6th Grade - Gateway 1

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for anchor texts being of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading and consider a range of student interests.

The materials provide students with a variety of high-quality texts. The majority of anchor texts in the units are engaging, well-written, content-rich published works and feature many award-winning authors. The text supports the topic units and the skills presented in each lesson and considers a range of student interests such as: bullying, dancing, social media, homework, and animals.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, students read a personal narrative, “My Superpowers” by Dan Greenburg. It is a humorous tale about standing up to a bully and the change that happens in a person when he/she stands up for himself/herself. This short personal narrative is engaging and has a powerful theme that will resonate with young teens.
• In Unit 2, students read an excerpt from an autobiography, “Dogs Make Us Human” by Temple Grandin. This excerpt is taken from best-selling author Temple Grandin’s autobiography. Throughout the text, Grandin provides thought-provoking commentary to challenge readers to reconsider the importance of dependent relationships between dogs and humans. With a high interest topic and relatable language, this text will engage students.
• In Unit 3, students read an article, “Are Social Networking Sites Good for our Society?” This text is a structured list of pros and cons of social media. Statistical evidence is provided for each pro and each con. This informational text serves to give students background knowledge on the positive and negative effects of social media use which students later use as evidence in a debate.
• In Unit 3, students read a news article, “Texas Teacher Implements No-Homework Policy, the Internet Rejoices” by Ashley May. This article from USA Today provides multiple sides of the argument on the topic of homework. This piece provides students with examples of evidence used to support differing claims on the same topic.
• In Unit 4, students read the poem, “I Can Dance” by Pat Mora. The poem includes a vibrant illustration of a woman in colorful clothes dancing designed to capture students’ attention. It is also a modern poem and uses repetition of the line “I can dance.” Dance is something with which many students can identify. At the end, readers learn that the speaker feels most comfortable dancing alone in her room, which is also relatable to middle schoolers who often feel self-conscious.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations that materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

The materials represent a mix of informational and literary texts. While some units are not as balanced, the overall program has approximately a 70% literary to 30% informational ratio. For example, Unit 4 is more literary focused, and Unit 3 is solely informational focused. Genres include, but are not limited to the following: articles, autobiographies, short stories, poetry, and plays.

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

• Unit 1: “The Treasure of Lemon Brown” by Walter Dean Myers (short story)
• Unit 2: “Oranges” by Gary Soto (poem)
• Unit 2: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (novel)
• Unit 4: The Miracle Worker by William Gibson (play)

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

• Unit 1: “Schools Hustle to Reach Kids Who Move with the Harvest, Not the School Year” by Peter Balonon-Rosen (article)
• Unit 2: “5 Things You Don’t Know about Service Dogs” by Morieka Johnson (article)
• Unit 3: “Texas Teacher Implements No-Homework Policy, the Internet Rejoices” by Ashley May (article from USA Today)
• Unit 4: The Story of My Life by Helen Keller (autobiography)

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

The texts in the materials are appropriate for Grade 6 according to quantitative and qualitative analysis, and in relation to the associated student task. Some of the Grade 6 materials fall within the 6-8 grade level band (925L–1185L) in terms of quantitative measures and are within the appropriate rigor range in terms of qualitative measures. Other texts fall below the 6–8 grade level in terms of quantitative and qualitative measures, including the main novel students read in Grade 6. The range of Lexile levels in the Grade 6 materials is 660–1260L. Nine of the texts fall below the band; fourteen texts are within the band; and one text is above the stretch band. Thus, 42% of the texts fall outside of the band for Grades 6–8. Additionally, some texts are quantitatively well-below grade level, but the accompanying student tasks are moderately difficult. Substantial scaffolding is often provided.

Some examples are as follows:

• In Unit 1, the overall quantitative levels are 680L–1060L. Students read nine texts, including narratives and short stories. In addition to analyzing characters and plot, students analyze the successful features of a variety of narratives and short stories and write their own based on these models. In the “Text Complexity Grade 6” document, seven of the texts are rated Moderate Difficulty for qualitative considerations and two, which both fall below the Lexile band, are rated Low Difficulty. In addition, eight of the texts are given an overall Complex rating with a task demand of Moderate-Analyze, and one has an overall Accessible rating with a task demand of Challenging-Create.
• Activity 1.2: Text: “Schools Hustle to Reach Kids Who Move with the Harvest, Not the School Year” by Peter Balonon-Rosen. Lexile: 1050L. Qualitative: Moderate Difficulty. Task Demand: Moderate-Analyze.
• Activity 1.4: Text: “My Superpowers.” by Dan Greenburg. Lexile: 1020L. Qualitative: Moderate Difficulty. Task Demand: Moderate-Analyze.
• Activity 1.12:Text: “Thank You, M’am.” by Langston Hughes. Lexile: 800L. Qualitative: Low Difficulty. Task Demand: Moderate-Analyze.
• In Unit 2, the overall quantitative levels are 770L–1160L. Students read a novel, a memoir, an autobiography, and a biography, which are qualitatively and quantitatively accessible for students to navigate working across texts. Some texts fall in the appropriate Lexile band for Grade 6; the texts that fall below include qualitative and/or associated task measures that justify the texts being appropriate for the grade level. Students use the text to explore topics, build knowledge, analyze, and synthesize text.
• Activities 2.2–2.13: Text: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. Lexile: Not provided; Internet search shows 770L. Qualitative: Not provided. Task Demand: Not provided.
• Activity 2.17: Text: “Saying Farewell to a Faithful Pal” by John Grogan. Lexile: 1100L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate-Analyze.
• Activity 2.18: Text: “Dogs Make Us Human” from Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin. Lexile: 970L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate-Analyze.
• In Unit 3, the overall quantitative levels are 1000L–1280L. Students read opinion pieces, news articles, and a letter, which are qualitatively and quantitatively accessible for students to navigate working across texts. Tasks focus on increasing students’ knowledge of how to read, write, debate, and evaluate an argument. Students integrate several informational texts to develop and evaluate arguments.
• Activity 3.8: News Article: “Teens Are Over Face-to-Face Communication, Study Says” by Katy Steinmetz. Lexile: 1280L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate-Understand.
• Activity 3.11: Letter: “The First Americans” by Scott H. Peters. Lexile: 1000L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Challenging-Evaluate.
• In Unit 4, the overall quantitative levels are 660L–1110L. Students read an article, an autobiography, a letter, and a short story comprised of letters, as well as a play and poetry. While some texts are qualitatively and quantitatively complex for students, several texts fall below the quantitative measure for the grade band. Tasks integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Through these tasks, students synthesize skills and knowledge learned over the course of the school year. Some texts are quantitatively well-below grade level, but the accompanying student tasks are moderately difficult. Substantial scaffolding is often provided.
• Activity 4.3: Texts: “I Can Dance,” “Ode to teachers,” and “Dumped” by Pat Mora. Lexile: NA Poetry. Qualitative: Not provided. Task Demand: Not provided. The materials do not specify the overall rating for the complexity measures of these poems.
• Activity 4.4: Text: “Pat Mora’s love for words spread a river of literacy” by Julie L. Ortiz. Lexile: 1110L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate-Analyze.
• Activity 4.5: Text: excerpt from “A Letter to Gabriela, A Young Writer” by Pat Mora. Lexile: 870L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate-Analyze. The overall rating of this text is accessible in the materials.
• Activity 4.9: Text: “Southpaw” by Judith Viorst. Lexile: 660L. Qualitative: Moderate. Task Demand: Moderate-Analyze.
• Activities 4.11–4.15: Text: The Miracle Worker by William Gibson. Lexile: NA Drama. Qualitative: Not provided. Task Demand: Not provided.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectation that materials support students’ literacy skills (understanding and comprehension) over the course of the school year through increasingly complex text to develop independence of grade level skills (series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels).

The materials provide an opportunity for students to read a variety of texts at various levels of complexity. Each unit consists of an assortment of increasingly complex texts and focuses on the development of student literacy strategies for reading complex texts independently. Units include texts with a range of complexity levels within the grade level stretch band, and the levels of most texts are located in a complexity chart in the Teacher Wrap section of the materials. Texts are scaffolded through multiple reading groupings such as in pairs, small groups, read alouds, and independent. Literacy skills are also supported through the use of graphic organizers and instruction on various strategies, such as close reading, marking the text, and guided reading. The complexity of anchor texts and literacy skills taught throughout the school year support students’ proficiency in reading independently at grade level at the end of the school year.

• In Unit 1, Activity 1.2, the teacher reads aloud the short story, “The Circuit” by Francisco Jimenez. The students follow along reading closely for textual details. In the Teacher Wrap, the complexity level of this text quantitatively is a 680 Lexile (complex text) and qualitatively a “moderately difficult” text. Students read a narrative, an article, and examine a photograph about migrant families. Then, in pairs, they complete a graphic organizer to compare and contrast details from the texts regarding housing, money, time spent, and education for migrant students.
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.8, students begin making evidence based claims. Students read Chapter 22 of Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech with a partner in class. Then they read Chapters 23-25 as part of their independent reading. Although not listed in the Teacher Wrap, the novel has a 770 Lexile according to The Lexile Framework website. In small groups, students complete a graphic organizer to compare and contrast characters in the text. Students then write an informative paragraph comparing and contrasting the characters, using evidence from their graphic organizer to support their claims.
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.5, students are introduced to the research process and conduct initial research to deepen their understanding of a controversial topic about which they feel strongly.
• In Unit 3, Embedded Assessment 2, students build an evidence-based argument about a controversial topic of their choice using the skills from each of the previous units and activities. Students research, gather evidence, draft, evaluate, and revise their arguments independently.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that anchor texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for purpose and placement in the grade level.

The Text Complexity Grade 6 document includes an analysis of the quantitative, qualitative, and reader/task measures of each text. The publisher-provided document includes a clear rationale for the purpose and placement of the texts chosen, as well as detailed Task Considerations and Reader Considerations. Further analytical considerations about texts can be found in the Teacher Wrap section. Such considerations include specific instructional applications for teachers, including how to support student analysis of the text with appropriate grouping and reading routines such as paired reading and whole-group read alouds. The materials also include specific sections in which the texts are woven together for a particular educational purpose. For example, the Knowledge Quest sections that are embedded throughout each of the units provide a collection of texts around a specific topic to allow students to integrate information about a topic from multiple sources.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Activity 1.16, students read “The Treasure of Lemon Brown,” by Walter Dean Myers. The Lexile level is 760L, which is below the Lexile Stretch Band for Grade 6-8; however, the qualitative measures show moderate difficulty, “Due to the text’s implied theme and substantial figurative language.” Combined with reader/task demands, the overall complexity for this text is complex.

• In Unit 2, Activity 2.9, students read the excerpt of an autobiography, “Dogs Make Us Human” from Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin, to analyze how the author develops her point of view and central ideas. The Lexile Level is 970L, and the qualitative measure is moderate due to frequent scientific terms. The reader/task measure is also moderate for sixth graders. Also, in this activity is a Knowledge Quest section that includes film clips and an informational article to help students deepen their understanding of the importance of dogs to humans.

• In Unit 3, Activity 3.8, students read the news article, “Teens Are Over Face-to-Face Communication, Study Says” by Katy Steinmetz, to analyze and evaluate an argument. The Lexile Level is 1280L, which is above the Grade 6-8 Lexile Band, and the qualitative and task measures are moderate for sixth graders. Also, in this activity is a Knowledge Quest section that includes an additional article to help students gather more information to develop an argument. The overall text complexity rating for this text is complex.

• In Unit 4, Activity 4.9, students read the short story, “The Southpaw” by Judith Viorst. The Lexile level is 660L, which is below the Lexile Band for Grade 6 and is intended to be “read aloud by students.” Other information provided is as follows: “...the qualitative measures indicate a moderate difficulty level, due to the text’s unconventional structure.” The task demands are moderate and focus on “...analyzing the text’s language and discuss[ing] how word choice conveys the text’s theme and tone.” The overall text complexity rating of this text is accessible.

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

The materials consist of multiple complex texts and scaffolded instruction to help students develop the skills and strategies necessary to achieve grade level proficiency in reading. Students engage in reading complex texts aloud as a class, independently, in pairs, and in small groups. Texts are organized in units with texts that support the unit’s theme. Genres include, but are not limited to, film clips, novels, poetry, and informational texts. Each unit contains a variety of texts and activities that require students to think deeply, monitor their understanding, and apply the knowledge they learn through meaningful tasks and assessments. In the Teacher Wrap, the teacher is provided with opportunities to monitor student progress through formative and summative assessment data both anecdotally and through formal assessments. Students are also prompted throughout the activities and after assessments to reflect on their own learning.

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in reading a variety and volume of texts to become independent readers at the grade level.

Materials include a mechanism for teachers and/or students to monitor progress toward grade level independence. Some examples include:

• In Unit 1, Activity 1.2, teachers read the short narrative story, “The Circuit” by Francisco Jiménez, aloud to students. Students reread the story in small groups in order to respond to text-dependent questions. Then teachers read the article, “Schools Hustle to Reach Kids Who Move with the Harvest, Not the School Year” by Peter Balonon-Rosen, aloud to students. Students reread the article in small groups in order to respond to text-dependent questions. In Activity 1.3, students choose texts to read independently and establish an Independent Reading Log to use for the whole school year. In Activity 1.4, students do a shared reading of the personal narrative, “My Superpowers” by Dan Greenburg. Students reread the narrative independently to find examples of hyperbole in the story.
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.2, students watch film clips from the movie Up by Pixar. As they watch each clip, the students complete a graphic organizer on the “internal and external changes in Carl Fredericksen’s life, and how he responds to them.” In Activity 2.3, students begin a novel study of Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. After previewing the novel, the teacher conducts a read-aloud of chapter one and models the double-entry journal. In Activity 2.4, students work in small groups to read and complete a character analysis of chapters 5-6 from Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. Then, students read and work independently on chapters 7-9. In Activity 2.5, the teacher is given a choice to return to film clips from the movie, Up by Pixar, or use chapters 10-11 from Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech to examine plot and subplot. Students independently read chapters 12-14. In Activity 2.9, in the Teacher Wrap, the teacher is given the instruction to “Move from student to student and observe as they answer text-dependent questions. If they have difficulty, scaffold the questions…”. In Embedded Assessment 1, the students complete an assessment to answer a prompt from the novel. After the assessment students are asked to reflect on their progress. The teacher uses a rubric to score the assessment.
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.2, students study the parts of an argument. The Teacher Wrap section suggests that teachers illustrate the parts of an argument by using children’s books, such as I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff and David Catrow. In Activity 3.3, the teacher reads aloud an opinion piece entitled, “A Teacher’s Defense of Homework” by Andrea Townsend, as students listen and trace the argument in the text. In the Teacher Wrap, it suggests “After reading the opinion piece for the first time, allow students to discuss it with a partner, using the Knowledge Quest questions as a guide. Give partners a minute or two to discuss their initial reactions. Based on their discussions, determine if students are ready to move on to the text-dependent questions.” In Activity 3.4, students participate in a shared read aloud of the opinion piece, “A High School Student’s Perspective on Homework.” In Activity 3.5, students participate in a think-pair-share activity to develop an argument based on quotes that are provided in the instructional materials. After the think-pair-share activity, students begin research to develop an argumentative text to apply the knowledge they have learned about argumentation.
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.2, students read a limerick, “from A Book of Nonsense” by Edward Lear independently. After answering questions about the limerick, students create their own limerick, giving teachers multiple ways to assess their learning about this type of poem. In Activity 4.3, students independently read the poem, “Oranges” by Gary Soto. Students answer questions about figurative language and theme of the poem. In Activity 4.3, students read the poem, “Fireflies” by Paul Fleischman independently. Students then answer questions about the poem, including the use of alliteration and figurative language, providing another opportunity for students to practice this skill. In Activity 4.4, students independently read three poems, “I Can Dance,” “Ode to Teachers,” and “Dumped,” all by Pat Mora. Students answer questions while analyzing the poet’s style, including examining figures of speech, punctuation, and repetition to see how the poet conveys meaning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text dependent/specific, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text).

The Grade 6 SpringBoard materials are divided into four units of study, with a variety of texts and activities that provide students ample opportunities to engage directly with the texts when completing tasks. “Returning to the Text” and “Working with the Text” are two sections in the materials that require students to return to the text to complete text-dependent questions and activities. Also, most writing tasks and assessments include instructions to provide text evidence to support the students' thinking. In the Teacher Wrap section, teachers are given guidance, instructions, and suggestions for the planning and implementation of text-dependent questions to utilize with the reading in class.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Activity 1.5, “Returning to the Text,” after reading an excerpt from Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen, students return to the text to answer text-dependent questions. For example: “Describe the first meeting between Juli and Bryce from Bryce’s point of view. How does Bryce feel about meeting Juli? Use details from the story to support your answer.” This series of questions require students to “Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.16, “Composing Body Paragraphs Together,” students work collaboratively to craft a paragraph about a change in a book or story from the unit. In the paragraph, they must have “Supporting information: specific examples, details, evidence and facts” from the text. This task requires students to “Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.17, “Returning to the Text,” students are instructed: After reading the text, “Saying Farewell to a Faithful Pal” by John Grogan, “Return to the text as you respond to the following questions. Use text evidence to support your responses.” Question 4: “What was the author's purpose for writing the memoir? How is the author's purpose conveyed in the text? What are things the text shows that people can learn from dogs? What does the author learn from Marley?”
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.4, “Teacher Wrap,” teachers are provided with guidance for planning, and implementing text-dependent questions and activities. For example: “Discuss the strategy rereading, being explicit about its purpose before you have the students answer the text-dependent questions.” An example of a text-dependent question provided is question 8: In paragraph 5, why does the author include quotation marks? Whose words are being quoted in paragraph 5? Why would the author want to quote Young's words?
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.7, students create a multimedia presentation in which they synthesize their research about a poet. Students are directed: “Explain what makes your poet unique and provide evidence from your research to support your position.”
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.15, “Working with the Film,” while viewing the 1962 version of the film, The Miracle Worker, students answer text-dependent questions. For example, question number 1 is as follows: “What decision(s) does Keller make in this scene? What decision(s) does Annie make? Which of these decisions are most significant to the plot? Support your answer with evidence from the film.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria for having sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent/specific questions and tasks build to a culminating task that integrates skills (may be writing, speaking, or a combination).

The Grade 6 SpringBoard materials provide students with quality tasks that integrate skills including writing and speaking tasks required by the standards. Text-dependent questions and speaking opportunities are coherently sequenced to build to a culminating task. Some examples of culminating tasks that provide opportunities for students to demonstrate an understanding of their learning through writing, speaking, or a combination of both include the Embedded Assessments in each unit. Opportunities include completing graphic organizers, text-dependent questions, class discussions, and performances/presentations.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 2, Activity 2.2, students examine the concepts of internal and external forces on a character. They begin by viewing clips from the movie Up by Pixar. Using a graphic organizer, they capture notes on changes in a character based on the internal and external forces in the film. After the teacher models how to complete the first row of the graphic organizer, students work in triads to complete the last three clips. Students then discuss their recordings with the class. Finally, students work as a class to craft an informational paragraph “...explaining how Carl Frederick’s life changes due to internal and external forces in the film Up.” This is one of the activities that helps prepare students for the Embedded Assessment 1 which is a literary analysis.
• In Unit 3, Embedded Assessment 1, students complete the following task: “Work collaboratively to research one side of a controversy that is affecting your school, community, or society. Then participate in a modified debate in which you argue your position and incorporate a visual display with appropriate headings and labels and/or multimedia for support.” Students work on their research answering a series of questions in Activities 3.2-3.8. For example, in Activity 3.5, students learn about the credibility of sources for their debate topic and respond to the following question: “Is the source reliable and credible? Does the source have a bias? Explain.”
• In Unit 4, Embedded Assessment 1, students research a poet in a small group and make a five minute group presentation to the class. Students work on their research by answering a series of questions in Activities 4.6 and 4.7. For example, in the Synthesizing Research Stage, students respond to the following questions: “What conclusion(s) can you draw about the poet and his or her life? Which of the poet's poems might add to your presentation? Could you read it orally or present it visually?” When presenting their research on their poets, students are evaluated on their use of language, specifically their conventions of standard English grammar and usage. In addition, students are expected to use academic vocabulary and a formal tone in their oral presentation. Finally, students are expected to use appropriate eye contact and volume in addition to enunciating their words clearly while speaking.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations that materials provide frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small groups, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

The Grade 6 SpringBoard materials provide multiple opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions that help support the growth of students’ speaking and listening skills over the course of the grade. The tasks encourage and/or require the discussion to incorporate the vocabulary, text, or topics of the unit. Some of the discussion protocols include, but are not limited to, Think-Pair-Share, Literature Circles, and Jigsaw. Teacher guidance is located in the Teacher Wrap for providing support and scaffolding for evidence-based discussions, including modeling and the use of academic vocabulary and syntax. All of the tasks are appropriate and connect to the standards required for Grade 6.

Materials provide multiple opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials, including support for teachers to identify students struggling with these skills. Support for evidence-based discussions encourages modeling and a focus on using academic vocabulary and syntax. Some examples include:

• In Unit 1, Language Checkpoint 1.5, students conduct a “Think-Pair-Share with a partner about the differences between the fragments in the excerpts…” In the Teacher Wrap, the teacher is provided suggestions for possible answers which students may discuss. Then the teacher has some of the partners share out to the whole class.
• In Unit 1, Activity 1.5, students respond to text-dependent questions after reading an excerpt from the novel Flipped. In the Teacher Wrap, directions are provided to help teachers facilitate student discussion of the text-dependent questions: “Returning to the Text: Guide students to return to the text to respond to the text-dependent questions. Have students partner with someone new to reread the text and respond to the questions. Remind them to use evidence in their responses. Help them discuss and write responses to the questions in an appropriately formal tone and voice, making use of academic terms such as infer, plot, and evidence. Use the suggested answers as models for appropriate register, vocabulary, tone, and voice.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.13, students participate in a Literature Circle Discussion after their final reading of Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. Students are assigned a role in the discussion group and record the goals for the discussion. As they engage in discussion, each member takes notes in a Discussion Note-taking Graphic Organizer. Finally, they create a creative poster to “...synthesize their analysis…”
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.16, students work with a group to Jigsaw the Scoring Guide for their argumentative letter. Each member in a group is assigned one part of the rubric to become an “expert” on, and then the teacher regroups the students so that at least one person in each group is an expert for each rubric section. In their new groups, students “...take notes on the Scoring Guide.”
• In Unit 4, Embedded Assessment 2, students perform a scene from The Miracle Worker. In the Teacher Wrap, teachers are instructed, “Purposefully plan groups and thoughtfully assign scenes to each group. Some scenes are more challenging than others (in terms of content and/or length). Each group's lines appear separately on the next several pages so students can mark the pages and use them as a script. Remind groups to thoughtfully assign the role of Helen. Because she doesn't have spoken lines, her physicality is critical to her role.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectation that materials support students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and supports.

The Grade 6 SpringBoard materials provide students with various opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills throughout the year. Students engage in a multitude of discussions and listening tasks which increase with difficulty over the course of the school year. Students demonstrate their learning by completing such tasks that include, but are not limited to, discussions, debates, oral presentations, performances, and Philosophical Chairs. In the Teacher Wrap, teachers are provided with guidance on modeling and monitoring of the tasks. They are also provided with scaffolds and extensions so teachers can support struggling and accelerated students. The tasks encourage and/or require students to cite evidence from the texts and sources from the activity.

Students have multiple opportunities over the school year to demonstrate what they are reading and researching through varied speaking and listening opportunities. Some examples include:

• In Unit 1, Activity 1.5, students participate in a Collaborative Discussion. In the Teacher Wrap, teachers are given the instructions to conduct this as a Think-Pair-Share. This provides students an opportunity to talk about their thinking before they begin writing about “...a time when you and another person saw the incident differently. Explain both how you saw the incident and how the other person viewed it.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.7, students participate in discussion groups while reading the novel, Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. Students are instructed on formulating and responding to effective text-based discussion questions: “As your new group discusses these different questions, use the graphic organizer that follows to record key ideas. Remember to follow the communication norms for speakers and listeners as well as the discussion roles you identified with your class in questions 4 and 5. Give one another feedback on which questions are the most effective at encouraging interesting discussions and bringing out new ideas about meaning in the novel.”
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.4, students participate in a debate using the strategy “Philosophical Chairs.” To begin, students prepare for the debate on “Should students be assigned homework?” In this preparation, they are to cite text evidence to support their claim/argument. The rules are explained including, “Listen carefully when others speak…” and “Speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard by the audience.” In the Teacher Wrap, the teacher is given guidance on how to arrange the room, and how to label the chairs for the strategy “Philosophical Chairs.” As the students participate, the teacher acts as a mediator and is instructed to make sure each student participates at least once.
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.8, students “Present a position on the controversy in a debate using evidence from research and contributing ideas clearly and responding to others' ideas.”

This activity requires students to incorporate evidence from texts and both speaking and listening skills. In the Teacher Wrap, in the Adapt section, teachers are provided the following instructions: “If students need additional help understanding how to prepare an argument, show a successful student model from the class and ask the student to use a think-aloud to describe the process he or she used to complete it. Have students take notes during the think aloud and write two strategies they could use in their own preparation of an argument.”

• In Unit 4, Activity 4.3, students perform a creative oral presentation for a poem that they have analyzed. For this assignment, students must practice their speaking and listening skills before the presentation, so they analyze and discuss the poems with a partner. Notes in the Teacher Wrap section advise teachers to move from group to group to listen for students’ progress and provide guidance and modeling for students.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the expectations that materials include a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g., multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate.

The Grade 6 SpringBoard materials provide a mix of on-demand and process writing, which include short and longer writing tasks and projects, throughout the school year. Writing tasks include short on-demand writing, such as Quickwrites, and other short writing tasks, such as Returning to the Text, Independent Reading Links, and Writing to Sources activities. Students also have opportunities to return to previous writing in order to revise and edit their original drafts. Finally, most units have two Embedded Assessments that require longer process writing including prewriting, revising, and editing the drafts. Some Embedded Assessments can be completed as on-demand writing tasks at the discretion of the teacher. Additionally, students conduct research using digital resources.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Activities 1.7-1.9, students begin drafting a narrative about a memorable incident in their lives for Embedded Assessment 1: Writing a Personal Narrative. In Activity 1.7, students engage in planning and prewriting activities, including brainstorming details and creating a memory map. In Activity 1.8, students continue to plan their writing using cause and effect and characterization graphic organizers. Students draft their narrative working first on the beginning and then the ending. In Activity 1.9, students revise their narratives through adding dialogue, inserting transition words and phrases, revising the beginning and ending, selecting a title, and creating a finished document.
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.4, Independent Reading Link, students complete a short, on-demand writing responding to the following prompt: “Find a topic that you can compare and contrast in your independent reading. You can compare people, objects, situations, or themes. The topics can be in two different texts you've read independently, or one independent text and Walk Two Moons. Write a paragraph that explains the similarities and differences between the texts.”
• In Unit 2, Embedded Assessment 2: Writing an Informative Essay, students “write a multiparagraph essay explaining how people can improve their lives through observing and interacting with animals. Planning, prewriting, drafting, evaluating and revising, and checking and editing for publication are included in this writing task. In the Teacher Wrap, teachers are given the option of making this a “...timed writing prompt or as independent practice in or out of class depending on the needs and abilities of your class.” Additionally, teachers can “ ...have students draft and revise their essays on computers during one or two class periods.”
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.15, students have an opportunity to revisit the letter they drafted in Activity 3.14 and after a lesson on coherence, students revise the letter to improve its coherence. After their revision, they “Read your revised piece to a peer for feedback on its coherence.”
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.6, students conduct research on a famous poet using relevant digital sources about their poet. Students engage in on-demand writing as they annotate their sources. For print sources, they are instructed to use pencils and highlighters, and for digital sources, they are encouraged to use the tools available in the software to highlight important information. Then, they create a double-entry journal where they paraphrase, summarize, or quote information that relates to their research question on one side and then offer dialogic commentary on the other side.
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.15 students complete a Quickwrite to answer this prompt: ”How would the scenes change if they were being recounted by Annie in an autobiography? Consider how the ideas, organization, and language would be different.”

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

The Grade 6 SpringBoard materials provide opportunities for students to engage in multiple genres of writing, including, but not limited to narrative, argumentative, and informative/explanatory. For each mode of writing, students learn about the mode through both reading texts and writing tasks throughout the unit. In the SpringBoard materials, each unit focuses on a mode of writing. Unit 1 focuses on narrative, Unit 2 focuses on informative/explanatory, and Unit 3 focuses on argument. These writing tasks include on-going writing activities and cumulative embedded writing assessments. The small on-going writing tasks, such as Quickwrites or Writing to Sources, provide scaffolding of the focused writing process included in the Embedded Assessment. The materials provide opportunities for teachers and students to monitor students’ progress in writing and also give students opportunities to practice the focused type of writing prior to assessments. The majority of writing opportunities are connected to texts and/or text sets within the unit, as they serve as model texts for the type of writing students are expected to create. Scoring Guides are provided for writing assessments for both students and teachers prior to writing.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Activities 1.1-1.9, students learn about the narrative mode and read example narratives, such as “My Superpowers” by Dan Greenburg, to illustrate the elements of an effective narrative. In Unit 1, Embedded Assessment 1, students engage in narrative writing by responding to the following prompt: “Your assignment is to write a personal narrative that includes a well-told incident, a response to the incident, and a reflection about the significance of the incident.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.4, Writing to Sources: Informational Text, students engage in informative writing by responding to the following prompt: “Write a paragraph that compares and contrasts the two main characters in Walk Two Moons. Include examples from the text that show different types of characterization: appearance, actions, words, and the reactions of others.”
• In Unit 2, Embedded Assessment 1, students complete an informative response to the novel, Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. Students have four options, including “Explain how the internal and external forces cause one character from the novel to grow and change.” and “Discuss how plot, setting, character, or conflict contributes to one of the novel’s themes.”
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.3, Quickwrite, students complete the following task: “Briefly state a claim a writer could make to support the idea that students should not be assigned homework. Tell whether the claim is debatable or not.”
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.15, Writing to Sources: Informational Text, students write an explanatory piece. After reading Act II of The Miracle Worker, students explain how memories can either complicate conflicts or motivate a character to act a certain way. To support their thesis statement, students are required to include details from the text along with explanations of how those details connect to the thesis statement.

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

The Grade 6 SpringBoard materials provide frequent opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using textual evidence. Most writing opportunities are focused around students’ analyses and claims developed from reading text closely and working with sources. Students have short informal writing tasks, such as Working from the Text, Independent Reading Checkpoint, Independent Reading Link, and Writing to Sources, as well as longer writing tasks, such as Embedded Assessments, where they must provide reasons and cite evidence to support their claims. Over the course of the units, students engage in informative, narrative, and argumentative writing in which they analyze texts and support their claims with text evidence. These writing tasks help build students' writing skills over the course of the school year.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• In Unit 1, Activity 1.4, Working from the Text, students analyze text and provide evidence to support their claim when respond to the following prompt: “Using the information from your class discussion and the graphic organizer, briefly summarize what the narrator learns from the incident in the story. Use specific details from the text in your summary.”
• In Unit 1, Activity 1.9, Independent Reading Checkpoint, students analyze their independent reading selection and the texts read in class, and provide evidence for their claims in responding to the following prompt: “Write a summary about how the theme of change is presented in your independent reading book. Explain the significance of these changes using text evidence to support your explanations. Tell how the theme of change in your book compares to the theme of change in at least one of the assigned texts you read.”
• In Unit 2, Activity 2.4, Independent Reading Link, students write a paragraph that compares and contrasts the two main characters in the novel Walk Two Moons. They are required to provide textual evidence to support their claims.
• In Unit 3, Activity 3.4, Writing to Sources: Argument, students use the three argumentative texts they have read as sources to answer the question, “Should students be assigned homework?: In the instructions, students are reminded to “Provide reasons and cite evidence from the three argumentative texts you have read on the issue to support your position.”
• In Unit 3, Embedded Assessment 2, students complete the following task: “Think about a topic (subject, event, idea, or controversy) that you truly care about and take a position on it. Write an argumentative letter to convince an audience to support your position on the topic.” Students gather information from sources to provide evidence to support their position.
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.6, Writing to Sources: Informational Text, students complete a writing task after researching a famous poet. Students are to “Explain what you have learned about your selected poet through research.” In the instruction, students are told to “Provide relevant information and examples from multiple sources, making sure to quote or paraphrase information to avoid plagiarism.”

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 6 meet the criteria that materials include explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for the grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context.

The Grade 6 SpringBoard materials provide three types of grammar and conventions lessons: Language Checkpoints, Grammar and Usage, and Language and Writer's Craft. Language Checkpoint lessons are isolated lessons in which students complete tasks in which they work with models and return to their own reading and writing to examine a specific area of grammar or conventions. Grammar and Usage lessons and Language and Writer's Craft lessons are embedded within the materials, incorporate the texts within the units, and progress to more sophisticated contexts throughout the school year. Grammar and convention lessons are identified by a green symbol in the Planning a Unit section and the Teacher Wrap section, so teachers can easily identify the location of these standards in the materials.

Materials include explicit instruction of grammar and conventions standards for the grade level. Some examples include:

• Students have opportunities to ensure that pronouns are in the proper case (subjective, objective, possessive).
• In Unit 1, Activity 1.6, Grammar & Usage, students learn about possessive pronouns. The instructional delivery teachers provide includes: “Like nouns, pronouns can show possession. The possessive pronouns include mine, hers, his, theirs, ours, and its. Find the phrase father's brows in paragraph 4. The noun father's shows possession; the brows belong to the father. The phrase father's brows can be replaced by his brows. His is a possessive pronoun.” In Activity 1.12, these pronouns are incorporated in a Narrative Writing Prompt to which students respond: “This story is told from the third-person point of view. Choose a scene or plot event and imagine Roger's thoughts and feelings about what is happening. Draft a first-person narrative of his thinking at that point in the story. Be sure to: Use a variety of first-person pronouns (subjective, objective, intensive, and possessive) and ensure that they are in the correct case.”
• Students have opportunities to use intensive pronouns.
• In Unit 1, Activity 1.5, Grammar and Usage, students complete three grammar exercises embedded within an excerpt from the novel, Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen. One of the exercises focuses on the use of intensive pronouns. Student-facing materials include an example of intensive pronouns used within the text: “I was holding hands with Juli herself.” Students then write a sentence using an intensive pronoun using the example as a model.
• Students have opportunities to recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person. Students have opportunities to recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).
• In Unit 4, Activity 4.9, Language and Writer’s Craft, students complete a series of grammar activities to practice matching pronouns to their antecedents, recognizing and correcting inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person, and recognizing and correcting vague pronouns. Instructions include: “Revise the following sentences to show correct pronoun usage. The teacher moved their desk to the back of the room. Tiffany and Nicole usually play basketball after school, but she had to go home early. The coaches wanted the players to study. They wanted them all to pass the exam.“ Students then utilize texts they have read in class to find examples of pronouns and their antecedents.
• Students have opportunities to recognize variations from standard English in their own and others’ writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to improve expression in conventional language.
• In Unit 2, Activity LC2.3, Language Checkpoint, students complete the following task: “Focusing on CCSSL.6.3.B, maintain consistency in style and tone,” students first return to the novel Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech to identify and analyze verb tense in the text. Then students correct a short paragraph for verb tense and practice giving peer feedback for verb tense. Finally, students return to a previous writing activity and revise their writing for verb tense issues.
• Students have opportunities to use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.
• In Unit 3, Activity LC 3.11, Language Checkpoint, students practice using parentheses, dashes, and commas to set off nonrestrictive elements first with given sentences and then with a provided student summary of “The First Americans” by Scott H. Peters and the Grand Council Fire of American Indians. Finally, students check their understanding by explaining why a sentence that does not use commas correctly is confusing and proofread their own writing from Activity 3.11, specifically ensuring that commas, dashes, and parentheses are used correctly with nonrestrictive elements.
• Students have opportunities to spell correctly.
• In Unit 2, Embedded Assessment 1, students craft an informative writing response to one of the prompts focusing on Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. In the Checking and Editing for Publication Stage of Writing, students must “Confirm that your final draft is ready for publication” by answering the following question: “How will you check for grammatical and technical accuracy, such as proper spelling and punctuation?” Spelling correctly is also included in the Scoring Guide for this assignment. The expectation is that students “demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, and usage (including pronoun agreement, sentence variety, and verb tense).”