6th Grade - Gateway 2

The Grade 6 texts are connected by and organized into modules with grade-level appropriate topics. To assure that the texts work together to support student learning, they are supported with lessons and guidance.  At the beginning of each module, guiding questions and big ideas are presented to thematically tie anchor and at maximum, six supporting texts together. The texts build knowledge and vocabulary; they provide opportunities to comprehend complex texts across a school year. Academic and domain-specific vocabulary are introduced at the beginning of some lessons. Related narrative and expository texts are placed together to encourage students to make meaning of the texts; a variety of text types related to the topic are presented to build knowledge. Several nonfiction and fiction texts are used in reading, writing, speaking, and listening learning experiences.

Examples of how modules are organized around a topic include:

• In Module 1, students read texts about Greek mythology. Students read the anchor text, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, and supplemental texts and apply knowledge in various ways including answering Guiding Questions, identifying big ideas, and preparing for a Socratic Seminar. In Unit 1, Lesson 9, students work with academic vocabulary terms: depressed, millenia, sullen, and skeptical.

• In Module 2, students read texts about design thinking. The anchor text, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, and supporting texts help students answer Guiding Questions: “How can design thinking help solve a critical problem? What habits of character can help solve a critical problem to contribute to a better community?” In Unit 2, Lesson 1, students work with domain-specific vocabulary terms: figurative language and simile.

• In Module 3, students read texts about American Indian boarding schools.The anchor text, Two Roads by Joseph Bruchac, and supporting texts encourage deeper understanding of the topic. By the end of the module, students demonstrate their knowledge by creating an audio museum where students “use an audio recording application program to produce a product that will be featured at a listening station as part of the audio museum and can be widely shared to uplift the voices of American Indian boarding schools.” In Unit 3, Lesson 3, students work with domain-specific vocabulary terms: background information, main claim, and point.

• In Module 4, students read texts about the Space Race. The anchor text, Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly, and supplemental texts encourage students to look at the way facts and ideas connect with one another across texts to gain an understanding of the topic. Guiding Questions include: “What were the main events of the Space Race, and in what scientific, political, and social context did it take place? What were the accomplishments of the ‘hidden figures’ at NASA, and why were they remarkable?” In Unit 2, Lesson 2, students work with the academic vocabulary term, segregation.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 2b.

Throughout the year, students analyze the structure, language, point of view, and characters of anchor texts in order to determine theme and central idea. The skills are practiced in various activities that include reading, writing, speaking, and listening and are embedded in students’ work through discussions, activities such as Language Dives, and collaborative anchor charts in the student workbook. Tasks are logically organized and increase in complexity over the course of a module and year. The materials place emphasis on comparison and synthesis of ideas, particularly providing opportunities to compare and contrast the ideas and concepts in the supplemental materials to the anchor texts.

Examples of questions and tasks include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 5, students read “Why Ancient Greek Mythology Is Still Relevant today” and complete a chart with a series of questions that address key ideas and details such as: “What is the central idea of this text? How does the author develop this idea?” The chart offers scaffolding by providing two main ideas and requiring students to find supporting details. A third box is left blank where students write their own main idea and add supporting details. 

• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 8, students answer a series of questions about text structure as it relates to the central idea in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind such as: “What is a central idea from Chapter 4?  Given the central idea we came up with, what structure might likely be used by this chapter? How do you know? Take a look at the sentence after the break on page 67: ‘But that was in a normal year.’ How would you describe what the paragraphs leading up to that sentence describe or do?  How would you describe what the paragraphs that come after that sentence on page 67 describe or do? Take another look at that sentence on page 67: Given what you noticed about what comes after this sentence, how does this sentence seem to be functioning in the overall structure of this chapter?  What is the purpose of this sentence?  How does this sentence help to convey the central idea that we identified?”

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 1, students read Two Roads and complete an exit ticket about the theme. Students complete the following:  “Help others whenever needed; you may need their help one day.” They find one piece of text evidence that supports the theme and explain their choice by connecting it to the theme statement. They are directed to “remember that the theme can be revealed by any character’s actions or words, not just those of the protagonist.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 2c.

Texts and instructional activities are included to develop student knowledge about topics in science, social studies, arts, and technology. They read, discuss, and write about a topic across a module to integrate knowledge across multiple texts. The materials encourage students to provide evidence from text, show thorough understanding of concepts, and think creatively about applying the concepts. Reading tasks, question series, and culminating tasks provide coherent opportunities for analysis. The materials also provide guidance for teachers in supporting students’ integration of knowledge and ideas through Teacher Supporting Materials, ELL supports, and Additional Resources guides.

Examples of ways students integrate knowledge include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 4, students compare how a particular theme from The Lightning Thief compares to how the same theme is conveyed in a myth that the students select (from “Theseus and the Minoraur,” “Cronus,” or “Medusa”). A list of six themes is provided, such as “A mother will put her love for her children above every other relationship. Excessive pride can make a person act recklessly.” Students compare how each text conveyed the theme they chose. In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 13, students read The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and other texts and complete a chart as they research the stages of the design process from problem to solution that the main character used. They answer questions such as, “Who is working on this problem and solution? Explain the critical problems in a few words. Explain the solution in a few words. How did this problem become known?” ELL support for the teacher includes strategies for different levels of support for students who may find it challenging to compare and contrast themes from Greek myths.

• In Module 3, students read texts and complete activities to gain knowledge of the “forced acculturation” of Native Americans through boarding schools. Guiding Questions include: “Why were American Indian boarding schools first established? What kinds of experiences did students have at American Indian boarding schools?” Students read the anchor text, Two Roads, along with several supplemental texts including “The Cutting of My Long Hair” and “The Advantage of Mingling Indians with Whites.”  In Unit 1, a Mid-Unit Assessment includes students integrating their interpretations of two photos related to the ideas found in the text, “The Cutting of My Long Hair.” The module ends with multiple displays of student learning such as: Students “select a text written by a survivor of the boarding schools and respond to this reading by writing a preface and reflection based on their chosen text. Students record themselves sharing their reading, acting as witnesses to this unrecognized time period in U.S.history.”

• In Module 4, students read texts and complete activities to increase their knowledge of remarkable accomplishments in the Space Race. Guiding Questions include: “What were the main events of the Space Race, and in what scientific, political, and social context did it take place? What were the accomplishments of the hidden figures at NASA, and why were they remarkable?” Students read the anchor text, Hidden Figures, along with several supplemental texts, including “The Space Race” and “An Account of the Moon Landing.”  An end of unit assessment  includes reading an article and tracing the author’s argument, identifying a claim, reasons, evidence, and reasoning. The module ends with multiple displays of student learning, such as students creating a picture book for a younger audience, devoted to the stories of these hidden figures.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 2d.

The Grade 6 materials include culminating tasks that require students to demonstrate their knowledge of a topic through integrated literacy skills. The culminating tasks, identified in the program as Performance Tasks, occur at the end of each of the four modules and allow students to apply their learning in experiential ways. Performance Tasks have authentic audiences, including classmates, school peers, and the wider community. They require students to demonstrate comprehension and application of the module’s topic through mastery of several different standards including reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language skills. Throughout the course of each module, students complete coherently sequenced text-dependent questions to build knowledge and prepare them for the complexity of the Performance Task.

Examples of how culminating tasks build knowledge and integrate skills include:

• In Module 2, the Performance Task is a presentation during a student-hosted Solution Symposium. Students complete tasks leading to the culminating task including conducting research on a “Design Thinking” framework to analyze problems and solutions in Unit 2.The framework is the topic of the module as supported by The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. In Unit 3, students write a problem/solution essay. During the Solution Symposium, students present the problem and design-solution in which they researched and wrote. To prepare for the presentation, students create flip-down visual representations of their essay content and post these visuals. During the symposium, guests (i.e., other students, parents, members of the local community) will circulate around with a presentation prompts card: an index card with two questions to ask the presenters. The Presentation Prompts ask, “How was design thinking used to solve this problem? How were habits of character used to solve this problem?” Presenters answer questions and guests record a new insight on a sticky note next to the presenters’ work.

• In Module 3, the Performance Task is an Audio Museum: Voices of American Indian Boarding Schools. Students design and create short audio presentations, recorded individually and shared via listening stations at a public audio museum event at which visitors listen to the stories of American Indian Boarding School students. Throughout the module, students learn about the Native American boarding school experience through reading Two Roads and other accounts. In Unit 3, they study point of view where they choose from a curated list of primary source texts written by students of American Indian boarding schools. Students write two accompanying pieces: a preface introducing their selected pieces and a brief reflection which explains why they selected this piece to share at the community museum event. They rehearse reading aloud with appropriate pacing volume and intonation then record the audio text of the preface and reflection.  

• In Module 4, the Performance Task is to create one page of a children’s picture book called Hidden Figures in Space Science Picture Book. Students read Hidden Figures and additional texts on important women in the space race. In Unit 3, students research a person’s accomplishment and write an argument essay about why that person’s accomplishments are remarkable. In the Performance Task, students work in triads to create and contribute three pages of a class picture book devoted to the stories of hidden figures. Each triad is responsible for three pages of content on the person they researched. The individual stories are compiled into an anthology-style picture book geared toward an elementary audience.

The Grade 6 materials align to the standards for the grade level and support writing growth over the course of the school year. Across the grade levels, the program uses the read-think-talk-write cycle. First, students analyze a model to help them understand how to effectively communicate their thinking about the content. Next, students write a practice piece that is similar to the model with direct instruction and support. Finally, using what they’ve learned, students write an independent piece. During this three-step process, students meet with their peers and teacher for further guided instruction and support. Process pieces are heavily scaffolded with lesson plans, models, exemplars, and protocols that support student writing. After each process piece, students complete an on-demand parallel writing piece with fewer scaffolds to assess understanding. Student materials include scaffolds such as Note-Catchers, checklists, and Reflection Guides to help them monitor their progress toward grade-level standards. Materials include suggestions for keeping “Track Progress” folders for students and teachers to monitor writing progress. Despite the extensive scaffolds, students make few choices about the organizational tools that work for them, and the writing tasks at the end of the year are similarly scaffolded as those at the beginning.

Examples of a year-long plan for writing to meet standards include:

• In Module 1, Unit 3, students write a narrative “inserting a newly created demigod character into a scene from The Lightning Thief.”  Throughout the unit students engage in lessons that support them to write the narrative. In Lesson 5, students read a model narrative, “Greek God: Hypnos” to find the gist and identify elements of an effective narrative. In Lesson 6, students use the model as a guide and attend to task, purpose, and audience as they plan their narratives. In Lesson 8, students examine effective writing techniques for narrative writing. Scaffolds include a Narrative Writing Planning Graphic Organizer, a narrative writing checklist, and the model narrative.

• In Module 2, Unit 3, Lessons 1-10, students write a problem-solution essay about how “design thinking [was] used to solve a critical problem.”  Students use The Painted Essay® template to examine a model problem-solution essay. The template requires students to color-code parts of the essay depending on purpose. Materials include an informative writing checklist and an anchor chart. Lessons include instruction on organizing an introduction with adequate context, composing proof paragraphs with facts, quotations, transitions, and accurate sourcing, and writing a conclusion that relates clearly to the facts presented. Note-Catchers are provided to support students’ writing development. Students track their progress in informative writing by frequently referring to the Informative Writing Checklist in the Student Materials. After students plan their essay with scaffolding, they write a problem-solution essay in an on-demand task.  

• In Module 3, Unit 2, students write a narrative letter from the perspective of the character, Cal, in the anchor text, Two Roads, and complete lessons to strengthen writing. In Lesson 6, language standards are included as students examine pronoun usage in Chapter 25 of the anchor text. In Lesson 8, students analyze ways that writers add variety into their sentence patterns and watch a video about the effectiveness of sentence variety. In Lesson 9, students complete an exit ticket where they revise a sentence for variety and meaning.

• In Module 4, Unit 3, Lessons 11-16, students collaboratively compose a narrative nonfiction picture book about one of the “hidden figures” of the Space Race. Students analyze models, identify the characteristics of narrative nonfiction, conduct research, use graphic organizers and checklists, and draw or download illustrations for the book.  Students choose what types of writing planners will work for their team instead of the teacher prescribing them. Lessons include instruction on the purpose of illustrations, narrative writing techniques, and effective visuals.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 2f.

The Grade 6 materials provide multiple opportunities across the school year to develop research skills based on grade-level standards. Students engage in activities requiring them to research both primary and secondary sources for the purpose of further understanding the anchor text or topic of the module. Materials support teachers in employing projects that develop students’ knowledge on a topic via provided resources such as anchor texts within the unit and book lists for independent student research. Shorter and longer research projects are included as well as assessments to check development of research skills. Many useful supports for the student and teachers are included as guides through the research process, research mini lessons for teachers, and peer support for students.

Examples of short and long research projects and activities include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 3, Lesson 3, students choose a god to research and use the Greek God Research Note-Catcher to record details for the purpose of increasing their knowledge about Greek myths and legends. Students must list the sources they used on the Note-Catcher.

• In Module 2, Unit 2, Lessons 5-12, students complete a long research project. Throughout the process, students learn how to take notes, assess credibility, skim and scan to collect relevant information, search for sources, record bibliographic information, determine relevance and credibility of sources, paraphrase and quote. Students complete an assessment in which they demonstrate understanding of research techniques as they develop them. 

• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 14, students begin an independent argument essay with the prompt, “Why are my focus figure’s accomplishments remarkable?” They complete an Independent Argument Evidence Note-Catcher where they organize information collected during the research of their focus figure. One requirement of the Note-Catcher is to include bibliographic information and explain what makes the source credible.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 2g.

The Grade 6 materials are designed to ensure that nearly all instructional time is focused on content that is aligned to standards. The standards alignment is clearly documented in teacher planning materials. Each lesson segment is aligned to grade-level standards with grade-level appropriate questions and tasks; assessments cover the key standards taught in each module. The program is organized so students encounter skills and topics with increased complexity that reinforce previous learning. The materials also are presented in a logical sequence and repeated in a way to address the full extent of the standard. While a few standards, such as RI.6.9 and RL.6.7, are taught only once, most standards are taught and assessed at least twice throughout the school year with a few key standards receiving instruction and assessment in every module. Optional materials are rare, though there are opportunities for diverse learners to meet the standards through scaffolded questions, activities, and assessments rather than providing less rigorous instruction. A few questions and tasks per module focus on the curriculum’s habits of character teachings and learner-based reflections; however, most are directly standards-based. Consideration is given in the program to ensure students understand the quality of the standards, how they are addressed, and how individual students feel about their progress toward meeting standards.

Examples of how the curriculum is arranged include:

• Key standards (RI.6.1, RI.6.4, L.6.5c, L.6.6, W.6.4, W.6.6, and W.6.10) are taught and assessed in all modules.  

• In each module, students track their progress several times on standards. For example, in Module 1, Unit 1, Lessons 15-16, students use a chart to rate how they feel they are performing on the standards. Both teacher and student provide a written reflection concerning progress toward the standards. 

• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 4, students answer standards-aligned comprehension questions, such as “What do we learn from William from these examples?” (R.I.6.3).  They then use repeated ideas in the text to “determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details” (R.I.6.2).

• In the Module 3, Unit 1, Mid-Unit Assessment, students read an excerpt from “The Cutting of My Long Hair” by Zitkala-Sa and answer multi-part standards-aligned questions: “What best describes Zitkala-Sa’s point of view toward the other girls she encountered on her first day?” (RI.6.6) “Which piece of evidence from the text best helps to convey the point of view from Part A?” (RI.6.1, RI.6.6)

• Materials for English Language Learners provide suggestions for teachers to help students reach the standards.  In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 8, ELL students use sentence stems to complete the same Entrance Ticket as the rest of the class. In the same lesson, materials provide some illustrations of both literal and nonliteral language in The Lightning Thief to accompany the text-dependent questions.

• In Modules 1 and 2, students have multiple opportunities for instruction in and practice of writing informational texts.

• In Modules 3 and 4, students have multiple opportunities for instruction in and practice of writing arguments.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 2h.

The Grade 6 materials are organized to balance time and resources throughout the course of a year; however, because individual lessons and tasks may take longer than the curriculum estimates, completing all modules may not be possible in a school year. The materials provide 36 weeks of instruction, which does not allow for any variation in the schedule including state testing, assemblies, etc.  There are four modules that are each designed to last eight to nine weeks and include two assessments. Each module consists of three units. At the beginning of each unit, a time frame is given in weeks and daily sessions. Each lesson is designed for a 45-minute instructional day. Each lesson includes a time allotment for each of the four to six daily activities, aligned to core learning and standards-based objectives. At the lesson level, the requirements of the tasks would likely take longer than the allotted time. Most suggested times do not seem possible for students achieving below honors level. Standards are scaffolded to increase rigor and relevance over the course of a given year. While no optional activities are listed, diverse learners have scaffolds embedded in the lessons to assist with understanding which likely would take longer than the allotted time. The Curriculum Companion offers a section called “How Can I Stay on Track and on Target With My Pacing” to assist teachers in the pacing of the day, the unit, and the module.

Examples of implementation guidance and ways the program timelines may not allow for full implementation include, but are not limited to:

• In all modules, a suggested timeline for the length of each unit is provided. For example, in Module 2, Unit 2, the Teacher Edition suggests a pacing of three weeks or 12 days to complete the unit. 

• In all modules, most lessons are divided into the following segments: Opening, Work Time, Closing Assessment, and Homework. The allotted time for each segment would be challenging, especially for novice teachers. For example, in Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 9, the plan suggests that Work Time take 25 minutes. This includes students completing a teacher-guided Language Dive for ten minutes, reading an excerpt of Chapter 7 for 15 minutes, and responding to text-specific questions that relate to the anchor text for ten minutes. In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 3, students are given ten minutes to determine the central idea of the anchor text. 

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 3, suggested time frames are given in an agenda format for the six activities listed for the day: Opening - Engage the Learner (5 minutes), Opening - Strategies to Answer Selected Response Answers (5 minutes), Work Time - Read The Lightning Thief Chapter 2 excerpt (15 minutes), Work Time - Analyze Point of View The Lightning Thief Chapter 1 (15 minutes), Closing and Assessment - Reflect on Learning Targets (5 minutes).

• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 8, materials suggest 15 minutes to compare and contrast the author’s methods of conveying information in a text (RI.6.3, RI.6.9).  In that amount of time, teachers and students collaborate on updating their Author’s Method Anchor Chart from Module 2. In order to do this, materials suggest that students Turn and Talk three times about the difference between quotations and dialogue. The teacher adds “dialogue/quotations” and exposition to the anchor chart, giving a brief explanation of exposition and asking students to discuss five questions about exposition.  Then, students skim two texts, comparing the authors’ methods for conveying information.  This will likely take longer than 15 minutes.

Examples of information for alternate implementation to maintain alignment to the standards include, but are not limited to:

• Materials provide suggestions for extending lessons: “During lessons, students read excerpts from the anchor text rather than complete chapters to ensure sufficient time for students to think and respond to the text...if there is extended time for language arts, reading the entire chapter might be an option.”

• In Module 3, Unit 2, standards are organized and scaffolded across the unit to increase rigor and relevance toward the Performance Task. For example, some activities are as follows:  Lesson 1 (W6.1) Analyze the structure of a model essay, Lesson 2 (W6.1) Plan a literary argument essay, Lesson 3 - Collaboratively write the introduction for an argument essay, Lesson 7 (W6.1) Gather and evaluate evidence for an argument essay, Lessons 8-9 (W6.1) Write a literary argument essay.

• In Module 3, optional tasks to enhance the unit on American Indian Boarding Schools include “Invite a representation from a nearby historical society or Indian reservation to further educate students on Native American history in the area,” broadening the audience for students’ audio museum by housing it in a public place, and using websites such as Native Knowledge 360 to enhance students’ cultural competence.