6th Grade - Gateway 3

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3a.

The Grade 6 materials include useful annotations in the Teacher Edition, guide for English Language Learners, and supporting materials. The introduction in the Teacher Edition explains the design and principles of the curriculum. Each daily esson is divided into Opening, Work Time, Closing and Assessment, and Homework. Lesson annotations include clear directions, scripting in red and italics when appropriate, time stamps, and bolded references to any student materials. Suggestions are included for varying levels of scaffolds for each lesson. Answer keys are provided for all activities, including homework. Text guides address sensitive issues in the anchor texts with suggestions of how to handle them.

Examples of lesson annotations and suggestions include:

• Each teacher-facing lesson begins by highlighting CCSS, daily learning targets, and on-going assessment. 

• An agenda for the day is presented with time stamps for opening, work time, closing and assessment, and homework. 

• Teaching Notes provide helpful information on ways to adapt the lessons. 

• Teachers are provided with ways technology and multimedia may be used in the lesson.

• Academic or domain-specific vocabulary is listed.

• A list of materials needed to complete each lesson is listed.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3b.

The Grade 6 materials include explanations and examples so that teachers can improve their knowledge. Teaching Notes are included in each lesson and provide adult-level explanations on numerous topics: purpose of the lesson, information on alignment to the standards for assessments, ways to monitor instruction, support to make informed decisions on adapting the curriculum, suggestions for accommodations and differentiation, links to professional articles explaining the purpose of a protocol, opportunities and guidance to extend student learning and assessments, and a preview of upcoming lessons.

Examples of explanations include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, the Teacher Edition includes examples of teacher instruction for the use of Conversation Cues such as: “This lesson is the first that includes built-out instruction for the use of Goal 1 Conversation Cues. Conversation Cues are questions that promote productive and equitable conversation (adapted from Michaels, Sarah and O’Connor, Cathy. Talk Science Primer.  TERC, 2012. http://inquiryproject.terc.edu/shared/pd/TalkScience_Primer.pdf. Based on Chapin, Suzanne, O’Connor, Cathy, and Anderson, Nancy. Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn, Grades K–6. Second Edition. Math Solutions Publications, 2009). Goal 1 Conversation Cues encourage all students to talk and be understood. As the modules progress, Goals 2, 3, and 4 Conversation Cues are gradually introduced. To review the complete set of cues, refer to Overview–Conversation Cues on the Tools Page (http://eled.org/tools).”

• In Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 10, the Teacher Guide includes examples of Teaching Notes for supporting all students such as: “In Chapter 12, Cal and Pop reach Challagi. They discuss some of the American Indian students they see there, speculating on whether they are ‘full-bloods’ (141). Meanwhile, Cal continues to grapple with some complicated elements of his own racial identity: ‘I don't have a white face. But until two days ago, I thought I was white or stahitkey as Pop called them’ (141). Depending on how they understand their own identities, some students may feel especially connected to these passages. A QuickWrite during Closing and Assessment A in this lesson offers students the opportunity to explore some of these ideas in a safe way. Give students the opportunity to share their thoughts with small groups, but do not require them to do so.”

• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 14, the Teacher Edition includes a Teaching Notes with opportunities to extend learning such as: “Invite students to create a collage incorporating words and images that represent the scientific, political, and social context around the Apollo 11 mission. This hands-on activity provides an opportunity for students who thrive through visual learning and creative representation.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3c.

The Grade 6 materials include a Teacher Edition that provides an overview of the standards that are addressed in each module. In each lesson, an agenda describes the lesson sections, including the Opening, Work Time, and Closing and Assessment, and identifies the standards that are addressed.  Supporting standards are also identified in each lesson. For supporting standards, the Teacher Edition states, “These are the standards that are incidental - no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.” In the Your Curriculum Companion, the key shifts of the CCSS are explained in the context of the curriculum. It explains previous practice, the instructional shift, and how the curriculum supports the shift. This section also includes a table that correlates the College and Career Ready ELA/Literacy Standards to the curriculum. A case study in this section illustrates in-depth how the Topic, Tasks, Targets, and Texts are used to achieve daily, unit, and module-length goals. The section gives teachers advice on making instructional decisions that keep the integrity of the standards intact. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3d.

The Grade 6 materials include an introductory welcome letter in the Additional Resources tab that teachers send at the beginning of the year to give families an overview of the year’s modules, units, and goals. The letter includes an overview of the program and anchor texts students will read throughout the year. A rationale is given for including each text along with the main tasks for each module and how those tasks fit into a full year’s learning. In the Teacher Supporting Materials for each unit, homework resources are included for families. These detailed documents include, Guiding Questions and Big Ideas, homework per lesson, and information on independent reading and vocabulary.

Examples of resources include:

• In Module 1, the homework resource for families includes Guiding Questions and Big Ideas such as: ”What is mythology and what is the value of studying  mythology from other cultures? Why have stories from Greek mythology remained popular? How does point of view change with experience? What will your student be doing at school? And How can you support your student at home?” Key vocabulary is defined for families to help students at home. Then the unit’s homework is presented including information on research, choice reading, and vocabulary logs. A chart of each lesson’s homework is presented. Next, instruction on how to keep an independent reading log is presented along with a list of example prompts for the student to choose from to respond to their reading.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3e. The Grade 6 materials include a section in the Your Curriculum Companion that explains how research impacts the design of the curriculum and how the curriculum addresses College and Career Ready standards. Chapter 1 describes how research impacts the vocabulary, knowledge-building, syntax, and fluency components of the curriculum to close the opportunity gap. It also includes chapters that explain the instructional approaches of the curriculum, including preparing to teach, supporting students to read complex texts, writing with evidence, supporting students to meet grade-level expectations, and helping students grow as learners and people. 

Examples of explanations of instructional approaches include:

• In the Your Curriculum Companion, the section, “How Did Research Impact the Design of the Curriculum, and What Difference Will It Make to My Students?” addresses student gaps due to varying levels of readiness. Research citing systemic inequities and the Matthew Effect, “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer,” are included along with a mission from the publisher. This mission is to “give all students access to a challenging, engaging, and empowering curriculum built on best practices in literacy instruction in order to accelerate their achievement.” Included in this section is research for the following four elements of literacy instruction: vocabulary, knowledge-building, syntax and fluency.

• In the Your Curriculum Companion, chapters explain the instructional approaches, including preparing to teach, supporting students to read complex texts, writing with evidence, supporting students to meet grade-level expectations, and helping students grow as learners and people. The chapters include QR codes for videos showcasing the pedagogy within the curriculum, including the routines such as Language Dives, Peer Critique, Jigsaw, Unpacking a Learning Target, and Close Reading.  

• In the Your Curriculum Companion, the section, “How Will the Curriculum Help Me Address College-and Career-Ready Standards?” explains the three main shifts in the creation of the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts/Literacy. Details concerning how the shifts are more aligned with research on best practice is included along with an explanation of how the new shifts are more beneficial to student learning and closing the gap among all learners. In addition, a table is provided that describes how the curriculum materials address the specific aspects of the standards in the areas of Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3f.

The Grade 6materials include a 6-8 Required Trade Books and Resources Procurement List, including titles, authors, publishers, quantities, ISBN or UPC codes, Text Types, Lexiles, and Publication Dates. These details are provided for all texts and videos used in the program. Each lesson includes a list of required materials, including “Materials from Previous Lessons” and “New Materials.”  Material lists are also categorized by items used by students and teachers. In each Module Overview,  the Texts and Resources section includes a list of required textbooks and resources and the number of each resource needed. The Preparations and Materials sections explain what the teacher needs to prepare in advance and the location of  those materials. In addition, any new materials needed for both teacher and student are listed.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3i.

The Grade 6 materials include information on which standards are assessed. The Teacher Edition and the Teacher’s Guide for English Language Learners for each module provides an overview of the standards being taught and assessed in each series of lessons. Each module’s Teacher Supporting Materials includes an Assessment Overview and Resources section. This section details the standards assessed in each Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit Assessment. Each question in the assessments includes an annotation of what standard the question is intended to evaluate. For assessments that include a discussion, materials provide a checklist with the standards and performance criteria for teachers to aid in assessment.  For assessments that involve writing, materials provide an annotated exemplar showing where the exemplar achieves the standards being assessed. Assessment Design in Expeditionary Learning in Grades 3-8 is another document that provides details about the assessment design process and explains how modules assess student achievement of the Common Core Standards, the groupings of standards in each assessment, and how the learning of each module scaffolds students toward meeting the standards in the assessments.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3j.

The Grade 6 materials include assessments with scoring guidelines to interpret student performance; however, specific suggestions for follow-up or interventions are not provided. The discussion or performance assessments include a checklist with the standards and performance criteria for teachers to aid in assessment.  The speaking assessments include forms for running records of student performance with standards references. The writing assessments include rubrics and annotated exemplars showing where the exemplar achieves the standards being assessed. Assessments that include revising are accompanied by a Teacher Reference with the revisions made and an explanation of why each revision is necessary. Accommodations and extensions are suggested for the assessments, and opportunities for students to reflect on their own performance are included. Materials prompt teachers to provide students with specific feedback and allocate time to conference with students about performance. Because ELA standards are cyclical and often revisited, follow-up can be provided in that way, but the curriculum does not specifically provide suggestions.

The Grade 6 materials include assessments that measure the expectations of the standards regarding rigor and depth. There are six unit assessments per module at mid-unit and the end of the unit. A variety of item types are presented including, selected response, short and long constructed response, text-based discussion, written reflection, and essays. Standards-based formative and summative assessments are included in each unit in all modules. Also, each lesson includes a section titled Ongoing Assessment at the beginning of the lesson, and an Assessment Guidance section within the Teaching Notes that detail the kinds of data the teacher can collect on student progress toward the standard. 

Daily formative assessments include writing and reflection, strategic observation and listening, and debriefs. Writing and reflection assessments include summary writing, Note-Catchers and Entrance Tickets, and Exit Tickets. Strategic observation and listening are assessments made by the teacher while students are engaged in conversation during a Turn-and-Talk or other conversation-based protocol. Debriefs occur at the end of each lesson when students reflect on their progress toward the learning targets and standards. 

Summative assessments are standards-based constructed responses to culminating discussions, presentations, or on-demand writing. Anchor writing standards are taught and assessed in every module. Students write essays to inform or to express a claim, or they write narratives. As a summative assessment, these writing tasks are independent and on-demand. 

Examples of formative assessment types include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 3, students complete a Quick Write to answer the prompt: ““From reading this excerpt, what is Percy’s point of view toward Mr. Brunner?” Teacher directions state, “Circulate to monitor and guide students. Pay attention to common misconceptions, and take note of a student who has composed an exemplary reponse.”

• In Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 2, students complete an Entrance Ticket (RI6.8 and W6.1) explaining why they think an author made a particular claim in an argument essay.

• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 2, students complete the activity, Analyze Point of View: President Kennedy’s Speech Note-Catcher (RI6.1, RI6.2, RI6.4, RI6.6, RI6.10, W6.10, L6.5c).

Examples of summative assessment types include, but are not limited to: 

• In Module 1, Unit 2, students complete an End-of-Unit Compare and Contrast Summative Assessment Essay (RL6.1, RL6.7, W6.2, W6.4, W6.5, W6.6, W6.9a, W6.10, L6.6).

• In Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 4, the Mid-Unit Summative Assessment has students “analyze figurative language and central idea.” (RI6.1, RI6.2, RI6.3, RI6.4, RI6.5, RI6.10,L6.4a, L6.5a, L6.5c.)

• In Module 3, Unit 1, the End-of-Unit Assessment is a reading assessment (RL.6.10) where students read an excerpt from the beginning of Chapter 18 of Two Roads and answer selected-response and short constructed response questions about how Cal’s point of view is developed (RL.6.1, RL.6.6), the structure of the text (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.5, W.6.10), the use of intensive pronouns (W.6.10, L.6.1b), and the impact the use of language varieties has on character development (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10, L.6.1e).

• In Module 4, Unit 3, the End-of-Unit Assessment is an argument essay (W.6.1, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.9b, W.6.10, L.6.2, L.6.3, .6.6) based on research that argues why a hidden figure’s accomplishments are remarkable (RI.6.1, RI.6.3, RI.6.10, W.6.7, W.6.8). Students use reasons and evidence from their research texts and reasoning to defend their stance. Although Grade 6 is not required to address counterclaim, students acknowledge the existence of the opposing stance as part of their introduction and/or conclusion.

The Grade 6 materials include accommodations for students while taking assessments so they are able to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment. Teaching Notes for each lesson include a section titled “Support for All Students” and “Assessment Guidance” with suggestions for how to support students in completing the assessment. The Teacher Guide for English Language Learners (ELLs) offers additional teacher assistance to guide teachers in providing the appropriate amount of support for ELLs. The Teacher Guide for English Language Learners includes guidance for each lesson and a section titled, “Levels of Support” to document “lighter support” and “heavier support” for each assessment. Both types of supports are scaffolds only and do not change the content of the assessment.

Examples of accommodations provided include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 15, Teaching Notes in the “Support for All Students” section for the assessment state, “If students receive accommodations for assessments, communicate with the cooperating service providers regarding the practices of instruction in use during this study as well as the goals of the assessment. Some students may require more than the time allotted to complete the assessment.”

• In Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 15, the Teacher Guide for ELLs suggests lighter support for the assessment: “Before the assessment of Work Time A, underline key vocabulary in the assessment directions and prompt and read aloud together as a class to ensure that students understand each task included in the assessment. Invite students who need lighter support to restate or clarify information for students who need heavier support.” The same guide suggests heavier support: ”After students who need lighter support generate a more sparse sentence frame (see the accompanying suggestion in For Lighter Support), invite students who need heavier support to practice filling in the frames with simple statements about Cal and Possum. Provide examples as needed (e.g., Cal speaks softly, using few words and listening to others). This will refresh students’ memories about the function and use of the sentence frame and prepare them to adapt it for their own writing, if they choose, during the end of unit assessment.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3m.

The Grade 6 materials include a Teacher Edition with a section called Support All Students that provides strategies and supports for students in special populations. Lessons provide opportunities and suggestions for differentiation and modifications as needed. In the Teacher Guide for English Language Learners, a black triangle signifies a differentiated version of student-facing materials to support all learners as needed. Lessons are designed to support small groups and individual students. Students also have many opportunities for collaboration through various protocols and debriefs that encourage literacy development, skill improvement, and knowledge enhancement. 

Examples of strategies and supports include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 5, in the Support All Students section, examples of guidance for students who read below grade level are as follows: “Students may find it challenging to complete the complex close read in the amount of time allotted. Focus on fewer sections. Gather students who might need additional support during the close read in one place in the room to support them quickly and quietly as they closely read the text.”

• In Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 3, in the Support All Students section, students “with lower decoding abilities may struggle to read at the same pace as their classmates. Support developing readers with as many options as possible, including having them following along, reading silently, during read-alouds or reading in a pair or small group of classmates. Make sure that quicker readers are aware of what to do if they finish reading early (e.g., add to their Analyze Key Individual: William Note-Catchers; return to the text and highlight what they consider to be the most important ideas), so that ELL students do not feel pressured to read more quickly than they are able to.”

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 2, in the Support All Students section instructions state: “After the close read, a Language Dive facilitates a critical ‘pause’ and a closer look at a key sentence in the chapter, helping students tackle the theme of identity in a more scaffolded way.” In the Language Dive, students work in groups to discuss ways to rearrange chunks of sentences to make a meaningful sentence. They take turns paraphrasing and discussing, sketching, or acting out the sentence.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3n.

The Grade 6 materials include extension activities that are authentic applications of higher learning, not just additional work given to students who finish early and accurately. The Teacher Notes include an Opportunities to Extend Learning section that provides extensions for every lesson. Extensions are included in daily lessons, Performance Tasks, and other activities that can be applied across an entire module. Extensions can be applied to daily lessons by assigning different or additional research on the module topic, practicing or deepening skills tied directly to a lesson’s standards, removing scaffolds so students complete tasks independently, and encouraging creative expression and leadership skills. Extensions can be applied to the Performance Tasks by increasing the complexity of the work through higher-order thinking skills; expanding the craftsmanship through increased demands of accuracy, detail, and aesthetic quality of the task; and requiring a higher demand of original thinking or authentic personal voice and ideas to the task. Extensions can be applied across the entire module by providing students with opportunities to listen to experts, conduct fieldwork, and engage in service learning projects. Your Curriculum Companion also provides guidance for which extensions should be considered for the whole class and which should be considered for small groups or individuals. Some extensions are geared to students who show more interest in the topic rather than above grade-level skill. While extensions occasionally amount to more work, on the whole, they provide opportunities for deeper learning.

Examples of extensions for students above grade level include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, in addition to reading the excerpts of The Lightning Thief that are read closely in class, students may read the whole book.

• In Module 1, Unit 3, Lesson 9, the Opportunities to Extend Learning section states that some students may not require the level of scaffolding provided. Teachers are encouraged to prompt students toward deeper levels of understanding and increased rigor by referencing Levels 3 and 4 of Webb’s Depth of Knowledge.

• In Module 2, the optional module-length, whole-class extension includes having students “listen to the Ted Radio Hour podcast episode entitled ‘The Power of Design’.”  Your Curriculum Companion lists another podcast for students who are interested in learning more.

• In Module 3, students look for local museums or reservations that provide education on Native American culture and contact them to arrange a visit or sign up for an education program.

• In Module 3, the Performance Task includes extensions for students to work with a teammate to produce their recording together and consider ways to use music and/or other media to make their recording more engaging.

• In Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 15, an extension recommends students use the NASA webpage to view photographs, audio, and video clips from Apollo 11 and discuss “how the images inform their understanding of the text.”

• In Module 4, the Performance Task requires students to create a picture book about hidden figures in space science. An extension activity suggests students look for hidden figures within their school community and honor them in a public way that highlights their contributions. 

The Grade 6 materials provide various ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge of content and apply specific ELA standards. Anchor writing standards are taught and assessed in each module in on-demand and independent writing tasks. On-demand and culminating tasks encourage students to demonstrate understanding of learning targets and encourage deep analysis of texts. Entrance and Exit Tickets, Note-Catchers, and summary writings are examples of formative tasks in lessons. Research skills are part of lessons and Performance Tasks to build information-literacy and multimedia presentation skills. Opportunities for pairs, trios, and group work are provided throughout the modules and across each grade level, allowing students to develop interpersonal relationships and collaboration skills. Students often consult with peers in pairs and small groups to receive feedback about their work. These collaborative opportunities take place at the lesson level and the end-of-module Performance Tasks. Students use creativity and higher-level thinking skills to complete summative assessments and Performance Tasks. Summative assessments vary in format and include constructed or selected response questions and discussions or presentations. Performance tasks are designed to encourage student authenticity, complexity, and craftsmanship. They vary in design from creation of an audio museum to a solution symposium. Students complete self-assessments after each summative assessment using the Tracking Progress Form. A “debrief” at the end of one lesson during the closing and assessment phase is another opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning and inform next steps. At the end of the year, students review these forms to review their progress. 

Examples of the variety of learning tasks include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 3, students plan, write, and revise a scene from The Lightning Thief written from the perspective of a new character. Students create a multimedia presentation for a live audience. Students often work in pairs and small groups to receive feedback concerning their essay and presentation. 

• In Module 2, Unit 3, students participate in a Solution Symposium where they present the problem-and-design solution they previously researched for an informational essay. For the Solution Symposium presentation, students will create a flip-down visual representation of their essay. 

• In Module 3, Unit 3, students produce a recording to be included in the Voices of the American Indian Boarding School Audio Museum. Students select a primary source text written by students in American Indian Boarding school and write two accompanying pieces: one explains the content and the other explains why they included this particular piece in the museum. After several opportunities to receive peer feedback on their project, students record the audio for the museum.

• In Module 4, Unit 3, students work in triads to create and contribute three pages, including illustrations, to a class created picture book anthology about a famous hidden figure. Students conduct individual research but come together to write and illustrate their three-page contribution.

The Grade 6 materials provide a systematic approach for students to monitor their own learning. Each lesson begins with learning targets derived from the standards and written in student-friendly language. Students regularly break apart learning targets, determining what parts of the targets are most important. Throughout the module, students complete self-evaluation documents where they track their progress on each learning target. Students participate in debriefs at the end of lessons to reflect on their learning and complete self-evaluation. Students complete checklists to self-evaluate their progress and a protocol for students and teachers to share and accept feedback collaboratively. After each Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit assessment, students reflect on their performance and set goals for the future. Before the subsequent assessments, students reflect on past successes and set a goal for the assessment at hand.

The Grade 6 materials provide a variety of grouping strategies and protocols to encourage flexible groupings, higher levels of thinking, and knowledge retention. Partners, triads, and groups of four and five engage in learning experiences using various protocols like Face to Face, Back to Back, Chalk Talk, Collaborative Conversations, Fishbowl Discussions, and Socratic Seminar. Additionally, there are partner and small group options and support for text reading including, partner reading, Poetry for Multiple Voices, and Reader Theater Scripts. The protocols encourage students to learn to speak in front of their peers, listen actively, challenge ideas, and collaborate.

Examples of grouping strategies include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 13, students use a Think-Pair-Share to answer a question about Chapter 11 of The Lightning Thief. Once students have had a chance to discuss the answer to the question with their partner, they move to an abbreviated Socratic Seminar where the teacher invites pre-selected small groups to further discuss the prompt in front of the class. 

• In Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, students work collaboratively in pairs or triads to compare the similes they have identified while analyzing figurative language from The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

• In Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 2, students work in writing partnerships to complete the Collaborative Literary Argument Writing Plan Graphic Organizer. Once they have completed this activity, they work collaboratively with another writing pair and share their in-progress argument writing planners for feedback.

• In Module 4, Unit 3, Lesson 2, students work in pairs on the Collaborative Argument Evidence Note-Catcher to prepare to write a group hidden figures essay.

The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3q.

The Grade 6 materials provide strategies and supports for ELL students as they work with grade-level content. All students engage in the same anchor and supplemental texts. English Language Learner instruction and strategies are integrated into each lesson of the curriculum. The Teacher Guide for English Language Learners provides support for each lesson to ensure that ELL students of differing abilities receive appropriate scaffolding for language proficiency standards. It includes unit and lesson highlights and Differing Levels of Language Support for the various items in each lesson to support learners in accessing content at the differing levels of language proficiency.

In the standard Teacher Guide, a black triangle indicates instruction that is particularly supportive of intermediate ELL students. The curriculum includes specific approaches and strategies at the unit and lesson level, highlighting Language Dives as a high-yield strategy. Language Dives are provided throughout the modules and across all grade levels and provide the opportunity to “notice and wonder” about the ways in which language is used to convey meaning. Each Language Dive consists of a “Deconstruct, Reconstruct and Practice” routine which promotes building language, literacy and habits of mind. Conversation Cues are utilized at all grade levels and are designed to build the capacity for all students to engage in rich, collaborative discussions targeted at the ELA standards. Writing Scaffolds are provided throughout the modules and across grade levels. These scaffolds include teacher modeling and sentence and paragraph frames to assist students who need additional language support.

Examples of ELL supports include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 5, materials provide an affix list for students to use to help them determine the meaning of new vocabulary words.

• In Module 2, Unit 2, Lessons 3, 9, and 10 provide three additional mini Langage Dives to assist ELLs in making meaning of the text.  For example, in Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 3, the Language Dive focuses on a sentence from The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind that uses chronological words and multiple-meaning words, such as reach.

• In Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 5, teachers use combinations of Conversation Cues for students who need support in discussions. Cues are differentiated for “Lighter” and “Heavier” support, including “Can you say more about that? Who can repeat what your classmate said?”

• In Module 4, Unit 3, Lesson 1, materials provide a differentiated graphic organizer for analyzing a model argument essay versus completing a Note-Catcher. The graphic organizer contains examples of what a student might write for the similarities and differences between the model essay and the Note-Catcher. Then, the graphic organizer provides things to think about, such as “the way the documents and their information are organized” and “the tone and formality of the documents.”

The Grade 6 materials include two platforms for accessing the materials and both include images and information with people of various demographic and physical characteristics. One platform is the EL Education Open Up Resources; there are no images in the curriculum. The resources consist of PDF documents for the Teacher Guide and the student workbooks, and worksheets do not include illustrations.

Examples of diverse perspectives in the texts include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 2, students read about William Kamkwama, a boy from Malawi, who created a windmill to provide electricity for his village.

• In Module 4, students read about the contributions of African-American women to NASA through the reading of Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race.

• In Module 3, students read about Native American Boarding Schools and how they shaped the Native American experience.

The Grade 6 materials include The Teacher Guide for English Language Learners that provides guidance and strategies for teachers to encourage students to use their home language to facilitate learning. For each module and lesson, there are suggested levels of support from lighter to heavier based on the needs of the student. Heavier support usually includes suggestions for using the student’s home language. In addition, transcripts for some videos are provided to the student in their home language to facilitate comprehension.

Examples of guidance and support include, but are not limited to:

• In Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, heavier support for learning vocabulary includes, “Translation and cognate: What is the translation in your home language? Does the word look like a similar word in your home language?” 

• In Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 6, heavier support for discussions includes, “During the small group discussion of Closing and Assessment A, encourage ELLs who need heavier support to discuss their research findings with peers who share the same home language. This may help students better process the information they have gathered so far and more easily clarify misunderstandings.”

• In Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 1, heavier support includes, “if it is feasible to do so, pair students into homogeneous language groups. As needed, allow students to use their home languages as a resource to help them interpret the essay and paint it appropriately.”

• In Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 2, heavier support for language development includes, “Consider providing ELLs with the Language Dive sentence ahead of time. Invite students who need heavier support to annotate the sentence with home-language translations of unfamiliar words (e.g., compact, capsule, searing).”

The Grade 6 materials provide guidance in the Support All Students Materials. In daily lesson plans, the resource informs teachers about cultural or social issues that may be incorporated within students’ reading and gives suggestions on how to support students. The Opportunities to Extend Learning notes frequently provide suggestions about connecting learning to student interests. The Teacher Guide for English Language Learners (Unit Teacher Notes) encourages teachers to use cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning: “Investigate the routines, practices, rituals, beliefs, norms, and experiences that are important to ELLs and their families. Integrate this background into the classroom as students engage with texts. Consider the values and narratives embedded in class texts, and try to anticipate their relevance to ELLs.” Additionally, diversity, inclusion, and cultural relevance considerations are provided in the Teaching Notes section of the Teacher Edition for each lesson.

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Materials include no interactive tools, virtual manipulatives, or dynamic software. The materials are available in a digital format; however, it consists of materials that are not interactive.

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Materials do not include digital technology.

Materials are provided in two formats which both have a visual design that support learning. The design is not distracting or chaotic, and it neither adds to nor distracts from the subject matter. One format includes PDF documents and workbook pages that are organized in an accessible way. Graphic organizers are provided when needed to help with student organization. The use of typography, layout, and space are visually appealing, though there is little variance in color and no engaging images. The other format is the Learnzillion platform that presents lesson information in slideshows and is accompanied by illustrated characters who appear as presenters of the information on the page.

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Materials do not include embedded technology.