6th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria of Indicator 1a. 

Anchor texts are of high quality, are engaging, and are worthy of multiple reads. The unit texts tie closely to essential questions over the course of the year. A variety of texts consider a range of student engagement and interest such as a novel, informational texts, a memoir, poems, and short stories. 

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

• In Unit 1, students read “Do People Really Change?” by Jessica McBirney. This informational text examines personality traits and how people change and grow. This text challenges students to reflect on their own changing traits. This connects to the title of the unit, Characters Who Change and Grow, and the essential question, “How are people changed through their relationships and experiences?” This first anchor text provides background information for the following texts, where students will analyze how characters change. 

• In Unit 3, students read the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry while contemplating the essential question, “Which matters more: safety or freedom?” The novel is a Newbery Award Winner that “...considers the dangers that exist when people opt for conformity over individuality and for unexamined security over freedom.” The text contains rich vocabulary, such as anguish, dejected, and outlying, with lesson support for comprehension. The main character is of middle school age and could engage the reader as relationships and experiences impact him throughout the novel. 

• In Unit 4, students read “Tiny Plastic, Big Problem” by Alison Pearce Stevens. This text explains how plastic trash can work its way through the ocean’s food chain. The introduction engages students by connecting the topic to something they see every day: plastic litter. The topic of this text links back to the unit’s essential questions: “How are changes in the world’s oceans affecting people and animals? How can we be better stewards of our oceans and waterways?” 

• In Unit 5, students read the memoir, “Fish Cheeks,” by Amy Tan and consider the essential question, “What shapes who we are?” In this memoir, Amy Tan addresses her childhood concerns about what the minister’s son would think of her family’s strange traditions when celebrating Christmas. Students will relate to the awkwardness of wanting to fit in and being unsure of how others might think of them and their families. 

• In Unit 6, students read “Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature” by Danielle Cohen. This informational text lists the positive effects of spending time in nature. The reasons are listed in a bulleted list format, providing an engaging structure. This informational text builds on other texts in the unit to help students think about the essential question, “How can we make recess work for middle school?”

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria of Indicator 1b. 

The materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required for the grade level. Text types include, but are not limited to, short stories, poems, memoirs, and informational texts. Over the course of the year, materials include 17 informational texts and 17 literary texts, resulting in a 50/50 balance of informational and literary texts. This should support achieving a 55/45 balance of informational and literary texts as required by grade-level standards. In addition to core texts in each unit, some units include choice texts where students read additional texts based on their interest level. 

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

• In Unit 1, students read “Thrown” by Mike Jung. This short story tells the story of a boy with autism who struggles when he is moved up to a more challenging martial arts class. In this text, students learn about others’ perspectives through the use of dialogue and descriptions. 

• In Unit 2, students read “The Theory and Power Behind Goal Setting” by Otylia Benson. This informational text is about the theory of goal setting and the impact of how setting goals may lead to success. Students learn about identifying the central idea of a text and gathering relevant evidence in order to prepare for a presentation.

• In Unit 3, students read “At A Window” by Carl Sandburg. This poem expresses the speaker’s loneliness and longing for love. Students compare the emotions in the poem to the emotions in the novel they have been reading throughout the unit, The Giver, by Lois Lowry.  

• In Unit 4, students read “I’ve Seen the Antarctic’s Untouched Beauty. There’s Still Time to Protect It” by Javier Bardem. This literary nonfiction text describes the trip the author took to the Antarctic in order to explore animals and oceans. It also expresses the need to save our oceans. Students complete discussion questions while they read and use speaking and listening skills during Student-Led discussions. 

• In Unit 6, students read “Why Kids Need Recess” by Alia Wong. This opinion news article asks students to gain knowledge about the importance of recess. Students practice analyzing facts and research while they gather evidence for the culminating unit task. 

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

• In Unit 1, students read seven core texts. In this unit, 14% of the texts are informational, and 86% of the texts are literary.

• In Unit 2, students read six core texts. In this unit, 86% of the texts are informational, and 14% of the texts are literary. 

• In Unit 3, students read five core texts. In this unit, 20% of the texts are informational, and 80% of the texts are literary. 

• In Unit 4, students read four core texts. In this unit, 100% of the texts are informational. 

• In Unit 5, students read eight core texts. In this unit, 25% of the texts are informational, and 75% of the texts are literary. 

• In Unit 6, students read four core texts. In this unit, 100% of the texts are informational. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 1c. 

The materials have the appropriate level of complexity according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and the relationship to their associated student task. The materials provide a core unit text list for each unit that provides the title, author, and genre for each core text, as well as the Lexile level and description. A rationale for educational purposes for most of the core unit texts can be found in the Unit Guide for each unit. The description of each text includes how students will use most texts and how the text supports knowledge and understanding of other texts within the same unit. Materials include a text complexity analysis and an explanation of the relationship of texts to the associated student task in an additional spreadsheet. The text analysis spreadsheet contains the text, author, text type, and text description; quantitative measures such as Lexile and length; and qualitative measures such as text structure, language features, purpose/meaning, knowledge demands, and reader and task.  

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

• In Unit 1, students read “The Medicine Bag” by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve. The publisher-provided quantitative measure of this short story is 830L, with a verified Lexile of 970L. The summary of the qualitative measure is moderately complex. The associated student task entails writing an essay analyzing how characters change through conflict and dialogue with secondary characters. The task contains short sections of the whole class and partner reading for scaffolding and support, but the majority of the text is independent, meeting expectations for the grade level. 

• In Unit 2, students read “The Theory and Power Behind Goal Setting” by Otylia Benson. The publisher-provided quantitative measure of this informational text is 1070L, with a verified Lexile of 1120L. The summary of the qualitative measure is moderately complex. Text structure, language features, and knowledge demands are all moderately complex, with purpose and meaning being slightly complex. Students read the text independently and with partners, focusing on analyzing key details and the central idea. After reading the text, students fill out a graphic organizer that will help with the culminating task of creating an informational presentation. 

• In Unit 3, students read The Giver by Lois Lowry. Although the quantitative measure of this novel is 760L, which is below level, the overall qualitative complexity measure is moderately complex. This text has six associated student tasks, which meet appropriately rigorous expectations for the grade level and provide scaffolding for student understanding. The final task requires students to reflect on character change from the beginning to the end of the novel in a written format supported with relevant evidence from the text. 

• In Unit 4, students read “Tiny Plastic, Big Problem” by Alison Pearce Stevens. The publisher-provided quantitative measure of this informational text is 880L, with a verified Lexile of 890, which is below level. The text has an overall qualitative complexity of moderately complex. Students read this text “to understand how and why plastics affect marine life.” They complete a research note-taking graphic organizer and participate in a partner discussion about the text. 

• In Unit 5, students read “Family Over Everything” by Yamile Saied Mendez. The publisher provided and verified quantitative measure is on level 1020L. The qualitative measure is very complex. Students have five associated tasks for the text. The final task requires students to write an informative essay that compares and contrasts the forces that change two characters in the text using text-based evidence. 

• In Unit 6, students read “Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature” by Danielle Cohen. The publisher-provided quantitative measure of this informational text is 1170L, with a verified Lexile of 1140L. The summary of the qualitative level is moderately complex. This is an independent reading text with four reader tasks. Students use this text to add notes to a graphic organizer to assist them with their culminating task. 

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

• The beginning of each unit includes a Core Unit Texts list. This list provides the title, author, and genre for each core text, as well as the Lexile level and description.

• A publisher provided spreadsheet includes quantitative and qualitative analysis data for each text and reader and task consideration information. This spreadsheet includes tabs for each Grade and Unit in the program. Information provided in this spreadsheet is as follows:

  • Text Summary information

    • Grade Level

    • Unit

    • Title

    • Author

    • Text Type 

    • Text Description

  • Quantitative measurement

    • Lexile Level

    • Word Count

  • Qualitative Measurement

    • Text Structure

    • Language Features

    • Purpose/Meaning

    • Knowledge Demands

  • Reader and Task

    • Considerations for Reader and Task

• Each unit includes a Unit Guide that lists the Unit Texts and Supplemental Texts and their titles, genres, Lexile, and descriptions. The description includes information on what the student will do with the text. For example, in Unit 2, students read the nonfiction text “Dedicated to the Goal” by Marty Kaminsky. The description includes a section that states, “As students read, they will analyze how key details develop a central idea. Then, students will prepare for their unit presentation by gathering evidence about the recipe’s ingredients for success in their note-taking graphic organizer.” 

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

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 1d. 

The materials provide a variety of texts at appropriate complexity levels for the grade band, which supports students’ literacy growth. The complexity is mixed throughout the units. The quantitative measures generally increase throughout the year, and the qualitative measures range from slightly complex to very complex. The overall quantitative complexity measures across the year range from 690L–1270L. Over the course of the year, 13% of texts lack quantitative ratings because they are Non-Prose. All units provide an opportunity for students to grow their literary skills. Reading includes whole group, partner reading, and independent reading. Tasks include During Reading Questions, Turn and Talk Partner Discussions, and Independent Questions. The Teacher’s Copy of the resource provides directions on how to facilitate the lesson, such as recommendations on what reading modalities to use, when to use supportive During Reading Questions, and when to circulate to check for understanding. The recommended lesson facilitation is provided for all texts. 

The complexity of anchor texts students read provides an opportunity for students’ literacy skills to increase across the year, encompassing an entire year’s worth of growth. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, the Lexile range is 710L-1200L. The qualitative range is Moderately Complex to Very Complex. In Unit 2, the Lexile range is 690L-1260L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Moderately Complex. In Unit 3, the Lexile range is 760L-1260L. The qualitative range is Moderately Complex to Very Complex. In Unit 4, the Lexile range is 880L-1060L. The qualitative range is Slightly  Complex to Moderately Complex. In Unit 5, the Lexile range is 760L-1160L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Very Complex. In Unit 6, the Lexile range is 1170L-1270L. The qualitative range is Slightly Complex to Moderately Complex. The overall quantitative complexity measures across the year range from 690L–1270L. The overall qualitative range across the year is Slightly Complex to Very Complex.

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “Do People Really Change?,” students read “Do People Really Change?” by Jessica McBirney (1090L) and determine the central idea. The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. The lesson starts with whole group reading, and students discuss the following prompt, “What question is the article trying to answer?” Then, during independent reading, they determine the text’s central idea and provide evidence to support their answer. In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “Tiny Plastic, Big Problem,” students read “Tiny Plastic, Big Problem” by Alison Pearce Stevens (890L), identify the central idea, and track its development. The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. Students read the text as a whole class, with partners, and independently and discuss and answer questions. Students then work independently to answer questions, such as “What is the purpose of paragraph 1?” and “How does the laboratory experiment described in paragraphs 23-24 help develop the central idea?” to ultimately answer the question “What is a central idea in the article?” In Unit 6, Reading Lesson: “The Importance of Recess,” students read “The Importance of Recess” by Harvard Health Publishing (1170L) and determine the central and supporting details to help gather information for their argumentative email. The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. Students read this text as a whole class, with partners, and independently. While reading, students look for evidence that supports the central idea, such as, “Highlight two details that show the benefits of recess and play” and, “In paragraph 6, the author says that ‘to improve test scores in reading and math, schools have cut back on recess.’ How do the details in paragraph 7 further develop this idea?” At the end of the lessons, students record the benefits of recess from the text to use for the culminating task. 

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “Home,” students read “Home” by Hena Khan (760L) and analyze character development. The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. The text is read independently and with a partner as a whole class. Students demonstrate an understanding of character development by responding to  the Further Analysis Questions that require them to “... reread sections of the text and pay particular attention to the way secondary characters in a story influence the main character’s development.” In Unit 5, Reading Lesson: “Fish Cheeks,” students read the memoir “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan and “...analyze how secondary characters develop the main character.” The qualitative complexity is slightly complex. After reading the text, students respond independently to the prompt, “You have just read ‘Fish Cheeks’ by Amy Tan. What forces shaped the narrator’s identity?” which requires them to analyze the main character. 

As texts become more complex, appropriate scaffolds and/or materials are provided in the Teacher Edition (e.g., spending more time on texts, more questions, repeated readings, skill lessons). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “Home,” students read the short story “Home” by Hena Khan (760L) and “notice the way people are influenced by their experiences and by the people they surround themselves with.” The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. The text is read independently, with a partner, and as a whole class. The partner reads, turn and talks for discussion questions, and student-led discussion provides scaffolding, increasing understanding of the text. The lesson provides Independent practice with the opportunity for students to demonstrate comprehension of the text by responding to the prompt, “You have just read ‘Home’ by Hena Khan. How do Aleena’s interactions with her friends in paragraphs 108-125 develop her character? Use text evidence to support your response.”

• In Unit 2, Reading Lesson: “Cultivate Resilience: How to Get Back on the Horse,” students read “Cultivate Resilience: How to Get Back on the Horse” by Rebecca Zucker (1030L). The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. Students read this text with partners, stopping throughout the text to either turn and talk with their partners or take notes. Students then independently answer questions, take notes, and participate in a class discussion about the text. In the notes to teachers, the materials state, “This lesson is designed to be partner reading because this text reinforces information students learned in the previous lesson.”

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “Plenty of Fish in the Sea? Maybe Not,” students read the informational text “Plenty of Fish in the Sea? Maybe Not” by Thomas Pool (750L). The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. The Lexile level is not complex for the grade. Still, the complex content about the “...effects of bycatch, the benefits of aquaculture, and the necessity of legislation to combat overfishing to help protect our changing oceans” will challenge the reader. Scaffolding includes a whole class reading of the text and previous lessons that provide background knowledge, which supports students in better understanding the content in this text about the complexities that impact and protect our changing oceans. Other scaffolds include a student-led discussion that “...supports students by asking them to reread sections of the text and discuss various forms of negative ocean change. The task further supports students by asking them to consider people’s role in ocean conservation.” 

• In Unit 6, Reading Lesson: “Brock University Researchers Find Recess Works When It’s All About Play,” students read “Brock University Researchers Find Recess Works When It’s All About Play” by Louise Brown (1270L). The qualitative complexity is moderately complex. The Lexile level is complex for the grade level; however, this text is in the last unit of the year and is used with a combination of other texts about a similar topic. This text is read independently, and students take notes using the annotation tool and add notes to their graphic organizer to help them with their culminating task. The “Checking for Understanding During Reading Lessons” PDF provides information on when students may need additional support and suggestions. Possible suggestions include rereading, breaking down the existing question, asking additional questions, rewriting the question in their own words, and defining key terms in the question. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 1e. 

The materials provide students with opportunities and support to read a wide variety and volume of texts. The materials contain 34 core unit texts throughout the six units. These texts range in text types and genres. Text types include, but are not limited to, novels, informational texts, news articles, short stories, personal essays, and opinion pieces. The materials provide independent reading resources for the teacher and student to utilize. The materials provide best practices for independent reading, a suggested independent reading list for each unit, and a reading response notebook template. 

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

• In Unit 1, the texts include but are not limited to one informational text, “Do People Really Change?” by Jessica McBirney, and six short stories, “Home” by Hena Khan, “The Scholarship Jacket” by Marta Salinas, “Thrown,” by Mike Jung, “The Medicine Bag,” by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, “Sol Painting, Inc.,” by Meg Medina, and “Raymond’s Run” by Toni Cade Bambara. 

• In Unit 2, the texts include but are not limited to the personal essay “A Quick Note on Getting Better at Difficult Things” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, the news article “Behind the scenes with the mind-blowing Ohio State Marching Band” by Laken Litman, and the short story, “How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium,” by Matt De La Peña.

• In Unit 4, the texts include, but are not limited to, the literary nonfiction piece, “I’ve Seen the Antarctic’s Untouched Beauty. There’s Still Time to Protect It,” by Javier Bardem, and informational pieces that include “Tiny Plastic, Big Problem,” by Alison Pearce Stevens; “Sea Level Rise,” from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History; and “Plenty of Fish in the Sea? Maybe Not,” by Thomas Pool.

• In Unit 6, the texts include but are not limited to the informational text “Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature” by Danielle Cohen; an opinion piece, “Why Kids Need Recess” by Alia Wong; and the news article “Brock University Researchers Find Recess Works When It’s All About Play,” by Louise Brown. 

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

• In Unit 1, students read seven core texts over the course of seven weeks. Four short stories and supplemental digital texts can be assigned digitally and include questions and activities. Independent reading opportunities are available under additional materials that include a list of ten novels. Instructions to teachers state, “One way to use this list is to encourage students to self-select novels to read independently. Alternatively, you can use this list as inspiration to launch book clubs or other creative independent or whole-class reading options.”

• In Unit 2, students read six core texts over the course of five to seven weeks. The unit also includes five choice texts. Students engage with three of these texts beginning in reading lesson assignment 11. The materials state, “In this activity, students independently read and annotate three of five texts to build their knowledge about the essential ingredients that go into the recipe for success.”

• In Unit 5, students read eight core texts over the course of five to seven weeks. In the Unit at a Glance, the materials state, “Reading lessons in this unit include scaffolded questions to help students meet these grade-level reading standards. Independent Practice for reading lessons is aligned to RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.5, and RL.6.6 and includes guided reading questions and independent practice.” As students read the text “Inside Out” by Francisco Jiménez, they begin reading as a whole class, move to partner reading in the middle of the text and finish the text independently.

• In Unit 6, students read four core texts over the course of five to seven weeks. Although this unit does not include choice texts, it does include supplemental texts. The materials state, “These texts range in both their complexity and thematic links to the unit. Each text is available digitally and prepared with an annotation task, Guided Reading Mode multiple choice questions, and Assessment multiple choice and short-answer questions.” 

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

• In the Independent Reading and Book Club Resources, the materials contain a document titled “Best Practices for Independent Reading.” This document contains suggestions for the teacher, including, but not limited to, “Provide class time for students to self-select their next book” and “monitor and support readers during independent reading time through small-group and 1:1 conferences.”  In the Independent Reading and Book Club Resources, the materials contain a suggested independent reading list for each unit, a reading response notebook template, a “Books I’ve Read” template, and a teacher resource on how to run a student book club. 

• Under downloadable materials for each lesson, teachers have access to a lesson overview for each text. One example of support states, “During Reading Questions that are marked with an asterisk ( * ) are optional questions. Teachers can choose to use these questions with students needing more support.”

• Under the research note-taking section, the teacher copy provides examples of what students should be recording from their independent reading in their research note-taking graphic organizer tool. The professional development section includes clear instructions on how to guide students in using the note-taking graphic organizer and annotating a text effectively.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 1f. 

The materials provide students with opportunities to respond to text-specific and text-dependent questions and tasks such as During Reading questions, Independent Reading multiple choice questions, note-taking around text content, and completion of graphic organizers that require textual evidence. The majority of the During Reading questions are text-dependent. Text-specific discussion prompts are included. The materials provide support for teachers in planning and implementation of text-based questions and tasks through tools such as the Unit Guide and the teacher copy of the Lesson Overview. Teachers can access notes to plan lesson tasks and example responses to guide students.  

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

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “The Scholarship Jacket,” students read “The Scholarship Jacket” by Marta Salinas. The materials ask students to “Find Evidence: Highlight two pieces of dialogue from Marta’s grandpa that changes her point of view.” Students then respond to the following prompt, “Write: How does Marta feel about her grandfather’s response to her situation?”

• In Unit 2, Reading Lesson: “Dedicated to the Goal,” students read the nonfiction text “Dedicated to the Goal” by Marty Kaminsky and find evidence during the reading process. One example states, “Highlight two pieces of evidence that reveal Lloyd’s attitude toward achieving success.”

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “I’ve Seen the Antarctic’s Untouched Beauty. There’s Still Time to Protect It,” students read a literary nonfiction piece, “I’ve Seen the Antarctic’s Untouched Beauty. There’s Still Time to Protect It” by Javier Bardem and respond to the following prompt during an independent task: “How does paragraph 12 develop the author’s claim that it is important to protect the Antarctic?” The teacher reminds students to use text evidence to support their claims.

• In Unit 6, Reading Lesson: "The Importance of Recess,” students read the informational text “The Importance of Recess” by Harvard Health Publishing” and take notes on the text to prepare for the culminating task. Directions state, “Think about how this text supports our culminating task. Then add notes to your graphic organizer in the row for this text.” Students complete a graphic organizer that requires them to explain the benefits of recess and cite evidence from the text that supports their explanation.

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

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “Do People Really Change?,” students read the informational text “Do People Really Change?” by Jessica McBirney. The materials provide teachers with a  Lesson Overview. This document includes resources that provide opportunities to increase student success in responding to text-based questions. For example, the During Reading Questions section within the Lesson Overview includes the following questions, “Paragraphs 1-2 Think & Share: What question is this article trying to answer? Can people change in major ways?” The materials provide teachers with guiding questions throughout the read-aloud that include answer keys along the way.

• In Unit 2, “Reading Lesson: Dedicated to the Goal,” students read the nonfiction text “Dedicated to the Goal” by Marty Kaminsky.” The materials provide teachers with a resource document titled Lesson Overview to support teachers in helping students experience success in responding to text-based questions. For example, in the section titled Notes for Teachers within the Lesson Overview, guidance states, “During Reading Questions that are marked with an asterisk ( * ) are optional questions. Teachers can choose to use these questions with students needing more support. For more information, see Using Reading Questions for guidance on how to use optional questions.” 

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson “I’ve Seen the Antarctic’s Untouched Beauty. There’s Still Time to Protect It, ” students read a literary nonfiction piece, “I’ve Seen the Antarctic’s Untouched Beauty. There’s Still Time to Protect It” by Javier Bardem and respond to an independent writing prompt. The materials provide teachers with support in assessing students’ responses. For example, under the prompt in the teacher copy, teacher support includes, “To ensure test security, a sample answer to the following short response item is viewable only on commonlit.org for verified teacher accounts. Navigate to the Answer Key tab on the text page to access it.”

• In Unit 6, Reading Lesson: “The Importance of Recess,” students read the informational text “The Importance of Recess” by Harvard Health Publishing and respond to five multiple-choice questions to assess their comprehension. The materials prompt teachers to navigate to the answer key found in the verified teacher account in order to guide students during the independent task. The materials also provide a pacing guide that places this task last in the lesson and suggests 20 minutes for completion.

• In the Professional Development section under How-To Guidance, the materials provide a PDF titled Annotating Effectively. This document explains the research around annotating, how to navigate struggles, and how to get started. For example, under the Getting Started section, guidance states, “Model by verbalizing your thought process for determining what to highlight or what notes to write.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 1g. 

The materials provide a variety of protocols to support students in speaking and listening skills. Throughout the course of the year, students participate in turn and talk, whole class discussions, small group discussions, debates, and culminating discussions. The materials provide a variety of PDFs in the Professional Development section titled “How-To Guidance.” These PDFs provide protocols for discussions, debates, and presentations. The materials include the student’s reflection documents and data trackers for the teacher. Speaking and listening opportunities are provided throughout the course of the year. 

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

• The “Facilitating a Productive Debate” PDF provides the stages of a debate. The stages include Before the Debate, Round 1, Round 2, and Reflect.

  • Before the Debate, “students are assigned or select sides and are placed in partners or teams. They establish claims and gather evidence.” 

  • For Round 1, the materials state, “Each side presents their claims and evidence, while the opposing side takes notes.”

  • For Round 2, “Each side presents their claims and evidence, while the opposing side takes notes.”

  • For Reflect, “students complete a post-reflection independently and use their new knowledge to inform the culminating task.”

• The “Facilitating Productive Discussions” PDF explains how a productive discussion should function. 

  • The materials state, “Discussion lessons often start with a teacher-led instruction on a speaking and listening skill. This portion of the lesson prepares students for the student-led discussion that follows.” A handout with sentence starters and a place for students to take notes is also provided. 

• The “Facilitating Productive Discussions” PDF provides tips for derailment:

  • “Be Realistic and Persistent” suggests that discussion will fall flat and the discussion practice will lead to fluent class discussions. 

  • “Redirect when Needed” suggests using questions to breathe life into stale discussions. For example, “Did anyone else interpret that quote differently? Can you explain?”

  • “Have a Plan B” suggests depending upon the discussion, students may need to regroup and gather more evidence or create new discussion questions. 

  • “Share Ownership…Solicit class reflection regarding the success of the discussions. Privately enlist ‘discussion leaders’ to notice and respectfully engage their quieter classmates.”

• The “Facilitating a Student Presentation” PDF  provides presentation models for whole-class presentations, small group presentations, gallery walk presentations, and pre-recorded presentations. The materials include but are not limited to an instructional practice overview, instructions on preparing for presentation days, active listening strategies, and teacher verbal prompts. 

  • Whole Class Presentations: “Students present to a whole class. Teachers circulate to ensure active listening.”

  • Small Group Presentations: “Students present to a small group. Teachers circulate to pace presenters and ensure active listening.”

  • Gallery Walk Presentations: “Students develop visual presentations only. The audience circulates and reviews presentations with an established purpose. Teachers circulate to pace and ensure engagement.”

  • Pre-recorded Presentations: Students create a video, audio, or screencast for an audience to watch and reflect on asynchronously. Teachers circulate to pace and ensure engagement.”

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

• Teachers have access to a variety of How-To-Guidance PDFs. The “Facilitating Productive Discussions” guide includes a section about getting started, dealing with discussion derailments, and assessment. The PDF provides a few questions to help keep the conversation going. Questions include, but are not limited to, “Did anyone else interpret that differently? Can you explain? What in the text makes you say that? Can anyone else build upon ____’s idea that…?” Other PDFs include, but are not limited to, “Facilitating a Productive Debate” and “Facilitating a Student Presentation.” 

• The teacher materials include a  “Student Voice Tracker.” This template provides a spot for the focus discussion skill and a chart where the teacher can record student names, the number of times each student has spoken, and a place to mark additional notes. 

• The materials provide a Teacher Guide on “5 Ways to Have a Great Class Discussion.” The materials provide the following five discussion options: Silent Discussion (Distance Learning Option), Concentric Circles, Conversations Stations, Fishbowl, and Socratic Seminar. The document provides the how-to, preparation considerations, and variations for each type of discussion.

• In Unit 1, Discussion Lesson, students participate in a discussion skill lesson. The Discussion Skill Lesson Teacher Copy includes activities to support students with the skill of “Expectations for a Class Discussion.” In the first part of this lesson, students answer some high-level questions about a discussion, including, “What is the difference between answering a teacher’s question and having a class discussion? How do students behave during a good classroom discussion? What might you see students do during a discussion?” In the second part of this lesson, teachers review discussion expectations while students take notes. In this Teacher handout, the exemplar answers are in blue text for the teacher to refer to.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 1h. 

The materials provide opportunities across a variety of speaking and listening skills for students to demonstrate knowledge of what they are reading. Throughout the course of the year, students have opportunities to come to discussions prepared, follow discussion rules and protocols, and include multimedia components for presentations. Students participate in discussion lessons in almost every unit, as well as culminating tasks. Most discussions and presentations emphasize using and interpreting text evidence.

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

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

  • In Unit 5, Discussion Lesson, students complete a chart by finding evidence to support their ideas in order to prepare for a class discussion. Students respond to the discussion question, “What forces mostly shape identity?” by using evidence from two of the unit texts. For each text, students record the evidence from the chosen text, page, and paragraph number and then use the space on the chart to explain how their evidence answers the discussion question. Students refer to this evidence to engage in the class discussion. 

  • In Unit 6, Discussion Lesson, students use the copy of Unit 6 Debate to prepare for a class discussion. Students respond to the debate prompt, “Should recess be structured or unstructured?” Students use a two-column graphic organizer to record their reasons to support Claim A: “Recess should be structured” with reasons, evidence, and sources. They record the same information for Claim B: “Recess should not be structured.” Students refer to this evidence to engage in a partner debate. 

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

  • In Unit 1, Discussion, students complete a discussion lesson. Students complete Expectations for Class Discussion documents. The documents lay out expectations and goal setting and have students work to respond to the prompts. One of the expectations states, “Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required materials.” One of the goal-setting prompts states, “Which expectation will be challenging for you today? What will you do to help succeed at it?”

• Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, Writing Lesson: Creating Strong Visuals, students complete a culminating task by presenting an informational presentation. The prompt states, “Your presentation must include a visual component to convey information.” 

  • In Unit 6, Revision: Using Images to Persuade, students learn how to use visuals to appeal to their audience. In this lesson, students are required to “Find an image to use in your argumentative email to persuade the audience and incorporate it into your final draft.” This lesson guides students to choose images that are “emotionally compelling and connected to your subject and thesis.”

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

• Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making comments that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 5, Discussion Lesson, students participate in a discussion lesson. Students answer the question, “What forces most shape identity?” Prior to the discussion, students preview a sample discussion and analyze what makes that discussion effective. As they discuss the question for the unit, students reference the texts they have read throughout. Students have a variety of sentence frames as resources they can use to elaborate on each other’s ideas. In the Keep the Discussion Going box, students have several options of questions they can ask each other. One suggestion is, “Which external forces do you think are the most influential in shaping someone’s identity?”

• Review the key ideas expressed and demonstrate understanding of multiple perspectives through reflection and paraphrasing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 3, Discussion Lesson 2, students read The Giver and reflect on the discussion using the student copy guide, Part 4, End-of-Discussion Reflection. Students respond to the question, “What new understandings and questions do you have about The Giver after the collaborative discussion?” Students are asked to respond to the question and be prepared to share their reflections with the class. 

• Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 2, Related Media Exploration: What are the characteristics of effective practice?, students participate in the “Related Media Exploration: What are the characteristics of effective practice?” After watching four videos, students turn and talk to a partner on the following prompt: “Consider the videos you’ve watched so far and the text ‘Behind the scenes with the Ohio State Marching Band.’ What elements of effective practice are seen in OSU’s preparation routine?”

• Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 6, Discussion Lesson, students weigh two sides of an argument in a debate and collaboratively assemble evidence for the prompt, “Should recess be structured or unstructured?” As students discuss with partners who are arguing the opposing side, they “take notes while your debate partner is making their argument. List the main points your partner uses to support their claim.” Then, students return to an earlier discussing partner who is arguing the same side and “discuss 1-2 points you heard from the opposing side.”

• Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In Unit 4, Planning the Culminating Task: Informational Presentation, students draft claims and findings in informational presentations as they respond to the prompt, “Choose one of the three topics we’ve learned about related to our changing oceans. Using your independent research, create three infographics where you: describe the problem, highlight its relevance to your community, and offer an action item people can do to address the problem.” Students create three infographics to help present findings relating to the problem, relevance, and solution. While students create these infographics, they do not present them.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 1i. 

The materials provide a variety of on-demand and process writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. On-demand writing is included throughout the reading lessons. Students pause and write about sections they have read or respond to their reading in the independent practice prompts. Each unit contains a process writing piece that includes time for planning, drafting, and editing/revising. Materials include digital resources when appropriate. Most graphic organizers or planning documents allow students to type their thinking or draft, and digital copies of checklists are included.

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

• In Unit 1, Reading Lesson: “The Scholarship Jacket,” students read “The Scholarship Jacket” by Marta Salinas. After reading paragraphs four through seven of the text, students are prompted to pause and write about the following prompt, “How do these paragraphs develop the conflict?”  

• In Unit 2, Reading Lesson: “Writing Lesson: Narrative Prompt,” after reading “How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium” by Matt De La Peña, students respond by rewriting a section of the text from a different perspective. Students draft using a writing checklist to respond to the narrative prompt, “Reread paragraphs 160-174 and consider that car ride from the narrator’s father’s point of view. Now, write a narrative of that scene from the father’s point of view.”

• In Unit 4, Reading Lesson: “I’ve Seen the Antarctic’s Untouched Beauty. There’s Still Time to Protect It,” students read “I’ve Seen the Antarctic’s Untouched Beauty. There’s Still Time to Protect It” by Javier Bardem and respond to an Independent Practice writing prompt, “How does paragraph 12 develop the author’s claim that it is important to protect the Antarctic?” Students are reminded to use text evidence to support their claims.

• In Unit 5, Reading Lesson: “Fish Cheeks,” students read “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan. After reading paragraphs 1-3 of the text, students are prompted to pause and write about the following prompt, “How does Tan’s word choice help the reader better understand her point of view about her culture?”

• In Unit 6, Related Media Exploration: Where Did Recess Go?, students watch videos, analyze infographics, and read a UN article. Then, students respond to an Independent Reflection prompt, “...where did recess go, and why should it come back? Use evidence from the resources in your response.” Students are allotted ten minutes to respond to this on-demand writing opportunity. 

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

• In Unit 1, Planning the Culminating Task, Drafting the Culminating Task, and Peer Reviewing the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students write a literary analysis essay. They respond to the prompt, “Write an essay in which you determine the theme of ‘The Medicine Bag’ by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and explain how the author uses at least one of the literary techniques we’ve learned throughout the unit to convey the theme.” Over three lessons, students plan, draft, and peer review their literary analysis essay. 

• In Unit 3, Planning the Culminating Task, Drafting the Culminating Task, Revision, and Peer Reviewing the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students write a literary analysis essay. They respond to the following prompt, “How does Jonas’s understanding of his community change from the beginning to the end of The Giver by Lois Lowry? Remember to use relevant evidence from the text to support your ideas.” Students work on their writing for five lessons. One lesson focuses on revisions for writing introductions, and another focuses on revisions for writing conclusions. After a lesson about introductions, the materials state, “Return to the draft of your essay. Draft or revise the introduction of your essay, applying what you have learned.” 

• In Unit 5, Planning the Culminating Task, Drafting the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, and Writing: Add Sentence Variety, students write a literary analysis essay. They respond to the following prompt, “You have read ‘Hello, My Name Is _____’ by Jason Kim and ‘Family Over Everything’ by Yamile Saied Méndez. Compare and contrast the forces that shape both Jason Kim and Ayelén. Use evidence from both texts in your response.” Students work on their writing for multiple lessons. One lesson works on revising sentences. In this lesson, students respond to the following prompt, “Reread our body paragraphs. Add or revise at least three sentences in your body paragraphs to create sentence variety.” 

• In Unit 6, Planning the Culminating Task, Drafting the Culminating Task, Revision, and Review, students write an argumentative essay. Students respond to the prompt, “What is the perfect recess, and why should students have access to daily recess? Write a letter or email persuading school leaders about the components and benefits of an ideal recess. Support your argument with evidence from your research.” Students receive guidance from analyzing an exemplar letter, planning, drafting, several focused revisions, and formatting a work cited page. 

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

• In Unit 2, Writing: Planning the Culminating Task: Informational Presentation, students use a digital Note-Taking Graphic Organizer to help plan and draft their culminating task. This digital resource is referenced throughout the unit for students to record the source they are reading, ingredients found that contribute to success, and evidence that supports what they found. 

• In Unit 3, Revision: Writing Conclusions, students access a digital copy of “Revision: Writing a Conclusion” and revise their literary analysis essay conclusion by using an embedded checklist in the digital lesson materials. Besides the teacher and student digital copy of this lesson, students and teachers can access a digital Classroom Anchor Chart and a digital Student Reference Sheet. 

• In Unit 6, students draft an argumentative essay. Students utilize two digital materials in this lesson. The student digital copy provides an email format that they complete using their previous planning. Students also access the digital argumentative essay rubric to use when drafting their task.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 1k. 

Materials include frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice and apply writing using evidence and include explicit instruction to guide teachers step by step. Many evidence-based writing opportunities are found in writing lessons that support the culminating task as well as the culminating final task of each unit. These writing tasks require students to access a unit text for evidence or to utilize a graphic note-taking organizer that contains evidence from texts within units. Teacher materials include how to facilitate each part of the writing lesson and notes to guide students in their writing. Evidence-based writing lessons are found across the school year and include multiple opportunities to support analysis and claims linked to unit texts. Writing prompts include requirements such as “use relevant evidence to support your response” and “explain your evidence and how it connects to the claim.”

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

• In Unit 1, Writing Lesson: Choosing Relevant Evidence, teachers guide students in learning about relevant evidence. Students analyze a sample piece of evidence where the evidence is misaligned. The Teacher Copy provides the following notes for this activity: “Students will learn the definition of relevant evidence and analyze an example of evidence that may at first appear relevant, but on closer inspection is not.” Next, students practice choosing relevant evidence from a text they have recently read, “The Medicine Bag” by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve. Lastly, students find relevant evidence for claims provided in a graphic organizer. The Teacher Copy of the lesson includes the following guidance for teachers: “Students will go back into the text to find evidence to support five distinct claims. Teachers may find it beneficial to model the first round of practice.” 

• In Unit 2, Writing Lesson: Applying Strong Reasoning, teachers guide students in learning about strong reasoning. Students analyze a sample piece of writing where the reasoning is weak. The Teacher Copy provides the following notes for this activity: “Students will review weak reasoning and explain what makes it weak.” Students learn that this particular reasoning is weak “because it repeats the evidence almost exactly. It doesn’t add anything new to the paragraph.” Next, students analyze a writing sample where the reasoning is strong. The Teacher Copy provides the following notes for this activity: “Students will read exemplar reasoning and answer two questions to reflect on what makes it strong.” Students learn that strong reasoning “explains what the evidence means” and “connects the evidence to the claim.” Last, students practice writing strong reasoning by revising weak reasoning with a prompt based on the text “A Quick Note on Getting Better at Difficult Things” by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The Teacher Copy of the lesson includes the following notes for this section: “Students apply their learning by revising weak reasoning in a sample paragraph about The Theory and Power Behind Goal Setting.” There is an optional revision task that the Teacher Copy mentions, which states, “You may choose to have students revise their independent practice from ‘A Quick Note on Getting Better at Difficult Things.’” 

• In Unit 5, Writing Lesson: Exemplar Essay Review, teachers guide students in analyzing a sample compare and contrast essay. Students read the sample essay as a whole class and answer During Reading questions about different parts of the essay, such as: “What purpose do the bolded transition words serve? What is the purpose of this paragraph? Why is this a strong conclusion?” The Teacher Notes include exemplar responses for all During Reading questions so that teachers can guide student responses. After analyzing the writing sample, students stamp the key points by answering the question, “Based on this exemplar, what are four things you should remember to do as you plan and draft your own essay?” The Teacher Copy includes the following exemplary answer: 

  • “Include a thesis that refers to both texts and identifies key similarities and differences. 

  • Clearly organizes body paragraphs to show similarities and differences between texts.

  • Support textual evidence with strong reasoning.

  • Use transitions to compare and contrast to emphasize similarities and differences.”

Students later apply this learning in the culminating task for the unit, where they write a literary analysis comparing two texts. 

• In Unit 6, Planning the Culminating Task: Argumentative Essay, teachers receive guidance in helping students “...draft a thesis and claims and select evidence for the Culminating Task essay.” Teachers are guided to use a PDF, “Using a Note-Taking Graphic Organizer Effectively.” This guide provides teacher tips such as, “Review the parts of the note-taking graphic organizer prior to getting started” in order to help students get past potential hurdles in the writing process. 

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

• In Unit 3, students read The Giver by Lois Lowry. Students respond to the following prompt, “You have just read Chapter 2 of The Giver by Lois Lowry. How does the approaching Ceremony of Twelve affect Jonas? Use text evidence to support your response. In your response, make sure to: 

  • Explain the evidence without directly repeating it

  • Use your reasoning to connect the evidence to the paragraph’s claim

Also, make sure to incorporate relevant unit vocabulary in your writing.”

• In Unit 3, Reading Lesson: “At a Window,” students read “At a Window” by Carl Sandberg. Students respond to the following prompt, “You have just read ‘At a Window’ by Carl Sandberg. How does the speaker’s attitude toward love and pain compare to Jonas’s feelings in Chapter 22 of The Giver? Use evidence from both Chapter 22 of The Giver and ‘At a Window’ to support your answer.”

• In Unit 5, Reading Lesson: “Hard to Say,” students read “Hard to Say” by Sharon Morse. Students respond to the following prompt, “What is important about how Val and her grandparents communicate? Find evidence: Highlight two pieces of evidence that show how Val’s grandparents feel about her.” 

• In Unit 5, Planning the Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Essay, students work on their culminating task. Students respond to the prompt, “You have read ‘Hello, My Name Is ____’ by Jason Kim and ‘Family Over Everything’ by Yamile Saied Méndez. Compare and contrast the forces that shape both Jason Kim and Ayelén. Use evidence from both texts in your response.” During the lesson, students collect evidence in a graphic organizer for their writing piece. The graphic organizer states, “Consider the forces you brainstormed in Part 1. In the first column, jot notes about how different forces shaped each character. Then, review each text for evidence that supports your ideas.” 

• In Unit 6, Planning the Culminating Task: Argumentative Essay, students use a Research Note-Taking Graphic Organizer that contains evidence from the texts in this unit in order to “draft claims and evidence to support their thesis.” Students are provided instructions that guide them, which state, “Strong arguments include claims that are persuasive to their specific audience: Before outlining claims to support their argument, a writer can consider how to persuade their audience by identifying their essay’s intended audience considering their audience’s likely concerns or opinions generating claims that appeal to their audience’s concerns or opinions.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 1m. 

The materials include a year-long plan for students to interact and build vocabulary. The materials include a vocabulary routine for the teacher, which discusses the use of the vocabulary activities, vocabulary quizzes, and word wall. Every unit includes the Grade 6 Key Terms Glossary, which focuses on academic and literary key terms. Each unit also includes unit vocabulary words and introduces them using the vocabulary activity set, the activity slide deck, word wall, and word wall teacher guidance. The slide deck is used to introduce all the new vocabulary words to the whole class at the beginning of the unit. Unit vocabulary words are listed at the beginning of every text in which they appear. Every unit includes at least one multiple-choice vocabulary quiz. The materials also include other key terms lists, such as poetry terms, when relevant to the text. Other potentially unfamiliar words or terms are listed with their definition in the footnotes of the texts. Some during reading questions use the unit vocabulary words and students are asked to incorporate vocabulary words in various writing assignments. Literary and Content terms are repeated across the school year, and Academic Vocabulary words are repeated across unit texts. 

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

• In the Program Guide, the materials communicate the importance of vocabulary development. In this section, the materials discuss the vocabulary routines and materials, which include a Vocabulary Introductory Activity and a Word Wall. For the Vocabulary Introductory Activity, the materials state, “A slide deck guides students through the first unit vocabulary activity, supporting students in inferring the meaning of vocabulary words through the use of context clues in an example sentence.” Under Word Wall, the materials state, “The Word Wall Teacher Guidance also suggests ways for teachers to extend student practice and application of unit vocabulary throughout protocols beyond the word wall.” 

• Each unit provides a link to the Unit Key Terms Word Wall Cards, which focus on the key terms in that specific unit. The Teacher Copy directions state, “Use these Word Wall Cards to build a classroom visual of key terms for this unit and throughout the year” to support attention to high-value academic words across the school year.

• Each unit contains at least one Vocabulary Activity Set. This includes the Student Vocabulary Activity set, Activity Slide Deck, Word Wall, and Word Wall Teacher Guidance. The materials state, “Use the Slide Deck to facilitate the Vocabulary Activity whole-class. Flexibly assign the remaining activities as warm-ups, homework, or practice to prepare students for the Vocabulary Quiz.”

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

• In Unit 1, the materials provide a Vocabulary Activity Set. The Activity Set will “help students master the [seven] high-impact academic vocabulary words they will see in the texts as they read.” One high-impact academic vocabulary word for Unit 1 is despair. The first vocabulary activity asks students to make an in-context prediction about the meaning of the word. The teacher then provides the correct definition. The word despair is a vocabulary word in “The Medicine Bag” by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and “The Scholarship Jacket” by Marta Salinas. After reading the texts, students complete Vocabulary Quiz 1, Unit 1, which checks their understanding of the word “despair” with a multiple-choice quiz. Students also respond to a narrative writing prompt about the “The Medicine Bag.” While students do not specifically need to use the word despair, the rubric states that students should “Include carefully selected academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including from the text.” 

• In Unit 2, the materials provide a Vocabulary Activity Set that includes ten high-impact academic vocabulary words. Despite is found in three different texts. Two forms of dedicate, dedicated, and dedication, are found in three different texts, and effective and effectively are found in two different texts. For example, dedicate is found in the nonfiction text “Dedicated to the Goal” by Marty Kaminsky, and dedication is found in both “Cultivate Resilience: How to Get Back on the Horse” by Rebecca Zucker and the news article “Behind the scenes with the mind-blowing Ohio State Marching Band” by Laken Litman. Vocabulary root words and suffixes and the change in meaning are represented in the academic vocabulary of this unit. 

• In Unit 3, the materials provide a Vocabulary Activity Set that includes the word disquiet. In Chapters 4-5: During Reading Questions, students read Chapters 4-5 in The Giver by Lois Lowry. The During Reading questions provide a list of vocabulary, including Words to Know and Unit Vocabulary included in the chapters. Disquiet is used in this section of the text. In Chapters 4-5: Independent Practice, students complete an independent practice. Students respond to a short answer prompt, and the materials state, “Also, make sure to incorporate relevant unit vocabulary in your writing.” 

• In Unit 4, the materials provide two Vocabulary Activity Sets that include a total of 15 high-impact academic vocabulary words. Habitat is a vocabulary focus before reading the texts “I’ve Seen the Antarctic’s Untouched Beauty. There’s Still Time to Protect It” by Javier Bardem and “Plenty of Fish in the Sea? Maybe Not” by Thomas Pool. In the text “Tiny Plastic, Big Problem” by Alison Pearce Stevens, one academic vocabulary focuses on the adjective abundant. The noun with the same root as abundant, abundance, is a focus in the text “Plenty of Fish in the Sea? Maybe Not” by Thomas Pool. Similar to Unit 2, students learn how academic vocabulary meaning changes based on added suffixes. 

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

• Each unit includes a Key Terms Glossary for the grade level focusing on literary-based vocabulary and a unit vocabulary list for high-frequency words used within the unit. Students complete activities with these vocabulary words and are expected to use them when responding to writing prompts. Definitions for text-specific vocabulary are included in the footnotes of every text. 

• Each Unit includes one or two Vocabulary quizzes depending on the number of Vocabulary Activity Sets. Quizzes assess understanding of high-value academic words as they select vocabulary that best fits the scenario for each question. The words assessed are then included in the texts in the following lessons.

• In each Unit Introduction, students are introduced to the Grade 6 Key Terms Glossary reference sheet. These key terms are almost exclusively literary or academic terms. Directions state, “These terms will appear throughout the year. Some terms may appear in more than one unit. Use this reference sheet as needed.” Sixth-grade key terms include point of view, theme, conflict, central idea, and memoir.

• In Unit 5, students read “Adolescent Identity Development” by ACT for Youth Center for Community Action. The materials include the high-frequency words identity, internal, and external. Throughout the text, students use their understanding of the vocabulary to respond to prompts. For example, a turn-and-talk question states, “Which dimensions of identity are most often noticed by others and why?” These words are also included in a Vocabulary Activity Set List at the beginning of the unit.