6th Grade Report Overview

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 do not meet the expectation for alignment to the CCSSM. The materials partially meet expectations in the areas of focus and coherence, but they do not meet the expectations in the areas of rigor and the MPs. In the area of focus within the grade, some above grade-level questions are included on the assessments but a teacher could modify the lessons without impacting the structure of the materials. The materials are not designed to devote the majority of class time to the major work of the grade. In the area of coherence, the materials include content that is shaped by the CCSSM clusters with enough work to be viable for one school year. All students engage in extensive practice with grade-level problems with supporting and additional content that engages students in the major work of the grade. Natural connections are made between clusters and domains. However, the materials fail to note grade to grade progression.

In the area of rigor and balance, though all three aspects of rigor are present in the materials, they are often presented separate from each other and not used in a balanced way to develop a concept. The inquiry labs are used to develop conceptual understanding, however, the concepts developed in the inquiry labs are not referenced in the lessons. There is an abundance of procedural skills, but without solid work at conceptual understanding, students are left to memorize procedures. The application problems presented in the materials often tell students how to solve the problem with only limited opportunities for students to find their own solution path. In the area of practice content connections, the materials attempt to incorporate the MPs in each lesson. However, the materials are so frequently labeled as MPs that a teacher cannot reliably use the materials to know when MPs are being carefully attended to. There are many instances when questions are labeled as an MP, but in fact, they are just a computation question. The materials incorporate questions in which students have to justify and explain their answers, but lack lesson structures in which students would discover their own solution paths, present their arguments, and justify their conclusion. Vocabulary is presented but not always incorporated meaningfully into the lesson.