10th Grade - Gateway 2

The materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for Indicator 2a. 

The materials include texts that are connected by a grade-appropriate cohesive theme or topic. In each unit, the first lesson, Explore the Theme Overview, introduces the theme or topic. This one-day lesson includes instruction where students set goals, preview and analyze the theme or topic, and review the Essential Question. They may also engage in a poll, create a concept map, and analyze art, images, or quotations related to the theme or topic. Texts build knowledge and the ability to comprehend and analyze complex texts across a school year. While students engage with the texts in each unit to explore the theme’s or topic’s Essential Question, they also build skills in vocabulary and standards-based reading analysis of craft and structure and author’s style. Texts at various complexity levels help build comprehension across the school year.

Texts are connected by a grade-appropriate cohesive topic/theme/line of inquiry. Texts build knowledge and the ability to read and comprehend complex texts across a school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Each of the seven units includes a variety of texts to illustrate and develop the theme or topic and Essential Question. Foci include: “What Makes You, You?,” “How Do We Solve the Water Problem?,” “Who Decides What You Should Do?,” “How Do We Feed The World?,” “What Happens To A Dream Deferred?,” “What Is The Value of College?,” and “How Do Ancient And Sacred Texts Speak To Us?” Each unit contains six to nine grade-appropriate modules connected by the theme or topic. 

• In Unit 2, the topic is “How Do We Solve The Water Problem?” and the Essential Question is “How can we improve access to clean water for all?” Students read four texts, all news articles related to the theme. In “America’s Water Crisis Goes Far Beyond Flint. There’s No Relief in Sight” by Justin Worland, students learn about the water crisis in the U.S. In Emily Schmall and Bhadra Sharma’s article, “Kathmandu Finally Got Tap Water. After a Climate Change Disaster, It Was Gone,” students investigate how communities build infrastructure. While reading “100 Years After Compact, Colorado River Nearing Crisis Point,” students look at various ideas to solve the Colorado River Basin water crisis. In “California and the American West is Thirsty. But Is Seawater Desalination a Silver Bullet to Solve the Water Crisis?” by Matt Vasilogambros, students look at one of the modern challenges in clean water access. Additional selections in the Read Across Genres section include two opinion texts, an infographic, a photo essay, and a video, “Is Water a Human Right” by NowThis World. As students watch, they complete a journal entry about whether water is a human right.

• In Unit 5, the theme is “What Happens to a Dream Deferred?” and the Essential Question is, “How can our families influence the ways in which we approach our dreams?” Students read six excerpts from scenes in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and complete close reading and writing tasks. Across the six readings, students complete various tasks, such as analyzing how playwrights develop characters in the drama, mapping the play and different conflicts, examining how playwrights introduce and develop action, creating point of view and perspective arguments, drafting a paragraph, mapping the theme statements, and building vocabulary. Five additional texts are available for students to read across genres.

• In Unit 7, the topic is “How Do Ancient and Sacred Texts Speak To Us?” and the Essential Question is “How and why do modern storytellers retell, reinvent, and expand on well-known creation stories from the past?” Students read three texts related to the theme. In “Creations Stories Collection” by various authors, students use comparative literature to consider how different cultures approach the mysteries of creation and what benefits creation stories provide for people. In Josephine Peabody’s short story, “Prometheus,” and an excerpt from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, students compare as they consider what responsibilities people bear for the unintended consequences of their actions. While reading “The Last Curiosity” by Amy Tan and “Time Capsule Found on a Dead Planet” by Margaret Atwood, students again compare and consider what benefits people derive from telling our experiences and recording them for the next generation. Additional selections are included in the Read Across Genres section, including two poems, two short stories, and a piece of art, “Chaos, The Creation of the World” by Ivan Aivazovsky. As students view the artwork, they write a quick journal entry to the prompt, “What determines our ability to connect with a work of poetry, literature, or art?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for Indicator 2b. 

The materials include opportunities for students to analyze the key ideas, details, craft, and structure within texts, though opportunities across multiple texts are limited. The questions and tasks are sequenced and sufficient to help students analyze, though they follow a similar pattern across all units and grade levels. In each unit, as students read the texts in Modules 1-4, they complete the Student Guide worksheet, Apply Your Learning, where they practice either a key ideas and details task or a craft and structure task. These tasks include a Direct Instruction slideshow lesson on the standard, often an informational or literary reading passage from the text, and questions tied to the standard being addressed. The questions and tasks support students in understanding the content of the texts and prepare them to complete the culminating Your Portfolio writing task. 

For most texts, students analyze key ideas and details  (according to grade-level standards). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Module 3, students read “Choose Your Own Identity” by Bonnie Tsui. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Making Inferences in Literary Texts, students review the online slideshow, Making Inferences in Literary Texts, and read a passage from the text where the author describes the complex realization that her child’s understanding of his race may differ from his own. Student instructions state: “As you read, pay attention to the details the author includes in order to make inferences about her perspective on who defines their race.” Students complete a chart with the following questions: “How does the author feel about the possibility that her son may choose to identify as white? What details from the text helped you make this inference? How does the author feel about her own Chinese identity? What details from the text helped you make this inference? Tsui states, ‘I knew that I had no business telling him what his racial identity was.’ Why does the author believe this? What details from the passage above or from the text as a whole helped you make this inference?”

• In Unit 2, Module 4, students read “California and the American West is Thirsty. But is Seawater Desalination a Silver Bullet to Solve the Water Crisis?” by Matt Vasilogambros. Students view the online slideshow, Analyzing Issues and Appeals. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Analyze Issues and Appeals, students ask questions about “how the author structured the information around the issue of desalination and the drought in the American West” from the beginning, middle, and end of the article, such as “The author begins the article explaining the environmental issue surrounding the need for innovative solutions to solve the water crisis in California. What is the issue the author wants you to understand?”

• In Unit 6, Module 2, students read “The Surprising Thing Google Learned About Its Employees-and What It Means for Today’s Students” by Valerie Strauss and Cathy N. Davidson. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, The Impact of an Author’s Choices: Selecting and Arranging Details, students review the online slideshow, The Impact of an Author’s Choices: Selecting and Arranging Details, and discuss the following questions with a group: “Why do you think the authors begin the article by countering this conventional wisdom? What are these soft skills, and how do the authors emphasize their importance? What is their closing advice? How has this article reinforced or shifted your views on which skills you need to focus on in terms of your future?”

For most texts, students analyze craft and structure (according to grade-level standards). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 3, Module 4, students read “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Students view two slideshows, Developing Point of View in Literature and Figurative Language. In the Figurative Language slideshow, students learn about euphemisms and oxymorons. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Developing Point of View in Literature, students complete a chart locating and noting examples of coherence (organization) and audience appeal. Students take notes on literary elements in the chart with questions, such as “Point of View: Point of view is the perspective from which the story is told. From whose point of view did the author choose to narrate the story? Perspective: What details in the story show the differences in perspective that each character has toward the old man with enormous wings?” In the Student Guide, Write to Impress, Interpret Figurative Language, students read a passage from the text and complete a chart following these instructions: “Locate or write original examples of oxymoron and euphemism. Then, apply your learning to your writing.” After reading and analyzing the text, students respond to this Writing Lesson prompt: “Analyze the author’s development of point of view and perspective in the story. What do the points of view and the perspectives of at least two characters convey about the connections between our beliefs and human behavior?”

• In Unit 4, Module 1, students read “Farmers in India Cut Their Carbon Footprint With Trees and Solar Power” by Sibi Arasu. In the student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Determining the Meaning of Words and Phrases, students read the online slideshow, Determining the Meanings of Words and Phrases, and read a passage from the text in which the author provides language and details that define the concept of “carbon footprint” and explores what that looks like through examples of Indian agriculture. Student instructions state: “Reread the passage. Which words and phrases give more information about the sustainability of India’s agriculture? Use those words and phrases to help you understand the concept of the carbon footprint.” In the chart, students answer the questions: “What words and phrases in the passage help you understand the concept of sustainability? Record those words and phrases. (Define those words, if needed.) Using the words and phrases you noted, as well as the denotations and connotations of the words, what statement could you make about the future of India’s carbon footprint?”

• In Unit 7, Module 1, students read “Creation Stories Collection” by Various Authors. Students read the online slideshow Analyzing Traditional Tales: Creation Stories to understand common story elements in creation stories. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Analyzing Traditional Tales: Creation Stories, students complete a chart and answer two questions: “In what ways is the element similar in all four stories? In what ways is your element different in each story?” Students use the following four texts to complete the chart: Genesis 1 from Holy Bible NIV, “The Creation” by James Weldon Johnson, “Versions from the Popol Vuh: An Excerpt” translated by Jesse Nathan, Josue Coy Dick, and Juan Coy Teniand “The Earth on the Turtle’s Back” by Joseph Bruchac and Michael J Caduto. In the Writing Lesson, students answer the prompt, “Compare and contrast an element of the creation stories in these four selections. How do these selections celebrate the creation of nature and humanity? Choose one aspect to analyze, such as character, plot, theme, etc.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for Indicator 2c. 

The materials provide opportunities for students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas within individual texts and sometimes across multiple texts. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning task, standards related to Integration of Knowledge are practiced with a focused lesson using coherently sequenced, high-quality text-specific and/or text-dependent questions and tasks. Students use the questions and tasks to analyze the content of the text(s) and to prepare for the completion of the Your Portfolio writing task; however, there are limited opportunities for students to practice analysis. The questions and tasks are similar across units and grade levels. Students analyze these standards across multiple texts in each unit’s Read Across Genre module.

Most sets of questions and tasks support students’ analysis of knowledge and ideas. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Module 1, students read “America’s Clean Water Crisis Goes Far Beyond Flint. There’s No Relief In Sight” by Justin Worland. Students review the online slideshow, Determining and Tracing a Central Idea Through Details. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Determining and Tracing a Central Idea, students answer questions about how the author shapes the argument with evidence such as, 

  • “What does the quote tell you about the problem?

  • How does the quote shape and strengthen the author’s argument?

  • What does the data tell you about the problem?

  • How does the data shape and strengthen the author’s argument?”

  In the Student Guide, Write to Impress, students answer the prompt, “How does the author use descriptive details and anecdotes to appeal to the audience in this argument for safe water access?” Students provide two pieces of text evidence and two paraphrased examples. In the Student Guide, Share Your Argument Builder, students answer the prompt, “How does the author use descriptive details and anecdotes to appeal to the audience in this argument for safe water access?” Students document the claim, evidence, examples, reasoning, elaboration, and analysis explaining why they chose the evidence.  

• In Unit 4, Module 5, students read the poem “Farmland” by Walter Lowenfels and an informational text, “Smart Farming, Precision Agriculture to Achieve a More Sustainable World” by Iberdrola. In the Student Guide, Understand Topics, students read the introduction to the lesson, “When conducting research, main sources are often not sufficient. Additional texts that focus on one small part of an issue can be helpful in fully explaining an issue. Additionally, being able to detect the difference between a fact and an opinion makes research and informational texts more useful.” They review the online slideshow, Understanding a Topic through Multiple Texts, then fill out a graphic organizer comparing the text with these questions/prompts: “Two facts I notice, One opinion I notice, These two sources have the following similarities, These sources approach the issue differently in the following ways.”

• In Unit 7, Module 2, students read the short story “Prometheus” by Josephine Preston Peabody and an excerpt from “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley. Students review the slideshow, Common Character Types Within and Across Texts. In the Student Guide, they complete multiple worksheets, including a quick journal, a vocabulary lesson, prompt analysis, and character analysis for both texts. Students answer the prompt, “Based on evidence from the text, respond to the following prompt: Through extraordinary skill, both Prometheus and Dr. Victor Frankenstein unleash their creations on the world--Prometheus, the power of fire, and Dr. Frankenstein, the power of life into a corpse. Using evidence found in each text, analyze each character’s motivations and discuss whether or not these characters were justified in creating and then abandoning them.”

Sets of questions and tasks provide opportunities to analyze across multiple texts as well as within single texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Module 5, Read Across Genres, students examine an infographic, “Clean Water and Sanitation: A Global Report Card” by National Geographic Society, and a photo essay, “Thirst for Clean Water” by Jitendra Prakash. Students review the online slideshow, Understanding Visual Sources. In the Student Guide, Visualize Information, student instructions state, “After completing Understanding Visual Sources, take notes, describing what you notice about both texts, as well as what you can infer about the arguments as well as the ideas you challenge. Think about: What do I notice in the details? What does this make me think about? What argument is the text trying to make?” Students answer the questions in a chart.

• In Unit 4, Module 5, students read “What is Sustainable Agriculture?” by the Union of Concerned Scientists and “What is the Difference between Organic Farming and Sustainable Farming?” by Tillable in order to evaluate the sources and strength of the evidence in each article. After reading each article, students respond to reading check questions. Then, they complete graphic organizers in the student guide where they consider the sources of evidence, strength of evidence, connection to the topic, and the reasoning in each article. After considering these things, students must determine the quality of evidence in each article and answer the question, “What is your overall analysis of this text for the purposes of research evidence?”

• In Unit 7, Module 3, students read “The Last Curiosity” by Lucy Tan and “Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet” by Margaret Atwood in order to respond to this prompt: “In these modern creation stories, two authors imagine, through an omniscient narrator, what it would be like to embark on a post-apocalyptic world. Using evidence from the texts, compare the lessons learned after the destruction of humankind. What universal theme do both stories have in common that could serve as a caution to present-day humans?” In the Student Guide, students complete an online analysis lesson on the two texts by analyzing the text through reading and responding to Pause and Reflect prompts and answering five multiple-choice questions. They also complete the Direct Instruction lesson on Common Themes Within and Across Texts by reading a slide deck and completing the questions. Finally, they use both text and analysis to respond to the aforementioned prompt.

The materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for Indicator 2d. 

The materials include two culminating tasks for each unit: a speaking and listening task and a writing task that becomes part of the student’s portfolio. The materials include culminating tasks that integrate the topic/theme and readings from each unit in a process writing task at the end of each unit. Each unit includes a Your Portfolio module as the culminating writing task. Across the year, Your Portfolio tasks are varied, including personal narrative, short story, cause and effect essay, argument essay, personal statement, research paper, and literary analysis essay. Speaking and listening activities within these writing tasks are demonstrated through peer review of the essay during the writing process. In each culminating speaking and listening task, students participate in various speaking and listening activities as they explore each unit’s essential question(s) and knowledge. Student tasks are Socratic discussions, pitch decks, performances, debate games, and panel discussions. 

Culminating tasks are evident and varied across the year and they are multifaceted, requiring students to demonstrate mastery of several different standards (reading, writing, speaking, listening) at the appropriate grade level, and comprehension and knowledge of a topic or topics through integrated skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Module 6, students participate in a Socratic Discussion. Students begin by independently reviewing the Socratic Discussion direct instruction slick deck. Then, students look at a list of texts they read throughout the unit, which should be considered in their discussion. They use a few handouts in the Student Guide to prepare for discussion, including the Reflect on the Essential Question handout and the Prepare for the Discussion graphic organizer. In both these handouts, students consider their claims with supporting evidence from the unit’s texts to answer the essential question, “How do various factors shape who we become?” After preparing, students move into the discussion. They may use sentence starters on the Build Knowledge Together handout if they need help. Once the discussion is over, teachers Conduct the Poll Again activity to see if students changed their minds throughout the discussion. Lastly, students answer questions to reflect on their discussion. 

• In Unit 2, Modules 1-6, students read four informational texts. The Essential Question is, “How can we improve access to clean water for all?” In Module 7, Your Portfolio, students process-write an argumentative essay for the prompt, “Based on your readings, what are the most pressing issues facing communities around the world in the ongoing debate about how to access clean water?” In preceding lessons, students preview the informative writing rubric, read a sample exemplar of the essay, and use the rubric to score it, as well as practice giving feedback by filling out a worksheet noting areas of success and areas that need growth. Guidance is provided for prewriting, including graphic organizers to compare similarities and differences between the two texts they chose, finalize their claims, and organize their essays. After writing the first draft of the essay, students meet with a peer and look for transitions in each other’s essays. They also meet with another peer to share and listen to each other about what parts of the essay need more development. Next, they work with a peer to edit each other’s draft before submitting the essay. Finally, they reflect on their writing. 

• In Unit 3, Modules 1-6, students read four fiction texts. The Essential Question is, “How can fantasy and various otherworldly elements of stories help us explore important questions about human behavior and society?” In Module 7, Your Portfolio, students process-write a short story for the prompt, “Think about an aspect of human behavior that society affects. Write a short story using the characters, settings, and plot characteristics of horror, dystopia, magical realism, or fantasy to develop your story.” In preceding lessons, students preview the informative writing rubric, read a sample exemplar of the story, and use the rubric to score it, as well as practice giving feedback by filling out a worksheet noting areas of success and areas that need growth in the exemplar. Guidance is provided for prewriting, including a graphic organizer to map the story. After writing the first draft, students meet with a peer and look for transitions in each other’s stories. They also meet with another peer to share and listen to each other about what parts of the story need more development. Next, they work with a peer to edit each other’s draft before submitting. Finally, they reflect on their writing. 

• In Unit 5, Module 8, students participate in a Performance. Students begin by independently reviewing the Performance direct instruction slick deck. Then, students look at a list of texts they read throughout the unit, which should be used in their performances. They use a few handouts in the Student Guide to prepare for discussion, including the Reflect on the Essential Question handout and the Prepare for the Performance graphic organizer. In the first handout, students consider their claims with supporting evidence from the unit’s texts to answer the essential question, “How can our families influence the ways in which we approach our dreams?” In the second handout, students use the texts from the unit to prepare their performances. Next, students perform in groups. After the performances, they reflect on their classmates’ performances and their own individual performances. Lastly, teachers Conduct the Poll Again activity to see if students changed their minds about the essential question. 

• In Unit 7, Modules 1-5, students read a collection of fiction texts related to the theme of the unit. The Essential Question is, “How and why do modern storytellers retell, reinvent, and expand on well-known creation stories from the past?” In Module 6, Your Portfolio, students process-write a literary analysis essay to the prompt, “How do modern creation texts draw on ancient, sacred, or classical texts as inspiration while transforming them into completely new works? Select one of the ancient, sacred, or classical works of literature from this unit to compare to a later text that draws on it as inspiration or transforms it into a modern or re-envisioned work. Use these two texts from different periods as the basis of a comparative analysis, narrowing your topic to explore an idea such as the power of creation, the responsibility of creating a new world, place, or being, or the effect of releasing a creation into the world. Compare and contrast how your selected texts are similar and different in the ways they address the topic of your choice, using evidence from the text to support your answer.” In preceding lessons, students preview the informative writing rubric, read a sample exemplar of the essay, and use the rubric to score it, as well as practice giving feedback by filling out a worksheet noting areas of success and areas that need growth. Guidance is provided for prewriting, including graphic organizers to compare similarities and differences between the two texts they chose, finalize their claims, and organize their essays. After writing the first draft of the essay, students meet with a peer and look for transitions in each other’s essays. They also meet with another peer to share and listen to each other about what parts of the essay need more development. Next, they work with a peer to edit each other’s draft before submitting the essay. Finally, they reflect on their writing. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for Indicator 2e. 

The materials provide writing instruction that aligns to the standards across the school year and meets the distribution required by the standards for argumentative, informative/explanatory, and narrative writing. Each unit includes lessons and activities that follow a consistent pattern for developing students’ writing. The modules provide guidance and protocols for students to practice writing summaries and argumentative paragraphs with respect to the readings. Over the school year, students focus on writing an argumentative paragraph for the modules within each unit. Still, they also write full-length essays in the form of a personal narrative, an argument, a short story, a research paper, a cause-and-effect essay, a personal statement, and a literary analysis. Within each instruction unit, students have opportunities to engage in direct instruction slide decks focused on composition skills related to the culminating writing task for the unit. The Student Guide allows students to complete graphic organizers to develop and organize ideas, analyze student examples, and participate in revising and editing tasks to improve writing. Each unit provides mentor texts that emphasize different writing techniques for students to reference and learn techniques to apply in their writing. Guidance is provided for students as they practice and apply writing standards. The standards can be located in each Unit-At-a-Glance, Scope and Sequence, and Teacher Guide. The Teacher Guide includes Teach Academic Writing Skills, Show and Tell, and Model Your Thinking strategies to support the tasks, and additional materials found in the Resources tab of the platform provide guidance for implementing and monitoring students’ writing development. Each culminating writing assignment includes a final rubric to evaluate student writing.

Materials include writing instruction that aligns to the standards for the grade level and supports students’ growth in writing skills over the course of the school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Units 2 and 7, argumentative writing is the culminating task in the Your Portfolio section. Students write an argumentative essay and a literary analysis essay, respectively. 

• In Units 4 and 5, informational/explanatory writing is the culminating task in the Your Portfolio section. Students write a research paper and a cause-and-effect essay, respectively.

• In Units 1, 3, and 6, narrative writing is the culminating task in the Your Portfolio section. Students write a personal narrative, short story, and personal statement. 

• In all units, the Student Guide offers support in the form of a prewriting, drafting, and revising checklist, an informative writing rubric, a student model that students score using the rubric, and a worksheet to practice giving feedback to peers. The Student Guide includes a page with specific guidance for the writing task with instructions, the writing prompt, and notes on either collecting research or planning the writing task. Graphic organizers are provided to complete various tasks, such as goal-setting, mapping the task, gathering evidence, and proofreading evidence for mistakes and inconsistencies. For argumentative and informative/explanatory writing, the lesson, “Citing and Documenting Sources,” reviews citing sources, avoiding plagiarism, summarizing, paraphrasing, bibliography, and citation generators and style (MLA or APA). Lessons are provided to teach students how to use appropriate transitions, and then students are directed to pair with another writer to look for sentences that need transitions. Students share, edit, and reflect on their writing following guidance from additional worksheets in the Student Guide.

• In Unit 2, Module 7, students write an argumentative essay for the prompt,  “Based on your readings, what are the most pressing issues facing communities around the world in the ongoing debate about how to access clean water?” Students start the unit by setting a Personal SMART goal using the graphic organizer in the Student Guide. Students Explore the Theme, Essential Questions, review the purpose of Arguments, and review the rubric for the final portfolio task of writing an argumentative essay. In the first four Modules of the unit, students journal in the Before You Read section using a prompt in the Quick Journal graphic organizer in the Student Guide. In the Analyze section, students use the Write to Impress graphic organizer to respond to the writing prompt using text evidence. In the Write section, students use graphic organizers in the Student Guide to summarize the anchor text, Appreciate the Author’s Craft, and Share Your Argument Builder. Students work online during the Develop step to plan an argument that answers the writing prompt. During the Draft section, students use their Argument Builder and notes from peer collaborations to write a CERCA paragraph that answers the writing prompt. In Module 5, students Read Across Genres. Using graphic organizers in the Student Guide, students Quick Journal about “Is water a human right?” and read and analyze arguments using graphic organizers in the Student Guide. In Module 6, students participate in a Debate, and in Module 7, students complete the essay using pre-writing, writing, and revision steps in the Student Guide and online. In the Teacher Guide in the Preview Key Concepts and Skills Direct Instruction section, Show and Tell - Writing a Conclusion, the teacher is instructed, “Students must understand the structure of conclusions in argumentative writing to complete their portfolio. They need to have practice on each type of conclusion: a summary, a focus on the main point, or a call to action. Model how each type of conclusion works by demonstrating how an author would write a conclusion based on the claim,

‘Desalination can solve the water crisis.’” The teacher is provided with example summary, call to action, and main point focus conclusions to share with the students. 

• In Unit 4, Module 8, students write an informational/explanatory research paper related to multiple texts on food’s impact on the environment for the prompt: “Based on the readings and other research, what are the most pressing issues around how to solve the global food crisis and agricultural sustainability?” Students start the unit by setting a Personal SMART goal using the graphic organizer in the Student Guide. Students Explore the Theme, Key Issues, and Essential Questions, review the Purpose of Research Writing, and review the final Portfolio rubric. In the first four modules of the unit, students read four informational texts and journals in the Before You Read section using a prompt in the Quick Journal graphic organizer in the Student Guide. In the Analyze section, students use the Apply Your Learning graphic organizer to answer the question, “Which words and phrases give more information about the sustainability of India’s agriculture? Use those words and phrases to help you understand the concept of the carbon footprint.” In the Write section, students use graphic organizers in the Student Guide to summarize the anchor text, Share Your Argument Builder. Students work online during the Develop step to plan an argument that answers the writing prompt. During the Draft step, students use their Argument Builder and notes from peer collaborations to write a CERCA paragraph that answers the writing prompt. In Module 5, students Read Across Genres. Using graphic organizers in the Student Guide, students Quick Journal for the question, “How can the US lead the world in sustainable farming?”, and evaluate informational texts using Understanding a Topic through Multiple Texts graphic organizer. In Module 6, students Research Big ideas and complete multiple graphic organizers to Plan Your Research, including one to Create a Thesis Statement. In Module 7, students write the essay using pre-writing, writing, and revision tasks in the Student Guide and online. In the Teacher Guide, Show and Tell - Researching to Compile Resources, teacher guidance states, “As students write, remind them that paraphrasing and summarizing research serve different purposes as learned in previous units. While they should vary their use of paraphrasing and direct quotations, they must cite their sources regardless of the method used.” Students should refer to the Research Toolkit for additional support.

•  In Unit 6, Module 7, students write a personal statement for the prompt, “Describe a time when you had to either take a risk or stay safe. What did you do? What happened? Would you do it again?” In the first four modules, students read four informational texts and complete tasks to guide their writing process: “Explore how authors use examples and anecdotes to explain ideas. Explore the impact of an author’s choices in selecting and arranging details in a text. Explore the impact of an author’s word choices and use of images in a text. Explore the impact of connections within informational texts.” In the Unit Planner, Your Portfolio, a lesson to assist students in writing their personal statement is explained: “By unpacking a passion of yours in a personal statement, you are allowing the reader to get a better sense of who you are and what drives you. This lesson provides strategies for writing and revising a strong personal statement.” This is followed by a series of instructions for students to “Learn, Think, and Create.” In Module 7, students complete the statement using pre-writing, writing, and revision steps in the Student Guide and online. In the Teacher Guide, Teach Academic Writing Skills, teacher guidance states, “In this final narrative portfolio piece, students draw upon foundational elements from previous units to create an organized, coherent, and engaging piece. Encourage students to use their understanding of all aspects of narrative, informative, and argumentative writing to organize and introduce events, settings, characters, and themes using the writing strategies they have learned throughout this unit. Remind them to be intentional in their vivid word choices, personal examples and anecdotes, transitions, and other techniques to elevate their narrative writing. Students should also consider how their choice of organizational structure will

support their overall message to create personal statements that will leave lasting impressions.”

• Each Student Guide in the materials provides students with scaffolds and structures for writing practice. The Teacher Guide includes Teach Academic Writing Skills, Show and Tell, and Model Your Thinking strategies for the writing tasks, which provides teachers with support for modeling and scaffolding.  

Instructional materials include well-designed guidance, protocols, models, and support for teachers to implement and monitor students’ writing development. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Assessments tab, Writing Benchmarks are included for the beginning, middle, and end of the year. The stated purpose is “to personalize instruction for your students and track progress throughout the year.” Each benchmark test includes a text to read, ten multiple-choice questions to answer, and an argumentative writing prompt. Teacher directions state: “Assign lessons to introduce the CERCA framework and gain insight into student writing readiness. Evaluate completed student work and review results. Assign each student a personal growth focus.” In the Resources tab, training course videos show how to enter the rubric score. Benchmark summary reports in the Reports tab include performance by class, rubric category score, growth focus distribution by class, and individual student data. 

• In the Resources tab, implementation resources are available for teachers. Links are provided to Training Courses, the Help Center, the On-Demand Video Library, and a ThinkCERCA Blog. These links provide support from setup to assessment. 

•  The Writing section has three sections in the Direct Instruction and Skills Practice tab, including 50 Argument and 20 Narrative slideshows. The third section is Informative Texts. There are no slideshows for informational/explanatory writing. The Direct Instruction slideshows cover various writing topics, including comprehension questions at the end. They are referenced in the Teacher Guide in multiple lessons when appropriate to the writing task. Topics include but are not limited to The Purpose of Arguments, Identifying Parts of Written Arguments, The Impact of an Author’s Choices: Words, Integrating Evidence, Tone, Characteristics of Formal Style, Characters in Narrative Writing, Developing Events in Narrative Writing, Using Time as a Storytelling Tool, Transitions and Linking words in a Narrative, Dialogue in Writing, Summarizing Informational Texts, Informative and Explanatory Writing, Developing Effective Paragraphs, and  Research Skills. Some of the slideshows are identical in Grades 6-12. The Skills Practice lessons offer various writing topics and lessons in interactive slideshows. The lessons are assigned online and include a mix of instructional slides and practice for the student, including matching definitions, highlighting text, and answering multiple-choice questions. Some of the topics include but are not limited to Organizing Arguments, Introductions in Arguments, Supporting Claims with Evidence, Conclusions in Arguments, Summarizing Informational Texts, and Citing Evidence to Support Analysis in Informational Texts.

• Under the Resources tab, Curriculum Resources, Writing, the materials include guidance documents on the following topics (not limited to): Feedback Guidance, Writing Revisions Strategies Toolkit, and Best Practices: Compare Writing. 

  • The Feedback Guidance document includes general guidance for using ThinkCERCA’s provided writing feedback banks across the three core writing types: argumentative, informational, and narrative. This document also links each feedback bank. 

  • The Writing Revision Strategies Toolkit document includes general guidance for teachers to provide student feedback on their writing. It links parts of the CERCA process and how teachers can respond to each student depending on their learning gap. The document also links a Personalized Growth Plan Document, which outlines and provides general guidance on the different settings teachers can use to give feedback (1:1, small group, whole class). This document also includes links to other resources for supporting students with specific action steps based on data from benchmark writing assessments. 

  • The Best Practices: Compare Writing document provides general guidance for a strategy teachers can use to support students in comparing two pieces of writing to analyze and evaluate the “techniques employed by writers.”

• In the Teacher Guide of each unit, guidance includes Support for English Language Learners, Support for Students with Exceptional Needs, and Support for Further Exploration and Thinking.

• In Unit 6, Module 7, Teacher Guide, instructional resources for personal narrative writing development are available. The Teacher Guide Pre-Writing guidance states: 

  • “Explain that the personal statement is useful for applying for programs, scholarships, jobs, and leadership positions. While it is a narrative, it has a persuasive and informational purpose. Like most writing in the real world, this is a text that brings all aspects of the writing together.

  • Instruct students to review the evaluation criteria for ‘Your Portfolio.’

  • Instruct students to complete the reading ‘Time for a Change’ by Ingrid Medgyesy and answer the Check questions.

  •  Explain that students will practice giving feedback about the Student Exemplar. 

  • Guide students in sharing one area of growth, a success, or an insight about the Student Exemplar draft.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for Indicator 2g. 

The materials spend the majority of instructional time on tasks and assessment questions aligned to grade-level standards, including instruction delivered through online slideshows that students complete at their own pace, followed by short multiple-choice quizzes and PDF worksheets. Teachers have access to the Unit Planning Tools that provide support for guidance, planning, and explicit instruction for each unit, as well as a Teacher Guide for each unit. These include clarification of directions and notes to direct students into the online program or Student Guide, suggestions for teacher modeling of aspects of lessons, and opportunities to conduct think-alouds. Assessment questions are multiple-choice and only include reading standards. In other parts of the program, most standards are repeatedly addressed within and across the units to ensure students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery of the standard; however, some standards are covered only once.

Over the course of each unit, most instruction is aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Each unit of instruction includes a Unit-At-a-Glance, a Teacher Guide, a Student Guide, a Diverse Learners Guide, and an Answer Key. While each module in the online portal is labeled with the primary standard focus, the explicit instruction for meeting each standard does not appear in the materials. The Unit-At-a-Glance overviews the skills addressed with key standards identified. The Teacher Guide includes a Skills Students Will Know, Understand, and Apply Section listing some of the unit's key standards. The units consistently include close reading and academic writing, which are facilitated through an online slide deck presentation labeled Direct Instruction. In the Student Guide, students have various activities aligned to the standards, but the connection to the standard is not directly labeled. Each module in the Student Guide contains the following lessons: Apply Your Learning, Appreciate the Author’s Craft, Draft Your Argument, Building Vocabulary, and Write to Impress; however, the standards are not identified with each activity.

• In Unit 2, Module 1, Apply Your Learning, Student Guide, students review the Direct Instruction slideshow, Determining and Tracing a Central Idea Through Details, then apply their learning to the task. Slides include the definition of the central idea, the difference between a topic and a central idea, where to find the central idea, how to look for evidence of the central idea, how to find evidence an author uses, and why it matters. In the five-question quiz, students read a passage and answer questions where they determine the central idea or evidence about the text. This task is aligned with standard RI.9-10.2. This same slideshow and quiz is used in Grade 9.  In the Teacher Guide, The teacher materials provide a think-aloud by modeling how to interpret the prompt and a script to provide an example for students. The remaining teacher guidance states, 

  • Remind students that the Direct Instruction lesson is a useful resource.

  • Have students hear the prompts out loud before they begin working.

  • Facilitate pairs or groups for students to complete the tasks.

• In Unit 5, students read A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansbury. The Teacher Guide contains information for the teacher to understand the Historic Context and Preview the Material and Resources for Facilitating Nurturing Classroom Conversations. In the Teacher Guide, the teacher facilitates activities before, during, and after reading. In the Teacher Guide, there is guidance to assist students in completing the Direct Instruction slideshows: How Playwrights Introduce Dramatic Action through Scenes (RL.9-10.5), Context Clues RL.9-10.4), Understanding Types of Conflict in Literature (RL.9-10.3), Developing Characters in Drama (RL.9-10.3), and Determining Themes in Drama (RL.9-10.2). After each slide show, students answer five multiple-choice questions. The Teacher Guide includes Teacher Tips regarding the content of the slideshows. For example, for the slideshow on Context Clues, the Teacher Guide has the following Teacher Tip: “Encourage students to identify specific evidence within the script that establishes the setting and conflicts and to use this evidence to support their final cause-and-effect essays.” Teachers have additional information about the  three direct instruction videos, including the rationale and important information, as well as a teacher will section stating:

  • Explain that by learning how playwrights introduce dramatic action through early scenes, you will more carefully approach exposition scenes with an eye for how different dramatic elements are presented. You will be able to examine and compare the techniques playwrights use to evoke different emotions in the audience, which will make you a more intentional reader and audience member.

  • Explain that students will understand how introducing and thoughtfully organizing an informative essay will communicate their ideas to readers in the clearest and most logical ways.

  • Explain that using context clues can increase our ability to understand words that we do not know and ultimately lead to a better understanding of a text.”

Over the course of each unit, the majority of questions and tasks are aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Module 1, publisher materials list RI.9-10.2 and W.9.10.1 as focus standards. During Apply Your Learning in the Student Guide, students review the Direct Instruction slideshow, Determining and Tracing a Central Idea through Details, and read a passage from “America’s Clean Water Crisis Goes Far Beyond Flint. There’s No Relief in Sight” by Justin Worland and answer the question: “How does the author use descriptive details and anecdotes to appeal to the audience in this argument for safe water access?” Students complete this task by responding to the questions, “What does the quote tell you about the problem? How does the quote shape and strengthen the author’s argument? What does the data tell you about the issue? How does the data shape and strengthen the author’s argument?” (RI.9-10.2)  In Module 5, the Compare Argument task in the Student Guide provides a task related to integrating knowledge and ideas. Students compare two texts on bottled water by filling out a graphic organizer. For each text, they list the issue or shared concern, the rhetorical appeal(s) the author uses (ethos, pathos, or logos), the effects of rhetorical appeal(s) on [them], and answer, “Based on your analysis of the rhetorical appeals, which argument was more effective?” (RI.9-10.8)

• In Unit 4, Module 2, publisher materials list RI.9-10. 5 and W.9-10.2 as focus standards. During Apply Your Learning, students use the article “Can We Feed the World and Sustain the Planet” by Jonathan A. Foley to analyze structure in informational texts. Students answer the questions, “What are the three intertwined problems that Foley presents in the introduction? Before explaining the five-step solution, why does Foley explain a variety of barriers to solving the problem? How does Foley show the importance of the five solutions working together to solve the problem rather than focusing on just one solution at a time? Does the five-part solution to address food security and address environmental challenges sound like a viable solution to the problem? Why or why not?” (RI.9-10.5 In Module 3, the publisher materials list RI.9-10.6 and W.9-10.2 as focus standards. In Apply Your Learning, students use the article “South Suburban Hydroponic Farm Owner Seeks to Democratize the Food System and Change the Narrative in the Ford Heights Neighborhood” by Darcel Rockett to analyze the point of view and purpose of informational texts. After reading a passage, students respond to the following questions, “What words or phrases show Drake’s feelings about investing in his community? What information does Rocket include in order to show the different ways Drake invests in his community? How does Rocket use Drake’s quotes and information about his community involvement in order to build support for hydroponic farming?”(RI.9-10.6)

Over the course of each unit, the majority of assessment questions are aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials include Writing Benchmark Assessments. Writing benchmarks are intended for the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. However, they are not referenced in the Teacher Guide. These benchmarks include two reading passages. Students are given a highlighter tool and instructed to “Use blue to mark sentences that help you in this assessment.” After reading, they answer eight multiple-choice questions about the passages. Then, they are prompted to write an argumentative essay in response to the reading passages: “Be sure your response includes a clear and precisely articulated argumentative claim supported by evidence from the texts and acknowledges opposing or alternate viewpoints. It should be logically organized and articulate clear relationships among the claims, counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. Use well-chosen language and be sure to apply appropriate grammar conventions (punctuation, spelling, etc.).”

• In Unit 1, Module 8, students take the Unit 1 Core Assessment online. Students read two passages, “The Acting Thing” by Hanne Beener and “Farmwork” by Walker Powell, and answer 14 multiple-choice questions aligned to grade-level standards. Questions require students to determine important details for a summary of the text, analyze figurative language, select evidence to support the analysis of a character, meaning of words and phrases, analyze the tone, and determine the central idea. Individual questions are not labeled by the standard being assessed. 

• In Unit 4, Module 9, Unit 4 Core Assessment, students read “Aquatic Food Webs” by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and “Amazon in Peril” by Christine Graf and answer 15 multiple choice check questions. The questions require students to identify the central idea, interpret the meaning of phrases, analyze how quotations advance the purpose, and determine the organizational structure of the passages. Individual questions are not labeled by the standard being assessed. 

By the end of the academic year, most standards are repeatedly addressed within and across units to ensure students master the full intent of the standard. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Standard W.9.10.2, informative/explanatory writing, is addressed multiple times in the program. In Unit 1, Module 3, students read “Choose Your Own Identity” by Bonnie Tsui and write a CERCA paragraph answering the prompt, “Using specific evidence from the text, why does the author believe that individuals, instead of society or institution, should be able to define their own race?” During this writing task, students state a claim, reasons, evidence, reasoning, and a counterargument. In Unit 4, Module 4, students read “As Seas Rise, Bangladesh Farmers Revive Floating Farms?” by Ruma Paul and answer the prompt, “How does the author use different sections to build a complete picture of the evolution of floating farms in Bangladesh?” In Unit 6, Module 2, students read “The Surprising Thing Google Learned About Its Employees - and What It Means for Today’s Students” by Valerie Strauss and Cathy N. Davidson and answer the prompt, “How do the author’s choices in how they select and arrange evidence reveal their larger purpose behind writing this article? Consider the central claim they want to communicate to readers when crafting your response.”

• Standard RI.9-10.7, analyzing various accounts, is addressed multiple times in the program. In Unit 2, Module 5, students review an infographic, “Clean Water and Sanitation: A Global Report Card,” and a photo essay, “Thirst for Clean Water.” In the Student Guide, Visualize Information, Visual Texts, students’ instructions state, “After completing Understanding Visual Sources, take notes, describing what you notice about both texts, as well as what you can infer about the arguments and the ideas you challenge. Think about: What do I notice in the details? What does this make me think about? What argument is the text trying to make?” Then, they fill out a graphic organizer for each text with, “I notice,” “This makes me think,” “I can infer,” and “I might want to challenge the idea that.” In Unit 4, Module 5, students read “Farmland” and “Smart Farming, Precision Agriculture to Achieve a More Sustainable World.” Student guidance includes, “When conducting research, main sources are often not sufficient. Additional texts that focus on one small part of an issue can be helpful in fully explaining an issue. Additionally, being able to detect the difference between a fact and an opinion makes research and informational texts more useful.” Then they are directed, “After completing Understanding a Topic through Multiple Texts, take notes, describing what you notice about both texts, as well as how the texts enhance what you already know about your topic.” They fill out a chart for each text with “Two facts I notice” and “One opinion I notice.” Then, they list three similarities between the sources and three ways the sources approach the issue differently.

• Other standards repeated at least two times in the program are RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5,, RI.9-10.3, RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.6, RI.9-10.7, RI.9-10.8, W.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.9-10.3, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6, W.9-10.8, W.9-10.9, W.9-10.10, SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.3, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.5, and SL.9-10.6.

• Standards only addressed one time in the program are  L.9-10.4.A, L.9-10.4.B, L9-10.4.C, and L.9-10.5.B.

The materials reviewed for Grade 10 meet the criteria for Indicator 2h. 

Each unit and module is accompanied by a Unit At-a-Glance that includes high-level pacing guides for a 50-minute or 90-minute class session. The pacing guides can also work with an online or a blended model. Task-specific timing guidance is found in the Teacher Guides. Tasks that are deemed essential are starred in the Unit-at-a-Glance document as well as the Teacher Guide. Most units are designed to be completed within 22-26 instructional days, so the seven units can reasonably be completed within a school year. Each unit includes complementary writing tasks that teachers can use to provide students with additional writing practice. The materials also provide Longer Works units, which are novel-centered and can be used to enhance units within the core curriculum. The provided optional Longer Work of Fiction novel study units are meaningful and follow the same pacing as a core unit. The publisher recommends these as optional units of study during a regular weekly choice period as independent exploration time, schoolwide WIN time, silent sustained reading, or at home independent reading.

Suggested implementation schedules and alternative implementation schedules align to core learning and objectives. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Unit At-a-Glance includes a 50-minute Class Pacing Guide and a 90-minute Class Pacing Guide. The 50-minute Class Pacing Guide for The 50-minute Class Pacing Guide for one unit covers 22-26 days or blocks per unit, which would account for up to 182 school days to complete seven units.   The 50-minute Class Pacing Guides include:

  • One block for previewing the unit theme and setting personal goals.

  • One block to explore the theme.

  • 12 to 16 blocks to read and analyze the texts for the unit. Individual core texts take three instructional blocks: Before you Read, Read and Analyze, and Write to a prompt.

  • Three to four blocks to read across genres. 

  • One to two blocks for an integrated speaking and listening activity, such as Socratic discussion, debate, etc.

  • Three to five blocks for the Your Portfolio process writing task.

  • One to two blocks for assessment and reflection.

• The Teacher Guide provides timing for each part of the lesson. Parts of lessons are labeled as “essential” in the Unit-At-a-Glance, Teacher Guide, and Module-At-a-Glance.

• Novel study units are optional choices and include a Unit Planner with 50-minute and 90-minute pacing guides. The 50-minute class schedule covers 31 blocks, and the 90-minute block schedule covers 18 blocks. 

Suggested implementation schedules can be reasonably completed in the time allotted. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In each unit, the Unit-At-a-Glance lays out the schedule for the unit. 

• In Unit 2, Module 7, the Module-At-a-Glance states the estimated time is three to four 50-minute sessions (one to two 90-minute sessions). First, students complete pre-writing activities, which include online lessons about writing an argumentative essay, reading the rubric, practicing giving peer feedback, choosing their argument, and mapping their argument. Then, students draft their arguments, essay drafts, and complete a peer review. Last, students complete Review, Revise, and Share activities, which includes reviewing the draft, editing, and reflecting on their writing. The suggested timing guidance for all tasks in the Teacher Guide totals 155 minutes; therefore, this module could be reasonably completed in three 50-minute sessions or two 90-minute sessions. 

• In Unit 5, Module 4, the Module-At-a-Glance states the estimated time is three to four 50-minute sessions (one to two 90-minute sessions). Students complete a quick journal and vocabulary activity. Then, they read A Raisin in the Sun, Act II, Scene II by Lorraine Hansberry. Next, they complete the Raise Your Score and Apply Your Learning sections, and summarize the text. Lastly, students plan and draft a CERCA response. The suggested timing guidance for all tasks in the Teacher Guide totals 196 minutes; therefore, this module could be reasonably completed in four 50-minute sessions or about two 90-minute sessions. 

• As an added resource, the publisher provides teachers with a Class Planner and Pacing Calculator, which includes the following guidance:

  • “In the sheets that follow, you will find calculators that help you gauge the time it takes for your students to complete certain tasks.

  • We know each of the opportunities for learning that we provide takes time, and we want to empower you to make the most of your time by planning for your students’ needs efficiently and realistically.

  • Simply adjust the number of minutes per session and start recording your estimates or actual minutes spent on given tasks to gauge how long it takes your students to complete them. As they gain experience and practice, they will need less time, so consider adjusting throughout the year so you can plan carefully to meet your students’ needs.”

Optional tasks do not distract from core learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Unit Planning Tool, additional complementary writing prompts are provided as “practice options as students progress through the curriculum prior to the portfolio piece for each unit.” These prompts are aligned texts read in the unit. The Planning Tool includes student worksheets and graphic organizers to plan their writing as well as reflect on writing. There are no direct instruction notes for the teacher for these prompts. The teacher guidance says, “Make planning decisions based on schedule, your program, and your students’ needs. Use the complementary prompts to ensure appropriate levels of standards coverage in student experiences with the process of writing.”

• Longer Works of Fiction novel studies for Grades 9 and 10 include Animal Farm by George Orwell, Night by Elie Wiesel, and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. These units include a Unit-at-a-Glance, Teacher Guide, Student Guide, and Diverse Learner Guide in the same format as the Core ELAR. 

• The publisher provides the Longer Works Units and some guidance on incorporating these units into the curriculum as part of the unit of instruction, independent reading, at-home enrichment, or schoolwide reading programs. 

• In each module throughout the program, there are “recommended” and “essential” tasks for each lesson. While the publisher suggests completing all activities in a lesson, the “recommended” tasks could be optional and cut when teachers are short on instructional time; however, cutting material repeatedly could affect the delivery of instruction essential to achieving grade-level standards.

Optional tasks are meaningful and enhance core instruction. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In each unit, complementary writing prompts are provided. Teachers are able to use these prompts to give students extra practice with different types of writing and standards. 

• Longer Works of Fiction novel studies include similar tasks as core units. The novel studies are intended to enhance core instruction. The materials for Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck include eight modules that follow the same format as the Core ELAR units. In Module 1, The Dust Bowl, California, and the Politics of Hard Times, students are introduced to how informational texts can help students understand fictional texts and learn about the topic by reading an article of the same name by the State of California Capitol Museum staff and answering the prompt, “Using evidence from the text and the details from the photos, what effect might the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression have had on the psyche of the people seeking work in California and the citizens already living there?” In Modules 2-5, students read the anchor text and complete Direct Instruction and Writing Lessons that follow a similar format as the Core ELAR units. In Module 6, Read Across Genres, students read and analyze poetry and informational text and ask questions about other genres. In Module 7, Socratic Discussion, students learn about and prepare to participate in a Socratic discussion for the prompt, “How do life circumstances and relationships with others influence the choices a person makes?” In Module 8, Your Portfolio, students write a literary analysis essay for the prompt, “Explore how the author, John Steinbeck, uses the relationship between Lennie and George to illustrate one or more themes in the novel. Include how the setting and the conflicts between characters impact their relationship both positively and negatively.” In Module 9, the Unit Reading Assessment and Reflection that is found in the Core ELAR units is not available.