to each partnership and a Student Journal to each student.Explain the following to students: To determine how each figure moves, we can trace one of the figures onto tracing paper and then move the tracing paper around until the second figure matches the first figure that we traced onto the paper. Have students take turns tracing the first figure from each card onto their tracing paper. Then, have students work together to determine the movement of the first figure to create the second figure. Monitor and assess students as they are working by asking the following guiding questions: DOK-2 What did you notice about the movement of the first figure on Card 1 to become the second figure? DOK-2 What did you notice about the movement of the first figure on card 5 to the second figure? DOK-2 What did you notice about the movement of the first figure on card 7 to create the second figure?”

Overview of Gateway 3

Usability

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for Usability. The materials meet expectations for Criterion 1, Teacher Supports; Criterion 2, Assessment; Criterion 3, Student Supports.

Criterion 3.1: Teacher Supports

09/09

The program includes opportunities for teachers to effectively plan and utilize materials with integrity and to further develop their own understanding of the content.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for Teacher Supports. The materials: provide teacher guidance with useful annotations and suggestions for enacting the student and ancillary materials; contain adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade-level concepts and concepts beyond the current grade so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject; include standards correlation information that explains the role of the standards in the context of the overall series; provide explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies; and provide a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities. 

Indicator 3A
02/02

Materials provide teacher guidance with useful annotations and suggestions for how to enact the student materials and ancillary materials, with specific attention to engaging students in order to guide their mathematical development.

The materials reviewed for STEMScopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for providing teacher guidance with useful annotations and suggestions for how to enact the student materials and ancillary materials, with specific attention to engaging students in order to guide their mathematical development.

Materials provide comprehensive guidance that will assist teachers in presenting the student and ancillary materials. Within each Scope, there is a Home dropdown menu, where the teacher will find several sections for guidance about the Scope. Under this menu, the Scope Overview has the teacher guide which leads the teacher through the Scope’s fundamental activities while providing facilitation tips, guidance, reminders, and a place to record notes on the various elements within the Scope. Content Support includes Background Knowledge; Misconceptions and Obstacles, which identifies potential student misunderstandings; Current Scope, listing the main points of the lesson, as well as the terms to know. There is also a section that gives examples of the problems that the students will see in this Scope, and the last section is the Coming Attractions which will describe what the students will be doing in the next grade level. Content Unwrapped provides teacher guidance for developing the lesson, dissecting the standards, including verbs that the students should be doing and nouns that the students should know, as well as information on vertical alignment. Also with each Explore, there is a Preparation list for the teacher with instructions for preparing the lesson and Procedure and Facilitation Points which lists step-by-step guidance for the lesson. Examples include:

  • Scope 9: Functions, Engage, Accessing Prior Knowledge–Two Truths and a Lie, Procedure and Facilitation Points, gives teachers guidance about executing the recommended instructional strategy. “1. Read the prompt aloud to the class. 2. Allow 2 minutes of thinking time for the students to read the three statements and determine the two truths and one lie. 3. Ask students to share with a shoulder partner how they marked their sheet and why. 4. Allow 2–5 minutes of discussion. 5. Ask students to justify their choice for the lie. a. The second statement is the lie. The x and y values should be switched in the statement.  6. If students are struggling to complete this task, move on to do the Foundation Builder in order to fill this gap in prior knowledge before moving on to other parts of the Scope.”

  • Scope 13: Transformations, Explore, Explore 3 - Dilations, Procedure and Facilitation Points provides teachers with guiding questions to ask struggling students. “1. If students have difficulty understanding the dilations, ask the following guiding questions: a. DOK-1 What is a dilation? A process that changes the size of a figure b. DOK-1 Does a dilation make a figure smaller or larger? It can be either one. A scale factor greater than 1 results in a larger figure, while a scale factor less than one results in a smaller figure. c. DOK-1 What is a scale factor? A scale factor is the ratio of any two corresponding lengths of a figure. It tells whether a figure being dilated will result in a larger or a smaller figure. d. DOK-1 What does it mean when the center is around the origin? It means the origin is the starting point from which distances are measured in a dilation.”

  • Scope 16: Pythagorean Theorem, Home, Content Unwrapped, Dissecting the Standards provides guidance on what students should be doing and saying as they work through the Scope. “Verbs: What should students be doing? Apply: to use, determine: to solve for; to figure out, explain: to account for actions or occurrences by telling reasons why, find: to discover; to solve, understand: to grasp the meaning of. Nouns: What concrete words should students know? coordinate system: a system that uses one or more numbers, or coordinates, to uniquely determine the position of the points, converse of the Pythagorean Theorem: theorem which states that if the squares of the length of the longest side of a triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides, then the triangle is a right triangle; if c2=a2+b2c^2=a^2+b^2, then it is a right triangle. distance: a measurement of the length between two points…”

Indicator 3B
02/02

Materials contain adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade-level/course-level concepts and concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject.

The materials reviewed for STEMScopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for containing adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade/course-level concepts and concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject.

Each Scope has a Content Overview with a Teacher Guide. Within the Teacher Guide, information is given about the current Scope and its skills and concepts. Additionally, each Scope has a Content Support which includes sections entitled: Misconceptions and Obstacles, Current Scope, and Coming Attractions. These resources provide explanations and guidance for teachers. Examples include:

  • Scope 3: Square Roots and Cube Roots, Home, Scope Overview, Teacher Guide, Future Expectations. It states, “In high school, students will expand their knowledge of radicals as they begin to expand and simplify radicals within equations. Students will be focusing on properties of rational exponents to find roots of various expressions through polynomials, Pythagorean theorem, and complex area and volume questions..”

  • Scope 8: Proportional Relationships, Home, Concept Support, Misconceptions and Obstacles. It states,  “Students must recognize that slopes (average rate of change) can be both positive and negative. Students may believe that all graphs of straight lines represent a proportional relationship when only those that pass through the origin are proportional. Students may mistakenly graph points on a coordinate graph. They need to be confident about the direction of the x- and y-axis. Students may mistake a slope of 5 as just a rise or run of 5 units rather than a rise of 5 units vertically and a run of 1 unit horizontally.”

  • Scope 12: Rate of Change, Home, Scope Overview, Teacher Guide, Scope Summary. It states, “In this Scope, students will build on their skills of how to construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities; calculate the rate of change and initial value of a function from tables, graphs, equations, and verbal descriptions; and interpret slope and initial value from real-world situations.”

  • Scope 15: Congruence and Similarity, Home, Content Support, Coming Attractions. It states, “In the coming years, students will use their understanding of transformations to continue the expansion of rigid motions. Students will grow their thinking beyond the basics of transformation rules such as rotations beyond that of 90° and 180° and reflections over lines other than the axes. In high school, students will use these ideas to create constructions and series of rigid motions.”

Indicator 3C
02/02

Materials include standards correlation information that explains the role of the standards in the context of the overall series.

The materials reviewed for STEMScopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for including standards correlation information that explains the role of the standards in the context of the overall series.

Correlation information is present for the mathematics standards addressed throughout the grade level and can be found in several places including a drop-down Standards link on the main home page, within teacher resources, and within each Scope. Explanations of the role and progressions of the grade-level mathematics are present. Examples include:

  • In each Scope, the Scope Overview, Scope Content, and Content Unwrapped provides opportunities for teachers to view content correlation in regards to the standards for the grade level as well as the math practices practiced within the Scope. The Scope Overview has a section entitled Student Expectations listing the standards covered in the Scope. It also provides a Scope Summary. In the Scope Content, the standards are listed at the beginning. This section also identifies math practices covered within the Scope. Misconceptions and Obstacles, Current Scope, and Background Knowledge make connections between the work done by students within the Scope as well as strategies and concepts covered within the Scope. Content Unwrapped again identifies the standards covered in the Scope as well as a section entitled, Dissecting the Standard. This section provides ideas of what the students are doing in the Scope as well as the important words they need to know to be successful.

  • Teacher Toolbox, Essentials, Vertical Alignment Charts, Vertical Alignment Chart Grade 5-8, provides the following information:  “How are the Standards organized? Standards that are vertically aligned show what students learn one grade level to prepare them for the next level. The standards in grades K-5 are organized around six domains. A domain is a larger group of related standards spanning multiple grade levels shown in the colored strip below: Counting and Cardinality, Operations and Algebraic Thinking,  Number and Operations in Base Ten, Number and Operations–Fractions, Measurement and Data, Geometry.” Tables are provided showing the vertical alignment of standards across grade levels.

  • Scope 10: Functions, Home, Scope Overview, Teacher Guide, Scope Summary, states, “In this Scope, students will build on their skills and learn how to define a function as every input having exactly one output; define a function on a table or graph as having not repeating x-values; text a graph using the vertical line test to determine if the graph is a function; and identify functions from tables, graphs, and equations.”

  • Scope 19: Patterns in Bivariate Data, Home, Content Unwrapped, Implications for Instruction, states, “In previous grade levels, students have solved real-world problems by graphing points in all four quadrants. Students have determined frequency and outliers. Students have also modeled linear relationships on graphs.”

Indicator 3D
Read

Materials provide strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

The materials reviewed for STEMScopes Math Grade 8 provide strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement. 

The program provides an initial letter that can be used in conjunction with Google Documents to personalize an overview of the program.  It is found in the Teacher Toolbox. The letter provides an overview of the program. Teacher Toolbox, Parent Letter: Secondary, states, “STEMScopes is built on an instructional philosophy that centers on children acquiring a conceptual understanding of mathematics through hands-on exploration, inquiry, discovery, and analysis. Each lesson includes a series of investigations and activities to bring mathematics to life for our students so they can learn by doing and fully engage in the process. Intentional cultivation of concepts and skills solidifies our students’ ability to make relevant connections and applications in the context of the real world. Lessons are built by using the research-based 5E+IA model, which stands for Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate, Intervention, and Acceleration. Each one of these components of the lesson cycle features specific resources to support not only our students’ understanding of mathematical concepts, but also that of our teachers. STEMScopes Math features many resources for our educators, including Math Stories, Math Today, Writing in Math, Interactives, Online Manipulatives, and much more!”

Each Scope has a corresponding parent letter, in English and Spanish, that provides a variety of supports for families. Home, Parent Letter, states, ”The parent is provided a breakdown of the concepts being learned in class, along with key vocabulary terms and Math Outside the Classroom! conversation starters.” A video is provided in How To Use STEMScopes Math that provides guidance on how to use the Scope parent letter. Examples include:

  • Scope 4: Irrational Numbers, Home, Parent Letter, gives a brief overview of the concepts covered in this Scope. “In math class, your student is about to explore irrational numbers. To master this skill, they will build on their knowledge of rational numbers, such as fractions, decimals (terminating or repeating), and percents from seventh grade. As your student extends their knowledge of this concept throughout eighth grade, they will learn the following concepts: Distinguish between numbers that are rational and those that are irrational. Students will express that any number that can be written as a fraction is a rational number.  Examples: 2,1.675,12,842,1.675,\frac{1}{2},-\frac{8}{4}; Students will identify irrational numbers as numbers that are continuous without repeating digits. Examples: 5.174983722…, 37\sqrt{37}; Example: Using a calculator, determine whether 37\sqrt{37} is a rational or irrational number. Justify your answer. (Place in Calculator) 37\sqrt{37} i = 6. 08276253… 37\sqrt{37} is an irrational number. When you take the square root of 37, you get a decimal answer that is never ending and does not repeat any digits. This decimal is unable to be written as a fraction; therefore, it is an irrational number.”

  • Scope 13: Model Function Relationships, Home, Parent Letter, provides key vocabulary words that can be reviewed. “While working with your student at home, you may find the following vocabulary terms helpful in your communication about modeling function relationships. These are terms your student will be encouraged to use throughout our explorations and during our math chats, which are short, whole-group discussions at the conclusion of each activity. Terms to Know, constant: a fixed number that stands alone, decreasing: the measure of the steepness of a line that shows the slant downward from left to right, function: a special relationship between values; each input value gives back exactly one output value, increasing: the measure of the steepness of a line that shows the slant upward from left to right, linear function: a relationship that when graphed is a straight line, nonlinear: a relationship that when graphed does not make a straight line; a relationship that does not create a straight line; nonlinear association, rate of change: the rate that shows how one quantity changes in relation to another quantity”

  • Scope 19: Patterns in Bivariate Data, Home, Parent Letter, provides activities that could be completed with families at home. “Math outside the Classroom! Patterns in bivariate data are used all around our everyday lives. Chat about where you use patterns in bivariate data in your everyday life. Below are a few examples: We collect data all of the time. You may keep track of how much you spend on gas and groceries. Or, you may want to keep track of the amount of TV your family watches on weeknights and on the weekend. Discuss with your student how collecting data can be helpful to your family. What patterns do you see within the data? Keep track of your weekly grocery spending, and discuss the patterns you see.”

Indicator 3E
02/02

Materials provide explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for providing explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies. 

The Teacher Toolbox contains a Secondary STEMscopes Math Philosophy document that provides relevant research as it relates to components for the program. Examples include:

  • Teacher Toolbox, Essentials, STEMscopes Math Philosophy, Elementary, Learning within Real-World, Relevant Context, Research Summaries and Excerpts, states, “One of the major issues within mathematics classrooms is the disconnect between performing procedural skills and knowing when to use them in everyday situations. Students should develop a deeper understanding of the mathematics in order to reason through a situation, collect the necessary information, and use the mechanics of math to develop a reasonable answer. Providing multiple experiences within real-world contexts can help students see when certain skills are useful. “If the problem context makes sense to students and they know what they might do to start on a solution, they will be able to engage in problem solving.” (Carpenter, Fennema, Loef Franke, Levi, and Empson, 2015).

  • Teacher Toolbox, Essentials, STEMscopes Math Philosophy, Elementary, CRA Approach, Research Summaries and Excerpts, states, “CRA stands for Concrete–Representational –Abstract. When first learning a new skill, students should use carefully selected concrete materials to develop their understanding of the new concept or skill. As students gain understanding with the physical models, they start to draw a variety of pictorial representations that mirror their work with the concrete objects. Students are then taught to translate these models into abstract representations using symbols and algorithms. “The overarching purpose of the CRA instructional approach is to ensure students develop a tangible understanding of the math concepts/skills they learn.” (Special Connections, 2005) “Using their concrete level of understanding of mathematics concepts and skills, students are able to later use this foundation and add/link their conceptual understanding to abstract problems and learning. Having students go through these three steps provides students with a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts and ideas and provides an excellent foundational strategy for problem solving in other areas in the future.” (Special Connections, 2005).” STEMscopes Math Elements states, “As students progress through the Explore activities, they will transition from hands-on experiences with concrete objects to representational, pictorial models, and ultimately arrive at symbolic representations, using only numbers, notations, and mathematical symbols. If students begin to struggle after transitioning to pictorial or abstract, more hands-on experience with concrete objects is included in the Small Group Intervention activities.”

  • Teacher Toolbox, Essentials, STEMscopes Math Philosophy, Elementary, Collaborative Exploration, Research Summaries and Excerpts, states, “Our curriculum allows students to work together and learn from each other, with the teacher as the facilitator of their learning. As students work together, they begin to reason mathematically as they discuss their ideas and debate about what will or will not work to solve a problem. Listening to the thinking and reasoning of others allows students to see multiple ways a problem can be solved. In order for students to communicate their own ideas, they must be able to reflect on their knowledge and learn how to communicate this knowledge. Working collaboratively is more reflective of the real-world situations that students will experience outside of school. Incorporate communication into mathematics instruction to help students organize and consolidate their thinking, communicate coherently and clearly, analyze and evaluate the thinking and strategies of others, and use the language of mathematics.” (NCTM, 2000)

  • Teacher Toolbox, Essentials, STEMscopes Math Philosophy, Elementary, Promoting Equity, Research Summaries and Excerpts, states, “Teachers are encouraged throughout our curriculum to allow students to work together as they make sense of mathematics concepts. Allowing groups of students to work together to solve real-world tasks creates a sense of community and sets a common goal for learning for all students. Curriculum tasks are accessible to students of all ability levels, while giving all students opportunities to explore more complex mathematics. They remove the polar separation of being a math person or not, and give opportunities for all students to engage in math and make sense of it. “Teachers can build equity within the classroom community by employing complex instruction, which uses the following practices (Boaler and Staples, 2008): Modifying expectations of success/failure through the use of tasks requiring different abilities, Assigning group roles so students are responsible for each other and contribute equally to tasks, Using group assessments to encourage students' responsibility for each other's learning and appreciation of diversity” “A clear way of improving achievement and promoting equity is to broaden the number of students who are given high-level opportunities.” (Boaler, 2016) “All students should have the opportunity to receive high-quality mathematics instruction, learn challenging grade-level content, and receive the support necessary to be successful. Much of what has been typically referred to as the "achievement gap" in mathematics is a function of differential instructional opportunities.” (NCTM, 2012).” STEMscopes Math Elements states, “Implementing STEMscopes Math in the classroom provides access to high quality, challenging learning opportunities for every student. The activities within the program are scaffolded and differentiated so that all students find the content accessible and challenging. The emphasis on collaborative learning within the STEMscopes program promotes a sense of community in the classroom where students can learn from each other.”

Indicator 3F
01/01

Materials provide a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities.

The materials reviewed for STEMScopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for providing a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities. 

The Teacher Toolbox provides a Secondary Materials List that has a spreadsheet with tabs for each grade level, 6-8. Each tab lists the materials needed for each activity within each Scope for the grade level. Within each Scope, the Home Tab also provides a material list for all activities.  It allows the teacher to input the number of students, groups, and stations, and then calculates how many of each item is needed.  Finally, each activity within a Scope has a list of any materials that are needed for that activity. Examples include:

  • Scope 2: Integer Exponents, Elaborate, Fluency Builder–Integer Exponents, Materials, “Printed, 1 Go Fish! Instruction Sheet (per pair), 1 Set of Go Fish! Cards (per pair), Reusable, 1 Envelope or bag (per pair)”

  • Scope 10: Functions, Explore, Explore 1–Understand Functions on a Graph, Materials, “Printed, 1 Student Journal (per student), 1 Exit Ticket (per 2 students), 1 Set of Monthly Deposits Cards (per group), Reusable, 1 Gallon-sized resealable bag (per group), 1 Quart-size resealable bag (per group)”

  • Scope 16: Angles, Explore, Explore 3–Traversals, Materials, “Printed, 1 Student Journal (per student), 1 Exit Ticket (per student), 1 Parallel Lines and Transversals Work Mat (per group), 1 Parallel Lines and Transversals Card (per class), 1 Set of Camp Map Cards (per group), Reusable, 1 Dry-erase marker (per group), 1 Clear sheet protector (per group), 1 Ruler (per group), 1 Projector or document camera (per teacher), Consumable, 1 Sheet of tracing paper (per group)”

Indicator 3G
Read

This is not an assessed indicator in Mathematics.

Indicator 3H
Read

This is not an assessed indicator in Mathematics.

Criterion 3.2: Assessment

09/10

The program includes a system of assessments identifying how materials provide tools, guidance, and support for teachers to collect, interpret, and act on data about student progress towards the standards.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for Assessment. The materials identify the content standards but do not identify the mathematical practices assessed in assessments. The materials provide multiple opportunities to determine students' learning and sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance, and suggestions for following-up with students. The materials include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level standards and mathematical practices across the series. 

Indicator 3I
01/02

Assessment information is included in the materials to indicate which standards are assessed.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 partially meet expectations for having assessment information included in the materials to indicate which standards are assessed.

The materials identify grade-level content standards within the Assessment Alignment document for the Skills Quiz Alignment and Standards-Based Assessment Alignment. The Benchmark Blueprint document provides grade-level content standards alignment for the Pre-Assessment, Mid- Assessment, and Post-Assessment. While the mathematical practices are identified in each Scope within the Explores, they are not aligned to assessments or assessment items. Examples include:

  • STEMscopes Math: Common Core Eighth Grade Teacher Resources, Assessment Alignment, Assessment Alignment, Skills Quiz Alignment, identifies Scope 2: Square Roots and Cube Roots, Question 9 as addressing 8.EE.2. Scope 2: Square Roots and Cube Roots, Evaluate, Skills Quiz, Question 9, "2163=\sqrt[3]{216}= ____.”

  • STEMscopes Math: Common Core Eighth Grade Teacher Resources, Assessment Alignment, Assessment Alignment, Standards-Based Assessment Alignment, identifies Scope 11: Rate of Change, Question 5 as addressing 8.F.4. Scope 11: Rate of Change, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Question 5, Part A, “The value of a car after 5 years is $18,000. The value is $6,000 after 10 years. Part A What is the initial value of the car? Enter your answer below. ____.”

  • STEMscopes Math: Common Core Eighth Grade Teacher Resources, Assessment Alignment, Benchmark Blueprint, Grade 7 Post-Assessment, identifies Question 26 as addressing 8.G.7. STEMscopes Math: Common Core Eighth Grade Teacher Resources, Resources, Benchmark Assessments, STEMscopes Math Grade 8 Post-Assessment, Question 26, “A right triangle has a side length of 3 centimeters and a hypotenuse of 9 centimeters. What is the length of the other side of the triangle? 91\sqrt{91}; 77; 109\sqrt{109}; 1313.”

Indicator 3J
04/04

Assessment system provides multiple opportunities throughout the grade, course, and/or series to determine students' learning and sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.

The materials reviewed for STEMScopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for including an assessment system that provides multiple opportunities throughout the grade, course, and/or series to determine students' learning and sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up. 

In Grade 8, each Scope has an activity called Decide and Defend, an assessment that requires students to show their mathematical reasoning and provide evidence to support their claim. A rubric is provided to score Understanding, Computation, and Reasoning. Answer keys are provided for all assessments including Skills Quizzes and Technology-Enhanced Questions. Standards-Based Assessment answer keys provide answers, potential student responses to short answer questions, and identifies the Depth Of Knowledge (DOK) for each question. 

After students complete assessments, the teacher can utilize the Intervention Tab to review concepts presented within the Scopes’ Explore lessons. There are Small-Group Intervention activities that the teacher can use with small groups or all students. Within the Intervention, the lesson is broken into parts that coincide with the number of Explores within the Scope. The teacher can provide targeted instruction in areas where students, or the class, need additional practice. The program also provides a document in the Teacher Guide for each Scope to help group students based on their understanding of the concepts covered in the Scope. The teacher can use this visual aide to make sure to meet the needs of each student. Examples include:

  • Scope 3, Square Roots and Cube Roots, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Answer Key, Question 6, provides a possible way a student might complete the problem. “Josh has a square tabletop. The area of the tabletop is 12 square feet. He says the side length of the table top is irrational. Is Josh correct? Explain your reasoning. Enter your answer in the box. (DOK-2) Josh is correct. To find the side length, the equation s2=12s^2=12 is solved. The side length is 12\sqrt{12}, which is between 9\sqrt{9} and 16\sqrt{16}. Therefore, the side length is irrational.” (8.EE.2)

  • Scope 8: Proportional Relationships, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, Answer Key, Question 3, Part C, provides a possible solution a student might provide. “What conclusion can be drawn from the slopes and the triangles? Enter your answer in the box. (DOK-2) The slope is the same between any two points on the same line. Similar right triangles show this relationship because the rate of change will be the same for each right triangle.” (8.EE.6)

  • Scope 17: Pythagorean Theorem, Intervention, Skill Review and Practice, Review provides the following information:  given a 3D rectangular prism with length labeled 12cm and height labeled 10 cm, “Try It, Determine the length of the diagonal from the upper-left corner and the lower-left corner of the rectangular prism to the nearest tenth.”

Indicator 3K
04/04

Assessments include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level/course-level standards and practices across the series.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for providing assessments that include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level standards and practices across the series.

Assessment opportunities are included in the Exit Tickets, Show What You Know, Skills Quiz, Technology-Enhanced Questions, Standards-Based Assessment, and Decide and Defend situations. Assessments regularly demonstrate the full intent of grade-level content and practice standards through a variety of item types, including multiple choice, multiple response, and short answer. While the MPs are not identified within the assessments, MPs are described within the Explore sections in relation to the Scope. Examples include:

  • Scope 3: Square Roots and Cube Roots, Skills Quiz, Question 1 and 5, provide students with opportunities to demonstrate the full intent of MP2, “Reason abstractly and quantitatively, as they explain their reasoning for solutions to problems involving square roots and cube roots.” “Directions: Solve each problem and show the steps you took to get your answer. 1. 225\sqrt{225}, 5. 434^3 A. 1212 B. 1616 C. 6464 D. 8181

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, provides opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of 8.EE.7b, “Solve linear equations with rational number coefficients, including equations whose solutions require expanding expressions using the distributive property and collecting like terms.” Question 1, “Which equation has a solution of 0? 4(2x+3)=8(x+1)4(2x+3)=8(x + 1); 3(2x4)=6(x2)3(2x-4)=6(x-2); 0.3(23x)=0.6(x+1)0.3(2-3x)=0.6(x+1); 0.2(43x)=0.6(x2)0.2(4-3x)=-0.6(x-2)” Question 2 is a constructed response question. “What value of x makes the equation 34(x4)=3x\frac{3}{4}(x-4)=3x true? Enter your answer below. ____” Question 8, “Marcos solves the equation 12(42x)2=x\frac{1}{2}(4-2x)-2=-x. He says the equation has no solutions because the last step results in 0 = 0. Explain if his reasoning is correct. Enter your answer below. ____”

  • Scope 12: Rate of Change, Evaluate, Standards-Based Assessment, provides opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of 8.F.4, “Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Determine the rate of change and initial value of the function from a description of a relationship or from two (x, y) values, including reading these from a table or from a graph. Interpret the rate of change and initial value of a linear function in terms of the situation it models, and in terms of its graph or a table of values.” Question 1, “Arthur started with 24 cards and added 48 cards each year to his collection. What equation models the relationship between c, cards and t,years? c=48tc=48t; c=24tc=24t; c=48t+24c=48t+24; c=24t+48c=24t+48 Question 2, “The equation h=1004th=100-4t represents the height, h, from the location on a sledding hill after t, seconds. What is the meaning of the rate of change and the initial value? Enter your answers below. ____” Mathematical Modeling Task - Eli’s Video Games Manual, “Eli loves the Astro’s Space Adventure Video game and wants to teach others how to play the game. He is creating an instruction manual on how to play Astro’s Space Adventure. Players will need to use equations to represent the topics that will be included in the manual. Part I: Astro’s Space Adventure allows you several customizable features: A new avatar costs 250 points. Each space suit costs 25 points. An avatar must be purchased before a new space suit can be bought.” Question 1, “Write the linear equation that represents the customizable features in Astro’s Space Adventure. ____” Question 2, “What is the rate of change? ____” Question 3, “What does the rate of change represent in this scenario? ____” Question 4, “What are the independent and dependent variables in this scenario? ____”

Indicator 3L
Read

Assessments offer accommodations that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment.

The materials reviewed for STEMScopes Math Grade 8 provide assessments which offer accommodations that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment. 

STEMScopes Math provides assessment guidance in the Teacher Guide within the Scope Overview. “STEMScopes Tip, the Evaluate section, found along the Scope menu, contains assessment tools designed to help teachers gather the data they need to determine whether intervention or acceleration is warranted. From standards-based assessments to an open-ended reasoning prompt, there is an evaluation for every student’s learning style.” Examples include:

  • Students completing any assessment digitally have several options available to assist with completing the assessment. A ribbon at the top of the assessment allows the student to: change the font size, have directions and problems read which the teacher can turn on and off, highlight information, use a dictionary as allowed by the teacher, and use a calculator. If a paper copy is being used, the teacher can edit the assessment within Google Documents to change the font size and change the layout. Assessments are also available in Spanish. Teachers also can create their own assessments from a question bank allowing for a variety of assessments students can complete to show understanding. 

  • Each Scope provides an Exit Ticket to check student understanding. After reviewing answers, the teacher can use the Intervention tab online either in a small group setting or with the entire class. The Small Group Instruction activity provides more practice with the concept(s) taught within the Scope.

  • Within the Intervention tab, teachers can click on different supplemental aids that could be used to assist students completing an assessment. Examples of supplemental aids include open number lines, number charts, base tens, place value charts, etc. Teachers can decide to use these aids with students needing additional support.

Criterion 3.3: Student Supports

08/08

The program includes materials designed for each student’s regular and active participation in grade-level/grade-band/series content.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for Student Supports. The materials provide: strategies and supports for students in special populations and for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to support their regular and active participation in learning grade-level mathematics; multiple extensions and/or opportunities for students to engage with grade-level mathematics at higher levels of complexity; and manipulatives, both virtual and physical, that are accurate representations of the mathematical objects they represent and, when appropriate, are connected to written methods.

Indicator 3M
02/02

Materials provide strategies and supports for students in special populations to support their regular and active participation in learning grade-level/series mathematics.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Grade 8 meet expectations for providing strategies and supports for students in special populations to support their regular and active participation in learning grade-level mathematics.

Within the Teacher Toolbox, under Interventions, materials regularly provide strategies, supports, and resources for students in special populations to help them access grade-level mathematics. Within each Explore section of the Scopes there are Instructional Supports and Language Acquisition Strategy suggestions specific to the Explore activity. Additionally, each Scope has an Intervention tab that provides support specific to the Scope. Examples include:

  • Teacher Toolbox, Interventions, Interventions–Adaptive Development, Generalizes Information between Situations, supplies teachers with teaching strategies to support students with difficulty generalizing information. “Unable to Generalize: Alike and different–Ask students to make a list of similarities and differences between two concrete objects. Move to abstract ideas once students have mastered this process. Analogies–Play analogy games related to the scope with students. This will help create relationships between words and their application. Different setting–Call attention to vocabulary or concepts that are seen in various settings. For example, highlight vocabulary used in a math problem. Ask students why that word was used in that setting. Multiple modalities–Present concepts in a variety of ways to provide more opportunities for processing. Include a visual or hands-on component with any verbal information.”

  • Scope 10: Functions, Explore, Explore 2–Understand Functions, Instructional Supports states, “2. Given the specific representation of functions in this and the next Explore, students may develop the misconception that functions can only be depicted graphically, by diagram, or by table. Emphasize that functions can be represented in a variety of ways. While we'll focus on two of them in this Explore, we'll also look at three other representations (tables, equations, and verbal descriptions) in future Explores. 2. Some students may limit the concept of function to its representation without understanding the essence of the definition. For example, a student might mistakenly think, "A function is a mapping diagram," versus a situation in which every input has only one output. Discuss real-world examples of functions and nonfunctions such as a username to password situation (function) versus a student to hair color scenario (not a function).”

  • Scope 18: Volume, Explore, Explore 2–Cones, Instructional Supports states,  “1. If students struggle to visualize the dimensions of a model, encourage them to draw the model and label its dimensions. This practice will help them properly visualize the model and give them insight into how to apply the given information. 2. Students who are rushing through the work and plugging in values for radius by rote, may mistakenly plug in the value of diameter for the radius. Encourage students to read the problem carefully, draw and label their diagrams accordingly, and then solve.”

Indicator 3N
02/02

Materials provide extensions and/or opportunities for students to engage with grade-level/course-level mathematics at higher levels of complexity.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for providing extensions and/or opportunities for students to engage with grade-level mathematics at higher levels of complexity.

Within each Scope, Scope Overview, Teacher Guide, a STEMscopes Tip is provided. It states,  “The acceleration section of each Scope, located along the Scope menu, provides resources for students who have mastered the concepts from the Scope to extend their mathematical knowledge. The Acceleration section offers real-world activities to help students further explore concepts, reinforce their learning, and demonstrate math concepts creatively.” Examples include:

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Acceleration, Would You Rather–Blue and Green Marbles states,  “Use mathematical reasoning and creativity to justify your answer to the Would You Rather question. Melissa has some marbles, 25 more than 4 times the number of blue marbles is the same number as 15 less than 6 times the number of green marbles. How many marbles does Melissa have? Would you rather have the blue marbles or the green marbles? Justify your reasoning with mathematics.”

  • Scope 9: Solving Pairs of Linear Equations, Acceleration, Would You Rather–Cupcakes and Hot Chocolate states, “Use mathematical reasoning and creativity to justify your answer to the Would You Rather questions. Shanaya and Tomas are going to the cupcake shop to get cupcakes and hot chocolate. Shanaya purchased Combo 1 and got three hot chocolates and a cupcake that cost a total of $7. Tomas purchased Combo 2 and got two hot chocolates and four cupcakes that cost a total of $8. What is the individual price for a single hot chocolate and a single cupcake? Would you rather purchase Shanaya’s combo or Tomas’s combo? Justify your reasoning with mathematics. Use the coordinate plane below to create a linear equation to represent each combo, and then determine where the lines intersect.”

  • Scope 14: Transformations, Acceleration,  Would You Rather–Redecorating a Bedroom states, “Use mathematical reasoning and creativity to justify your answer to the Would You Rather question. Arturo is redecorating his bedroom and is having trouble deciding where he should move his bed. He is considering either leaving his bed by the window or moving his bed next to the closet? Justify your reasoning with mathematics. Explain the effect that is applied to the 2-D shape in the coordinate plane using an algebraic representation.”

Indicator 3O
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Materials provide varied approaches to learning tasks over time and variety in how students are expected to demonstrate their learning with opportunities for students to monitor their learning.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 provide varied approaches to learning tasks over time and variety in how students are expected to demonstrate their learning with opportunities for students to monitor their learning. 

Each Scope Overview highlights the potential types of work students will accomplish within the lessons. The Scope Overview states, “What Are Problems? Within the context of a scope, elements that fit into the category of problems expose students to new mathematical concepts by adhering to constructivist principles. Students are expected to explore, question, and attain conceptual understanding through engaging in these elements with teacher facilitation. What Are Exercises? Elements that have been classified as exercises have been designed to provide opportunities for students to apply their understanding to attain mastery. These are carefully sequenced to build upon students’ prior knowledge to support new skills and range in purposes, from building fluency and addressing misconceptions to applying the skill to create a plan or a product in the context of real life.” Examples include:

  • Teacher Toolbox, Mathematical Practices, Rubrics for Mathematical Practices–Sixth through Eighth Grades, Eighth Grade, Rubrics for Mathematical Practices states, “MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. Students construct arguments with verbal and written explanations accompanied by expressions, equations, and inequalities, models, graphs, tables, and other data displays (e.g., box plots, dot plots, histograms). They further refine their mathematical communication skills through mathematical discussions in which they critically evaluate their own thinking and the thinking of others. Students use various strategies to solve problems, and they defend and justify their work with others. Students may ask their peers and respond to questions such as “How did you get that?” “Why is that true?” “How did you decide to use that strategy?” and “Does that always work?” Students explain and justify their thinking to others and respond to the others’ thinking.”

  • Scope 5: Scientific Notation, Elaborate, Interactive Practice–The Cryptex, is an online game with the directions: “A cryptex is a portable vault that can only be opened by the cleverest of puzzle solvers. Turn the wheels to the correct pattern, and the cryptex will open right up!” The cryptex shows 5 dials. The student fills in the first, third, and fifth.  The second dial has a decimal point, the fourth has a multiplication sign. Students are given a number to convert into the form “____. ____ ×10\times10^{---}.” Students can turn the dials and choices are given.

  • Scope 13: Model Function Relationships, Elaborate, Data Science, Procedure and Facilitation Points states,” Part I. 1. Project the Data Set, and prepare to write down student observations. Students are shown a graph of “Snowfall Accumulation in Northville” with x-axis “Time (hours)” and y-axis “Accumulated Snowfall (inches) and points at (0,3), (9,3), (27,5), (36,4), (42,2), (60,8)” Students are shown also, “Snow Accumulation in Emory, At midnight, there was no snow on the ground. For the next 12 hours, snow fell steadily and 7 inches accumulated. The snow stayed on the ground for the next 24 hours until the temperature warmed. Then it melted steadily for the next 9 hours, at which time the accumulation was down to 5 inches. The warm-up was followed by a 3-hour squall, during which 1 inch of snow accumulated. This snow stayed on the ground for the next 6 hours and then slowly started to melt down to 3 inches of accumulation over a period of 6 hours.”  Teacher directions continue, “2. Discuss the following questions: a. What do you notice about this data set? b. What is this data set representing? c. What categories are included in this data set? d. How do the labels on the graph help you understand the situation? e. What are two different ways that you could compare the two data sets presented? f. What questions do you have about the data? Part II, 1. Review how to qualitatively describe a functional relationship between two quantities by analyzing a graph, and write what students remember on the chart paper. 2. Discuss the following questions: a. Over what interval(s) did the snow accumulation increase in Northville? Between hours 9 and 27 and between hours 42 and 60 b. Over what interval(s) did the snow accumulation decrease in Northville? Between hours 27 and 42 c. Are there any intervals over which the amount of snow accumulation in Northville did not change? If so, when? Yes, between hours 0 and 9 d. Over what interval did the snow accumulation in Northville increase the most rapidly? Between hours 42 and 60 e. Over what interval did the snow accumulation in Northville decrease the most rapidly? Between hours 36 and 42 f. By how much did the amount of snow accumulation change over 60 hours in Northville? Over 60 hours, the snow accumulation in Northville increased by 5 inches. g. Make a sketch of the snow accumulation in Emory over a 60-hour period. h. Which town had greater snow accumulation at the beginning of the 60-hour period? Northville i. Which town had greater snow accumulation at the end of the 60-hour period? Northville j. Which town had the longer interval with no change in snow accumulation? Emory k. Which town had the greater increase in snow accumulation over any period of time? Explain. Emory; the greatest rate of change in snow accumulation for Emory occurred between hours 0 and 12, which was about 0.58 inch per hour. The greatest rate of change in snow accumulation for Northville occurred between hours 42 and 60, which was about 0.33 inch per hour.”

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

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

Suggestions and guidance are provided for teachers to use a variety of groupings, including whole group, small group, pairs, or individual. Examples include:

  • Scope 3: Square Roots and Cube Roots, Explore, Explore 1–Square Roots and Perfect Squares, Preparation, “Plan to divide the Plan to divide the class into groups of 2 or 3 to complete this activity..”

  • Scope 9: Solving Pairs of Linear Equations, Explore, Explore 3–Solving with Substitution, Preparation, “Plan to divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students.”

  • Scope 14: Transformations, Explore, Explore 3–Dilations, Preparation states, “Plan to divide the class into groups of 2 to complete the activity.”

Indicator 3Q
02/02

Materials provide strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to regularly participate in learning grade-level mathematics.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for providing strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to regularly participate in learning grade-level mathematics. 

Within the Teacher Toolbox, the program provides resources to assist MLLs when using the materials. The materials state, “In the curriculum, we have integrated resources to support teachers and families. Below are a few features and elements that can be used to support students at their level and provide an opportunity for families and caregivers to engage in student learning.” Examples include but are not limited to:

  • “Proficiency Levels by Domain – In this section, you will find a snapshot of language application across domains at different proficiency levels. Teachers can use this tool to help identify a student’s English proficiency level by analyzing how students are able to interpret and produce language.”  

  • “Working on Words – This open-ended activity allows students to take agency and accountability for their growing vocabulary. This activity also encourages making relevant, personal connections to new terms in different ways, such as identifying cognates.” 

  • “Sentence Stems/Frames – Students are able to practice engaging in purposeful discussion. These sentence stems and sentence frames can be used for different intents, such as asking for clarification, defending their thinking, and explaining their responses.” 

  • “Integrated Accessibility Features – Across the curriculum, we have embedded tools that allow students to listen to text being read, find the definition of words in the moment, make notes, and highlight words and phrases.” 

  • “Parent Letters – Each scope includes a letter tailored to caregivers in which the content of a scope, including its vocabulary, is explained in simplified terms. Within the Parent Letters, we have included an activities section called Tic-Tac-Toe–Try This at Home that students can engage in along with their families. This letter is written in two languages.” 

  • “Tiered Supports – Within each Explore lesson, we have included tiered supports and strategies that can be applied during the lesson for students at each proficiency level. These range in focus across all domains.” 

  • “Language Connections – Every scope has three Language Connection activities, one at each proficiency level. Language Connections meets the students at their proficiency level by providing teachers with prompts to support students in demonstrating their understanding in each language domain.” 

  • “Virtual Manipulatives – Students are able to use these across the curriculum to help them justify their answers when expressive language may be limited. These can also be used as tools for creating meaningful connections to vocabulary terms and skills.” 

  • “Visual Glossary/Picture Vocabulary – Students are able to combine visual representations and mathematical terms using student-friendly language.” 

  • “Distance Learning Videos – Major skills and concepts are broken down in these student- facing videos. Students and caregivers alike can engage in the activities at home at their own pace and incorporate familiar objects. In this way, students can apply their own language to math.” 

  • “My Math Thoughts/Math Story – These literary elements give students the opportunity to practice reading and writing about math. Students can apply reading strategies to aid with comprehension and practice not just math vocabulary, but situational vocabulary as well.”

Guidance is also provided throughout the scopes to guide the teacher. Examples include:

  • Scope 3: Square Roots and Cube Roots, Explore, Explore 1–Square Roots and Perfect Squares where students will find patterns to recognize that solutions to perfect squares can never be negative. Students will apply their knowledge of squaring numbers being inverses to square roots to calculate solutions to problems containing either a perfect square or a square root. There lies a Language Acquisition Supports segment that provides strategies for fostering students' language development. For example “Students will use learning techniques such as concept mapping, drawing, comparing, contrasting, memorizing, and reviewing to acquire basic and grade-level vocabulary. Beginner: As a pre-lesson activity to review area, place square and rectangle blocks made of snap cubes around the classroom (each block of cubes should be made of one color). Provide students a sheet that lists different areas in the first column and have them write the block color in the second column. For example, if students find a 3 by 5 block of yellow snap cubes, they will write yellow next to the area that states 15 units squared. Intermediate: As a pre-lesson activity to review area, place square and rectangle blocks made of snap cubes around the classroom (each block of cubes should be made of one color). Students are on a scavenger hunt to find all blocks of cubes and their areas. Provide students with a sheet with two columns. Some block colors or areas may be pre-identified in the columns and students will have to determine the missing block color or area. Advanced: As a pre-lesson activity to review area, place square and rectangle blocks made of snap cubes around the classroom (each block of cubes should be made of one color). Students are on a scavenger hunt to find all blocks of cubes and their areas. Provide students with a sheet with two columns. Some block colors or areas may be pre-identified in the columns and students will have to determine the missing block color or area.”

  • Scope 8: Proportional Relationships, Explore, Explore 2–Compare Proportional Relationships where students will compare proportional relationships shown in graphs, tables, and equations. There lies a Language Acquisition Supports segment that provides strategies for fostering students' language development. For example “Students will use visual cues, peers, and teachers to develop vocabulary, language structure, and background knowledge needed to comprehend written text. Beginner: As a pre-lesson activity, students will work with a partner to put a series of pictures in chronological order. The pictures will detail a person's experience from the airport to inside the plane to their destination. Intermediate: As a pre-lesson activity, divide students into groups of two to three students. Have students perform pre-scripted dialogue between a flight attendant and passenger, two passengers, or a Transportation Security Officer and passenger. Advanced: As a pre-lesson activity, students in groups of two to three will write and perform skits about a bad travel experience via plane.”

  • Scope 15: Congruence and Similarity, Explore, Explore 2–Similarity where students will describe the scale factor that produces similar figures and will determine whether it represents a reduction or an enlargement. They will also perform transformations that represent similarity and prove that figures are similar. There lies a Language Acquisition Supports segment that provides strategies for fostering students' language development. For example “Students will use learning techniques such as concept mapping, drawing, comparing, contrasting, memorizing, and reviewing to acquire basic and grade-level vocabulary. Beginner: As a post-lesson activity, have students create vocabulary squares for the term similarity. Complete the following sections of the vocabulary square as a class: Definition, Example (math problem), Non-example, and have students create their own image for the term. Intermediate: As a post-lesson activity, have students create vocabulary squares for the term similarity. Vocabulary squares should include the following sections: Definition, Example (math problem), Non-example, and Image. Provide students with the definition and example, but encourage students to rewrite the definition in their own words. Advanced: As a post-lesson activity, have students create vocabulary squares for the term similarity. Vocabulary squares should include the following sections: Definition, Example (math problem), Non-example, and Image. Provide students with the definition, but encourage students to rewrite the definition in their own words.”

Indicator 3R
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Materials provide a balance of images or information about people, representing various demographic and physical characteristics.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 provide a balance of images or information about people, representing various demographic and physical characteristics. 

While there are not many pictures in the materials students use, the images provided do represent different skin tones, hairstyles, and clothing styles. Also, there are a wide variety of names used throughout the materials. Examples include:

  • Scope 4: Scientific Notation, Engage, Hook, Procedure and Facilitation Points, Part I: Pre-Explore, depicts an individual who may be a different race or ethnicity. “2. Explain the situation while showing the video: Saanvi is working on a new movie for the Independent Film Festival. She plans on filming a 2-hour-and-15-minute movie about living in a small town. As she makes the movie she notices that 24 frames are needed for 1 second of film in a typical 2-hour movie. Saanvi’s goal is to find the most efficient way to represent the total number of frames needed for her 2-hour-and-15-minute movie called Life in a Small Town.” The video shows a male and a female working and talking together. 

  • Scope 11: Rate of Change, Explore, Explore 2–Determine the Rate of Change, Student Journal has a photo of three individuals working in a foodbank.  The individuals are all of a different race and include representation of multiple genders.

  • Scope 16: Pythagorean Theorem, Explore, Explore 2–Finding an Unknown Side Length in Right Triangles, Exit Ticket, depicts an individual of a different race or ethnicity. “At Pacific Miniature Golf, Nasir is building two putting greens for his customers to practice on before beginning their games. Each putting green is shaped like a right triangle. A decorative border is being placed along the perimeter of each of the putting greens. Use both putting greens to help answer the questions below. Round your answer to the nearest tenth, if necessary.”

Indicator 3S
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Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student home language to facilitate learning.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student home language to facilitate learning.

The program provides a list of language acquisition tools and resources. All components of the program are offered in both English and Spanish, including the Introductory Parent Letter and the Parent Letters within each Scope. Examples include:

  • Scope 13: Model Function Relationships, Parent Letter, Description states, “The parent is provided a breakdown of the concepts being learned in class, along with key vocabulary and Math Outside the Classroom! conversation starters.”

  • Teacher Toolbox, Multilingual Learners, Linguistic Diversity states, “In the curriculum, we have integrated resources to support teachers and families. Below are a few features and elements that can be used to support students at their level and provide an opportunity for families and caregivers to engage in student learning.” These resources include, but are not limited to: Working on Words, Sentence Stems/Frames, Integrated Accessibility Features, and Language Connections. 

Indicator 3T
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Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning.

The program is available in Spanish, and includes a number of cultural examples within the materials. Examples include:

  • Scope 3: Square Roots and Cube Roots, Engage, Hook, Procedure and Facilitation Points, provides a story starter and video to introduce students to Diwali. “Prisha is taking an art class after school. She has begun a project to create colorful decorated jewelry boxes to sell for the upcoming holiday of Diwali. She is starting by crafting a test box. It is a hollow box made with extremely thin sheets of wood in the shape of a cube with an almost invisible seam hiding a removable top. She will paint the outside of the box in bright colors. She will cover the top face with decorative silver contact paper and then beautiful glass jewels. She also needs to determine the volume of the jewelry box so she can tell customers how much room they will have for jewelry.”

  • Scope 7: Solving Linear Equations, Elaborate, Spiraled Review–New York City Commuters states, “New York City is one of the most populated cities in the United States. There are a very large number of people that live and work in and around New York City. Because there are so many people, the traffic can get very busy, and it can take quite a long time to go from one place to another. Due to the heavy traffic, many people find that it is easier and more reliable to find other means to get to work. Some people walk several blocks to work, while others take underground subways. People who live outside of the city may take a train to get to the city, and those people who don’t own cars may take a bus. There are many different ways to get around such a big city. When the weather is nice, you will find more people walking around and enjoying the scenery. New York City has so many wonderful things to look at when you’re not in a rush to get to where you need to be!”

  • Scope 11: Compare Functions, Engage, Hook, Procedure and Facilitation Points states,“The Fremont family was taking their annual camping vacation and enjoying a beautiful hike in a forest. Different family members hiked at different paces, and then they all met up for a picnic lunch at the end of the hike. Alyssa Fremont made visual aids, such as graphs, tables, equations, and written sentences, to show everyone’s progress in the hike and to motivate people for tomorrow’s hike. As she looked at her data, she wondered who had the greatest slope and who had the smallest slope.”

Indicator 3U
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Materials provide supports for different reading levels to ensure accessibility for students.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 provide supports for different reading levels to ensure accessibility for students.

The Teacher Toolbox has a tab entitled, Multilingual Learners, Linguistic Diversity, that highlights some of the options to help students at different reading levels. Examples include:

  • Teacher Toolbox, Multilingual Learners, Linguistic Diversity, Language Acquisition Progression states,  “Each student’s journey to acquiring a new language is unique. A common misconception is that language acquisition is linear. However, the process is continuous and open-ended and it differs across language domains (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) depending on factors such as context or situation, with whom the learner is engaging, and how familiar the student is with the topic. The Proficiency Levels by Domain provide an overview of how students are applying language across different domains, as well as methods and tools that can be applied to provide support. The skills and strategies provided are meant to build upon each other as students progress through the levels.

  • Teacher Toolbox, Multilingual Learners, Linguistic Diversity, Resources and Tools states,  “In the curriculum, we have integrated resources to support teachers and families. Below are a few features and elements that can be used to support students at their level and provide an opportunity for families and caregivers to engage in student learning. Proficiency Levels by Domain – In this section, you will find a snapshot of language application across domains at different proficiency levels. Teachers can use this tool to help identify a student’s English proficiency level by analyzing how students are able to interpret and produce language. Working on Words – This open-ended activity allows students to take agency and accountability for their growing vocabulary. This activity also encourages making relevant, personal connections to new terms in different ways, such as identifying cognates. Sentence Stems/Frames – Students are able to practice engaging in purposeful discussion. These sentence stems and sentence frames can be used for different intents, such as asking for clarification, defending their thinking, and explaining their responses. Integrated Accessibility Features – Across the curriculum, we have embedded tools that allow students to listen to text being read, find the definition of words in the moment, make notes, and highlight words and phrases. Parent Letters – Each scope includes a letter tailored to caregivers in which the content of a scope, including its vocabulary, is explained in simplified terms. Within the Parent Letters, we have included an activities section called Tic-Tac-Toe –Try This at Home that students can engage in along with their families. This letter is written in two languages. Tiered Supports – Within each Explore lesson, we have included tiered supports and strategies that can be applied during the lesson for students at each proficiency level. These range in focus across all domains. Language Connections – Every scope has three Language Connection activities, one at each proficiency level. Language Connections meets the students at their proficiency level by providing teachers with prompts to support students in demonstrating their understanding in each language domain. Virtual Manipulatives – Students are able to use these across the curriculum to help them justify their answers when expressive language may be limited. These can also be used as tools for creating meaningful connections to vocabulary terms and skills. Visual Glossary/Picture Vocabulary – Students are able to combine visual representations and mathematical terms using student-friendly language. Distance Learning Videos – Major skills and concepts are broken down in these student-facing videos. Students and caregivers alike can engage in the activities at home at their own pace and incorporate familiar objects. In this way, students can apply their own language to math. Skills Quiz – This element utilizes just the numbers! This allows teachers to assess a student’s understanding without a language barrier. My Math Thoughts/Math Story – These literary elements give students the opportunity to practice reading and writing about math. Students can apply reading strategies to aid with comprehension and practice not just math vocabulary, but situational vocabulary as well. Daily Numeracy – This scope is not only a way for students to work on their flexibility in thinking about numbers and strategies, but it also gives the class an opportunity to listen and discuss math in a structured way as a community of learners.” 

In addition, within each Explore in a Scope, Language Supports highlights suggestions to involve different reading levels. The materials have suggestions for beginner, intermediate, and advanced.  Examples include:

  • Scope 5: Scientific Notation, Explore, Explore 2–Estimating Numbers and Scientific Notation, states, “Beginner: As a reference sheet for the lesson, provide students with a labeled diagram of a number written in scientific notation. Include labels that point out the following: Base 10; Integer Exponent, Coefficient (between 1 and 10), Multiplication sign. Intermediate: As a reference sheet for the lesson, provide students with a sheet of questions that outline the thinking process for how to convert a number to scientific notation. Questions may include: (1) Is the number big or small? (2) Will the exponent be positive or negative? (3) How many places should I move the decimal? etc. Advanced: As a pre-lesson activity, have students create a concept map using a word bank that outlines how to convert a number to scientific notation. Key phrases may include: the exponent is negative, the exponent is positive, decimal moves to the right, decimal moves to the left, etc.” 

  • Scope 14: Transformations, Explore, Explore 2–Rotations, Reflections, and Translations, Language Acquisition Supports states,  “Beginner: As pre-lesson support, provide students with a summary sheet that includes the terms, definitions, and images for the words transformation, reflection, translation, and rotation. Have students look over the sheet and ask questions before the lesson. Intermediate: As pre-lesson support, provide students with a summary sheet that provides the incomplete definitions for the words transformation, reflection, translation, and rotation, and a word bank hat includes the terms and any missing words in the definition. The sheet should also include corresponding images for the definitions. Have students work with a partner to use context clues and prior knowledge from the previous lesson to complete the sheet. Advanced: As pre-lesson support, provide students with a summary sheet that provides the incomplete definitions for the words transformation, reflection, translation, and rotation and a word bank that includes the terms and any missing words in the definition. The sheet should also include corresponding images for the definitions. Have students work with a partner to use context clues and prior knowledge from the previous lesson to complete the sheet.”

  • Scope 17: Pythagorean Theorem, Explore, Explore 3–The Pythagorean Theorem in Rectangular Prisms, Language Acquisition Strategy states, “Beginner: As a pre-lesson activity, help students to learn the positional words–diagonal, horizontal, and vertical–with hand motions. Play a game such as when you say a position word, students have to make the corresponding arm motion. Intermediate: As a pre-lesson activity, provide students with an image of objects positioned either diagonally, horizontally, or vertically. Then ask students to write down 3 items that are diagonal, 2 items that are horizontal, and 1 item that is vertical. Advanced: As a pre-lesson activity, have students create three drawing depictions–one for each position word: diagonal, horizontal and vertical. Then encourage students to write a sentence about their drawing including the position word. For example: The picture is vertical.” 

Indicator 3V
02/02

Manipulatives, both virtual and physical, are accurate representations of the mathematical objects they represent and, when appropriate, are connected to written methods.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 meet expectations for providing manipulatives, both virtual and physical, that are accurate representations of the mathematical objects they represent and, when appropriate, are connected to written methods. Examples include:

  • Scope 2: Integer Exponents, Explore, Explore 2–Multiplying with Exponents, Description states,  “Students will match equivalent multiplication expressions and show how one expression can be simplified to generate another.” Materials, “Printed 1 Student Journal (per student); 1 Set of Matching Cards (per partnership); 1 Exit Ticket (per 2 students). Reusable: 1 Resealable bag (per partnership).” Preparation: “Print a set of Matching Cards for each partnership. Cut out and place cards in a resealable bag. If desired, print them on card stock, and laminate them for future use. In the Procedure and Facilitation Points section it states “Give a set of Matching Cards to each partnership.”

  • Scope 8: Proportional Relationships, Explore, Explore 2–Compare Proportional Relationships, Description states, “Students will compare proportional relationships shown in graphs, tables, and equations.” Materials, “Printed: 1 Student Journal (per student); 1 Exit Ticket (per student); 1 Set of Flight Prices by Season Cards (per group); 1 Set of Flight Prices by Day Cards (per group). Reusable: 2 Resealable bags (per group).” Preparation, “Print a set of the Flight Prices by Season Cards for each group. Cut out the cards, and place each set in a resealable bag labeled “Part I.” If desired, print them on card stock, and laminate them for future use. Print a set of Flight Prices by Day Cards for each group. Cut out the cards, and place each set in a resealable bag labeled “Part II.” If desired, print them on card stock, and laminate them for future use. In the Procedure and Facilitation Points section it states give a set of Flight Prices by Season Cards to each group.”

  • Scope 18: Volume, Explore, Explore 2–Cones, Description states,  “Students will discover the formula for the volume of a cone and solve mathematical and real-world problems to find the volume of a cone.” Materials, “Printed 1 Student Journal (per student); 1 Set of Cone It Cards (per group) 1 Cylinder and Cone Nets (per group) 1 Exit Ticket (per student) Reusable 1 Resealable bag (per group); 1 Pair of scissors (per teacher); 1 Glue stick (per group). Consumable: 1 Bag of rice (per group).” Preparation, “Print one Cylinder and Cone Nets for each group of students. If desired, print them on cardstock. Print a set of Cone It Cards for each group of students. If desired, print them on card stock and laminate for future use. Cut out the cards, and put them in a resealable bag for each group. In the Procedure and Facilitation Points section it states "Give one copy of the Cylinder and Cone Nets, a pair of scissors, a glue stick, and a bag of rice to each group.”

Criterion 3.4: Intentional Design

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The program includes a visual design that is engaging and references or integrates digital technology, when applicable, with guidance for teachers.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 integrate technology such as interactive tools, virtual manipulatives/objects, and/or dynamic mathematics software in ways that engage students in the grade-level standards; include or reference digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other; have a visual design that supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject that is neither distracting nor chaotic; and provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning. 

Indicator 3W
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Materials integrate technology such as interactive tools, virtual manipulatives/objects, and/or dynamic mathematics software in ways that engage students in the grade-level/series standards, when applicable.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 integrate technology such as interactive tools, virtual manipulatives/objects, and/or dynamic mathematics software in ways that engage students in the grade-level standards, when applicable. 

The entire STEMscopes program is available online, and this review was conducted using the online materials. Throughout the Scopes and related activities and lessons, students are able to access the eBook for their grade level. Additionally, any assessments can be completed online. A tab on the website entitled, How to Use STEMscopes Math, provides videos the teacher can watch to learn about a variety of options available online. Virtual manipulatives are available throughout the K-8 program as well. Videos and Powerpoint presentations are available for the teacher to use when teaching a strategy to students. Teachers can also access blackline masters for exit tickets, assessments, and student tools on the website. 

Indicator 3X
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Materials include or reference digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other, when applicable.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 include or reference digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other, when applicable.

The program provides an opportunity for students to submit work through the website to the classroom teacher. Additionally, students can complete assessments digitally through the site. This allows some of the work/assessments to be auto scored by the site. Teachers can override any decisions made by the site’s scoring. Teachers also can send feedback on assignments and assessments to each student individually. In the Help section, the program provides a video as well as a handout to guide teachers through assigning and evaluating content. Examples include:

  • STEMscopes Help, Teacher Tools, STEMscopes Help Series, Assigning Content states, “Once you have classes in your STEMscopes account and your students are in your classes, you can assign material from STEMscopes to your students. They can then access under their own login and submit work to you online. Step 1: Log in and go to the Scopes tab and choose the lesson you want to assign content from. Step 2: Click on the student activity you want to assign. On that page, you will see the green Assign To Students button. Note that when you are in the orange teacher sections, you will not see that button. Click Assign to Students. Step 3: You will see a blank New Assignment page. You can now fill in the drop down menus for all the sections for your account. Then, assign to all or certain individual students within your section. Toggle your start/due dates (not required). Your assignment will not open (students see in their account) until that start date. You can then add labels that can help you/your students find certain assignments (see “Lab” example in help video). You can use your note for students portion (not required) to add notes or even to provide directions/guidance for your assignment and students will see this when they click on the assignment. Click on the green Add this Assignment button to assign. Student View of Content, Step 1: Once students log in, they will see their assignments from their teacher. Note the tags that help them search for a particular assignment. Students can click on an assignment to get started. Step 2: Once in an assignment, students can read, click to type their answers, use a drawing tool to answer questions, and click on multiple choice answers. Note students can enlarge text, use text to speech feature, highlight text, use comments & turn on dictionary mode for assistance. They can click the Save button to save their work and close, or if they’re finished, click the green Turn In button to submit. Teacher View of submitted content, Step 1: Once a teacher logs in, they will see the Student Activity feed on the lower right. It will show the name of the student(s) who completed work, title of the content, and time completed. Teachers can click on the assignment they want to view and/or grade. Step 2: After clicking on the assignment, teachers will see the information related to that assignment. If it was an auto-graded assignment the grade will appear along with how long it took the student to complete the assignment and when they turned it in. Teachers can then see individual results by clicking on the View Results button. Teachers can have students retake assignments by clicking on the Reset button. Teachers can also edit their assignment via the Edit Assignment button or archive the assignment via the Archive button.”

  • STEMscopes Help, Teacher Tools, STEMscopes Help Series, Evaluating Content state, “...Not all assignments are exactly the same. Some are autograded on the website and some are open-ended and the teacher will have to go in and assign a grade to them. Some are submitted for reference to show that they were done. One example of this is the Picture Vocabulary. Notice that it says “no” for graded, which means Picture Vocabulary doesn’t have anything for students to submit for grading (see the check mark as completed along with time spent and date completed). The Reset button will reassign it to the student and make it reappear on their end. A multiple choice assessment, however, is graded automatically. When a teacher clicks on the assignment, they’ll see all the information about the assignment: 1. Start/due dates; 2. Who assigned to; 3. Autograded checked off; 4. Average for the assignment; 5. The element assigned; 6. Which section is assigned to; 7. Option to view standards; 8. Option to Edit Assignment; 9. Archive the assignment. Teachers will see all students in the section, their status for the assignment, their grade (autograde feature), how long it took them to complete the assessment, when it was submitted, and buttons to see how they performed or to reset their assignment. When viewing results, you’ll notice the correct answers are green and the student in this example chose the correct answer. Teachers can go in and edit the credit awarded by simply clicking on the number and changing the grade (for example, to give partial credit). Teachers can also provide feedback to the students via the Note box. Once the teacher has made all notations, click the green Save button and the blue Close button. For whatever reason, to return the assessment to a student, click the red Return button and you can type in your instructions for the student and click the red Return button again. This student will update in your list with no grade and a gray Returned to student box. In this assignment snapshot, teachers can see all the questions on one screen, the percentage of correct/ incorrect answers, which standard(s) the question is attached to, and which students answered incorrectly. Missed standards will be listed at the bottom of the page. This allows the teacher to quickly see who needs help and which standard(s) may need reteaching/review. For other assignments, there are some things you have to grade by putting in a score or because they are open-ended questions. For example, this student below completed an assignment and submitted it to the teacher. The teacher will see a P in the grade column which means pending. The teacher needs to go in and assign a grade to the student’s work. To do this, click the gray Grade button to pull up the student’s work. There you can assign points based on the correct answers that are provided and make comments for the student. When done, click the green Save button and then the blue Complete button. Where you saw the P in the grade column should now change to a numerical grade based on the student’s answers. Students will not be able to see grades or notes until you click on the green Release Feedback button just above the list of their names on the main assignment page. The button will then turn orange and say Revoke Feedback. If a teacher needs to make changes, edit/add comments they can click that button and complete the process and release feedback when done. Teachers can view assignments given to multiple sections via the Students tab and click on the Assignments tab. Here, you’ll see a master list of assignments and how many sections that the assignment/assessment was given to. You can click on the items on the left to be taken to the main screen for each to begin grading/view performance.”

Indicator 3Y
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The visual design (whether in print or digital) supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject, and is neither distracting nor chaotic.

The materials reviewed for STEMScopes Math Grade 8 have a visual design (whether in print or digital) that supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject, and is neither distracting nor chaotic.

There is a consistent design across the K-8 grade levels. For each grade level, the website is formatted in a similar way. Each grade level starts with a link to the Teacher Toolbox, which provides overarching information and guidance. That is followed by a link, STEMScopes Math: Common Core Kindergarten Teacher Resources. This link provides a Scope and Sequence for the grade level, vertical alignment charts, lesson planning guides, as well as assessment alignment documents. The following link, How to Use STEMScopes Math, provides videos for the teacher to view to learn about tools and options available within the program. Launch into Kindergarten provides an overview of the curriculum at the grade level. Fact Fluency and Daily Numeracy links follow. A link to each Scope in the grade level follows. The Scopes are set up with the same tabs: Home, Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate, Intervention, and Acceleration. The materials within these tabs are clearly labeled and concise. Assessments can be completely virtually or printed, and both styles provide ample work space. 

The Help section of the web page provides guidance to teachers in navigating the site. Help, Curriculum Navigation, STEMScopes Help Series, Curriculum Navigation, states, “There are a variety of resources available to teachers here to facilitate the instruction of the content. First of all, STEMScopes is built on the 5E model which is evident on the dropdown toolbar above. There is also I and A for Intervention and Acceleration. Above that you see labels for the lesson topic, grade level, and standard(s). On the right, you’ll see all the essential elements that are available to the teacher for implementing the lesson. The orange Ts are teacher elements, the blue Ss are for student elements, and the ESP means the element is available in Spanish. You can, however, visit some elements (this example is on the Explore tab, Explore Student Materials) and there will be a Ver en español button. Clicking on this will translate most of the page from English to Spanish. Another thing we offer is on the teacher elements. Our content is online where students can read, complete the work, and submit it to teachers within the site, but there are downloadable versions of the content too. This is accessed by clicking on the Print Version button on the right of the page. When you click on it, it will download/open as a digital PDF that you can make copies of or email to parents if needed. Also, you will see the customization bar at the top of every page. It floats down with you as you scroll and can help teachers and students with text sizing, text-to-speech, highlighting text, inserting comments to the page/to text, and defining words. You can get more in-depth tutorials for these features via their individual videos/help sheets. Each teacher element will have the following buttons: Assign to Students: Click to assign the element to your sections to work on in class, as homework or intervention. Add to Planner: Click to add the element to your planner when mapping out how you will teach the Scope. Bookmark Element: Click to bookmark the element to your home page for quick access. 1. Text sizing 2. Text-to-speech 3. Highlighting feature 4. Comment feature 5. Dictionary feature Finally, on the main Scopes page, you will see three resources that you can use. The Teacher Toolbox can help with your planning, lab resources, and lesson matrixes. The Visual Glossary provides a media library of science terminology for teachers and students. STEMcoach in Action is a free professional development resource for teachers. It’s worth noting that not all Scopes look the same and, consequently, some elements may look a little different depending on what grade level you’re subscribed to.”

Students materials are available in printed and eBook form. Both versions include appropriate font size, amount and placement of direction, and space on the page for students to show their mathematical thinking. 

Indicator 3Z
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Materials provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning, when applicable.

The materials reviewed for STEMscopes Math Grade 8 provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning, when applicable.

The materials reviewed were digital only. In each grade level, a section entitled, How to Use STEMscopes Math, provides videos teachers can use to learn about the options available online. Each Scope also provides virtual manipulatives for teachers and students to use to enhance learning. Students can also complete assessments throughout the program online. Facilitation Tips within each Scope’s Teacher Guide provide helpful hints to the teacher as they progress through the Scope.