6th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations for central texts being of publishable quality and worthy of careful reading and considering a range of student interests.

Central texts consider a range of student interests including but not limited to mythology, rules to live by, adversity, immigration, conservation, and environmental issues. Many of the central texts have won awards, are written by award-winning authors, or are considered classics, and are worthy of careful reading.

Examples of central texts that are worthy of careful reading include the following:

• Module 1- The Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan
• Module 2A - Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis
• Module 2A - "If," Rudyard Kipling
• Module 2A - "Stanford University Commencement Address," Steve Jobs
• Module 2B - Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village, Laura Amy Schlitz
• Module 2B - Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems, John Grandits
• Module 3A - Dragonwings, Laurence Yep
• Module 3A - The Lost Garden- Laurence Yep
• Module 3B - World Without Fish, Mark Kurlansky
• Module 3B - Flush, Carl Hiassen
• Module 4 - Frightful's Mountain, Carolyn Craighead George

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards.

Central texts include a mix of informational texts and literature. Supplemental texts within the modules are also a mixture of literature and informational texts. A wide distribution of genres and text types as required by standards are evident including but not limited to speeches, plays, historical fiction, non-fiction, articles, poetry, and periodicals.

The following are examples of literature found within the instructional materials:

• Module 2B - Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems, John Grandits
• Module 2B - Technically, It’s Not My Fault: Concrete Poems, John Grandits
• Module 3A - Dragonwings, Laurence Yep
• Module 3B - Flush, Carl Hiaasen

The following are examples of informational text found within the instructional materials:

• Module 2A - “Stanford University Commencement Address,” Steve Jobs
• Module 3A - “Comprehending the Calamity,” Emma M. Burk
• Module 3B - World Without Fish, Mark Kurlansky
• Module 4 - “The Exterminator,” Kristen Weiss

The majority of texts in Module 4 are informational texts. Also, all central and supplementary texts in Module 3B are informational texts.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations for texts having the appropriate level of complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task.

Most texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade. For example, in Module 3A, students read The Lost Garden by Laurence Yep which has a Lexile measure of 1110 as stated by the publisher. The quantitative measure is within the range indicated by CCSS-ELA for grade band 6-8. In addition, this text qualitatively shows evidence that supports placement at this grade level. Some examples of this include but are not limited to high-interest life experiences and cultural awareness with vocabulary to support explanations. The text’s high-interest life experiences are evident as the story is written as a memoir of a boy’s perspective who never really felt like “he belonged.” The teacher begins lesson 6 by reading the first part of the book aloud and asking students to discuss the “gist.” As the lessons throughout the module continue, adequate scaffolding is evident as students move into independently using their graphic organizer to capture evidence of the young boy’s perspective. The analysis is discussed in pairs, groups, and teacher-directed discussions.

Texts that are quantitatively above grade band have scaffolds in place to ensure student access. For example, in Module 3B, students read A World without Fish by Mark Kurlansky, which has a Lexile measure of 1230 as stated by the publisher. The quantitative measure is above the range indicated by CCSS-ELA for grade band 6-8. Text has unfamiliar vocabulary, varied sentence length, and varied structure. The vocabulary in the text is supported through illustrations and age-appropriate, kid-friendly explanations and context clues. With support and scaffolding from the teacher, students read along to find the gist of the introduction. Students then work in triads to share out and work through the text to gain knowledge and determine meaning. This supportive structure is evident throughout the module.

Texts that are quantitatively below grade band are accompanied by tasks that increase the level of rigor requiring students to use higher order thinking skills or complete a task more independently.

• In Module 1 students read The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan which has a Lexile measure of 470 as stated by the publisher. The quantitative measure is well below the range indicated by CCSS-ELA for grade band 6-8. However, this text qualitatively shows evidence that supports grade-level appropriateness for Grade 6 students. Some examples of this include but are not limited to the text organization, vocabulary connections, high interest life experiences, and extended cultural knowledge. Students need knowledge of Greek mythology to understand allusions throughout the text. Students read and analyze the theme of the text and then write a position paper on how The Lightning Thief aligns to A Hero’s Journey which is at a higher quantitative measure, using evidence from both texts to support their position.
• In Module 4, students read Frightful’s Mountain by Jean Craighead George, which has a Lexile of 640 as stated by the publisher. The quantitative measure is below the range indicated by CCSS-ELA for grade band 6-8. However, this text qualitatively shows evidence that supports grade-level appropriateness for Grade 6 students. Some examples of this include but are not limited to vocabulary, high interest life experiences, and extended ecological information. The text has high-interest life experiences such as triumphing against the odds. Children are portrayed as the problem solvers and effective wildlife preservers. Students read and trace an argument throughout the entire text in preparation for their performance task where students independently write a position paper about the benefits of DDT and its possible harmful effects.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations that materials support students’ increasing literacy skills over the course of the school year. Series of texts are at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band.

There is a gradual release of responsibility as each unit and module moves forward throughout the year in order to grow literacy skills.

• In Module 1, students study the elements of mythology and use the knowledge gained to better understand the characters in Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief. Lessons focus on a hero's journey. Students close read multiple text to study mythical allusions. They also read complex informational texts that give students a better understanding of the elements of mythology. Together as a group and with teacher support, students closely read several complex Greek myths. Students then branch out with small groups to study another myth with less scaffolding. Students then write a narrative of their own hero's journey with peer feedback and critique to help them.
• In Module 2A, students consider how people formulate and communicate rules to improve their lives. Students read a variety of texts, beginning with Bud, not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. Students analyze character development and focus on figurative language contributing to tone and meaning. Figurative language is first identified, then analyzed for language and how the author's word choice affects tone and meaning, and finally interpreted to better understand the characters. Students then read Steve Jobs's commencement speech and get the gist through annotation. Students answer text-dependent questions and connect ideas in Steve Jobs's speech to Bud, Not Buddy. Students analyze the structure of the poem, “If”, to determine how the structure contributes to its meaning and theme. Students compare and contrast how Bud, Not Buddy and “If” address a similar theme. Students conduct a short research project and then work independently with teacher support and peer critique to write an informative essay about the most important "rule of life."
• In Module 3B, students study how an author’s geographical location affects how he develops his point of view or perspective. They learn about ocean conservation and the impact of humans on life in the ocean. Students read World Without Fish, and analyze how point of view and perspective is conveyed while studying about fish depletion. Students then read Carl Hiassen’s Flush and excerpts of an interview with Carl Hiaasen to determine the effect of his geographical location on his perspective in the novel. Finally, students independently write an informative consumer guide with feedback provided before drafting a final draft.
• In Module 4, students read the novel Frightful's Mountain and multiple informational texts about the benefits and consequences of the use of DDT. They look at multiple arguments and evaluate them through research. Students participate in structured discussions to build knowledge and form their own argument. Students then use their research to write a position paper that supports their claim with evidence.

Students revisit and build on knowledge and skills introduced in earlier modules as they progress through the year. Students gradually move towards being able to complete tasks independently after extensive modeling and group activities.

• In Module 3B, students use the novel Flush to study plot development across a text. Students are prepared for this task because Module 1 students use a story line to develop their own narrative of the hero’s journey.
• In Module 4, students write a position paper to support their claims with evidence. Students built the need skills to complete this performance task beginning in Module 2A when they studied the qualities of a strong literary argument essay and selected evidence to logically support claims in an argument essay.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations for materials being accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level. The Curriculum Map includes the quantitative Lexile measure of anchor text for each module.

Rationales for the educational purpose and placement in grade level are provided at the beginning of each unit in the Unit Overview, and includes qualitative information. Some examples include the following:

• Module 1, Unit 2, Unit Overview - “In this second unit of Module 1, students will delve deeply into mythology: its purpose, elements, and themes that align with themes in The Lightning Thief. While they continue to read The Lightning Thief independently, students will closely read multiple myths. In the first half of the unit, they will use the informational text “Key Elements of Mythology” to better understand the elements and themes of the myths they read. In their mid-unit assessment, students will read the myth of Prometheus and write an analytical mini-essay identifying the elements of mythology present in the myth, describing a theme of the myth, and explaining how key details contribute to the theme. In the second half of the unit, students will read, think, talk, and write the myths alluded to in The Lightning Thief. They will determine the themes of myths and how the themes align with themes in the novel. As students build toward writing a literary analysis, the teacher will model writing skills using the myth of Cronus. Students practice these skills using myths they are reading in small, expert groups. For their end of unit assessment, students will write a literary analysis summarizing the myth of Cronus, identifying a common theme between the myth of Cronus and The Lightning Thief, and explaining why the author chose to include this myth in the novel.”
• Module 2B, Unit 3, Unit Overview - “In this unit, students move from the monologues of medieval times to modern voices of adversity. They do this through a study of John Grandits’s concrete poems in the collections Blue Lipstick and Technically, It’s Not My Fault. As in Unit 2, students continue to read closely for word choice, figurative language, and themes of adversity found in these poems. Students consider how these themes of adversity apply to their own lives and the lives of their peers. In the mid-unit assessment, students are assessed on speaking and listening skills as they participate in discussion groups focusing on the language of the poems, the themes of adversity conveyed in these poems, and the connections between the voices of these poems and the voices from the characters of Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! In the second half of the unit, students identify a theme of adversity they would like to convey in their own writing. Then, through a series of narrative writing lessons, and using either a monologue from Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! or a John Grandits concrete poem as a model text, they write their own modern monologue or concrete poem. For the end of unit assessment, students submit their best draft of their writing. For the performance task, students orally present this narrative to an audience of their peers”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations for supporting materials for the core texts provide opportunities for student to engage in a range and volume of reading to achieve grade-level reading.

Each unit includes lessons with supplementary texts of varying lengths. These text are read independently, in groups, aloud, and silently, offering multiple opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading.

• In Module 2B, Unit 3, lesson 1, students read the article, “Utah 15-year-old Suspended after Dyeing Her Hair a ‘Distracting’ Red” and compare and contrast it to the poem “Bad Hair Day” from Blue Lipstick.
• In Module 3B, Unit 3, lesson 9, students read the section of a consumer guide, “What Can I Do?” and use it as a model to create their own consumer guides.

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities for students to build fluency to become independent readers at the grade level.

• In Module 2B, Unit 2, lesson 4, students are asked read a monologue by “chunking the text” and it is explained that reading it in this way will be helpful with understanding the main idea of the monologue.
• In Modules 3A, Unit 2, lesson 4, students follow along silently as teacher reads aloud and then students reread paragraph silently to find the gist.
• In Module 3B, Unit 2, lesson 6, students read an excerpt silently while the teacher reads aloud slowly, fluently, and without interruption to promote fluency for students.
• The preface offers the following explanation of Homework - "Due to the rigors demanded by the CCSS-ELA, in Expeditionary Learning’s Grades 3–8 ELA curriculum, students are required to practice the skills they learn in the classroom independently at home every day, for approximately 30–45 minutes. This usually involves a reading activity (e.g., reading or rereading a certain number of paragraphs or pages in a text) with a response task (e.g., highlighting or recording evidence to answer a question). Students also are expected to read independently every evening according to independent reading routines."

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-dependent and require students to engage with the text directly and to draw on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text.

Most questions, tasks, and assignments are structured and designed to encourage understanding of key ideas of texts and determine most important learning from the readings. Instructional materials include questions, tasks, and assignments that are text-dependent over the course of a school year. Teacher materials provide support for planning and implementation by providing exemplar answers.

• In Module 3B, Unit 1, lessons 7 and 8, students read to determine author's purpose. The teacher reads aloud while asking questions to clarify meaning of words and determine key points the author is making. (i.e., “What is myth?” Teacher explains it can also mean something that is not true.) In lesson 8, students analyze the same excerpt while answering text dependent questions such as "How do we know he is angry? Does he tell us or do we have to infer?"
• In Module 1, Unit 2, lesson 17, students plan and begin to draft introductory and conclusion paragraphs of a literary analysis essay using graphic organizers to document theme and the importance of myth in modern times and why the author chose to use a specific myth.
• In Module 2A Unit 1, lessons 6 and 7, students complete text dependent questions and tasks that require them to dig deeper into three paragraphs of Steve Jobs’s speech. Students are given a claim and asked to explain how evidence from the speech does or does not support the claim. For example, one claim is that "(y)ou have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” Example evidence from the lesson plan is “I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and sans serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great.” Annotate in the margin next to the underlined text: “Connects to his future.”
• In Module 1 Unit 1, lesson 9, students are given a homework assignment that requires them to answer and provide evidence to some text-dependent questions. Exemplar answers to text-specific questions are provided in teacher materials.
• In Module 3A Unit 1, lesson 4, students complete an exit ticket that requires them to answer and provide evidence to text-dependent questions around theme.
• In Module 3B Unit 1, lesson 9, students work independently to reread the text-dependent questions in Column 1 and review the excerpt of text before recording their answers to the questions in Column 2, using evidence from the text. A completed exemplar chart is provided in teacher materials.
• In Module 4 Unit 2, lesson 1, students read an article and identify the author’s claim and provide evidence to support their thinking.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations that materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and activities that build to a culminating task that integrates skills.

Materials contain sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and activities that build to a culminating task. Each Module has a Final Performance Task. This is a culminating project that takes place during Unit 3 of every module. Performance tasks are designed to help students synthesize and apply their learning from the module in an engaging and authentic way. Performance tasks are developed using the writing process, are scaffolded, and almost always include peer critique and revision. Performance tasks are not “on-demand” assessments. Students who demonstrate success with sequences of questions can complete the culminating tasks.

Culminating tasks are rich and provide opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and are able to do using speaking and writing.

• In Module 1, students study mythological elements and themes leading to the culminating task of writing an original hero's journey narrative.
• In Module 3B, students answer text-specific questions while collecting information about fish depletion and the issue of over-fishing to create a consumer guide about buying sustainable fish as part of the unit's final performance task.
• In Module 4, students answer text specific questions and engage in activities to collect information and evidence to write a position paper: "Do the Benefits of DDT Outweigh Its Harmful Consequences?"

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations for evidence-based discussion that encourages the modeling of academic vocabulary and syntax.

Vocabulary addressed in each lesson is noted in teacher planning documents. Modules and unit lessons contain “Unpacking Learning Targets” segments to include discussions that aid in clarifying language of learning and help build academic vocabulary. All modules and unit lessons also include a "Finding the Gist" segment that includes protocols in defining vocabulary necessary for understanding.

There are many opportunities and protocols throughout modules and within lessons that support academic vocabulary and syntax. Teacher materials support implementation of these standards to grow students’ skills.

• In Module 2A, Unit 2, lesson 5, students analyze language in poetry.
• In Module 2A, Unit 2 lesson 6, students use a Word Replacement Note-catcher to help better understand the meaning of unknown words and phrases.
• In Module 2B, Unit 3, lesson 5, students refer to anchor charts and the Academic Word Wall as they consider their theme of adversity and how they will write their Narrative of Adversity.
• In Module 3A, Unit 2, lesson 4, students focus on the word tortuous. Students find the root word and discuss the Latin meaning. Students are then directed to connect the word to the text (referring to the earthquake) to determine the meaning.
• In Module 3B, Unit 1, lesson 4, students are focused on the word exposition and asked to define the word in the given context.
• In Module 4 Unit 1 Lesson 1 students are asked to find words or word parts inside of the word interdependence to help understand its meaning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching with relevant follow-up questions and evidence.

Speaking and listening requires students to gather evidence from texts and sources. Opportunities to talk and ask questions of peers and teachers about research, strategies and ideas are present throughout the year. The curriculum includes a host of protocols and graphic organizers to promote and scaffold academic discussions.

• In Module 1, Unit 1, lesson 2, students engage in triad talk referring to evidence from the text.
• In Module 2A, Unit 1, lesson 2, students think, discuss, and write about how word choice affects the tone and meaning of the novel during Work Time. In addition, they work in triads to answer text-dependent questions about an expert from the text.
• In Module 2B, Unit 2, lesson 9, students participate in an opportunity to describe the qualities of a literacy argument with examples and support from their evidence of the text.
• In Module 2B, Unit 1, students collaboratively develop norms for research triads and engage in a group research project.
• In Module 3A, Unit 1, lesson 3, students engage in triad discussion groups to review the text and complete structured notes. Students then “Mix and Mingle” as they move throughout the room and discuss the question “What does Moonshadow think about where Tang people live?”
• In Module 3B, Unit 3, lesson 2, students engage in a jigsaw discussion where they are using a different article where they are expected to read and explain to their group. Students share facts collected on the issue of overfishing.
• In Module 4, Unit 1, lesson 5, students conduct Fishbowl discussion on DDT. Students are required to speak and listen to others to give feedback.
• In Module 4, Unit 2, lesson 1 students discuss research questions during the planning stage of research project.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations that materials include a mix of on-demand and process writing and short, focused projects. Students write both "on demand" and "over extended periods" throughout every module.

Materials include short and longer writing tasks and projects. Writing tasks and projects are aligned to the grade-level standards being reviewed.

• In Module 1, Unit 2, students write a scaffolded essay: Analytical Mini-Essay about Elements and Theme of the Myth of Prometheus.
• In Module 1, students write an on-demand response: Crosswalk between My Hero’s Journey Narrative and The Hero’s Journey Informational Text
• In Module 2A, Unit 1, lesson 5, students write a journal entry based on the text, Bud, Not Buddy.
• In Module 3A, students draft a newspaper article to be assessed and edited for revision.
• In Module 3B, students draft a scaffolded essay of the written content of their consumer guide.
• In Module 2B, Unit 1, lesson 6, students are introduced to the “Researcher’s Notebook” which is a tool that is used as an aid in support of research writing.
• In Module 4, students write a reflection of the writing process discussing moving from a draft to published position paper.
• In Module 2A, Unit 1, students write a short constructed response analyzing the Barack Obama Back-to-School Speech.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Writing opportunities are focused around students’ analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with sources. Materials provide opportunities that build students' writing skills over the course of the school year.

• In Module 1, Unit 1, lesson 8, students complete a quick write in the opening segment.
• On the Module 1 End of Unit Assessment, students write a literary analysis.
• In Module 1, students write a narrative: “My Hero’s Journey.”
• In Module 2A, students write an essay to inform: “My Rule to Live By.”
• In Module 2A, Unit 1, lesson 5, students write a journal entry based on the text, Bud, Not Buddy.
• In Module 2B, Unit 1, lesson 6, students are introduced to the “Researcher’s Notebook” which is a tool that is used as an aid in support of research writing.
• In Module 3A, students write a draft newspaper article: "How the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Affected the People of San Francisco."
• In Module 3A, Unit 2, students write a literary analysis essay comparing and contrasting unit topics.
• In Module 3B, students write a draft of an informative consumer guide: "What You Need to Know When Buying Fish."

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations that materials include frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information.

Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Writing opportunities are focused around student’s analyses and claims developed from reading closely and working with sources. Materials provide opportunities that build students' writing skills over the course of the school year.

• In Module 1, Unit 2, lesson 9, students identify key elements of myths and include details to support responses.
• In Module 2A, Unit 3, lesson 8, students summarize and analyze text for support or non-support of claim.
• In Module 2B, Unit 1, lesson 2, students use "Digging Deeper into Text" graphic organizer to gather evidence and prepare to write.
• In Module 3B, Unit 1, lesson 1, students respond to evidence-based focus questions for a homework assignment.