9th Grade - Gateway 1

The materials reviewed for Grade 9 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1c. 

Grade 9 texts quantitatively range between 650L–1450L for the year. Most texts that fall outside of the Grades 9–10 Lexile Stretch Band have qualitative measures that make them appropriately complex for the grade. The relationship of the quantitative and qualitative analyses to the associated reader task is not appropriately complex. Students often make graphic organizers to track the reading skill of focus and their post-reading use of these charts varies. While some Extend the Text tasks serve as associated reader tasks, these tasks are optional and may not occur during core instruction. Extend the Text task options often do not connect to the graphic organizer that students create at the start of their reading. Although materials include text complexity information for quantitative and qualitative measures, the documentation does not include a rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. 

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Anchor/Core texts do not have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task.

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, of the twenty-one selections students read, sixteen fall below the Grades 9–10 Lexile Stretch Band and three fall within the band. The other two remaining selections do not have a Lexile level. Students read the anchor text, “American History,” a short story by Judith Ortiz Cofer (1000L). This Directed Reading selection falls slightly below the Grades 9–10 Lexile Stretch Band and has a Reading Level of Moderate. Difficulty Considerations include political context and Spanish vocabulary words. Author’s style, selection length, and vocabulary are listed as Ease Factors. This anchor text is paired with an Informational Text Connection piece, “TV Coverage of JFK’s Death Forged Medium’s Role,”’ an article by Joanne Ostrow (1120L). This Directed Reading text falls within the Grades 9–10 Lexile Stretch Band and has a Reading Level of Challenging. Difficulty considerations include abrupt shifts in tense, challenging vocabulary, and political background. Ease factors include a familiar event and length. Students learn “to understand the impact of a historical event in a country” and “read, interpret, analyze, and evaluate a selection in which a character deals with personal struggles during a historically significant event.” Students instructions include,  “add details to a Main Idea Map like the one below. When you have finished reading the selection, use the details to draw conclusions and thus determine the selection’s main idea.” Students do not use their chart to complete a post-reading task, nor do the Extend the Text options address main idea. The associated task does not meet the full requirements of its correlated standard: “Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.” 

  • In Unit 4, Temptation and Loss, Drama Connections, of the six selections students read, five do not have a Lexile level. The Informational Text Connection piece (1240L) that students read falls within the Grades 9–10 Lexile Stretch Band. Students read the anchor text The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, a play by William Shakepseare (Non Prose-NP). The Reading Level for this Directed Reading text is listed as Challenging with vocabulary, Shakespearean background, and formal language identified as Difficulty Considerations and familiar theme identified as an Ease Factor of familiar theme. The play is used to help develop students’ reading skills, such as determining the meaning of words, comparing and contrasting, analyzing cause and effect, and making connections. Students also study the following literary elements: dramatic speech, motivation, stage directions, understatement, mood, and irony. After reading Act I, students respond to the following Analyze Literature prompt: “Find the monologues, or long speeches, by the Prince, Capulet, Nurse, and Mercutio in this act. What information do they give about the situation in Verona or the characters? Do they advance the story or give background information? Also note in Act I. Scene i, where Romeo uses paradoxes, or ideas that seem to contradict themselves to explain his emotions:... What do these paradoxes suggest about Romeo’s state of mind?” 

  • In Unit 6, Journeys/Visions of the Future, Independent Reading Connections, of the twenty-three selections students read, ten  fall below the Grades 9–10 Lexile Stretch Band, three fall within it, and one falls slightly above the stretch band. The remaining nine selections do not have a Lexile level. Students read “Homeless,” an essay by Anna Quindlen (1000L). This text falls just below the Grades 9–10 Lexile Stretch Band. Difficulty Considerations include the abstract nature of concepts addressed in the text. Ease factors include sympathetic main character, realism, and strong theme. During post-reading Refer and Reason questions, students summarize the essay and critique the author’s argument. During one of the Writing Options, students write a critical analysis “in which you touch on some of the elements that have likely contributed to the popularity of Anna Quindlen’s writing. Consider subject matter, language, tone, and other aspects that stand out to you.” This task is one of two options from which the teacher may select and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction.  

• Anchor/Core texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by an accurate text complexity analysis; however, the text complexity analysis does not include a rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level.

  • The text overview page for each selection includes the following text complexity information: the gradual release of responsibility stage (i.e., Guided Reading: Close Reading Model, Directed Reading, Independent Reading), Reading Level and Lexile level, Difficulty Considerations, and Ease Factors. Materials do not explain the educational purpose of the text and the reason for its placement in the grade level.

The materials reviewed for Grade 9 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1d.  

While series of texts are largely at a variety of complexity levels, the complexity levels of anchor texts and supporting texts students read do not provide an opportunity for students’ literacy skills to grow across the year. Text overviews often include Use Reading Skills and Analyze Literature tasks that outline an area of focus and task students with creating a chart to analyze or evaluate the area of focus; however, students rarely use the chart they make to complete an associated reader task after reading the text. Extend the Text tasks, while optional, often do not provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of the focus area. When provided, associated reader tasks do not increase in complexity over the course of the year. While the program’s gradual release of responsibility reading model “emphasizes scaffolded instruction,” students often do not receive support as texts become more complex. Because the Lexile levels of text selections increase within most units, students receive the most support during Guided Reading at the beginning of the unit, when Lexile levels typically fall below the Lexile Stretch Band, and the least support during Independent Reading at the end of the unit, when Lexile levels are typically at the high end or above the Lexile Stretch Band. 

Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band to support students’ literacy growth over the course of the school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• The complexity of anchor texts students read does not provide an opportunity for students’ literacy skills to increase across the year, encompassing an entire year’s worth of growth.

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, texts range from 650L–1160L. Students read “Thank you, Ma’am,” a short story by Langston Hughes (650L). This text is significantly below the Grades 9–10 Lexile Stretch Band. Materials list the Reading Level as Easy with unexpected events listed as Difficulty Considerations and dialogue and few characters listed as Ease Factors. While reading, students “note any details that seem significant to the story and write them down or mark the page in some way.” During the Narrative Writing Extend the Text options, students may write a detailed narrative paragraph that relates a series of true or fictional events by describing what happened. Later in the unit, students read “American History,” a short story by Judith Ortiz Cofer (1000L). This text is slightly below the Grades 9–10 Lexile Stretch Band. Materials list the text complexity as Moderate with political context and Spanish vocabulary words as Difficulty Considerations and author’s style, selection length, and vocabulary as Ease Factors. Materials define main idea and direct students to “add details to a Main Idea Map like the one below.” After reading, students “use the details to draw conclusions and thus determine the selection’s main idea.” Extend the Text options do not address main idea and details.

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, most texts have a quantitative measure of  (NP) because this unit focuses on poetry. Exceptions include one prose poem (740L), two Informational Text Connection selections ranging from 820L–1030L, and two Primary Source Connection pieces ranging from 1060L–1150L. Students read a paired selection containing two lyric poems: “Cold as Heaven '' (NP) by Judith Ortiz Cofer and “Gentle Communion '' (NP) by Pat Mora. Materials list the Reading Level of “Cold as Heaven '' as Easy with simile and symbolism as Difficulty Considerations and vocabulary as an Ease Factor. While reading, materials direct students to “[p]ay attention to the details that involve things that are white or cold” and determine the significance of those details. Materials list the Reading Level of “Gentle Communion '' as Easy with alludes to memory as a Difficulty Consideration and vocabulary as an Ease Factor. Students ``[c]onsider what the poem describes, and what it reminds you of” and “select a topic that is presented in the poem.” Students use a Cluster Chart to “jot down any details from your notes.” During reading, students determine why the first sentence of the poem might be an important detail. After reading, students use their Cluster Chart to “infer the themes of the poem.” Extend the Text options do not address theme and details. 

  • In Unit 6, Journeys/Visions of the Future, Independent Reading Connections, texts range from 680L–1360L. Students read “Minister without Portfolio '' by Mildred Clingerman (840L). Materials list the Reading Level as Easy with subtle foreshadowing and unlikely events as Difficulty Considerations and the relationships and dialogue as Ease Factors. While reading, students respond to questions that address the importance of details, including “Do they support a previously made point? Do they add to the conflict? Do they build suspense?” Students also “[d]iscuss how the young man’s explanation of their mission reveals that the selection is a work of science fiction.” After reading, students respond to the following Refer and Reason question in the Extend Understanding section: “ Determine whether this story has a main idea that applies to the real world. If so, what is that idea?” The Writing Options tasks do not address main idea or details. During the Assessment Project, students ``write a brief essay discussing the author’s use of dramatic irony in the story. Students should present a main idea and then support it with at least three specific references to the text.``    

• As texts become more complex, some scaffolds and/or materials are provided in the Teacher Edition (e.g., spending more time on texts, more questions, repeated readings, skill lessons).

  • The front matter of the Teacher Edition explains the program’s gradual release of responsibility reading model: “Guided Reading at the beginning of the unit (Grades 6-10) provides the framework for the teacher to guide students through the reading process. Close Reading Models walk students through the selections and demonstrate how to analyze literature and apply reading skills and strategies to each genre.” Next, the gradual release reading model transitions students to Directed Reading. During this stage, “the teacher begins to transfer responsibility to the students. Students are directed through explicit pre- and post-reading instruction, but during-reading support is reduced to encourage students to practice reading skills and monitor comprehension on their own.” The reading model concludes with Independent Reading. This stage “advances the total release of responsibility from the teacher to the students, who can now apply the skills and knowledge required to read increasingly more difficult selections on their own.”

  • In Unit 2, Facing Challenges, students read “The Obligation to Endure,” an excerpt from Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (1360L) and the Informational Text Connection piece, “When It Comes to Pesticides, Birds are Sitting Ducks” by Mary Deinlein (1450L). Both selections are above the Grades 9–10 Lexile Stretch Band. Materials identify the Reading Level for Carson’s text as Challenging, with sentence length, environmental references, and vocabulary as Difficulty Considerations. The Reading Level for Deinlein’s work is also listed as Challenging, with sentence length and scientific vocabulary listed as Difficulty Considerations and length listed as an Ease Factor. The Visual Planning Guide suggests spending three regular schedule days, or one and a half block schedule days, on this selection. For this Directed Reading text, pre-reading instruction includes a Preview Vocabulary section in which students complete a cloze sentence activity using the words barrage, advent, inevitable, detrimental, and prudent. With no additional explanation or guidance, it is unclear how the pre-reading activity provides instruction or supports students with accessing the text. Post-reading instruction includes a Critical Thinking Discussion Guide, a Teaching Note on Agent Orange, and a Connecting with Literature: Science inset.

  • In Unit 4, Temptation and Loss, Drama Connections, students read the drama The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare(NP). The Reading Level for this anchor text is listed as Challenging, with vocabulary, Shakespearean background, and formal language identified as Difficulty Considerations. Pre-reading instruction for reading Act I of this Directed Reading text includes a Use Reading Skills sidebar and a Preview Vocabulary activity. The Use Reading Skills support includes guidance on tackling difficult vocabulary: “You may want to identify and define new vocabulary words before you begin reading. Possible techniques include using context clues, finding definitions in a dictionary, and decoding words by recognizing common word parts to find meanings on your own. Remember to check footnotes as you read the selection.” During the Preview Vocabulary activity, students work with a partner to “answer each of these questions by tackling unfamiliar vocabulary words. Then confirm the meanings of the words by looking them up in the Glossary of Vocabulary Words in the back of your textbook.” Materials also include embedded Teaching Notes to support students with accessing the text. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 9 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1g. 

The materials provide frequent opportunities for students to engage in speaking and listening activities and projects. Materials also include directions for conducting such exercises; however, there are no protocols for these activities and projects found in the core materials, nor is there guidance for how or when teachers should model speaking and listening techniques. At the end of each unit, materials include a Speaking and Listening Workshop where students can practice, present, and actively listen to oral presentations. These workshops include steps on how to conduct a particular speaking and listening project, as well as a rubric and speaking and listening tips. 

Materials provide frequent opportunities for speaking and listening; however, speaking and listening opportunities do not include protocols. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Materials do not provide varied protocols for speaking and listening to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials.  

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, in the Speaking & Listening Workshop, students prepare and deliver a narrative presentation. The Workshop includes clear procedures, such as selecting a story; mapping out a storyline; visualizing the story; thinking about mood, tone, and language; practicing; and presenting the narrative. Although materials include directions for students to complete this Workshop, there are no protocols for students to conduct the speaking and listening task and develop their speaking and listening skills.  

  • In Unit 4, Temptation and Loss, Drama Connections, students read The Tragedy  of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespaere. During the reading of Act I, the Teacher Wrap of the Teacher Edition contains the following Teaching Note: Read Together: “Use this activity after students have read the scene once. Divide the class into pairs and have each pair reread the scene together. Tell the pairs to stop at the end of every section or page, and write down questions they have about the text. Ask the pairs to share some of their questions with the class. Discuss possible answers as a class.” While the Teaching Note includes directions for the activity, there is no evidence of a specific protocol used to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills. 

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, during the Speaking & Listening Workshop, students gather information from an interview. The main steps of the process are as follows: “Contact the person you want to interview in advance (location, time, and purpose of interview), ask mostly open-ended questions, take notes during the interview, thank the person for doing the interview, and write up the results of the interview soon after you conduct it.”  These steps also include mini steps which provide students with a detailed procedure for gathering information in an interview. Although materials include directions for students to complete this Workshop, there are no protocols for students to conduct the speaking and listening task and develop their speaking and listening skills.

• Teacher guidance includes modeling of academic vocabulary and syntax during speaking and listening opportunities.

  • In Unit 2, Facing Challenges, Nonfiction Connections, students read an excerpt from Swimming to Antarctica, an autobiography by Lynne Cox. After the teacher illustrates the use of onomatopoeia through words from the text such as clanging, students ``[d]iscuss the purpose of using onomatopoeic words in writing.`` 

  • In Unit 4, Drama Connections, Temptation and Loss, the teacher explains that a pun “is a play on words that involves either two words that sound alike but have different meanings or a word with two or more meanings.” The teacher then uses the dialogue between Gregory and Sampson, two characters in William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, to highlight a pun on the word wall. Students discuss the following questions: “What different meanings does the pun have in this bit of dialogue? How do the footnotes help you understand the pun?” 

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, students read “Echo & Narcissus,” a myth retold by Walker Brents. After the teacher defines dramatic irony, students “explain the dramatic irony of the scene in which Narcissus stares at the face he sees in the pond.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 9 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1h. 

Materials include opportunities for stand-alone and text-based discussions. Students may respond to Close Reading, Analyze Literature, Use Reading Skills, Refer to Text, and Reason with Text questions in writing or orally as instructed by the teacher. Where appropriate, the Teacher Wrap in the Teacher Edition contains Critical Thinking Discussion Guides, which provide opportunities for text-based discussions. Although the Discussion Guide includes a series of text-specific questions and suggested answers, materials do not provide evidence of follow-up questions or supports, such as entry points for students who may have difficulty initiating or engaging in conversation. Some Extend the Text options include speaking and listening opportunities; however, the enactment of these activities are based on teacher selection and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction. Mirrors and Windows, and Use Reading Skills: Make Connections questions are often stand-alone in nature, allowing students to reflect on personal experiences while discussing sub-themes and topics related to texts of study. Materials do not include evidence of teacher guidance for monitoring students’ speaking and listening opportunities. Explicit speaking and listening instruction occurs during the End-of-Unit Speaking & Listening Workshop; however, this Workshop is not a part of core instruction. 

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Speaking and listening instruction includes some facilitation, monitoring, and instructional supports for teachers.

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, students read “The Most Dangerous Game,”a short story by Richard Connell. At three different points during the reading, the teacher facilitates a Critical Thinking discussion using the provided Discussion Guide. Each Discussion Guide contains questions the teacher asks students about the story, such as “How is the sea Rainsford’s enemy? What descriptive phrases are used to show this struggle?”, “Is Zaroff amoral or immoral?”, and “Zaroff tells Rainsford, ‘You’ll find this game worth playing.’ In what sense is Zaroff using the word game?” Although the Discussion Guide includes possible student responses, there is no evidence in the  materials of teacher guidance on monitoring student discussions or instructional supports for students who may be having difficulty starting or engaging in conversations. 

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, students read a paired selection containing two lyric poems, “Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar, and “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou. The teacher identifies the rhetorical devices used in both poems—figurative language and repetition and directs students to “[c]onsider how each poem uses figurative language and why the authors may have chosen to use figurative language in that way.” Students work with a partner or in a small group to discuss the following questions: “Why might repetition be used in these poems? Do you think the caged bird in Angelou’s poem represents the same thing that it does in Dunbar’s poem?” Materials do not include evidence of teacher guidance on monitoring this student discussion or instructional supports for students who may be having difficulty starting or engaging in the conversation.

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, in the Critical Thinking Discussion Guide for “The Silver Pool,”a legend retold by Ella Young, teachers are directed to ask students the following questions: “How might the fact that legends were originally passed by word of mouth contribute to the larger-than-life quality of Fionn MacCumhail?” and “Who are some other larger-than-life legendary heroes? What qualities make them larger than life?” Suggested answers are included, but there is no evidence of  guidance for monitoring the student discussion or materials for supporting any learners struggling in taking part in the discussion. 

• Students may have multiple opportunities over the school year to demonstrate what they are reading through varied speaking and listening opportunities. Instruction occurs during the Extend the Text section, that contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, in the Extend the Text section for the short story, “Thank You, Ma’am,” by Langston Hughes, students have the option to complete an author presentation: “Langston Hughes wrote a number of poems and short stories. Read at least three poems and one other short story by Hughes to develop a sense of his writing style. What themes did he write about? How would you characterize his writing? Give a short presentation to your class about your discoveries.” The Extend the Text section contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction. 

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, students read “BEWARE: Do Not Read This Poem” by Ishmael Reed. In the Extend the Text section, students have the option of presenting an oral interpretation of the poem: “Reread the poem several times to form a clear image of the speaker in your mind. Then, on a copy of the poem, make notes about where you will increase or decrease your pace and raise or lower your volume, as well as any gestures or facial expressions you will use to convey emotion. In a small group, take turns presenting the poem.” The Extend the Text section contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, in the Extend the Text section for “The Story of Daedalus and Icarus” from Metamorphoses by Ovid, translated by Rolfe Humphries, students have the option of performing a reader’s theater: “Working in small groups, select gods and goddesses from Greek or Roman mythology...Locate a myth in which a particular god or goddess plays a major role. Retell the story dramatically to the class as the group displays its poster.” The Extend the Text section contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

• Speaking and listening work requires students to utilize, apply, and incorporate evidence from texts and/or sources.

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, students read “American History,” a short story by Judith Ortiz Cofer, and “TV Coverage of JFK’s Death Forged Medium’s Role,” a brief analytical post by Joanne Ostrow. During the Media Literacy Extend the Text option, students work in small groups to “research one of the following events from [the mid-1960s]: the assassination of Medgar Evers; Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech; the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama; or the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” During a panel discussion, students ``present [their] findings to the class” and “[d]iscuss how the events of 1963 might have contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act the following year.” The Extend the Text section contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction. 

  • In Unit 4, Temptation and Loss, Drama Connections, in the Extend the Text section for the play, The Inspector-General by Anton Chekhov, students may complete a Critical Literacy task in which they analyze the author’s approach: “With a partner or small group, research the duties of the inspector-generals of imperial Russia and analyze the author’s approach to the subject. What criticism might Chekhov have been expressing in this play? Present your findings and analysis as a panel discussion.” The Extend the Text section contains four options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, students read Part One of an excerpt from The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald; a Primary Source Connection piece, “Poseidon, God of the Sea,” a myth retold by Walker Brents; and an Informational Text Connection piece, “Cyclops Myth Spurred by ‘One-Eyed’ Fossils?,” an article by Hillary Mayell. Afterwards, students respond to Reason with Text questions including, but not limited to: “1b. Point out whether or not Adrienne Mayor and Charalampos Fassoulas, in their works discussed in the article, present mostly fact, mostly opinion, or some of each. Explain your response.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 9  partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1i. 

Materials offer both on-demand and process writing opportunities for students primarily in post-reading Extend the Text tasks and End-of-Unit Writing Workshops. Extend the Text sections contain two, mode-specific writing prompts, and each Writing Workshop focuses on a specific mode of writing. The Workshops guide students through the entire writing process—prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading, and publishing. Materials also include a student model and instructional guidance for teachers in the Teacher Wrap of the Teacher’s Edition; however, there is no guidance to indicate where students should compose their writing. The Writing and Grammar Handbook offers in-depth lessons that expand on these Writing Workshops, and the Writing section of the Language Arts Handbook also offers detailed information for students on the writing process and modes and purposes of writing; however, these ancillary materials are not part of core instruction. Because teachers have the choice of which Extend the Text exercises to complete, there is no guarantee that students will complete the writing opportunities offered. Materials utilize digital resources where appropriate. 

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Materials include on-demand writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction.

  • In Unit 2, Facing Challenges, Nonfiction Connections, after reading "The Teacher Who Changed My Life,” a memoir by Nicholas Gage, students complete an on-demand narrative writing exercise: "Identify someone you would consider a mentor or role model. (It could be a family member, a person from your community, a teacher, or someone else). Write a brief five-paragraph narrative essay describing your mentor and explaining the impact he or she has had on your life." This activity is one of four Extend the Text options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction. 

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, after reading the concrete poem, "The Universe,” by May Swenson, students complete an on-demand informative writing exercise: "Write a two- to three-paragraph summary of 'The Universe' for someone who hasn't read the poem." This activity is one of four Extend the Text options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, after reading “The Odyssey,” the epic poem by Homer, and “An Ancient Gesture,” a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, students complete an on-demand creative writing task: “Penelope from “The Odyssey”, and the speaker in Millay’s poem, ‘An Ancient Gesture’, have formed a support group for women whose husbands have been gone for many years. Imagine that you are a reporter who has interviewed the two women. Create a brief broadcast script of your questions and the women’s responses.” This activity is one of four Extend the Text options from which the teacher may choose. As a result, this activity may not occur during core instruction.

• Materials include process writing opportunities that cover a year’s worth of instruction. Opportunities for students to revise and edit are provided.

  • In Unit 2, Facing Challenges, Nonfiction Connections, students write an argumentative essay during the Writing Workshop: “For this assignment, choose a topic you believe in and care about. Prewrite, draft, and revise an informed argumentative essay that expresses your opinion of this important topic.” The Workshop directions include the purpose and audience for the essay and guide students through the entire process of writing the essay: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading, publishing, and presenting. The Revise stage includes a Student Model to serve as an exemplar. 

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, students write a compare and contrast essay for the Writing Workshop: “Choose a poet you like, one published in this book. Write an essay comparing and contrasting two author websites on the poet. Follow the three stages of the writing process: Prewrite, Draft, and Revise.”

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, students write an oral history during the Writing Workshop: “Interview an older relative or a wise family friend, and document a story of special meaning. Prewrite, draft, and revise the oral history.” The Workshop directions include the purpose and audience for the essay and guide students through the entire process of writing the essay: prewrite, draft, revise, edit and proofread, publish, and present. Materials include a Student Model to support revision work. 

• Materials include digital resources where appropriate. 

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, students read the short story, “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird,”by Toni Cade Bambars. The Lifelong Learning Extend the Text option requires students to use digital resources to research the blues: “Use the Internet to research the history and characteristics of the blues. Use your research to draw conclusions about the meaning of the story’s title, and write an essay in which you explain why the ‘blues ain’t no mockin bird.’”

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, students read “The Bells,”a lyric poem by Edgar Allan Poe. The Media Literacy Extend the Text option requires students to use digital resources to research Poe: “Imagine that you want to apply for a grant of money to research places associated with Edgar Allan Poe’s life. In order to receive a grant, you must present your ideas in a way that will persuade others to fund your project. Use the Internet to find locations that you would want to visit. Then write a grant proposal to a local business, organization, or university stating what places you need to visit and why, as well as why it should fund your trip.”

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, students read “The Story of Daedalus and Icarus,” an epic poem by Ovid, translated by Rolfe Humphries. For the Informative Writing Extend the Text option, students use digital resources to write a literary analysis: “In the library or from the Internet, choose a myth that is not in this textbook. Write a one-page literary analysis explaining the moral, or lesson about life, that this tale offers.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 9 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1j. 

Materials provide some opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply different writing modes during on-demand and longer process writing tasks across the school year. Materials include on-demand creative, narrative, informative, and descriptive writing opportunities during the post-reading Extend the Text section. Because these tasks are optional and based on teacher choice, there is no guarantee students will complete the provided tasks. Other opportunities for writing occur when students read eSelections that are available in Passport, or a digital component of the materials. With access to Passport, students have the ability to use Criterion, which is an online writing evaluation tool; however, it is unclear how to access it or use it. Without access to the digital platform, it is unclear how and where students compose their writing. Process writing instruction and tasks occur during the End-of-Unit Writing Workshops; however, explicit instruction is limited and materials do not meet the required distribution required by the standards. 

Materials provide some opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:  

• Materials provide some opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply different genres/modes/types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards. 

  • Materials include the following Writing Workshops— three informative, one argumentative, one descriptive, one narrative—resulting in an uneven distribution of explicit instruction on the writing modes required by the standards.

  • In Unit 2, Facing Challenges, Nonfiction Connections, the Writing Workshop focuses on argumentative writing. Students write an argumentative essay persuading readers to consider their point of view on a topic they believe in. The materials guide students through all aspects of the writing process, including prewriting, drafting, and revising. Students begin by selecting a topic, gathering information, organizing their ideas, and writing a thesis statement. The Workshop includes a pro and con chart to help students organize their argument. Students then evaluate their draft and revise for content, organization, and style. The Workshop includes a writing rubric, model for revising, a student sample product, and a revision checklist. Although materials do not provide any other opportunities for students to learn and apply argumentative writing, students do have opportunities to practice argumentative writing during optional activities, such as on-demand Extend the Text writing tasks and End-of-Unit Test Practice Workshops.

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, the Writing Workshop focuses on informative writing as students write a compare-and-contrast essay. Students compare and contrast two websites in terms of quality to determine the website quality using a set of standards. During the Prewrite step, students select a topic, gather information, organize ideas, and write the thesis statement. This section contains a writing rubric that provides students with the successful qualities of a successful comparison and contrast essay. It also includes a sample chart for comparing and contrasting websites. During the second step, Draft, the instructional materials guide students on drafting the introduction, body, and conclusion. During the third stage, Revise, students evaluate and revise their draft for content, organization and style, and proofreading errors. This section includes a sample student writing and with annotated revisions to demonstrate what a revision markup might look like. Materials also include a Revision Checklist that outlines elements to consider when maximizing one's writing. The final stage, Writing Follow-Up, includes information on publishing and presenting and also reflecting. Under publishing and presenting, students send an email to the webmaster of the website that they evaluated. Additionally, students ask class members to collect two or three favorite poems written by the poets that they studied. In addition, students email links to classmates and reflect on the process used to evaluate. Materials provide two more opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply informative writing—when crafting a character analysis during the Unit 1 Writing Workshop and when writing an I-Search paper during the Unit 6 Writing Workshop.

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, the Writing Workshop focuses on narrative writing during which students record an oral history. During the Prewrite stage, students select a topic, gather information, and organize their ideas for writing. Materials include information on writing a thesis statement, a writing rubric, and an oral history chart showing students how to organize their ideas. During the Draft stage, materials guide students on drafting the introduction, body, and conclusion. During the Revise stage, students evaluate and revise their draft for content, organization, and style. Materials provide a Student Model with annotations as an exemplar for revising. The Writing Follow-Up stage includes information on students publishing and presenting, and reflecting on their work. Although materials do not provide any other opportunities for students to learn and apply narrative writing, students do have opportunities to practice narrative writing during optional activities, such as on-demand Extend the Text writing tasks and End-of-Unit Test Practice Workshops. 

• Different genres/modes/types of writing are distributed throughout the school year;  however, there is no core instructional path. Writing opportunities may not occur during core instruction.

  • Students have opportunities to engage in argumentative writing. 

    • In Unit 2, Facing Challenges, Nonfiction Connections, students read the biography, “Becoming a Composer,” by Lindsley Cameron. After reading, students may complete an argumentative writing task during which they write an argumentative essay addressed to someone who is researching their life for a biography, convincing that person “who should be interviewed, why they should be chosen, and what questions should be posed.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

    • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections students read the lyric poem, “Local Sensibilities,” by Wing Tek Lum. After reading, students may complete an argumentative writing task in which they write a persuasive speech arguing whether tourism is beneficial or damaging for [one’s] homeland. Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode.

    • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, students read the fairy tale, “The White Snake,” by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. During one of the options in the Extend the Text section, students write an on-demand argumentative essay taking a position on whether a character is flat or dynamic. Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

  • Students have opportunities to engage in informative/explanatory writing. 

    • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, students read the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell. After reading, students may complete an explanatory writing piece in which they create a new game with rules and directions. Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

    • In Unit 4, Temptation and Loss, Drama Connections, students read the one-act play, The Inspector General by Anton Chekhov. After reading, students may complete an informative writing piece during which they write a detailed summary of the play for youth. Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode.

    • In Unit 6, Journeys/Visions of the Future, Independent Reading Connections, students read the essay, “Homeless,” by Anna Quindlen. After reading, students may write a critical analysis of the essay. Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

  • Students have opportunities to engage in narrative writing. 

    • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, students read “Thank You,Ma'am” by Langston Hughes. After reading, students have the option to complete a narrative writing piece during which they relate a series of events by describing what happened. Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

    • In Unit 4, Temptation and Loss, Drama Connections, students read the eSelection, The Devil and Daniel Webster, a one-act play by Stephen Vincent Benet. After reading, students may complete a narrative writing task in which they write a paragraph as if they were part of the prosecution and were allowed to respond to the closing remarks. Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode.

    • In Unit 6, Journeys/Visions of the Future, Independent Reading Connections, students read “A Sound of Thunder," a short story by Ray Bradbury. After reading, students may complete a narrative writing task in which they write a description of a time they were so nervous or scared they could not think rationally. Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, students may not have the opportunity to practice writing in this mode. 

• Where appropriate, writing opportunities are connected to texts and/or text sets (either as prompts, models, anchors, or supports).

  • In Unit 2, Facing Challenges, Nonfiction Connections, students read the argumentative essay, “The Obligation to Endure,” an excerpt from Silent Spring by Rachel Carson; and the scientific article, “When it Comes to Pesticides, Birds are Sitting Ducks,” by Mary Deinlein. After reading, students may complete the following Creative Writing task: “Write a letter to a fictional chemical company expressing concern over its production of pesticides. Cite the evidence found in ‘The Obligation to Endure’ and the related article ‘When it comes to Pesticides, Birds are Sitting Ducks’.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, this writing opportunity may not occur during core instruction. 

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, students read and compare “Cold as Heaven," a lyric poem by Judith Ortiz and “Gentle Communion," a lyric poem by Pat Mora. After reading both texts, students may complete the following Informative Writing task: “Write a compare-and-contrast paragraph of both speaker and tone :’in ‘Cold as Heaven’ and in ‘Gentle Communion’.Compare what is revealed about the speaker in each poem, the tone of each poem, and the techniques the author uses to convey the tone. You may arrange your composition by poem (one at a time) or by the aspect being compared.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, this writing opportunity may not occur during core instruction. 

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, students read “Echo and Narcissus,” a myth retold by Walker Brents. The post-reading section contains the following informative writing prompt: “You have been asked to meet with a group of psychology students who are examining the behaviors of characters in Greek myths. Write a one-page compare-and-contrast essay of Echo and Narcissus (either one or both) to today’s youth. Focus on the similarities and differences between the personality traits of the Greek character(s) and personal qualities that psychologists might observe in young people today.” Because this is an optional Extend the Text task, this writing opportunity may not occur during core instruction.

The materials reviewed for Grade 9 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1k. 

Materials provide practice and application opportunities for evidence-based writing but lack explicit evidence-based writing instruction with the exception of some Writing Workshop tasks. During some post-reading tasks, students cite evidence from the text in their written tasks, make claims, and defend their claims using their comprehension and analysis of texts. Extend the Text tasks are optional and based on teacher choice, so there is no guarantee students will engage in evidence-based writing opportunities when offered. Other opportunities sometimes include the Writing Workshops students complete at the end of each unit, additional writing assignments found in the Grammar and Writing ancillary, and the Analyze Literature prompts. It is important to note that many of the writing activities are optional and do not consistently require students to support their analyses and defend their claims using textual evidence.

Materials include some opportunities for evidence-based writing to support sophisticated analysis, argumentation, and synthesis. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials provide limited opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence.

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, in the End-of-Unit Writing Workshop, students write a character analysis. The assignment reads, “Choose a character from one of the short stories you read in this unit. Prewrite, draft, and revise a character analysis, stating a main idea about that character and using details from the story to support it.” In the Prewrite stage, students gather evidence from the text about their character and organize it in a chart. In the Draft stage, students “[w]rite one paragraph for each main point about the character. Support each point with evidence from the story.” The Workshop also includes a Student Model with notes indicating where the student used evidence in her work. While this Workshop includes practice, it does not include explicit instruction on standards-aligned, evidence-based writing. 

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, the End-of-Unit Writing Workshop focuses on informative writing. Students write a compare and contrast essay in which they choose a poet and compare and contrast two author websites on the poet. Students choose and develop their topic and organize the facts they gathered from the website using a compare-and-contrast chart. When drafting the essay, guidance directs students to provide parallel information from both websites. The writing rubric evaluates whether students “[strengthen] an argument with evidence,” and the Revision Checklist checklist includes criteria, such as “Are specific examples given about each website?” While this Workshop includes practice, it does not include explicit instruction on standards-aligned, evidence-based writing. 

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, the End-of-Unit Writing Workshop focuses on narrative writing as students record and document an oral history. Students begin by conducting an interview and taking notes followed by determining the best way of organizing the information. Next, they establish a thesis or focus for the story and write the narrative in chronological order using direct quotations, paraphrasing, and summary. Students also receive instruction on how to write an effective conclusion, include key details to establish setting, develop a writing style, and improve word choice. While this Workshop includes practice, it does not include explicit instruction on standards-aligned, evidence-based writing.  

• Writing opportunities are focused around students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with texts and sources to provide supporting evidence.

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, after reading
    “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird,” a short story by Toni Cade Bambara, students may complete an Informative Writing task: “Give examples of dialect found within ‘Blues Ain't No Mockin Bird.’ In a critical essay, explain how dialect helps develop the characters and enhances the story's message.” This activity is one of four options from which the teacher may choose and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction. 

  • In Unit 4, Temptation and Loss, Drama Connections, after reading The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespaere, students may complete an Informative Writing task in which they write a character analysis examining a character in the play: “Do not simply describe the character, but make a statement about his or her role in the play...Explain how his or her particular traits made the character behave in certain ways. Include evidence from the play, and share your character analysis with the class.” This activity is one of four options from which the teacher may choose and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction.

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, after reading “The White Snake,” a fairy tale retold by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, translated by Lucy Crane, students may complete an Argumentative Writing task: “In a story, flat characters remain the same from beginning to end: They don't change at all. Write a one- to two-page character analysis in which you argue whether or not the young man is a flat character. Support your opinion with details from ‘The White Snake.’” This activity is one of four options from which the teacher may choose and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction.

The materials reviewed for Grade 9 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1l. 

Each unit contains several Grammar & Style Workshops, which have sections on understanding the concept, applying the skill, and extending the skill. The lessons connect to selections students read just before the workshop. Units also contain Vocabulary & Spelling Workshops with sections on understanding the concept, applying the skill, and spelling practice using words from unit text selections. Workshops may not occur during core instruction, as their enactment is contingent upon the teacher selecting the activity from the Lesson Plan for the text selection. On occasion, materials include informal grammar and convention activities listed in the Teaching Notes of the Teacher’s Edition. Although materials include an array of instructional components, there are missed opportunities for grade-level grammar and usage instruction, practice, and authentic application in context.   

Materials include some explicit instruction of the grade-level grammar and usage standards, with opportunities for authentic application in context. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Students have opportunities to use parallel structure. 

  • No evidence found in core materials 

• Students have opportunities to use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. 

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, students complete a Grammar & Style Workshop on sentence variety after reading Judith Ortiz Cofer’s short story, “American History.” The teacher introduces the concept of sentence variety by reading a paragraph from Cofer’s text. Teachers use this model and the information in the Understand the Concept section to instruct students on various sentence structures, including simple sentences, compound sentences, independent clauses, and subordinate clauses. Students practice their learning while identifying sentence structures in the article “TV Coverage of JFK’s Death Forged Medium’s Role” by Joanne Ostrow, the informational text paired with Cofer’s literary selection. Authentic in context application opportunities include writing a short story or essay with appropriate and varied sentence structures.

• Students have opportunities to use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses. 

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, students complete a Grammar & Style Workshop on semicolons and colons. The teacher launches the lesson by reading a few sentences from “The Silver Pool,” a legend retold by Ella Young, and asking students how they could combine the sentences without adding words. The teacher then instructs the students on  ways of using a semicolon: “Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb or a transitional phrase. Arthur is believed to have fought against the invading Saxons; however, the German tribe later conquered the island nation.” In the Apply the Skill section, students practice inserting semicolons into sentences correctly: “The first English version of the Arthurian legend, by the poet Layamon, describes the knights’ bitter rivalries, indeed, the famous Round Table was constructed so that no one would be seated at the head of the table.” Materials do not include opportunities for authentic application in context.

• Students have opportunities to use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. 

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, students complete a Grammar & Style Workshop on semicolons and colons. The teacher launches the lesson by reading a few sentences from “The Silver Pool,” a legend retold by Ella Young, and asking students how they could combine the sentences without adding words. The teacher then instructs the students on four ways of using a colon: “Use a colon to introduce a list of items. Example: In the legends, you will observe several themes: loyalty and disloyalty, heroic valor, treachery and deceit, and the role of warfare in society.” In the Apply the Skill section, students identify correct and incorrect use of colons: “Among other aspects of Medieval Europe were the following: a population of mostly poor farmers, education only for noble children, and few periods of peace.” Materials do not include opportunities for authentic application in context.

• Students have opportunities to spell correctly. 

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, students complete a Vocabulary & Spelling Workshop on using spelling rules correctly. In the Understand the Concept section, students receive instruction on spelling rules for adding prefixes and suffixes and for understanding the ie/ei spelling pattern, and each explanation includes examples. The Apply the Skill section includes practice exercises for identifying incorrect spelling with prefixes and suffixes; recognizing ie/ei spelling errors; correcting spelling errors; and using the correct spelling of commonly misspelled words with prefixes, suffixes, and the ie/ei pattern in their  own writing. Lastly, in the Extend the Skill section, materials include a list of words and students ``[d]etermine the origin and meaning of each prefix and suffix and the meaning of each word.” Materials do not include opportunities for authentic application in context.

The materials reviewed for Grade 9 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 1m. 

At the beginning of each unit, materials include an overview of all vocabulary words, academic vocabulary, and key terms. These words are also listed in the Teacher Wrap of the Teacher Edition alongside the corresponding selection. Words listed as Preview Vocabulary are taken from sentences within selections and are defined in the side margin or at the bottom of pages where they appear. Words listed as Selection Words are additional words from the reading that may be challenging, but are not central to the selection. These are Tier One words that can easily be understood by using context clues. Words listed as Academic Vocabulary are words that are used in the directions about the lessons. These are Tier Two words that explain what students should focus on, help establish context, clarify meaning of literary terms, and define goals or instructional purpose. Words that are listed as Key Terms are domain-specific Tier Three words. The repetition of these words throughout the program helps to ensure student mastery. 

Materials include two Vocabulary & Spelling Workshops within each unit. These Workshops correlate to two of the unit selections that use vocabulary words from the text that precedes the Workshop and contain instruction followed by practice exercises. The enactment of this Workshop is based on teacher selection and, as a result, may not occur during core instruction.. The Unit & Selection Resources ancillary also includes vocabulary preview activities and lessons for each unit. The Vocabulary & Spelling ancillary also has lessons that build word study skills and instruction based on vocabulary words from selections. Although materials include multiple elements that address vocabulary acquisition and practice, these elements are not cohesive nor do materials provide teacher guidance on a year-long plan to support students’ vocabulary development. Additionally, ancillary resources are not a part of core instruction. 

Materials include opportunities for students to interact with key academic vocabulary words in and across texts; however, the year-long vocabulary plan lacks cohesion. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials do not provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component. 

  • There is no explanation of a year-long cohesive plan for vocabulary instruction; rather, materials include multiple components that address vocabulary, and it is up to the teacher to decide which components to use for instruction. For instance, at the beginning of each unit, materials provide Tier One, Tier Two, and Tier Three vocabulary word lists with the corresponding pages for where the words occur in text. Materials also list the vocabulary words in the Teacher Wrap of the Teacher Edition with the corresponding page number in the section where they occur. Materials define the vocabulary words at the bottom of the selection in which they appear. Each selection includes a short Preview Vocabulary section where students try to unlock the meaning of underlined words from the selection before reading. Occasionally, the Teacher Wrap of the Teacher Edition includes instructions for helping students understand the meaning of words. Materials include two Vocabulary and Spelling Workshops which focus on vocabulary skills instruction. If teachers want to explore selection vocabulary in more depth, they must use the Unit & Selection Resources ancillary. Since it is up to teachers to choose which of these program elements to include in instruction, there is no guarantee that the vocabulary development supports offered will occur during core instruction. 

• Vocabulary is repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts) and across multiple texts; however, it is unclear how materials build students’ vocabulary development of Tier One and Tier Two words during core instruction.

  • In Unit 2, Facing Challenges, Nonfiction Connections, the Tier Two word significant appears in the Build Background section for the selection “The Teacher Who Changed My Life” by Nicholas Gage. The Build Background section explains the word’s meaning using the word memoir as a context clue. The term significant also appears in the instructions for the Draft section of the Writing Workshop. 

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, the Tier Two Academic Vocabulary word activist occurs in three places in the unit: the introduction of the Primary Source Connection text, “Birmingham Bomb Kills 4 Negro Girls in Church” by Claude Sitton; the author information section for “Hanging Fire,” a lyric poem by Audre Lord; and in the author information section for the lyric poem “Women” by Alice Walker. Materials do not identify or define the word activist in any of the selections nor do materials include teacher guidance to build students’ vocabulary development of the word activist in or across the texts.

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, materials define the Key Term moral during the Set a Purpose preview section of the epic poem, “The Story of Icarus and Daedalus” by Ovid, translated by Rolfe Humphries. The term also appears in the introductory material for “The Appointment in Samarra,” a fable by W. Somerset Maugham, and in the Test Practice Workshop during a constructed response question addressing the folk tale, “Goha and the Pot” by Mahmoud Ibrahim Mostafa: “What is this passage’s moral, or the lesson that it teaches?”

• 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). 

  • At the beginning of each unit, materials include lists of the Tier Two and Tier Three vocabulary words students will encounter over the course of each unit in the Teacher Edition. Each word is followed by the page numbers where the words appear. At the beginning of each selection, materials list Tier One and Tier Two words under the heading Words in Use followed by page numbers for each vocabulary word. Tier Two and Tier Three words often appear in the before reading information and in Vocabulary & Spelling Workshops. Materials repeat certain Key Terms (Tier Three words) throughout the unit to give students more exposure to and practice with vocabulary words. 

• Students are supported to accelerate vocabulary learning with vocabulary in their reading, speaking, and writing tasks.

  • In Unit 1, Defining Moments, Fiction Connections, students read the narrative, “Aha Moment” by Julia Alvarez. The before-reading material for the selection explains the Tier Three word diction, and guidance directs students to “note the words Julia Alvarez has chosen to describe her eventful flight and how they contribute to the voice, mood, and tone of the text.” Students note the diction of the author’s writing and select words and phrases that show the voice, mood, or tone of the text twice while reading the text. After reading, students complete the following task: “Select a paragraph from the story that contains expressive vocabulary. Find the words that carry the most expression. Replace those words with your own that generally mean the same thing, such as replacing ‘scrambled’ with ‘walked’ or ‘hurried.’ How does the change in word choice affect the impact of the passage?”

  • In Unit 3, What We Keep, Poetry Connections, before students read “BEWARE: Do Not Read This Poem” by Ishmael Reed, the Preview Vocabulary section includes the following task: “Examine the following words from the selection [swift, disappeared, tenant, legendary, resist]. Brainstorm a list of synonyms (different words that have the same meaning) for each word and write down your choices. When you are finished reading the selection, substitute your chosen synonyms and note how word choices can alter the tone of the selection.” 

  • In Unit 5, Pass It On, Folk Literature Connections, students read the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald. In the before-reading material for Act I, students learn about the background and elements of the Tier Three term epic poem. Students identify elements of an epic poem present in the selection twice during reading. After reading, students analyze what the epic suggests about the customs and values of ancient Greek culture.