12th Grade - Gateway 2

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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 and Essential Question. Themes include:  “Where Are You Going Next?,” “How Do Robots Help Us?,” “What Can We Do to Become Better Global Citizens?,” “How Do We Live Sustainably?,” “What Happens When Civic Duty and Values Collide?,” “How Can You Afford the Life You Want to Live?,” and “How does Our Community shape Values?” Each unit contains seven to nine grade-appropriate modules connected by a cohesive topic/theme/line of inquiry. 

• In Unit 1, the theme is “Where Are You Going Next?” and the Essential Question is “How do the expectations of society influence the decisions you make?” Students read four texts, three personal narratives, and one essay, all related to the theme. In “On the Rainy River'' by Tim O’Brien, students reflect on the author’s experience with the military draft and think about how situations out of our control can help us learn who we might become. In Ava Kadiishson Schieber’s “The Party,” students explore how an individual may struggle because of a situation but in the end, may learn more about who they will become. While reading “Prom” by Hasan Minhaj, students explore how bias and fear can impact our perceptions of others and how this can impact one’s sense of self. In “Where I Lived and What I Lived for” by Henry David Thoreau, students explore the idea that struggle can bring a stronger identity. Additional selections are available in the Read Across Genres section, including two informational texts, two poems, and a TED Talk, “My Identity is My Superpower” by America Ferrera. As students watch, they complete a journal entry answering the prompt, “How do you ‘own’ who you are?”

• In Unit 3, the topic is “What Can We Do to Become Better Global Citizens?” and the Essential Question is, “How can stories help us reexamine our lives and our roles in the lives of others?” Students read four short stories related to the topic. In “The Silence” by Haruki Murakami, students journal, determine themes, draft a paragraph, and build vocabulary. In “Ride” by Linda Nagata, students journal, analyze story elements, appreciate the author’s narrative techniques and organization craft, draft a paragraph, and build vocabulary. In “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. LeGuin, students journal, examine types of conflict, appreciate the author’s craft of establishing character, setting, and theme, draft a paragraph, and build vocabulary. In “A Brief and Fearful Star” by Carmen Maria Machado, students journal, examine points of view, draft a paragraph, and build vocabulary. Four additional texts related to the theme are available in the Read Across Genre section.

• In Unit 7, the topic is “How Does Our Community Shape Values?” and the Essential Question is, “What are the opportunities and challenges of being a member of a community?” Students read four texts related to the theme. In the short stories “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving and “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, students examine how authors use real places to create settings in fiction, draft a paragraph, and build vocabulary. In the novel excerpt and short story “What Redburn Saw at Launcelott’s-Hey” by Herman Melville and “The Minister’s Black Veil'' by Nathaniel Hawthorne, students journal, examine standard literary devices within and across texts, draft a paragraph, and build vocabulary. In the poems “I dwell in Possibility” (#657) and “Tell all the truth but tell it slant” (#1263) by Emily Dickinson, students journal, examine common themes, draft a paragraph, and build vocabulary. In the short stories “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins and “The Hacienda” by Isabel Canas, students journal, examine familiar characters, draft a paragraph, and build vocabulary. Six additional texts related to the theme are available in the Read Across Genres section.

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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 4, students read “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For” by Henry David Thoreau. Students read the online slideshow, Making Inferences in Literary Texts, and read the text. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Making Inferences in Literary Texts, students discuss, “What ideas about society and humanity does Thoreau explicitly express, and what ideas about these themes does he imply?” They take notes for the prompt, “Thoreau provides readers with many examples from his own life as well as history to support his themes of society and human independence. What inferences can you make about his views from the evidence that he provides?” Then they answer questions, such as “What inferences can you make from the text about Thoreau’s views on modern society? What evidence from the text helped you form these inferences? What inferences can you make from the text about Thoreau’s views on what makes for a fulfilling life? What evidence from the text helped you form these inferences?”

• In Unit 3, Module 3, students read “The Silence” by Haruki Murakami. Students read the online slideshow, Determining Themes in Literature, and read an excerpt where the author reveals Ozawa’s tension with his classmate Aoki through the story of his past as he ponders the nature of hatred, pride, and relationships. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Determining Themes in Literature, students answer the following questions in a chart: “What details from the text best illustrate how Ozawa feels about Aoki, as compared to the rest of his classmates? Describe the setting. How does the school setting impact Azawa, and what does it reveal about him as a character? What is the main conflict? What inference can you make about a theme?” 

• In Unit 5, Module 2, students read Antigone, Part II by Sophocles. Students read the online slideshow, Analyzing Direct and Indirect Characterization, to understand authors' choices when introducing characters. In the Student Guide, Analyzing Direct and Indirect Characterization, students are reminded of Sophocles’ techniques, “In these scenes, Sophocles highlights how the main characters react to challenging and even unjust situations, and how their reactions reflect their personal strengths and flaws.” Students take notes in a chart on the stage direction and dialogue related to Creon and Antigone to answer the question, “How do Creon and Antigone react in the face of conflict and injustice?” 

• In Unit 7, Module 1, students read “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving and “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Students read the online slideshow, How Authors Use Real Places to Create Settings in Fiction. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, How Authors Use Real Places to Create Settings in Fiction, students use the following prompts to describe the settings of each text and any background knowledge they have about the time, place, culture, and history of the stories: 

  • “What details does the text provide about the setting? 

  • In each story, there is a shift in the setting. Describe both locations in each text. 

  • What do you know about the time periods, locations, cultures, or histories of these settings? 

  • Based on the descriptions of the setting and your own knowledge, what inferences can you form about the characters in these stories?” 

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

• In Unit 2, Module 4, students read “From Admissions to Teaching to Grading, AI Is Infiltrating Higher Education” by Derek Newton. Students read the online slideshow, Analyzing Issues and Appeals, and learn how writers and speakers use rhetorical appeals to build a well-rounded argument. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Analyzing Issues and Appeals, students complete a chart by answering questions related to how the author arranged his argument at the beginning, middle, and end of the article. At the bottom of the chart, students answer the question, “Now that you understand the ethical issues surrounding AI in higher education, do you feel that AI is ethical to utilize in grading and college admissions? Why or why not?”

•  In Unit 4, Module 1, students read “What Is a Carbon Footprint - And How to Measure Yours” by Kieran Mulvaney. Students read the online slideshow, Determining the Meanings of Words Using Connotations, and read a passage from the text that describes the public’s increasing awareness and concern for climate change alongside the challenge to take action on such a large-scale problem. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Determining the Meanings of Words Using Connotation, student instructions state, “Reread the passage and determine the denotation and connotation of words in the passage using context clues. How does the connotation of words reflect how serious and alarming climate change is?” Students complete a chart with three sections answering the following questions: 

  • “Identify words that hold a negative connotation and convey a sense of urgency about the climate crisis. What feelings do these words activate in the reader regarding climate change? 

  • What is the connotation of the word ‘traction?’ Why do you think the author chose this word, and what does it convey about the public’s response? 

  • Identify words that illustrate how people are responding to information about the climate crisis. What connotation do they have, and how do they capture the struggle to take action in the face of large challenges?”

• In Unit 7, Module 2, students read “What Redburn Saw at Launcelott’s-Hey” by  Herman Melville and “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Common Literary Devices Within and Across Texts, students use a graphic organizer to analyze symbols and motifs in the texts. They answer the following questions about both texts,

  • “Think about the objects, ideas, and meanings that are repeated in each story or that are used to carry deeper meanings. Identify one symbol or motif in each story. Explain why it functions as a symbol or a motif.

  • Describe one instance when your motif or symbol appears in the story. How does it affect the characters or the plot? Provide evidence from the text to support your answer.

  • Describe a second instance when the symbol or motif appears. Does it create the same reaction or effect? Provide evidence from the text in your answer.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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 5, students examine two informational articles with photos, “A GPS Guided Robot Paints a Community Mural at CAB” by Jeff Link and “He Used AI to Win a Fine-Arts Competition. Was It Cheating?” by Drew Harwell. Students review the online slideshow, Understanding Visual Sources. In the Student Guide, Visualize Information, students are instructed to “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 complete a chart to answer the questions about each source.

• In Unit 4, Module 3, students read “What Does Sustainable Living Look Like? Maybe Like Uruguay” by Noah Gallager Shannon. Students review the online slideshow, Point of View and Purpose in Informational Texts. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Point of View and Purpose in Informational Texts, students answer questions about how the author shapes the argument with evidence, including: 

  • “What do Shannon’s words and phrases reveal about his perspective on Uruguay’s efforts? 

  • Why do you think Shannon concludes with numerous facts and details about both the strengths and challenges of Uruguay’s measures? 

  • What was Shannon most likely seeking to emphasize? 

  • What is Shannon’s tone in this final paragraph, and how does he convey this tone through his language? What is the impact of this tone on readers’ feelings toward Uruguay’s conservation efforts as a model?” 

  In the Student Guide, Write to Impress, students verify the definition of the words collective, concentration, and inequalities in relation to the passage and provide rationales for their choices. In the Student Guide, Share Your Argument Builder, students answer the prompt, “How does the example of a sustainable community in Uruguay give purpose to this article?” Students document the claim, evidence, examples, reasoning, elaboration, and analysis explaining why they chose the evidence. 

• In Unit 7, Module 2, students read “What Redburn Saw at Launcelott’s-Hey” by Herman Melville and “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Students review the online slideshow, Common Literary Devices Within and Across Texts. In the Student Guide, Quick Journal, students answer the question, “How do relationships change when people know others’ faults, mistakes, and backgrounds?” As a written response, they summarize, develop, and share their argument and then draft and review their response using an understanding of both texts. 

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 1, Module 6, Socratic Discussion, Spark Courageous Thinking, students use a variety of texts to analyze and discuss to answer the Essential Question, “How do the expectations of society influence the decisions you make?” Students read “On the Rainy River” by Tim O’Brien, “The Party” by Ava Kadishson Schieber, “Prom” by Hasan Minhaj, and “Where I Lived and What I Lived For” by Henry David Thoreau. Students also read poetry selections, “We Are Many” by Pablo Neruda and “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” by Wallace Stevens. Students also read multimedia “My Identity Is My Superpower” by America Ferrera and informational Texts, “How People Learn to Become Resilient” by Maria Konnikova and “Teenagers, Anxiety Can Be Your Friend” by Lisa Damour. In the Student Guide, Prepare for the Discussion, students complete the chart with a response to the Essential Question using reasons, evidence, and counterargument notes. 

• In Unit 5, Module 4, students compare the written text to the National Theater’s production of Antigone: Creon and Antigone after reading Antigone by Sophocles. They begin by reviewing the online slideshow, Compare and Contrast Literature in Different Mediums, and watch a clip from the theater production, with an updated modern setting, the 1970s. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Compare and Contrast Literature in Different Mediums, the student instructions state, “Use the guiding questions below to compare elements in the text that the playwright intended with the choices that the actors, directors, and designers made in the film production.” Students complete a chart with the topic, including but not limited to, 

  • “Characters - Consider who the characters are and how they are directed to interact by the playwright. Do the characters in the film production appear and interact as you visualized them in the text? 

  • Setting - What is the setting of the scene as intended by the playwright? How is it different from the set in the film production?” 

  Students complete another chart with the instructions, “After discussing the text and the multimedia, find at least two pieces of evidence to explain how the elements that are unique to each genre affect the meaning.” They include evidence and reasoning from both the text and film versions to answer the questions, “How do the details and interactions in the play illustrate the characters’ relationships, setting, and events in this scene? How do the actors’ choices (movement, delivery) and the film’s production elements (lighting, props, sound) convey the characters’ relationships, setting, and events?”

• In Unit 7, Module 3, students read “I dwell in Possibility” (#657) and “Tell all the truth but tell it slant” (#1263) by Emily Dickinson. Students review the online slideshow, Common Themes Within and Across Texts, and then students read the poems. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Common Themes Within and Across Texts, students complete a chart, making notes about the themes and evidence that connect to each text. After completing those notes, students answer the question, “In what ways are the themes of ‘I dwell in Possibility’ (#657) and ‘Tell all the truth but tell it slant’ (#1129) similar? What broad ideas do they both share? Look closely at the themes you identified to find similarities.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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 2, Modules 1-6, students read four informational texts. The Essential Question is, “Should robots and other forms of artificial intelligence be used to perform important tasks in our communities?” In Module 7, Your Portfolio, students process-write an argumentative essay for the prompt, “Based on your readings, what is the best way to design and utilize AI to help, not harm, communities?” 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 in the exemplar. Guidance is provided for prewriting, including a graphic organizer to map the essay. 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 4, Module 7, students participate in a Panel Discussion. They begin by independently reviewing the Panel Discussion direct instruction slick deck. Then, they look at a list of texts they read throughout the unit that 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 Plan Your Points graphic organizer. In both these handouts, students consider their claims with supporting evidence from the unit’s texts to answer the essential question, “How does a community live sustainably?” 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 5, Module 6, 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, “What happens when our beliefs and values conflict with those who hold power over us?” 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 6, Modules 1-6, students read four texts. In Module 7, Your Portfolio, students write a personal statement for the prompt, “Where do you see yourself ten years from now? How will you get there? What will you need to achieve your goals?” In preceding lessons, students preview the writing rubric, read a sample exemplar of the statement and use the rubric to score it, and 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 statement. After writing the first draft, students meet with a peer and look for transitions in each other’s statements. They also meet with another peer to share and listen to each other about what parts of the statement 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 7, Modules 1-5, students read a collection of texts related to the theme of the unit. The Essential Question is, “What are the opportunities and challenges of being a member of a community?” In Module 7, Your Portfolio, students process-write a literary analysis essay to the prompt, “How do foundational works of American literature depict the role of community in shaping culture? Using the stories, poetry, and other texts from this unit, write a comparative analysis to compare and contrast the messages two or more works of American literature present about the ways community shapes and is shaped by the people within it. Use evidence from two texts and others in the unit 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. Then, they 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. Students are instructed to meet with a peer and look for transitions in each one’s essay. They then 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. Lastly, they reflect on their writing. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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 is the best way to design and utilize AI to help, not harm, communities?” 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 “What goals do you think engineers should focus on as they build AI for the future?” Students read and analyze two arguments in the Student Guide using graphic organizers. 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. Teacher materials provide a Show and Tell lesson on writing a conclusion. Teachers are instructed to model a summary conclusion, a call to action conclusion, and a main point focus conclusion. Examples of each are provided in the teacher materials.  

• 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 issues and solutions around how a community lives sustainably?” 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 Share Your Argument Builder graphic organizer to answer the question, “Based on evidence from the text, respond to the following prompt: How does the author help readers understand and use the idea of a 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, “Based on the animation in the video, what can you do as an individual to offset your carbon emissions?” and evaluate informational texts using Understanding a Topic through Multiple Texts graphic organizer. Teacher materials provide a Show and Tell for evaluating evidence. The teacher materials state “As students discuss the quality of evidence, ask them to research one-to-two brief trial summaries, closing statements, or case studies that present various pieces of evidence to support a point. Ask students to evaluate if the evidence is strong enough and effective in achieving the intended outcome.” In Module 6, students Research Big ideas and complete multiple graphic organizers to Plan Your Research, including one to Create a Thesis Statement. The Direct Instruction section guides teachers through giving ideas for how to conference with students, and In Module 7, students write the essay using pre-writing, writing, and revision tasks in the Student Guide and online. 

• In Unit 6, Module 7, students write a personal statement for the prompt, “Where do you see yourself ten years from now? How will you get there? What will you need to achieve your goals?” In the first four modules, students read four informational texts. In the online platform, students complete Direct Instruction learning tasks: Using Examples and Anecdotes to Explain Ideas, The Impact of an Author’s Choices: Selecting and Arranging Details, Connotation, and Denotation, The Impact of an Author’s Choices: Words and Images, and Analyzing Connections within Informational Texts. In Module 7, teacher materials provide some direct instruction on what a personal statement is and what type of information to include. A model is provided for teachers. Then, students Read the Final Rubric that includes but is not limited to the following guidelines: “This narrative clearly sets out a problem, situation, or observation and its significance, establishes one or multiple point(s) of view, and introduces a narrator and/or characters/people. This piece of writing includes a variety of narrative techniques such as engaging dialogue, strategic pacing, vivid descriptions, reflection, and multiple plot lines that develop and advance the story.” In the Score the Example graphic organizer, students give points for categories such as Establishing Setting, Point of View, Characters, and Narrative Techniques. In Narrative Techniques, the scoring criteria include points for “Dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, or multiple plot lines. Precise words, telling details, and sensory language.” Students complete Plan Your Future and Map Your Plan graphic organizers in the prewriting step, then complete drafting, revising, and editing steps to complete the personal statement. 

• 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, and 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 ‘Spartan Spirit” by Joseph Cote 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 12 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 is primarily provided as an independent lesson for students to complete, with guidance for teachers to provide follow-up support and/or connect the independent direct instruction lesson to other tasks within the module. 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 assignment is aligned with standard RI.11-12.2. This same slideshow and quiz is used in Grade 11. In the Teacher Guide, the module overview states that  “Teachers facilitate the Direct Instruction lesson, and students complete the assessment.” The teacher guidance states,

  • “Lead students through the Direct Instruction presentations prior to having students review them on their own and complete the assessments. A list of key academic terms for the unit is available in the Student Guide. Students may also record key definitions in their Vocabulary Notebooks. 

  • Explain that understanding central ideas helps students grasp the key messages, which is essential for comprehension.

  • Guide students in identifying details that support the central idea and distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information by analyzing text structure to engage more deeply with text and draw informed and accurate conclusions. 

  • Explain that students will learn how to introduce an argument effectively by understanding introductory methods, and how the inclusion of background information establishes context or relevance for the reader. 

  •  Explain that understanding the relationship between dependent and independent clauses and various sentence structures, such as simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences, allows students to express their ideas with precision and sophistication.”

• In Unit 5, students read Antigone by Sophocles. Students read and complete the five multiple-choice questions for these Direct Instruction Slide Shows, such as How Playwrights Introduce Dramatic Action through Scenes (RL.11-12.5), Analyzing Direct and Indirect Characterization (RL.11-12.3), and Determining Themes in Drama (RL.11-12.2). Then, students complete these tasks without direct instruction from the teacher. For example, in Module 4, students independently complete the Direct Instruction Slide Show for Compare and Contrast Literature in Different Mediums. The Teacher Guide includes the following information for teachers:

  • “Explain that authors make decisions about how to present stories through different mediums, as well as how they might adapt a previously told story into something new. This allows readers to compare and contrast different versions of a story and how it is told in different mediums to gain new insights and greater understandings.

  • Explain that understanding the historical details behind a drama builds necessary and important human context that creates a deeper sense of engagement and empathy for audiences.

  • Lead students through the Direct Instruction presentations prior to having students review them on their own and complete the assessments. A list of key academic terms for the unit is available in the Student Guide. Students may also record key definitions in their Vocabulary Notebooks.”

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 1, students complete tasks around citing evidence to write about literary texts, analyzing imagery in a personal narrative, making inferences in literary texts, determining the author’s message, using the writing process to map, draft, revise, peer edit, and publish a personal narrative, edit citations, map vocabulary words, and hold a Socratic Discussion. In Module 1, publisher materials list RI.11-12.2 and W.11-12.1 as focus standards. In Apply Your Learning, students complete key ideas and details tasks. Students review the Direct Instruction slideshow, Citing Evidence to Write About Literary Texts. Then, students read a passage and complete a graphic organizer to answer the prompt, “In this passage, O’Brien gives several clues in this passage that reveal the conflict he feels between his responsibility to others and his sense of self. As you read, identify specific words and details that you can use as evidence to support your ideas.” (RL.11-12.1) Students complete this task by finding evidence to answer the questions, “What specific details show that he is, at least in part, motivated to make a decision by his fear of ridicule from his town? How do O’Brien’s word choices serve as evidence that O’Brien is struggling between his personal beliefs and his sense of duty? What do these details reveal about the kind of person O’Brien was as a young adult? What inference can you make about what is motivating his choices?” (RL.11-12.1)  In Module 2, publisher materials list RI.11-12.2 and W.11-12.1 as focus standards. In Apply Your Learning, Determining Theme and Author’s Message in a Personal Narrative, students review the Direction Instruction slideshow, Determining Theme and Author’s Message in a Personal Narrative, then discuss as a group, “What does Schieber learn about herself through her experiences surrounding the party?” (RL.11-12.2) Then, students answer the following questions: 

  • “How does Schieber describe her life before the party and before her time in hiding? What details have stayed with you the most? How does Schieber describe her interactions with others at the party? Why might she have had mixed feelings? 

  • How are Schieber’s actions and behaviors during the party influenced by her experiences of the war, in general? 

  • Throughout this memoir excerpt, what does Schieber reveal about how difficult experiences can impact our lives and the ways in which we react to new experiences? 

  • Personal Reflection: ’Think of a time in your own life when you felt like you were on the outside looking in on an experience that seemed foreign to you. What can be learned about ourselves and others in such situations?’”

• In Unit 4, Module 2, publisher materials list RI.11-12.5 and W.11-12.2 as focus standards. In Apply Your Learning, students use the article “A 105-Mile-Long City Will Snake Through the Saudi Desert. Is That a Good Idea?” by Bill Chappell to analyze structure in informational texts. Students answer the following questions, “How does Chappell’s use of images and videos capture the possibilities and advantages of the city’s design? Why do you think Chappell lists details about the city in a bulleted list? What do they illustrate about the city’s design? How does Chappell contrast the perspective of supporters with critics? What are their primary concerns and critiques? How did the text’s structure help you understand both perspectives on this city’s design? Are you more convinced by either perspective and would you want to live there?” (RI.11-12.5) In Module 3, publisher materials list RI.11-12.6 and W.11-12.2 as focus standards. In Apply Your Learning, students use the article “Living Look Like? Maybe Like Uruguay” by Noah Gallager Shannon to analyze the point of view and purpose in informational texts. After reading a passage, students respond to the following questions, “The author provides many details and facts regarding Uruguay’s energy conservation efforts. What do Shannon’s words and phrases reveal about his perspective on Uruguay’s efforts? Why do you think Shannon concludes with numerous facts and details about both the strengths and challenges of Uruguay’s measures? What was Shannon most likely seeking to emphasize? What is Shannon’s tone in this final paragraph, and how does he convey this tone through his language? What is the impact of this tone on readers’ feelings toward Uruguay’s conservation efforts as a model?” (RI.11-12.6)

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 responding 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 2, Module 8, students take the Unit 1 Core Assessment online. Students read two passages, “Deep in the Uncanny Valley” by Kristina Heitkamp and “Eyes in the Skies” by Nathalie Alonso. After reading, students answer 15 multiple-choice questions aligned to grade-level standards. Questions require students to determine the central ideas, important details for a text summary, analyze figurative language, select evidence to support the author’s argument, and identify the meaning of words and phrases. Individual questions are not labeled by the standard being assessed. 

• In Unit 4, Module 9, Unit 4 Core Assessment, students read “Corn: Food, Fuel, and Now…Fiber Too?” by the US Department of Agriculture and ”Powered by the Sun” by Barbara Lerman-Golomb. After reading, students answer 15 multiple-choice questions. The questions require students to identify the central idea, determine the meaning of words and phrases, consider text structure, and match evidence to a claim. 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.11-12.1 is addressed multiple times in the program. In Unit 1, Module 2, students read “The Party” by Ava Kadishson Schieber to write a CERCA paragraph for the prompt, “Using specific evidence from the text, what are the most important themes and messages conveyed through the narrator’s experiences surrounding the party?” Students state a claim, add reasons, evidence, reasoning, and a counterargument during this writing task. In Unit 3, Module 4, students read “A Brief and Fearful Star?” by Carmen Maria Machado and answer the prompt, “Analyze how the post-apocalypse has impacted the narrator and their family. How does the history of the monsters contribute to their point of view? How does their mother’s death force the narrator to face their fears of leaving home and going out into the world?” In Unit 7, Module 4, students read “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “The Hacienda” by Isabel Canas and answer the prompt, “Compare and contrast the women who are wives and the stories’ narrators in ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ and ‘The Hacienda.’ How do the texts establish their narrators as protagonists?”

• Standard RL.11-12.3 is addressed multiple times in the program. In Unit 3, Module 2, students read “Ride” by Linda Nagata. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Analyzing Story Elements task, students review the Direct Instruction slideshow, Analyzing Story Elements, and answer the following questions, “Nagata uses character details, such as dialogue, actions, and physical descriptions, to describe Jasmine. What do Jasmine’s actions reveal about her motivations? What values and beliefs does she have? Nagata’s physical descriptions of Trevor create a first impression that becomes more complex throughout the story. What details does Nagata provide about him? What do we learn about him as the story progresses? What do we learn about Jasmine through the pivotal event when she uses the emergency stop button and the Easter egg to let the refugees into the taxi? How do the responses of the taxi, her mother, and her workplace communicate a commentary about society’s values?” In Unit 5, Module 2, students read Antigone Part II by Sophocles. In the Student Guide, Apply Your Learning, Analyzing Direct and Indirect Characterization, students view the online Direct Instruction slideshow, Analyzing Direct and Indirect Characterization, and take notes as they read how the “main characters react to challenging and even unjust situations, and how their reactions reflect their personal strengths and flaws.” Students answer the question, “How do Creon and Antigone react in the face of conflict and injustice?” Students complete a graphic organizer listing dialogue and stage directions that demonstrate each character’s reactions, then reflect on the question, ”In your opinion, were these characters’ reactions appropriate to their situations? What do these reactions reveal about their respective personal character flaws and strengths?”

• Other standards that are repeated at least two times in the program are RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3, RL.11-12.4, RI.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.6, RI.11-12.6, RL.11-12.7, RI.11-12.7, RI.11-12.8, W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.3, W.11-12.4, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9, W.11-12.10, L.11-12.2, L.11-12.3, L.11-12.4, L.11-12.5, L.11-12.6, SL.11-12.1, and SL.11-12.4. 

• Standards only addressed one time are L.11-12.4.A, L.11-12.4.B, L.11-12.4.C, and L.11-12.5.A.

The materials reviewed for Grade 12 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 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 and Module at a Glance lays out the recommended schedule for the unit and identifies which lesson components are essential.

• In Unit 2, Module 1, 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 “Now That Computers Connect Us All, For Better or Worse, What’s Next?” by Matthew Hutson. Next, they complete the Analyze section, Apply Your Learning, and Write to Impress activities. Then, students summarize the text. Lastly, students plan and draft a CERCA response. The suggested timing guidance for all tasks in the Teacher Guide totals 185 minutes; therefore, this module could be reasonably completed in four 50-minute sessions or two 90-minute sessions. 

• In Unit 7, 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 and essay drafts, complete a Make it Powerful activity, and a peer review. Last, students complete Review, Revise, and Share activities, which include reviewing the draft, editing, and reflecting on their writing. The suggested timing guidance for all tasks in the Teacher Guide totals 140 minutes; therefore, this module could be reasonably completed in three 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.”

• Optional Longer Works of Fiction novel studies for Grades 11 and 12 include Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. 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 with 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. 

• Optional Longer Works of Fiction novel studies include similar tasks as core units. The novel studies are not intended to enhance core instruction but are not a replacement for core instruction. The materials for Frankenstein by Mary Shelley include eight modules that follow the same format as the Core ELAR units. In Module 1, The Story of Prometheus, students learn about common themes within and across texts as they read “The Story of Prometheus” by James Baldwin and answer the prompt, “What does the message of Prometheus’s myth reveal about ancient Greek society, and how is this message still relevant in society today?” 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 texts about Frankenstein and Mary Shelley. In Module 7, Socratic Discussion, students learn about and prepare to participate in a Socratic discussion for the prompt, “What qualities differentiate a human being from a monster?” In Module 8, Your Portfolio, students write a literary analysis essay for the prompt, “Who is the real monster of the novel? Write an argument that supports the true monster of Frankenstein based on Shelley’s messages about humanity, nature vs. nurture, and scientific advancement.” Module 9, Unit Reading Assessment and Reflection, which is found in the Core ELAR units, is not available in this unit.