7th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

Texts include a balance of 60% literary (39 literary texts) and 40% informational texts (26 informational texts). There is a wide array of literary and informational anchor texts for every unit. Additional supplementary texts are included, resulting in a wide distribution of genres and text types as required by the standards. Literary texts include, but are not limited to novel excerpts, folktales, dramas, and poetry. Informational texts include, but are not limited to essays and biographies.

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

• In Unit 1, “The Wise Old Woman” by Yoshida Uchida (folktale)
• In Unit 2, “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe (poetry)
• In Unit 3, Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez (novel excerpt)
• In Unit 4, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut (short story)
• In Unit 5, Aesop’s Fables by Aesop (fables)
• In Unit 6, A Thousand Cranes by Kathryn Schultz Miller (drama)

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

• In Unit 1, “The Teacher Who Changed My Life” by Nicolas Gage (informational text)
• In Unit 2, “Museum Indians” by Susan Power (essay)
• In Unit 3, Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry (biographical excerpt)
• In Unit 4, “The Power of Student Peer Leaders” by David Bornstein (essay)
• In Unit 5, Remarks at the UNESCO Education for All Week Luncheon by Laura Bush (speech)
• In Unit 6, “The Classical Roots of The Hunger Games” by Barry Strauss (article)

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for texts having the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task.

Most texts in the StudySync materials fall within either the Current Lexile Band or the Stretch Lexile Band for Grades 6–8. Texts range from 860L to 1360L; most texts are appropriate for Grade 7 according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to the reader and task. A number of texts fall below the Grades 6–8 Lexile band but are sufficiently challenging for students based on background knowledge needed, unfamiliar vocabulary, and connections to the unit themes and tasks. Some of the quantitative information indicated in the StudySync materials is different from other sources, such as The Lexile Framework for Reading website. In some cases the materials provide Lexile levels for the excerpt, rather than the Lexile levels of the full texts.

Most texts have the appropriate level of complexity for Grade 7 students. Examples of texts with appropriate text complexity include:

• In Unit 1, students read “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” by Rudyard Kipling
• Quantitative: 1010L
• Qualitative: Text demands include complex sentences; some contain some unfamiliar vocabulary words and include many descriptive details. The Teacher Guide suggests reminding students to use punctuation clues as they decipher units of meaning. Suggestions also include showing India’s location on the map and briefly defining colonialism.
• Reader and Task: After reading, students complete a literary analysis on how Nag and Nagaina are portrayed as the villains. They discuss whether or not they think that Nag and Nagaina are truly evil or have they been unfairly cast as villains. “Think about how they react to other characters and events in the story. Then, choose a side, and then write a brief response that explains their position.” Students use both explicit and implicit evidence from the text to support their points.
• Unit 4, students read Barrio Boy by Ernesto Galarza
• Quantitative: Excerpt 1080L, Full Text 1140L
• Qualitative: Spanish terms such as barrio and Escuela Municipal Numero 3 para Varones of Mazatián may be challenging for readers. The text discusses immigrant experiences. The author introduces an important central idea: “Being an immigrant is a challenge, but it doesn’t have to mean forgetting who you are or where you come from.” Geographical references, such as San Blas, Mexico, and Sutter’s Fort may challenge some students.
• Reader and Task: The teacher guides students through a close read of the text. Students respond to an informative prompt—“Think about what this excerpt from Barrio Boy is mostly about. Think about how Ernesto changes from the beginning of the excerpt to the end. What events, individuals, or ideas impacted this change? Then, identify two central ideas or main ideas that are developed over the course of the text. Explain their central or main ideas in your own words. Remember to use textual evidence to support your response.”
• Unit 6, students read “Reality TV and Society” (author not cited)
• Quantitative: 1110L
• Qualitative: Students may not be familiar with a pro/con organization of two articles on opposing viewpoints. Argumentative texts that employ specific techniques that readers need to recognize may challenge the reader. The text references specific reality TV shows that may be unfamiliar to some readers.
• Reader and Task: The teacher guides students through a close read of the text. Students engage in a debate and develop their argument on whether reality TV is good or bad for society. To prepare for their debate, students must write a claim and provide three reasons with evidence to support their claim, using examples from the text as well as their own experiences and research.

A few anchor texts have quantitative measures that are not within the Grade 7 Current or Stretch Lexile Bands but are appropriate to Grade 7 by other measures. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 3 students read “The First Americans” by The Grand Council Fire of American Indians Richard Connell is below the recommended Lexile band for Grades 6-8; however, the text is appropriate to use in Grade 7 because the use of rhetorical devices is challenging for students.
• Quantitative: 900L
• Qualitative: Students will need to understand the rhetorical purpose for using a direct address and who “we” refers to. They will also need background knowledge to understand historical references.
• Reader and Task: Students write a literary analysis response summarizing the main points of the letter and explaining how word choice affects the reader.
• In Unit 6 students read The Giver by Lois Lowry is below the recommended Lexile band for Grades 6-8; however, the text is appropriate to use in grade because the concepts, such as the conditions of living in a futuristic utopia with very strict guidelines, that the reader has to encounter to understand the text are complex.
• Quantitative: Excerpt 710L, Full Text 760L
• Qualitative: Students may struggle with the concept of a dystopian society and the effect of those rules on society. The Unit Overview, page 77, suggests that the teacher review the concept of dystopian society with the students. Also, students may struggle with specific vocabulary—Assignment, new children, Ceremony of Twelve—used in the text. The Unit Overview, page 77, suggests that students make connections to words that they may understand to arrive at a meaning. If the students need more support, the suggestion is that the teacher explicitly teaches the vocabulary.
• Reader and Task: Students compose a personal response expressing their thoughts on the positive and negative aspects of living under societal rules and whether they would want to live in such a society.
• In Unit 3 students read “Letter to President Theodore Roosevelt, July 17, 1903” by Mother Jones is above the recommended Lexile band for Grades 6-8; however, the text is appropriate to use in Grade 7 because of the background knowledge needed of the textile industry and the use of multiple audiences in the text.
• Quantitative: 1370L
• Qualitative: Students may struggle with historical background knowledge about working conditions in the textile industry and the multiple audiences for whom this text is intended.
• Reader and Task: Students write a compare and contrast response with other texts in the unit to explain how the audience and purpose of each text impacts its style and language.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that anchor texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for purpose and placement in the grade level.

The text complexity analysis and rationale are included in the Grade 7 ELA Overview. It provides a qualitative analysis that includes information about background knowledge needed, vocabulary needs, and other potential challenges related to context as well as tasks students might complete related to the texts. It provides quantitative information measured in Lexiles. Because many of the unit texts are excerpts, the StudySync Library notes the Lexile level for the excerpt used as well as the Lexile level for the full text; however, this distinction is not included in the provided text complexity document.

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

• In Unit 1, Grade 7 ELA Overview, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, the following information is provided: The text addresses the themes of conformity and individuality. Complexity of the text is evident through students understanding the point of view of the text. The story of Stargirl is told through the lens of Leo. Also, vocabulary terms that allude to other texts need to be clarified for comprehension of the text. Terms such as Heidi and Bo Peep represent a few terms that would need to be discussed. After reading, students engage in a personal response writing in which they make a case for conforming and individuality using Leo’s observations. The Lexile level stated in the materials is 740L. This is inaccurate. Multiple sources indicate the Lexile level is 590L. An explanation of the 740L quantitative measure is not present in the materials.
• In Unit 2, Grade 7 ELA Overview, “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe, the following information is provided: This poem contains difficult vocabulary, stanzas consisting of long sentences, and complex symbolism, all of which will challenge students. The materials provide a number of Skill Lessons related to the text and there is opportunity for students to closely read and discuss the poem to build understanding. Students write a literary analysis based on the poem and can use it as inspiration for their Extended Writing Project. Lexile measures are not available on poetry or drama.
• In Unit 3, Grade 7 ELA Overview, We Beat the Streets by Sharon Draper, Sampson Davis, Rameck Hunt, and George Jenkins, the following information is provided: This text is an autobiography that shares personal stories of three people. Text notes denote that students may struggle with the references to Shakespeare. The Overview suggests that the teacher clarifies the reference to Hamlet. The teacher should also support the students through the text regarding the nonfiction premise while a story is being told. After reading, the students write a literary analysis on one of the authors from the text. The Lexile Level is listed at 890L.
• In Unit 5, Grade 7 ELA Overview, an excerpt of Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, the following information is provided: It is a dystopian fiction text that addresses survival. Complexity of the text is evident through the use of a dystopian backdrop. Students may struggle understanding this setting. Text notes suggest holding a discussion about a dystopian society to aid in understanding. Students may also struggle to connect with Katniss’ motherly instinct to protect her younger sister. Text notes suggest asking the students to consider their feelings about this and to make a prediction about the text. After the students read the excerpt, they are asked to write a personal response to express their initial reaction to the last scene of the excerpt. The materials state the Lexile level for the excerpt is 1000L; multiple sources state the Lexile level for the full text is 810L.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that anchor and supporting texts provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to achieve grade level reading proficiency.

The StudySync instructional materials consist of a variety of complex texts and scaffolded instruction to help students develop the skills and strategies necessary to achieve grade-level proficiency in reading. Students read complex texts aloud as a class, independently, in pairs, and in small groups. Texts are organized in units with selections that support the unit’s theme and Essential Question. Genres include, but are not limited to: novels, poetry, drama, short stories, and articles. Each unit contains a variety of texts and activities that require students to think deeply, monitor their understanding, and apply the knowledge they learn through meaningful tasks and assessments, such as Collaborative Conversations, Short-Constructed Responses and Comprehension Quizzes (online quizzes). The Program Guide states that students learn strategies to monitor and improve their own comprehension, and “students use an annotation tool to engage in metacognitive practices as they monitor their own reading comprehension in First Read, Close Read, and Independent Read lessons.” The materials provide teacher guidance for prompts throughout the activities and after assessments, allowing students to reflect on their own learning.

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

• In Unit 1, “Conflicts and Clashes,” the focus is on fiction, and students read a variety of fictional works like “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” by Rudyard Kipling, Woodsong by Gary Paulsen, and Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, in addition to other fictional, informational, and poetic texts. As they read, students work to answer the Essential Question “When do differences become conflicts?” One text included in the unit is “The Wise Old Woman” retold by Yoshiko Uchida. Under the Integrated Reading and Writing tab, the Lesson Plan offers grouping options such as, whole group, small group, or independent, for all parts of the First Read task. The Lesson Plan also suggests that the students read and annotate the text independently for focus skills, such as generating questions, making and confirming predictions, and synthesizing information. As the students read independently, the “Check for Success” section of the Lesson Plan suggests that the teacher circulates the room to provide support and to check student progress. Students complete an online quiz to check their comprehension of the text. Students then engage in Skill Lessons and a Close Read. In the Close Read, students engage in Collaborative Conversations in the Write section of the lesson during which the students compare and contrast this text with two other texts included in the unit.
• In Unit 4, “The Moment of Truth,” the genre focus is informational text. Students read The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, and “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut. As they read, students work to answer the Essential Question “How can one event change everything?” One text included in the unit is the informational article, “The Power of Student Peer Leaders” by David Bornstein. Under the Integrated Reading and Writing tab, the Lesson Plan offers grouping options such as, whole group, small group, or independent, for all parts of the First Read task. The Lesson Plan also suggests that the students read and annotate the text independently for focus skills, such as using context clues, generating questions, and making connections to personal experience or ideas in other texts. As the students read independently, the “Check for Success” section of the Lesson Plan suggests that the teacher circulates the room to provide support and to check student progress. Students complete an online quiz to check their comprehension of the text. Students then engage in Skill Lessons on reading skills such as compare and contrast and a Close Read. In the Close Read, students engage in Collaborative Conversations in the Write section of the lesson, during which the students compare and contrast this text with two other texts on the same topic included in the unit. Students then complete a Blast on “Heroes of Science” and create a response Blast in a Short-Constructed Response in (140 words or less).
• In Unit 6 “The Power of One” the genre focus is drama. The unit begins with a science fiction classic, an excerpt from Lois Lowry’s novel, The Giver and the play A Thousand Cranes by Kathryn Schultz Miller. Finally, First Lady Laura Bush makes the case for universal education in “Remarks at the UNESCO Education for All Week Luncheon.” As they read, students work to answer the Essential Question “How can we stand out from the crowd?” One text included in the unit is the informational article “Nothing to Envy” by Barbara Demick . Under the Integrated Reading and Writing tab, the Lesson Plan offers grouping options such as whole group, small group, or independent, for all parts of the Independent Read task. The plan also suggests that the students read and annotate the text independently for focus skills, such as generating questions; tracking the relationship between individuals, ideas, and events; and responding with connections and inferences. As the students read independently, the “Check for Success” section of the Lesson Plan suggests that the teacher circulates the room to provide support and to check student progress. Students complete an online quiz to check their comprehension of the text. Then students engage in Collaborative Conversations before completing the prompt in the Write section of the lesson, during which the students write about the dangers of speaking freely in North Korea.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-dependent/specific, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text).

Text-dependent/specific questions, tasks, and assignments support students’ literacy growth over the course of the school year. Grade 7 consists of six units of study that contain a variety of texts and activities. The majority of the questions and associated tasks require students to engage with the text directly. The Think tab of each First Read section contains a series of constructed response questions that require textual evidence. The Your Turn portion of the Skill sections contain multiple choice questions that refer specifically to the text. The Close Read sections include a Write task that asks students to synthesize text details and to cite textual evidence. Students answer text-dependent/specific discussion questions tied to different types of media that can be accessed via StudySyncTV. Teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation of text-dependent/specific writing and speaking activities. The Teacher Edition provides specific and explicit instruction for teachers to implement materials including, but not limited to, guiding questions, tasks to activate knowledge, and scaffolding for all learners in assisting students in completing activities such as writing a compare and contrast response, composing a personal response, and answering multiple-choice questions. When answering text-dependent/specific questions, students receive directions on where to look for details and what information should be included. Sample exemplar answers are provided for all questions.

Instructional materials include questions, tasks, and assignments that are text-dependent/specific over the course of a school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Integrated Reading and Writing, “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” by Rudyard Kipling, First Read, Think Tab, students answer five open-ended text-specific questions including “How did Rikki-tikki come to live with the English family? Cite specific evidence from the text to support your answer. What do the descriptions of Nag in paragraph 23 suggest about his character? Cite specific evidence from the text to support your answer.” In the Teacher Edition, the materials provide the following guidance for the teacher during this task: “Answer Think Questions : Circulate as students answer Think Questions independently. See the answer key for sample responses.”
• In Unit 3, Integrated Reading and Writing, “Machines, not people should be exploring the stars for now” by Don Lincoln, Skill, students answer multiple choice questions such as “In paragraph 11, Lincoln claims that robotic space exploration is less expensive than manned space flight. How does he support this claim? What piece of evidence best supports your answer to number 1?”
• In Unit 4, Integrated Reading and Writing, Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, Close Read, Write Tab, students complete the following task: “COMPARE AND CONTRAST: “An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793” and Fever 1793 both describe people reacting to a terrifying disease in their community: yellow fever. Compare and contrast people’s understanding of the disease in the selections. Then explain how people’s understanding of the disease influences their responses. Use evidence from both texts to support your ideas.”
• In Unit 6, Integrated Reading and Writing, The Giver by Lois Lowry, Independent Read, Write Tab, after reading the text independently and watching the StudySync TV episode on the text, students complete the following writing activity: “PERSONAL RESPONSE: What do you think are the positive and negative aspects of living in a society in which each person's future occupation is decided for them? Would you want to live in such a society? Cite evidence from the text to support your response.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for having sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent/specific questions and tasks build to a culminating task that integrates skills (may be writing, speaking, or a combination).

Culminating tasks are rich and of quality, provide opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and are able to do in speaking and writing, and are evident across a year’s worth of material. Materials include both text-specific and text-dependent questions and tasks that help prepare students for each unit’s Extended Writing Project. The culminating tasks integrate writing, speaking, or both. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are taught as integrated skills throughout the unit in lessons such as SyncStart, First Read, Close Read, Independent Read, and Skill lessons. The Extended Writing Projects and Extended Oral Projects ask students to explore the theme and Essential Question of the unit in depth. During culminating tasks, students engage in a range of writing and demonstrate proficiency when writing oral research presentations, argumentative essays, literary analysis, informative essays, and narrative pieces.

Tasks are supported with coherent sequences of text-dependent questions and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, “Conflicts and Clashes,” students read the short story “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” by Rudyard Kipling. In the SyncStart lesson, students write a short literary analysis to help them learn about characters based on the following prompt: “In this story, Nag and Nagaina are portrayed as the villains. Do you think that Nag and Nagaina are truly evil, or have they been unfairly cast as villains? Think about how they react to other characters and events in the story. Then, choose a side, and then write a brief response that explains your position. Use both explicit and implicit evidence from the text to support your points.” Later in the unit while reading “Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes, students analyze the features of fiction in response to a prompt. These lessons help prepare students for the unit’s Extended Writing Project, during which students write a narrative in response to this prompt: “What conflicts would exist in a world where people can know what others are thinking? Imagine a world where people can know what others are thinking. What conflicts would cease to exist in that world? What new conflicts would arise? Write a story about a conflict that exists because it’s possible to know another person’s thoughts.” Their narratives should include a plot, setting, characters and dialogue, a conflict, and a theme.
• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows, in the Extended Writing Project, students use the texts studied in the unit to write an argumentative literary analysis in response to the Essential Question “What do we learn from love and loss?” The following text-specific questions in the First Read of “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe prepare students for the culminating task: “After the death of Annabel Lee, what does the speaker do every night? What does the narrator do upon Annabel Lee’s death?”
• In Unit 4, “Moment of Truth,” during the Extended Writing Project, students write an informative essay addressing the Essential Question “How can one event change everything?” Students use the texts studied in the unit to explain how and why one event significantly impacted the characters, individuals, or another event in the texts. During the Close Read of Fever 1793, students freewrite in their Writer’s Notebook addressing the following questions, which prepare them for the upcoming culminating task: “How were people’s lives changed by yellow fever? How did people react to the disease?”
• In Unit 5. “Test of Time”, students read the text “The Story of Anniko” by Arthur W. Bayr. In the Independent Read, students read and annotate texts, answer text-specific questions independently, and share and discuss their responses in groups. Examples of questions include “Why do you think it's important to read folktales from different cultures and times? What can you learn from reading folktales in addition to studying history and informational texts about the same cultures? Write down notes to prepare for a discussion of these questions. Use examples from the text as well as other myths and folktales you have read to support your points.” This activity helps students prepare for the culminating task of writing a research paper. During the Extended Writing Project, students probe the unit’s Essential Question “Why do we still read myths and folktales?” and write a research paper in response to the following prompt: “Identify a research topic and write a report about that topic using an informative text structure. As you gather ideas and information from the texts in the unit, be sure to: use evidence from multiple sources; avoid overly relying on one source.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials providing frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small groups, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

Teacher materials support implementation of speaking and listening, as well as vocabulary standards, to grow students’ skills. Students have multiple opportunities to engage in discussions, debates, and conversations using an array of speaking and listening protocols over the course of each unit and across the year. In the First Read, students discuss the video preview and participate in Text Talk after the initial reading. Students support their responses with evidence from the text as well as their own experiences. In each of the Skill lessons, the Turn and Talk and Discuss the Model activities also allow students to share ideas and review parts of the lessons. In each Close Read, students engage in a Collaborative Conversation to discuss the text in preparation for addressing a writing prompt. The protocols for these discussions are found in the Lesson Plan, Speaking and Listening Handbook, and the Strategies Glossary. The Lesson Plan includes a Check for Success section which supports teachers in responding to struggling students. The Lesson Plan and Teacher Edition tab also include a Scaffolding & Differentiation section that includes guiding questions to support students in their study of the words and scaffolding for ELLs and approaching readers. The supports include, but are not limited to, discussion guides and speaking frames. There is consistency for the teachers to use the same strategies for supporting students to understand academic vocabulary and syntax across the units.

Materials provide multiple opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials, including support for teachers to identify students struggling with these skills. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, “Conflicts and Clashes,” after students read the excerpt of the play The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street by Rod Sterling, they work collaboratively to discuss the text during a Text Talk.The Lesson Plan for the First Read of the unit includes these directions: “Sometimes the best way to understand a text is to talk about it with others. In small groups, each person has a chance to make comments, ask questions, or voice an opinion. Use the following questions on the board to talk about the text.” The following information is also provided in the Routines section: “Text Talk: Choose from a variety of engaging, whole-class or small-group discussion strategies to close this portion of the instructional routine, monitor student understanding, and clarify any lingering questions.”
• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows,” Close Read of “Second Estrangement” by Aracelis Girmay, students engage in a Collaborative Conversation. The teacher instructions say to “Break students into Collaborative Conversation groups. Using StudySyncTV as a model, have students begin by reading the Close Read prompt. They should then use their Skills Focus annotations, their own ideas and reactions to the text, and any other notes and annotations they have to collaboratively explore the text.
• In Unit 6, “The Power of One”, after reading “Reality TV and Society”, in the Close Read, students participate in a debate. The instructions are as follows: With your classmates, debate whether reality TV is good or bad for society. To prepare for the debate, write your claim and provide three reasons with evidence to support your claim. Use examples from the text as well as from your own experience and research.” Students rate their peers using a rubric. In the Differentiation tab, teacher guidance suggests the use of Discussion Guides and/or Sentence Frames with ELLs and/or approaching readers.

Support for evidence-based discussions encourages modeling and a focus on using academic vocabulary and syntax. Some examples are as follows:

• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows,” Close Read, “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes,

Lesson Plan, Academic Vocabulary Focus, the teacher directions state, “Draw attention to the academic vocabulary word shift. Call on students to share out the definition of the word in their own words. Remind students that the word shift means “to change to a different opinion or belief” and can be used in everyday as well as academic and workplace contexts. For example: My opinion about spinach shifts as I get older. I am shifting from sports to theater. Encourage students to use this vocabulary word in their written response.”

• In Unit 5, “Test of Time,” Vocabulary Review, students review and complete a vocabulary chart, then participate in a group discussion using the terms learned earlier in the lesson: “Discussion: In this unit, you have studied myths and folktales and their continuing influence today. Think of a current event or modern story that you could imagine in the form of a myth or folktale. How would the event or story be affected if it were told as a myth or folktale? How might readers or listeners think about the event or story in a new way as a result? Use as many Big Idea and Academic Vocabulary words in your discussion as you can.” In the Check for Success, teachers receive the following guidance: “If students are struggling with beginning their conversation, help jumpstart their discussion by asking scaffolded questions such as “What is a current event or modern story that you are familiar with?”
• In Unit 6, “The Power of One,” The Matsuyama Mirror by Velina Hasu Houston, Skill: Word Meaning, Lesson Plan, teachers direct students to a Turn and Talk session after viewing the Concept Video on Word Meaning. Guiding questions provided in the Lesson Plan are as follows: “What is your go-to resource for determining word meanings and parts of speech? Can you think of a time when you came across an unfamiliar word? What strategies did you use to help you decipher its meaning?” The Lesson Plan then states for teachers to allow students to share with the class.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and supports.

Speaking and listening instruction is applied frequently over the course of the school year and includes facilitation, monitoring, and instructional supports for teachers. Students have many opportunities to engage in speaking and listening throughout the units and across the year. They have many informal opportunities embedded within each lesson, such as Collaborative Discussions and Text Talks, but also more formal speaking and listening opportunities, such as Extended Oral Projects or Extended Writing Projects. Materials include practice of speaking and listening skills that support students’ increase in ability over the course of the school year, including teacher guidance to support students who may struggle. Each grade level has a Speaking and Listening Handbook that outlines strategies and provides graphic organizers, checklists, and rubrics to support the lesson. The Lesson Plans provide Checks for Success as support to teachers in how to scaffold these opportunities for all students. Other supports, such as Sentence Starters and Discussion Guides, may be offered more specifically for students who may struggle (such as ELLs or approaching readers). Speaking and listening work requires students to marshall evidence from texts and sources. Students’ speaking and listening work is rooted in the texts they read and they are often reminded to use evidence from the text to support their conversations. Students work in groups to research topics related to the texts and topics in which they are building knowledge. Students design visual aids and present their findings informally to the class.

Students have multiple opportunities over the school year to demonstrate what they are reading and researching through varied speaking and listening opportunities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, “Conflicts and Clashes,” students engage in discussion about the text “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street'' by Rod Sterling. During the Close Read, the students participate in Collaborative Conversations. The students discuss using plot and dramatic elements and structure to convey conflict within a text. The prompt is as follows: “How does Rod Serling use plot and dramatic elements and structure to convey a message about conflict in society? Write a short response in which you answer this question. Specify one message or theme, and explain how plot and dramatic elements and structure help to convey it. Use textual evidence to support your answer.” The Lesson Plan includes the following guidance for teachers: “If students are struggling with beginning their conversation, help jumpstart their conversation by asking scaffolded questions, such as: How do the characters in this play react to what is happening in their town? How do the characters in this play interact? What does this reveal about how individuals handle conflict?”
• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows,” in the text, “Museum Indians” by Susan Power, Close Read, students participate in a Collaborative Conversation. In the Lesson Plan, teachers are told to break students into small groups or pairs. Using StudySyncTV as a model, have students begin by reading the Close Read prompt. They should then use their Skills Focus annotations, their own ideas and reactions to the text, and any other notes and annotations they have to collaboratively explore the text. The prompt is as follows: Both “My Mother Pieced Quilts” and “Museum Indians” are about love and family history. Compare and contrast the speakers in the two texts and how they interact with their mothers as well as the way they describe their family history. Include examples of figurative language in your analysis. Remember to support your ideas with evidence from the texts.”
• In Unit 3, “Chasing the Impossible,” Extended Writing Project, Draft section, in the “Analyze Student Model” task, teachers break students into small groups or pairs. “Students discuss the questions in the lesson as well as the excerpt of the Student Model draft. Ask: What details does Cameron present to her readers in the introductory paragraph? What details does Cameron present to her readers in the first body paragraph? What evidence does Cameron use to make her ideas persuasive? How does Cameron’s use of claims support her thesis statement? Teachers encourage students to share ideas for their own essays based on the questions in the lesson.”
• In Unit 4, “Moment of Truth,” “The Last Human Light” by Randall Munroe, Skill Lesson: Media, students have the opportunity to participate in a Turn and Talk session. “As a class, students watch the Concept Definition video and read the definition for Media. In the Turn and Talk, students respond to the following questions: “Do you ever use print features, such as boldface or all capital letters, or graphic features, such as images or gifs, when communicating with your friends online? If so, how do print and graphic features help support your ideas? If not, why not? Then students share out their answers with the class.” In the Lesson Plan, teachers are provided with Sentence Frames and Visual Dictionaries to use as scaffolding techniques.
• In Unit 5 “Test of Time,” students engage in a discussion about the text, The Other Side of the Sky by Farah Ahmedi and Tanim Ansary. In the Collaborative Conversations section of the Close Read lesson plan, the students explore implied ideas related to survival. In the Close Read Lesson Plan, the provided guidance is as follows: “Check for Success—If students are confused by the prompt, remind them: An implied idea is not stated outright but must be inferred using details from the text. In your discussion, be sure to consider implicit ideas as well as explicit. If students are struggling with beginning their conversation, help jumpstart their discussion by asking scaffolded questions, such as: Who or what helps Ahmedi and her mother survive?”
• In Unit 6, “The Power of One,” Extended Oral Project, students create an argumentative presentation based on the prompt “What literary work, film, or dramatic production would you recommend to your classmates? Why is this work important? How does this work entertain, inspire, or educate?” Students plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish this piece, often getting feedback from peers throughout the process. Student instructions remind them to “include evidence from at least three reliable sources. One source should be your recommended work itself and one should include diverse media formats, including video, audio, graphics, and print or digital texts.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g. multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate.

Writing tasks and projects are aligned to the grade-level standards being reviewed. Each unit provides students with on-demand writing and process writing opportunities. During the Close Read, students engage in on-demand writing via Blasts, Think, and Write questions. In addition to shorter, on-demand writing tasks, the students complete an Extended Writing Project at the end of five of the six units. Each project covers one of these essential writing forms: narrative, informative/explanatory, literary analysis, and argumentative writing. These Extended Writing Projects take students through the writing process including the following: prewriting, planning, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, and publishing. Materials provide lists to remind students of what to include in their writing, suggestions for peer review, and a revision guide with examples. Each unit contains multiple opportunities for students to use digital tools to accomplish the lesson’s goal.

Materials include a mix of BOTH on-demand and process writing that covers a year’s worth of instruction. Some examples include:

• Students participate in on-demand writing.
• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows,” students read “The Walking Dance” by Marcela Fuentes. In the Close Read, students use their Skills Focus annotations, their own ideas and reactions to the text, and any other notes and annotations they have to write an on-demand literary analysis in response to the prompt: “How does Marcela Fuentes use plot elements and events such as conflict, turning action, and resolution to convey the theme of this story? Write a short response in which you specify one theme and explain how those plot elements and structure help to convey it. Use textual evidence to support your response.”
• In Unit 4, “Moment of Truth,” students engage in process writing during the Close Read of an excerpt of the novel Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. Students compare and contrast Anderson’s text with another selection from the unit. “An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 and Fever 1793 both describe people reacting to a terrifying disease in their community: yellow fever. Compare and contrast people’s understanding of the disease in the selections. Then explain how people’s understanding of the disease influences their responses. Use evidence from both texts to support your ideas.” After completing their response, students provide feedback to two of their peers using guiding questions provided by the teacher.
• In Unit 5, “Test of Time,” students read the text “Perseus” by Robert Hayden. In the Close Red, students respond to a literary analysis prompt: “‘Perseus’ shares with readers the inner struggle of a hero who finds that he is more like his enemy than he realized. How does the author’s word choice show Perseus’s inner conflict and the poem’s meaning? How does the word choice impact the poem’s tone? Write a short response answering these questions. Support your writing with specific examples of connotations of words and phrases from the text.” The teacher manual provides questioning techniques for struggling students, rubrics for the class, suggestions for prewrite, write, and peer review and reflection.
• Students participate in process writing.
• In Unit 1, “Conflicts and Clashes,” the Extended Writing Project focuses on narrative writing. Students write a narrative in response to the prompt “What conflicts would exist in a world where people can know what others are thinking?”
• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows,” the Extended Writing Project focuses on literary analysis. The students respond to the following prompt: “Think about the main characters, narrators, or speakers in the texts from this unit. Choose two or three selections from the unit and write a literary analysis that shows the different types of lessons learned about love and loss. In your analysis, be sure to present an argument in which you explain what lesson each character, narrator, or speaker learns and how love or loss helps them learn this lesson.” Students then compose their writing as they work through the planning, drafting, editing, revising, and publishing phases of the writing process. Within the steps of the process, Skill lessons focus on transitions, style, writing a conclusion, as well as, grammatical skills including clauses and complex sentences.

Opportunities for students to revise and/or edit are provided. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 3, “Chasing the Impossible,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Revise, students examine their drafts to find areas for revision. They use the Revision Guide to revise the draft of their argumentative essay for clarity, development, organization, style, diction, and sentence effectiveness.
• In Unit 4, “Moment of Truth,” Extended Writing Project, students edit their informative essay for specific grammatical mistakes related to misplaced and dangling modifiers, commas between coordinate adjectives, and commonly misspelled words. Each of these concepts has a lesson plan to teach students how to edit their work.

Materials include digital resources where appropriate. Some examples are as follows:

• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows”, students view a video during the StudySync Close Read lesson. Students discuss three questions to help them prepare for the writing prompt.
• In Unit 4, “Telling the Truth,” students read the text “The Three Questions” by Leo Tolstoy. During the Independent Read, students write a poem that demonstrates their comprehension of the text’s meaning. Digital resources to support students include a tab with a rubric and a split-screen feature so students can view the text while writing their poem.
• In Unit 6, “The Power of One,” The Big Idea, students read a Blast that gives them background on the unit’s topic and theme of standing out from the crowd. Students compose their own Blast in 140 characters or less, answer a poll, and learn about a statistic related to the topic.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

Materials provide opportunities for students/teachers to monitor progress in writing skills. The materials provide a variety of writing tasks across the school year. Unit themes and Essential Questions connect writing tasks to the texts students read. Text types of writing include narrative, informative/explanatory, literary analysis, and argumentative writing. Students engage in writing activities multiple times within each unit, including short constructed responses in the Close Read lesson. This informal writing allows students to demonstrate understanding of the specific text while practicing the featured type of writing. A formal type of writing, the Extended Writing Project, concludes five of the six units. Students respond to writing prompts connected to the unit texts. StudySync provides guidance and support for students to develop and strengthen writing as needed, through planning, revising, editing, and specific writing craft lessons. Students and teachers may monitor progress with Checks for Success, Peer Reviews, and Rubrics. Students also have opportunities to use digital sources for research and presentation.

Materials provide multiple opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply different genres/modes of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Students have opportunities to engage in argumentative writing.
• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows,” Extended Writing Project, students write a literary analysis in response to the following prompt: “What do we learn from love and loss? Think about the main characters, narrators, or speakers in the texts from this unit. Choose two or three selections from the unit and write a literary analysis that shows the different types of lessons learned about love and loss. In your analysis, be sure to present an argument in which you explain what lesson each character, narrator, or speaker learns and how love or loss helps them learn this lesson.” Materials include rubrics for each step of the writing process.
• In Unit 3, “Chasing the Impossible,” Extended Writing Project, students write an argumentative piece based on the following prompt: “What are your interests, goals, and dreams? What club, class, or activity would you add to your school to help you achieve these goals or dreams?” Students write an argumentative essay to convince their school leaders to establish this new course or activity. Materials include rubrics for each step of the writing process.
• Students have opportunities to engage in informative/explanatory writing.
• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows,” students read the text “Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy” by Albert Marrin. In the Close Read, students write an informative piece to the following prompt: ”One result of the tragedy of the Triangle Fire was the call for laws to protect workers. What evidence is there in the text that the health and safety of workers were not adequately protected at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory? How does the author use text structure to make this point? Support your writing with evidence and inferences drawn from the text.” Students participate in a Peer Review and Reflect after writing. Materials provide the following guidance: “ Students submit substantive feedback to two peers using the review instructions below. After they complete their peer reviews, have them reflect on the feedback they received.”
• In Unit 4, “Moment of Truth,” Extended Writing Project, students write an explanatory essay in response to the following prompt: “How can one key event or moment change everything? Think carefully about the question above. Then, choose three texts from this unit and explain how one moment or event had a significant impact on a character, an individual, or other events in that text. Identify the moment or event that changed everything and explain how and why it had such an impact.” Materials include rubrics for each step of the writing process.
• In Unit 5, “Test of Time,” students read the Greek myth “Icarus and Daedalus” retold by Josephine Preston Peabody. During Close Read, students write a compare and contrast response based on the following prompt: “Write a response comparing and contrasting the settings of ‘The Story of Anniko’ and ‘Icarus and Daedalus.’ In your response, explain how the different settings influence characters’ actions and plot development. Remember to use evidence from the texts to support your response.” The rubric associated with the task focuses on setting and language/conventions.
• Students have opportunities to engage in narrative writing.
• In Unit 1, “Conflicts and Clashes,” Extended Writing Project, students write a narrative in response to the following prompt: “What conflicts would exist in a world where people can know what others are thinking? Imagine a world where people can know what others are thinking. What conflicts would cease to exist in that world? What new conflicts would arise? Write a story about a conflict that exists because it’s possible to know another person’s thoughts.” Materials include rubrics for each step of the writing process.
• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows,” students read the text A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. In the Independent Read, students write a personal narrative to the following prompt: “The excerpt from A Christmas Carol depicts a conflict between an uncle and his nephew during Christmas. Write about a time of conflict during a holiday in your own family. Introduce your characters and setting. Then, organize the plot events naturally and logically.” Materials include a Check for Success after the Collaborative Conversations. Teacher guidance includes the following: “If students struggle to respond to the prompt, ask students the following questions: Which holidays does your family celebrate each year? Can you remember a time when your family had to deal with a conflict during a holiday? Brainstorm, create a web, or free-write what you recall.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials including frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information appropriate for the grade level.

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. In the First Read, Think tab, students write in response to text-specific questions and cite evidence to support their response. In the Close Read at the end of the series of lessons for each text, students analyze and write an evidence–based response reflecting their deeper understanding of the text. Materials provide opportunities that build students’ writing skills over the course of the school year. Students progress in writing in Grade 7 from identifying mood shifts in a poem contributing to the theme, to comparing multiple texts with an overarching idea, then to understanding characters from the use of sound devices.

In the Extended Writing Project students write across multiple texts to craft an evidence–based response.

Writing opportunities are focused around students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with sources. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, “Conflicts and Clashes,” students read an excerpt from Gary Paulsen’s memoir Woodsong. In the Close Read, students write a literary analysis in response to the following prompt: “In this excerpt from his memoir, Gary Paulsen describes wolves attacking a doe in the forest. He uses many connotations and denotations to detail the experience. What is the author’s purpose in telling this story? How did Paulsen’s point of view change? Use textual evidence to support your response, including connotations and denotations.”
• In Unit 3, “Chasing the Impossible,” students read an excerpt from “All Together Now,” Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan’s keynote speech at the 1976 Democratic National Convention. In the First Read, Think tab, students write evidence–based responses to the following prompts: “According to paragraph 4, Barbara Jordan’s presence at the convention is evidence of what symbol?” and “List some of the problems that cause the American ‘people to feel cynical, angry, frustrated.’ Cite specific evidence from paragraph 5.”
• In Unit 6, “The Power of One,” students read the play, The Matsuyama Mirror by Velina Hasu Houston. In the Close Read, students compose a literary analysis after listening to an audio of the play and the close read using the following prompt, “ Listening to a performance of a play is a different experience than reading the script. How do the sound elements affect your understanding of the characters? Use specific examples from the text and from the audio to show how the audio contributes to how you understand the characters.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for materials include explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context.

Over the course of the year’s worth of materials, grammar and conventions instruction is provided in increasingly sophisticated contexts. In the Extended Writing Project and Grammar section and in the Extended Oral Project and Grammar section, there are Grammar Skill lessons in which students practice grade-level specific grammar skills. Materials include opportunities for students to demonstrate application of skills both in and out of context. In the Your Turn portion of the lesson students practice and demonstrate mastery of the grammar skill and students apply their knowledge during the writing or oral projects.

Materials include explicit instruction of grammar and conventions standards for the grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Students have opportunities to explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences.
• In Unit 1, “Clashes and Conflicts,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Main and Subordinate Clauses, students review the definition of main and subordinate clauses. Students study examples of these clauses in model sentences before completing the Your Turn practice activities. During practice, students write their own sentences based upon a sample sentence and the type of clause to include in each sentence. The sample sentence is as follows: ”You will have to leave when the movie is over.” Students are told the type of clause to include, in this case, “main clause followed by a subordinate clause.” Students apply their learning about main and subordinate clauses and create original sentences based on the criteria in the activity.
• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Adjective Clauses, students review the definitions of clause and adjective clauses. Students study the model sentences before completing the Your Turn practice activities. During the practice activities, students choose the adjective clause, revise the clause to describe the noun given, and then write their own sentences given an adjective clause. In Your Turn, Question 3, students apply the knowledge by writing a sentence using each adjective clause.
• In Unit 3, “Chasing the Impossible,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Adverb Clauses, students review the definition of a clause and adverb clauses. Students study a model of adverb clauses used in sentences along with an explanation, the rules and the rule applied in text, and a revision of the sentences before completing the Your Turn practice activities. During the practice activities, students identify an adverb clause, revise sentences for use of adverb clauses, and write their own sentence using sample sentences and an applicable adverb clause. The writing checklist requires students to determine, “Have I used both complex and simple sentences?” If the answer is no, then students must revise their writing to include complex and simple sentences.
• In Unit 6, “The Power of One,” Extended Oral Project and Grammar, Edit and Present, Grammar Skill: Noun Clauses. Students review the definitions of clause and noun clause, as well as how to identify noun clauses. Students study a model of the function of noun clauses in sentences in text before completing Your Turn activities. While working through the practice activities, students sort sentences that contain noun clauses, replace bolded words with a noun clause, and write their own sentences using sample sentences and the type of noun clause required. Students write original sentences using the noun clause in the same way as the model sentence.
• Students have opportunities to choose among simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas.
• In Unit 1, “Conflicts and Clashes,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Simple and Compound Sentence, students review the definitions of simple and compound sentences. Students read and annotate model sentences. Then students discuss how simple and compound sentences are different before completing the Your Turn practice activities. Students sort and write simple and compound sentences to practice the grammar skill learned.
• In Unit 2, “Highs and Lows,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Complex Sentences, students examine an image that explains the definition of a complex sentence. Students read, annotate, and discuss the model. Then students complete three Your Turn practice activities about simple and complex sentences. In Your Turn, Question 3, students apply this learning by changing each sample sentence or clause into a complex sentence and then writing the complex sentence.
• In Unit 3, “Chasing the Impossible,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Compound-Complex Sentences, students review the definition of compound-complex sentences. Students read and annotate the model. Then they discuss compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences. Finally, students complete three Your Turn activities in which they practice identifying types of sentences and rewriting sentences to create compound-complex sentences. The writing checklist requires students to determine, “Have I used both complex and simple sentences?” If the answer is no, then students must revise their writing to include complex and simple sentences.
• Students have opportunities to place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.
• In Unit 1, “Conflicts and Clashes,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Main and Subordinate Clauses, students learn main and subordinate clauses and how they are used in text. In the Your Turn section, students practice using main and subordinate clauses correctly by identifying the number of clauses in each of the provided sentences. Finally, students write their own original sentences following the same clause pattern as the sample sentence.
• In Unit 4, “Moment of Truth,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers, students learn about modifiers and how to use them correctly. In Your Turn section, students practice using modifiers correctly by determining where to place the bolded modifier within the provided sentences. Students apply their learning to their own writing by using a checklist to edit and ask themselves, “Have I followed all the rules for using modifiers?” If the answer is no, then students must revise their writing to reflect correct usage of modifiers.
• Students have opportunities to use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old [,] green shirt).
• In Unit 4, “Moment of Truth,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Commas Between Coordinate Adjectives, students learn the rules related to coordinate adjectives and how to use commas correctly with them. In the Your Turn section, students respond to multiple choice questions that ask them to determine where the comma goes, if needed, in the given sentences containing coordinate adjectives. In Your Turn, Question 3, students apply the knowledge by reading the adjectives in the first column and the sample sentence in the second column. Then in the third column, students write their own sentence that uses the same adjectives with commas as needed.
• Students have opportunities to spell correctly.
• In Unit 1, “Conflicts and Clashes,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Basic Spelling Rules I, students study models of spelling conventions with examples before practicing in the Your Turn section. During practice, students sort words based upon correctness, correct spelling errors, and write their own sentences using spelling rules. The writing checklist requires students to determine, “Have I followed spelling rules for words that use the suffix -ed? Have I checked for spelling mistakes in words that add a prefix?”
• In Unit 3, “Chasing the Impossible,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Basic Spelling Rules II, students study models of spelling conventions and examples before practicing in the Your Turn section. To practice the spelling rules learned, students choose correctly spelled words, revise misspelled words, and write their own sentences using sample sentences and rules for correcting a given word. Students apply their knowledge of spelling rules when they edit and revise their argument essay.
• In Unit 4, “Moment of Truth,” Extended Writing Project and Grammar, Edit and Publish, Grammar Skill: Commonly Misspelled Words, students study a model of a strategy to use for spelling words, “Say It, See It, Write It, Check It,” along with a list of commonly misspelled words. During practice in the Your Turn section, students decide if a word is misspelled, revise misspelled words, and write their own sentence using a sample sentence that includes a commonly misspelled word.