myPerspectives Texas English Language Arts - Grade 8

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

The materials include high-quality texts for ELAR instruction, which represent the quality of content, language, and writing produced by experts in various disciplines. The texts cover a range of student interests and include increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and multiculturally diverse texts. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Unit 1 contains the two paired contemporary poems: “Bird” by British poet Liz Berry and “Ode to Teachers” by American poet Pat Mora. The unit also contains the traditional epic poem The Songs of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The poem’s language reflects its time in the mid-1800s and Longfellow’s linguistic passion. The materials provide increasingly complex thematic units. For example, this opening unit contains text selections about the accessible theme of Rites of Passage. It features explicitly-tied texts such as the realistic short story “The Medicine Bag” by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve. In this story, the young protagonist struggles when his grandfather comes to live with his family because he is worried his friends will not be impressed by his grandfather, who does not look like the stereotypical Native American. 

Unit 2 includes a wide range of texts that cover a variety of student interests, including a highly engaging informational article, “The Grand Mosque of Paris,” about how Muslims in Paris helped to save Jewish children from Nazis; an excerpt from the graphic novel Maus by Art Spiegelman; a rich infographic “Frank Family and World War II Timeline”; and holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel’s “Acceptance Speech for the Nobel Peace Prize.” 

Unit 3 includes selections thematically linked to What Matters, and while still an accessible theme, the texts are less familiar structures since the unit includes more nonfiction and persuasive texts. In the historical, persuasive speech “Words Do Not Pay,” Chief Joseph protests unkept promises and highlights the United States government’s deception toward Native Americans. All of the selections beg the question, “When is it right to take a stand?” which requires students to struggle with the nuances of public protest and inner conflict as well as conflict with society. 

Unit 4 includes the famous science-fiction text Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes and a media presentation of The Theory of Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner. 

Unit 5 includes the multiculturally diverse text “Uncle Marcos” from The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, translated by Magda Bogen, and the historical essay “To Fly” from Space Chronicles by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, an expert in the field of astrophysics. The unit also includes an excerpt from the classical text The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. This final unit culminates with texts linked to the theme of Pushing Boundaries and the essential question, “Why are inventions necessary?” This unit offers several historical fictions juxtaposed with technology features. It also includes the classic Greek myth “Icarus and Daedalus,” retold by Josephine Preston Peabody. This unit asks students to trace the concept of technology across time and cultures and find connections across genres and texts, making the reading more complex and challenging.

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 various text types and genres across content that meet the TEKS requirements. The materials also include print and graphic features of a variety of texts.

Examples of literary texts include but are not limited to:

• Excerpt from The Song of Hiawatha by Henry W. Longfellow (epic poem)
• The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett (drama)
• Excerpt from Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (diary)
• Excerpt from Maus by Art Spiegelman (graphic novel)
• “The Horned Toad” by Gerald Haslam (realistic fiction)
• “Briar Rose” by The Brothers Grimm (fantasy: fairy tale)
• Excerpt from Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges (memoir)
• Excerpt from Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry (biography)
• Excerpt from The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt (historical fiction)
• “Icarus and Daedalus” retold by Josephine Preston Peabody (myth)
• Excerpt from The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (science fiction)

Examples of informational texts include but are not limited to:

• Excerpt from “Acceptance Speech for the Nobel Peace Prize” by Elie Wiesel (speech)
• “Saving the Children” by Bob Simon (television transcript)
• “Quiet Resistance” by Ann Byers (historical article)
• “Words Do Not Pay” by Chief Joseph (persuasive speech)
• “The Bystander Effect: Why You Don’t Stand Up When You Should” by Courtney Lindstrand (advice column)
• “Three Cheers for the Nanny State” by Sarah Conly (argumentative essay)
• “Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important for Teens?” by Divya Parekh (blog)
• “To Fly” from Space Chronicles by Neil deGrasse Tyson (historical essay)
• “Nikola Tesla: The Greatest Inventor of All?” by Vicky Baez (nonfiction/ biographical profile)
• “Words Do Not Pay” by Chief Joseph (persuasive speech)

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

Unit 1 includes the multimodal media piece “Apache Girl’s Rite of Passage,” a short video detailing an Apache rite of passage, and a short video entitled “Stories of Zimbabwean Women.”

Unit 2 contains accompanying photos, illustrations, and graphics that support the core texts and student understanding. Additionally, the unit includes an illustrated timeline: “Frank Family and World War II Timeline.” This selection gives an overview of events in World War II and their effects on the Frank Family. It includes black and white historic photos and descriptions of the chronological events taking place. 

Unit 4 provides an infographic detailing “The Theory of Multiple Intelligences” by Howard Gardner.

Unit 5, with its focus on technology and inventions, features photos, graphics, and illustrations that promote students’ understanding of the texts. The unit contains a black and white photo of the Wright Brothers flying the first plane to accompany the text, “To Fly” by Neil deGrasse Tyson. The unit also contains a black and white photo of Nikola Tesla’s lab with his magnifying transmitter creating 23-foot electrical arcs to accompany the text, “Nikola Tesla: The Greatest Inventor of All?” by Vicky Baez.

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 appropriately challenging and are at an appropriate level of complexity to support students at their grade level. The publisher provides a text-complexity analysis showing the texts are at the appropriate quantitative levels and qualitative features for the grade level.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The publisher includes a text-complexity analysis at the beginning of each text throughout the materials. The analysis includes quantitative measures: Lexile level and text length. According to the “Text Complexity Rubric,” the analysis also includes qualitative measures in the following areas: Content Knowledge Demands, Text and Sentence Structure, Language Conventions and Vocabulary, and Ideas and Meaning. Each area is ranked from 1–5, with one being the least complex and five being the most complex. Each area also includes a rationale for the text’s qualitative ranking. While the Lexile levels increase as the units progress, the materials provide a range in each unit that allows for various proficiency levels. Because of the diverse Lexile levels, text lengths, and qualitative complexities, the materials are appropriate for all learners in grade 8. 

In Unit 2, “The Diary of Anne Frank, Act 1,” by the playwrights Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett is an example of an appropriately challenging text. It is at an appropriate level of complexity for grade 8 students. The text has a Lexile of NP (non-prose); however, significant additional text complexity analyses demonstrate that this text is appropriate in complexity and appropriately challenging. The text length is 16,792 words. Qualitative measures include a score of three for Content Knowledge Demands because it requires background knowledge of Nazi occupation and the Holocaust. This text scores a two for Language Conventions and Vocabulary because of the use of concrete and descriptive language and first-person point of view, and conversational dialogue. 

Unit 3 includes a wide range of grade-level texts with Lexile levels ranging from 740–1180. For example, The Scholarship Jacket by Marta Salinas is 740L, “The Horned Toad” by Gerald Haslam is 980L, and “Three Cheers for the Nanny State” by Sarah Conly is 1180L. “The Horned Toad” measures a score of four for Text and Sentence Structure because of the use of an unnamed narrator, flashbacks, and dialogue that propels the action.

Unit 4 contains the blog/argument selection “Why is Emotional Intelligence Important for Teens?” by Divya Parekh with a Lexile level of 1120L and a Text Length of 522 words. The qualitative measures on the Text Complexity Rubric range from one to three. The Content Knowledge Demands score a two because the article requires no specialized knowledge beyond a general understanding of emotional awareness. The Text and Sentence Structure measure rates a one because the structure is straightforward and easy to follow. The Language Conventions and Clarity measure earns a three because language is straightforward, clear, somewhat conversational, and includes some clinical terminology. Additionally, the Ideas and Meaning segment rates a three because the concepts are clear, their importance is relevant, and the concept of emotional intelligence impacting future success is somewhat complex.

In Unit 5, the Lexile levels range from 630L to 1420L. The text “To Fly” by Neil deGrasse Tyson has a Lexile level of 1220L with a Text Length of 2,084 words. Regarding qualitative measures, the complexity analysis describes the Content Knowledge Demands: “The text explores the detailed history of flight. Many references will be unfamiliar; an explanation is provided for only some of the complex ideas.” The Text and Sentence Structure description is: “Information in the selection is logically organized, but connections between ideas are not always explicit. The syntax includes many complex sentences that have several subordinate clauses or phrases.” The Language Conventions and Vocabulary are: “The selection frequently includes above-level vocabulary as well as technical and scientific terminology.” The Ideas and Meaning is: “The main idea is revealed early, but the concept may be hard for some to grasp because of sophisticated language and supporting concepts that are complex.”

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, topics, themes, and connections within and across texts. Most questions and tasks build conceptual knowledge, are text-specific/dependent, target complex elements of the texts, and integrate multiple TEKS. The questions and tasks require students to make connections to personal experiences, other texts, and the world around them and identify and discuss important big ideas, themes, and details.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, students learn about character and conflict before reading the adventure story “The Banana Tree” by James Berry. For practice, students read a provided section of the story and answer questions related to the character, conflict, and events. For example: “What is one external conflict? What is one internal conflict? What is one of Dasha’s motivations? Choose the resolution that is most logical given Dasha’s behavior and motivations. Explain your choice. (A. Dasha leaves Ada in the woods and returns for her the next morning. B. Dasha sits and waits till dawn while Ada sleeps.)” After reading the story, the students make personal connections as they answer the question, “Do you sympathize with Gustus in this story? Why or why not?” Students also make inferences and connections as they respond to: “When the Bass family is gathered during the storm, why does Gustus sit ‘farthest from his father’? Cite text evidence that supports your inference. What events from before the storm help to explain Gustus’s behavior?” 

Unit 2 contains the media graphic novel excerpt from Maus by Art Spiegelman that poses the essential question, “What can we learn from the past?” In the “Comprehension Strategy” section, students make personal connections as they annotate while reading in response to the following questions: “What do I already know from reading other texts?” and “How is this text similar to and different from those I have read before?” 

Unit 3 contains questions and tasks indicated as “Cross-Curricular Perspectives” that provide an opportunity for students to make connections from the text to prior knowledge gained in other academic content courses. For example, while reading “The Horned Toad” by Gerald Haslam, the Teacher Edition includes discussion questions for students to make connections from the reading to social studies. Tasks include using an atlas to research the setting, considering the setting’s importance, and making connections within the text. 

In Unit 4, students read and compare two genres: “Nikola Tesla: The Greatest Inventor of All,” a non-fiction biographical profile by Vicky Baez, and an excerpt from The Invention of Everything Else, a historical fiction novel by Samantha Hunt. After reading both selections, students write a compare-and-contrast essay to show the similarities and differences between Nikola Tesla’s portrayal in the two selections. Because this is a “Timed Writing” activity, the materials remind teachers that “Students should write brief comparison-and-contrast essays that explain how reading Hunt’s historical fiction changes readers’ understanding of Tesla as presented in Baez’s biographical profile.” The materials also ask text-specific, multiple-choice questions and short-answer questions that require students to compare and contrast the details and themes from the two selections. For example, one multiple-choice question asks how the two selections’ structure compares. One short-answer question asks, “Considering what you learned from both texts, do you think Tesla received the credit and attention he deserves? Explain, citing details from both works.”

In Unit 5, students read “To Fly” by Neil deGrasse Tyson. As they begin reading, students stop to summarize paragraph 1. After reading, students make a personal connection by explaining how their feelings about human flight changed while reading the selection. Then the “Comprehension Questions” ask students the following text-specific questions: “According to Tyson, what idea occupied human fantasies for millennia? What two ideas did people once think were impossible, even though they do not defy physics laws? In Tyson’s opinion, what is the greatest achievement of human flight?” 

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 and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts. Questions and tasks support students’ analysis of texts’ literary and textual elements by asking students to explore the author’s purpose, choices, and language in various ways.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, students read “The Medicine Bag” by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and perform a “Close Read.” During the Close Read activities, students study the author’s language and choices, analyze the text’s literary elements, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose and how the author's choices communicate meaning. For example, students mark details in paragraphs that show how the narrator and Cheryl each greet Grandpa. Then they analyze why their greetings are different. The students conclude what the author demonstrates as the difference between Martin and his sister based on how they greet Grandpa. Later, students note the author’s language that shows the difficulty of Grandpa’s journey. The materials ask students why the author provides so much detail about the journey. Students analyze what they can conclude about Grandpa based on the journey. In some paragraphs, students mark details that describe a character’s actions. They analyze what the actions suggest about the character. The text asks students, “Why does the author choose to have readers learn more about Grandpa at the same time Martin does?” Students also read the adventure story “The Banana Tree” by James Berry. After reading the story, the teacher teaches students about a specific type of figurative language—personification—that gives human traits to a nonhuman subject. In “The Banana Tree,” the author uses personification to portray the storm as a vicious, deranged person, and this use of language heightens the story’s mood. For practice, students complete a chart where they read an identified paragraph and list the personification examples included in those paragraphs. The teacher then asks, “What purposes does personification serve in this story? For example, how does it add to the story’s mood? What other effects does it have?”

In Unit 2, students read the excerpt from Acceptance Speech for the Nobel Peace Prize by Elie Wiesel and focus on rhetorical devices. In the “Genre/Text Elements” section, the teacher explains why speakers use rhetorical devices and how they evoke dramatic effects from the audience. In the pre-reading practice, students work in a group to analyze the question “Which of the following questions is rhetorical and what purpose would the rhetorical question serve if used in a speech? Explain.”

In Unit 3, students read “The Horned Toad” by Gerald Haslam. In paragraphs 2–4, students mark the Spanish words and their English translations. Then they analyze why the author uses Spanish expressions in an English-language text. The students conclude that what both languages use tells the reader about the setting and characters. 

In Unit 5, students read a “Mentor Text,” the fictional short story “One Weekend in the Real World” by S.G. Nealon. All units begin with a Mentor Text that supports the unit’s common theme to build background knowledge and provide students with a model for their writing later in the unit. As the students read, the teacher reminds them to notice the structure and the plot, characters, setting, and conflict of the genre. Students write their own story of an imaginary invention with unexpected consequences during the Whole-Group Performance Task. The materials refer back to the Mentor Text as students write their drafts and ask students to mark details that grab their attention, analyzing how the descriptions make the text more interesting and realistic. Additionally, during revising, the materials provide an excerpt of the Mentor Text and ask students to analyze specific choices made by the author: “Why do you think the writer replaced a statement with dialogue? How does this revision make the scene more vivid?” Additionally, students read an excerpt from “Uncle Marcos” from The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende translated by Magda Bogin and conduct a Close Read. Questions include, “Why does the author use these descriptive details?” and, “Why does the author include these contrasting elements?” After reading, students compose a personal narrative and apply their knowledge of literary analysis and author’s craft to their work through questions such as, “Think about the choices you made as you wrote. Also, consider what you learned by writing. How did writing this narrative help you better appreciate magical realist style?”

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 plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary in and across texts, including ways to apply words in appropriate contexts and differentiated vocabulary development for all learners.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The research behind the materials supports “generative vocabulary,” acknowledging that there are too many English words to teach vocabulary in isolation or within word lists without additional instruction. So it presents academic and concept vocabulary with an emphasis on teaching morphemes (roots, suffixes, prefixes), dictionary skills, and vocabulary strategies (e.g., context clues) throughout the units. Each unit begins with introducing five academic vocabulary words common to the specific genre highlighted in that unit. When materials introduce academic vocabulary words at the beginning of each unit, students first study each word and its origin and word parts (i.e., root words). Then students read two mentor sentences for each vocabulary word to study the words in context. Then with a partner, students read each word with their mentor sentences out loud and determine the meaning and usage of each word, using a dictionary if necessary and recording responses in the chart in their textbook. Finally, students list at least two related words for each vocabulary word. In addition, each text within the unit contains “Concept Vocabulary” instruction. The materials introduce the Concept Vocabulary words before text selections. The students engage in a brief vocabulary strategy activity, such as rating their vocabulary knowledge, studying how to employ context clues to determine word meaning, and practicing dictionary skills. As students read the text, the materials provide the definitions of the Concept Vocabulary so students can see the word meaning in and out of context. As well as definitions, the materials often offer vocabulary tips, techniques, strategies, and activities throughout the texts. After reading the text selection, the students participate in various Concept Vocabulary activities that include language study and word study. The materials also provide selection assessments that include questions that check for understanding of the Concept Vocabulary. Students individualize and differentiate their vocabulary learning and development through “Word Networks.” Each unit contains a word network or graphic organizer/concept map with the unit’s thematic topic written in the middle. Students fill out the word network by adding words they feel are related to the topic as they read the texts throughout the unit. 

In Unit 1, the academic vocabulary relates to nonfiction narrative and includes the words attribute, gratifying, persistent, induce, and inspire and each word’s Latin root -trib-, -grat-, -sist-, -duc-, and -spir-. Students practice building knowledge of these words by completing a chart that provides each word and two mentor sentences. First, students read aloud each word, its root, and the mentor sentences. Then, the students determine the meaning and usage of each word using the mentor sentences and a dictionary, if needed. Lastly, students list at least two related words for each word. As students prepare to read the adventure story “The Banana Tree” by James Berry, there is a segment called Vocabulary Development (color-coded in blue) that focuses on content-area vocabulary. In this segment, the teacher explores, with students, the word families (e.g., adventure-adventurous-adventurer-misadventure, exciting-excitement-excitable-unexcited) of the given genre-related vocabulary words: adventure, exciting, danger, suspense, events, conflict. The teacher then invites students to name each word’s part of speech and use the word in a sentence to describe familiar adventure stories from literature or films.

Unit 2 provides scaffolds and supports for teachers to differentiate vocabulary for all learners. Examples include specified differentiated instruction for English learners who use Spanish cognates for academic terms. Additional opportunities for scaffolding include differentiated vocabulary instruction for on-level students. As students read the drama Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, students analyze the Latin prefix. On-level scaffolds support students in using context clues to understand words such as intolerable and insufferable. 

In Unit 3, students read “The Horned Toad” by Gerald Haslam. Before reading, the teacher has students explore word families for the genre-related words: realistic, characters, conflict, theme, plot, insight. Students name each word’s part of speech and use it in a sentence to describe a text or other work. There is a Vocabulary Development segment (color-coded in blue) that focuses on Content-Area Vocabulary during the Peer-Group Learning segment. In this segment, the teacher explores, with students, the word families (e.g., realistic-realism-really-unreal, characters-characteristics-characterize-uncharacteristic) of the given genre-related vocabulary words: realistic, characters, conflict, theme, plot, insight. The teacher then invites students to name each word’s part of speech and use the word in a sentence to describe a text or other work. After reading the story, the teacher engages students in concept vocabulary development with words related to productiveness or fruitfulness concepts. The teacher begins by explaining the two meanings of the word fruitfulness. 

The Unit 4 introduction includes a goal-setting chart for students to identify goals, including, “I can understand and use academic vocabulary words related to research.” Students rate themselves before and after completing the unit using a scale of 1–5 (1=not well at all, 5=extremely well). Additionally, this unit provides a plan to build thematic vocabulary across the unit through the webbing activity “Word Network for Human Intelligence.” Students identify interesting words related to human intelligence as they read through each unit’s text. 

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 clearly defined plan to support and hold students accountable as they engage in independent reading. The procedures and protocols, along with support for teachers, foster independent reading by providing a plan for students to self-select texts and read independently for a sustained period and planning and accountability for achieving independent reading goals.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In the introduction to each unit, there is a section titled “Unit Goals.” One goal is “I can read a selection of my choice independently and make meaningful connections to other texts.” Before beginning the unit, students rate each statement from 1–5 (1 being “Not at all well” to 5 being “Extremely well”) on how well they meet the goal. After completing the unit, they return to their goals, reflect on their growth, and rate themselves again. This goal setting includes a statement for independent reading. 

The materials provide support for students to self-select texts and read independently. Students read independently and collect evidence about the unit’s essential theme during each unit’s last section. The teacher encourages students to think about what they have already learned about the unit’s theme and what else they would like to know. Students establish a purpose for their reading, describing three common purposes: read to learn, read to enjoy, read to form a position. The materials then provide a video of independent learning strategies and a chart that lists learning strategies. The materials state: “Throughout your life, in school, in your community, and your career, you will need to rely on yourself to learn and work on your own. Use these strategies to keep your focus as you read independently for sustained periods of time.” Categories for strategies include creating a schedule, taking notes, and reading with a purpose. The materials list some ideas for them, and students can add their ideas under these categories. Teachers advise students to scan and preview the selections they would like to read. Teachers may use the texts’ summaries, insights, and the provided text complexity analyses to make suggestions for students’ choices.

Book Club is a flexible component of the materials. The Teacher Guide provides an overview of two book club suggestions for each unit and a list of additional novels that align with each unit’s theme. Within the overview of the two book club selections for each unit, the Teacher Guide provides the book’s Lexile level, a summary of the selection, and a connection to the unit’s essential connection. It links the book club title with the unit’s main text selections. The materials also provide teacher resources for launching the book club, reviews of author and background information, reading comprehension strategies, and TEKS-aligned questions and projects. The bottom of each Book Club page has a section on Flexible Pacing and Implementation that outlines how to use Book Club as a supplement to the unit, a substitute for Unit selections, or an Independent Learning extension. It provides the recommended pacing for each option.

The materials provide audio, interactive digital texts, and an assessment for each independent learning selection. They provide procedures, routines, and protocols for students to learn independently and then share their learning with their classmates. While reading, students annotate their selections. Afterward, they fill out a “Close-Read Guide” that helps them analyze their selection. The close read tasks ask students to record the title, purpose for reading, and minutes read. It directs students to look at the sections they found interesting to see what they can conclude. It also asks students to “Think about the author’s choices of literary elements, techniques, and structures. Select one and record your thoughts.” Another question asks them to describe their interaction with the digital text and how it affected their reading experience. The guide contains a section for students to perform a Quick Write with the following prompt: “Choose a paragraph from the text that grabbed your interest. Explain the power of this passage.” Additionally, students share their independent learning with classmates after reading.

In Unit 1, the Independent Learning section includes the following: “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou, “Quinceanera Birthday Bash Preserves Tradition, Marks Passage to Womanhood” by Natalie St John, “The Winter Hibiscus” by Mingfong Ho, and “Childhood and Poetry” by Pablo Neruda.

Unit 4 smoothly integrates the novels A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass and The Maze Runner by James Dashner. The Teacher Guide provides flexible pacing and implementation. If teachers use it to supplement the unit, students read at home for 20 to 30 minutes per day or seven to eight pages per day. Teachers who substitute the novel integration for unit selections ask students to read one chapter per day. Finally, if the teacher is extending Independent Learning, students have to read three chapters per day. 

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 across multiple text types for a variety of purposes and audiences. The materials provide students with opportunities to write literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or imagined people, events, and ideas; informational texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes; argumentative texts to influence the attitudes or actions of a specific audience on specific issues; and correspondence in a professional or friendly structure.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The digital platform provides “Reading and Writing Skills Videos” for multiple genres, including argument, informational, personal narrative, research, and short story writing. These video collections show students the different modes of writing and specific elements and skills that correlate with those modes. For example, the Argumentative Essay collection contains eight videos: Argumentative Essay, Counterclaim and Rebuttal, Structure Including Counterclaim and Rebuttal, Logical Organization, Commas with Nonrestrictive Elements, Rhetorical Devices and Logical Fallacies, Logical Fallacy Overgeneralization, and Logical Fallacy Single Cause. Each video is a few minutes in length, and teachers can show them to the class at once or assign them to students individually on the digital platform. 

In Unit 1, students write a personal narrative about a real event. Students respond to the prompt, “What event changed your understanding of yourself or that of someone you know?” Prewriting tasks include determining audience, purpose, narrative characteristics, and narrative structure and completing a three-minute “free write” using provided strategies as support if needed. Strategies include, “imagine flipping through a photo album. Then, write about a moment that stands out in your mind.” Students draft, revise, edit, publish, and present their writing. 

In Unit 2, students write correspondence in a professional structure. Students choose one of two prompts and compose a formal letter in response. The prompt choices are, “Write a letter to community or state leaders proposing the creation of a memorial to Anne Frank” and “Write a letter to your school’s administrators arguing that Anne's diary should be part of the curriculum.” Students use a chart to plan for a professional letter’s specific elements: heading, recipient’s address, salutation, body, and closing. Students compose their correspondence with their intended audience in mind and include compelling evidence to support their claim. 

In Unit 3, students read about challenging situations and how people and characters responded to them. Students apply what they learned and write an argumentative essay in which they defend a claim in response to the essential question: “When is it right to take a stand?” Students review the essential question notes and their quick write from the beginning of the unit to analyze whether their position has changed. Additionally, students write an editorial that answers the question: “What social or community problem do you think needs greater attention?” The teacher enriches students’ understanding of editorials by having them pair up and reread the Mentor Text “Freedom of the Press?” Then, the teacher walks the students through the elements of an editorial. The teacher tells the students to base their essays on their observations and experiences, and if they need additional information, do some brief research. The teacher reminds students to define the problem, explain why it should get more attention, and include an editorial element in their writing.

In Unit 4, students read texts aligned to the Essential Question of “How do we know what we know?” Students write a formal research paper about an invention or discovery that illustrated the human mind’s power and changed the world. They must synthesize information to create an informative essay, including research elements. The materials describe the purpose, characteristics, and structure of research writing. Students take a closer look into the assignment in their digital notebooks by answering questions about audience, purpose, and types of sources. The materials provide sample research questions, give instructions on gathering information, develop a plan, refine the research question, and identify and evaluate the types of sources they can use. Teachers circulate the room and have Quick Conferences with students, asking them questions such as, “What types of sources will you consult?”

In Unit 5, students read the Greek myth “Icarus and Daedalus,” retold by Josephine Preston Peabody. After reading, students write a letter of complaint about the poor quality of the waxwings Daedalus created in the story. Students choose to write from one of two perspectives: a local shopkeeper’s perspective who sells Daedalus-branded wings and is not satisfied with their quality and lack of warning labels or the ship’s captain who rescues Icarus and is complaining to Daedalus about the trouble caused by the wings. Students use a formal tone and a business letter’s features, concluding with a specific request or recommendation to solve the problem. The teacher facilitates a discussion about complaint letters and when they might be used and reviews parts of a business letter with students. 

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 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 provide opportunities for students to use evidence from texts to support their opinions and claims and demonstrate in writing what they have learned through reading and listening to texts.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide consistent opportunities for students to use clear and concise information and well-defended text-supported claims as they fill out their Essential Question (EQ) Notes throughout each unit. The EQ Notes ask students to record their ideas and observations about the texts and their related theme in each unit based on their observations while reading. The materials provide a chart for their EQ notes divided into three columns: “Title, My Ideas/Observations, Text Evidence.” Students take notes as they read and after reading. At the end of each text, the materials remind students to complete their EQ notes and provide a question to help them focus on the text’s essential theme.

In Unit 2, the text selections focus on the Essential Question “What can we learn from the past?” Students read several selections about the Holocaust from varying perspectives and write a critical review with the following prompt: “Write an informational essay in which you explain how the selections in this unit help you answer the Essential Question: What can we learn from the past?” Students must return to the texts and review and evaluate evidence. The materials provide an evidence collection graphic organizer and a writing checklist to ensure students include elements such as a strong thesis and supporting evidence from the texts. 

In Unit 3, students demonstrate, in writing, what they have learned through reading. Students read multiple texts based on the theme of the Essential Question “When is it right to take a stand?” Then, students compose an editorial to answer the question, “What social or community problem do you think needs greater attention?” Students use evidence from multiple texts to support their editorial opinion. 

In Unit 4, students read “A Computer in Your Head?” by Eric H. Chudler, Ph.D. After reading, students write an informal letter to the author in which they explain whether or not they found his explanation and use of the brain/computer analogy helpful and why. Materials direct students to provide examples from the text to support their opinion, ensuring that students are demonstrating their learning from the text. 

In Unit 5, students explore texts related to the Essential Question, “Why are inventions necessary?” After reading “Uncle Marcos” by Isabel Allende, students respond to the prompt, “What have you learned about pushing boundaries from reading this work of magic realism? Go to your Essential Question Notes and record your observations and thoughts about ‘Uncle Marcos.’” After reading the essay “To Fly” by Neil deGrasse Tyson, students have the opportunity to use evidence from the text to support claims from questions such as, “What is the author’s attitude toward the achievements he describes? Cite text evidence that supports your inference.” Other opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned through writing include responding to the prompt, “Identify one significant event described by the author that would distort the history of human flight if it were omitted from this essay. Explain your choice.”

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.

Over the year, composition convention skills are applied in increasingly complex contexts, with opportunities for students to publish their writing. The materials facilitate students’ coherent use of the writing process elements to compose multiple texts and provide opportunities for practice and application of academic language conventions when speaking and writing, including punctuation and grammar. These are taught systematically, both in and out of context. The materials provide editing practice in students’ own writing as the year continues.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In every unit, students practice the writing process in its entirety during their Whole-Group Learning Performance Task and at the end of each unit during their Performance-Based Assessment. 

In Unit 1, students write a nonfiction narrative in response to the Essential Question: “What are some challenges of growing up?” Students plan by reviewing their EQ notes. Students compose a draft and include academic vocabulary words from the unit such as attribute, gratifying, persistent, induce, and inspire. Students review and edit their work by referring to the Nonfiction Narrative Checklist, which includes items such as, “My nonfiction narrative clearly contains correct use of standard English conventions, including proper pronoun-antecedent agreement and consistent verb tenses.”

In Unit 2, Performance-based Assessment, students write an informational essay explaining how the selections help them answer the Essential Question: “What can we learn from the past?” After reviewing their essential question notes, students analyze if their ideas have changed. Students plan by reading the checklist and make sure they understand all of the items. Students develop a structured and coherent draft, occasionally pausing to make sure that they are meeting the checklist’s requirements. Once students have completed planning and drafting, they review and edit their first draft. 

In Unit 3, students read texts aligned to the Essential Question of “Is technology helpful or harmful to society?” As their Performance Task after the Whole-Group Learning segment, students write an editorial where they take a position on a social or community problem they think needs greater attention. They must support their position with evidence from the texts, their background knowledge, or brief research. The materials describe the purpose, characteristics, and structure of an editorial. Teachers direct partners to reread the Mentor Text for the unit and use it as an editorial model. Students take a closer look into the assignment in their digital notebooks by answering questions about audience, purpose, and types of evidence. The materials provide instructions for Freewriting during the planning phase of drafting. Differentiated instruction scaffolds learning for students who may have trouble getting started by providing a chart to generate ideas. Another planning page provides a structure for students to organize their ideas under headings such as “Collect Your Ideas,” “Write a Claim,” and “Plan a Structure.” After planning, students prepare to write their first draft by looking back at the Mentor Text and “reading like a writer,” specifically looking at how the writer emphasized the topic’s importance and clearly defines the problem. After drafting their essays, students revise for clarity, development, organization, style, and tone. The materials provide explicit instruction on topic sentences, varied evidence, and using numerical data. The teacher reminds students that the purpose of revising is to strengthen their essay, and the teacher discusses the Mentor Text again and specific choices that the writer made during their revisions. A revision guide helps students self-check their work. Questions such as “Does my introduction engage readers?” ask students to reflect on their essay. However, the revision guide also provides suggestions for fixing this problem, such as, “Add a question, anecdote, quotation, or striking fact to interest your audience.” Students specifically focus on the grade-level editing skills of using colons and semicolons and capitalizing proper nouns during editing. Students practice these skills with example sentences and then edit their own essays to apply the skills learned. After editing, students publish and present their essays. Directions task students to share their essay with their class or school community in one of the following ways: 1. Post it to a class or school blog or website and invite comments. 2. Pair with two or three classmates with varying editorials and share in a panel discussion about the topics, taking turns presenting and allowing for questions from the audience. 

In Unit 4, the science feature passage “Gut Math” provides students with a conventions lesson on parentheses, much like the other convention practices across units. Students work independently to locate the examples of parentheses in paragraph six and the second paragraph of the sidebar. Students then work independently to correctly insert parentheses in the three numbered items provided in the “Write It” section. Then, students share their responses. 

In Unit 5, students write a short story for their Whole Group Learning Performance Task. During the editing process, students learn about the subject-verb agreement with prepositional phrases. The editing practice is related to the Mentor Text and provides example sentences of incorrect and correct subject-verb agreement. Teachers walk students through the examples and instruction. Students practice editing four sentences, identifying the prepositional phrase, and correcting the subject-verb agreement. Teachers perform editing Quick Conferences and ask students to apply this skill while editing their short stories. 

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 through opportunities that focus on the text(s) being studied in class, allowing the demonstration of comprehension. Most oral tasks require students to use clear and concise information and well-defended, text-supported claims to demonstrate knowledge gained through analysis and synthesis of texts.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In Unit 1, students watch and listen to the video, “Dear Graduates—A Message From Kid President,” and demonstrate comprehension through a discussion on rites of passage. Students identify why graduation is a rite of passage and support their claim using evidence from the video. 

In Unit 2, in the Introduction, students watch a video titled “The Holocaust.” Students discuss the following question: “How might the Nazis’ treatment of European Jews have affected other groups of people?” Students write their responses after watching the video and before sharing their ideas orally. Students participate in a Close Read activity after reading an excerpt from The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Students work in groups to discuss specific passages and use text evidence to support their responses. For example, the activity begins with the group members discussing the speaker's invitation to the reader: “Who is the speaker calling to hear these songs, and why?” Groups also discuss the repetition of Hiawatha’s and Mudjekeewis’s heart being “like living coal.”

In Unit 3, after reading “The Bystander Effect” by Courtney Lindstrand, students respond to several Analysis and Discussion questions requiring them to interpret, analyze, speculate, and synthesize. The first question is an interpretation question that asks, “What does the writer mean by saying that bullying is everyone's problem? What evidence does she use to support this statement?” The second question requires analysis and speculation when it asks, “In paragraph 4, what does the author mean by ‘the abuse cycle’? What could happen if an abuse cycle is allowed to continue? Explain.” The third question is a synthesis question that asks, “What balance does the author recommend between standing up for others and protecting oneself? Explain, citing specific details from the column that support your thinking.” Each question and task that students discuss requires students to use critical thinking skills while analyzing the previously read text. Later, in the Close Read section, students share the passages from the text that they found particularly interesting, discussing what they noticed, what questions they still have, and the conclusions they have reached. In these oral discussions, students use text evidence to support their responses. As students share various pieces of text evidence and learning, students synthesize this information to develop their perspective further. The teacher monitors students’ responses to make sure they rely on text evidence to support their points. 

In Unit 4, after reading the reference material “Two Entries from an Encyclopedia of Logic,” students respond to several Analysis and Discussion questions requiring them to analyze, contrast, connect, deduce, and prepare for Close Reading activities. The first question asks, “What is the connection between politicians jumping on bandwagons and a bandwagon appeal?” The second question asks, “How is ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ the opposite of critical thinking?” The third question asks students to choose an example of a bandwagon appeal and two examples of circular reasoning from the text, and then explain why each one illustrates the fallacy. Students also deduce why they think people use fallacies and their purposes for using them. 

In Unit 5, after reading “Uncle Marcos” by Isabel Allende, students participate in a panel discussion in which they express their views on the character of Uncle Marcos. Teachers instruct students to “advocate, or explain and defend, your position.” They take notes from the text to draft their opinions and then use their text-dependent notes to discuss their positions and exchange ideas.

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 discussions in formal and informal settings. The materials provide guidance and practice with grade-level protocols for discussion to express their own thinking and opportunities for students to give organized presentations or performances and speak clearly and concisely using language conventions.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

In the “Peer-Group Learning” section of every unit, students work in small groups. Before reading the texts, student groups follow a routine that includes taking a position on a thematic question, listing rules for their group, applying the rules as they discuss their ideas, naming their group, and creating a communication plan. Teachers circulate and remind students to communicate politely. Materials encourage teachers to post the “Accountable Talk” suggestions. These suggestions remind students to ask clarifying questions, explain their thinking, and build on others’ ideas. Materials provide suggested sentence stems and phrases for students to use, such as, “Can you please repeat what you said” and “I think you said.... Did I understand you correctly?” 

The digital platform provides six extra digital lessons for speaking and listening: Conversations and Discussions — Level 1, Conversations and Discussions — Level 2, Evaluating Presentations — Level 1, Evaluating Presentations — Level 2, Giving a Presentation — Level 1, Giving a Presentation — Level 2. Each digital lesson provides instruction on listening and speaking skills and practice questions to check for student understanding. 

In Unit 1, students write and publish a personal narrative. Afterward, they choose one of two options for giving an organized presentation. Option one requires them to record their narrative as a podcast and share it with the class or entire school. Option 2 requires them to present their narrative as part of a panel presentation. Students work together to create an introduction that explains their panel’s theme. After presentations, students allow the audience to ask questions.

In Unit 2, students read from the play The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett and work with a partner to deliver a dramatic reading of a scene from the play. Students work together to select a scene, analyze the scene, practice, rehearse, and perform. The materials provide guidance on how to give a dramatic reading such as “use your voice as well as gestures and movements to capture the characters’ unique personalities.” The “Presentation Evaluation Guide” allows students to reflect on language protocols and conventions. Evaluation topics are: “The actors spoke the lines clearly. The actors spoke in a register that reflected the characters’ emotions. The actors interacted in a way that was believable and true to the play’s meaning. The actors used gestures and movements effectively.”

Throughout the teacher’s edition, materials provide “Expert’s Perspective” from leaders in their respective fields. In the Independent Learning section of Unit 3, Ernest Morrell, Ph.D., gives advice on preparing students to be powerful speakers. His suggestions include ways to help students overcome the fear of public speaking, techniques for emphasizing volume and articulation, advice on teaching students to be active listeners, and ways to field questions during discussions. The unit’s Performance Task requires students to deliver an oral argument. After reading different selections about people who face circumstances that require difficult choices, student groups develop and deliver an oral argument to address the following question: “When does it become necessary to take a stand?” The teacher advises students before working on their projects to differentiate each group member’s role. The teacher also reminds groups to consult the Peer-Group Learning schedule to guide their work during the performance task. The textbook directs teachers to tell students to analyze the text, develop an argument, and organize their presentation. Students also access a rubric on how to rehearse and present their argument with a speaking guide provided in the book. 

In Unit 4, the Peer-Group Learning Performance Task requires students to give and follow oral instructions in an organized manner. Student groups collaborate to create a new game or puzzle. Then, they teach the rest of the class to play the game or solve the puzzle by giving them oral instructions to guide them through the process’s steps. Groups alternate presenting their instructions and following directions from others. Groups plan by researching and writing their steps. Then they rehearse with their group using a checklist to evaluate the content and presentation techniques. Materials provide instructions for groups on how to listen actively, such as “Ask clarifying questions of the presenters as needed” and “Look at any visuals provided to help you understand the process.” After completing presentations, students evaluate each other and give constructive feedback. 

In Unit 5, students read “Welcome to Origami City” by Nick D’Alto and work in a group to plan and deliver oral instructions about making an origami model. The materials provide guidance, including, “After you choose the origami structure you want to teach, decide what materials you will need and list the steps required to complete the task.” Groups use a chart to plan their steps. Groups provide necessary materials for listeners to follow along with the oral instructions. Student materials provide guidance such as, “Start each step with an action word, such as fold or outline.” Teacher materials include reminders to “listen carefully and be respectful when others are presenting.”

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 and student practice in 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 Digital Platform includes a folder with lessons and videos with instructions on research. Instruction ranges from “Integrating Quotations, Citations, and Visuals” to “Sources and Evidence.” The lesson on “Sources and Evidence” thoroughly defines primary and secondary sources and gives a list of examples of each type. The lesson also offers guidance on criteria for evaluating sources and offers examples of good sources and suspicious sources. Students learn how to evaluate if a source is relevant, up-to-date, qualified, and credible. The digital lessons also offer checks for student understanding. 

In Unit 1, student groups read “Setting Sun and the Rolling World” by Charles Mungoshi and write an informational report on Zimbabwean culture. The materials provide students with a checklist to evaluate sources and make sure they are relevant, credible, and reliable. Teachers guide students in a discussion about plagiarism, paraphrasing, and quoting. Additionally, students read “The Medicine Bag” by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and extend their learning through a short-term inquiry process. Students generate two to three questions about Lakota traditions and perform brief and informal research to get initial answers to their questions. Students use the internet and print resources for this activity. 

In Unit 3, students read “Words Do Not Pay” by Chief Joseph. The cross-curricular perspectives activity directs students to the Background note in the text. The teacher reminds students that they will read Chief Joseph’s speech to the U.S. about his people, Nez Perce, and how the United States government treated them. Students research the treaties between Nez Perce and the United States government and the outcome of the speech. Students note how Chief Joseph’s contemporaries viewed him and then discuss why he is still remembered today.

In Unit 4, the materials offered a culminating research activity with more depth and academic rigor and increased student independence opportunity. In this unit, students read texts related to human intelligence. In the Performance Task at the end of Whole Group Learning, students write a formal research paper about “a specific invention or discovery that demonstrated the power of the human mind and changed the world.” The materials provide videos and resources on topics such as writing to an audience, evaluating sources for bias, making an outline, balancing researched information with their ideas, and adding citations. As students take a closer look at the assignment during the planning phase of research, the materials offer instruction on how having varied sources strengthens the research. The materials explain two main types of sources—primary and secondary—and offer the following description of each: “Primary Sources: firsthand accounts of events, such as diaries, letters, or oral histories. Secondary Sources: sources that discuss information originally presented in primary sources; includes articles and biographies.” The materials provide the following supports: a mentor text; a questionnaire about the audience, purpose, and sources; a prewriting plan with sample research questions and instructions for refining their chosen question; a graphic organizer for gathering primary and secondary sources; a guide for evaluating sources; instructions for writing a thesis and making an outline; revising and editing instruction; rules for proper citation; and tips for sharing research with a broader audience, such as creating a class book of research papers to place in the library.

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

The materials contain interconnected tasks that build student knowledge and provide opportunities for increased independence. Materials include questions and tasks 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. The 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 the Independent Learning section of all units, students practice using increased independence by reading a self-selected text that they analyze and annotate. They use writing skills to fill out a “Close-Read Guide” containing questions requiring them to draw conclusions, analyze the text, and analyze the author's syntax and stylistic choices. This activity integrates text-dependent writing with the following prompt: “Choose a paragraph from the text that grabbed your interest. Explain the power of this passage.” Additionally, students verbally share their independent learning with classmates after reading. Their digital notebook provides three sections for them to record notes in as they listen to others share from their independent learning. The last task is a reflection in which students review all of their notes, mark the most important insight they have gained, and then write about how that insight adds to their understanding of the unit’s theme. 

In Unit 1, students read “The Banana Tree” by James Berry. Before reading, the materials provide the following teacher directions for making predictions: “Point out that the author introduces both the main external conflict and an important character in the opening paragraphs. Invite students to pause after paragraph 2 to make a prediction.” Students also learn Concept Vocabulary before reading, review this vocabulary in context as they read, and then answer questions about vocabulary after reading. Some vocabulary questions include: “How do the vocabulary words help you understand the power of a hurricane? Find three other words in the story that relate to strong, unstoppable forces.” After reading, students answer Response, Comprehension, and Analysis questions. The Response question asks students to make a personal connection to the text: “Do you sympathize with Gustus in this story? Why or why not?” The Comprehension questions require students to recall details from the text and reflect on the comprehension strategy of making predictions: “What adventure story characteristics did you apply to make predictions? Give two examples. Were you able to confirm your predictions, or did you have to correct them? Explain.” The Analysis questions are high-quality, text-dependent questions requiring students to use critical thinking skills as they make inferences, connect to the text, analyze plot, compare and contrast elements of the text, evaluate, and speculate: “How do you think the events of the story will affect the relationship between Gustus and his father? Support your answer with text evidence.” After this sequence of questions, students also analyze and interpret the text by performing a close read. They return to the text to reread, analyze, ask questions and draw conclusions based on their evidence. 

In Unit 3, students read “The Horned Toad” by Gerald Haslam and use the knowledge gained through pre-reading, reading, and analyzing the text to draft, discuss, and present a memorial to the grandmother in the story. Students include evidence from the text to illustrate or highlight the character’s traits. Students think about and reflect on their writing through a series of post-writing reflection questions: “The words you choose make a difference in your writing. Which words did you specifically choose to write a more powerful tribute?” In the passages “Briar Rose” by the Brothers Grimm and “Awake” by Tanith Lee, students analyze the linear plot. Students summarize the events described in paragraphs three and four of “Briar Rose” and explain how this part of the story reflects linear plot development. In the passage “Awake,” students describe the format of the flashback that begins in paragraph 68 and summarize the past events described. In the analyze and interpret section, students focus on the compare and contrast question: “Is reading ‘Awake,’ a story with nonlinear plot development, more or less satisfying than reading ‘Briar Rose,’ a story with linear plot development? Explain your response.” In the short response section, students independently answer the following compare and contrast questions: “1) How are the endings of the two stories similar and different? Explain. 2) How is the role of the prince’s kiss different in the two versions of this tale?” 

In Unit 4, after reading the reference material “Two Entries from an Encyclopedia of Logic,” students build and apply knowledge from their reading through several Analysis and Discussion questions. Students write their answers first and then verbally share their responses with the group. Students use thinking, writing, speaking, and listening skills to note agreements and disagreements, summarize insights, and consider changes of opinion, revising their original written answers as necessary after sharing. In these oral discussions, students use text evidence to support their responses and apply language skills to share various pieces of text evidence and learning with their group. Students use critical thinking skills to synthesize the information from their group discussions to develop their perspectives further. Later, in the Close Read section, students share the passages from the encyclopedia entries they found particularly interesting, discussing what they noticed, what questions they still have, and what conclusions they have reached. In these oral discussions, students use text evidence to support their responses. As students share various text evidence and learning pieces, listeners build knowledge and synthesize this information to develop their perspectives further. 

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

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

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide spiraled opportunities for students to develop and build metacognitive skills. Each unit includes opportunities for students to make predictions to deepen comprehension. In Unit 1, students prepare to read “The Banana Tree” by James Berry by making predictions about the text based on the genre’s characteristics. The materials provide students an example that includes a sample passage, genre, prediction, and an anchor chart with characteristics of adventure stories. Students use the example, anchor chart, and introductory graphic to predict the text. Teacher materials include opportunities to reinforce the skill, such as, “Stories often include breaks between sections. Readers can use these breaks to pause, reflect on what has happened, and make predictions about what will happen next.” Students reflect on their learning by answering the question, “Were you able to confirm your predictions, or did you have to correct them?” In Unit 3, students make predictions before reading “The Bystander Effect: Why You Don’t Stand Up When You Should” by Courtney Lindstrand. Students make predictions based on specific text features of informational texts such as titles, subheads, and footnotes. Teacher materials include reminders for students to “use many strategies to make predictions as they read, including previewing the text, analyzing details, and looking for clues in images.” As students read, they confirm or correct their predictions. Students reflect on their learning by responding to the prompt, “Cite one prediction you made about this advice column based on a text feature.” In Unit 6, students prepare to read “Nikola Tesla: The Greatest Inventor of All?” by Vickey Baez. Students apply biographical writing knowledge to make predictions about what will come next. Students build upon their prediction-making skill set by adding depth and specificity to their predictions. Teacher materials include reminders to “make specific predictions to both engage with a text and apply details.” After reading, students evaluate their predictions and reflect through questions such as, “Which structure of a biography helped you make this prediction?”

In addition to distributed practice and spiraling practice throughout the year, the materials provide scaffolding. For example, in Unit 3, the materials provide scaffolds when approaching text complexity. As students prepare to read “Briar Rose” by the Brothers Grimm, the teacher can use scaffolds based on their comprehension level. The section “Differentiate for Text Complexity” provides subtopics of these scaffolds: “Text and Sentence Structure” and “Vocabulary.” In terms of “Text and Sentence Structure,” students performing below grade level are likely to struggle with complex sentences and inverted word order, so they can review paraphrasing to break down and understand complex sentences. Teachers model by paraphrasing the opening sentence of the story. In terms of “Vocabulary,” students who are on level but have difficulty understanding story events due to archaic or old-fashioned terms are encouraged to form mental images as they read. Teachers suggest online resources and draw students’ attention to the text’s illustrations. 

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

The materials include supports for students who demonstrate proficiency in literacy skills above that expected at the grade level through planning and learning opportunities for students.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials clearly label the above-grade-level supports and differentiated activities as “Above Level” and color-code them with dark purple, making them easy to spot for teachers when planning and differentiating for students who demonstrate literacy skills above that expected at grade level. The activities labeled Above Level include variety and are not merely extra assignments but instead opportunities for students to delve more deeply into the lesson’s concepts. 

In Unit 1, students read “The Medicine Bag” by Virginia Driving Hawk, and above-grade-level students make real-world connections with the story by thinking about a time they were greeted by someone in an older generation informally and compare that with the situation in the passage. Another Above-Level activity instructs students to create an alternate resolution to the story and read it to their classmates. Listeners evaluate whether or not the resolutions are true to the character behaviors throughout the passage. Lastly, above-grade-level students research sage, write a report based on their findings, and discuss why sage might be a part of Native American medicine bags. 

In Unit 2, students read the drama The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett and then analyze a “Frank Family and World War II Timeline.” Students who demonstrate above grade-level proficiency do further research about the Frank Family and then synthesize their findings with the play and the timeline. Volunteers share the insight they gained about the Franks. Later in Unit 2, students learn more about transitions while writing an essay. Students who are above grade level articulate under what circumstances they would use the listed transitions. Students read an excerpt from Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl in the peer group learning segment. To support the above-grade-level students in fully engaging with the text, the teacher has them work in pairs to list the range of emotions Anne conveys. Students infer what these emotions reveal about Anne’s personality and what kind of person she is. As the lesson continues, the students learn more about autobiographical writing in diaries. To differentiate instruction about Author’s Purpose and Message, the teacher has above-grade-level students write a brief diary entry about a recent event in the news and how it affected them. The teacher reminds students that their diary entries should have a clear purpose and message. 

In Unit 3, above-grade-level students suggest alternative titles to the story “The Horned Toad” by Gerald Haslam to reflect themes that explain the horned toad’s importance in the passage. Additionally, students read an advice column, “The Bystander Effect” by Courtney Lindstrand, which discusses how to handle bullying. Above-grade-level students interested in creating safe school environments research local, state, and national programs available to help students. Students then compile an annotated list of useful resources, including contact information, each group or program’s goals, and anecdotal examples that show how each group or program has improved school conditions. 

In Unit 4, students read the short story Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Above-grade-level students examine how the main character’s language changes throughout the story and how the change in language reveals the character’s feelings about himself and others. Another example of an Above-Level differentiation occurs before reading the nonfiction science feature “A Computer in Your Head?” by Eric H. Chudler. Students choose pre-reading activities based on personal interest. Students interested in artificial intelligence research recent advances in the field, and students interested in the brain research neuroscience.

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 demonstrate proficiency in literacy skills below that expected at the grade level through planning and learning opportunities for students.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials clearly label the below grade-level supports and differentiated activities as “Below Level” and color-code them with lime green, making them easy to spot for teachers when planning and differentiating for students who demonstrate literacy skills below that expected at the grade level. The activities offer Below Level differentiations before, during, and after reading, in addition to scaffolds for writing activities.

Unit 1 includes multiple opportunities to differentiate for students demonstrating proficiency below grade level. Before reading “The Medicine Bag” by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, teachers differentiate for text complexity by providing background information on Native American culture (included in the Teacher Edition) and previewing the text before reading. When students begin reading “The Medicine Bag,” one below-level differentiation scaffold directs teachers to begin the reading by telling students the narrator’s name, which is not revealed until later in the story, to facilitate discussion about the narrator and avoid any confusion. As they read, additional scaffolds include explaining to students that italicized words in the text are words in another language and having students make connections to other languages’ use in their own lives. The Teacher Edition also provides guided questions targeted to support students demonstrating proficiency below grade level. 

In Unit 2, students write a short story about an imaginary invention that has unexpected consequences. If students struggle getting started during the Freewrite, they write “Places” and “Conflicts” at the top of their paper and use those headings to jot down words and phrases to describe possible settings and problems. The teacher reminds students that freewriting ideas do not have to be written in complete sentences. Later, while writing the rough draft, teachers provide students who demonstrate proficiency below grade level and may struggle with creating a coherent story with prepositions that describe time and space relationships to use in their writing: Time (before, after, since, at, during) and Space (on, in, beside, above, below, inside, outside). 

In Unit 3, before reading “The Horned Toad” by Gerald Haslam, students demonstrating proficiency below grade level are likely to have difficulty following the flashbacks in the story, so one scaffold directs the teacher to introduce the characters and the setting before beginning the reading. During the reading, Below-Level differentiations include asking specific questions and having students make personal connections. At the end of the reading, Below-Level instructional supports help students understand the concept of “resolution.” Teachers have students summarize the ending of the story, and specific questions help students understand the importance of the resolution of the narrative and make connections to the story’s ending.

In Unit 4, Below-Level differentiation for Daniel Tammet’s “Blue Nines and Red Words” asks teachers to discuss and provide examples of the concept of synesthesia. Students name the senses as the teacher lists them. Then, students demonstrating proficiency below grade level focus on providing terms associated with those terms, such as taste, salty, sweet, sight, and beautiful.

In Unit 5, students read “Nikola Tesla: The Greatest Inventor of All?” by Vicky Baez. The teacher explains who Nikola Tesla is before reading and describes the inventions and other scientific elements to assist below-grade-level students with scientific background knowledge. The Below-Level differentiation also provides students with supports to help them create a timeline of the events as they read, noting the year and summarizing what happened at that time. 

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

The materials include supports for English Learners (ELs) to meet grade-level learning expectations. The materials include accommodations for linguistics commensurate with various English language proficiency levels as defined by the ELPs and provide scaffolds. The materials encourage strategic use of students’ first language as a means to linguistic, affective, cognitive, and academic development in English and develop vocabulary in the context of connected discourse.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials communicate, sequence, and scaffold accommodations clearly for ELs at the various levels (Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Advanced High) as defined by the ELPs. Accommodations and scaffolds are included in the Teacher Edition before, during, and after each text selection. The materials provide various scaffolds, such as Spanish translations and summaries, pictures, and other language supports. The mentor text and some unit texts have a selection summary available in Spanish audio. Students listen to the Spanish summary before reading to help them build background knowledge and set a context for their learning. Some full-text selections are available in Spanish in downloadable and printable PDFs. The “Texas ELPS Toolkit” provides additional assistance to help teachers scaffold instruction and support EL students. The toolkit features 45 lessons that correspond with each of the 45 English Language Proficiency Standards. These lessons occur across five domains: Learning Strategies, Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Each lesson includes four to five subsections or mini-lessons. The toolkit guides teachworks in choosing which mini-lessons students need. The materials provide additional practice at the end of mini-lessons, with Blackline Masters with activities differentiated for EL students’ varying proficiency levels, corresponding to the skills taught. The electronic platform for the materials contains English and Spanish versions of the video selections and Spanish translations of many text selections. Additionally, an electronic glossary is available within the electronic student edition to assist students with unfamiliar vocabulary.

In Unit 1, after reading an excerpt from The Song of Hiawatha, an epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, students complete a language study activity to understand the “Concept Vocabulary” words from the poem: indomitable, prowess, fleetness. For Beginning ELs, the teacher reviews each word’s meaning and gives examples of the words used in sentences. The teacher and students discuss the sentence, and then the teacher repeats the sentence slowly, having students repeat it. For Intermediate ELs, students work in small groups to discuss the words. The teacher supplies a synonym and antonym for the words. The teacher then uses each word in a sentence that contains context clues and has students repeat the sentence. For Advanced ELs, students work in pairs to discuss what all of the words have in common and discuss each word’s meaning. The students take turns using the words in sentences while the teacher provides corrective feedback. For Advanced High ELs, partners review each word’s meaning and use them in complete sentences. They use a dictionary or thesaurus to clarify each word’s meaning. 

In Unit 2, the introduction of academic vocabulary for the unit (theorize, sustain, declaration, pronounce, enumerate) states that all five of the academic vocabulary words have Spanish cognates and to use the following cognates with students whose home language is Spanish: theorize/teorizar, pronounce/pronunciar, sustain/sostener, enumerate/enumerar, declaration/declaración.

In Unit 3, ELs’ pre-reading differentiation strategy builds background through support from peers and teachers. This scaffolded approach involves a collaborative class approach so that all students contribute and benefit at appropriately challenging academic and linguistic levels. After reading “The Horned Toad” by Gerald Haslam, students choose to compose a eulogy or a poem to memorialize the grandmother in the story. Writing scaffolds for ELs supports students' efforts to write with increasing specificity and detail levels as they complete the assignment. Beginning-level students copy a model text and identify details. Intermediate-level students work with a partner to identify details and draft a composition. Advanced-level students exchange finished papers with a partner and add details. Advanced High-level students work independently and find additional details as they write.

In Unit 4, students discuss the independent learning selections “Is Personal Intelligence Important?”, “Why is Emotional Intelligence Important for Teens?”, “The More You Know, the Smarter You Are?” and from The Future of the Mind at the end of the unit. Before EL students engage in the “Discuss It” activity, the teacher helps them prepare to express their opinions about the independent learning selections. Beginning-level students think aloud with the teacher as the teacher states an opinion about the selection. The materials provide EL students with sentence frames for stating opinions like, “This essay is very useful. It helped me understand that _____ .” Teachers provide students with vocabulary to complete the frames. Intermediate-level students do the same, but they provide the opinion themselves. Advanced-level students work in partners without the provided sentence frames. Advanced High-level students prepare opinion statements to persuade a friend to read the selection or choose something different. Teachers ask students to provide text evidence and share their statements in groups.

Additionally, students learn about reading realistic short stories. The first two sentences on the page are, “A short story is a brief work of fiction. Realistic short stories are fictional, but their characters and situations seem true to real life.” Clicking on short story and realistic short stories opens a box that displays the glossary definition. Students read the English definition, as provided or use the drop-down menu to select Spanish as the language, so the Spanish definition appears. Additionally, the play icon to the left of the word in this box provides an oral reading of the definition in whichever language the student selects.

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 assessment and guidance for teachers and administrators to monitor progress, including interpreting and acting on data yielded. The formative and summative 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, and assessments are connected to the regular content to support student learning.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

According to the document TEKS Alignment: Read Me First, “All digital resources in Realize, including assessments, are aligned to the Breakout level of each of the TEKS.” When students take assessments online, the “Question Analysis” allows teachers to drill down to each question and provides aligned resources for extra practice when the teacher clicks on each TEKS. Additionally, the “Class Mastery by Standard” report shows student mastery of each TEKS, the breakout level, and aligned resources for practice. The materials also provide teachers with “ExamView Assessment” software to create custom tests. Teachers can create formative or summative assessments that align to content and offer multiple question-selection models, including the ability to select questions according to standard so that teachers can determine which objectives have been met and which objectives need more practice. Additionally, materials include “TEKS Customizable Test Banks” for reading, comparing texts, revising and editing, and writing prompts. Teachers can select questions based on TEKS and genre. Student test result data gives detailed information regarding breakout TEKS and guidance for responding to student performance. 

Formative assessments, including “Exit Tickets,” “Text Selection Tests,” and “Performance Tasks,” help teachers monitor student understanding and make informative instruction decisions. Teachers gather comprehensive data on student learning with these embedded routines and assessments and use that data to monitor and adjust instruction or use the “Reteach and Practice” activities. For example, in Unit 1, after reading “The Banana Tree” by James Berry, students study characters and conflict and answer questions about analyzing characters’ motivations and behaviors. To assess students’ progress, the teacher administers an Exit Ticket on Characters and Conflict. The materials state that if students need additional practice, see Characters and Conflict in the Reteach and Practice ancillary materials. In the Monitor and Adjust section of the sidebar, the materials also state that if students struggle to differentiate between characters’ motivations and their behaviors while answering the questions, teachers can “remind them that behaviors are the things characters do or say, whereas motivations are the reasons they do or say those things.”

The materials also provide information on how teachers should respond when students do not meet grade-level expectations. The “Unit Test Answer Key” and “Unit Test Answer Key and Interpretation Guide” provide teachers with TEKS assessed, domains of knowledge, and which remediation pages to use if students were not successful. The materials provide remediation pages aligned to the assessed TEKS. For example, if a student was unsuccessful with test questions about the genre element of plot and flashback, the teacher provides remediation from the “Plot and Flashback Remediation” pages. This section provides a short reteach of plot element definitions and then gives the student practice examples from the plot. Administrators can also utilize additional reports and district-level data provided on the platform.

The materials provide a “Selection Test” for most of the printed texts in each Unit. For example, in Unit 2, a selection test exists for every selection except the mentor text used in the unit’s Introduction, the Media: Infographic timeline related to the first two selections the student read, the excerpt from a graphic novel in the peer-group learning segment, and a television transcript used in the Independent Learning segment. A twelve-question Selection Test accompanies Act I from the drama The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett at the end of this text study. It assesses students’ comprehension of the selection and acquisition of concept vocabulary. Examples of questions on this selection text are, “1. In the opening scene of The Diary of Anne Frank, Act I, why is Mr. Frank visiting the warehouse rooms with Miep?” and “6. How do people usually feel when tension rises?”

The materials include a two-part Unit Test for each of the six units. The electronic platform provides “Teacher Resources” with both parts of the Unit assessments, including an electronic version that the teachers can assign and a printable PDF version. The Unit Test is usually administered during the “End of Unit Segment,” after the “Performance-Based Assessment” and the “Unit Reflection.” The Teacher Resources include an Answer Key and Interpretation document and a Remediation Activities Answer Key for the Unit. The Answer Key and Interpretation Guides for Part 1 and Part 2 of the Unit Tests begin with a note that the teacher may wish to assign the remediation resources indicated on the chart provided and provide navigation directions for finding the resources on the Realize electronic platform. 

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 year-long plans and supports for teachers to identify students’ needs and provide differentiated instruction to meet the needs of a range of learners to ensure grade-level success. The materials provide an overarching year-long comprehensive plan for teachers to engage students in multiple grouping structures that differentiate students using many learning opportunities. The Teacher edition, annotations, and ancillary materials support teachers in implementing the materials to engage student learning and monitor student progress.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Within each unit, materials provide for the gradual release of responsibility by moving from whole group learning to peer group learning and finally to independent learning. During the “Independent Learning” section of materials, teachers differentiate for multiple types of learners by advising students on text selections based on student interest and the texts’ quantitative and qualitative complexity measures. 

Teacher edition materials include annotations such as explanations, learning objectives, scripted questions, differentiation directions, summaries, overviews, insights, teacher tips, expert opinions, pacing suggestions, and directions on how and when to implement any ancillary resources. For example, in Unit 5, before reading “To Fly,” by Neil deGrasse Tyson, materials provide instruction on controlling ideas and supporting evidence. The Teacher Edition sidebar defines controlling evidence and provides a task for teachers to give students to check for their understanding. The task is differentiated into three levels—Below Level, On Level, Above Level. Throughout the text, each time the teacher reinforces a comprehension strategy by asking students to answer a question, the materials continue to provide differentiated instruction for multiple levels of learners. Annotations also tell the teacher when to Monitor and Adjust or Reteach and Practice. If students are struggling, the teacher can assess their understanding and know which resources to use to support student learning. Each selection also provides differentiation for English Language Learners before reading, during reading, and after reading. 

Ancillary materials include Digital Lessons and Skills Videos that support student learning as well as “provide interactive feedback to help students master critical literacy skills.” These Digital Lessons Videos include lessons and practice with vocabulary, research, writing, grammar, and sentence combining. The Reading and Writing Skills Videos include collections of videos and tutorials classified under the following genres: Argument, Informational, Personal Narrative, Research Paper, and Short Story. The Teacher Edition annotations suggest when to assign these videos to students. Besides interactive videos, the materials include over 140 digital novels with correlating lesson plans and tests. Additionally, materials provide various generic graphic organizers to maximize student learning: K-W-L charts, cluster diagrams, 5 W’s charts, cause and effect maps, etc. Reading Skills and Literary Analysis worksheets are organized in alphabetical order so that teachers can easily find skills practice for student learning reinforcement. 

Teacher materials describe differentiated instruction tools as “planning resources, talking points, and instructional strategies [that] provide teachers with scaffolding suggestions to help meet the needs of all learners.” The materials provide an overarching year-long plan for teachers to support students through differentiation, including strategic grouping, reteaching, and individualized practice opportunities. Each selection includes a Differentiate for Text Complexity section, which includes a Text Complexity Rubric. In the Unit 5 peer-group instructions, the materials help teachers form groups of students with different learning abilities. The materials provide notes on how a good mix of abilities can make the experience of peer group learning dynamic and productive as well as support on how to help students work in groups and how to encourage students to have an accountable talk using sentence stems like, “When ______ said ______, it made me think of ________. “

Each unit contains a segment called “Book Club” that focuses on integrating novels into the unit study. For example, in Unit 3, the materials describe two novels, a classic named Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse and a contemporary selection Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Each book has a page that provides the genre and Lexile level for the text and a summary, connection to the unit’s essential question, and a section called “Compare Across Texts” that links each novel to selections taught in the unit. The materials provide flexible pacing and implementation guidelines that explain how to use and pace the book club to supplement the unit, substitute for unit selections, or extend independent learning. Additionally, the teacher guide references downloadable Book Club Guidelines from the digital platform, including “Launching the Book Club,” “Author and Background Information,” “Reading Comprehension Strategies,” TEKS-aligned questions and projects, as well as a list of three optional novels that relate to the unit’s theme that teachers might teach.

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

The materials include implementation support for teachers and administrators. The materials include a TEKS-aligned scope and sequence, including a school years’ worth of literacy instruction in the order of presentation and how they connect across grade levels. The materials include additional supports to help administrators support teachers in implementing the materials as intended.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Each unit’s beginning contains a TEKS-aligned scope and sequence document entitled “Unit at a Glance.” This scope and sequence outlines the unit’s contents, the suggested pacing, the texts’ Lexile levels, and the TEKS that correlate with each unit component’s instruction, making it a reference for lesson planning. The scope and sequence have five categories: introduction, whole-class learning, peer group learning, independent learning, and end of the unit, including assessments or research. The unit’s TEKS fall into categories: comprehension strategies, vocabulary, literary/text elements, author's craft/conventions, and composition/research/speaking and listening. The materials also contain a “TEKS Correlation Guide” that lists all of the TEKS and “shows points at which focused standards instruction is provided in the Student Edition.” The “Teacher Edition” includes an eighth-grade English TEKS list that connects the TEKS with the tasks and activities that cover those objectives. The materials also provide a document called the TEKS correlation that gives teachers a breakdown of the objectives and provides page numbers with activities covering those specific objectives. Teachers have access to day-by-day pacing guides, assessments, page numbers, and resources in the same location. Additionally, the “K–8 Vertical Alignment” document shows how knowledge and skills build and connect across grade levels by coding each TEKS with I for Introduced, for Continued, M for Mastery, and for Maintained. 

The digital platform includes professional development tutorials and platform training tutorials to support teachers in implementing the materials. It also includes a “Realize Digital Walkthrough” to aid teachers in using the online edition and the program’s online components. Additional supports include customizable lesson plans and rubrics, Live Chat options to speak online with a training specialist, webinars, a Getting Started component that offers overviews of the program and its contents, and a Help tool that allows teachers to search for topics. The Teacher Edition provides scripted questions, sidebar instructions, and expert opinions and suggestions.

The materials provide an easy-to-follow pacing guide, which includes suggested timelines for teaching the unit as a whole and more specific timelines for teaching within each segment of the unit. For example, in Unit 3, the materials indicate that teaching the Whole-Class Learning segment takes approximately 164 days, with four days devoted to the Whole-Class Learning Introduction and the first text selection, “The Horned Toad” by Gerald Haslam, six days allotted for comparing across genres while reading an argumentative essay and two opinion pieces, and four days working on the writing performance task. At the bottom of the pages that start each segment of the lesson, a Packing Plan displays this information again. The provided pacing guides in each unit vary from 33 to 38 days, depending on the unit, and the primary instructional plan is designed for a 180-day schedule. For example, in Unit 1, the materials suggest two days for the Introduction, 16 days for the Whole-Class Learning segment, 12 days for the Peer-Group Learning segment, two days for the Independent Learning Segment, and three days for the End of Unit activities, for a total of 35 days spent in Unit 1. Teachers are, however, encouraged to use their judgment as they plan lessons according to their individual classroom needs. The materials are customizable to meet district or classroom needs. With flexible pacing and implementation suggestions, Optional Book Club guidelines are provided in each unit and could be used to expand instruction for a 220-day schedule. For example, Unit 1 describes two specific novels connected to the Unit’s Essential Question. Information about comparing the book club selection with texts in the regular unit instruction is provided. Additionally, the materials list three other novels aligned to the unit theme that the teacher might choose to teach. Additionally, the materials provide “Book Club Guides” that offer “Launching the Book Club,” “Author and Background Information,” “Reading Comprehension Strategies,” and TEKS-aligned questions and projects for the two recommended novels.

Administrators have access to the “Professional Development Center.” Administrators also have access to administrator-level district data and reports to stay informed on the classroom, campus, and district progress. 

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

The visual design of the student edition is neither distracting nor chaotic. The materials include appropriate use of white space, design, pictures, and graphics that support student learning and engagement without being visually distracting.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

The materials provide ample white space to minimize distractions with appropriate font style size. The overall structure of the materials is consistent from unit to unit and grade level to grade level. For example, there is a selection overview for each text or video resource in the materials at the point of use. This selection overview is printed on a background that looks like a piece of notebook paper, with headings that are consistent throughout the materials. Sections and selections within the unit are color-coded, making it easy to navigate through the materials. For instance, titles associated with the “Whole-Class Learning” section are in green; titles related to “Peer-Group Learning” are in teal; titles related to “Independent Learning” are in purple. “Performance Tasks” and “Performance-Based Assessments” are color-coded in orange. Throughout text selections, vocabulary words are bolded and blue so that they can be easily distinguished. The student edition has margin notes that enhance student learning. 

The visual design is appealing and engaging. Pictures and graphics accompany each text selection, are easily identifiable by students, and correlate with the text to optimize student understanding. Pictures, graphics, and videos all support students’ comprehension of the texts and concepts by providing visual support. Photos of the authors precede texts, and the title page of the selection includes a corresponding image. For example, in Unit 2, students read the drama The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. The selection overview includes a thumbnail picture of Anne Frank. A historical perspective text with background information for students follows the segment. The first segment is The Nazi Rise to Power, which includes a picture of Adolf Hitler with the caption, “Adolf Hitler was in firm control of Nazi Germany from 1933 until his suicide in 1945. His actions and ideas led to the deaths of an estimated 40 million people.” Next is Nazi Ideology, which includes a picture of a huge gathering of soldiers with a caption that reads, “Throughout the late 1930s, German power was on display at massive rallies, such as this Nazi rally. Nuremberg.” The materials also include a picture of Jews in a line, with the caption, “Hungarian Jewish prisoners arrive at Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest of the extermination camps. About one million Jews were killed there.” Lastly, the section “The Final Solution” has a picture showing the entrance to a concentration camp with the caption, “The Words Arbeit Macht Frei—‘work makes you free’—appeared at the entrance to every concentration camp. Meant to give false hope, the slogan became a cruel joke in camps where prisoners were gassed, starved, or worked to death.” After the historical perspective, Anne Frank’s thumbnail is again at the top of the page where students learn about reading dramas. The “About the Playwrights” section provides pictures of the drama’s authors, Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. Anne Frank’s picture is also displayed on a larger scale on the actual text’s first page. The middle of Act 1 has a picture of Anne Frank and her family with the caption, “Anne in happier times, out for a stroll with her family and friends.” Several pages later, a picture of a Jewish family carrying their belongings includes the caption, “Jews were regularly rounded up and forced to leave their homes without notice.” Later in Act 1, it includes a photo of a building with the caption, “This photo shows the front of the building that held the Secret Annex,” and another photograph that shows the stairway to the Secret Annex that was hidden behind a swinging bookcase. There is also a photo of Anne’s Dutch passport and samples of her writing, a still image from a film version of the play that shows the Hanukkah scene, and a photograph that shows the Secret Annex’s common room as it appeared when Anne Frank lived there. At the very end of Act I, there is a photo of Anne Frank with the caption, “This photo of Anne Frank was taken before she and her family went into hiding.”

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

The materials include grade-level appropriate technology components that provide support for learning as opposed to distracting from it, as well as appropriate teacher guidance.

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

All student and teacher editions exist in both digital format and print format. The technology components exist on the digital platform entitled “Realize.” Materials are appropriate for the grade level and engage students with correlating videos, pictures, and graphics. Materials give teachers appropriate and sufficient guidance on using technology with students through a “Help for this page” icon, program training, technical support, and optional chat sessions with a training specialist if needed. There are also on-demand “Virtual Workshops” that allow teachers to watch videos to help them navigate the online system. The downloadable unit modules and lessons follow a logical progression for ease of use. Students can annotate text selections, as well as take notes and highlight text while reading. Students may convert the digital platform to plain text, and materials can be zoomed in and out with a double click. Glossary terms are defined using audio in both English and Spanish. All units can be provided as downloadable content for offline users.

The materials provide teacher guidance and appropriate components to support distance learning. The “Overview of Distance Learning Support” introduces teachers to the features available on the digital platform and guides how to start the school year in a distance learning format, including directions for accessing course readiness assessments, analyzing the beginning-of-the-year test results, and resources for Distance Learning Support, including distance learning videos and “myPerspectives Distance Learning Guide.” This document also explains that teachers can access the Distance Learning feature with a literal flick of a switch (an on/off toggle button) on the digital platform. The Distance Learning Guide provides all of the necessary information for teachers to use the digital resources with students. Items covered in this guide include an overview of the Digital Resources, Lesson Planning Resources, Using the Discussion Board, Google Classroom, Interactive Student Edition, Suggested Pacing, and much more.