The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts.

The materials contain sets of coherently sequenced higher order thinking questions and tasks that provide students with multiple opportunities to analyze language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts in order to make and build understanding within each thematically-based unit. The Cold Read activity for each texts encourages students to refer to pre-defined vocabulary and contains higher order thinking questions in the form of both text-dependent and text-specific questions. This type of activity is designed to help students make meaning of what they are reading as they prepare for the Close Read’s Extended Writing Prompt that asks students to more closely analyze the text using evidence. Examples of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, in the Cold Read of “Call of the Klondike: A True Gold Rush Adventure,” students respond to the prompt: “How do the text structure, text features, and added sidebar help you to understand the causes and motivation behind “gold fever” and the process involved in staking a claim? In a clear topic sentence, use these informational text elements (text structure, text features, and sidebar) to make inferences about life in the Klondike, using Pearce’s recollection of the stampede to Swede Creek. Organize and support your writing with evidence from the text, using precise language and specific vocabulary choices from the selection.”
• In Unit 2, in the Cold Read of Gladiator, students analyze structure as they respond to the prompt: “Why does the author use sequence (or time order) in Gladiator to organize his ideas? How does telling about the events in the order that they happened help you understand what brought about the beginning and end of the gladiator tradition in Rome?”
• In Unit 3, in the Cold read of “Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress Toward,” students analyze language as they address the prompt: “How does the use of alliteration and other forms of repetition help Gwendolyn Brooks develop her themes in “Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward”? How does the use of figurative language, such as metaphors, contribute to the development of the themes? Use your understanding of poetic elements to determine the themes that emerge in this poem. Support your writing with specific evidence from the text.”
• In Unit 4, in the Cold Read for The Outsiders, students analyze key ideas as they address the prompt: “Use specific textual evidence to make three inferences about how interacting with Cherry has changed Ponyboy’s point of view about the Greasers and the Socs. Consider which pieces of textual evidence help you make these inferences and how your own prior knowledge supports them.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts.

The materials provided students multiple opportunities, through questions and tasks, to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts. Each unit contains texts that are represented in more than one format, several texts that explore/represent one theme, and several argumentative prompts that give students the opportunity to state and claim and use evidence from the various texts to support their claim.

Throughout the year, students thoroughly read, write about, and discuss numerous reading selections. Each unit includes prompts for informational, argument, and literary analysis writing tasks that require students to cite evidence from multiple texts. Each unit also includes a Research Project.

Instruction begins with a First Read Lesson, designed to emphasize meaning making and content comprehension. First Read lessons include StudySyncTV, which models critical thinking with collaborative passages that students are reading, and end with a series of short answer text-dependent questions. Students are then introduced to Skill Lessons and Close Read Lessons to support knowledge building, and culminate with a short constructed response that synthesizes their work. Each unit also contains a Full Text Study which comes with companion texts. This text set becomes the resource for the final activity for the Full Text Study, where students are asked to complete sustained writing tasks in response to prompts that require them to compare and contrast two or more of the texts in the set. Examples of coherently sequenced set of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, students read Jack London’s, The Call of the Wild and listen to an audio version of the text. Then, students are asked to complete the following writing task: “Compare and contrast the text and the audio versions of The Call of the Wild. Begin with a clear thesis statement that sets the direction for the rest of your writing. How are the two media alike, and how are they different? At what points does the audio version use expression, intonation, and /or pace to support or interpret the text? In what ways do these interpretations help to develop character, setting, plot, and theme? Using precise language and selection vocabulary, support your writing with evidence from the text and the audio file. Use transitions to show the relationships among your ideas. Present your information with a formal style. Summarize your main points in a conclusion that supports the ideas you have presented.” To further knowledge building, in the Close Read section, students are asked to annotate using the following prompt that deepens their understanding of the text by tying the text's theme back to the Essential Question for the Unit: "How does Buck's story help readers understand what drives individuals to undertake a mission? Highlight textual evidence and make annotations to support your response."
• In Unit 3, the Extended Writing Project requires students to compare and contrast two texts. Students are asked to “Write a literary analysis in which you compare and contrast the text about Gandhi with the text about Mandela to determine which is more convincing in presenting and supporting the claim that this individual was a great defender of justice and human rights. Analyze the reasons and evidence presented in the text as well as the language that is used to describe the individual’s words, actions, and accomplishments. Then decide which writer was more persuasive in defending his claim about the impact this person had on human rights.”
• In Unit 4, one of the Full Text Studies is The Miracle Worker by William Gibson. After reading the play, students are asked to watch a film version of the play and write a compare/contrast essay addressing the following prompt: “Write an essay discussing Gibson’s translation of The Miracle Worker from stage to screen. Some questions to consider: How do the formal properties of film dictate certain creative choices? What opportunities does the medium of film offer a storyteller that the theatre cannot? Conversely, how is film more restrictive than the stage? Your essay should reference the film as well as the play in your analysis, offering specific examples of the ways in which the film changes or expands upon the source material. Which version do you prefer and why?” A Reading Guide with key passage breakdowns is included for every section of the text, to ensure that students are able to build knowledge and think critically about the text.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that the questions and tasks support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic (or, for grades 6-8, a theme) through integrated skills (e.g. combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

• In Unit 1, in the Extended Writing Project, students focus on the driving force that causes people to set out on a mission to achieve a goal, no matter the cost. Through their reading of short stories, poetry, memoirs, and several nonfiction narratives, students learn about the characters’ and real life people’s pursuit of these missions. The culminating task requires students to write an informative/explanatory essay about the motivation behind a person or character from one of the readings that was compelled to embark on a mission. The reading, speaking, and listening tasks throughout the unit work together to lead to this culminating project by providing questions for consideration along the way, such as in the Close Read of The Call of the Klondike: “How do the text structure, text features, and added sidebar help you to understand the causes and motivation behind ‘gold fever’ and the process involved in staking a claim?”

• In Unit 2, in the Research Section, students are provided with opportunities to demonstrate their comprehension. For example, in Unit 2, students respond to the following prompt: “What are the most pressing injustices in our society today? Interview a friend, family member, or neighbor about this topic. What injustices does this person find troubling in our society? Then do research to help you find more facts about the issues your person has cited. Does your research lead you to agree or disagree with the person you interviewed? Do you think the problems he or she identified are the most pressing ones for our nation, or does another issue seem more pressing? Present your claim in an argument. Use sound reasoning and strong supporting evidence.”

• In Unit 3, students read, write, and discuss the importance the importance of defending human rights. The reading selections in the unit feature determined individuals who have taken a stand and have become a voice for others fighting for basic human rights. The Extended Writing Project requires students to write a literary analysis where they compare and contrast two of the texts in the unit and make a claim about which subject of the two texts - Gandhi or Mandela - is a greater defender of justice and human rights. The reading questions and activities that the students have been challenged with along the way help them to eventually arrive at this task, such as the following prompt in the Close Read of “Elegy on the Death of César Chávez”: “Think about how Rudolfo Anaya uses figurative language and connotation in ‘Elegy on the Death of César Chávez.’ How does his use of figurative language and connotation help him develop his message (or theme)? Begin your writing with a clear thesis statement. Then think about what you know of Chávez from having read ‘About César,’ an informational text. How do both texts support the evidence that Chávez was a protector of human rights?”

• In Unit 4, students examine the forces that create challenges for human interaction. The texts in the unit illustrate the challenges that humans encounter when they try to form relationships with each other and with the world around them. The Extended Writing Task requires students to write an argumentative essay that explores the challenges that humans face when interacting with the environment. Specifically, students choose an invasive plant or animal to research. The students then write an explanation of whether humans should intervene in the situation or let nature take its course. The activities in the unit prior to this culminating task have students consider both sides of an issue such as in the First Read of “The Dangers of Social Media”: “What evidence is there that both the “Point” and “Counterpoint” writers believe that social media is a permanent part of American society? What different conclusion do the writers draw from this point of view?

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic and domain-specific vocabulary words in and across texts.

Language instruction in the StudySync core program provides systematic vocabulary instruction as well as repeated opportunities for practice and application in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students will encounter vocabulary-building opportunities across all three lesson types: First Reads, Skill Lessons, and Close Reads.

Students are exposed to the challenging vocabulary in the text. They are given opportunities to use context clues and analyze word parts in order to understand the meaning of the words, and teachers are encouraged to model these types of strategies. The materials focus on language development by having students use context clues, word placement, and common Greek and Latin affixes and roots to figure out the meaning of words. The lesson plans for each text focus on academic and domain-specific vocabulary, and students are exposed to these vocabulary words through a variety of media. The vocabulary words are explained by other teens through a video, and there is a written explanation and examples for each term below the video.

Students are also provided with a Vocabulary Handbook within each unit. This includes lessons on topics such as synonyms, context clues, base words, and prefixes. Each unit also includes instructional presentations, practice activities and assessments for teachers to use to support students with vocabulary development. Examples of opportunities for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, in the First Read of “The Song of Wandering Aengus,” the materials bold certain vocabulary words as the students approach the read for the first time. After reading, students have to answer questions related to the bold words. For example, students are directed to, “Use context to determine the meaning of the word flickering as it is used in line 6 of ‘The Song of Wandering Aengus.’ Write your definition of flickering here and cite specific context clues to explain how you determined its meaning.” Later, in the Close Read of “The Song of Wandering Aengus,” students are provided with the vocabulary words and the definitions. Students then write about the word choice used in this selection.

• In Unit 2, in each First Read, students build lexical dexterity through using various strategies including context clues, Greek and Latin roots and affixes, and the relationships between words to determine the possible meanings of two selected words. In the Close Read of “The Lottery,” the materials provide a graphic organizer for vocabulary review. Students think about the meaning of the word, and then use it correctly in a sentence.

• In Unit 3, in the Close Read of The People Could Fly, students review the vocabulary and then complete a fill-in-the-blank activity to check their understanding of the vocabulary. Students have a discussion comparing and contrasting two texts. The lesson plan tells the teacher, “Make sure that students have acquired and accurately use academic-specific words and phrases related to the skill, and demonstrate a command of formal English appropriate to the discussion.”

• In Unit 4, Lessons 19 and 20 focus on building Academic Vocabulary. Students are asked to match the word part with each academic vocabulary word and then explain how they will remember the meaning of the word. For example, for the word revise, students would match it with the part vid/vis (Latin) “see” and then type a response on how they would remember the meaning of revise.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials support students’ increasing writing skills over the course of the school year, building students’ writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of the school year.

The materials supports students’ growth in writing skills over the course of the school year. To achieve this goal, instructional materials include well-designed lesson plans, models, and protocols for teachers to implement and monitor students’ writing development. Direct instruction on the writing process builds as the year progresses. Within the unit, students write in response to driving questions in Blasts, comprehension questions in First Reads, and discussion questions in Close Reads. These informal writing opportunities prepare students to write more formally as part of each unit’s Extended Writing Project and Research assignments. For Research, students discuss, plan, research, write, and deliver presentations. In the Extended Writing Project, students complete a writing project in one of the three primary modes of writing with the help of a student model, graphic organizers, rubrics, and extensive scaffolding of writing skills. The students engage in all phases of the writing process. Examples of materials supporting students’ increasing writing skills over the school year include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, the Extended Writing Project focuses on the informative/explanatory form of writing. In addition to providing writing skills applicable to most of the writing modes, such as audience and purpose, introductions and conclusions, and body paragraphs and transitions, students will focus on skill lessons particular to informative writing, such as thesis statement, organization, supporting details, and citations. The next step in the Extended Writing Project process is for students to practice and develop the skills they learn.

• In Unit 2, the Extended Writing Project focuses on the narrative form of writing. The Student Model is used to help students better understand how narrative elements work together to create an engaging story, analyze how the Model employs specific skills to capture and retain readers’ interest, examine the process the writer used to develop the narrative through graphic organizers and story road maps, and identify how the model might benefit from revision. Direct instruction is included on skills lessons such as organization, descriptive details, and narrative techniques and sequencing.

• In Unit 3, in the Close Read Section of “About Caesar,” students complete an extended writing assignment according to the following prompt: “Why is “Sí, se puede!” (“Yes, it can be done!”) a fitting motto for Cesar Chavez’s life and for the influence he had on events, ideas, and the people around him? Why do you think Chavez thought it was important to defend human rights? In crafting your response, begin with a clear thesis statement and use your understanding of informational text elements by analyzing the interaction among people, ideas, and events in the selection. Organize and support your writing with textual evidence, and use precise language and vocabulary from the selection. Use transitions to show the relationships among your ideas, and provide a concluding statement that summarizes your key points.” Once students complete their writing assignment, they submit substantive feedback to two peers and use their peers' feedback to improve their writing.

• In Unit 4, in the Full Text Study of The Outsiders, students write an analytical essay that synthesizes the study of the main text and the accompanying texts, as seen in the following example: “Tell a story of social dynamics that you have witnessed firsthand. You can tell the story in memoir form, like in Bronx Masquerade, or using another kind of media. For inspiration, check out this video featuring S.E. Hinton, in which she describes not only the locations that inspired The Outsiders, but the process of turning those locations into significant story points.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials include a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials.

Each of the four units in the Grade 7 materials include multiple opportunities for students to engage in research activities and present their findings. Each unit begins with a Big Idea Blast that gives students their first opportunity to draft a response to the driving question of the unit. The Blast includes multimedia research links that are related to the theme. As students interact with the research links in the Blasts throughout the unit, they formulate a broader understanding of the theme, the texts in the unit, and the issues that surround them. The First Read of each selection in the unit includes a Build Background activity that asks students to work collaboratively on a small scale research inquiry that complements the text they are reading.

Each unit also includes an extensive, multi-step Research Project that is related to the unit’s theme and is a culmination of the skills that the students have practiced over the course of the unit and the knowledge they have gained. After sharing and discussing the results of individual members’ research findings, each group plans and then delivers a formal presentation in either the narrative, argumentative, or informative mode using multimedia elements such as videos, graphics, photos, and recordings to reinforce its main ideas.

If students are working on a topic that is informative, they present evidence to develop the subject matter. If students are working on a topic that involves presenting an argument in support of a claim, they use evidence that both supports their opinion and answers opposing viewpoints, or counter arguments. The Speaking & Listening Handbook is of critical importance during this phase of the Research project both for speakers and for listeners, who are required to respond critically and constructively to the work of their peers. Each unit provides suggested topics for each research project. Examples of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, students research what motivates people to take on a mission, what missions people pursue, and what strategies they might use to accomplish a mission. Students work together to plan and deliver an informative or argumentative group presentation about the topic of undertaking a mission. Students are given a list of suggested topics for research such as “How could you compare and contrast the mission undertaken by a character in a fictional story, such as Walt Masters in The King of Mazy May, with a real person’s attempt to achieve the same mission in a historical account, such as Stanley Pearce in Call of the Klondike? How might the two texts that describe similar events be alike in their portrayal of an individual who is undertaking a mission? How might they differ?”

• In Unit 2, students research an aspect of the way power is used in society. Students work together to plan and deliver an informative or argumentative group presentation about the particular topic they have chosen. They research in search of strong supporting evidence relevant to their topics. One suggested topic for research is “How are the media biographies of a powerful person similar to and different from print accounts of the same leader’s actions? Think about a historical or contemporary leader who has been the subject of at least one film or television biography (apart from broadcast news). How did this portrayal differ, if at all, from the straightforward facts? For example, did the media portrayal emphasize the person’s heroism or villainy? How did the media presentation show the person’s effect on his or her society? Develop your presentation with evidence from both media and print sources.”

• In Unit 3, students research examples of how great leaders have fought to combat injustices and defend human rights. People are particularly motivated to defend their rights and the rights of others during times of political struggle and in the face of injustice or religious persecution. Students work together to plan and deliver an informative or argumentative group presentation about the particular human-rights topic they have chosen. One suggested topic for research and presentation is as follows: “How would you compare and contrast a biographical text about an important defender of human rights, such as “About Cesar,” with a poem written to honor the same person, such as “Elegy on the Death of César Chávez”? César Chávez is an example of someone who fought for the rights of others--in his case, migrant farm workers--and brought about positive changes. How might the two texts be similar in their portrayal of such an individual? How might the texts differ? How might their message to readers be similar yet different?”

• In Unit 4, students research different situations and how people respond to each other in those situations. Responses can be emotional, learned, or instinctive. Students collaborate to plan and deliver an informative or argumentative group presentation on the topic of choice. One suggested topic for research and presentations is as follows: “How do the video and written versions of The Outsiders compare to each other? How are they similar? How are they different? Does one present more information about the characters than the other? Explain. Does one version give you a better understanding of each character’s emotions and responses? Do the written and video versions show the characters interacting with each other differently, and if so, how? How does your perception of the characters’ reactions in the written version change after seeing them in the video?

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

The Core Program Overview includes a structured guide titled “Building an Independent Reading Program.” This section provides an overview of why independent reading is important, and it gives details on how to set up such a program in the classroom. Teachers are also given a five step plan to implement an independent reading program that provides choice for students to select texts and read independently at home and at school. This includes referring students to the StudySync Library where they can explore other titles in the library that share the same themes as addressed by the units.

Suggestions for accountability include reading logs, notebooks, online reflections, and informal conversations; having students do end-of reading activities such as filling out a Google Form, pitching books, producing movie trailers, writing reviews on GoodReads, designing movie posters, and participating in a book club style chat. Examples of opportunities for students to regularly engage in a volume of independent while being held accountable include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, in the First Read of The Hobbit students are given an opportunity for independent reading. The lesson plan instructs the teacher to “Individually or as a class, have students read the Introduction to The Hobbit.” The lesson then states, “Have students read and annotate the excerpt.” The students are expected to read independently in class for this lesson, although the teacher may have students listen to audio versions of the text.

• In Unit 2, students are encouraged to read texts on the theme of The Powers That Be during independent reading. The Core Program Guide states, “Your independent reading program should be ongoing, so it’s important to set up a system for recording what students are reading. This can be easily done using a Google Form to create an online reading log. As students finish each book, they should complete a form providing basic information about their book, a rating and a written review.” The pacing guide gives suggestions for further and independent reading including texts such as Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, and The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

• In Unit 3, the StudySync Library includes several additional texts related to the theme Justice Served. Additional texts include The Internationale by Eugene Pottier, The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton, and We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks. The Core Program Guide states, “In addition to the time you spend reading in class, it’s important to set clear expectations for independent reading outside of the classroom. Students should read outside of class for a set amount of time each day. As students become stronger readers, the time spent reading outside of class should also increase.”

• In Unit 4, the pacing guide provides suggestions for further and independent reading. The pacing guide begins by stating, “Students will gain a deeper understanding of both the themes and the historical context of The Outsiders after exploring the completed works excerpted in the StudySync Full-text Unit for S.E. Hinton’s classic novel.” The pacing guide goes into detail about The Outsiders and then goes on to list texts that students might be interested in reading that are related to the themes presented in the unit.

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

Each lesson is designed for a fifty-minute period. The year-long instruction is broken into four units. Each unit is broken into forty-five lessons, totalling 180 days of instruction. Each unit follows a similar structure, and a Full Text Study is provided for each unit. Most lessons begin with a First Read, then a Skill lesson, followed by a Close Reading activity. Each lesson includes detailed lesson plans for the teacher, as well as online materials for the students. Each lesson plan has clear guidelines for a core path as well as an access path that may include categories for beginner, intermediate, advanced, and approaching. Units 1 and 3 contain an alternative pacing guide that incorporates core instructional units with English language development lessons.

Each unit also includes a Pacing Guide that helps teachers utilize the resources offered in each StudySync Core ELA and English Learner unit. The pacing guide weaves lessons from every segment of this Core ELA unit: the Instructional Path, Extended Writing Project, Research Project, and Full-Text Study. An additional column helps the teacher align Core ELA unit content with lessons from its companion English Learner unit.

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

The pacing guide for each unit divides the unit into forty-five days in order to be able to complete the curriculum in an 180-day school year. Instructional days often contain more than a single task. Pacing is based on fifty-minute instructional days, but teachers may need to modify the suggested pacing to fit their scheduling needs. This can easily be accomplished through selection of the ten to twelve available texts in each unit. Examples of pacing allowing for maximum student understanding and the ability to complete the content within a regular school year include but are not limited to:

• In order to meet the needs of individual schools, the Pacing Guide provides a Shortcuts section, which highlights areas where teachers can trim the unit to ensure that they are covering the most important sections.

• Suggestions for for shortening a unit include the following: “Replacing the Research Project with a Crowdsourcing Activity: Instead of a 12 day research project, you can make the research component of this unit an informal exploration using a crowdsourcing activity, and eliminate Repeated Author’s Purpose and Point of View Skill Lessons: Each unit focuses on developing specific skills. Some of these skills are repeated throughout the unit to ensure students have plenty of practice with those skills. If you are in a rush and looking to cut some of the content in a unit, you can eliminate one or two of these skill lessons and feel confident your students will still be exposed to the information they need about author’s purpose and point of view.”

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

The materials, through their integrated approach that combines reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and presenting, along with instructional routines that are predictable and easily understandable, provide students with activities and opportunities to practice what they are learning.

The unit components offer clear explanations and directions, teacher and student models, and a variety of instructional routines and opportunities to practice and apply skills. Student writing and text annotations are saved to an electronic binder where students can receive peer and teacher feedback. With more than 40 short, constructed responses over the course of a grade level, the materials provide frequent opportunities for on-demand writing practice.

The teacher’s lesson instructions are clear, and the lessons are detailed. For example, in Unit 1, students study the skill of Central or Main Idea while reading Barrio Boy. As an introduction to the skill, students are provided with a definition of the skill, both in written form and through an informational video. Next, students dive deeper by observing the application of the skill through further explanation and a model. During this model section, students have the option of using an annotation tool and/or listening to the audio version of the text. As a last step, students have the opportunity to practice what they learned through the “Your Turn” section. In this section, students read a short passage, analyze the text, and answer two multiple-choice questions.

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

The materials offer resources that connect the Common Core State Standards to the elements of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The Scope and Sequence document provides a grid that shows where all of the informational and literature standards are covered within each unit - specifically where they are introduced as practice/application only or instruction along with practice and application. Every assignment that the students complete has information at the bottom of the page that connects the task to the Common Core Standard being addressed. Every lesson comes with a detailed lesson plan that outlines the objectives and lists the Common Core Standards that are covered in the lesson. Every step of the lesson plan is provided in detail and mentions the relevant connections to the CCSS. All of the sections and handouts in the Speaking and Listening Handbook contain references to the Common Core State Standards being addressed, as well. Examples include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, in the First Read of “The Lottery,” students answer Think questions that are aligned to Common Core State Standards. For example, students answer the following question: “What specific details in the first paragraph describe the day on which the lottery takes place? Why do you think the story gives such specific details about the setting–the time and place of the story?” This question aligns to CCSS.RI.7.1. In the Close Read of “The Lottery,” students answer the following writing prompt: “Sometimes what you expect to happen doesn’t happen. That is the case with “The Lottery.” Explain how story elements interact in the text to lead to the surprise ending. For example, how did the warm, bright setting interact with the plot to lead you to expect that something good would happen in the story? Use precise language to demonstrate your understanding of story elements. Then provide examples of how characters influenced the plot or the plot influenced characters to turn your expectations upside down and produce the story’s shocking ending.” This prompt aligns to RL.7.1, RL.7.3, W.7.10, W.7.2.A, W.7.2.B, W.7.2.C, W.7.2.D, W.7.2.E, W.7.2.F, W.7.4, W.7.5,and W.7.6

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher’s edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

Detailed lesson plans are provided for each text within each unit. Access Paths, Blasts, First Reads, Close Reads, and Skill Lessons are provided along with detailed instructions, activities, and answer keys for each task suggested in the lesson plans. Embedded technology includes Tech Infusions, which are extension activities that incorporate technology such as Padlet, Diigo, PollEverywhere, etc. Another technological feature is Blast activities. This feature allows students to participate in a classroom version of social media, beginning with a driving question and a shared reading of background on a topic. This is followed by responding to the driving question in a public forum, participating in a poll, and reviewing live research links to learn more about the Blast’s topic. Blast responses go live in real time, allowing students to give each other feedback, select favorite responses, and reflect on the driving question again in light of the words of their peers. Examples include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, in the First Read of “The King of Mazy May,” the teacher is provided with the following embedded technology task: “Have student groups use Glogster to create online posters about dog sledding in the Yukon. Encourage them to combine images, captions, and video.”

• In Unit 2, in the Close Read of Gladiator, teachers are provided with the following guidance in modeling close reading: “Project the text onto the board and model a close reading...Use the annotation strategies mentioned below. While modeling them, make notes that tie the text to the focus skill of informational text structure and demonstrate what students should be looking for as they read. Here is some guidance for you as you annotate for your students: The author also uses a cause-and-effect text structure in the paragraphs. In the fifth paragraph of Chapter XI, he discusses ‘the powerful attraction of the games’ (the cause) and that ‘even a great leader like Constantine could not or would not stop them completely’ (the effect).”

• In Unit 3, in the First Read of A Long Walk to Freedom, teachers are provided with the following embedded technology activity: “Have student groups use a Padlet Wall, Glogster, or Google Drawings to make a presentation about Nelson Mandela based on their Build Background research. As an alternative, student groups can make paper posters to share their research findings. Encourage groups to be creative in their presentations.”

• In Unit 4, in the Skills Lesson: Compare and Contrast for “The Dangers of Social Media,” teachers are provided with the following instructions to help guide a discussion: “As students read the Model text, use these questions to help them understand how to compare and contrast how two authors shape presentations of key information when writing on the same topic. Remind students to acknowledge new information expressed by their peers, modifying their own views, as needed. According to the Model, why is comparing and contrasting author presentations a good idea when analyzing a point/counterpoint article?

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

In each lesson plan, teachers are provided with full explanations and examples of the more advanced literary concepts in the following sections of the Teacher’s Edition section entitled, “Instructional Path.” The Access to Complex Text section provides teachers with information to access the complex text by providing the actual literary concepts and examples found in the featured text. The Overview section provides teacher with a summary of the text identifying the literary concepts included in the featured text. Answer Keys are provided with all activities in each lesson plan of each text along with Access to Complex Text features for each text to assist the teacher is scaffolding instruction for the students, so that they all can access the complex text. This text includes a Teacher’s Glossary in each unit which includes linguistic, grammatical, comprehension, and literary terms that may be helpful in understanding reading instruction. Examples of explanations and examples include but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, in the First Read of The Hobbit, the teacher is provided with information in the lesson plan to help students access complex text. For example, the teacher is provided with information about how the excerpt is organized, the genre, and the sentence structure: “Much of the information is conveyed through dialogue. Readers may benefit from hearing the dialogue read aloud in different voices, while noting information about character, setting, and plot, which is gleaned from each speaker. Students who have limited experience with reading fantasy stories may need help with identifying characters, such as goblins and wizards, and their roles in the story. Sentences with multiple phrases or clauses may challenge students. Readers must remember to use the punctuation as a guide for isolating and interpreting units of meaning within each sentence.”

• In Unit 2, in the Grade 7 ELA Overview, the teacher is provided with the information to help students understand the circumstances surrounding the tradition of The Lottery and provide scaffolded instruction for a close reading of the more complex features of this text. For example, the following background information is provided: “A short story is a short work of fiction that often has fewer characters than a novel and often focuses on a tightly knit setting, characters, and plot. “The Lottery” is very atmospheric and reads like the reporting of an event. The plot, which focuses on a sinister tradition, shocks readers as the surprise ending brings the story to a close.”

• In Unit 3, in the Grade 7 ELA Overview, teachers are provided with the following information to help students access complex texts: “In this excerpt, the Cesar Chavez Foundation briefly describes Cesar Chavez’s early life, union victories, and legacy.” Teachers are encouraged to provide scaffolded instruction for a close reading of the more complex features of this text such as specific language by identifying specific words that may be challenging to students such as strike, boycott, collective bargaining, and trade unionist.

In Unit 4, in the Skill Lesson: Theme for “The Amigo Brothers,” the teacher is provided with the following information on theme to help lead a class discussion: “To help these students participate in the discussion, prompt them with questions that can be answered with a few words, such as: What is another term or phrase for theme? Is there any one place where you will find the theme of a story? Do you think stories are a good genre to explore a theme? Why?”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher’s edition that explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum.

StudySync’s Program Overview states, “The core program was built from the ground up to fully align with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. The program’s instruction targets requirements of these standards.” The program offers a variety of high-quality texts. The selections presented in each unit and grade offer a balance of literary and informational texts. These texts offer complex themes and ideas as well as compelling characters and language. The alignment is evident in the Scope and Sequence. In this chart, texts are listed in order by unit. For each text, the materials identify which standards are being practiced and which ones are being taught and practiced. This is indicated by an “o” and an “x” respectively. At a glance, teachers can tell which Reading Literature, Reading Informational Text, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language standards are being addressed by each text.

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

The materials provide a document in the Core Program Guide entitled, “Research-Based Alignments.” In this document, the publisher provides an overview of the research upon which the instruction in StudySync was built. The document provides a summary of key research findings and recommendations for best practices of instruction in English Language Arts, focused on Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language, and Media and Technology. The document summarizes key research findings and research-based recommendations related to effective reading instruction from several key sources. Some of the key sources are as follows:

• Reading Next-A Vision for Action and Research in Middle and High School Literacy: A Report to Carnegie Corporation of New York 2nd Edition (Biancarosa & Snow, 2006). Written in conjunction with staff from the Alliance for Excellent Education, this document describes 15 key elements of effective adolescent literacy programs. Designed to improve adolescent achievement in middle and high schools, the elements are subdivided into instructional improvements and infrastructural improvements.

• Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices: A Practice Guide (Kamil, Borman, Dole, Kral, Salinger, & Torgesen, 2008). This report provides clear and evidence-based recommendations for enhancing literacy skills in the upper elementary, middle, and secondary levels. An analysis of the quality of the evidence supporting each claim is provided.

• Reading for Understanding: Toward an R&D Program in Reading Comprehension (2002). This review of the research on reading comprehension instruction was conducted by the Reading Study Group for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Education Research and Improvement.

• Writing to Read: Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading. A Report from the Carnegie Corporation of New York (Graham & Herbert, 2010). This document provides a meta-analysis of research on the effects of specific types of writing interventions found to enhance students’ reading skills.

Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools. A Report from the Carnegie Corporation of New York (Graham & Perin, 2007). This report provides a review of research-based techniques designed to enhance the writing skills of 4th to 12th grade students. Additionally, specific findings have been incorporated from other recent, reputable research related.

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

The materials contain both formative and summative assessments that can be used to measure student progress. There is a placement test that can be given at the beginning of the unit. Each unit has a summative assessment that tests comprehension, skills, vocabulary, and writing. Teachers use the responses in the First Read, the Skills lessons, Close Reads, Blasts, and Extended Writing Projects to conduct ongoing formative assessments. These formative assessments contain a variety of assessment types including multiple choice, short answer, discussion, and extended response. Formative assessments are found throughout the unit, and the End of Unit summative assessments are found in the Core ELA Assessment materials.

The materials provide Placement and Diagnostic Assessments, which are typically given at the beginning of the school year. These assessments focus on fluency and spelling, including an upper-level spelling inventory. The materials also provide oral reading and maze fluency assessments.

In the final portion of a Skills lesson, students respond to two short questions about a different passage of text from the First Read. These assessments provide teachers with immediate feedback on student performance, and the program contains guidance to teachers on how to alter instruction based on that performance.

Throughout each unit, students are assessed on their understanding of key instructional content along with their ability to write to sources. The results of these summative assessments provide teachers with data to track year-long progress and inform instructional decisions.

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

Formative assessments are built into each unit through Blasts, First Reads, Close Reads, and Skills Activities. Each formative assessment includes notations of the standards that are being addressed. The Teacher Introduction portion of the Core ELA Assessments document describes the assessments’ key areas of focus. The answer key at the end of each downloadable paper copy of the assessments provides item-specific information such as content focus/skill, Common Core State Standard, and Depth of Knowledge (DOK) level. The online version of the assessments offers the same metadata for each item along with tech-enhanced item functionality.

For example, in Unit 1, in the Close Read of The Hobbit, students respond to the following prompt: “Story elements--setting, character, and plot--interact. Therefore, characters in a story may influence the action of the plot, or the plot may influence the actions of the characters. How might the story element of character influence the events of the plot (or the conflict of the plot) in The Hobbit? For example, how might the two sides of Bilbo’s personality--one excitable, nervous, and cautious, the other strong and fierce--impact the plot? Answer the question with a clear thesis statement. Draw inferences from the text, and support your writing with specific textual evidence. Organize your ideas, and use transitions to clarify and connect them. Write a strong conclusion that summarizes your ideas and wraps up your essay.” This writing prompt serves as a summative assessment and support teachers to identify mastery of the Common Core State Standards RL.7.1, RL.7.3, W.7.10, W.7.2.A, W.7.2.B. W.7.2.C, W.7.2.F, W.7.4, W.7.5, and W.7.6.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that assessments provide sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow up.

At the culmination of each unit, students are assessed on key instructional concepts and their ability to write to prompts. The information that these assessments reveal informs future instruction, leveling and grouping, and the need for remediation and/or reteaching. These end-of-unit assessments also generate reports for students and parents on skill strengths, skill deficiencies, standard and skill proficiency levels, and across-unit growth. Students take end-of-year assessments that indicate their readiness for state testing.

At the end of the final assessment for Unit 2, the materials guide the teacher in how to modify instruction based on outcomes such as, “If students score less than 75% on the vocabulary items in unit assessment...then reteach the Word Meaning skill lesson using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path...use the Access Handout 4 Vocabulary activity in the Close Read lessons for additional practice with word meaning...use the Vocabulary Workbook lessons 9, 19, 23, and 25 for additional practice with Context Clues.”

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

The StudySync materials provide for ongoing review, practice, and feedback. The Core Program Guide explains that assessments available in StudySync ELA allow for monitoring student progress, diagnosing possible issues, and measuring student achievement in relation to their understanding of previously-taught skills. The assessments included within the program help teachers gather data to address students’ instructional needs, and they measure the critical components of reading. The assessment options are grounded in research. Each unit has a Research and an Extended Writing Project, which include routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress in writing. Routines and guidance include but are not limited to:

• Teachers are provided with placement and diagnostic assessments that support their decision-making regarding appropriate instructional levels for students. These assessments serve as a baseline and help teachers to monitor student progress throughout the school year.
• Each Unit provides teachers with lesson plans that “point teachers toward minute-to-minute formative assessment opportunities.” First Reads, Skills, Close Reads, and Extended Writing Projects offer “medium cycle assessment opportunities for students and teachers to chart progress toward key learning outcomes. End of unit assessments and performance tasks test key skills and measure progress summatively.”
• Each chapter of the Language and Composition Handbook focuses on a specific grammar or usage skill. Each chapter begins with a pretest, followed by instruction and practice, and ends with a post test.

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

Throughout each instructional Unit, differentiated lessons are provided for the teacher to use. This Access Path provides differentiated lessons that are classified as emerging, intermediate, advanced, and approaching. The lesson plans provide a column to offer suggestions for the teacher to use in order to adequately differentiate the lesson. Student grouping is suggested in many lessons. Differentiated worksheets are provided. ELL students may be provided with more sentence frames while receiving access to the same materials.

Each lesson includes a full complement of Access Handouts. Access Handouts are differentiated through the use of sentence frames, graphic organizers, glossaries, and many other activities. Access Handouts provide students with support to complete core assignments alongside their on-grade level classmates.

Teachers can create multiple online classes and custom learning groups. This allows teachers to assign texts and weekly Blast based on Lexile levels. Teacher can customize the directions and requirements for entire classes, smaller groups, or individual students. Teachers can “modify prompts, turn on audio readings, and extend due dates” to help students meet learning goals.

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

Students read grade-level texts through the support of teacher modeling and scaffolded instruction. Students work as individuals, in small groups, and as a whole class. Student Models of interactions with texts are provided via multimedia introductions. Reading skills are supported by explicit grammar and vocabulary instruction. The instructional materials provide guidance on how to adapt instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners.

For each Unit, teachers can choose the Core Unit or EL Unit. The EL Unit contains materials and assessments for beginner, intermediate, and advanced learners. All lessons contain a Core Path and an Access Path for teachers along with Access handouts for students to support the instruction in the Access Path. The program provides instructional materials that can be used for pre-teaching, reteaching, remediation, and small group instruction. Documents include the following: Grammar, Language, and Composition Workbook, Vocabulary Workbook, Spelling Workbook, Standard English Learners Handbook, and Foundational Skills.

The materials provide access supports for the reading of texts such as Audio Options, Audio Text Highlight Tool, Audio Speed controls, Video Content with Closed Captioning, Text Enlargement, and Keyboarding. The materials provide supports for students who are full English language learners, and they provide supports for students who are learning Standard English. These supports include Contrastive Analysis Drills, Translative Drills, and Discrimination Drills.

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

There are activities in the Access Path in each of the four units that are offered for beyond grade-level students. These activities are designed to take above grade level students further into the core path content should they complete the activity before other students. Along with the scaffolds that differentiate instruction for English learners in the Access Path, teachers locate differentiation suggestions for beyond grade-level learners that stretch their thinking, adding more opportunities for collaborative and creative engagement. While Core Path questions may exercise reading comprehension strategies as well as inference techniques and the application of textual evidence, the beyond activity asks students to brainstorm how two characters might talk their way out of trouble.Technology can be leveraged to support these students.

For example, in Unit 2, in the First Read of The Giver, the Access Path offers advanced students an activity to access prior knowledge. In small groups, students discuss “how they would feel about having a job assigned to them at age twelve - a job that they would have to do for the rest of their working lives. After their discussion, ask students to complete a short writing response on the Access 3 handout.”

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

Throughout each instructional unit, students are encouraged to learn in groups. Students participate in collaborative conversations about texts, watch StudySyncTV group discussions which serve as models, and receive instruction in whole group, small group, and one-on-one settings.

Throughout every instructional unit, the lesson plans provide a column to offer suggestions for the teacher in order to adequately differentiate the lesson. Student grouping suggestions are provided in many lesson plans. Differentiated worksheets are provided. ELL students may be provided with more sentence frames while still receiving access to the same materials. For example:

• In the Close Reads for each text, students express their ideas in collaborative conversation groups before planning and writing a short constructed response.

• The Access Path guides teachers to leverage technology tools, such as Closed Captioning and Audio Text Highlight to engage and instruct learners. Additionally, the Access Path guides provide suggestions for alternating between whole group, small group, and one-on-one instruction.

• At each grade level, the Speaking and Listening handbook is divided into four sections: Collaborative Discussions, Critical Listening, Research Using Various Media, and Presentation Skills. Each section is comprised of a comprehension lesson plan, including student handouts, checklists, and rubrics. Each section contains formative assessments that can be used and repeated for the following activities: engaging in small or large-group discussions, listening critically and responding to information and ideas shared by others, conducting research and assembling findings, and presenting in the narrative, informative, and argumentative modes using multimedia elements.