MIDAS

HMH Into Literature

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Core Code Alignment

Language Arts
Language Arts Required Core
06020000040: Language Arts 9

Recommendation

Recommended Primary

Evaluation

In this evaluation, I will summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the textbooks as a whole. As for strengths, the publishers did a great job at using diverse literature in genre, subject matter, and author. There's a nice mix of all these types, and the stories are high interest and at the correct grade level. Readability in the matters of reading levels and subject matter are also at grade level. The online program of the text and the navigation is user friendly. The entire book can be read aloud to a student, and the activities are core-aligned.

Weaknesses include a lack of writers or stories with characters who are Asian or Latino. There is a finite number of pieces that can be included in the text, this is true, but this was something that I noticed. In addition, the assessment material is so accessible that there is no rigor. Activities and assessments are slightly bland. Differentiation abounds, but only in the forms of choosing what is most interesting to students. I would also note that as far as scaffolding is concerned, there aren't enough items in an assessment or activity for there to be very much "I do, we do, you do"-ing. It wasn't clear how data would be collected and what a teacher would be able to do with that data when it came to reteaching (specifically because there isn't enough material to do any "I do, we do, you do"-ing). A teacher shouldn't count on this text as their only source of subject matter because of these weaknesses and should seriously consider creating their own content.

I'm recommending this as primary only because of the assortment of literature, which is much, much better than their previous edition, and the assortment of formative assessments, albeit lacking in that department.

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Rubric : English Language Arts

Content

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Alignment	The content of this resource aligns with appropriate grade level Core standards, is current, well-researched, and referenced from reliable sources. -meets all grade level standards within elementary/secondary -is explicit, systematic, and engaging -includes all 7 essential elements of literacy: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, oral language, and writing as appropriate to grade level -includes text that meets Lexile requirements for each grade band -includes text that is the appropriate percentage of literature and informational	The content of this resource aligns with most grade level core standards but will need supplementary materials to insure coverage of all the objectives for this course.	The content of this resource aligns with a few grade level core standards for a portion of the course.	The content of this resource does not align with standards and objectives for this course.
Content includes a variety of texts in every grade: poetry, historical narratives, fiction, informational texts, graphic novels, drama, argument, memoire, etc. Each piece is appropriate for the grade level in which it is found. As for the seven essential elements of literacy, the elements are appropriate for each grade.
Scaffolding	Scaffolding supports for these materials are complex and challenging, engage learners from various skill levels and provide assistance for all students to enhance conceptual understanding; and offer opportunities for students to share evidence and research.	Scaffolding supports for these materials engage learners from various skill levels and provides assistance for students to enhance conceptual understanding.	Scaffolding supports for these materials engage learners from various skill levels.	Scaffolding supports for these materials do not engage learners from various skill levels or provide scaffolding to enhance conceptual understanding.
Throughout difficult "Reading," pieces, students can click on number or footnotes next to sections which will open a pop-up box with an explanation in "friendlier" phrasing. With each text, there is a section called "Writing/Speaking & Listening/Media" where students are give choices and are labeled as such. These "Choices" give students an opportunity to show how they will convey their understanding of the text. Within each of the three choices are further choices that students can make to show their learning and preference. These scaffolded sections are limited to only the "W" Writing/Speaking & Listening/Media sections. There are not materials at different levels when it comes to the Vocabulary, Grammar, or Assessment sections/assignments of the anthology. There are, however, multiple choice items that give students up to two chances to come up with the correct answer.
Navigation	This resource contains directions that are clear and understandable and are easy to navigate through.	N/A	N/A	The instructions in this resource are unclear and navigation is difficult.
The directions are definitely clear, and if a student starts in the correct place in the text, they can easily click arrows to take them through pages left or right. The make-up is linear, so movement doesn't easily "get lost" on the side of the student or teacher. Also, there is a sidebar for the table of contents in each unit so students can go straight to an activity without having to laboriously scroll left or right.

Accessibility

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Bias Free	This material is free from bias and can be used by all students regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or disability. This material is free from advertising, e-commerce or political interest, and is in compliance with the law and community standards.	N/A	This series or title has material that may be interpreted as bias or promoting a commercial or political agenda or may be considered to treat some groups unfairly.	This series or title has material that is clearly biased and favors a point of view that may be distracting to the educational experience of students.
Each of the pieces seem to be bias free. There is not exactly an equal representation of different cultures (lack of Latino, Asian positive characters or writers), but there doesn't seem to be any bias. These stories would not cause problems in suburban communities.
Adaptability	Instructional materials in this resource are easily updated and adaptable for teacher and student use in individualized or small group instructional settings and are accessible for an appropriate time period to facilitate a proper learning environment for each student.	Instructional materials in this resource have some features which are adaptable and are available for an acceptable time period.	N/A	Instructional materials in this resource are not adaptable or easily incorporated into a variety of educational settings.
Each reading is given about the perfect time period (4 days/5 days, etc.) for students to dig deep into the material with various activities ranging from reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and so on. If a teacher uses everything included in the unit and only those things, there would be just enough time for students to understand the material presented.
Technical Standards	Instructional materials in this resource are adaptable or easily incorporated into a variety of educational settings.	N/A	N/A	This curriculum is limited by specifications that may require additional materials or technical assistance, or additional hardware, software, or infrastructure.
Students should not have trouble viewing or completing assignments through Chromebooks using the digital texts offered. No additional materials are required, and teachers can easily print pages for students requiring hard copies of stories or assignments. The multiple choice items might not translate well in printed form in the "looser" activities provided by the text, but the summative quiz at the end of each text is something that can easily be printed through Word.

Pedagogy

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Physical Characteristics	In physical terms, this resource is durable, interactive, and provides high quality audio-visual and tactile experiences for all users if appropriate.	In physical terms, this resource is somewhat fragile in construction and provides limited tactile experiences for students.	N/A	In physical terms, this resource is designed to be disposable and temporary.
There are a lot of opportunities for audio visuals. To begin with, students can have all the text read to them, along with all the additional educational materials. In addition, there are multiple "teacher talk" video where two voices are having a conversation about some of the text. They are doing think-alouds as a conversation. Podcasts are strictly audio. Visuals include many graphic organizers of every type for all learning experiences. In the student copies, a short video is used as a hook ("Stream to Start") in each unit.
Instructional Support	This curriculum provides adequate instructional support that aligns with MTSS guidelines and clear requirements for the instructor.	N/A	N/A	This curriculum does not provide adequate support for the instructor.
In following MTSS guidelines for instructional support, the text is slightly lacking. While the text gives students choices, the data from those choices doesn't exactly point to what might be lacking in the students in question. Assignments/lessons/activities lack a certain rigor that would give way to data that could be used to decide whether or not to reteach. There also is a lack of rubrics in the text, which could help pinpoint the data as well. The good thing about the activities, however, is that all students will be able to achieve and feel as though they can complete the work assigned from the text.
Supplemental Resources	Provided materials reference numerous available supplemental resources including support for each learner in every level of learning.	Provided materials reference some available supplemental resources.	N/A	Provided materials do not refer to other supplemental resources.
The supplemental materials are in the form of additional readings, which do not have all the same resources that come with the texts in the "regular" units. According to the information provided, a teacher can look outside the framework of the text for resources that go along with the additional readings.
Assessments	These instructional resources contain a variety of formative and summative assessments that are aligned with core objectives, provide appropriate intervention strategies, and lead to observable performance and real-world experience.	These instructional resources contain a limited number of assessments without intervention strategies.	N/A	These instructional resources do not provide assessment materials.
There are a number of formative assessments throughout the texts looking at many different activities, aligned with the core. Many activities provide real world experiences through (mostly) writing. In leading up to the summative test, there are formative quizzes. In the case of all the quizzes, however, if students choose the wrong answer, they are practically give the right answer for their second try because the correct answer darkens, encouraging the student to choose it. If I were a student, I might not try very hard if I knew the answers were going to be given to me or that there was no penalty for guessing. As far as I can see, these formative assessments are not graded for right/wrong answers. There are no intervention strategies that I was able to find, if students don't do well on a quick-write or a grammar concept. There is a summative assessment at the end of each reading. As far as I can tell, it can only be printed; there is not an electronic version.

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Phone: 801.538.7807