6th Grade - Gateway 3
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Usability
| Score | |
|---|---|
Gateway 3 - Partially Meets Expectations | 76% |
Criterion 3.1: Teacher Supports | 8 / 9 |
Criterion 3.2: Assessment | 8 / 10 |
Criterion 3.3: Student Supports | 3 / 6 |
Criterion 3.4: Intentional Design |
The grade 6 materials do not meet expectations for usability. Materials include guidance to assist teachers in presenting the student and ancillary materials, providing sufficient and useful annotations and suggestions within the context of specific learning objectives. While the materials include this general teacher guidance, they only provide limited adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade-level concepts that the teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject; however, they do not contain adult-level explanations and examples of concepts beyond the current course. The Teacher Tools includes explanations of the instructional approaches for the program, including references to the research behind them and bibliographic credits connected to the research.
The materials include correlation information for the ELA standards addressed throughout the grade level in both regular content and assessments. There are various types of assessments in the program, including unit content assessments, formative and summative assessments. While an answer key is provided for all assessments, there is insufficient guidance for interpreting student performance beyond the answer key. The materials do not offer accommodations for the assessments.
Materials include general support throughout the program for all students; however, the materials do not share specifically which supports would benefit or target specific special populations. In addition, there are opportunities provided for grouping students. Still, the groupings do not vary in type and take place at the same part of each lesson, as the variation of the structure in lessons is limited.
The program does not include digital technology or interactive tools for students to interact with. Although the teacher materials are presented in a digital manner, student materials are printed materials. Because the materials for students are printed, teacher guidance on incorporating technology is limited.
Criterion 3.1: Teacher Supports
The program includes opportunities for teachers to effectively plan and utilize materials with integrity and to further develop their own understanding of the content.
The grade 6 materials include guidance to assist teachers in presenting the student and ancillary materials, providing sufficient and useful annotations and suggestions within the context of specific learning objectives. While the materials include this general teacher guidance, they only provide limited adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade-level concepts that the teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject; however, they do not contain adult-level explanations and examples of concepts beyond the current course. The Teacher Tools includes explanations of the instructional approaches for the program, including references to the research behind them and bibliographic credits connected to the research.
The materials also include correlation information for the ELA standards addressed throughout the grade level. The Unit Prep section contains a list of the standards covered in each unit and in each lesson for teacher use. Materials and lessons provide a list of texts needed for the unit. In every unit folder, the materials provide student handouts for all instructional activities.
The materials do not include provisions for informing parents, students, or caregivers about the ELA program. The materials include a suggestion to inform parents about sensitive content in the unit; however, there is no letter template provided.
Indicator 3a
Materials provide teacher guidance with useful annotations and suggestions for how to enact the student materials and ancillary materials to support students' literacy development.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3a.
The materials include guidance to assist teachers in presenting the student and ancillary materials, providing sufficient and useful annotations and suggestions within the context of specific learning objectives. In each unit, links in the Enhanced Lesson Plan allow teachers to download student materials for use in the lessons. These materials include a vocabulary package and the option to turn the Key Questions, Target Task, and Exit Ticket into student handouts. The Enhanced Lesson Plan also includes specific suggestions for how to incorporate materials within the lesson plan, including explanations for use, directions for how to frame and utilize supports, reminders, sentence stems, and key places to stop in texts for all sections of the lesson. These key stopping points include the Comprehension Review and Vocabulary, the Close Read, the Target Task, and the Class Discussion sections. Each lesson contains one or more Objectives for students to meet and a list of core and supporting Common Core Standards covered in the lesson.
Materials provide comprehensive guidance that will assist teachers in presenting the student and ancillary materials. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Materials include a Unit Summary with explanations of how the anchor text was selected and how the supplemental texts support the anchor text and themes in the unit. Each module includes a Unit Launch to help the teacher understand the unit. The Unit Launch includes five steps: Introduction, Understanding the Text, Unit Essential Content, Key Reading Standards, and Key Writing Standards.
Lessons offer guidance for teachers to support all students by Building Background and Accessing Prior Knowledge, and guidance is available consistently around the Target Tasks across the grade level. An example of additional support is when the materials offer sentence stems and scaffolding questions for teachers to utilize when following the close-read procedures.
Each non-writing lesson includes a comprehension and vocabulary review at the onset of the lesson. This section includes specific teacher guidance on how to introduce vocabulary words, including the use of word walls, vocabulary logs, and vocabulary cards. Students review key vocabulary from the previous lesson. Materials provide links to specific strategies to teach vocabulary words. Materials also differentiate words into content-specific academic categories and provide guidance explaining the difference to students and the teaching of each. The Unit Summary includes a comprehensive list of the vocabulary for the unit, including part of speech and definition.
In the Unit Launch, Understanding the Text, the goal is to “build [teachers] understanding of how students might experience the unit text(s) based on these interconnected aspects of text complexity.” For example, Unit 2 includes the following subsections with descriptions, examples specific to the unit, and reflection questions for the teacher:
What Makes the Text Complex
Understanding the Supplemental Texts
Your Students and These Texts
Reflections on the Author
Materials include sufficient and useful annotations and suggestions that are presented within the context of the specific learning objectives. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 1, Developing Resilience: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, Lesson 1, the materials offer guidance for Supporting All Students in the form of a Close Read Procedure and include specific Key Moments to Analyze, connecting to the text The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963: “One of those days that when you breathed out your breath kind of hung frozen in the air like a hunk of smoke and you could walk along and look exactly like a train blowing out big, fat, white puffs, of smoke (p. 1).” There are scaffolding questions available to support students in providing specific evidence from the text to explain how the use of figurative language establishes the setting, such as “What examples of imagery do you notice on the page?”
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, Lesson 1, the Key Understandings section includes Skills, Strategies, and Knowledge that students will gain in the lesson. In each section of the lesson, the teacher is provided with directions on how to present the content. Examples include: “Explain that today, students will be focusing on the prologue of Copeland’s memoir, specifically on the way that sections of text fit into the overall structure of the memoir and contribute to the development of ideas. Remind students that every choice an author makes is deliberate. This is true from the individual words they choose to the way sentences are structured, the literary devices that are used, to the inclusion of specific paragraphs, sections of text, and chapters. When reading a text, it is important to think critically about why the author has made specific structural choices and the impact these choices make on creating meaning in the text.”
In Unit 4, the Comprehension Review and Vocabulary section includes the following questions: “Would you describe Jonas as conscientious? Why or why not?” This question includes a notation that students learned the word conscientious in Unit 1 and follow-up questions to help clear up any misconceptions of the meaning of the word.
In Unit 5, Fleeing Conflict: Refugee & The Unwanted, Lesson 18, the Key Understandings section includes Skills, Strategies, and Knowledge that students will gain in the lesson. In each section of the lesson, materials provide teachers with directions on how to present the content. Examples include: “Have students answer today's Close Read Questions. Students should read each question, then reread the page(s) referenced in the question before writing their answer. Depending on student needs, students can answer the questions orally, annotate in the margins, or write their answers. While students are reading, circulate to gauge student understanding of the questions. Provide additional support when needed.” The Close Read section of the Enhanced Lesson Plan includes clear suggestions and directions for teachers to use as they approach the Close Read questions. For example, first, teachers “Remind students of the definitions of ‘theme’ and ‘thematic topic.’A small explanation is included. A close reading structure is also suggested. After students answer the first Close Read question (“What thematic topics does Gratz explore in this text?”), it is suggested that teachers ask students to share out ideas, develop a class list of topics, and then move on to the next question. ScaffoldingQuestions, Key Moments, and Language Supports in the form of sentence stems are included for additional support with the Close Read Questions.
Indicator 3b
Materials contain adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade-level/course-level concepts and concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3b.
The materials include limited adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade-level concepts that the teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject; however, they do not contain adult-level explanations and examples of concepts beyond the current course. Each unit provides a Unit Prep section with Notes for Teachers that include some additional contextual background; however, it does not provide support in teaching grade-level concepts within the lesson plans. Explanations are included in the Teacher Tools of different aspects of the curriculum and teaching techniques or different strategies related to the knowledge demands of each unit. Still, they are not lesson- or text-specific. The explanations of the concepts are specific to the approaches taken by the materials and do not provide any additional opportunity for teachers to expand their understanding of a concept.
Materials contain limited adult-level explanations and examples of more complex grade/course-level concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Teacher Tools, multiple sections present specific information on how to prepare the unit, internalize a unit, and understand the different components of an ELA lesson.
In the Teacher Tools, Writing, there are specific full-length explanations of Learning to Write and Writing to Learn.
In the Teacher Tools, Supporting English Learners, there are explanations of Intellectually Preparing a Unit, Intellectually Preparing a Lesson, Scaffolds for English Learners, Engineering Texts, Oral Language Protocols, and Using Graphic Organizers as Scaffolds.
In Teacher Tools, Progress Monitoring and Assessment, there are explanations of Categories to Progress Monitor, and Types of Assessment for Progress Monitoring, including Formative Assessments and Summative Assessments.
In the Vocabulary section of the Teacher Tools, there is an explanation of how the vocabulary is built into the unit and an explanation of how students build vocabulary through interacting with Tier II and Tier III words. There is then an in-depth explanation of how to teach the words within the text. There are no specific examples or modeling provided. There is further instruction for teachers on how to teach vocabulary through both an implicit and explicit approach with guidelines and strategies but no specific examples or modeling.
In the Teacher Tools, Providing Access to Complex Texts section, there are detailed explanations of what makes a text complex and how to provide access and support for more complex texts being used by students.
In Teacher Tools, Routines for Active Reading, there is an explanation of what active reading is and then more in-depth explanations of various forms of active reading, including Interactive Read Aloud, Shared Reading, Partner Reading, Small Group Reading, and Independent Reading.
In the Unit Launch section, materials provide the teacher with an opportunity to internalize the essential questions of the unit. The teacher has opportunities to explore the questions as well as sample answers to the questions. In the section “Considering Who and Where You Are,” the teacher has an opportunity to reflect on biases or gaps in knowledge that might impact the teaching of the unit.
Materials contain limited adult-level explanations and examples of concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 4: Finding Connection: The Outsiders, Lesson Overview, Unit Prep, the Notes for Teachers section explains that the book addresses a number of difficult and mature topics, including gang violence, murder, domestic violence, the death of parents, the death of friends, a police shooting/suicide by police, and PTSD/depression. Included with this note are the recommendations to “be mindful of your students’ backgrounds and life experiences and be aware that they may have strong reactions to the book.” There is also a note that the book is written by a female but does not have any strong female characters and that teachers may want to have students consider how gender is reflected in the text. No guidance is provided on how this could be done.
Indicator 3c
Materials include standards correlation information that explains the role of the standards in the context of the overall series.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3c.
The materials include correlation information for the ELA standards addressed throughout the grade level. The Unit Prep section contains a list of the standards covered in each unit and in each lesson.
Correlation information is present for the ELA standards addressed throughout the grade level/series. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
For each unit, the Lesson Map table includes a list of addressed standards. At the beginning of each unit in the Unit Prep, there is also a section titled Common Core Standards, where the core and supporting standards are listed.
The end of each lesson in every unit includes a list of Common Core Standards and Supporting Standards, which are defined as “Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards for the unit.” All are hyperlinked to a pop-up window with the full text of the standard.
In Unit 2, Challenging Authority: The Giver, Lesson 1, materials list Common Core Standards L.6.6 and RI.6.2 for the lesson. Supporting standards listed include L.6.4, RI.6.10, SL.6.3, L.6.4.b, RI.6.4, SL.6.6, W.6.4, L.6.4.c, RI.6.7, W.6.10, W.6.9, L.6.4.d, SL.6.1, W.6.2, W.6.9.b, RI.6.1, SL.6.2, W.6.2.a.
Explanations of the role of the specific grade-level/course-level ELA standards are present in the context of the series. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
The Unit Launch section of the curriculum includes an explanation for the key reading and writing standards is provided. The teacher works through unpacking the essential standards by answering questions concerning the standard and how it connects to the unit. Questions include: “Why is this standard important for understanding the key ideas and themes of this unit’s core text(s)? What are students likely to notice and learn as they build proficiency with the standard?” Once the teacher enters a response, they are given the opportunity to view the publisher’s answer. The next step is to “Apply the Standard.” In this section, the teacher is provided with a set of tasks that are included in the unit and answers the question, “Reflect on how understanding this standard helps students better analyze the section of text and correctly answer the task.” In Step 3, “Define Mastery,” the teacher reflects on the skills that students must develop to answer the target tasks successfully. Each step in this internalization of the unit has publisher exemplar responses to help deepen understanding.
The Unit Launch for each unit includes a section entitled Unit Essential Content. Guidance notes, “The goal of this section is for you to review and fully understand the key content knowledge of a unit prior to teaching. Doing this work prior to teaching the unit will help you endure that students internalize the key content knowledge by the end of the unit.”
In the Unit Essential Content section, materials describe Key Reading Standards: “For each unit, we have identified the key reading standards of the unit. These key standards are among the most important in helping students understand this unit’s texts. These standards represent a subset of the reading standards covered in the unit and work in conjunction with the other standards noted at the unit level. For each standard, you will reflect on why the standard is particularly useful for making meaning of the unit’s core and supplemental texts. You will apply the standard to specific Target Tasks from this unit and analyze how the standard helps students better analyze the section of text and correctly complete the task. Finally, you will reflect on what students will ultimately need to know and be able to do to demonstrate mastery of this standard. This work will help you ensure that students are interacting with the texts and tasks at the right level of rigor and depth.” For each standard, teacher guidance includes the following prompts and materials provide a mastery response after submission:
Step 1: Unpack the Standard
Read and analyze the language of this key reading standard.
Considering the language of the standard above, answer the questions below and record your thoughts in the provided fields or in the provided note template:
Why is this standard important for understanding the key ideas and themes of this unit’s core text(s)?
What are students likely to notice and learn as they build proficiency with the standard?
Teachers can then check their answers by expanding the “View Our Response” section in which they are provided with the curriculum writers’ rationale as to the importance of this standard and what students are likely to notice and learn as they build proficiency with the standard.
Step 2: Apply the Standard
Below are a set of tasks from this unit that require students to have a strong understanding of this key standard in order to answer each question correctly. Read each task, the appropriate section of the text, and our sample response. Then, reflect on how understanding this standard helps students better analyze the section of text and correctly answer the task.
After the task, a reflection question is provided.
Consider the question below and record your thoughts in the provided fields or in the provided note template:
How does applying this key standard help students better understand this section of text and correctly answer this Target Task?
Teachers can then check their answers by expanding the “View Our Response” section in which they are provided with the curriculum writers’ rationale on how this key standard helps students better understand this section of text and correctly answer this Target Task.
In the Unit Essential Content section, Key Writing Standards are described.“In this section, you will explore the key writing standards of this unit and what mastery of these standards looks like in the context of the unit. These standards represent a subset of writing standards covered in the unit and were selected because they are among the most important in helping students write in response to the text(s). First, you will closely read the language of the standards in tandem with the unit’s culminating writing task. Then, you will examine an exemplar response to the task and reflect on how the standards help students proficiently complete the writing task.”
Step 1: Unpack the standards
First, read and analyze the language of the key writing standards.
What are key understandings of these standards? What do they ask students to know and be able to do?
Step 2: Apply the Standards
Now, read this unit’s culminating writing task, followed by our example of an exemplar response. While reading the exemplar, notice and annotate for evidence of the standards.
Use the following questions to guide your annotations:
How does this exemplar show mastery of the standards?
What do students need to know and understand in order to complete the writing task?
Indicator 3d
Materials provide strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.
The materials do not include provisions for informing parents, students, or caregivers about the ELA program. The materials include a suggestion to inform parents about sensitive content in the unit; however, there is no letter template provided. Materials provide limited information to guide teachers relating to the content covered in each unit or lesson. Materials do not include information on how parents or caregivers can help students succeed in the program.
Materials contain limited strategies for informing students, parents, or caregivers about the ELA program. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, the Notes for Teachers section of the Unit overview advises: “Be aware that this unit discusses some difficult topics. Life in Mother includes descriptions of domestic violence, eating disorders, and the n-word. The lesson on Favianna Rodriquez briefly discusses abortion and reproductive rights. You may want to inform parents and school staff when these topics will be discussed.” Materials do not provide additional support to guide teachers in creating communication with parents and school staff.
Materials contain suggestions for how parents or caregivers can help support student progress and achievement. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
No evidence found
Indicator 3e
Materials provide explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3e.
The materials explain the instructional approaches of the program and include an annotated bibliography that references the research-based strategies. The Teacher Tools includes explanations of the instructional approaches for the program, including references to the research behind them and bibliographic credits connected to the research. Materials provide a concise explanation of each ELA component and explain how the program is designed to teach the components to accomplish the stated goals. The Our Approach section emphasizes the flexibility of the program and its focus on being culturally relevant.
Materials explain the instructional approaches of the program. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In the Our Approach section, the materials explain the approach taken in general terms, including a focus on texts over skills, criteria for content selection, the foci for writing instruction, and approaches to discussion and word knowledge.
The Teacher Tools provides an explanation of how the materials approach each ELA component:
In Writing, Approach to Language and Grammar Instruction, the explanation states: “Language and writing instruction are embedded within all Fishtank ELA units from K-12. Language instruction is a powerful tool to help students understand the decisions authors make and how they impact the effect their writing has on readers. Learning grammar and mechanics is about studying the intentional decisions authors make, noticing the power of different punctuation, sentence structures, and craft choices, and then trying out those strategies in their own writing. When learning different grammatical structures, students zoom in on sentences to notice the connection between mechanics, craft, style, and meaning. Language instruction isn’t separate from reading instruction because the connection between language and the author’s craft is integral. Because language instruction is so deeply connected to reading instruction, it should not be taught in isolation. And as far back as 1936, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) found that formal teaching of grammar and mechanics had little effect on students’ writing and even had deleterious effects on student writing when it displaced writing time. Instead, language instruction should be organically embedded into all aspects of reading and writing so that students can authentically grapple with and understand how different structures impact meaning.”
In Reading Structures and Routines, Interactive Read Aloud, the explanation states: “We use the word interactive because kids should be doing some of the heavy comprehension work during the reading aloud; the teacher shouldn’t be doing all the work.”
In Reading Structures and Routines, the explanation states that the goal of the curriculum is to build independent and strategic learners. The approach is explained as providing students with multiple opportunities to interact with a wide variety of texts independently, with the goal of having students read the core texts independently with little support.
In Vocabulary, the explanation states: “Vocabulary development is intentionally built within all Fishtank ELA units. Within units, students build their academic vocabulary by learning and interacting with Tier II and Tier III vocabulary words that are essential for unlocking the meaning of the text, task, or topic. Throughout the unit, students have multiple opportunities to engage with words orally or in writing. Depending on the word, vocabulary words are taught both directly or indirectly. Fishtank ELA does not rely on a single vocabulary instructional method; rather, instruction happens strategically within units so that students learn vocabulary indirectly and unconsciously through daily reading, writing, listening, and speaking routines.”
In Writing, the explanation states: “Fishtank ELA includes opportunities for students to both learn to write and write to learn. Students will be immersed in reading, writing, discourse, and idea-generation cycles in each unit. There is no separate writing block and no separate writing curriculum; all writing instruction is embedded directly into lessons and units. Through embedded on-demand and process-writing assignments, students build powerful, evidence-based arguments and develop their voices in various genres. Because students need solid knowledge and understanding of a subject matter to write, all Fishtank ELA writing assignments are connected to a core text or ask students to write about content knowledge from the unit, ensuring that all students have equal access to the assignment.”
In the Fishtank guiding principles, materials provide the following information: “In Literature units from Kindergarten through 8th grade, students read texts that explore themes applicable to their lives while also building knowledge of historical events and time periods. Most of the literature units focus on developing identity, diversity, justice, and activism, which are key components of Learning for Justice’s Social Justice Standards. The content of all of our K–8 units, both Literature and Science & Social Studies, aim to provide students with windows and mirrors to ensure students see their own identities, experiences, and motivations in texts (mirrors) alongside texts that allow students to gain insight and build empathy for the identities, experiences, and motivations of others (windows) (Style, 1996). And, wherever possible, our units aim to engage students in discussions of current events. We also frequently update our units to incorporate articles and discussion topics that reflect current issues in the world around them.”
The Fishtank guiding principles also include the following reference: “Rather than organizing lessons around specific skills (e.g., how to find the main idea) and teaching these skills in isolation, we organize our curriculum around carefully-selected texts that will engage students and facilitate deep thinking and strategy development. The text, and the demands of the text, drive the focus of a particular unit or lesson. Text-dependent questions in each lesson are sequenced in order to build a deeper understanding of the key ideas and themes presented by the text. Units across the curriculum require students to read a combination of longer texts to build stamina and engage in discussions about the full text, as well as close readings of specific passages or excerpts. Text-dependent questions and close readings push students to pay close attention to the author’s craft and text structure, word choice, and challenging vocabulary and syntax (Coleman and Pimentel, 2012). All grade-level Common Core Standards are carefully woven into the units and lessons, introduced and reinforced through text-dependent questions and close reading moments, and work in service of deep understanding of the text.”
Materials include and reference research-based strategies. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Teacher Tools, Writing, bibliographic references to multiple sources used in the development of their program include:
Reading Reconsidered: a practical guide to rigorous literacy instruction by Doug Lemov
Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools: A Report to Carnegie Corporation of New York by Steve Graham and Dolores Perin
Writing for Understanding: Using Backwards design to help all students write effectively by J. Hawkins, E. Ginty, K. LeClaire Kurzman, D. Leddy, and J. Miller
The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades by Judith C. Hochman and Natalie Wexler
In Teacher Tools, Academic Discourse, bibliographic references to multiple research sources in the development of their program include:
Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Prompting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students by Z. Hammond
Reading Reconsidered: a practical guide to rigorous literacy instruction by Doug Lemov
Academic Conversations: Classroom Talk that Fosters Critical Thinking and Content Understandings, by J. Zwiers and M. Crawford
Common Core Standards in Diverse Classrooms: Essential Practices for Developing Academic Language and Disciplinary Literacy by J. Zwiers, S. O’Hara, and R. Pritchard
In Teacher Tools, Text Selection, bibliographic references to multiple research sources used in the development of the program include:
Revised Publishers’ Criteria for the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Literacy, Grades 3–12 by D. Coleman and S. Pimentel
“Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy,” by Gloria Ladson-Billings
Why Knowledge Matters by E.D. Hirsch, Jr.
Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework and Historically Responsive Literary, Gholdy Muhammad, and “Curriculum as Window and Mirror” by Emily Style
In Teacher Tools, Reading Structures and Routines: Close Reading, bibliographic references to multiple research sources used in the development of the program include:
Notice & Note: Strategies for Close Reading by K. Beers and R.E. Probst
Text-Dependent Questions, Grades K-5: Pathways to Close and Critical Reading by D. Fischer and N. Frey
Close Reading: Lessons for Analyzing Texts--and Life by C. Lehman and K. Roberts
In Teacher Tools, Supporting English Learners: Scaffolds for English Learners, bibliographic references to multiple research sources used in the development of the program include “Essential Actions: A Handbook for Implementing WIDA’s Framework for English Language Development Standards” by Margo Gottlieb.
In Teacher Tools, Vocabulary, bibliographic references to multiple research sources used in the development of the program include Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Isabel Beck and Common Core Appendix A.
In Teacher Tools, the explanations of the Match Fishtank approach to writing, vocabulary development, and language and grammar instruction are followed by “resources referenced in the development of” each section.
Additional reference sections include Qualitative Complexity of Fiction Texts, Providing Supports for Text Complexity, How Texts are Selected in the Teacher Tools, Academic Discourse, Close Reading, and Foundational Skills.
The Foundational Skills section and its subsections entitled Teaching Reading Fluency and Assessing Reading Fluency, as well as the subsections of Academic Discourse entitled Types of Academic Discourse and Tiers of Academic Discourse, the Subsections of Supporting English Learners entitled Scaffolds for English Learners and Oral Language Protocols, and the subsection of Progress Monitoring and Assessment entitled Formative Assessments include embedded footnotes with references.
Indicator 3f
Materials provide a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3f.
The materials and lessons provide a list of texts needed for the unit. In every unit folder, the materials provide student handouts for all instructional activities.
Materials provide a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Each unit plan contains a list of the texts being read throughout the unit with hyperlinks to the texts (either for reading or for purchase).
Each lesson folder contains all the handouts students will need for the lesson.
For example, for Unit 1, lesson 1, the lesson folder contains separate student handouts for the exit ticket, homework, key questions, and target task.
Indicator 3g
This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.
Indicator 3h
This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.
Criterion 3.2: Assessment
The program includes a system of assessments identifying how materials provide tools, guidance, and support for teachers to collect, interpret, and act on data about student progress towards the standards.
The grade 6 materials include assessments that measure the expectations of the standards regarding rigor and depth. The program includes unit content assessments that contain a variety of item types, including short and long-constructed responses, text-based discussions, written reflections, and essays. Each unit also includes standards-based formative and summative assessments.
The materials provide an answer key for each assessment in the program with the corresponding assessed standards. While an answer key is provided, there is insufficient guidance for interpreting student performance beyond the answer key provided. In addition, the materials do not offer accommodations for the assessments.
Indicator 3i
Assessment information is included in the materials to indicate which standards are assessed.
The materials reviewed for Grade 7 meet the criteria for Indicator 3i.
The materials include Content Assessments that cover the standards and practices for the grade level. Each assessment includes a teacher answer key which lists the standards the assessment addresses.
Materials consistently identify the standards and practices assessed for formal assessments. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Each unit contains an assessment that addresses the content covered during the unit. The answer key document includes a table that contains an answer key and the standards that each assessment question addresses.
Indicator 3j
Assessment system provides multiple opportunities throughout the grade, course, and/or series to determine students' learning and sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3j.
The materials include limited opportunities to determine students’ learning and insufficient guidance for interpreting student performance beyond the answer key provided. Most support occurs through a series of protocols and questions that teachers can use to respond to student data.
Assessment system provides multiple opportunities to determine students' learning and some guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Each unit contains one formal assessment that covers the content of the unit.
In the Teacher Tools, the Progress Monitoring and Assessments section includes a data analysis protocol. Materials provide probing questions for teachers to use to assist in discussing the assessment. Categories covered in this protocol include the Teacher Preparation Unit, Teacher Preparation Lessons, and Lesson Execution.
In the Teacher Tools, the Summative Assessments section contains the Data Meeting Protocol Guide, which includes a step-by-step process on how to conduct a Data Meeting. The guide has two parts. Part 1 explains how to use data to identify strengths and growth areas; Part 2 explains how to use data to reflect and plan next steps.
Assessment system provides multiple opportunities to determine students’ learning and limited suggestions to teachers for following up with students. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In the Teacher Tools, Progress Monitoring and Assessment, the Formative Assessment section provides several frameworks that teachers can use to monitor and respond to various types of student work.
In the Teacher Tools, Progress Monitoring and Assessment, the Summative Assessment section provides a data meeting protocol that teachers can follow to identify instructional next steps.
While the Teacher Tools in the program provide a framework for teachers to use, materials do not include clear, codified suggestions for certain student misunderstandings.
Indicator 3k
Assessments include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level/course-level standards and shifts across the series.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for Indicator 3k.
The materials include assessments that measure the expectations of the standards regarding rigor and depth. The materials include unit Content Assessments that contain a variety of item types, including short- and long-constructed responses, text-based discussion, written reflection, and essays. Each unit includes standards-based formative and summative assessments. Summative assessments include standards-based constructed responses aligned to culminating discussions, presentations, or on-demand writing. Each unit includes instruction and assessment opportunities aligned to anchor writing standards. Students write essays to inform or to express a claim, or they write narratives. When used as a summative assessment, students complete these on-demand writing tasks independently.
Assessments include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level/course-level standards and shifts across the series. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 2, Challenging Authority, The Giver, the Content Assessment covers various standards in multiple tasks. Students read the short story “Examination Day” by Henry Slesar and answer: “How does paragraph 12 develop the plot of the story?” Students answer a second part of the question by locating a paragraph that develops the plot using the same technique. Another question asks students to identify the mood of the Jordan household on the morning of Dickie’s birthday and then identify the words and phrases from the text that are most helpful in developing the mood. In another question, students write a paragraph on whether the short story is dystopian. The response must include an assertion, evidence, and analysis to explain thinking.
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, the Content Assessment covers various standards in multiple tasks. Students read “The War of the Wall” and answer multiple choice questions, such as identifying the narrator’s point of view at the beginning of the text and the corresponding evidence to support their answer. Students also read an article, identify the central idea, and identify specific pieces of evidence that support the central idea. In another question, students complete vocabulary questions such as determining which sentence uses the word incredulous correctly.
Examples of formative assessment types include:
In Unit 1, Developing Resilience: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, Lesson 2, students answer the question: “How does Kenny see his older brother, Byron? How does Christopher Paul Curtis develop Kenny’s point of view of his brother through dialogue, thoughts, and/or actions? Support your answer with two specific pieces of evidence from the text.”
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, Lesson 4, students answer the question: “How does Copeland illustrate and elaborate on the idea that her life ‘was spinning out of control’? What examples and anecdotes does she provide to the reader in Chapter three to develop this idea? Support your answer with quoted evidence from the text. Use the vocabulary words ‘chaotic’ or ‘turbulent’ in your answer.”
In Unit 5, Fleeing Conflict: Refugee & The Unwanted, Lesson 21, students conduct research to answer the prompt: “In this unit, we have learned about the Syrian refugee crisis, which continues today. Although Syrians currently comprise the largest population of displaced people in the world, there are millions of other people who have fled their homes and countries to escape war, gang violence, poverty, economic collapse, and food insecurity. In this project, you will work in small groups to create a digital presentation that educates your classmates on a refugee crisis currently taking place somewhere in the world.”
Examples of summative assessment types include:
In Unit 1, Developing Resilience: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, Lesson 16, students write a narrative essay for the prompt: “Kenny Watson is the narrator of The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963. The reader sees the world of the novel through Kenny’s eyes, gaining access to his thoughts and feelings. What would it be like to read the same text but from the perspective of a different character? Your task is to rewrite pages 177–179 from Byron’s perspective“ (W.6.3, W.6.3.b, W.6.3.d, W.6.5).
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, Lesson 23, students complete the end-of-unit Content Assessment (L.6.1, L.6.2, L.6.3, L.6.6, RI.6.3, RI.6.5, RI.6.2, RI.6.1, W.6.4, W.6.2, W.6.7, W.6.8, W.6.9).
In Unit 5, Fleeing Conflict: Refugee & The Unwanted, Lesson 26, students complete the end-of-unit Content Assessment (RL.6.4, RL.6.5, RL.6.2, RL.6.6, RL.6.1, W.6.3).
Indicator 3l
Assessments offer accommodations that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment.
The materials do not offer accommodations for the assessments. The assessments are not designed so students can demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment. To make the tests more accessible, such as text-to-speech or increasing the font size, teachers must download and edit the assessments.
Materials do not offer accommodations that ensure all students can access the assessment (e.g., text-to-speech, increased font size) without changing the content of the assessment. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Assessments are digital and housed on the website. Although assessments could be altered before printing, it would involve reformatting the answers.
Materials include guidance for teachers on the use of provided accommodations. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
No evidence found
Criterion 3.3: Student Supports
The program includes materials designed for each student’s regular and active participation in grade-level/grade-band/series content.
The grade 6 materials include general supports throughout the program for all students; however, the materials do not share specifically which supports would benefit or target specific special populations. While the materials include suggestions on how materials can be scaffolded for multi-lingual learners or for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English, these suggestions are general and leave the implementation and development of these scaffolds to the teacher. The materials do include some opportunities for students to engage with literacy content and concepts at greater depth for students who read, write, speak, and/or listen above grade level; however, many of these opportunities require students to complete more assignments than their classmates.
Throughout the program, there is limited variation in structure. Students have many opportunities during lessons to express their understanding and respond to literature, but the opportunities are not varied. In addition, there are opportunities provided for grouping students, but the groupings do not vary in type and take place at the same part of each lesson.
The materials include characters from different genders, races, ethnicities, and with other physical characteristics in the texts.
Indicator 3m
Materials provide strategies and supports for students in special populations to work with grade-level content and to meet or exceed grade-level standards that will support their regular and active participation in learning English language arts and literacy.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3m.
The materials include general supports throughout the program for all students; however, the materials do not share specifically which supports would benefit or target specific special populations. Materials include instances that provide opportunities for enrichment which “can be used with advanced students or students who have demonstrated readiness for enrichment as a way of exploring texts, topics, and more complex concepts in depth.” The Additional Supports section should assist students when working with grade-level content to meet or exceed grade-level standards that will support their regular and active participation in learning English language arts and literacy; however, teachers will need to determine which supports to utilize specifically for special populations.
Materials provide limited strategies, supports, and resources for students in special populations to support their regular and active participation in grade-level literacy work. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
The Unit Summary consistently provides a general statement: “In order to ensure that all students are able to access the texts and tasks in this unit, it is incredibly important to intellectually prepare to teach the unit prior to launching the unit. Use the intellectual preparation protocol and the Unit Launch to determine which support students will need. To learn more, visit the Supporting all Students teacher tool.”
In Unit 1, Developing Resilience: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, the materials provide a Supporting All Students section that includes a question mark icon that populates the following guidance when clicked: “These supports can be used to help Multi-Lingual Learners and students with learning differences access the demands of the text or the task. See Supporting All Students with Fishtank ELA for more guidance.” An example of general support includes Sentence Stems to assist with the task of summarizing the text The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis: “Some believe that the reason that first-born children may be more successful than younger siblings is that ____________.” The supports do not provide additional guidance for teachers to make decisions.
In Unit 2, Challenging Authority: The Giver, Lesson 14, the Objective states that students will determine “overall themes for the novel The Giver and explain how the author develops those themes.” Students complete a Close Read during the lesson, and the Supporting All Students section provides supports for questions. For example, students answer, “Where in the text does Lowry explore the thematic topic of resistance? Name at least two places.” The Lesson Plan gives Key Understandings, Scaffolding Questions, and Key Moments to Analyze as options for support. However, these supports do not clearly specify which populations of students they should be used for. The Additional Supports section includes a question mark that, when hovered over, provides a pop-up: “These supports can be used to help Multi-Lingual Learners and students with learning differences access the demands of the text or the task.”
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, Supporting All Students, the Building Background and Engagement section includes a specific recommendation for teachers to create an anchor chart for students to use in the lesson. Students can reference the chart if they need assistance understanding vocabulary words while working independently. In other units, a few lessons include the Supporting All Students sections in the vocabulary part of the lesson. The hover menu states that these can be used to help multilingual learners and students with learning differences to access the language demands of the text but does not specify how to use them. This is a generic statement that is present for all language supports provided in the lessons.
The Supporting All Students teacher tool provides general support scaffolds for supporting English language learners; however, these scaffolds are broad and not specific to any lesson or text.
Indicator 3n
Materials regularly provide extensions to engage with literacy content and concepts at greater depth for students who read, write, speak, and/or listen above grade level.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3n.
The materials include some opportunities for students to engage with literacy content and concepts at greater depth for students who read, write, speak, and/or listen above grade level; however, many of these opportunities require students to complete more assignments than their classmates. The number of lessons that contain an “Opportunities for Enrichment” section is limited. Some of the lessons provide specific scaffolds intended to enhance lessons by providing additional depth through many activities for students, such as reading an extra text or portion of a text or completing an additional assignment for the text.
Materials provide some opportunities for advanced students to investigate the grade-level content at a higher level of complexity. Materials include instances of advanced students doing more assignments than their classmates. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 2, Challenging Authority: The Giver, multiple lessons include enrichment opportunities. For example:
In Lesson 5, enrichment opportunities include: “What is the difference between the words “assigned” and “selected” (pages 74–75)? How are the meanings and connotations of these words similar and different? What are the connotations of the word ‘anguish’ (page 75)? In what way has the Chief Elder caused Jonas anguish? Support your answer with specific examples from the text. On pages 78–79, the Chief Elder lists the characteristics that a Receiver must have. What are the similarities and differences between having ‘intelligence’ and having ‘wisdom’?”
In Lesson 7, enrichment opportunities include: “Have students watch these videos on explaining color to people who are blind: ‘Describing Colors As A Blind Person’ by The Tommy Edison Experience (YouTube), ‘Kids Describe Color to a Blind Person by Cut (YouTube). Or, have students watch this video of someone who is colorblind, seeing the full range of colors for the first time. ‘Giving my colorblind Papa EnChroma glasses’ by Carson Stafford (YouTube). After watching the videos, have students compare Jonas’s response to the response of the people in the video. What is similar? What is different? Why?”
In Lesson 8, enrichment opportunities include: “Continue the conversation by connecting some ideas from the past to our present moment. What do you think the past should have (or has) taught us that we can learn from to make our present better? Encourage students to look through the newspaper at home and bring back examples to discuss tomorrow.”
In Lesson 13, enrichment opportunities include: “If students are eager to learn more, the series continues! Tell them about the other three books in the quartet (Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son). If they’re interested, encourage them to start a book club outside of class to answer the question ‘what happens at the end of the book?’”
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, multiple lessons include enrichment opportunities. For example:
In Lesson 2, enrichment opportunities include: “For additional practice with language usage, students can create a dictionary of contemporary slang or research meme culture and how it impacts vernacular English. Students can also research AAVE, LGBT slang, and drag slang and the complication of cultural appropriation and corporate marketing.”
In Lesson 8, enrichment opportunities include: “The scene at the church is told through Ponyboy’s perspective. Ask students how it might have been described differently had it been narrated by a different character (Dally, Johnny, Jerry Wood).”
In Lesson 17, enrichment opportunities include: “In pairs, have students act out the poem, pairing words with movements or gestures.”
In Unit 5, Fleeing conflict: Refugee & The Unwanted, 15 of 26 lessons contain specific supports for enrichment that could be used for advanced students.
Indicator 3o
Materials provide varied approaches to learning tasks over time and variety in how students are expected to demonstrate their learning with opportunities for for students to monitor their learning.
The materials provide some variety in how students demonstrate understanding. Students have many opportunities during lessons to express their understanding and respond to literature, but the opportunities are not varied. The non-writing day Enhanced Lesson Plans follow the same format for each lesson. Students regularly respond in the same ways. Each lesson begins with a Close Read, during which students read the assigned text and answer Close Reading Questions. Students answer questions orally by annotating the text, writing in the margins, or writing their answers. The Target Task Writing Prompt that follows requires students to write an answer using textual evidence to support ideas. The teacher provides feedback for a few examples, and students revise their work based on the feedback. Students participate in a class discussion focused on a given question. Students have one minute to jot down ideas, and two minutes to discuss in pairs or groups, before participating in a class discussion. Students complete an exit ticket to close the lesson. The repetitive nature of the lesson plan creates a system in which students repeatedly respond in the same manner to prompts.
Materials provide multi-modal opportunities for students to question, investigate, sense-make, and problem-solve using a limited variety of formats and methods. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, Lesson 10, students engage in a turn-and-talk discussion: “How does seeing this part of the documentary add to your understanding of what an important accomplishment it was for Misty to be cast in this role?”
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, Lesson 16, when Building Background and Engagement, the teacher explains, “One of the most important things we do as readers is self-monitor our own comprehension. This is especially true as we encounter unfamiliar words and determine whether these words are essential to our comprehension of the text. Once we have determined that an unfamiliar word is essential to understanding the text, then we must use tools to determine meaning.”
Students have opportunities to share their thinking, to demonstrate changes in their thinking over time, and to apply their understanding in new contexts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 1, Developing Resilience: The Watson’s Go to Birmingham--1963, Lesson 3, students express their thinking when they answer a discussion question, “Why do some students bully others? What can we learn about bullying from today’s reading?”
In Unit 1, Developing Resilience: The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963, Lesson 4, during a class discussion, students answer, “Did your feelings toward Larry Dunn change over the course of today’s reading? Do you think he got what he deserved? Why or why not? Have your feelings toward Byron changed since the beginning of the text?” In the Opportunities for Enrichment section, students explain whether they would consider Byron to be a complex dynamic character and provide evidence to support their reasoning. Teacher notes include: “Students will notice that much of the thinking they have to do today is similar to the thinking they did yesterday.”
In Unit 2, Challenging Authority: The Giver, Lesson 7, students answer the discussion question, “What is your reaction to the idea of Climate Control and ‘sameness’? Do you see any benefits of these systems? What are the downsides?”
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, Lesson 2, during the Close Reading portion of the lesson, students share why Misty Copeland includes a description of reading aloud in class when she was in the 6th grade in her book.
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, Lesson 5, students consider the following questions after viewing the movie The Outsiders 00:00:00-28:49, ”How did the music and lighting of the scene impact your experience of watching? Did the most ‘vivid’ images you noted down compared to what you saw on the screen? What does the view get to ‘see’ in the film version of this scene that is not described in the text?”
Materials leverage the use of included formats and methods over time to deepen student understanding and ability to explain and apply literacy ideas. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 2, Challenging Authority: The Giver, Lesson 18, students begin writing a multi-paragraph essay to respond to the writing prompt “Is ignorance bliss?” Students access a mentor text, and teachers ask a series of questions, such as, “What is the primary purpose of this sentence? ‘The characters in Lois Lowry’s dystopian novel, The Giver, live in a world like this.’ The purpose is to introduce the text (It’s also essential to explicitly state the title and author of the book you will be writing about!).” In Lesson 25, students create a poster of the benefits and downsides of parents limiting children’s screen time using evidence from texts. Students create a bibliography of sources used.
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, Lesson 4, as homework, students highlight or note the three lines from the text that are the most vivid. In Lesson 15, students respond to the prompt, “Return to the fight scene on pages 141-145 and review your notes from last night’s homework. Watch the scene in the film: 1:12:22-1:17:23. Compare and contrast the experience of reading about the fight in the park and watching it on film; what was different about the scene from what you had imagined when you were reading the book? Provide specific examples.” In Lesson 20, to prepare for the writing task, students discuss the question, “Consider everything we have discussed and learned from The Outsiders. Discuss with a partner: How does this proverb apply to the greasers and the Socs?”
Materials provide for ongoing review, practice, self-reflection, and feedback. Materials provide multiple strategies, such as oral and/or written feedback, peer or teacher feedback, and self-reflection. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Materials include a self-assessment document, peer feedback document, and whole-class reflection document for students to use to score their own performance after discussions. The document is linked throughout the materials when formal discussions take place in the Enhanced Lesson Plan.
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, Lesson 14, students work in partners to conduct a close study of Ruth Asawa’s art. Teacher guidance includes, “Give students five minutes to ‘read’ their work of art and talk with their partner about what they see. Use the graphic organizer provided to spark conversation.”
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, Lesson 19, after participating in a Socratic Seminar, students answer, “Self-reflect at the conclusion of the lesson (or after each question).” The teacher provides students with a reflection template that best fits the goals of the discussion. Materials provide the following documents: Self Reflection, Peer Feedback, and Whole-class Reflection.
In Unit 5, Fleeing Conflict: Refugee & The Unwanted, Lesson 7, teachers “provide whole group, small group, or individual feedback and support to students” as they complete the writing task.
Materials provide a clear path for students to monitor and move their own learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 1, Developing Resilience: The Watson’s Go to Birmingham--1963, Lesson 24, students are provided the scoring rubric for the Socratic Seminar. Students reevaluate their materials and preparation in accordance with the rubric.
In Unit 2, Challenging Authority: The Giver, Lesson 17, Teacher Notes for writing state, “Students should spend the remainder of class writing body paragraphs. Remind students of the expectation that they use at least two of our vocabulary words in their essays. They should look for opportunities to use these words as they write their body paragraphs. When they complete a body paragraph, ask students to annotate each for their assertion, evidence, and analysis.”
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, Lesson 18, students are provided the scoring rubric for the Socratic Seminar. Students reevaluate their materials and preparation in accordance with the rubric.
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, Lesson 23, after completing a draft, students review their own writing and remove any examples of informal writing, such as “examples of the first person (I believe, my evidence shows).”
Indicator 3p
Materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.
While materials provide opportunities for grouping students, the groupings do not vary in type and groupings take place in the same part of each lesson. Students do not have multiple opportunities to work in varied groups or different types of groupings. Materials do not provide specific guidance that explains how teachers should form groups or how teachers should incorporate protocols when grouping students. Materials also miss opportunities to provide suggestions for additional times when groupings could be used.
Materials provide grouping strategies for students. Materials provide limited types of interaction among students. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 1, Developing Resilience: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, Lesson 5, activity instructions require “students talk in pairs or small groups, making sure that each student gets to share their thoughts” for two minutes before engaging in a whole class discussion.
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, the Teacher Notes state, “In partners, assign each pair of students a piece of Ruth Asawa’s art for close study: Sculptures and Works on Paper. Give students five minutes to ‘read’ their work of art and talk with their partner about what they see. Use the graphic organizer provided to spark conversation.”
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, Lesson 9, students answer the class discussion question before engaging in a two-minute discussion, “making sure that each student gets the opportunity to share their thoughts” before engaging in a whole group discussion.
In Unit 5, Fleeing Conflict: Refugee & The Unwanted, Lesson 18, students answer the class discussion question before engaging in a two-minute discussion, “making sure that each student gets the opportunity to share their thoughts” before engaging in a whole group discussion.
Materials provide limited guidance for the teacher on grouping students in a variety of grouping formats. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Teacher Support, ELA, Academic Discourse, Monitoring and Supporting Academic Discourse, the Providing Support During Discourse section provides some guidance for the teacher “to ensure that all students are able to effectively participate in academic discourse, provide the whole-class, small-groups, or individual students with the following supports—Strategically group students. If your class has a large number of English learners, group students who speak the same home language together. Allow them to complete the assignment in either English or in their own home language.”
In Teacher Support, ELA, Academic Discourse, the Preparing for Academic Discourse section poses this question for teachers to consider: “What vocabulary do students need to know and understand? Do I need to plan for Turn and Talks or small-group work to help students process the content?”
In the Teacher Support, ELA, Academic Discourse, the Types of Academic Discourse section includes information regarding the types of academic discourse provided in Fishtank ELA lessons: whole-class discussions, small-group discourse, and partner discourse. “The type of discourse students participate in will depend on the task and the goals of the lesson. There are many situations where all three types, or a combination of them, would be appropriate to use; however, each one brings some of its own unique values or benefits. When intellectually preparing to teach a lesson, you should think about where in the lesson you can include opportunities for different types of academic discourse.”
Materials provide protocols for Whole Class Discussion to help set students up for success. For example, the Protocol for Fishbowl includes the following guidance: “The inner circle discusses a question while the outer circle observes. Note: This seminar structure is most effective if students in the outer circle are given a specific task—often to observe an assigned member of the inner circle and track that person’s arguments and general participation in order to give feedback. Otherwise, it can be challenging to keep students in the outer circle engaged. Rotate so that each group of students engages in discussion and observation.”
Materials provide protocols for Small Group Discussion to help set students up for success. For example, the protocol for Numbered Heads Together includes the following guidance: “Numbered Heads Together holds all members of a group accountable for participating and clarifying understanding of a particular question or topic. Numbered Heads Together can be used with any discussion prompt, however, questions with multiple answers or nuanced answers lead to a more engaging discussion.”
Materials provide protocols for Partner Conversation and “provide all students with a scaffolded and structured opportunity to formulate and share ideas. Partner conversations are low-risk and allow all students a chance to participate in the lesson at the same time.”
While materials provide this guidance in Teacher Support, the lesson plans do not adequately reference this guidance.
Indicator 3q
Materials provide strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to meet or exceed grade-level standards to regularly participate in learning English language arts and literacy.
The materials reviewed for Grade 6 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3q.
The materials provide some language supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English; however, materials miss opportunities to label specific protocols for these learners. The included language supports provide support with meaning, context, and understanding. These supports are also helpful to students who speak, write, and/or speak languages other than English with accessing the text or responding to the text. Materials provide additional supports in Teacher Tools that provide general guidance in preparing lessons for multilinguallearners; however, they are not lesson specific, are broad in application, and would require teachers to prepare materials for specific lessons within the curriculum.
Materials provide some strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to meet or exceed grade-level standards through regular and active participation in grade-level literacy work. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Supporting All Students, the materials provide a question mark next to Language Support, which indicates the following: “These supports can be used to help Multi-Lingual Learners and students with learning differences access the language demands of the text and the task. See the Supporting English Learners Teacher Tool for additional guidance.”
In Unit 1, Developing Resilience: The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963, materials do not provide specific supports for multilingual learners.
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, materials include three lessons that specifically provide supports for multilingual learners. In Lesson 13, a scaffold states the closed captions on the video are accurate and should be turned on while viewing the video to help facilitate comprehension for students.
In Unit 5, Fleeing Conflict: Refugee & The Unwanted, materials include one lesson that specifically provides support for multilingual learners. In Lesson 25, Additional Supports includes a notation that figurative language may be especially difficult for multilingual learners. One suggested scaffold includes pairing students together to support students who may struggle with the concept.
In Teacher Tools, materials include multiple folders providing guidance for teaching multilingual learners. They include guidance on providing scaffolds that are divided into areas of light support and heavier support. Suggestions include providing illustrations, images, photos, providing videos, films, or audio to support a lesson, using real-life or physical objects, text clues, various graphic scaffolds, and interactive scaffolds, including pairing and working with the student’s home language, and increasing supplemental texts and noticing cognates. These are explained and provided as general guidelines and are not lesson specific.
In Teacher Tools, materials provide suggestions on preparing lessons with multilingual learners in mind, including unpacking the units and texts with a look to analyzing language demands, knowing the language and content goals of the unit, planning for assessment and mastery, and taking ownership of teaching the unit with multilingual learners in mind.
In Teacher Tools, materials include a document on Engineering the Text that provides guidance on how to physically alter a text to make it more accessible to multilingual learners, including adding questions, proving genre tips, defining vocabulary, explaining key background knowledge, adding illustrations and headings, and including stop and jot questions.
In Teacher Tools, materials include a document on using oral language supports with multilingual learners. These include the use of various groupings to assist with comprehension and expressing ideas.
In Teacher Tools, materials provide teachers with general scaffolds for multilingual learners. These include:
In the Sensory scaffolds, materials include a list of scaffolds for Light EL Support and Heavier EL support. For example, in illustrations, images, and photos light supports suggested are: “Add illustrations to literature texts that do not include illustrations. Illustrations could be used to break up long sections of text or to clarify tricky plot events.” Heavier supports include: “Strategically engineer the text to include illustrations that align with specific features of text complexity. Multiple illustrations could be added to make the text easier to digest. (For example, when reading the Brer Rabbit folktales about the well, include an illustration of a well.)
In Interactive Scaffolds, materials include a list of scaffolds for Pairs, Small Groups, Discussion, Cooperative Structures, and Home Language. For example, in Home Language, materials state: “For lighter EL support: Have students use translanguaging by using some words and phrases from their home language when discussing or writing about content. For heavier EL support: Have students have entire conversations in their home language or have students write answers in their home language. Provide additional instruction on a particular concept or idea in students’ home language. Provide students with texts and problems written in their home language. Have students write an answer in their home language. Then have students transfer their answers to English.”
In Additional Supports, materials provide the teacher with suggestions for “Supplemental Text” support and “Noticing Cognates.” In the “Noticing Cognates” support, materials provide the following: “For lighter EL support: Teach students strategies for identifying cognates and have students self-identify and interpret examples of cognates in texts and tasks. For heavier EL support: Before reading a text, find examples of cognates and have students break them down. Focus on the meaning and intonation of the words. Teach students Greek and Latin roots that are cognates in English and Spanish. Have students create cognate reference guides.”
In Oral Language Protocols, materials provide the teacher with protocols for the following: Turn and Talk, Think-Pair Share, Write-Pair Share, Timed-Pair-Share, Think-Pair-Share Revised, Partner A Partner B. An example of the “Think-Pair-Share Revised protocol states: “Students are given a chance to refine their thinking and ideas based on their partner’s ideas and discussion. The teacher or student poses a question worthy of discussion. Teachers give students time to think about how they will answer. Students pair up. Students take turns sharing their answers. Students revise their original theories or ideas.”
In Engineering Texts, materials provide the teacher with a three-step guide to support planning. The explanation includes, “When you engineer a text, you add text supports to ensure all students have access. This does not mean changing the text or lowering the rigor of the task. An engineered text anticipates possible student misconceptions, gives vocabulary cues, provides additional background knowledge, scaffolds questions, and creates opportunities for discussion.”
In Graphic Organizer, for multilingual learner support, materials provide the teacher with “suggestions on how to adjust the organizers to provide light or heavy EL support.” Some examples include:
Adjusting graphic organizers to provide light EL support:
Provide blank templates for students to use when reading a text, brainstorming, or solving problems.
Adjusting graphic organizers to provide heavy EL support:
Provide students with partially filled-out graphic organizers.
Provide guidance on where in the text, resources, or problem students can find a particular answer. (For example, if students are looking to describe a character, provide specific paragraph numbers where students can find key evidence.)
Have students work in partners using an oral language protocol.
If applicable, allow students to complete the graphic organizer in their home language.
Indicator 3r
Materials provide a balance of images or information about people, representing various demographic and physical characteristics.
The materials include characters from different genders, races, ethnicities, and with other physical characteristics in the texts. The publishers state in the overview that they “seek to create curricular materials that center students, reflect multiple perspectives and experiences, and empower students to think critically about the world they live in.” The texts hold true to that standard as they contain characters from a broad spectrum of society.
Materials and assessments depict different individuals of different genders, races, ethnicities, and other physical characteristics. Depictions of demographics or physical characteristics are portrayed positively across the series. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 1: Developing Resilience: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, the core text, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis, features an African American family who faces discrimination and segregation in the 1960s. Supplemental texts also prompt discussion on these issues. The characters represent a strong family unit that supports each other through challenges.
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, American writer Margaret Edwards is known for young-adult novels. The Outsiders addresses issues of social division due to socio-economic status, in this case, the rich social class or “Socs" and the poor “Greasers.”
Materials and assessments balance positive portrayals of demographics or physical characteristics. Materials avoid stereotypes or language that might be offensive to a particular group. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 4, Finding Connection: The Outsiders, students read the poem “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks, which is accessible and engaging for students and written by a black woman about her community.
In Unit 5: Fleeing Conflict: Refugee & The Unwanted, students read multiple texts about various groups who have fled their homelands seeking safety. The Unwanted by Don Brown is a core text for the unit and depicts Syrian refugees and their challenges to survive.
Materials provide representations that show students that they can succeed in the subject, going beyond just showing photos of diverse students not engaged in work related to the context of the learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 3: Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, the focus is on professional female artists, including multiple women of color. The focus of the unit is on showing how the artists succeed in using their various art forms to communicate their ideas to the world. The core text, Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland, details the life of Misty Copeland and her successes in overcoming the challenges on her way to becoming a successful ballerina.
Indicator 3s
Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student home language to facilitate learning.
The Teacher Tools provide some suggestions that scaffolds can be provided for students in their home language and that student conversations can be held in their home language. These suggestions are very general and leave the implementation and development of the specific scaffolds to the teacher. Materials include suggestions that teachers should consider students’ backgrounds when preparing a lesson, but materials do not provide specifics on how this should be done. The lesson plans include some scaffolds for multilingual learners but do not specifically address ways to use the home language to support learners that are lesson-specific. The Teacher Support section includes general guidance for supporting multilingual learners that relates to leveraging students’ home language through the use of translanguaging strategies.
Materials provide limited suggestions and strategies to use the home language to support students in learning ELA. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Teacher Tools, Scaffolds for English Learners, materials include a suggestion that when possible, teachers should show video adaptations of text in either English or the student’s native language.
In Teacher Tools, Scaffolds for English Learners, when discussing creating graphs and charts to aid students in comprehending the text, materials include a provision to create the aids in the student’s home language.
In Teacher Tools, Scaffolds for English Learners, Interactive Scaffolds, materials include provisions for incorporating the use of the student’s home language in discussions. Levels of support for students vary from translating phrases or words to allowing students to have complete conversations in their home language.
In Teacher Tools, the Planning for English Learners section provides teachers with a step-by-step guide of questions to intellectually prepare the unit. In Step One, the teacher unpacks the unit texts and tasks. Directions state, “Teachers should analyze the text, materials, vocabulary, unit focus areas, and lessons to determine the language demands of the unit. Questions include: What makes the text and tasks linguistically complex? What key vocabulary do students need to know and understand to engage with discipline-specific knowledge? What key language use(s) are targeted in the unit? How are students developing their understanding and production of all the key uses of language? (recount, explain, argue, discuss)” In Step Two, the teacher sets a vision for mastery. Directions state, “Teachers should articulate the language and content goals of the unit. What are the driving language demands of the unit? What language should you see and hear from students as they engage in meaning-making? Based on the language demands of the unit, what are the overall language goals for the unit? What are the content goals for the unit? What should students know and understand about reading, writing, and language? What should students know and understand about the themes/subjects of the unit?” In Step Three, teachers plan for assessment and mastery. In Step Four, teachers take ownership.
In Teacher Tools, English Learners, the Engineering Texts support provides teachers with a sample text. The example includes the following statements: “Let’s look at a before and after from a 5th-grade assignment from Science and Social Studies Unit 4: Exploring Mars, Lesson 19. In this lesson, students are reading a NASA press release for the first time. Here’s the original text, without text engineering, a press release from NASA: Mars Rovers Advance Understanding of the Red Planet As you can see, the text is complex for many reasons: Students may not be familiar with what a press release is, and the formal language used in a press release. Students may not have a strong grasp on knowledge from the unit so far, making it hard for them to understand key ideas from the press release. Students may not have a strong understanding of domain-specific vocabulary. Now, take a look at our Engineered Text Sample. This sample includes our meta-analysis of the purpose of each addition.”
In Teacher Tools, Supporting English Learners, Leveraging Students’ Home Language, the materials include general guidance to use translanguaging strategies. Students can annotate and take notes in their home language and research in their home language.
Materials present multilingualism as an asset in reading, and students are explicitly encouraged to develop home language literacy and to use their home language strategically for learning how to negotiate texts in the target language. Teacher materials include guidance on how to garner information that will aid in learning, including the family’s preferred language of communication, schooling experiences in other languages, literacy abilities in other languages, and previous exposure to academic or everyday English. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
No evidence found
Indicator 3t
Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning.
The materials include a support section in Teacher Tools that provides teachers with suggestions and methods for preparing lessons for multilingual learners. Materials provide multiple suggestions on how the lessons can be scaffolded for multilingual learners. These suggestions are general in nature and are not lesson-specific, leaving any scaffolding for lessons to be developed by the teacher. The Teacher Tool for Planning for English Learners provides further guidance that tells teachers to consider any connection between a lesson and students’ cultural backgrounds but the resource does not provide any specific guidance on how this should be done. Teachers must investigate and implement strategies on their own. Individual lessons include very limited scaffolding for multilingual learners, and none include connections to linguistics, culture, or conventions used in learning ELA. Suggested scaffolds include audio or visual representations of the text when available.
Materials make limited connections to the linguistic, cultural, and conventions used in learning ELA. Materials make limited connections to the linguistic and cultural diversity to facilitate learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In the Teacher Tools, Supporting English Learners, Scaffolds for English Learners, the Additional Scaffolds section includes guidance on noticing cognates. Supports range from identifying and interpreting examples of cognates, teaching Greek and Latin roots, and creating cognate reference guides.
Materials include limited teacher guidance on how to engage culturally diverse students in the learning of ELA. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In the Teacher Tools, Supporting English Learners, during Step Four: Take Ownership of Planning for English Learners, guidance advises teachers to plan how they will consider students’ backgrounds when teaching a text. Suggestions include considering if connections can be made to students’ cultural traditions and considering what sociocultural context is relevant to the unit.
In the Teacher Tools, Supporting English Learners, Planning for English Learners, Intellectually Preparing a Lesson, Step Two includes planning for how students’ backgrounds will connect to the lesson, including planning for any language demands that will need to be met.
Materials include limited equity guidance and opportunities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In the Teacher Tools, Supporting English Learners, Planning for English Learners, Intellectually Preparing a Lesson, Step Two states, “Ensure accessibility: What supports will students with higher language proficiency need to access and understand the content? What scaffolds (sensory, graphic, or interactive) are needed?” The guidance also asks educators to consider medium and lower language proficiency needs.
Materials include limited opportunities for students to feel “acknowledged,” such as tasks based on customs of other cultures; sections provided in multiple languages, such as the glossary, digital materials, family letters, etc. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Teacher Tools, Supporting English Learners, Leveraging Students’ Home Language, materials provide limited guidance on incorporating students’ holistic and cultural identities into the classroom, including learning about students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds, inviting family or community members into the classroom, choosing materials that authentically represent students’ language and culture, and using intellectual preparation to plan for including students’ cultural identifies.
Materials include prompts where students are encouraged to share how they (or their parents) do things at home or use information to create personal problems, etc. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
No evidence found
Indicator 3u
This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.
Indicator 3v
This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.
Criterion 3.4: Intentional Design
The program includes a visual design that is engaging and references or integrates digital technology, when applicable, with guidance for teachers.
The grade 6 materials do not include digital technology or interactive tools for students to interact with. Although the teacher materials are presented in a digital manner, student materials are printed materials. Because the materials for students are printed, teacher guidance on incorporating technology is limited.
Materials are provided in one format with a visual design that supports learning. The design is not distracting or chaotic, and it neither adds to nor distracts from the subject matter.
Indicator 3w
Materials integrate technology such as interactive tools, virtual manipulatives/objects, and/or dynamic software in ways that engage students in the grade-level/series standards, when applicable.
The materials do not include digital technology or interactive tools for students to interact with. Although the teacher materials are presented in a digital manner, student materials are printed materials. Teachers can access “ready-made slides and handouts which [they] can edit, download, print, or send to Google Classroom.” Students complete two digital presentations across the units. Materials do not include specific provisions for students to use digital technology in research or composing writing assignments. Materials do not include interactive tools, virtual manipulatives/objects, and/or dynamic software in ways that engage students in the grade-level standards. The digital platform is intended for teacher use.
Digital technology and interactive tools, such as data collection tools, simulations, and/or modeling tools, are not available to students. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
No evidence found
Digital tools minimally support student engagement in ELA. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 3, Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, Lessons 20–21, students create and present a collaborative digital presentation on a female artist.
In Unit 5, Fleeing Conflict: Refugee & The Unwanted, Lessons 22–23, students create and present a collaborative digital presentation on refugees and where they are fleeing.
Digital materials can be customized for local use (i.e., student and/or community interests). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
No evidence found
Indicator 3x
Materials include or reference digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other, when applicable.
The materials include limited attention to digital technology. The materials do require students to write and collaborate on their editing, but there is no provision to do this digitally. Materials provide few opportunities for students to complete activities digitally. Students complete two digital presentations, limiting students’ opportunity to collaborate with their peers or teacher through digital technology. Materials do not provide specific guidance requiring students to collaborate digitally with peers or teachers on these projects. The presentations can be completed on a number of different platforms, including some that do not allow for digital collaboration.
Materials include limited references to digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other when applicable. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 3: Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts, Lesson 20, students work in small groups to compile and evaluate research for a digital presentation. In the Introduction, the materials state: “Have groups select a collaborative digital presentation tool, like PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, Padlet, or Coggle.”
In Unit 5: Fleeing Conflict: Refugee & The Unwanted, Lesson 22, students create a digital presentation to educate classmates on a refugee crisis currently taking place somewhere in the world. In Building Background and Engagement, the materials include the following teacher instructions: “Have groups select a collaborative digital presentation tool, like PowerPoint, Google Slides, Padlet, or Coggle.”
Indicator 3y
The visual design (whether in print or digital) supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject, and is neither distracting nor chaotic.
Student materials do not include images or graphics. The assessments and text-based student materials are easily read, and the structure is easily accessible to students. Materials are provided in one format with a visual design that supports learning. The design is not distracting or chaotic, and it neither adds to nor distracts from the subject matter. Materials include PDF documents that are organized in an accessible way. Materials provide graphic organizers when needed to help students with organization. The use of typography, layout, and space is visually appealing, though there is little variance in color and no engaging images.
Images, graphics, and models support student learning and engagement without being visually distracting. Images, graphics, and models clearly communicate information or support student understanding of topics, texts, or concepts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Student materials do not include images, graphics, or models.
Teacher and student materials are consistent in layout and structure across lessons/modules/units. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
The vocabulary pages and task pages that can be created for students are consistent and maintain the same layout. The information is easily identifiable and supports student understanding of the materials.
Throughout the curriculum, the teacher’s directions are consistent. Materials provide a PDF version of each lesson and a PDF of the Target Task and Exit Ticket.
Organizational features (Table of Contents, glossary, index, internal references, table headers, captions, etc.) in the materials are clear, accurate, and error-free. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Student materials do not include organizational features.
Each unit includes a lesson map. The layout is consistent across the curriculum.
Indicator 3z
Materials provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning, when applicable.
The materials do not include embedded technology. Although teacher materials are digital, the use of technology is limited, and teacher guidance on incorporating technology is limited. Materials do not provide specific lessons that incorporate teaching students how to use technology properly. Although materials include some general suggestions, such as instructing teachers that they should tell students to be certain that the resources they use are reliable, materials do not provide specifics on how to accomplish that task. Rather, teachers would have to develop guidelines and protocols for the use of technology independently.
Materials provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning when applicable. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
No evidence found