6th Grade - Gateway 2

MyPerspectives Grade 6 materials are grouped around topics/themes to grow students' knowledge over the course of the school year. The sequence of texts around these topics/themes and the provided lesson scaffolds ensure that students are able to read and comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently. Texts within units are connected and arranged by topics around an essential question.

As illustrated below, unit titles are themes that connect the reading selections:

• Unit 1: Childhood
• Unit 2: Animal Allies
• Unit 3: Modern Technology
• Unit 4: Imagination
• Unit 5: Exploration

An example of the way the publisher organizes the unit by theme with appropriate texts and differentiated learning modality is illustrated below with Unit 5: Exploration (theme)

• Launch text – “What on Earth is left to Explore?”
• Anchor text – from A Long Way Home
• Media: Video – “Animation All About Exploration”
• Small Group Learning
• News Article – “Mission Twinpossible”
• Argument – “Should NASA Pay companies to Fly Astronauts to the International Space Station”
• Argument – “Should Polar Tourism Be Allowed?”
• Media: Graphic Novel – from Lewis & Clark

My Perspectives Grade 6 materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts. This provides students with opportunities to share their learning through written and oral projects.

Below are examples from unit assignments to illustrate how materials contain sets of coherently sequences questions and tasks:

From Unit 1, "Childhood" After reading, “I Was a Skinny Tomboy Kid” p 69, students are given several activities one is found in the section, entitled “Making Meaning” under Analyze Craft, and Structure p 74 where students are asked to read and learn the definition for Theme, Imagery, and Figurative Language. The assignment reads as follows: “Work as a group to fill in the chart, showing how the poet develops the theme of this poem.” The students must cite the “Text” and “How Poet Expresses Theme” in the chart and then share it with the findings with group members.

From Unit 2, "Animal Allies"

Media vocabulary. The teacher is given instructions for how to teach media vocabulary, including having students to discuss where (in other texts) they have seens the terms before and whether or not they have used them in speaking and writing. Students work together in groups to find commonalities between the terms. Also, instructions are given on how to teach domain specific vocabulary: student identify a domain specific term in a podcast that will eventually be included in a class dictionary that any student may access as they discuss the podcast.

From Unit 3, "Modern Technology"

Students read the blog post, “Teens and Technology Share a Future” by Stefan Etienne.

Students annotate the texts, such as in paragraph 3 where they mark the metaphor.
In the Comprehension Check sections, they answer questions such as: "According to Etienne, why is technology a 'window into a new world'? In what way does Etienne suggest that technology is like a superpower?"
In their notebook, students list three important ideas from the selection to show your understanding. In Analyze the Text, students Paraphrase, Evaluate, Speculate, Interpret, Essential Question. In Analyze Craft and Structure, students Determine Author’s Purpose and Point of View

My Perspectives Grade 6 materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent question and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts. The questions for each text are written to give students preparation for the culminating tasks while building answers to the Essential Questions. Students are provided opportunities in each unit to integrate knowledge and ideas through text-dependent questions and writing assignments across both individual and multiple texts.

In Unit 1, students are analyzing one author’s presentation of facts with another using a chart on first-person point of view during class discussion. They then write an explanatory essay comparing the point of view of A Simple Act and the excerpt from An Invisible Thread to analyze the effect of each point of view on the reader.

Later in the Unit, students are provided graphic support in developing ideas in their small group comparing video with text. They are then to use the chart they developed, along with terms, phrases and/or sentences from the text to achieve Maya Angelou’s voice in writing either a journal entry letter, or video script (pp 84-85).

In Unit 5, students read an excerpt from A Long Way Home, a memoir by Saroo Brierley. Students answer, "What is Brierley looking for, and how is he conducting his search?" Next, they view the video, “Animation All About Exploration” and answer: What types of things did people long ago use to help them navigate?

For the "Write an Argument Performance Task," students receive the prompt: You’ve read a memoir excerpt and you’ve watched a video about exploration...use your knowledge...and defend a position on the topic of exploration. In the "Connect Across Text," students use evidence from both texts to support the claims they make about the essential question: What drives people to explore?

My Perspectives Grade 6 meets the expectations of indicator 2d. The series is organized into five units and the culminating task for each unit is a Performance-Based Assessment. After reading the anchor texts during whole group instruction, which all have a connection to the unit’s Essential Question and the culminating task, the unit begins writing to sources with one of the 3 types of CCSS writing (Performance Task: Writing Focus). Throughout each unit there are questions and tasks that support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic through integrated skills. Imbedded in each unit are both writing and speaking/listening performance tasks preparing students for success on the end-of-unit performance-based assessment.

Unit 1: Childhood

The culminating writing task is a nonfiction narrative answering the question, “When did a challenge lead to a triumph?” p 86, which students then present as a recitation for the speaking/listening portion of the assessment. Students begin the unit by answering this question in a quick write after reading the launch text, p 9. While analyzing the anchor text, Brown Girl Dreaming, students respond to the question, “What have you learned about the challenges and triumphs of growing up from reading the selection?” p 20. The culminating activity for the anchor texts requires students to write a personal narrative responding to the prompt, “When did you have to use your imagination to find another way to do something?” pg. 32. Throughout the unit, students keep an evidence log to record textual evidence in preparation of the unit culminating activity.

Unit 3: Modern Technology

Performance-Based Assessment (culminating task for the unit): This task is organized in two parts: (1) write an argumentative essay written to sources about our reliance on technology and (2) present an oral presentation based on the final draft of the argumentative essay in part 1. Students have read, watched, and viewed/listened to selections prior to this culminating task.

In Part 1, students demonstrate their ability to make claims supported by relevant evidence and to draw evidence from texts to support their analyses. In Part 2, students demonstrate their ability to identify claims and reasons in their own writing (introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs) and present them orally to an audience.

Unit 4: Imagination

Students are comparing the drama and video of The Phantom Tollbooth as their whole class learning activity (p. 282, 312, 346) which supports R.L 6.7. Students are given a graphic organizer to record similarities and differences of character, setting, and events after discussing with a partner. Students are then asked to write a compare and contrast essay noting what is similar to and different from what they “see” and “hear” when reading and watching the video. They are also asked to use evidence from each medium to support their ideas. This supports students’ need to perform analysis of parts to complete quality cumulative tasks and to integrate knowledge and ideas.

Students also are integrating Knowledge and Ideas in informational Text. With The Black Hole of Technology (p.222-223) students must compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (R.I 6.9) and trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not (R.I 6.8) with The Black Hole of Technology p.222-223 and Should Polar Tourism Be Allowed? P. 464-465.

The instructional materials for Grade 6 include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts. Students are provided frequent opportunities to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts throughout all five units. In each unit, students have a section labeled “Making Meaning” for several of the texts, including readings and videos. In that section, students are given subsections called “Concept Vocabulary,” “Word Study” and “Analyze Craft and Structure.” Additionally, students are given a section called “Word Network” that allows them to choose “interesting words” from a particular text and add it to their ongoing list of words over the course of the year.

Excerpts from the program that highlight some vocabulary work are listed here:

Unit 1

memoir: The term is first introduced on page 5 through a nonfiction narrative chart and then reviewed more closely on page 32 through a writing focused, performance task for nonfiction narrative. On page 86, students encounter the term once again through a performance-based writing assessment.

Unit 2

Concept Vocabulary p 141 - Three words, ripple, nuzzled, caress, are listed for students. Then, the SE asks, “Why These Words” The three concept vocabulary words from the text are related. With your group, determine what the words have in common. How do these word choices enhance the impact of the text?

Under Practice, students are asked to write in their Notebook - The concept vocabulary words appear in “A Blessing.” Gain a better understanding of them by working in a group to write a sentence using each word.

Unit 3

After reading The Phantom Tollbooth, Acts I, II, and media, pp. 282-349, students complete the following activities:

• Prior to reading the first selection, pg. 282, students are provided 6 concept vocabulary words to rank in order from most familiar to least familiar. After their first read of the text, they are to return to the vocabulary and make changes to their original ranking as needed.
• As students read, concept vocabulary is highlighted in blue and defined in the margin. Additionally, Tier II vocabulary are identified and defined in the margin.
• At the end of the text, pg. 310, students revisit the concept vocabulary and respond to two questions:

How does the concept vocabulary sharpen the reader’s understanding of some of the ideas being explored in The Phantom Tollbooth, Act I? What other words in the selection connect to this concept?

The online TE provides additional support in the form of a Concept Vocabulary and Word Study document.

The instructional materials for Grade 6 support students’ increasing writing skills over the course of the school year, building students’ writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of school year. The five units are divided into Unit Introduction, Whole-Class Learning, Small-Group Learning, Independent Learning, Performance-Based Assessment, and Unit Reflection. Following the backward design model, the writing activities within the units lead to Performance Tasks that prepare students for the Performance-Based Assessment. Throughout the units, students keep an Evidence Log to record information they gather and connections they make.

Some examples of how the program works with writing include (but are not limited to) the following:

Unit 1: Students read and analyze Bad Boy and I Was a Skinny Tomboy Kid. A graphic organizer is given for them to use as a tool to gather information and details needed for writing. For additional writing support, students are assigned to write what they have learned about both selections in their Evidence Log. Using their notes from both the graphic organizer and the Evidence Log, students write a compare-and-contrast essay in which they analyze the different ways the memoir excerpt and the poem address a common theme.

Unit 3: Performance Task: Students are asked to write an argument in the form of an editorial taking a position on “Which blogger made a better case for his or her argument?”

Performance Based Assessment: Students are asked to write and present an argument defending a claim in response to “Do we rely on technology too much?”

The textbook provides supports for the students throughout the writing process. It lists the elements of an argument and gives bulletpoints of the different elements an argument contains. It also provides a model argument for students to review. Students may use their student books or the online student book to work through the unit. Next is the Prewriting/Planning templates where it prompts students to write a claim and then to consider possible counterclaims.

Unit 5: After reading “Mission Twinpossible” based on the lives of astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly, students are assigned a Research: How-To-Essay where they work in their groups to explain the steps in a process. They can choose from two topics:

1. Conduct research to learn more about these effects (negative effects of gravity) while they are traveling in space. Write an essay in which you explain “how to minimize the effects of space travel on the human body.”
2. Conduct research to find out more about the training and preparation required to become an astronaut. Write an essay in which you explain “how to become an astronaut.”

The texts gives students on how to write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic. They learn to conduct research, organize information, cite sources, and avoid plagiarism. To personalize learning, teachers are given notes under “Strategic Support” that offers steps on how to teach students to find trustworthy online sources.

The instructional materials for Grade 6 include a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and sources. Each of the 5 units has students engaged in research projects, sequenced throughout the unit and across the year, to developing their knowledge on a given topic centered around the essential question for the unit, and requiring students to analyze different aspects of the topic using multiple texts and source materials.

Some examples of how students engage with research practice and projects are listed here:

Unit 1: Conduct research in preparation for a class discussion about the connections between the comic characters’ names (Calvin and Hobbes) and the historical figures for whom they were named. Research the following questions: Who were Calvin and Hobbes named after? What were some of the personality traits and beliefs of these historical figures? Why might Bill Watterson have decided to name his characters after these figures? Students are guided to consider multiple reliable sources of information, both print and digital, to write down relevant ideas and details, and to note any additional questions that their research raises and that they would like to discuss with the class.

Unit 3: After reading a blog post entitled “The Black Hole of Technology,” students are asked to “Choose at least one unfamiliar detail from the text” and research it. Then, students are asked to answer the following question, “In what way does the information you learned shed light on the blog post?”

Unit 4: Research to clarify/research to explore: Choose at least one unfamiliar detail from the text. Briefly research the detail. In what ways does the information you learned shed light on an aspect of the poem? Choose something that interested you from the text and formulate a research question.

Unit 5: After reading “Mission Twinpossible,” students work in their group to write a how-to-guide, choosing one of these options:

The article mentions the negative effects that the lack of gravity in space has on the human body. Conduct research to learn more about how astronauts minimize these negative effects while they are traveling in space. Write a how-to-guide for keeping fit in space.

Astronauts must go through years of training and preparation before traveling to space. Conduct research to find out more about the training and preparation required to become an astronaut. Write a how-to-guide for people who want to become astronauts.

Steps for conducting research are included in the SE along with tips for organizing the information and reminders to cite sources and to use correct citation style.

The instructional materials for Grade 6 provide a design for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading. Each unit follows the same format of whole group, small group, and then independent reading. Students connect the Essential Question to the Independent Reading selections and continue adding to their Evidence Log.

This series has an “Independent Learning” section within each unit. The section is color-coded purple so that it is easily recognized by teachers and students. During the scheduled days for Independent Learning, students choose one online selection to read independently centered around the unit essential question. When introducing the Independent Learning, teachers encourage students to think about what they have already learned about the unit topic. They review independent learning strategies by watching the video on Independent Learning Strategies.

Graphic organizers are used to record the student’s response to the selected reading for this section. Students are held accountable by completing two graphic organizers - First-Read Guide and Close-Read Guide and a series of questions under Share Your Independent Learning.

Trade books are integrated throughout the school year, per unit of study. For example, in Unit 1 students choose among The Secret Life of Bees by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Young Landlords by Christopher Paul Curtis, and But, Not Buddy Walter Dean Myers. In Unit 3, the independent reading choices include A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin, and My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.

Students are regularly provided charts to record strategies and action plans as they read ahead and develop their own patterns and protocols for independent reading. The chart already includes some strategies and students are encouraged to add their own. The SE contains a First-Read Guide to record ideas during a first read, and a Close-Read Guide to record close read ideas. Text questions are available in the online TE that can be assigned after students read.

Students then prepare to share with classmates by reflecting on the text they read and making notes about its connection to the unit, answering the questions, “Why does this text belong with the unit?” When they share with their peers, they jot down a few ideas they learn from them. Finally, they mark the most important insight gained from the writing and discussion and explain how this idea adds to their understanding of the relationship between people and animals.

In some units, students are given a list of online selections to choose one to read independently. For example, in Unit 3 the genres are news articles and poetry. In the SE a section on Independent Learning Strategies is given to assist students as they learn to “rely on yourself to learn and work on your own.” Students are asked to review the strategies and put them into practice as they focus on Independent Learning.

For the “First-Read Guide” graphic organizer, students are asked to “Use this page to record your first-read ideas.” The boxes on the organizer are divided into the follow sections:

• NOTICE new information or ideas you learn about the unit topic.
• ANNOTATE by marking vocabulary and key passages you want to revisit.
• CONNECT ideas within the selection to other knowledge and the selections you have read.
• RESPOND by writing a brief summary of the selection.

The next graphic organizer “Close-Read Guide” asks students to “record your close-read ideas” about the selection of their choice.