7th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria of Indicator 1a. 

Anchor texts are well-crafted and vary in genre. The texts are rich in language and academic vocabulary, representing many different cultures and experiences. Anchor texts are of high-quality and, consider a range of student interests, and engage students at their grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, informational articles, letters, science fiction, and poetry that appeal to various student interests.

Anchor texts are of high-quality and consider a range of student interests, are well-crafted, content rich, and engage students at their grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Module 4, students read “Fourth Grade Ukus” by Marie Hara. This personal narrative explores how a student new to the school in Hawaii navigates a conflict with her teacher. Students use the provided imagery to visualize the experiences, people, or places encountered by the author. 

• In Unit 3, Module 1, read “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury. This classic science-fiction short story examines the effect of bullying on a child on the planet Venus. Ray Bradbury is a well-known, distinguished, and award-winning science-fiction writer. 

• In Unit 4, Module 4, students read “Help for a World Drowning in Microplastics” by Sharon Oosthoek and Maria Temming. The informational article opens with a rhetorical question, making the text accessible and exciting to students. As the students consider how plastic has affected their personal lives, they also learn about the global damage that plastic has created. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1b.

Materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards. Genres include science fiction, persuasive texts, drama, and historical fiction. Over the course of the school year, students read 25 literary texts and 32 informational texts, which provide a 44%/56% split. This distribution exceeds the split required by the grade-band standards.

Materials reflect the distribution of text types/genres required by the grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 2, Module 4, students read a persuasive text, “The Case for Making Public Transit Free Everywhere” by Nicole Kobbie. The text provides reasons that public transit should be free for all passengers and uses persuasive writing techniques to convince readers of this truth.

• In Unit 5, Module 1, students read Act 1 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. This classic Shakespearean comedy play allows students to explore conflict as they read about the tension between the character’s love interest and their family plans.

• In Unit 7, Module 3, students read an excerpt from A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. This is a historical fiction text where students read to learn about the real Lost Boy, Salva Dut, and his journey from war-torn South Sudan to America. 

Materials reflect a 55/45 balance of informational and literary texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Across the year, students read 57 texts, with 32 or 56% informational and 25 or 44% literary.

• In Unit 1, students read eight core texts, with 25% being informational and 75% literary.

• In Unit 2, students read eight core texts, with 100% being informational and 0% literary.

• In Unit 3, students read nine core texts, with 22% being informational and 78% literary.

• In Unit 4, students read eight core texts, with 100% being informational and 0% literary.

• In Unit 5, students read eight core texts, with 25% being informational and 75% literary.

• In Unit 6, students read six core texts, with 100% being informational and 0% literary.

• In Unit 7, students read ten core texts, with 40% being informational and 60% literary.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1c. 

The materials include texts that are appropriately leveled in complexity according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and the relationship to the associated student task. Each Teacher Unit Guide includes a rationale for the purpose of each unit in the curriculum. There are 57 texts for students to read in Grade 7. The quantitative analysis revealed that 16 texts have no Lexile level because they are Non-Prose, 17 are above the Lexile stretch band, 15 are below, and nine fall within the grade band. The qualitative analysis shows that 20 texts are slightly complex, 33 are moderately complex, and four are very complex. Student tasks are found to be grade-level appropriate, with necessary scaffolding for more complex tasks. In the Teacher Guide, Module Preview, and Connection to Unit, a general description of the texts and the connection to the tasks is provided. The materials include a linked spreadsheet in each Unit-At-A-Glance, which provides quantitative and qualitative data for each text in the curriculum and an associated reader and task analysis of each text.

Anchor/core texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Module 4, students read “The Case for Making Public Transit Free Everywhere” by Nicole Kobble. The publisher’s quantitative measure is 1300L, and the verified is 1340L; both measures place the text above the recommended band for seventh-grade texts. The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. Students read the text and answer five questions before summarizing the text in writing. Once the students have the information they need, they draft an argumentative paragraph using the CERCA format to respond to the following prompt, “Trace the evidence the author provides to make the case for free public transit. How does the author use evidence to appeal to the audience’s values?” 

• In Unit 4, Module 2, students read “In The Ocean, It’s Snowing Microplastics” by Sabrina Imbler. The selection has a publisher-provided quantitative measure of 1210L and a verified measure of 1220L. The qualitative complexity is moderately complex, and the associated reader and tasks meet grade-level standards for appropriate complexity. After reading the selection, students consider how point of view and purpose are used to engage readers. Students complete an organizer reflecting the author’s choices and responding to questions such as, 

  • “What issue does the author want to inform readers about beyond the plastic found on the surface of the Earth’s oceans? 

  • How does the quote at the end help build concern about the problem of microplastics sinking with marine snow? 

  • Why does the author use the data and quotes when explaining the concerns with microplastics?”

• In Unit 5, students read the play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Act II” by William Shakespeare. The publisher included no quantitative measures since the text is Non-Prose. The qualitative measure is moderately complex, and the associated reader and task is appropriate for the grade. After reading the text, students write an argumentative paragraph using the CERCA format to answer the prompt, “How does Shakespeare use action and devices to cause confusion and deception between characters?”

Anchor/Core texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by an accurate text complexity analysis and a rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Teacher Guide for each module provides a Module Preview with how the selection connects to the unit and the knowledge and skills focus for the text. The Unit-At-a-Glance provides a link to “Detailed Text Complexity Analysis,” which includes quantitative and qualitative analysis of each text and reader and task considerations. This spreadsheet includes the following columns: 

  • Lesson Title and ThinkCERCA Platform Link

  • Citation or Publisher Permissions Line

  • Author Bio and Awards

  • Grade Level

  • Unit

  • Unit Name

  • Anchor or Read Across Genres Text

  • Lesson Primary CCSS Reading Standard

  • Certified Lexile

  • ATOS

  • Flesch-Kincaid

  • Ease Score

  • Qualitative Measures

    • Structure

    • Language Conventionality and Clarity

    • Knowledge Demands

    • Purpose/Meaning of the Text

  • Quantitative Measures

  • Reader and Task Considerations

  • Recommended Placement

  • Info vs. Lit Text

  • Portfolio Writing Genre

  • Formative and Summative Tasks

• In Unit 3, Module 2, students read “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. The Detailed Text Complexity Analysis Spreadsheet includes the following information under Reader and Task Considerations for the educational purpose of this text: “‘Harrison Bergeron’ was chosen as an anchor text because it is an excellent example of short story narrative and of the unit theme, ‘Developing a Purpose,’ which asks students to explore the question: ‘How can stories set outside of everyday reality help us better understand our own lives?’” The Recommended Placement Section states, “This text is deemed appropriate for Grade 7 because its science fiction genre contributes rigor while its simpler syntax will make the text manageable for Grade 7 readers to engage with. Further, the qualitative analysis would indicate that there are enough complex features, rigorous story elements, and challenging dystopian elements to warrant its placement in the 7th grade.” 

• In Unit 6, Module 1, students read “Go Your Own Way” by Terina Allen. The Detailed Text Complexity Analysis Spreadsheet includes the following information under Reader and Task Considerations for the educational purpose of this text: “‘Go Your Own Way’ was chosen as an anchor text because it is an excellent example of a non-fiction text and of the unit theme, ‘Planning Your Future,’ which asks students to explore the question: ‘What are the skills and knowledge that are likely to serve us best in an unknown future?’” The Recommended Placement Section states, “While some readability scores are low, ThinkCERCA's platform supports to guide comprehension and analysis and increase rigor make this text suitable for Grade 7.”

• The accuracy of the provided quantitative measures was verified using MetaMetrics or determined using the Lexile Text Analyzer on The Lexile Framework for Reading site. The accuracy of the provided qualitative measures was verified using literary and informational text rubrics.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1e.

The materials reviewed clearly identify opportunities for students to engage in a wide variety of text types and genres. Students read 57 texts covering various genres, including but not limited to short stories, video clips, poetry, and informational texts. The Teacher Guide provides guidance for partner, small-group, and whole-group reading. Pacing documents are provided in the Unit Planner with 50-minute session schedules.  Materials provide suggestions and guidance for independent reading. 

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in reading a variety of text types and genres. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, students read two short stories, personal narratives, poems, and informational articles. The students also listen to an episode from This American Life. Each text requires students to interact with the different genres to answer the Essential Question: “How does your search for belonging impact friendships and your sense of self?” For example, in Module 2, students read “The Coolness Equation” by Adam Gidwitz. Then, students reflect on the ways that people figure out where they belong in the world and determine the theme and author’s message. In Module 5, students listen to the radio show titled Act Five: Blue Kid on the Block, produced by This American Life. Students use the transcript to reflect on the factors that inform identities and consider the key influences that shape who we are. 

• In Unit 4, students read a nonfiction narrative and seven informational texts. They also view a video. Each text requires students to interact with different genres to answer the Essential Question: “How can packaging be effective and sustainable?” In Module 1, students read the nonfiction narrative “She Tried to Avoid Plastic While Grocery Shopping for a Week. Here is How It Went.” by Martha Bebinger. Students refer to the text to understand how plastic packaging is used widely in single-use products. In Module 3, students read “In the Ocean, It’s Snowing Microplastics” by Sabrina Imbler. From this news article, students examine the environmental challenges that microplastics cause in our world.

• In Unit 5, students read Acts I–V of William Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream and two informational texts. They also watch a video showing students how to rap a Shakespearean play and a live performance of different acts in the play. Each text requires students to interact with different genres to answer the Essential Question: “What can happen when our individual wants conflict with what others desire for us?” In Module 2, students read Act II of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. They analyze “the devices used by playwrights to reveal plots and create suspense and humor within a play.” In Module 5, students watch a video, “How to Rap Shakespeare,” by the CBCC and The Hip Hop Shakespeare Company. They learn how Shakespearean language lends itself to the rhythms that are found in rap and hip-hop.

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in a volume of reading. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Unit Planner provides a pacing guide for a 50-minute class periods. Each text is complete with guidance for the teacher found in the Teacher Guide. Each unit takes approximately 22-26 class periods. Students practice reading in pairs, small groups, and whole-class sessions. In addition, they practice previewing the unit, setting personal goals, exploring the theme or topic, conducting research, participating in discussions or Socratic Seminars, and writing about the texts. 

• In Unit 2, students take 24 class periods to read six texts, watch a video, view a photo essay, and explore an infographic. Then, students participate in discussions and write an argumentative essay about “the improvements to transportation [that] would have the greatest positive impact in [their] area.” 

• In Unit 7, students take 24 class periods to read two informational texts, three historical fiction novel excerpts, one memoir excerpt, two poems, one informational text, and a short story. They also watch a video. Then, students participate in discussions and write a literary analysis that has the students compare an actual event to at least two of the stories presented in the unit. The students use the text “to explain how the writers of these stories retell the events of history through fiction.”

There is sufficient teacher guidance to foster independence for all readers (e.g., independent reading procedures, proposed schedule, tracking system for independent reading). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Each Unit-At-a-Glance includes a section on independent reading opportunities. For example, the Unit 1 Unit-At-a-Glance includes the following teacher guidance: 

  • “Reserve one to two days for introducing the protocols for student choice during the first month of school: 

    • Introduce best practices for choosing appropriately challenging reading by showing the overview video. 

    • Allow students to brainstorm topics and types of books they may find interesting. 

    • Provide the suggested titles book list but also assure students that they need not restrict their choices only to those titles. 

    • Visit the library and let students select books based on the strategies introduced in the introductory video. 

    • Provide a class period or more for students to ‘get hooked on their book’ of choice while you conduct 1:1 conferences with students to understand their S.M.A.R.T. goals and progress. 

    • Model your expectations of how to complete reading logs and share submission and grading expectations.”

  The Unit 2 Unit-At-a-Glance includes the following guidance:

  • “Select model book logs that demonstrate the expectations of the independent reading protocol and remove student names. Share digital copies of the exemplar work and review its exemplar qualities with the class.”

  Under Resources, Curriculum Resources, Grade 7, Reading, Implementing Independent Reading, slide 8, the materials include a blank reading log with sentence stems to support students in writing about texts. 

• Each Unit-At-a-Glance includes a link to “Independent Reading Options” for the Unit. There are four independent reading options provided to students for each unit. Each of the options is thematically linked to the content in each unit. The materials include a summary of each text to support students in making a selection based on their individual interests (student choice structure). The materials present teachers with several independent reading structures in the Implementing Independent Reading Guide. In addition to this “student choice” structure, teachers could choose to implement book clubs in two different structures: “one longer work, small groups” or “multiple longer works, small groups.” The materials include the pros and cons of all three structures for independent reading so that teachers can make the right choice for their students. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1f. 

The materials include text-specific and text-dependent questions, tasks, and assignments that help students make meaning of the core understandings of the texts being studied. Each unit has four modules that provide mentor texts where students engage with the texts directly by practicing checking, analyzing, pausing, and reflecting skills. Students also read several different genre selections. The questions, writing prompts, summarizing, and graphic organizers require students to return to the text and gather evidence to support their responses. Questions vary and require students to think critically about the explicit and implicit information presented in the text. Students create inferences, analyze language, determine the best evidence to support a claim and determine the meaning of the text. Each unit has a Teacher Guide that provides support for planning and implementing text-based questions and tasks. The Teacher Guide contains the Unit Snapshot, Rationale, a section for Skills Students Will Know, Understand, and Apply and Guidance for all activities students complete. The Unit and Module Guides have sections that support the teacher in providing activities that are connected to the text. The connections to the text(s) are included in four sections: Before You Read, Read, Analyze, and Write. In addition to the support provided for the mentor texts, materials include a section to support the facilitation of Read Across Genres, Socratic Discussion, Your Portfolio, and Reflect on Your Learning. 

Text-specific and text-dependent questions and tasks support students in making meaning of the core understandings of the texts being studied. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 1, Module 2, students read “The Coolness Equation” by Adam Gidwitz. Students use text-specific details to answer the following Pause and Reflect questions: “What insight does the narrator have about his need to be close to someone? What does it say about his relationship with himself? Why does the narrator want to be friends so badly with the kids who are ‘cool?’ What message is the author trying to convey about the effect of the ‘cool’ kids on his relationship with himself? How does no longer trying to be ‘cool’ change the narrator’s actions, experiences, and how he sees himself in ninth grade? How does it change him later in his life?”

• In Unit 3, Module 2, students read “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnugut Jr. They use text-specific details to respond to the following questions: “Harrison Bergeron, fourteen years old, is taken from his parents and held in jail under the suspicion that he was plotting to overthrow the government. Which detail from the story best conveys this might be a true goal of Harrison’s?” and “Hazel Bergeron suggests to her husband, George, that he should rest on the couch, and maybe even take out a few of the lead balls in the pouch he is required to wear around his neck. However, George refuses to do so. What feelings toward breaking laws does George’s response most reveal?”

• In Unit 4, Module 3, the students read “In the Ocean, It’s Snowing Microplastics” by Sabrina Imler. Students answer text-dependent questions: “Which choice below best summarizes the author’s point of view that is presented in the article? What is the best explanation of the author’s likely intent when writing this article? Throughout the article, the author uses subheadings. What is the most likely reason they made this choice? Which statement best captures the main ideas of this article?”

Teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation of text-based questions and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• The Teacher Guide provides general guidance for each lesson step in each unit. 

• In Unit 1, Module 2, students read “The Coolness Equation” by Adam Gidwitz. In the Teacher Guide, Read section, the teacher’s instructions state: 

  • “Show students how to use the self-help tools built into the technology.

  • Encourage students to preview the questions at the end of the selection and leverage the scaffolds and tools to access the text.”

• In Unit 4, Module 1, students read “She Tried to Avoid Plastic While Grocery Shopping for a Week. Here’s How It Went” by Martha Bebinger. In the Teacher Guide, Check section, the following guidance is available for teachers: 

  • “Instruct students to complete the multiple-choice comprehension questions, submitting after they feel confident in their answers.

  • Feedback Focus:  Encourage students to reflect on why their answers are correct or incorrect, using evidence from the text.”

• In the Resources tab, Training Courses, materials provide video training modules for teachers, including “Establishing Literacy Routines with CERCA Slides, Direct Instruction Lessons, Skill Practice Lessons, and Six Steps for Close Reading and Writing Lessons.” The On-Demand Video Library contains on-demand training videos, such as “Must Moments in Literacy” videos, demonstrating the conditions needed for successful implementation and the common challenges. The Help Center, Teacher Toolkit, Graphic Organizers to Support Close Reading, Effective Writing, and Critical Thinking provides teachers with graphic organizers for reading texts.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1g. 

The materials provide frequent opportunities and protocols for different types of evidence-based discussions across the year’s scope of instructional materials. Each unit has a culminating speaking and listening task, such as a Socratic Discussion, a Panel Discussion, and a Pitch Deck Performance. Each Speaking and Listening Module’s Teacher Guide includes the steps to seeing the speaking and listening task to completion. These guides support the teacher in helping students prepare, carry out, and reflect on the task. The materials provide but are not limited to, a List of Unit Texts, Reflect on the Essential Question Student Page, Prepare for the Discussion Student Page, Building Knowledge Together Student Page, and a Conduct the Poll Again Student Page. These activities are moderated by the teacher with the use of the Facilitation Notes. In addition, each Facilitation Guide provides Essential and/or Recommended time frames for each task phase. Recommended speaking and listening guidance for most discussions with a structure including, but not limited to, instructional videos, completed graphic organizers, prompts, and sentence starters for struggling students. Guidance for structured student discussions includes, but is not limited to, prompts, suggested timing, rationales, different roles for participants, sentence stems, and protocol directions. Teachers facilitate discussions throughout each unit and over the course of the school year.

Materials provide varied protocols to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Direct Instruction and Skills Practice slideshow lessons in each unit, include instructions for performing each speaking and listening task. Topics and protocols include: 

  • Rules for Discussion

    • Be prepared.

    • Define goals and roles.

    • Participate in a respectful way.

    • Ask and respond to questions.

    • Reflect on ideas.

  • How to Deliver an Oral Presentation

    • Keys to a strong oral presentation

    • Types of oral presentations 

    • Organization

    • Tips for writing note cards

    • Presentation language - formal and informal

    • Appropriate use of voice, props, and gestures.

  • Socratic Discussions

    • What is a Socratic Discussion?

    • Steps to answer the Socratic Question

    • Prepare Reasoning for the Discussion

    • Create your argument and forming a counterargument

    • Respectful speaking and listening rules, including expressing ideas civilly, questioning members to bring in all viewpoints, and making eye contact to show active listening.

    • Sentence frames provided for questions and statements to build effective discussion

  • Panel Discussion

    • What is a panel discussion

    • Panel members - each bringing a different type of expertise or point of view on the topic

    • The Moderator and audience roles 

    • Format - brief introduction by each panel member, questions from the moderator, questions from the audience, and brief closing by each panel member

    • How to prepare

    • Respectful speaking and listening rules including expressing ideas civilly, questioning members to bring in all viewpoints, and making eye contact to show active listening.

    • Sentence frames provided for questions and statements to build effective discussion

  • Pitch Deck

    • Definition of Pitch Deck

    • How to prepare for the pitch

    • How to prepare reasoning

    • Characteristics of a great pitch deck

    • Listening rules of the audience

  • Debate Game 

    • Preparing reasoning and evidence for the discussion

    • Forming a counterargument

    • How to speak and listen in a Socratic Discussion

    • Speaking and listening rules

    • Questions and statements to build effective discussion

  • Performance

    • Prepare

    • Perform

    • Be a Respectful Audience Member

Speaking and listening instruction includes facilitation, monitoring, and instructional supports for teachers. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Each unit contains one module focused on a speaking and listening activity. The Teacher Guide for this module includes guidance for all parts of the activity. 

• Under Resources, Speaking and Listening, Speaking and Listening Toolkit- Grade 7, materials include a toolkit for teachers and students. This toolkit includes observation tools and guidance for each Speaking and Listening activity type in the curriculum. 

• In Unit 1, Module 6, students participate in a Socratic Seminar on the unit’s essential question, “How does your search for belonging impact friendships and your sense of self?” The Teacher Guide provides a step-by-step plan for the teacher to familiarize themselves with the online lessons about Socratic Discussions, the Rules of the Discussion, and the Student Guide activities. It also provides four options for setting up the discussion:

  • “Two discussions that change in intervals of 10-15 minutes: an inner and outer circle that switch places.

  • One discussion with the whole class. Prepare your classroom by putting the chairs in a circle.

  • Fishbowl discussion where 4-6 students engage in discussion. Others tap in at intervals to join the discussion.

  • Independent student groups engage in discussions.”

  In the section “Build Knowledge Together,” the discussion begins. Teacher Guidance states, to “Explain that students will use the provided sentence starters to support their thinking with evidence from the texts. Tell students that you will remain silent as much as possible and that you look forward to observing a student-driven discussion. When appropriate, highlight excellent examples of students’ engagement: “I don’t want to interrupt, but I wanted to briefly mention that [student x] did a great job of [behavior y], which really helps the whole class better understand [z].”After the Socratic Discussion, students complete the “Conduct the Poll Again” activity to see if they “Agree or Disagree: It is always better to know the truth.” Then, the teacher prompts students to “Reflect on their Learning” by responding to questions about the discussion: “What did they learn? Did they change any of their answers? Why or why not?”

• In Unit 4, Module 7, students participate in a Panel Discussion on the unit’s essential question, “How can packaging be effective and sustainable?” In the Teacher Guide, guidance helps the teacher prepare students for the Panel Discussion. The lesson supports students in “Understand[ing] the purpose and process of a panel discussion and be able to synthesize multiple sources to present their positions and supporting evidence.” During the Build Knowledge Together section, students engage in the discussion. Teacher Guidance states, 

  • “Facilitate students’ organization and preparedness for the panel discussion, reminding them to have their completed Plan Your Points activity on-hand.

  • As needed, review salient points from the Panel Discussion lesson online and the Panel Discussion introduction in the Student Guide.

  • Facilitate the panel discussion, reminding panelists to support their thinking with evidence from the texts and to use the Build Knowledge Together sentence starters. 

  • Prior to kicking off the panel discussion, allow students to practice addressing each other directly without prompting from you and using add on statements such as, “As some of the other panelists have already mentioned, “x”...” 

• In Unit 6, Module 6, students complete a Pitch Deck on the unit’s essential question, “What are the skills and career paths that are most likely to lead you to the future you hope to achieve?” The Teacher Guide provides guidance for teachers to lead students through the step-by-step process of building a Pitch Deck. Teachers “Conduct the Poll Again” activity and Reflect on the Pitch Deck presentations in their groups by answering questions such as “What did people do well? and What could we improve?” Afterward, the teacher prompts students to answer the following questions from the Student Guide: 

  • “What were the strongest arguments, ideas, and evidence presented?

  • Did your ideas about the topic change?

  • Did you learn more about the topic?”  

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1h. 

The materials support students’ engagement in speaking and listening tasks connected to reading and research. Over the school year, multiple opportunities to demonstrate varied speaking and listening skills are provided during the reading and writing lessons. Unit tasks include Socratic Discussions, Debates, Performances, Panel Discussions, and Pitch Decks that require students to synthesize information from the mentor texts and include evidence to support student responses during discussions with partners, small groups, and the whole class. The online Direct Instruction lessons teach students about the speaking and listening protocols. Students implement specific skills during peer feedback and reflection tasks. Opportunities to discuss multimedia sources are limited. Materials provide teacher guidance for speaking and listening opportunities. 

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

• Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Module 6, students prepare for a Socratic Discussion. Students use the Prepare for Discussion chart from the Student Guide to make a claim that answers the Socratic Question, “How does your search for belonging impact friendships and your sense of self?” Then, they use the texts to find evidence to support their claim. Once they have solid evidence and provide reasoning to support their claim, students write notes on the counterargument. After completing this preparation, students engage in a Socratic discussion. 

• Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, Module 6, students participate in a Socratic Discussion on the question, “How can stories set outside of everyday reality help us better understand our own lives?” Before beginning the process, students are assigned the Direct Instruction lesson on Socratic Discussion. In the online presentation, students review the components of a Socratic Discussion and what it is and is not, how to use evidence to inform and build on ideas, and how to speak respectfully and listen effectively. For this Socratic Discussion, students create a claim and locate supportive evidence from the various texts in the unit. Then, they connect the claim and evidence by providing sound reasoning. In order to participate effectively, students must also form a counterargument by thinking about what others might say in opposition to their argument. In the lesson, students also learn that there are rules for respectful speaking and effective listening. “To respectfully speak, a student must:

    • Express ideas civilly in order to be respectful to the group.

    • Restate what is heard for clarity.

    • Question members in order to bring in all viewpoints.

    • Build on others’ ideas to keep the discussion moving and to add fresh insight into the topic.

    In order to be an effective listener, the students must:

    • Take notes in order to add relevant points and ideas.

    • Make eye contact to show active listening.

    • Let a few members have a turn to speak before speaking again.

    • Don’t just think about what to say next. Listen to add to the exchange in a meaningful way.”

• Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 6, Module 6, students create a Pitch Deck, a set of recorded slides that answer the question, “What are the skills and career paths that are most likely to lead you to the future you hope to achieve?” In Spark Courageous Thinking, Pitch Your Future from the Student Guide, students prepare a deck based on the slides from Plan Your Future in Modules 1 through 4. Then, they record themselves making an oral presentation about the best pathway for their future. The deck provides a visual accompaniment for the presentation. Students use a template to develop their Pitch Deck, and they include “all the elements of the research process.” The deck contains nine slides: A title Page, My Learning Style, My Academic Strengths, My Challenges, Mindset Definition, a Personal Growth Mindset Pitch, an Explanation of  Growth Mindset Motto, a Mindset Plan, and a Closing Page. 

Speaking and listening work requires students to utilize, apply, and incorporate evidence from texts and/or sources. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 7, Module 5, students prepare for a Socratic Discussion focusing on the Essential Question, “How do writers retell history in a way that reveals timeless lessons for humanity?” The Student Materials include a Build Knowledge Together document, which provides sentence stems for students to prompt each other during the discussion. For example, students can use the following sentence stem to paraphrase what they heard and prompt a classmate to expand their thinking: “You said, ‘________.’ Is that because ________? Can you say more about that?”

• Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, Module 6, students engage in a Socratic Discussion on the question, “How can stories set outside of everyday reality help us understand our own lives?” Following the discussion, students reflect on what they have heard and share how their thinking has changed. They discuss questions such as “What did they learn? Did they change any of their answers? Why or why not?”

• Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • In Unit 5, Module 6, students view the online lesson Compare and Contrast Literature in Different Mediums. After reading the script of the play, students learn about different types of mediums used to tell a story, the advantages and disadvantages of different mediums, and how the medium impacts the reader’s experience. Students view a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream called “Bottom Takes a Selfie” performed by the Royal National Theater and compare it to the written play. In the lesson’s Compare Text to Multimedia portion, students discuss and use a graphic organizer to “find at least two pieces of evidence to explain how the elements that are unique to each genre affect the meaning.”

• Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, Module 4, students read the online text “The Case for Making Public Transit Free Everywhere” by Nicole Kobie. To analyze the online version of the text, students use the Student Guide to answer questions about the author’s choices for both the structure and information around the issue of providing free transportation for all and her argument for why it should be done.” They answer questions that address the author’s message, such as: In the beginning, the author appeals to readers about the issue. Students answer, “What is the issue the author wants you to understand? Why do you think she used this appeal to begin her argument?” In the middle, the author includes examples about how free public transportation is used around the world. Students answer, “How does this lead to questions about whether or not free public transportation could work in your community? What other issues does the author want you to understand?” Finally, students evaluate the author’s ending. They answer the questions, “Do you agree or disagree with her idea that transportation should be considered a human right? How well does she make that case with the evidence she provided throughout the article?” After analyzing the text in these parts, students answer, “How well does [the author] make that case with the evidence she provided throughout the article?” Teachers then prompt students to discuss in pairs or small groups.

• Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Module 6, the teacher assigns the online Direct Instruction for a Socratic Discussion. This generic lesson provides the Steps to Answer the Socratic Question. The lesson guides the students to answer the Socratic question by providing the following information:

  • To answer the question, state a claim or an overall argument.

  • Then, identify the reason you believe the claim and support them with evidence from the text.

  • Explain why the evidence supports your argument using reasoning.

  Students must present their ideas during a Socratic Discussion, following the lesson’s guidance for Respectful Speaking and Effective Listening. Some of these ideas include: “Express ideas civilly in order to be respectful to the group, [b]uild on others’ ideas to keep the discussion moving and to add fresh insight into the topic, and [m]ake eye contact to show active listening.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1i. 

The materials include on-demand and process writing opportunities. On-demand writing tasks, including Quick Journals and Responses to Text, are varied and frequent. The Before Reading journal prompts connect to the text’s topic, theme, or purpose. Process writing tasks include various types of writing using multiple texts as sources. Students follow standard writing procedures from prewriting/planning to revising and/or editing during process writing. Process writing is included in each unit and varies throughout the year in type, including research writing, opinion essays, narrative writing, and personal statements. Students can write to connect to the topic before reading, summarize texts, analyze the author’s style and writing, and make claims. The materials provide students with guidance and support for each task, including but not limited to structured graphic organizers, models, and rubrics. All writing tasks can be completed in the ThinkCERCA online platform, which provides graphic organizers and opportunities to use technology to produce and publish the writings. 

Materials include on-demand writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Module 1, students complete a Quick Journal task in response to the question, “Can utilizing new technology designed for teen drivers make them safer and better behind the wheel?” prior to reading “Building Better Drivers” by Dan Risch.

• In Unit 5, Module 3, students complete a brief response based on their own personal experience to answer the question, “Think about conflicts that you have personally experienced or that you have seen on digital media or in the movies. How does a conflict escalate? What do people say or do that can cause conflicts to spiral out of control?” Students then read the text “A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Act III” by William Shakespeare. Following the reading of the text, students summarize the text by writing a few sentences in preparation for a writing prompt, “How does Shakespeare use language in this Act to escalate the conflict between characters? Think about elements like word puns, clever insults, and hyperbole when crafting your response.” Students make a claim and answer the prompt in text-based writing. 

• In Unit 7, Module 3, students read an excerpt from Linda Sue Park’s A Long Walk to Water and an excerpt from Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. After reading, students summarize the texts to prepare their culminating Literary Analysis. First, they are instructed to “Summarize the selection in a few sentences.” This writing exercise prepares them to compare and contrast the refugee experiences from both excerpts.

Materials include process writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. Opportunities for students to revise and edit are provided. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Module 7, students engage in writing lessons to complete a personal narrative. There are five lessons: pre-writing, drafting, editing, revising, and sharing the essays. After Choose Your Moment, an activity that helps the students focus their essays, they complete the Map Your Personal Narrative graphic organizer to ensure their writing has a “clear beginning, middle, and end.” 

• In Unit 3, Module 7, students engage in several lessons before completing the culminating Research Paper. Before they begin, students read “Portfolio: Writing Your Research Paper” by ThinkCERCA Editors. Then, they plan their writing project. They can download a packet of information from an online  link, “The Research Process Step-by-Step Inquiry.” Students create the Draft by using “the Argument Builder, research notes, and other ideas generated during [the] research process to write a CERCA that answers [their] research question.” Before submitting their final writing, the directions state, “Click below to edit your text. Fully review your work, including punctuation and spelling.” 

• In Unit 6, Module 7, students engage in writing lessons to complete a personal statement. There are five lessons: pre-writing, drafting, editing, revising, and sharing the essays. As they develop their essay, a link to the Graphic Organizer in the Student Guide helps the student Hook the Reader, Develop the Concepts, Expand on the Interest, and Conclude the Statement. The questions and descriptions for each part of the map help students fully develop each personal statement section. After editing and submitting the work, students share their final statements with one another. Then, students reflect on their writing by responding to three questions: 

  • “Through self-assessment and/or peer editing, I learned… 

  • The strongest areas of this piece of writing are…

  • An area for growth for me in this piece or in my writing in general.”

Materials include digital resources where appropriate. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 3, Module 7, students use the online platform to read and respond to questions about the text “Portfolio: Writing Your Short Story” by Alicia Patton. After reading the informational text, students begin to create a short story that responds to the Writing Prompt, “Think about a social issue you feel strongly about (for example, bullying, animal rights, climate change). Write a short story set in an alternate universe that addresses your theme and includes aspects of dystopia/utopia or science fiction that you have explored in this unit.” As students Think and Develop their story, they consider these statements to help explain the message they want the audience to think about after reading the story:

  • “It is important for readers to understand how the characters felt when ____ and _____.

  • An interesting setting allows the reader to ____.

  • A source of conflict that drives the story is _____.”

  Once students have these ideas, then they Create and Draft by adding additional details to their essays on the online platform. Students can click on the “Need help getting started?” link to review the structure of a story, the considerations for the audience, and review the concepts of purpose, pacing, and dialogue. Students can also view the entire rubric online to know what their writing will be evaluated against. 

• In Unit 7, Module 1, students read “Gold Fever! Deadly Cold! And the Amazing Adventures of Jack London in the Wild” by Richard Grant and an excerpt from The Call of the Wild by Jack London. After reading the two texts, students complete the Summary section of this module. Students will write their summaries in the provided space on the ThinkCERCA online platform. Sentence frames can be accessed if needed. After writing, students share their summaries with one another.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1j.

The materials include a year-long writing program consisting of an 40/27/33 balance of argumentative, informative or explanatory, and narrative writing activities, which reflects the 35/35/30 distribution required by the standards. Throughout the year, students receive writing opportunities in each unit. Many of the opportunities focus on argumentative writing skills that are introduced by the acronym CERCA which standards for Claims, Evidence, Reasoning, Counterarguments, and Audience. The materials provide multiple opportunities across the school year to write in response to tasks that are directly related to the texts and essential questions for each unit, including formal Portfolio writing tasks. While teachers have the option of prompting students to write at the end of each module and prompts are provided, there are only two to three required “essential” process writing tasks in each unit; the optional tasks are referred to as “complementary prompts.”  Some writing instruction is included throughout the materials through a series of slide decks that present guidance for students in planning, drafting, and revising. The Teacher Guide includes extra writing instruction guidance in Show and Tell, and Teach Academic Writing Skills boxes. Rubrics included require students to implement the elements of writing as required by the standards.

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

• Three units address argumentative writing. Portfolio writing assignments include an Argumentative Writing essay in Unit 2 and a Literary Analysis in Unit 7. Over seven units, 40% (6) of the writing opportunities are argumentative. 

  • Unit 1: 0

  • Unit 2: 2

  • Unit 3: 0

  • Unit 4: 1

  • Unit 5: 0

  • Unit 6: 0

  • Unit 7: 3

• Three units address informative/explanatory writing. Portfolio writing assignments include Research Writing in Unit 4 and a cause-and-effect essay in Unit 5. Over seven units, 27%  (4)of the writing opportunities are informative/explanatory. 

  • Unit 1: 0

  • Unit 2: 0

  • Unit 3: 0

  • Unit 4: 1

  • Unit 5: 2

  • Unit 6: 1

  • Unit 7: 0

• Three units address narrative writing. Portfolio writing opportunities include a personal narrative in Unit 1, a short story in Unit 3, and a personal statement in Unit 6. Over seven units, 33% (5) of the writing opportunities are narrative:

  • Unit 1: 2

  • Unit 2: 0

  • Unit 3: 2

  • Unit 4: 0

  • Unit 5: 0

  • Unit 6: 1

  • Unit 7: 0

• Explicit instruction in argumentative writing:

  • In Unit 2, Module 7, students write an argumentative essay for the Portfolio Writing Prompt, “Based on your readings, what improvements to transportation would have the greatest positive impact in your area?” The Teacher Guide includes guidance for Pre-Writing, Drafting, and Editing the essay. In the Pre-Writing activities, students “complete online lessons to support their writing.” The Teacher Guide provides the following guidance for this section of the lesson: 

    • “Introduce the culminating task and review the concepts and skills 

    • Explain that learning to build a strong argument equips students with the tools to formulate a claim, support it with relevant evidence, and use logical reasoning. Sequence, cohesion, and transitions all add clarity and coherence to a piece of writing and make ideas more accessible to readers.

    • Explain that conclusions serve as the final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the reader and to reinforce the key points in the argument.”

  Next, students read the Argumentative Writing Rubric. The Teacher Guide includes the following teacher guidance for this section: “Show and Tell—Writing a Conclusion: The conclusion is one of the most essential features of an argument. In this writing activity, you will guide students through writing the three types of conclusions for a topic they are familiar with, so they have practice writing a variety of conclusion types. Before practicing each type, review the elements of summaries, main points, and calls to action in conclusions. Summary: Dogs are the best pets for children because they possess innate qualities that significantly benefit their owners. Their loyalty and companionship provide children with emotional support. Additionally, the responsibility of caring for a dog teaches children essential life skills such as empathy, routine, and accountability. Moreover, dogs encourage physical activity and outdoor play, promoting a healthy lifestyle for young owners. All these qualities make dogs invaluable companions and the ideal pets for children. Stress Main Point: Dogs are the best pets for children because they have innate qualities that help their owners. Their loyalty and companionship provide emotional support that can help children face the successes and the setbacks that they will encounter as they grow up, in addition to teaching responsibility and promoting general health. Call to Action: Dogs are the best pets for children because they have innate qualities that help their owners. Their loyalty, companionship, and the responsibility they foster make them invaluable companions for young people. If you’re considering a pet for your child, choose a dog and give your family the gift of an affectionate, supportive, and active friend. Visit your local animal shelter today and find the perfect canine companion to enrich your child’s life and create lasting memories.”

• Explicit instruction in informative/explanatory writing:

  • In Unit 4, Module 8, students write a Research paper for the Writing Prompt that they determine. They read the Topic Overview in the online lesson and learn that reading sources to help them learn more is known as inquiry. After that, they use online lessons and activities from the Student Guide to draft their research paper. The Teacher Guide includes guidance for Pre-Writing, Drafting, and Editing the essay. In the Pre-Writing activities, students “complete online lessons to support their writing.” The Teacher Guide provides the following guidance for this section of the lesson: 

    • “Students will have thought a great deal about their topic and shared much of their research with others. They will also have a lot of notes and resources to work with. Now it is time to put it all together in a formal paper. 

    • Encourage students to take notes using Cornell Notes.”

  During pre-writing, students map out their research paper. The Teacher Guide includes the following guidance during this portion of the lesson: “Show and Tell - Writing the Research Paper: Let students know that they will need to lay out a clear plan for supporting their thesis or claim. Developing the support is similar to the writing they have done in the brief, evidence-based writing pieces students have been completing throughout the year. in this phase, they will make sub-claims to support the thesis/main claim and develop support for the main claim through these sub-claims. The resources in the Student Guide assist students in selecting the most relevant notes from their research, mapping out the main sections of the paper, and supporting each main point with the evidence from their research. During the drafting phase of the paper, students should complete the writing during class time and frequently check in to receive personalized support. Focus your feedback on what is going well, and choose one area of growth at a time as the drafts evolve.”

• Explicit instruction in narrative writing:

  • In Unit 1, Module 7, students write a personal narrative about a moment in their lives when they found a friend that helped them feel a sense of belonging. Students use online lessons and activities from the Student Guide to draft their personal narratives. The Teacher Guide includes guidance for Pre-Writing, Drafting, and Editing the narrative. The Teacher Guide includes the following guidance in the Preview section of the lesson, “Show and Tell—Brainstorming Feelings: As a class, begin preparing for the final portfolio prompt by listing ideas that might help indicate a sense of belonging. Use the first idea as a model: Friends: A person ensures you are invited to sit at lunch with them. Sports: Teachers: Family: Have the students create their own list of times when someone made them feel included.”  In the Pre-Writing activities, students “complete online lessons to support their writing.” The Teacher Guide provides the following guidance for this section of the lesson: 

    • Explain that writing a personal narrative allows students to share who they are and the experiences that have made them unique individuals. 

    • Explain that beginnings are the hook, the way to reel the reader in. Because they are so key, a great deal of attention must be paid to the flagship image, opening dialogue, or expository information that is placed there. Students will have strategies to play with so they can determine the best approach. 

    • Let students know that sensory details are the single most important in great narrative writing. It is essential that students begin practicing the art of showing versus telling from the very beginning.”

  Students reads the exemplar “I Might Be Free Thursday” by Josephine Solar. A five-question Check follows the piece. 

Different genres/modes/types of writing are distributed throughout the school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Students have opportunities to engage in argumentative writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 2, Module 1, students engage in viewing a Direct Instruction lesson titled “The Purpose of Arguments.” During this activity, they learn that “An argument is a piece of writing, a speech, or another form of communication that presents a debatable claim supported with reasons and evidence.” During the slide deck, students also learn that a debatable claim is a “statement or position that the author wants others to understand and accept, there are other reasonable opposing viewpoints, and people can have completely valid reasons to disagree with the author’s argument.” Then, students read “Building Better Drivers” by Dan Risch. Students plan an argument that answers the Writing Prompt, “Trace the claim and evidence regarding teen driving. How does the author use details, informal language, anecdotes, and statistics to convince readers that technology can make teen driving safer?” Students begin their response with a claim. They have access to supportive sentence frames by clicking on the “Need help getting started?” link. The available sentence starter includes, “In this text, evidence like  _____, ______, and _____ shows that teen drivers ________.” 

  • Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 4, Module 2, students read “How the Plastic Bottle Went from Miracle Container to Hated Garbage” by Laura Parker. Then, students develop an argument for the following Writing Prompt, “How does the author use the chronological history of the plastic bottle along with compare-contrast techniques to help readers consider various ways to address the problem of plastic?” After creating a claim, students add reasons and evidence from the text to support their claim. They can use the “Need help getting started?” link to find definitions for Reasons and Evidence, as well as sentence frames to help them determine what works for reasons and evidence.

  • Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 2, Module 7, students write an argumentative essay. Students write an argumentative essay that answers the question, “Based on your reading, what improvements to transportation would have the greatest positive impact in your area?” Before drafting, students read a Direct Instruction slide deck on Argumentative Essays, where they receive guidance on “Sequence, Cohesion, and Transitions.” The slide deck states that ideas should be presented in a “logical order” and suggests that students “present reasons and evidence in the order in which events happened” or “from least to most important” ideas. The deck also states that transitions “help organize ideas” and provides students with examples of transition words and phrases. Students then apply this learning in their argumentative essays. 

  • Establish and maintain a formal style. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 2, Module 7, students write an argumentative essay that answers the Writing Prompt, “Based on your readings, what improvements to transportation would have the greatest positive impact in your area?” On the final rubric, students are scored on their ability to appeal to the audience. One of the rubric points states, “The language of the piece of writing is well-chosen and establishes and maintains a formal style.” The Student Guide includes a peer editing activity where the students return to the rubric and “continue to replace words and phrases to appeal to the readers,” so during this exercise, the students may pick out words and phrases that could be changed to add a higher level of formality to the essay. 

  • Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 2, Module 7, students read “Portfolio: Writing Your Argumentative Essay” by Alicia Patton. The text states that students will “Organize it all inside a multi-paragraph essay with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.” The text informs students about the important aspects of writing an argumentative essay. The Composing section of the text reminds students to “end [their] argument with a clear conclusion that states [their] claim in strong terms…and add a final statement that tells readers why [their] topic matters, or how this topic can be explored even further.” The final writing rubric requires students to have a “well-crafted conclusion that builds on and captures the writer’s argument, without merely repeating the claims.” However, the exercises that the students complete prior to the final draft do not emphasize the writing of a conclusion.

• Students have opportunities to engage in informative/explanatory writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 4, Module 2, students complete the Direct Instruction lesson about the Structure of Informational Texts. They learn that there are different types of text structures for informational texts, such as compare and contrast, cause and effect, problem and solution, or sequential order. The structure can help the reader determine the author’s purpose. After the lesson, students read “How the Plastic Bottle Went From Miracle Container to Hated Garbage” by Laura Parker. Then, students plan an argument that answers the writing prompt, “How does the author use the chronological history of the plastic bottle along with compare-contrast techniques to help readers consider various ways to address the problem of plastic?” To introduce their claim, they can use the following sentence frame, “In ‘How the Plastic Bottle Went from Miracle Container to Hated Garbage,’ ____ author uses techniques like ____ and  ____ to emphasize ______.”   

  • Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 6, Module 3. students read “Exploring Postsecondary Options and Choosing What’s Best for You” by Enilorac Archeval Rivera. Then, they plan a response that answers the writing prompt, “Describe the purpose of this article and the key takeaways about each post-secondary option. How does the structure of the article support its purpose?” Students take notes on the potential answers to each part of the prompt based on details from the text. Then, they use this information to support their claims to the prompt.

  • Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 5, Module 8, students write a cause-and-effect essay. The Direct Instruction presentation introduces the students to the idea that Using Transitions to Link Cause and Effect is an important skill in writing an essay. The text suggests that students use words like because, therefore, accordingly, and hence to provide interest and clarity for the reader. After drafting their essays, students complete the Make It Flow exercise from the Student Guide. The exercise prompts students to look at specific examples of places in their essays that might need transitions, such as the organization, the main claim and sub-claims, and choppy sentences. After reviewing these throughout the paper, the Make It Flow exercise provides suggestions for revising those parts of the paper using words such as first, then, also, and for example.

    • In Unit 4, Module 8, students complete a research paper. The Student Guide includes a rubric for students. In order to earn points for Coherence, students must write a clearly structured paper. The notes in this section state that “effective transitions connect ideas to show how the information clearly supports the claim to create a cohesive, unified piece of writing.” During the Revise and Edit Draft part of this writing piece, the teacher prompts students to pair up and give feedback on their partners’ essays, “us[ing] the rubric to evaluate each other’s work.” Then, students revise their work based on the feedback they receive. 

  • Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 4, Module 8, students complete a research paper. The Student Guide includes a rubric for students. In order to earn points for Coherence, students must write a clearly structured paper. The notes in this section state that “effective transitions connect ideas to show how the information clearly supports the claim to create a cohesive, unified piece of writing.” During the Revise and Edit Draft part of this writing piece, the teacher prompts students to pair up and give feedback on their partners’ essays, “us[ing] the rubric to evaluate each other’s work.” Then, students revise their work based on the feedback they receive. 

  • Establish and maintain a formal style. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 4, Module 8, students write a research paper. In order to earn “Audience Appeal,” students must write responses that maintain “a formal style and accurate English grammar.” The notes in this section state that “the writing maintains a formal style and shows a skillful command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling with very few errors.” During the Revise and Edit Draft part of this writing piece, the teacher prompts students to pair up and give feedback on their partners’ essays, “us[ing] the rubric to evaluate each other’s work.” Then, students revise their work based on the feedback they receive. 

  • Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 4, Module 8, students research the most pressing issues surrounding the use of plastic and write an essay detailing what they learned. Students plan the writing of their paper including the conclusion. Students answer the questions, “What is your call to action? What do you want readers to remember?” Writing guidance explains to students that they should restate their claim, summarize the problem, and provide a solution.

• Students have opportunities to engage in narrative writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 3, Module 7, students write a short story that is set in an alternate universe that addresses the theme of a social issue the student feels strongly about. Students must include aspects of dystopia/utopia or science fiction that they have after reading four short stories throughout the module. To explain their message to the audience, the materials provide three statements that can help the students begin their story:

      • “It is important for readers to understand how the characters felt when ___ and ____.

      • An interesting setting allows the reader to _____.

      • A source of conflict that drives the story is _______.”

  • Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 6, Module 7, students develop a personal statement that answers the Writing Prompt, “Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?” During the Direct Instruction online lesson, students learn that personal statement claims must be connected to a personal experience, the reason that a specific experience has shaped or impacted the writer, and reasons that explain why this experience or accomplishment was impactful. Students arrive at the examples and anecdotes after completing the Use Examples and Anecdotes activity in the Student Guide. In this activity, they come up with revisions to their draft that provide anecdotes or examples that could help the readers understand and connect to ideas throughout the paper. 

  • Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 1, Module 7, students view the online lesson for Writing the Personal Narrative. They learn that transitions create cohesion, tying the parts of a narrative together.” The guidance in the lesson states that transition words and phrases can link each event to the preceding one. The guidance includes the following transitions: “After that, from then on, next, and finally.” The rubric for the final paper also prompts students to use a variety of transitional words to clarify the order of events and the shifts in setting; however, the activities to draft the statement are focused on other aspects of narrative writing.

  • Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 1, Module 7, students write a personal narrative about something that captivates them. As they revise their draft, they participate in “Make It Vivid” from the Student Guide. In this activity, students choose sentences with generic nouns that appear in their essay and rewrite the sentences by “painting a picture with adjectives. Students find three examples in their papers that they could add adjectives to in order to add greater detail to their statements.

    • In Unit 3, Module 7, the students write a short story that includes the elements listed in the text “Portfolio: Writing Your Short Story” by Alicia Patton. In this article, the author states in the Composing section that it is important to “Use descriptive language full of concrete details and sensory language to pull your reader’s senses into the story.” Students also read that different types of sentences and clear and vivid vocabulary can also help the reader connect to the story. When they finish their initial draft, they complete the Show, Don’t Tell activity from the Student Guide. With a partner, they are asked to find a character, description of the setting, or an event to “Show, not tell, by using descriptions for each.” From this activity, they will “experiment with ways to describe your character by showing what they feel rather than telling the reader what they feel.” The example that supports students in this activity gives the idea that a character was surprised through descriptive language like “her eyes grew wide, and when she opened her mouth to speak, nothing came out.”

  • Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • In Unit 3, Module 7, students write a short story that is set in an alternate universe that addresses the theme of a social issue the student feels strongly about. Before they write the story, they complete the Map Your Short Story activity from the Student Guide. For the ending or conclusion, students brainstorm what events will make up the story’s Falling Action and how those events will resolve the conflicts introduced in the story. 

Where appropriate, writing opportunities are connected to texts and/or text sets (either as prompts, models, anchors, or supports). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 4, Module 2, students read “How the Plastic Bottle Went from Miracle Container to Hated Garbage'' by Laura Parker. After reading, students develop an argument that answers the writing prompt, “How does the author use the chronological history of the plastic bottle along with compare-contrast techniques to help the readers consider various ways to address the problem of plastic?” The task requires students to use information from the article to develop a claim, reasons, evidence, reasoning, and a counterargument to answer the prompt.

• In Unit 5, Module 2, students read A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Act II by William Shakespeare. After reading the second act, students develop a response that answers the writing prompt, “How does Shakespeare use action and devices to cause confusion and deception between characters?” The task requires students to use information from the play to develop a claim, reasons, evidence, reasoning, and a counterargument to answer the prompt.

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1k. 

The materials provide frequent opportunities for students to complete evidence-based writing tasks across the school year. The Teacher Guide provides a Module Overview, which identifies the evidence-based writing prompt and genre. Writing opportunities are largely focused on developing and planning an argument, though analysis and synthesis are also included. Each unit includes opportunities to write claims about the text and support the claim with reasons and evidence from the text. In each unit module, the Write section includes tasks such as summarizing the selection, developing and building an argument, completing a draft, and reviewing the draft. Students work with a peer to complete graphic organizers or obtain feedback that occurs frequently during writing. When drafting, students have the opportunity to use an Automated Feedback feature for grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling, but the tool does not provide support for strengthening the argument. However, not all of the drafting tasks are required assignments throughout the program. While some of the module's writing pieces are essential for completion, most are optional. During the Closing of the Lessons, students reflect and share progress as a whole class. At the end of each unit, Your Portfolio writing tasks provide opportunities to write a short story, research paper, literary analysis, personal narrative, cause and effect essay, and argumentative essay. These are closely tied to the texts in their respective units and often require the synthesis of multiple texts. The Student Guide provides several graphic organizers to help students organize their thoughts and text evidence to support their claims. The Teacher Guide provides guidance for specific writing instruction throughout the materials, including reasons for the writing instruction focus, what students should be able to do, and what to focus on to grow as a writer. There is direct instruction guidance for teachers to implement. Teachers and students have access to slideshow lessons and support in the Student Guide. The materials include scaffolds for students in the Student and Teacher Guides.

Materials provide opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Module 1, students read “Building Better Drivers” by Dan Risch. After summarizing the text, students plan an argument that answers the Writing Prompt, “Trace the claim and evidence regarding teen driving. How does the author use details, informal language, anecdotes, and statistics to convince readers that technology can make teen driving safer?” Earlier in the module, teacher guidance states to provide direct instruction on determining and tracing a central idea through details.  The Teacher Guide provides Teacher Facilitation Notes to Develop/Share Your Plan. The Teacher Guide provides the following guidance as student develop their arguments:

  • “Explain to students that their claims should answer all aspects of the prompt, provide a clear focus for the writing, and present the points they will cover in their writing.

  • Remind students to provide at least two reasons to support the claim.

  • Explain to students that no reason can be submitted without supporting evidence, and that no evidence can be provided without an explanation of reasoning. 

  • Guide students in sharing their CERCA plans with peers.”

  After students draft the complete paragraph, the teacher guidance states “Have students drop their drafts into the drafting space and develop their CERCAs.”

• In Unit 4, Module 2, students read “How the Plastic Bottle Went from Miracle Container to Hated Garbage” by Laura Parker. After writing a summary of the text, students plan an argument that answers the Writing Prompt, “How does the author use the chronological history of the plastic bottle along with compare-contrast techniques to help readers consider various ways to address the problem of plastic?” In completing their argument builder from the Student Guide, students identify their claim and list evidence from the text to support it. In the Teacher Guide, the guidance for Develop/Share Your Argument includes the following guidance: 

  • “Explain to students that their claims should answer all aspects of the prompt, provide a clear focus for the writing, and present the points they will cover in their writing.

  • Remind students to provide at least two reasons to support the claim.

  • Explain to students that no reason can be submitted without supporting evidence, and that no evidence can be provided without an explanation of reasoning. 

  • Guide students in sharing their CERCA plans with peers”.

  As students Draft their responses, the Teacher Guide includes the following guidance: “Have students drop their drafts into the drafting space and develop their CERCAs.”  Teachers may click on the ThinkCERCA Argumentative Writing Feedback Bank provided in the Writing Resources in the Feedback Guidance document to find examples of writing feedback they can give students based on how well they are performing on certain skills against the rubric. For example, if a student is performing at a 3 out of 5, the teacher can say: “Really nice work providing evidence to support that claim! Go back and reread your reasons and the evidence that follows. Ask yourself: Is my evidence directly related to the reason? Is it from a credible source? If not, revise!”

• In Unit 7, Module 6,  students write a culminating essay to analyze the literature from the unit to answer the Writing Prompt, “Choose two of the historical fiction texts from the unit. Make a claim about how the author of each text retells history (real events, people, and places) in order to reveal timeless lessons for humanity.” Students engage in pre-writing activities that include but are not limited to scoring an example literary analysis, choosing their texts, finding evidence from both texts, and analyzing the similarities and differences. Then, students use the evidence from the two texts of their choice to develop a claim. Finally, they draft their literary analysis. The Teacher Guide provides guidance that teachers can use to support students in organizing their essays in the graphic organizer provided:

  • “Direct students to organize their comparative essays with a clear introduction and two points of similarity or difference. 

  • Remind students to use the graphic organizer to organize their essays, including specific details for focus.”

  Throughout each step of the writing process, there are scaffolds such as, but not limited to, specific vocabulary to translate, adjusted versions of graphic organizers, suggested anchor charts, and technology features such as voice-to-text typing. 

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

• In Unit 1, Module 2, students read “Seventh Grade” by Gary Soto. Prior to reading, students engage in a Direct Instruction lesson on “Citing Evidence to Write about Literary Texts.” During the lesson, students learn how to cite evidence in literary text with examples from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The lesson focuses on finding evidence that describes characters, answers an explicit question, and answers a complex question. The lesson also provides instruction on selecting multiple pieces of evidence and choosing the strongest evidence. Examples of citing evidence through direct quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing are also presented to students. After students read the text, they “[p]lan an argument that answers the Writing Prompt, “What lessons does Victor learn about himself and how he relates to others over the course of the story? Cite specific evidence, including inferences you made, from the text to support your response.” Students work independently to write their answers and use specific evidence from the text. 

• In Unit 4, Module 2, students read “How the Plastic Bottle Went from Miracle Container to Hated Garbage” by Laura Parker. Prior to reading the text, students engage in a Direct Instruction lesson, “Structure in Informational Texts.” They view the slide deck and respond to five questions identifying key points of the information they read. Then, they read the text and write a short summary of the text. Students plan an argument that answers the Writing Prompt, “Does the author provide convincing evidence to persuade the audience that school start times need to change?” As students plan their written responses, they identify key evidence to support their claim, including specific evidence that supports their claim and evidence for the counterargument. 

• In Unit 6, Module 3, students read a short article, “Exploring Postsecondary Options and Choosing What’s Best for You” by Enilorac Archeval Rivera. They analyze the text and plan an argument to respond to the Writing Prompt, “Describe the purpose of this article and the key takeaways about each post-secondary option. How does the structure of the article support its purpose?” The Student Guide includes an “Apply Your Learning” task where students take notes on the following question: “What are the author’s key takeaways about postsecondary options? Be sure to include both the positives and negatives for each option.” Students then develop their arguments and engage in peer feedback. The final writing rubric includes evaluation criteria for the claim, evidence, reasoning, coherence, and audience appeal. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1l.

The materials provide explicit instruction on grammar and usage standards, and opportunities for students to demonstrate the application of grammar skills in context are available. The materials include a Language and Styles Best Practices Toolkit, which is presented as a resource “for teachers and students to improve audience outcomes on writing rubrics.” This toolkit provides key definitions, generic examples, and a strategy for that particular skill, including capitalization and spelling, punctuation, end punctuation, subjects and predicates, subject-verb agreement, tense, commas, varied sentence structures, redundancy, clarification, modifiers, parallelism, formal and objective style, active and passive language, and style. The materials also include direct, explicit instruction that scaffolds instruction of grammar and usage standards, especially for how students apply the skills in larger writing contexts. The Direct Instruction slideshows include 26 grammar topics. Students practice grade-level grammar standard lessons through a mix of online lessons and corresponding tasks in the Student Guide. Teachers facilitate learning by helping students move to the next online module, moving students into pairs or small groups, having students read or share aloud, having students reflect on takeaways at the close of the module, and monitoring learning progress. Illuminating Key Concepts sections in the Teacher Guides provide additional teacher guidance on teaching specific grammar and usage skills throughout the lessons. The lessons are connected to reading a text and answering questions in the Write to Impress, Build Vocabulary, Citing Evidence, Understanding Author’s Craft, or Sharpen Your Sentences tasks. These opportunities to practice grammar skills give a brief explanation of the standard with examples, general instructions that tell students to experiment with the skill and apply it to writing, and a chart to complete with single-sentence responses to prompts. While there is evidence of focused work for spelling, it is not present throughout the modules. Using quotations and correct citations is addressed by reminding students to review an online MLA Style Manual. In essay writing, grading rubrics state students should follow standard conventions, and teachers are to use the Language and Style Guide for instruction of specific skills during Module 7, Your Portfolio. 

Materials include explicit instruction of the grade-level grammar and usage standards. Materials include authentic opportunities for students to demonstrate application of skills in context, including applying grammar and convention skills to writing. 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. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, Module 2, students read “A Surprising Reason Preventing Some Students from Finishing College: Lack of Transportation” by Charlotte West. In this article, students look for ways in which the author provides personal experiences with transportation barriers. Then, in the Sharpen Your Sentences exercise, they practice using phrases to begin sentences that include a counterclaim. By starting sentences with the following phrases: “On the other hand, Some say that, or Despite the fact,” the student indicates an opposing view from the beginning. In the Teacher Guide, Illuminating Key Concepts in Language and Grammar - Sentence Expansion, the teacher is provided with guidance: “Explain to students they can expand their writing on this topic to address the point of view of someone who might disagree with them. Advise students that describing an alternate viewpoint and refuting it will further engage readers in their argument. It can be helpful to use signal phrases like ‘on the other hand’ or ‘some say that’ to introduce alternate or opposing viewpoints.”

  • In Unit 6, Module 2, students read “Careers of the Future” by Rachel Kempster Barry. The students engage in a Sharpen Your Sentences lesson from the Student Guide. In this lesson, students practice using appositives, pronouns, and conjunctions to combine sentences and advance their writing. The first example is an appositive, and it has been completed for the students. To complete the assignment, the students use that model to practice combining sentences using a pronoun and then a conjunction. In the Teacher Guide, Illuminating Key Concepts in Language and Grammar - Sentence Combining, the teacher is provided with guidance:  “Explain to students that sentence combining with appositives, pronouns, and conjunctions helps create more complex and cohesive sentences. Appositives add additional information about a noun. Pronouns reduce repetition by replacing nouns, and conjunctions connect ideas smoothly.” They are directed to do the first example together, then have the students complete the rest on their own, and then share out combined sentences with the class.  

• Students have opportunities to choose among simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Module 1, students read “Seventh Grade” by Gary Soto. Students are introduced to different types of sentences, such as simple, complex, compound, and compound-complex. They search the story to see how the author uses each type to “add variety and make the story flow.” Then, in a Writing to Impress lesson, they practice writing a complex, compound, and compound-complex sentence that answers the Writing Prompt, “What lessons does Victor learn about himself and how he relates to others over the course of the story? Cite specific evidence, including inferences you made from the text to support your response.” In the Teacher Guide, Illuminating Key Concepts in Language and Grammar -Sentence Types, the teacher is directed to utilize the Direct Instruction slideshow Lesson to introduce students to several sentence types and how they can be used to connect different ideas. This lesson is followed by a five-question quiz. Teachers are instructed to have students practice writing different sentence types to answer the writing prompt in the Write to Impress activity.

• Students have opportunities to place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 1, Module 2, students read “The Coolness Equation” by Adam Gidwitz. Students engage in a Write to Impress lesson from the Student Guide. In this lesson, they write sentences responding to the Writing Prompt, “Using evidence from the text, what message is the author trying to convey about peer acceptance and our relationships with ourselves?” Students review the text for sample sentences that are structured using phrases or clauses to enhance the text. They review an example sentence that uses a clause to improve the topic of peers. Then, they write three more sentences using phrases or clauses based on peer acceptance, relationships with ourselves, and relationships with others. In the Teacher Guide, Illuminating Key Concepts in Language and Grammar - Phrases and Clauses, the teacher is provided with definitions of phrases and clauses. They are directed to have students complete the Direct Instruction slideshow lesson, then complete the activity, writing three sentences and identifying if their additions are phrases or clauses.

• 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). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 6, Module 1, students read “Go Your Own Way” by Terina Allen. In this article, students look for ways to add clarity and emphasis to their writing by adding commas to separate coordinate adjectives. The Write to Impress lesson provides instructions to “use coordinate adjectives from the chart below to write correctly punctuated sentences.” Students are provided with a model sentence that uses a positive attitude and inspirational tone as an example for combining coordinate adjectives. Then, they use the other words provided to come up with two sentences that answer the Writing Prompt, “How does the author use her own experiences to convey her message to readers who might feel scared about their future or their power over it? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.” In the Teacher Guide, Illuminating Key Concepts in Language and Grammar -Coordinate Adjectives, the teacher is directed to “explain to students that commas are the unsung heroes of grammar” because they serve several important functions in writing. They are to walk students through the Direct Instruction slideshow lesson on Commas to review the many ways to use commas to indicate a pause or separation in sentence writing. This is followed by a five-question quiz. 

• Students have opportunities to spell correctly. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, Module 1, students read “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury. Students engage in a Write to Impress lesson from the Student Guide. In this lesson, students focus on spelling correctly. They learn three spelling rules: dropping the -e when adding -ing, using -i before -e, using -ei when c sounds like s, and changing -y to -i when adding -es. The instructions provide example sentences for each rule, and then students write sentences from the text that apply the spelling rules. In the Teacher Guide, Illuminating Key Concepts in Language and Grammar, the teacher is provided with guidance which includes referencing the Direct Instruction slide show lesson on spelling. This lesson includes a rationale for proper spelling and rules such as doubling up rule, common spelling mistakes, when to drop silent e, i after e rule, i before e except after c rule, and commonly confused words. This slideshow lesson is followed by a five-question quiz.  

  • In Unit 4, Module 8, students write a research paper to answer their own research question about climate change. To earn points for audience appeal on the final rubric, the students must ensure their writing adheres to the conventions of standard English grammar, including spelling. In the Edit the Draft Together from the Student Guide, students “collaborate with a peer or peers to read each other’s drafts.” The directions state that they use the rubric to evaluate each other’s work.

• Students have opportunities to choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, Module 1, students read “Building Better Drivers” by Dan Risch. While reading, students observe how the author uses precise language and eliminates wordiness and redundancy in the piece. Students engage in a Write to Impress lesson from the Student Guide. They focus on revising wordy sentences to make them more precise. In the Teacher Guide, Illuminating Key Concepts in Language and Grammar - Precise Language, the teacher is directed to “explain to students that while we as writers may sometimes struggle to find enough words to describe an idea, other times—especially when we have a lot to say—we may struggle to keep our thinking simple and clear for our readers. Choosing the most specific and clear words and phrases to capture our meaning is called writing with precision. Precise language allows us to communicate exact ideas and emotions in as few words as possible to make the most impact.” Examples are provided for the teacher, and students are asked to brainstorm a list of alternatives for “said” that use more precise language.

  • In Unit 3, Module 7, students write a short story to answer the Writing Prompt, “Think about a social issue you feel strongly about (for example, bullying, animal rights, climate change). Write a short story set in an alternative universe that addresses your theme and includes aspects of dystopia/utopia or science fiction that you have explored in this unit.” In order to earn points for narrative techniques on the final rubric, students must make sure their narratives “use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events vividly and thoroughly.” In the Edit the Draft Together from the Student Guide, students “collaborate with a peer or peers to read each other’s drafts.” The directions state that they must use the rubric to evaluate each other’s work. In the Teacher Guide, there is a reference to the Language and Style Toolkit - Grade 7. The teacher is directed to the student-facing slide on verb tense. This slide includes examples of present and past tense and a strategy: “Determine the timeframe of the action or state of being (present or past) and use the appropriate verb tense (present or past) to convey the correct meaning. Ensure consistency in tense throughout the sentence or passage.” Further instruction for the teacher is to use the student-facing slide in the Toolkit on commas. It includes rules for comma usage, examples, and a strategy: “Using the list above, identify when using commas would be appropriate. Ensure you have two complete sentences before and after a comma and conjunction to avoid comma splices. These guidelines help to structure sentences effectively and convey meaning accurately.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 1m. 

The materials include a way for students to interact with and build text-specific vocabulary in the texts. The materials include a scope and sequence with the vocabulary tasks for each unit. Vocabulary facilitates students’ understanding of what they are reading. In each module, in the Student Guide, the Build Your Vocabulary activities provide one to four words that appear in the text for students to work with. While reading the text online, vocabulary words are blue so that students can click on them for a definition. Vocabulary support is also built into the online lessons through a glossary of terms. Some vocabulary words were repeated within a unit or across a unit. The year-long vocabulary plan is included in the Unit Planning Tools document for explicitly teaching vocabulary strategies and debriefing vocabulary words. The Build Your Vocabulary activities are listed as essential, and the materials also include online direct instruction, student guide tasks, and some additional offline resources. The Unit Planning Tool includes teacher guidance to support vocabulary instruction, including explicit vocabulary instruction strategies that differentiate between academic vocabulary terms and CERCA words, and a vocabulary presentation resource that provides the vocabulary terms and definitions organized by unit.  

Materials provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Each Unit Planning Tools document provides a Vocabulary Instruction Guidance document for each unit. This document includes definitions of Key Academic Terms, CERCA words, and Focus Words (words from the reading selections). Throughout the program, the following 17 word learning strategies with guidance are provided for teachers: Morphology, Word Relationships, Prefixes, Synonyms, Frayer Model, Context Clues, Map a Word, Antonyms, Shades of Meaning, Compare and Contrast, Word Analysis, Concept Map, Word Study, Roots Words, Word Web, Analogy Chart, and Etymology of Words. Each Unit focuses on two to four of these strategies. For Unit 1, four explicit Vocabulary Strategy Instructions are presented with key strategies: “Frayer Model - Analyzing words using characteristics, examples and non-examples, Word Relationships - finding common ideas or relationships with groups of words, Map a Populating a graphic organizer with meaningful aspects of new words- [and] Context Clues- Defining a word based on its use in a sentence.” There is a link to additional guidance, including establishing vocabulary notebooks and routines. An additional link to twenty-two Vocabulary Best Practice lessons. 

• Unit Planning Tools include a Key Vocabulary document for each unit. This document includes a link to a slideshow of Explicit Vocabulary Instruction Resources. The slideshow includes how to set up a Vocabulary Notebook, and slides on all of the vocabulary routines provided in the materials. This document includes key academic terms and CERCA words for the unit, as well as a slide show of the Focus words and their definitions for each module. ThinkCERCA defines these different types of vocabulary words as follows and provides the following high-level teacher guidance for each type: 

  • “Key Academic Terms include high-value vocabulary introduced in class and reviewed in the unit’s Direct Instruction. After leading students through the presentation, provide instruction to support understanding of the key concepts and skills they represent and have students record new terms. (See unit Direct Instruction for resources.)

  • CERCA Words found in the Build Your Vocabulary sections of the student guide deepen key conceptual understandings and enable the expression of reasoning. (The word may not appear in the text, but it captures a key concept for interpreting the text.) Use the Explicit Vocabulary Instruction in the Teacher’s Guide to provide students with explicit support for vocabulary skill development prior to facilitating the collaborative learning experience.

  • Focus Words are a subset of words from reading selections. They enrich grade level readings and often appear in assessments. (After teaching the Focus Words using the slide show and modeling the vocabulary strategies, use Best Practices Facilitation Resources in the Teacher’s Guide to help students develop strategies for vocabulary using engaging tasks.)”

• Throughout the Teacher Guides, general Vocabulary Explicit Strategy Instruction Guidance is provided. For example, in Unit 1, Module 1, Teacher Guide, for the Build Your Vocabulary Activity, teachers have the following guidance: “Map a Word: Use the Explicit Vocabulary Strategy resources to introduce the Map a Word to help students build vocabulary and deepen understanding of key concepts in a reading. Have students analyze 2-3 essential terms. Use the graphic organizer to define the word, list characteristics, examples, and non-examples. This process encourages discussion and collaboration as students work individually or in groups to complete the model, ultimately leading to a shared understanding of the key terms. (Module words: adolescent, self-conscious, reinvent).”

• The Student Guide provides one Build Your Vocabulary worksheet per module, including Map a Word, Word Analysis, Word Web, and Analogy Chart. The worksheets often include two to three vocabulary terms. In Map a Word, students write the word and definition, part of speech, root word or origin, picture of the word, synonym, antonym, and sentence using the word. In Word Analysis, students write the word, give an example, a definition or explanation, and respond to “makes me think of/connotation. In Word Web, students name words or phrases that are synonyms or closely related to the center word. In the Analogy Chart, students list a familiar concept, the new concept (word), similarities, differences, relationship categories, and what they now understand about the new concept. Other Student Guide activities that may include vocabulary practice include Raise Your Score and Write to Impress, where students practice using context clues to determine word meaning. A glossary of vocabulary terms is included with each text, and those terms are highlighted within the text so that students may click on them to see the definitions. Some general guidance is found in the Unit Planning Tools Document.

• In Unit 2, Module 4, students read “The Case for Making Public Transit Free Everywhere” by Nicole Kobie. Key Vocabulary Words are: transit operators, revenue, subsidize, transit, policies, parallels, offset, soaring, rationalize, and investment. Before students read the text, they complete the Build Your Vocabulary lesson from the Student Guide. Build Your Vocabulary teacher guidance states: “Explicit Vocabulary Strategy Instruction—Word Mapping: Introduce or revisit the value of the Explicit Vocabulary strategy resources to introduce Map a Word. Working individually or in small groups, students should complete the maps and then debrief as a whole group. (words: revenue, subsidize, transit).” In the Teacher Will section, teacher guidance states, 

  • “Introduce the Build Your Vocabulary task and review the example provided.

  • Organize students into small groups and assign them one or more words per group. 

  • Assist each group in sharing their findings with the entire class.”

• In Unit 4, Module 1, students read “She Tried to Avoid Plastic While Grocery Shopping for a Week. Here’s How It Went” by Martha Bebinger. Key Vocabulary Words are: zero-waste, single-use plastics, produce, ingesting, allotment, organic, glinting, derived, petroleum, odyssey, contaminated, ramping, compostable, projected, renewable, and harsh. Before students read, they complete the Build Your Vocabulary lesson from the Student Guide. Build Your Vocabulary teacher guidance states: “Explicit Vocabulary Strategy Instruction—Concept Map: Use the Explicit Vocabulary Strategy Instruction resources to introduce the Concept Map. Model the process with a word such as “zero-waste.” Display the concept map and the selected vocabulary word. Complete the part of speech, add a description, and examples. Complete the first one together. Have students fill out maps for the remaining words in your grouping choice. Students can share their responses to the second and third columns with the class. (terms: zero-waste, single-use plastics).” In the Teacher Will section, teacher guidance states,  

  • “Introduce the Build Your Vocabulary task and review the example provided.

  • Organize students into small groups and assign them one or more words per group. 

  • Assist each group in sharing their findings with the entire class.”

Vocabulary is repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts) and across multiple texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 4, Module 3, students read “In the Ocean, ‘It’s Snowing Microplastics’” by Sabrina Imbler. Before reading, the teacher can familiarize students with the Key Vocabulary Words. The Key Vocabulary Words provided include microplastics, contaminated, infiltrating, gyres, climate change, ceaseless, motes, aggregate, flocculent, scavengers, eons, carcass, minuscule, metabolize, degraded, abyss, unwieldy, manipulated, and synchronized. Then, students complete a Quick Journal in their Student Guide that responds to the prompt “How are microplastics affecting the world’s ecosystems?” After completing the journal prompt, students complete a Build Your Vocabulary task from the Student Guide, creating a Concept Map Model for the words microplastics and contaminated to demonstrate their understanding of the words by providing a definition, explanations, part of speech, what it is like, and some examples. 

• In Unit 7, Module 4, students read two poems, an informational text, and a short story before analyzing and comparing the texts. Before reading, students access an online list of vocabulary words that appear in the text. In this module, the students review the word “solemn (adj.): serious.” The word “solemn (adj.): sad” was introduced to the students in Unit 3, Module 1, before the students read “All Summer In A Day” by Ray Bradbury.

• In Unit 7, Module 7, students learn ten vocabulary words for Your Portfolio: Writing Your Literary Analysis in Grades 6, 7, and 8. The words include analyzes, annotate, argumentative, credible, figurative language, interpret, outlines, scenario, similarities, and transitional.

Attention is paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and to high-value academic words (e.g., words that might appear in other contexts/content areas). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Module 1, students read “Building Better Drivers” by Dan Risch. Before they read, they view an example of a completed Frayer Model. Then, they complete the Build Your Vocabulary, Frayer Model activity from the Student Guide. In the Frayer Model activity, students analyze the words utilize, distracting, and innovation to better understand, discuss, and write about the text. Students define the words, provide facts and characteristics of the word, and add examples and non-examples. 

• In Unit 4, Module 2, students read “How the Plastic Bottle Went from Miracle Container to Hated Garbage” by Laura Parker. They complete a Build Your Vocabulary activity from the Student Guide. Students focus on creating a Word Study Graphic or visual representation for the words disposable, pollution, and biodegradables in order to better understand, discuss, and write about the text. 

• In Unit 5, students read A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. In Module 1, students complete Build Your Vocabulary from the Student Guide by completing the Map a Word activity for the terms conflict and resolution. By beginning the unit with definitions of these two words, students are familiar with them. Before reading Act I, students can use the definitions to complete the Direct Instruction Lesson for “Understanding Types of Conflict in Literature.” In Module 4, students read Act IV of the play and complete the Map the Play activity in the Student Guide. They draw up the background of conflict and resolution to complete the Map the Play activity in the Student Guide. The assignment prompts students to identify how the events and characters resolve the conflicts in the play, guiding the play toward its ending, or the Conflict Resolution.