HMH Into Literature - Grade 8

Evaluation for 2.1
Materials include high-quality texts for ELAR instruction and cover a range of student interests.

The materials include well-crafted texts of publishable quality, representing the content, language, and writing produced by experts in various disciplines. The materials include well-known authors and well-known texts. These materials also represent traditional, contemporary, and classical texts that lend to the resources’ diversity. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The instructional materials in Grade 8 include high-quality texts ranging from technology to poetry to classical horror stories such as “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, to excerpts from novels, short stories, and drama. The text offers various authors, from well-known authors, such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Ray Bradbury, Walt Whitman, and Elie Wiesel, to those who are not well known in literary circles but are credible writers in the Age of Information.

Unit 1 appeals to anyone interested in technology and/or science fiction. “The Brave Little Toaster”(990L) by Cory Doctorow represents science fiction, whereas “Are Bionic Superhumans on the Horizon?” (1110L) by Ramez Naam is an informational text for students who are not interested in technology. The unit provides “Interflora,” a poem by Susan Hamlyn. The unit also provides the paired selections that showcase both sides of an argument, “The Automation Paradox” (1140L) by James Bessen and “Heads Up” (1300L) by Claudia Alarcon. Additionally, there are two science fiction stories by well-known writers: Isaac Asimov’s “Hallucination” and Ray Bradbury’s “There Will Come Soft Rains.” The unit culminates in an excerpt from Anthony Doer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel All the Light We Cannot See. 

In Unit 3, the selection “My Favorite Chaperone” by Jean Davies Okimoto is a realistic fiction/short story about a family from Kazakhstan. An excerpt from a realistic fiction/novel, The Book of Unknown Americans by Christina Henriquez, is about a family from Panama. The unit also contains a poem set in Alaska, “Spirit Walking in the Tundra” by Joy Harjo, a member of the Muscogee Tribe. Additionally, the unit includes the documentary “New Immigrants Share Their Stories'' by Lisa Gosselsthat pairs with the informational text “A Common Bond” by Brooke Houser. For the documentary, the instructional materials provide a media analysis. Unit 3 also contains “My Father and the Fig Tree,” a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye. The text afterward offers an excerpt from The Late Homecomers, a memoir by Kao Kalia Yang from Thailand. The materials then present a new research study in “A Place to Call Home: What Immigrants Say Now About Life in America” by Scott Bittle and Jonathan Rochkind. The unit’s final selection is a myth “Salmon Boy” written by Michael J Caduto and Joseph Bruchac about the Haida people and other Native Americans. 

Unit 5 contains paired selections “from It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens” by Danah Boyd and “Outsmart Your Smartphone” by Catherine Steiner Adair. Both selections are argumentative texts that present different sides of the issue of the technology consumption of teenagers. “It’s Complicated…Teens'' is a mentor text to guide students in their reading, but it also serves as “a model for students to follow when they come to the unit’s task of writing an argumentative essay. According to the qualitative measure in the teacher’s edition, the selection has a Lexile Level of 1080, which is on grade level. The text contains “a combination of common-talk and technical wording” and “a reference to outside events and knowledge.” On the other hand, the passage “Outsmart Your Smartphone” has an 1110 Lexile Level, which is on the higher end of the Lexile Level range for eighth-graders. The teacher edition also states that it uses “Explicit, contemporary language, but includes many Tier Two and Tier Three words” and “Relies on first-hand knowledge of social media; contexts are familiar,” thus making it more complicated. 

Evaluation for 2.2
Materials include a variety of text types and genres across content that meet the requirements of the TEKS for each grade level.

The materials include a variety of text types and genres. The materials include short stories, informational texts, historical fiction, poetry, and short stories. The materials contain a variety of text types and both print and graphic features. 

Examples of literary texts include but are not limited to: 

• “A Mystery of Heroism” by Stephen Crane (adventure story)
• “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe (horror/short story)
• “Salmon Boy” by Michael J. Cabuto and Joseph Bruchac (myth)
• “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury (historical fiction)
• “Interflora” by Susan Hamlyn (poem)
• “The Brave Little Toaster” by Cory Doctorow (science fiction)
• “My Favorite Chaperone” by David Okimoto (realistic Fiction)
• “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Alan Poe (mystery)

Examples of informational texts include but are not limited to: 

• “The Automation Paradox” by James Bessen (argumentative)
• “After Auschwitz by Elie Wiesel” (speech)
• “What is the Horror Genre?” By Sharon A. Russell (literary criticism)
• “The Debt We Owe to the Adolescent Brain” by Jeanne Miller (informational) 
• Excerpt from “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave” by Frederick Douglass (autobiography)

Examples of print and graphic features include but are not limited to: 

The “Unit Opener” section found in each unit contains a graphic that corresponds with the Unit’s theme, which sets the unit’s mood. Each text selection is also accompanied by a graphic that corresponds to the text and sets the mood.

In Unit 2, students learn about the horror genre. The “Unit Opener” titled the “Thrill of Horror” includes a picture of a person’s eyes that set the mood of horror/fear. In the “Get Ready” section, a dark black and white image with a full moon and bats set the mood for the essential question posed in the lesson, “Why do we sometimes like to feel frightened?” Before reading “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, in the “Get Ready” section, students answer questions and have discussions leading to the text’s reading. A large image of a heart (the organ) is at the top of the page; this same image is present on the following page under the text’s title.

Unit 4, students read “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury. The materials provide boxes of information on the genre, historical fiction, and literary elements found in the text and “how [these elements] create a mood.” The materials also provide a digital “Critical Vocabulary” activity using a word bank and questions connected to its words. The story itself contains photographs related to the topic, a video carrying “Text In Focus,” and “Notice and Note” digital boxes for the students to type in their annotation responses to guiding questions. 

In Unit 6, the materials provide photographs and background information on the author and her works. Additionally, there is a guide for students to set a purpose for reading, and a clickable footnote explains the concept embedded in the text. 

Evaluation for 2.3
Texts are appropriately challenging and are at an appropriate level of complexity to support students at their grade level.

The materials include texts that are challenging and appropriately complex for eighth-graders. The publisher provides a text complexity analysis that contains appropriate quantitative and qualitative features. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Intro Literature Texas, the publisher provides a text complexity analysis for each reading selection. Each text complexity includes information about quantitative and qualitative measures. The quantitative measure refers to the texts’ Lexile Level, and the qualitative measures provide information on ideas presented, the structure used, the language used, and the knowledge required. Lexile Levels are not available for poetry, drama, and other selections like speeches. The majority of the texts fall in the range of 1010L-1185L., which is the eighth-grade Lexile range according to the “Lexile Range for College and Career Readiness” chart. The qualitative features reflect the concepts and skills required for eighth-grade students. 

In Unit 2, “The Tell-Tale Heart” is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. The text complexity is available for qualitative measures and states that the Lexile Level is 850L for this selection. For qualitative measure, the text complexity regarding ideas presented states, “Many implied ideas, especially about the narrator’s actions and reasons.” Regarding language complexity, “Uses a chronological structure in which ideas are sequential.” Regarding knowledge required, “The text deals with an unusual situation but one which can easily be imagined.” 

In Unit 3, “My Favorite Chaperone” by Jean Davies Okimoto is accompanied by text complexity analysis. The text complexity provides quantitative measures: 790L for this selection. For qualitative measures, the text complexity regarding ideas presented states, “Multiple levels of meaning with multiple themes. Author’s intent may be concealed.” Regarding text structure complexity, “Less familiar story concepts.” Regarding language complexity, “Less straightforward sentence structures.” Regarding knowledge required, “Experience contains unfamiliar aspects.” 

In Unit 5, Paired argumentative selections “from It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens” by Danah Boyd and “Outsmart Your Smartphone” by Catherine Steiner-Adair include a text complexity analysis that provides both qualitative and quantitative information. The quantitative measure provides Lexile Level 1080L & 1110L for the selections. Regarding ideas presented, “Mostly explicit, but moves to some implied meaning.” Regarding text structure, “Somewhat chronological, largely conventional.” Regarding language complexity, “A combination of common-talk and technical writing.” Regarding knowledge required, “Some reference to outside events and knowledge.” 

Evaluation for 3.a.1
Materials contain questions and tasks that support students in analyzing and integrating knowledge, ideas, themes, and connections within and across texts.

The materials contain questions and tasks that support students in analyzing and integrating knowledge, ideas, themes, and connections within and across texts. The questions and tasks target complex text elements, such as character traits, big ideas, themes, and connections. Additionally, the publisher’s questions are text-specific/dependent, target complex aspects of the texts, and integrate multiple TEKS.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The “Teacher Edition” provides lessons for each unit that contains a list of TEKS for each selection. Each unit has an “Essential Question” related to the unit’s central theme. The Essential Questions guide students from the beginning to the end of the lesson by having students revisit the question during reading and their response log to gather information about their ideas. 

In Unit 1, students read Interflora by Susan Hamlyn. The Essential Question of the selection is “Does technology improve or control our lives?” This question helps students build conceptual knowledge. To help students make connections to the poem, the “QuickStart” asks students, “What kinds of messages are best conveyed through emails? What kinds are not?” Students place their answers in a chart and list ideas. Before reading the poem, the materials contain explicit teaching of the elements of poetry that target multiple TEKS. Elements include but are not limited to rhyme, structure, pattern, and irony. The selection also provides text-dependent questions, for example, “Highlight at least three examples of humor in the sonnet.” 

In Unit 3, students read “Spirit Walking in the Tundra” by Joy Harjo. The Teacher Edition provides the targeted grade-level TEKS for the lesson. The “Check Your Understanding” section provides text-dependent questions to target concepts and elements in the poetry piece. For example, “The speaker travels to Alaska too,” and “The line ‘Her smell is sweet like blossoms coming up through the snow’ emphasizes....” To further extend student knowledge, there is a research section where students research “Alaska Natives” and then present their findings to a small group. Additionally, the lesson has students build connections by using their research findings to write a poem that “describes a time they took a walk with a friend.” The reading passage “Spirit Walking in the Tundra” connects to the unit’s theme of “places we call home” with the Essential Question “What are the places that shape who you are?” Students answer the Essential Question at the end of the selection in their response log after every reading selection and unit.

Unit 6, students read the paired poetry selection “There But for the Grace” by Wislawa Szymborska and “Days” by Billy Collins. Students make a personal connection in the Quickstart section by writing about “how they felt after a close call.” To help students do a text-to-world link, students research “Holocaust memorials or other sites dedicated to promoting remembrance and tolerance.” Then students make “a drawing or other artwork to represent one of the examples of figurative language” in either of the poems. 

Evaluation for 3.a.2
Materials contain questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts.

The materials contain questions that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts. The materials also include various tasks and questions to study the language, key concepts, details, craft, and structure of individual texts. Students analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose in cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, students read “The Automation Paradox” by James Bessen and ”Heads Up, Humans” by Claudia Alarcón. As students read, they pay attention to each argument, reasoning, and evidence in the selections and how they relate to one another. After reading, students collaborate with a group on a final project that includes creating a Venn diagram comparing/contrasting the selections. 

In Unit 2, students read “The Debt We Owe the Adolescent Brain” by Jeanne Miller. Students answer comprehension questions that target the text’s complex elements while reading. For example: “How do the text’s structure, headings, and patterns of organization help the author to achieve his purpose?” 

In Unit 3, students read the short story “My Favorite Chaperone” by Jean Davies Okimoto to help students understand better the challenges of being an immigrant. As students read, they “pay attention to Maya’s interactions with her family and her friends. How do these interactions help you to understand the challenges of being an immigrant in a new country?” Additionally, students analyze how an author uses dialogue to develop characters.

In Unit 4, “Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad” by Ann Perry, students examine the author’s use of characterization by “highlighting details that reveal Harriet Tubman’s character.” Students also analyze the structure of biography and evaluate word choice. Students then annotate sentence structure by making annotations that “highlight the language the author uses to describe the effects of the Fugitive Slave Law.” 

Unit 6, students read “The Diary of Anne Frank” by Anne Frank. To help students understand concepts and unfamiliar words/phrases, the “Cultural Reference Section” provides definitions for words such as “Jewish (Background note): describes a person who follows the religion of Judaism” and “annex (Background note): an area added on to a building.” To help students understand literary elements, the selection provides mini-lessons and digital annotations that review “plot development.” At the end of the lesson, students extend their cultural and historical understanding by completing research on “key events in the rise of the Nazi regime and the effects those events had on Jewish people” and “present [their] findings in a timeline.” 

Evaluation for 3.a.3
Materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary in and across texts.

The materials include a cohesive, year-long place for students to interact with and build essential academic vocabulary in and across the texts. The academic vocabulary is taught and reinforced using available resources and specific activities contained in each lesson. Additionally, the materials use scaffolds and differentiate vocabulary development for all learners.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide year-long opportunities for students to build academic vocabulary and use the appropriate language. A “Vocabulary Studio” is present for each unit and grade level, except for independent reading selections and some poetry selections. The Vocabulary Studio contains a “toolkit of vocabulary strategies” that include using context clues, analyzing word structure, common roots, prefixes and suffixes, understanding word origins, synonyms and antonyms, denotation, and connotation. Additionally, within the “Reading Studio,” a Multilingual Glossary contains academic vocabulary and critical vocabulary of English terms side-by-side with many different languages, such as Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Vietnamese, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Tagalog, and Urdu. 

Unit 2, titled “The Thrill of Horror,” the unit begins with an “Academic Vocabulary” section. This section introduces the vocabulary that students will learn and practice throughout the unit. For this unit, the vocabulary words are “convention, predict, psychology, summary, technique.” A Word Network is available for the word “convention” in the form of a web diagram as an example. The diagram contains the definition, synonym, antonym, word root, and related words. Students then create a Word Network for the remaining vocabulary words. To help build vocabulary skills, at the end of the unit, students write a peer review that requires them to use vocabulary words. 

In Unit 4, students read the short story “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury. The selection includes an Academic Vocabulary section where students “write and discuss what they learned from the story and highlight the words they used: access, civil, demonstrate, documents, and symbolize.” 

Furthermore, the publisher provides a “Cultural References” section that clarifies culture-bound (or culture-bias) academic words and concepts that “may be unfamiliar to students.” For example, “The Automation Paradox” by James Bessen/”Heads Up, Humans” by Claudia Alarcon provides references such as howling out (paragraph 1); legal industry (paragraph 3): lawyers and others who work with the law.

Evaluation for 3.a.4
Materials include a clearly defined plan to support and hold students accountable as they engage in independent reading.

The materials include a clear plan to support and hold students accountable as they participate in independent reading. The materials additionally contain protocols, procedures, and supports for both teachers and students. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide students with a process for selecting texts for reading. The unit’s beginning includes a section labeled “Reader’s Choice.” This section guides the students on choosing a text to read by “Setting a Purpose.” The “Essential Question” is located in the same area to help students focus and follow the unit’s theme. At the end of the unit, students reflect on all of their readings by answering questions that connect them to both the theme and the Essential Question. Finally, each selection comes with a “Selection Test” section in both digital and printable formats to hold students accountable. 

An “Independent Reading Preview Gallery” provides a visual section where students survey the selections they can choose. This section reminds students to utilize reading strategies they learned during class reading selections. A “Collaborate and Share” section has students find a partner and discuss what they learned from at least one of their independent readings. A list of steps is given to students to help guide their discussions: “Give a brief synopsis or summary of the text. Describe any signposts that you noticed in the text and explain what they revealed to you. Describe what you most enjoyed or found most challenging about the text. Give specific examples. Decide if you would recommend the text to others. Why or why not?” Additionally, each independent reading selection provides a “Background” section with the author’s picture, a visual connection to the topic, or both. Each independent reading selection also provides a section called “Setting A Purpose,” which includes a paragraph to open the selection. 

Unit 2 selections include “Frankenstein” by Edward Field, “beware: do not read this poem” by Ishmael Reed, “Blood” by Zdravka Evtimova, “The Outsider” by H.P. Lovecraft, and “Scary Tales” by Jackie Torrance.

Unit 4 and 5 selections include “Teenagers” by Pat Mora, “Identity” by Julio Noboa Polanco, “Hard on the Gas” by Janet S. Wong, “Marigolds” by Eugenia Collier, and “My Summer of Scooping Ice Cream” by Shonda Grimes.

Evaluation for 3.b.1
Materials provide support for students to develop composition skills across multiple text types for a variety of purposes and audiences.

The materials provide support for students to develop composition skills for a variety of purposes and audiences. There are opportunities for students to write literary texts to express their feelings about real or imagined people, events, and ideas. Students write informational texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes. Students also write argumentative texts to influence a particular audience’s attitudes or actions on specific issues. Additionally, students write correspondence in a professional or friendly structure. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Each unit in the materials contains a “Writing Studio” that offers flexible writing support targeting diverse compositions in different genres. The Writing Studio includes resources for each grade level with an essay prompt and an “Interactive Writing Lesson.” The Interactive Writing Lessons target various skills such as Conducting Research, Process Writing, Writing Arguments (with support, reasons, evidence, persuasive techniques, etc.), and Student Writing Models: Using Textual Evidence, Writing Arguments, Writing Informative Tests, and Writing Narrative. The Writing Studio also includes writing assessments that consist of different prompts for skills such as conducting research, evaluating sources, using textual evidence, and writing as a process.

In Unit 1, students write an informative essay that “explains how to use a piece of technology to someone unfamiliar with it” to extend the topic further. Students also explain “how the technology has helped them.” To gather ideas for their essay, students use notes from their “Response Log,” which they fill out after reading. The Writing Studio guides students on writing their essays: It provides graphic organizers and digital resources that target the writing process, such as planning, revising, and editing. 

In Unit 2, students read literary criticism: “What Is the Horror Genre?” by Sharon A. Russel. After reading, students write a letter to the Motion Picture Association of America or to the Entertainment Software Rating Board in which they “express a complaint about the rating of a movie, show, or game that includes horror content.” For their letter writing, the materials provide students with the following guidelines: “Introduce yourself and the title of the movie, show, or game you are writing about; Explain why you think the rating is too restrictive or not restrictive.”

In Unit 3, students write a short story “about a character who struggles with an obstacle about a place.” Students use the excerpt from The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez as a mentor text. 

In Unit 5, students write an argumentative essay responding to the prompt “Write an argument about whether or not technology and social media are obstacles to friendship.” The selection “It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens” by Danah Boyd serves as a mentor text to students. The Writing Studio guides students through writing their essays by providing graphic organizers and digital resources that target the writing process, such as “planning, revise and editing.”

Evaluation for 3.b.2
Most written tasks require students to use clear and concise information and well- defended text-supported claims to demonstrate the knowledge gained through analysis and synthesis of texts.

The materials include tasks requiring students to be clear and concise with information and use well-defended text-supported claims to demonstrate the knowledge gained through analysis and synthesis of texts. The materials also allow students to respond to questions and justify their responses with evidence from the text.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Each unit contains a “Writing Studio” section that provides students with opportunities to practice “making explanations and examples.” The Writing Studio explains to students that strong evidence to include in their essay could be “Quotations, summaries, and paraphrases; Statistics and examples; Information from multiple sources; Internal citations; and A Works Cited list.” The Writing Studio also contains a section for “studying and utilizing Synthesizing Information; Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting text evidence.” 

In Unit 2, students write a literary analysis about one of the unit’s stories. Students use “What Is the Horror Genre?” by Sharon A. Russel as a mentor text to see an example of how “the story fits into the horror genre.” To help formulate their argument, students review their Response Log notes. 

In Unit 3, after reading “The Book of Unknown Americans” by Cristina Henriquez, students write a paragraph “from a character’s point of view explaining how he or she feels about the place(s) he or she calls home.” For their paragraph, students gather evidence from the text to help them “get into” the character of their choice. Guidelines are available to help students utilize the information they collect to use in their writing. Guidelines include “Review the text for implicit and explicit details that help you make inferences about the character’s thoughts and feelings,” and “Describe the connections the character feels to his or her home(s) and why?” 

In Unit 4, after reviewing an excerpt from “Fortune’s Bones” by Pamela Espeland, students write a research paper about “aspects of the abolition movement in the United States.” Students “synthesize facts and gather multiple sources” and “quote and paraphrase source material” to gather text evidence to support their thesis statement. 

Unit 5, students “write an argumentative essay on a topic related to teenagers.” To help students plan their essays, they answer questions such as “think about the background reading from the unit” to formulate ideas about what they would like to include in their argument. Students support their views with reasons and evidence. They use the Response Logs they complete at the end of each reading selection to help with this task. 

Evaluation for 3.b.3
Over the course of the year, composition convention skills are applied in increasingly complex contexts, with opportunities for students to publish their writing.

Composition convention skills increase in complex contexts, with opportunities for students to publish their writing. Additionally, punctuation, grammar, and the writing process are skills covered throughout the resources. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

At the end of each unit, the materials provide a writing task that guides students through the full writing process: plan, draft, revise, edit and publish. Each unit also contains a “Grammar Studio” in the online grammar textbook. The modules cover sentences, parts of speech, usage, and spelling. Lessons are systematically and explicitly explained and practiced in isolation. 

In Unit 1, students write an informational essay “explaining how a new technology has helped them, then they explain how to use it to a person unfamiliar with the technology.” Students complete the writing process of planning, editing, revising, and publishing. In lesson 4, students read “The Automation Paradox” by James Bessen. In Grammar and Punctuation, students learn about transitional words and how transitions use commas.

Unit 3, students write a short story about a “character who is struggling with an obstacle concerning a place.” As in previous grade levels and units, students complete the writing process. In Lesson 2, students read “The Book of Unknown Americans” by Cristina Henriquez. The story provides grammar lessons that review pronouns. Students apply their knowledge in the “Practice and Apply” section by choosing “the correct personal pronoun in each sentence.” Pronoun lessons can also be found in Lesson 4 when students read “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave” by Frederick Douglass. 

In Unit 5, students read “The Debt We Owe to the Adolescent Brain” by Jeanne Miller. Students write an argumentative essay on “how do your teenage years prepare you for adulthood?” Students complete the writing process of planning, drafting, revising, and editing. In “Language Conventions,” students focus on modifiers and their usage in comparison. Students apply and practice this knowledge when they write their argument.

In Unit 6, students read “The Diary of Anne Frank” by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett and discuss capital letters with examples from the text. A “Notice and Note” signpost in the text points out capitalized words in paragraphs 50-51. During the “Respond” part of the lesson, examples show different words beginning with capital letters. Students rewrite sentences from the text with proper capitalization and compare them with partners. In Lesson 3, students read “After Auschwitz” by Elie Wiesel. Students practice and apply academic language when speaking and writing, including punctuation and grammar. In Lesson 3, students complete two activities, “Reciprocal Teaching” and “Think-Pair-Share.” In both activities, students answer questions about and discuss Wiesel’s speech. After students have read the speech, they “discuss how you might follow Wiesel’s direction to reject and oppose more effectively religious fanaticism and racial hate.” In partners, students research Elie Wiesel’s work as a humanitarian and activist. 

Evaluation for 3.b.4
Materials include practice for students to write legibly in cursive. (Grades 3-5 only)

Evaluation for 3.c.1
Materials support students’ listening and speaking about texts.

The materials support students’ listening and speaking about texts by providing opportunities that focus on the text(s) studied in the class. The oral tasks require students to use clear and concise information and well-defended text-supported claims to demonstrate the knowledge gained through analysis and synthesis. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, after reading “The Brave Little Toaster” by Cory Doctorow, students participate in various “Small Group Options.” For the “Three-Minute Review” activity, students work in pairs to “re-read the passage and review their notes to answer the question, ‘What is the effect of technology?’” At the end of the mini discussion, students summarize their review and reflect on what they noticed in their review. For the “Think-Pair-Share,” students write down notes and answer, “Who is in control of the technology?” Afterward, they pair up to share and discuss their response with their partner and the class. 

In Unit 2, after reading “The Hollow” by Kelly Deschler, students participate in Small Group Options. To prepare students, they read and analyze the poem. Simultaneously, the teacher provides guiding questions, such as “How does imagery contribute to the sense of suspense?” After working together, they work with a partner to discuss and share their ideas with the whole class. 

In Unit 4, students read from Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry, and then they present a speech they wrote. The focus of the speech is to “convince the board of a museum that Harriet Tubman should be included in a ‘Heroes Hall of Fame’ exhibit.” In this activity, students use clear and concise information and well-defended text-supported claims as they present their claim on why the argument in their speech is justified and should convince the “board of the museum.” As they present this speech, students are also reminded to mark the points want to emphasize and “try out different ways of emphasizing them,” “speak clearly, and talk at a pace your audience can follow.” Also: “If you have planned to include charts, graphs, or other visual aids, practice showing these items until you can do so smoothly.” Furthermore, materials suggest students can find resources regarding giving a presentation in the “Speaking and Listening Studio.”

In Unit 5, students read “Bronx Masquerade” by Nikki Grimes. As they read, students analyze the text to prepare to research “how expressive writing impacts health and possible side effects.” To help prepare students, they work in a group and discuss “how poetry reading can help create understanding and a sense of community.” After discussions, students write a poem about identity and then recite the poem to their class. 

In Unit 6, after reading “The Diary of Anne Frank” by Anne Frank, students compose a melody that captures tone and mood for what viewers would expect to hear in a television version of Anne Frank. Students reference their “Response Logs” containing text references from the selection to gather ideas. Afterward, students share their melody with their peers and gather feedback.

Evaluation for 3.c.2
Materials engage students in productive teamwork and in student-led discussions, in both formal and informal settings.

The materials engage students in productive teamwork and student-led discussion in formal and informal settings. Grade-level protocols for discussion are available. Additionally, students have opportunities to give organized presentations/performances and speak clearly and concisely using language conventions. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide a “Speaking and Listening Studio” in each grade level. The Studio offers resources, tips, and mini-lessons to prepare students for presentations and discussions. The resources work as a guide for students to use when they speak and listen. The Studio includes a section titled “Participating in Collaborative Discussion,” with mini-lessons for students to hone their collaborative discussion skills. This section comes with an interactive activity on “What Makes A Strong Discussion” and “What Does Collaborative Discussion Sound Like?” It also creates scenarios using dialogue in collaborative discussion. 

In Unit 1, after reading “The Debt We Owe to the Adolescent Brain” by Jeanne Miller, students participate in a small group discussion on how the text can help them navigate school and life. The materials provide discussion protocols and guiding questions to support students. For instance: “With a small group, discuss practical ways in which your understanding of adolescent brain changes might influence choices you make or goals that you set at school and home.” “Be sure to support your views with evidence from the article.” “During your discussion, listen closely and respectfully to all ideas.” After reading the poem “Interflora” by Susan Hamlyn, students prepare to present a sonnet to the class. For an organized presentation and to ensure students follow best practices on speaking to an audience, the materials reminds students: “Practice reading your sonnet; Experiment with stressing different syllables to bring out the musical quality in the text; Practice making eye contact with your audience, and use facial expressions and natural gestures to convey the meaning of the sonnet.”

In Unit 2, after reading “What Is the Horror Genre?” by Sharon A. Russel, students participate in the group activity “Double-Entry Journal.” In their groups, students create a T-Chart, naming one side “Text Quotes” and the other “My Notes.” Students then write down passages that “confuse or intrigue them.” In a third column, students share their journals and record their comments. 

In Unit 4, students are challenged to create a new unit with the same “Essential Question” (“What will people risk to be free?”) The publisher provides guidance and practice for a panel discussion. Students “Make a Plan”: They brainstorm in a group, making a list of other fights of freedom. Students discuss the pros and cons of the topic and create an agenda and a schedule. Next, students “Prepare to Present” by practicing in the group and giving and receiving advice. Finally, students “Present the Unit” and “speak clearly and concisely.” 

In Unit 5, students read “It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens” by Danah Boyd. After reading, students write an opinion piece to turn into a multimodal presentation to advocate a position on the issue. The material provides protocols for the multimodal presentation of their argument, such as “Add an illustration, use appropriate eye contact, speaking rate,” to name a few. For additional help, students use the Speaking and Listening Studio, which provides mini-lessons and digital resources. After reading from Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes, students participate in a “JigSaw” activity, allowing students to express their thinking through discussions. The teacher divides the passage into smaller sections and assigns them to a small group. Students read and take notes and express their thinking about their assigned section, discussing it in their group. Next, each group sends one representative to a composite group. Each representative expresses their group’s thinking while the composite group discusses the entire work.  

In Unit 6, students read paired selections “There But for The Grace” by Wislawa Szymborska and “Days” by Billy Collins. The lesson provides opportunities for students to “present a recitation of ‘There But for the Grace’ or ‘Days’ for the class.” In their presentation, students have a set of guidelines and steps to follow to organize their recitation with some speaking recommendations: “Work with your group to select which poem you will present; Plan how you will present the poem” along with others.

Evaluation for 3.d.1
Materials engage students in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes to confront and analyze various aspects of a topic using relevant sources.

The materials engage students in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes to confront and analyze various aspects of a topic using relevant sources. The materials support the identification and summary of high-quality primary and secondary sources. Students practice organizing and presenting their ideas and information in accordance with the purpose of the research and the appropriate grade level audience. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials contain different modules that focus on primary and secondary sources. For example, in “Conducting Research: Types of Sources,” students view a mini-lesson and discuss primary and secondary sources, engage in interactive activities, and practice. The materials also contain “Level Up Tutorials” that are specifically titled “Primary and Secondary Sources.” The module contains interactive practice activities for the students to hone “key skills covering literature and informational text, reading skills and strategies, vocabulary skills and strategies, writing and revision, and conventions.” Additionally, the materials contain modules that focus on primary and secondary sources called “Level Up: Primary and Secondary Sources Practice.” The modules include practice tests for students. All the modules mentioned can be found under general resources for each grade level.

In Unit 1, students read “The Brave Little Toaster” by Cory Doctorow. Students use the “Analyze the Text, Research Tip” to identify high-quality primary and secondary sources. When they research online, the materials remind students to use quotation marks around specific phrases they are quoting to narrow their search. Additionally, students read “Are Bionic Superhumans on the Horizon?” by Ramez Naam. After reading the student’s research, “experts on bionic superhumans, list the article title and source, and then summarize the expert’s opinion.” Students receive the following research tip: “Most search engines allow you to write your search in the form of a question. For this activity, you might type in the question When will humans become bionic?” Students also work in small groups to discuss their research results and decide whether they agree or disagree with Naam’s statement that “superhuman technology is on the horizon.” 

In Unit 3, students read “New Immigrants to Share Their Stories” by Lisa Gossels. After reading, students research “high schools that serve recent immigrants and write a letter requesting information.” To help students with the research process, students review “New Immigrants Share Their Stories” and “A Common Bond” by Brooke Hauser to identify applicable search terms, such as school names and locations and organizations’ names, experts, and administrators. Students record their information and then share it with a small group. Additionally, students read “Spirit Walking in the Tundra” by Joy Harjo. Students use both primary and/or secondary sources (online sites) as they research “Alaskan Natives” based on the following questions: “How many major groups of Alaska Natives are there? How are the groups defined? What is the climate like where Alaska Natives live? How has that influenced their lifestyle? What is the role of wildlife in the cultures and economies of Alaska Natives?” The materials advise students to be critical of the primary or secondary sources, making sure that “some of their sources are created [primary] or endorsed [secondary] by members of that group, who have the greatest authority to speak on it.”

In Unit 5, students read “The Debt We Owe to the Adolescent Brain” by Jeanne Miller. Students research to add information to what they have learned in “What We Owe to the Adolescent Brain” by Jeanne Miller about brain structure and characteristics. The materials offer practice support to students by providing a chart that will organize their ideas and information when researching. Students then use their findings to write a friendly letter to an adult explaining the evolutionary purpose of some adolescent behavior aspect.

In Unit 6, students read “from The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank. Students organize their research ideas using a two-column chart with research questions (first column) and their answers (second column). An example question in the first column is “How did Otto Frank receive his daughter’s diary?” Then in small groups, students “discuss ways in which different decisions in creating the published form of the diary may have affected responses to the book.” 

Evaluation for 3.e.1
Materials contain interconnected tasks that build student knowledge and provide opportunities for increased independence.

The materials are interconnected and build student knowledge. Questions and tasks are designed to help students build and apply knowledge and skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, thinking, and language. Materials contain a coherently sequenced set of high-quality, text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas within individual texts as well as across multiple texts. Tasks integrate reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking; include components of vocabulary, syntax, and fluency, as needed; and provide opportunities for increased independence.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, students read “The Brave Little Toaster” by Cory Doctorow. Students “research about the Internet of Things, Find out what it is today and what it might hold in store for us tomorrow.” To integrate reading and writing, students record their researched information in a graphic organizer. This spills over to the speaking and listening activity when students proceed to the “Connect” section to discuss the warning implied by “The Brave Little Toaster.” In small groups, students answer questions such as “What can people do to gain future benefits from the Internet of Things while also avoiding potential problems?” In the “Create and Discuss” section, students summarize the story’s events in their own words. The lesson provides text-dependent questions and tasks. Students answer “Check Your Understanding Questions” before moving forward to the analysis part in the “Analyze the Text” section. In this analysis section, students integrate their knowledge from the “Check Your Understanding” section to answer the questions and provide text evidence in this part of the lesson. The lesson also contains tasks that help create student independence that focuses on vocabulary building. The lesson offers critical vocabulary that students use throughout the lesson. In the beginning, students unlock the meaning of the words. These words are presented as digital glossary entries during the reading to aid student comprehension. At the end of the unit, they practice and apply these words by connecting them to skill independently. 

In Unit 3, students read/view and separately respond and then compare and respond to “New Immigrants Share Their Stories” by Lisa Gossels and “A Common Bond” by Brooke Hauser. As students view “New Immigrants,” students make notes about what impresses them or what they want to discuss later. In “A Common Bond,” students annotate to complete the text-dependent task; for example, students “Highlight the first subheading in the article (and) Predict: Based on this subheading, what can you predict about the overall structure of the article?” Additionally, in Unit 3, students read “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. Throughout the selection, students analyze the reading with text questions such as, “Why do these details create suspense?” Students also work with a partner to research Poe’s career and rewrite a scene from the reading from a reliable narrator’s perspective. For this activity, students have direction but ultimately complete the project independently.

In Unit 5, students read “The Debt We Owe to the Adolescent Brain” by Jeanne Miller. Students research ways in which adolescents’ brains are unique. After researching, students record their answers in a chart and then discuss these in groups along with the following question: “How does this information help support key ideas in The Debt We Owe to the Adolescent Brain?” Afterward, students write a friendly letter explaining some aspect of their behavior’s evolutionary purpose. Additionally, the lesson provides a “Language Conventions” section that focuses on syntax and requires students to interact with the text. Students are to “Annotate: In paragraph 2, underline all the pronouns. Then highlight the two antecedents—the nouns to which the pronouns refer.” In Unit 5, students read Nikki Grimes’ “The Bronx Masquerade.” The materials provide the reading’s critical vocabulary: “tirade, hunker, snicker, and confide.” Students are to see how many vocabulary words they know and then use them in complete sentences. The lesson provides a “Language Conventions'' activity that focuses on “Modifiers Adjectives and Adverbs.” Students study examples they find from “Bronx Masquerade.” For example, Comparative: “It’s not much better at home.” Superlative: “I hate always being the tallest girl in school.” Students take note of how Grimes uses modifiers to show comparisons.

In Unit 6, students read “After Auschwitz” by Elie Wiesel. The task requires students to integrate reading, writing, speaking, and thinking by researching Elie Wiesel as a humanitarian and activist. Students discuss their research findings with their peers and then create a poster from a selection quote. The poster is to amplify the message of the quotation. Then students explain the poster in an oral presentation.

Evaluation for 3.e.2
Materials provide spiraling and scaffolded practice.

The materials provide spiraling and scaffolded practice. Materials support distributed practice over the course of the year, and the design includes scaffolds for students to demonstrate integration of literacy skills that spiral over the school year.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Each unit begins with shared instruction lessons, guided application lessons, and independent practice. Each unit focuses on an “Essential Question” that students learn and respond to in response logs. During “Analyze and Apply,” students receive direct instruction in analyzing, annotating, and applying the “Notice and Note” protocol and other standards instruction. Throughout “Collaborate & Compare,” students work in groups, using their annotations, Notice & Note signposts, and reflections on comparing texts and drawing conclusions about the unit theme. Through “Unit Tasks,” students demonstrate their understanding of the unit topic by synthesizing their ideas and text references in oral and written responses. The unit culminates with a writing task and presentation incorporating aspects from the entire unit. 

The “Grammar Studio” provides practice opportunities that are scaffolded through interactive grammar lessons for the year. Modules for each skill increase in depth and complexity as the year progresses. For example, students learn about sentences in the first module, and the module consists of five lessons. For the first sentence lesson, the publishers offer students opportunities to identify and distinguish between complete sentences and sentence fragments. In the following lesson, students learn that run-on sentences are two sentences that are punctuated as one sentence. The lessons continue this way, scaffolding complexity until all ten are complete for the skill. 

Speaking and listening practice opportunities are distributed throughout the lessons and follow the same structure throughout the year. There is a “Small Group Option” at the beginning or during the lesson so students can practice in a smaller setting, then a whole group project with discussion and presentation activity at the end of the lesson where they speak and listen to a bigger audience. 

In Unit 1, students read “Women in Aviation” by Patricia and Frederick McKissack. In this lesson, the two Small Group Options activities go hand-in-hand in spiraling the questions and tasks before and after the reading. Through questioning scaffolds, students move from lower- to higher-level questions in the lesson. Before the lesson begins, the students are asked the questions: “Would it be harder for a man or a woman to obtain a piloting license in the early 1900s? Explain.” “Would it be harder for a white woman or an African American woman to obtain a piloting license in the early 1900s? Explain.” These questions align with the after-reading questions that students will discuss through a “Think-Pair-Share” activity: “What would be the most difficult part of being a woman trying to learn how to fly in the early 1900s?” During and after reading, students answer a set of questions, including simple, text-based questions such as “The authors include information about women hot-air balloonists in order to….” “Which fact from the selection most clearly explains why Harriet Quimby and Bessie Coleman died?” There are also higher-level questions such as “What impression of Harriet Quimby do the authors create by using facts and quotations?” Evaluate: “Do you think the authors presented Bessie Coleman’s life in an overly positive way? Why or why not?” Notice & Note: “Think about Harriet Quimby’s statement, ‘Flying is easier than voting.’ What situation does her comment highlight? How does the quote help the authors achieve their purpose?” After reading, students participate in a “Pinwheel Discussion” to answer the question “Would it be harder for a man or a woman to obtain a piloting license in the early 1900s? Explain.” The small group option works as a scaffold to prepare students for the Think-Pair-Share: Pairs discuss “What would be the most difficult part of being a woman trying to learn how to fly in the early 1900s?” They then present their findings to the whole class. 

The Essential Question is prominent throughout all units and works as a spiraling activity through all units and lessons. In Unit 3, the Essential Question is “What are the places that shape who you are?” Students watch New Immigrants Share Their Story, a documentary directed by Lisa Gossels, and read “A Common Bond,” an informational text by Brooke Hauser. After viewing the documentary and reading the selection, students add their annotations and notes to their response logs. Students complete response logs at the end of every reading to connect to the unit’s readings and the Essential Question. 

In Unit 5, the lessons scaffold questions. Students read “Ball Hawk” by Joseph Bruchac. Before reading, students are engaged in a Think-Pair-Share to answer the question “How do sports and sporting events help individuals and Communities?” During readings, students answer questions from the “Notice and Note” sections, such as “In paragraphs 33–40, highlight the complaints that Mitchell has about the way he plays baseball.” As the unit progresses, questions lead to the next set of higher-level questions, which students also need to support with text evidence, such as Analyze: “Review paragraphs 3 and 10. What point of view is used in describing the setting in which Mitchell lives? How does this setting affect Mitchell as a character?” Infer: “Refer to your ‘Set a Purpose’ notes about Mitchell’s characterization. Why do you think that Uncle Tommy twice reminds Mitchell that ‘Indians invented baseball’? Why are these words an important part of Mitchell’s characterization?” Interpret: “In the language of baseball, a ‘ball hawk’ is a player who is skilled in catching fly balls. Why is ‘Ball Hawk’ an appropriate title for this story?” Analyze: “When a writer provides hints that suggest future events in a story, it’s called foreshadowing. Identify and explain an example of foreshadowing in ‘Ball Hawk.’” These questioning practice activities, structure, and lesson design are provided in different lessons throughout the course of the year.

Evaluation for 5.1
Materials include supports for students who demonstrate proficiency above grade-level.

The materials support students who demonstrate proficiency above grade level. The materials provide planning and learning opportunities for students who demonstrate literacy skills above expected for grade 8.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide extensions throughout the materials for students performing above grade level. The extensions include independent readings, creating multimodal presentations, group work, and writing assignments. 

In Unit 1, Lesson 1, students read “Interflora Planning,” a poem written by Susan Hamlyn; students then participate in a small group discussion on “How technology has changed the way we communicate with people.” The extension activity has students research with a partner the differences between technologies today and technology from the poem (1994). In Lesson 3, students create a sonnet, share it with their peers, and provide feedback to each other. 

In Unit 2, Lesson 2, students discover why “people like to be frightened” by reading “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. After reading, students rewrite a scene of the story from a reliable narrator’s perspective to discover why people like to be frightened. In Lesson 3, students read “The Hollow,” a lyric poem by Kelly Deschler, and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Students build connections between the poem and short story and then find illustrations that fit both selections. Students write a poem inspired by their favorite movie, story, or character and write a movie trailer to complete the unit. 

In Unit 4, Lesson 1, the extension has students research slavery as they read “The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave.” Students then discuss their feelings and ideas stirred by Douglass’s language and the events he describes. In Lesson 3, students read “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bredbury, and the extension activity has students research the Shiloh National Military Park. Students schedule activities they would like to see and invite their friends. 

In Unit 6, students read Act 2, Scene 5 from The Diary of Anne Frank. The extension activity has students research and presents important events in the rise of the Nazi regime and its effects on Jewish People. Students create a timeline of the Nazi regime and parallel it to key events in Anne Frank’s life. After reading The Diary of Anne Frank, students create a poster that conveys how the drama’s characters were affected by their time in the Secret Annex. 

Evaluation for 5.2
Materials include supports for students who perform below grade level to ensure they are meeting the grade-level literacy standards.

The materials include supports for students who perform below grade level to ensure they meet literacy standards. The materials provide planning and learning opportunities (including extensions and differentiation) for students who demonstrate literacy skills below that expected at the grade level.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide diverse activities allowing students to learn and practice regardless of their literacy level. Materials include but are not limited to “Close Read Screencasts,” “Peer Coach Videos,” “Interactive Texts,” and adaptive texts. The activities are also thematically organized, allowing students to make connections among each unit’s lessons. For each unit, the materials contain “Editable Lesson Plans.” The Editable Lesson Plan includes a differentiated instruction section. This section offers planning support for students who demonstrate literacy skills below the expected grade level “When Students Struggle.” 

In Unit 1, students read the informational text “Are Bionic Superhumans on the Horizon?” by Ramez Naam. After reading, students complete a double-entry journal to record important/perplexing quotes and their responses. Students performing below grade level work in small groups to discuss and share where their views are different. 

In Unit 3, students view “New Immigrants Share Their Stories,” directed by Lisa Gossels, and read “A Common Bond” by Brooke Hauser. After reading, students compare and contrast the texts. The lesson contains an interactive graphic organizer and charts to help students comprehend, organize, and process their learning. Another activity has students share a personal story in an interview format. Students performing below grade level prepare for the interview by receiving the interview questions before the activity. They use a chart to jot down ideas and aspects from the story that sparked their interest and use the chart to guide their interview.

In Unit 5, students read “The Debt We Owe to the Adolescent Brain” by Jeanne Miller. After reading, students write a friendly letter to an adult using research about the adolescent brain to explain the evolutionary purpose of some aspect of the students’ behavior. For guidance on writing the letter, students below level use the “Writing Studio” for guidance. For additional support on explaining the behavior’s evolutionary purpose, students go to the Collaborative Discussion section in the “Speaking and Listening Studio.” 

In Unit 6, students read the speech “After Auschwitz” by Elie Wiesel. After students read the speech, they write three to five questions about the speech and then answer the questions in small groups. Students must reach a consensus on their groups’ best answers and provide text evidence. Students performing below grade level use question stems to guide their conversations.

Evaluation for 5.3
Materials include supports for English Learners (EL) to meet grade-level learning expectations.

The materials include accommodations for linguistics commensurate with various levels of English language proficiency as defined by the ELPS. The materials provide scaffolds for comprehensible input. The materials offer activities, strategies, and resources to develop the second language strategically and enhance vocabulary. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

A “Text X-Ray” section precedes each lesson throughout the unit for all readings except independent readings. The Text X-Ray section is a planning section to help support English Language Learners at various proficiency levels by providing scaffolds. All four strands of standards (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing) are addressed and offer guidance from Beginning to Intermediate to Advanced to Advanced High. The Text X-Ray also introduces the selection to be read and review any cultural references. 

Additionally, the materials include a Multilingual Glossary that contains academic and critical vocabulary in ten additional languages (Spanish, French, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese). 

In Unit 1, “Are Bionic Superhumans on the Horizon?” provides summaries in English and Spanish. The reading selection also contains a “Cultural Reference” section that explains “words and phrases that may be unfamiliar to students.” The Text X-Ray section targets skills for each of the various linguistic levels and ELPS components. The listening component focuses on “understanding the central idea.” The speaking component focuses on discussing “text features.” The reading component focuses on “identifying the main idea,” and the writing component focuses on “writing an informative essay.” 

In Unit 2, “The Tell-Tale Heart” by E.A. Poe, the vocabulary strategy focuses on dictionary usage. The section explains what a dictionary is and what information is provided, such as a “word etymology, history, and the origin of words.” 

In Unit 3, “Spirit Walking in the Tundra” by Joy Harjo provides information about unfamiliar words and phrases in the “Cultural Reference” section. The materials target different skills for each of the various linguistic levels. Each ELPS component is addressed within the lesson: listening, students develop an “understanding the tone of the poem”; speaking, students “discuss free verse poetry has neither rhyme scheme nor a regular metrical pattern”; reading, students make inferences; writing, “write a free-verse Poem that sounds natural and uses imagery.” Additionally, the unit scaffolds each component based on the linguistic level. For example, for the writing component, beginning students “write one word and a visual.” Intermediate students “Have partners discuss their ideas for their poems, helping each other narrow down what they want to express by reviewing words or phrases they might include.” Advance students “Have students take turns reading their poems aloud to a partner.” Advance-high students “Ask partners to provide feedback about the imagery and phrasing.” 

In Unit 6, “There but for the Grace” by Wislawa Szymborska and “Days” by Billy Collins, students engage in discourse through a discussion of figurative language. The concepts are in a 3-column chart with the poem’s definition and examples. Students analyze concepts in connection to the poem itself. Additionally, the poem includes a list of the academic vocabulary presented in a word bank. Students make connections and use the words in writing a personal narrative. 

Evaluation for 6.1
Materials include assessment and guidance for teachers and administrators to monitor progress including how to interpret and act on data yielded.

The materials include assessments and guidance for teachers and administrators to monitor progress, including interpreting and acting on data yielded. The assessments are aligned in purpose, intended use, and TEKS emphasis. The assessments and scoring information provide sufficient guidance for interpreting and responding to student performance. The assessments are also connected to the regular content to support student learning. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide assessments and scoring information that provide sufficient guidance for interpreting and responding to students’ performance. For example, the “Bridge and Growth Pathway” provides guidance for interpreting and responding to students’ understanding. The “HMH Growth Measure” is an assessment that can be administered three times a year to measure a student’s Lexile level and proficiency. The HMH Growth Measure can also be assigned in the middle and at the end of the school year to help the teachers “gauge students’ progress, growth, and areas of greatest need.” Additionally, materials provide individual and class reports on student performance.

In Unit 2, as in all units, there is a unit test for each literary selection. For example, for “The Thrill of Horror Unit Test,” the publisher implements 22 standards. For Lesson 3, “The Hollow” by Kelly Descheler, students write a poem inspired by their favorite story, movie, or character. 

In Unit 3, students read “My Favorite Chaperone” by Jean Davies Okimoto. Students participate in a formative assessment, annotating sections of the text by analyzing, inferring, and making conclusions regarding its literary elements through “Notice and Note.” After reading, they use these notes, ideas, and information to answer the questions in the “Analyze the Text” section that also requires them to infer, analyze, and make conclusions. A summative assessment is at the end of the entire lesson, through a selection test, in digital and print formats. The test contains multiple-choice questions and two short answer responses. A test key with the TEKS and Depth of Knowledge for each item to guide interpretation and response to student performance is available. At the end of Unit 3, a summative assessment requires students to write a short story about “how an important place shapes a character.” Students follow the writing process for this task, and charts and graphic organizers are available to help students. Finally, the materials provide a rubric or scoring guide through a digital link to evaluate their work. 

In Unit 4, for “O Captain! My Captain!” by Walt Whitman, the publisher provides assessments connected to the poem. The death of President Abraham Lincoln inspired the poem. Similarly, students write a poem in which they pay tribute to someone they respect or admire, either real or imaginary. In Unit 4, the “Fight for Freedom Unit Test” implements 16 standards. 

In Unit 6, after reading “After Auschwitz” by Elie Wiesel, a formative assessment is available that focuses on analyzing rhetorical devices. During the reading, students annotate rhetorical devices in the Notice and Note activity. After reading, students answer questions about rhetorical devices, such as “After Auschwitz, the human condition is not the same, nothing will be the same. Identify where similar language is repeated later in his speech. What is the effect of this repetition?” A summative assessment appears at the end of the unit; this selection test is available in print and digital formats. The materials also provide a test key that contains TEKS and depth of knowledge for each question. 

Evaluation for 6.2
Materials include year-long plans and supports for teachers to identify needs of students and provide differentiated instruction to meet the needs of a range of learners to ensure grade-level success.

The materials include a year-long plan and help teachers identify students’ needs. They provide differentiated instructions to meet the needs of a range of learners to ensure grade-level success. Comprehensive plans are included for teachers to engage students in multiple grouping (and other) structures. The Teacher Edition materials include annotations and support for engaging students in the materials and support for implementing ancillary and resource materials and supporting student progress components. Annotations and ancillary materials provide support for student learning and assistance for teachers. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The Teacher Edition provides lessons for all selections that include differentiated support via the “Text X-Ray Component.” The section contains text and/or genre background, cultural references, and language skills reinforcement via differentiated activities in speaking, listening, reading, and writing at different language levels: beginning, intermediate, advanced, advanced high. 

The Teacher’s Edition provides a year-long comprehensive plan that attends to differentiation to support students through many learning opportunities. The lessons throughout the units develop gradually from easy to complicated and offer differentiated opportunities to engage students in multiple grouping structures. 

In Unit 1, students read “Are Bionic Superhumans on the Horizon?” by Ramez Naam. The materials provide a summary and adapted text version. The materials offer small group options such as “Double-Entry Journal” and “Three-Minute Review.” The lesson also includes annotation activities to engage students while reading through the “Notice and Note Signposts” activities. The “signposts” identify different critical reading skills, such as inference, comparison, contrast, and evaluation. 

In Unit 2, Lesson 3, students read “The Hollow” by Kelly Deschler. The publisher suggests a Double-Entry Journal activity, where students work in pairs, and a “Think-Pair-Share” activity. In Lesson 4, students read “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs. The students participate in two activities that help teachers plan and keep students engaged through multiple grouping structures: Double-Entry Journal and “Numbered Heads Together.”

In Unit 4, Lesson 4, students read “O Captain! My Captain!” by Walt Whitman. The publisher provides annotations through signposts to engage students while reading and assist teachers in their teaching. For example, signposts are “Analyze Genre Poetry, Annotate” (the students underline words and phrases that evoke either joy or sorrow and highlight punctuation that conveys strong emotions in lines 1-16) and “Analyze Figurative Language, Annotate” (students highlight details in lines 17-24 that are part of the extended metaphor of a ship’s voyage and return. In Lesson 5, students read paired selections “Not My Bones” by Marilyn Nelson and the mentor text “Fortune's Bones” by Pamela Espeland. The materials provide an adapted version of the text that contains background information, a summary, and chunk and highlight specific parts of the reader. The lesson also offers small group options: “Pinwheel Discussion” and “Jigsaw with Experts.” 

In Unit 6, students read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. The publisher offers side annotations, such as “Research Tips,” that help teachers and students implement ancillary and resource materials. The same side annotations remind the students that “when researching a particular work, official websites of authors, publishers, museums, or historical organizations may provide helpful information.” 

The textbook offers multiple resources that align with the units’ themes. The materials appear as a 14–15 page study guide consisting of Teacher Notes, Study Guide, Assessments, and Answer Keys. The following are only a few of the selections: Child of the Owl by Laurence Yep is a suggested title for “Into Literature” Unit 3. It connects to the unit’s theme and shares the unit’s Essential Question: What are the places that shape who you are? The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a suggested title for Into Literature Unit 6. It connects to the unit’s theme and shares the unit’s Essential Question: What can we learn from Anne Frank and other World War II depictions? 

Evaluation for 6.3
Materials include implementation support for teachers and administrators.

The materials include implementation support for both teachers and administrators. A TEKS-aligned Scope and Sequence outlines the essential knowledge and skills taught in the program. The materials also include a school year’s worth literacy instruction, including realistic pacing guidance, routines, and support for a 180-day schedule. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide a TEKS-aligned Scope and Sequence for each grade level and each unit. The units begin with an Essential Question, Academic Vocabulary, the TEKS the unit implements, Independent Reading and TEKS, and Unit Tasks with TEKS. The materials divide the Scope and Sequence into the following categories: Analyze and Apply, Collaborate, and Compare. It also provides the teacher with a clear instructional process aligned with the mastery of skills required by the state of Texas. The objectives are arranged based on their arrangements in the units and lesson. The standard/TEKS accompanies each activity in the Scope and Sequence. For example, in Unit 1, Analyze How Character Develops Plot: 7b, 8A; Analyze Setting and Character 5E, 7D; Parts of Speech: 2A, 2B, 6F. Finally, this Scope and Sequence document shows how the knowledge and skills spiral and connect across each grade level. 

The Teacher's Edition supports teachers by providing the following resources at the beginning of each unit: “Instructional Overview and Resources” containing Instructional Focus, Resources, EL Support, Differentiated Instruction, and Assessments tabs offering overviews on what each unit contains. The Teacher’s Edition also includes a “suggested pacing” guide to cover 30 days of instruction per unit. This pacing guide assigns each lesson a certain number of color-coded days that are at the bottom of the page of the “Instructional Overview and Resources” section. 

The materials support administrators by providing a Professional Learning Tab and Analyze Reading Growth Measure reports. The Student Growth report shows a student’s overall assessment results at a glance, with details about the domain performance levels and each Growth Measure test administration. The Administrator report shows overall results for each grade level, broken down by performance level, as well as at-a-glance comparisons between data from the Beginning-of-Year, Middle-of-Year, and End-of-Year tests.

The publisher provides a school year’s worth of literacy instruction, including realistic pacing guidance and routines. The materials divide the school year into six units with 10-13 lessons each. Each lesson follows a pattern: Pre-Reading section, Get Ready, the actual text and signposts, Read, post-reading activities, Check Your Understanding, and Respond: Analyze the Text.

Evaluation for 6.4
The visual design of the student edition (whether in print or digital) is neither distracting nor chaotic.

The digital version’s visual design is not distracting nor chaotic. The materials include appropriate white space and design that supports and does not distract from student learning. Pictures and graphics support the students’ learning engagement without being visually distracting. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials use simple color schemes, such as shades of yellow, blue, and red. Students can highlight text to draw attention to words or phrases; they highlight yellow, which is not overwhelming to students. The materials’ primary colors are a white background with black print; sometimes, the print is in the bold back font. The visual design is neither distracting nor chaotic. Charts and tables use light borders that separate them from the text but do not distract. Pictures are clear with neat lines and sharp colors. Each unit opens with a cover picture that connects the students to the Essential Question and illustrates the unit’s main idea. 

In Unit 1, “Hallucination” by Isaac Asimov, the title is written in big, bold white font against an orange background on top of the page, thus providing immediate visibility. Below the title is a visual of science-fiction-looking scenery with jagged mountains against multiple giant moons. A beige band follows with author information and a headshot. 

In Unit 3, “Salmon Boy,” a myth retold by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac, there is a photo of a man fishing in a mountain stream, a photo of the co-authors, a photo of salmon jumping upstream, an etching of a salmon, and a mother holding her baby in her lap. These photos cause the reader to wonder about the myth surrounding the “salmon boy.”

The cover picture for Unit 4, “The Fight for Freedom,” shows a group of African American men in army uniform. The image is black and white on a yellow background. In the student edition, for “Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad” by Ann Petry, the visual design is neither distracting nor chaotic. The title is written in big, bold white font against a blue background on top of the page, providing immediate visibility. Below the title is a photo of Harriet Tubman. A beige band contains the author’s information and headshot. These activities also provide some digital response boxes and charts to support student learning. 

Unit 5, the excerpt from It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens by Danah Boyd and “Outsmart Your Smartphone” by Catherine Steiner-Adair include a photo of an unhappy teenage girl staring at a cell phone with a choice of emojis. The next image shows five teenagers looking at electronic devices and emojis; this is followed by an illustration of a classroom blackboard with “No Cellphones” written on it. The last photo is one of a frustrated mom looking at her daughter on her cellphone. 

Evaluation for 6.5
If present, technology components included are appropriate for grade level students and provide support for learning.

The technology components included are appropriate for grade level students and provide support for learning.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

This overview provides opportunities for teachers to see the full range of resources included in the Into Literature product, the formats in which they are available, and where to find them online in HMH Ed. Guidance is provided to students and teachers with the modules found on each grade level’s main page. Some examples of these modules are: Bridge and Grow; The Studios: Reading, Writing, Grammar, Speaking and Listening, Vocabulary; Editable Lesson Plans; Intervention, Review, and Extension; Digital Graphic Organizers; Remote Teaching Quickstart, among other digital resources. The teacher and student editions promote and enhance student participation through the interactive activities and digital response components embedded in the lessons. Students are given opportunities throughout lessons to type in or select answers and get immediate feedback.

The technological design of the platform is uniform across the lessons, units, and grade levels, thereby giving students the same routine to navigate (e.g., CFU questions in digital boxes, clickable glossary items, embedded “Notice and Note” response boxes in the text, charts, and diagrams). An “i” symbol in the margins provides more information for bits of text (examples include a word list to choose for fill-in-the-blank answers). Students easily navigate page to page with a side arrow and click on underlined words to view glossary entries. 

In the Notice and Note sections, students jot their thinking for various tasks and questions. Information that might need more explanation includes a blue hyperlink that navigates students to supplementary materials (such as Writing Studio) for further teaching and examples. At the top of each page is a “note” section that includes a sidebar for students to annotate their thoughts. The option to print notes is a feature offered by the materials. 

Each unit consists of texts that offer an electronic audio version and a “Read-Along Highlight.” This helps students listen to the text at their own pace and better grasp the English pronunciation. The publisher offers both a hard copy and an electronic copy of the text Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, by Frederick Douglass in Unit 4. There is a microphone icon labeled “Play Audio”; when the students click on it, they can listen to the text and follow along. If the students choose, they can also use another feature, “Read Along with Highlight,” to annotate important ideas. Next to the microphone/Play Audio icon, another icon, “Note,” guides teachers while reading and analyzing the text.