Program Information
- ISBN
- 9798998577208
- Technical Specifications: Checklist
- Tech Specs: Checklist (pdf 1.06 MB)
Nearpod Instructional Suite, 8
Supplemental Math (English) Grade 8
SBOE No Action Taken | IMRA 2025
Commissioner No Action
Publisher: Renaissance Learning, Inc.
Copyright: 2025
Series includes:
Rubric: Supplemental Mathematics 6–12 (English) | 2025 (Download Not Available)
* Some programs submit evidence for only part of a standard, while others submit all sections. A 100% score means this program met all the expectations it submitted.
Quality Review
Standards Alignment
Rubric Section
| Grade | TEKS % | ELPS % |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 8 | 66.07% | N/A |
Criteria for Quality
Rubric Section 1
Intentional Instructional Design
Materials support educators in effective implementation through intentional course, unit, and lesson-level design.
Total
35% (8 out of 23 points)
Evaluation for 1.1a
The grade 8 "Implementation Guide" includes an outline of key topics with corresponding "Resource Pages." For example, the topic "Pythagorean Theorem" is linked to specific resources that align with the grade 8 "Topic Overview." The grade 8 materials feature "Topic Bundles" that group related concepts within the grade level. However, these bundles are not supported by an explicit alignment guide that maps content to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), or learning progressions. Grade 8 materials feature a TEKS standards drop-down menu within the platform, enabling search functionality for standards addressed in the grade-level content. A rationale is provided for the design of learning paths within the same grade level; however, the materials do not reference the ELPS or include a rationale for learning progressions across grade levels.
Evaluation for 1.1b
The "Implementation Guide" includes general usage recommendations for various instructional settings—such as general education, special education, English learners, interventions, learning centers, flipped classrooms, and independent learning—with suggestions, such as accessing alternate grade levels. The grade 8 materials include lesson-specific guidance within the "Teacher Resources" section, offering implementation strategies, such as guiding questions, common misconceptions, and connections to prior and future learning. Each lesson features its own guide, which supports just-in-time instructional decisions. The materials do not include strategies for effective educator practices that support adaptation across a variety of instructional contexts, such as just-in-time supports, advanced learning, or use as a course.
Evaluation for 1.1c
The materials include TEKS connections within lesson content and allow teachers to filter lessons by standard. The materials do not provide a TEKS correlation guide linking diagnostic assessments to instruction or guidance on determining skill entry points based on student performance. While each lesson includes a pre- and post-assessment to monitor student growth on specific skills, there is no overarching diagnostic tool or instructional guidance to help educators identify appropriate starting points for individual learners.
Evaluation for 1.1d
The grade 8 materials provide lesson-level "Teacher Resources" that outline lesson objectives, skill summaries, vocabulary, guiding questions, common misconceptions, and skill limitations. Teachers can preview lessons through clickable slideshows and hyperlinks to instructional strategies, such as "Assess Prior Knowledge," "Real-World Connections," "Check for Understanding," and "Evaluate Student Learning." Each grade 8 lesson includes background information detailing lesson objectives and essential questions to guide instruction. For example, the lesson "Calculate Volume of Spheres" identifies five learning objectives and key vocabulary, with the essential question, "How can we determine which formula to use when finding the volume of different three-dimensional shapes?" However, the materials do not include protocols or corresponding guidance for unit or lesson internalization.
Evaluation for 1.1e
The Nearpod blog promotes five summer professional development opportunities for teachers. The materials do not include dedicated professional development resources or training modules specifically for instructional leaders to support curriculum implementation. The Nearpod blog also features a "Leadership" drop-down with topics on "Curriculum," "Thought Leadership," and "Trends in Education"; however, it lacks specific guidance or tools to help instructional leaders support educators in implementing the materials as intended. The grade 8 materials offer usage reports for administrators and include general training modules to support program use. The materials do not provide specific guidance designed for instructional leaders to effectively support educators with implementing the materials as designed.
Evaluation for 1.2a
Each lesson includes a "Lesson Page" featuring learning objectives intended to guide student mastery; however, these objectives do not strictly align with the TEKS and may extend beyond or fall below grade-level expectations. The page also details lesson components with suggested time allocations, provides a preview of student slides, enables lesson assignment via the "Teach" button, and offers various assessment resources. ELPS-aligned learning objectives are not included. The materials offer assessment resources, such as "Assess Prior Knowledge," "Check for Understanding," and "Evaluate Student Learning." However, these assessments are not TEKS-aligned, as they frequently fall below or extend beyond grade-level expectations. While TEKS alignment is indicated on the "Lesson Page," it is not explicitly noted on individual resources or within "Teacher Resource" slides. ELPS-aligned assessments are not provided.
Evaluation for 1.2b
This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed to be adaptive.
Evaluation for 1.2c
The materials do not provide family communication or unit-specific support resources in either English or Spanish, such as suggestions for how families can support student learning at home. While the materials allow families to print student lessons for home use, this feature is only available in English; print options in Spanish are not provided. Spanish-language access to Nearpod resources depends on the user's browser language settings. There is no dedicated, built-in language support within the platform.
1.1 Course-Level Design
1.1a
Materials include an alignment guide outlining the TEKS, ELPS, and concepts covered, with a rationale for learning paths across grade levels (vertical alignment) and within the same grade level (horizontal alignment) as designed in the materials.
Materials include an alignment guide outlining the TEKS, ELPS, and concepts covered, with a rationale for learning paths across grade levels (vertical alignment) and within the same grade level (horizontal alignment) as designed in the materials.
2 out of 5 points
Evaluation for 1.1a
Evaluation for 1.1a
Materials include an alignment guide outlining the TEKS, ELPS, and concepts covered, with a rationale for learning paths across grade levels (vertical alignment) and within the same grade level (horizontal alignment) as designed in the materials.
2 out of 5 points
1.1b
Materials include an implementation guide with usage recommendations and strategies for effective educator use, such as just-in-time supports, advanced learning, or as a course.
Materials include an implementation guide with usage recommendations and strategies for effective educator use, such as just-in-time supports, advanced learning, or as a course.
2 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 1.1b
Evaluation for 1.1b
Materials include an implementation guide with usage recommendations and strategies for effective educator use, such as just-in-time supports, advanced learning, or as a course.
2 out of 3 points
1.1c
Materials include a TEKS correlation guide with recommended skill entry points based on diagnostic assessment results.
Materials include a TEKS correlation guide with recommended skill entry points based on diagnostic assessment results.
1 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 1.1c
Evaluation for 1.1c
Materials include a TEKS correlation guide with recommended skill entry points based on diagnostic assessment results.
1 out of 2 points
1.1d
Materials include protocols with corresponding guidance for unit and lesson internalization.
Materials include protocols with corresponding guidance for unit and lesson internalization.
0 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 1.1d
Evaluation for 1.1d
Materials include protocols with corresponding guidance for unit and lesson internalization.
0 out of 2 points
1.1e
Materials include resources and guidance for instructional leaders to support educators with implementing the materials as designed.
Materials include resources and guidance for instructional leaders to support educators with implementing the materials as designed.
0 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 1.1e
Evaluation for 1.1e
Materials include resources and guidance for instructional leaders to support educators with implementing the materials as designed.
0 out of 2 points
1.2 Lesson-Level Design
1.2a
If designed to be static, materials include detailed lesson plans with learning objectives, teacher and student materials, lesson components with suggested timeframes, and assessment resources aligned with the TEKS and ELPS.
If designed to be static, materials include detailed lesson plans with learning objectives, teacher and student materials, lesson components with suggested timeframes, and assessment resources aligned with the TEKS and ELPS.
3 out of 7 points
Evaluation for 1.2a
Evaluation for 1.2a
If designed to be static, materials include detailed lesson plans with learning objectives, teacher and student materials, lesson components with suggested timeframes, and assessment resources aligned with the TEKS and ELPS.
3 out of 7 points
1.2b
If designed to be adaptive, materials include detailed lesson overviews with learning objectives, lesson components with suggested timeframes, and assessment resources aligned with the TEKS and ELPS.
If designed to be adaptive, materials include detailed lesson overviews with learning objectives, lesson components with suggested timeframes, and assessment resources aligned with the TEKS and ELPS.
Not scored
Evaluation for 1.2b
Evaluation for 1.2b
If designed to be adaptive, materials include detailed lesson overviews with learning objectives, lesson components with suggested timeframes, and assessment resources aligned with the TEKS and ELPS.
0 out of 0 points
1.2c
Materials contain support for families in Spanish and English for each unit, with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student(s).
Materials contain support for families in Spanish and English for each unit, with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student(s).
0 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 1.2c
Evaluation for 1.2c
Materials contain support for families in Spanish and English for each unit, with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student(s).
0 out of 2 points
Rubric Section 2
Progress Monitoring
Materials support educators in effective implementation through frequent, strategic opportunities to monitor and respond to student progress.
Total
50% (12 out of 24 points)
Evaluation for 2.1a
The Nearpod website lists nine types of formative assessment tools available within the materials: "Drag & Drop," "Draw It," "Open-Ended Question," "Quiz," "Poll," "Collaborate Board," "Fill in the Blanks," "Matching Pairs," and "Time to Climb." Each tool includes a brief description and example of its interactive use in lessons. The materials state that these tools "capture student understanding" and offer "real-time insights into student learning." While these statements imply a purpose for using formative assessments, the materials do not provide a formal definition of formative assessment. Each lesson in the grade 8 materials includes a pre-assessment and post-assessment. The "Teacher Resources" describe the intended purpose of these assessments: to measure student understanding before and after instruction. For example, in the "Full Lesson Answer Key" located in the slides of the lesson, the materials explain that the pre- and post-assessments are designed to mirror each other to measure student growth. However, the materials do not define what constitutes a pre-assessment or post-assessment as a specific type of instructional assessment. The "About this Lesson" section of a sample post-assessment explains that "this gamified post-assessment is intended to assess students' ability to identify quadrants and graph points on a graph." It also states that this resource "can be used to track students' progress if used alongside the related pre-assessment with the same title." This statement shows a clear intended purpose for the assessment: monitoring student learning over time. However, the materials do not provide a definition of post-assessment or explicitly identify it as a type of instructional assessment.
Evaluation for 2.1b
The materials include guidance on accurate administration by allowing for the appropriate use of accommodations and promoting precise scoring and reporting practices. This consistent and faithful implementation helps to ensure that assessment results are reliable, valid, and reflective of student learning to effectively guide instructional decisions. Each lesson includes "Teacher Resources" that provide clear implementation guidance for administering pre- and post-assessments. These resources include full answer keys with rationales, overviews of the assessment structure, and support for analyzing student errors. The "Full Lesson Answer Key" also supports teachers in reflecting on student learning and making instructional decisions. The "Teach" button on each lesson provides two administration options for instructional assessments: "Live Participation" and "Student-Paced." The materials include short definitions of each mode to guide teachers in choosing and implementing the appropriate format. The same section also lists suggested time allotments for completing each assessment, supporting consistent timing across classrooms. The materials do not provide guidance or tools to support the consistent administration of assessments, such as standardized protocols, uniform conditions, or procedures to ensure assessment integrity across classrooms.
Evaluation for 2.1c
The materials allow teachers to print digital assessments by first adding the lesson to their library, then converting the slides to a PDF file. Teachers can print lessons and assessment questions for students who need offline access. The materials include the Microsoft Immersive Reader, which enhances text accessibility with features such as text-to-speech, translation, contrast adjustments, and content and language supports. Teachers can activate the Immersive Reader by modifying lesson settings or following instructions in the "Help Center." However, these features must be turned on for all students, not individual students. The materials allow teachers to edit assessment slides and insert their own audio to support student understanding. While this feature offers a way to create customized accommodations, such as audio directions, it does not appear by default in the premade assessments. Additionally, the digital assessments do not include built-in options for calculators that can be toggled on or off for individual students.
Evaluation for 2.1d
The materials include pre-assessments at the beginning of each lesson called "Show What You Know," which include four multiple-choice questions that could serve as diagnostic assessments. However, these assessments are not TEKS-aligned questions and tasks with at least two varying complexity levels, and they do not include interactive item types. The multiple-choice questions do not include varying levels of complexity; instead, they have students recall knowledge. For example, in the grade 8 lesson "Solve Linear Equations," students are asked to identify the solution from a given equation from multiple-choice answers. The pre-assessments do not include interactive items that vary in complexity. They include only four multiple-choice questions for each lesson.
Evaluation for 2.1e
The materials include formative assessments aligned to the grade 8 TEKS with at least three levels of Depth of Knowledge (DOK). In "Find Volume of Cylinders," students begin with basic volume calculations using given radius and height (DOK 1), then solve for a missing dimension (DOK 2), and finally apply volume concepts in real-world problems (DOK 3). These tasks support conceptual development and procedural fluency across varying levels of difficulty. Formative assessments incorporate multiple interactive item types. Across lessons, students complete questions using drag-and-drop, multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and matching-pair activities as well as digital writing tools. For example, in "Identify & Convert Rational & Irrational Numbers," students use drag-and-drop and fill-in-the-blank items to classify number types and approximate irrational square roots. Each lesson includes "Quick Checks" that serve as formative assessments with TEKS-aligned questions. These assessments begin with simpler tasks and conclude with more complex reasoning. In "Solve Systems of Linear Equations by Graphing," students graph solutions, identify intersections, and interpret results using multiple-choice questions, drag-and-drop tools, and graphing tools. These item types offer varied ways for students to demonstrate understanding.
Evaluation for 2.2a
The materials do not include rationales for correct answers; explanations simply state that the student chose the correct response, without detailing why it is correct. However, the materials provide guidance on generating reports that support teachers in interpreting student data in multiple ways. The "Post-Session Report" offers guidance and includes rationales for missed questions, with explanations for each incorrect response. In the "Find Area of Triangles with Whole Numbers" lesson, the "Teacher Resources" explain why each incorrect answer is wrong by identifying the type of error a student might make. The "Post-Session Report" supports immediate instructional decisions and reflection by highlighting participation, accuracy, and trends in responses. Teachers can use the "Post-Session Report" for guidance in interpreting student performance. The "Pre-Assessment Analysis" and "Post-Assessment Analysis" sections of the "Teacher Resources" identify common student misconceptions, helping teachers anticipate areas where students may struggle. Additionally, digital activities, such as quizzes and "Time to Climb," provide automatic scoring that marks responses as correct or incorrect, offering immediate feedback to both teachers and students. The "Post-Session Activity Report" identifies patterns when multiple students choose the same incorrect responses, providing valuable insight into common misconceptions and areas needing targeted instruction.
Evaluation for 2.2b
The materials include "Post-Session Reports" that show student responses and highlight questions frequently missed; however, the materials do not provide guidance for using included tasks or activities to respond to student trends in performance assessments. Each lesson includes instructional guidance and estimated time frames for activities in the "Teacher Resources"; however, the materials do not include specific directions on how to use the activities in response to assessment data. The platform allows teachers to access student performance data through Nearpod reports; however, the materials do not offer guidance for using lesson activities to address areas of student need identified in the reports.
Evaluation for 2.2c
The materials include "Post-Session Reports" that allow teachers to track student progress and growth during live and student-paced lessons. Teachers can view participation rates, individual and group responses, and pre-assessment and post-assessment results. Teachers can also use the "Teacher View" feature to monitor real-time student responses during each lesson. The materials provide tools for students to track their own progress and growth. Student accounts include access to "Post-Session Reports" showing participation status, activity scores, all submitted responses, and correct answers. The "Help Center" offers step-by-step instructions and visuals to support student use of the reports. The materials include features for both teachers and students to monitor progress and growth. Teachers use "Post-Session Reports" to track performance on assessments and activities. Students access performance summaries and feedback through their accounts, including icons indicating encouragement or feedback from teachers.
Evaluation for 2.2d
The materials include frequent prompts that support educators in checking for understanding during instruction. For example, in the lesson "Use Pythagorean Theorem on the Coordinate Plane," a "Check for Understanding" slide prompts teachers to assess student understanding. However, the materials do not include guidance on how to respond to student answers. Each lesson includes prompts—such as quizzes, polls, and "Quick Checks"—that allow teachers to check for understanding at key points. However, the materials do not offer instructional guidance or recommendations to support teachers in interpreting or responding to student responses during the checks. The "Teacher Resources" provide guiding questions and activities that function as checks for understanding. For example, the lesson "Apply Properties of Integer Exponents" includes multiple checkpoints. However, the materials do not provide educators with guidance on how to adjust instruction based on student responses to these prompts.
Evaluation for 2.2e
This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed to be adaptive.
2.1 Instructional Assessments
2.1a
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the types of instructional assessments.
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the types of instructional assessments.
1 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 2.1a
Evaluation for 2.1a
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the types of instructional assessments.
1 out of 2 points
2.1b
Materials include guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.
Materials include guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.
1 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 2.1b
Evaluation for 2.1b
Materials include guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.
1 out of 2 points
2.1c
Digital assessments include printable versions and accommodations, including text-to-speech, content and language supports, and calculators, that educators can enable or disable to support individual students.
Digital assessments include printable versions and accommodations, including text-to-speech, content and language supports, and calculators, that educators can enable or disable to support individual students.
1 out of 4 points
Evaluation for 2.1c
Evaluation for 2.1c
Digital assessments include printable versions and accommodations, including text-to-speech, content and language supports, and calculators, that educators can enable or disable to support individual students.
1 out of 4 points
2.1d
Materials include diagnostic assessments with TEKS-aligned tasks or questions, including interactive item types with varying complexity levels.
Materials include diagnostic assessments with TEKS-aligned tasks or questions, including interactive item types with varying complexity levels.
0 out of 4 points
Evaluation for 2.1d
Evaluation for 2.1d
Materials include diagnostic assessments with TEKS-aligned tasks or questions, including interactive item types with varying complexity levels.
0 out of 4 points
2.1e
Materials include a variety of formative assessments with TEKS-aligned tasks or questions, including interactive item types with varying complexity levels.
Materials include a variety of formative assessments with TEKS-aligned tasks or questions, including interactive item types with varying complexity levels.
4 out of 4 points
Evaluation for 2.1e
Evaluation for 2.1e
Materials include a variety of formative assessments with TEKS-aligned tasks or questions, including interactive item types with varying complexity levels.
4 out of 4 points
2.2 Data Analysis and Progress Monitoring
2.2a
Instructional assessments include scoring information and guidance for interpreting student performance, including rationale for each correct and incorrect response.
Instructional assessments include scoring information and guidance for interpreting student performance, including rationale for each correct and incorrect response.
2 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 2.2a
Evaluation for 2.2a
Instructional assessments include scoring information and guidance for interpreting student performance, including rationale for each correct and incorrect response.
2 out of 3 points
2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of included tasks and activities to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.
Materials provide guidance for the use of included tasks and activities to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.
0 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 2.2b
Evaluation for 2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of included tasks and activities to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.
0 out of 1 points
2.2c
Materials include tools for teachers to track student progress and growth, and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.
Materials include tools for teachers to track student progress and growth, and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 2.2c
Evaluation for 2.2c
Materials include tools for teachers to track student progress and growth, and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.
2 out of 2 points
2.2d
If designed to be static, materials provide prompts and guidance to support educators in conducting frequent checks for understanding at key points throughout each lesson or activity.
If designed to be static, materials provide prompts and guidance to support educators in conducting frequent checks for understanding at key points throughout each lesson or activity.
1 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 2.2d
Evaluation for 2.2d
If designed to be static, materials provide prompts and guidance to support educators in conducting frequent checks for understanding at key points throughout each lesson or activity.
1 out of 2 points
2.2e
If designed to be adaptive, materials provide frequent checks for understanding at key points throughout each lesson or activity.
If designed to be adaptive, materials provide frequent checks for understanding at key points throughout each lesson or activity.
Not scored
Evaluation for 2.2e
Evaluation for 2.2e
If designed to be adaptive, materials provide frequent checks for understanding at key points throughout each lesson or activity.
0 out of 0 points
Rubric Section 3
Supports for All Learners
Materials support educators in reaching all learners through design focused on engagement, representation, and action/expression for learner variability.
Total
36% (14 out of 39 points)
Evaluation for 3.1a
In the lesson "Understand the Pythagorean Theorem and Its Converse," the "Teacher Resources" include a "Skills Summary" section that directs teachers to have students substitute the values of the legs and hypotenuse into the formula to confirm its validity. However, the materials do not provide guidance for supporting students who struggle with simplifying equations through substitution or simplifying square numbers. The materials provide suggestions for whole-group instruction and do not include scaffolded supports for students who are not yet proficient. The "Teacher Resource" document lists prior knowledge, future learning, student objectives, and common misconceptions but does not include strategies or alternative methods to support struggling students. The online platform follows a fixed format and does not adjust lesson content based on student performance. While the materials offer standards-aligned activities, they do not include embedded supports or differentiated paths for students who have not yet mastered grade-level content.
Evaluation for 3.1b
The materials include embedded supports for developing academic vocabulary, which can be found through the intentional use of color coding that connects to algebraic representations, images, and models. In the lesson "Understand the Pythagorean Theorem & Its Converse," the colors blue, green, and orange are consistently used to highlight text that corresponds to the legs and hypotenuse of a right triangle, showing where each appears in the equation and on the visual model. However, the materials do not include explicit educator guidance for language supports, including pre-teaching or embedded supports for unfamiliar references in text or pre-teaching supports for academic vocabulary.
Evaluation for 3.1c
The materials include practice problems with varying levels of difficulty, including more complex numbers. However, the materials do not provide explicit guidance or instructions for using these problems as enrichment or extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level and above-grade-level content and skills. The materials provide "Teacher Resources," such as skill summaries and answer keys. These resources do not include guidance to help teachers identify students who are ready for enrichment or those who need additional support. The materials offer more difficult problems but lack specific instructions for using them with advanced learners. The materials include activities, like "Open-Ended Questions" and "Collaborate Boards," that allow students to engage in deeper thinking. Despite these opportunities, the materials do not include explicit educator guidance for enrichment and extension activities tailored for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level and above-grade-level content and skills.
Evaluation for 3.1d
The digital materials include accommodations, such as text-to-speech and content and language supports. However, educators cannot enable or disable calculators for individual students. Instruction is differentiated by grouping students based on specific needs and enabling features like the Immersive Reader. For example, teachers can launch multiple lesson codes to customize access, allowing certain student groups to use the Immersive Reader. This feature lets students click a book icon to have independent work slides, open-ended questions, quizzes, and polls read aloud. It also allows students to click on individual words for content and language support.
Evaluation for 3.1e
The materials offer students various ways to demonstrate understanding, such as using interactive visual models, drawing diagrams, and explaining solutions in writing. However, the materials do not provide educator guidance on how to tailor tasks to support multiple methods or approaches for student expression. The materials include a wide range of problem-solving options, including matching, drawing models, and written explanations. The materials do not include explicit guidance for educators on how to offer students choices in demonstrating their understanding through different methods. The materials allow students to demonstrate understanding using interactive tools, written work, and problem-solving games; however, the materials lack educator guidance on how to customize student activities so that learners can express understanding in varied ways.
Evaluation for 3.2a
The materials include explicit prompts and guidance for educators to activate prior knowledge and anchor big ideas. In the lesson "Write Linear Equations from Graphs," the "Think About It" slide helps students connect graphs to equations by reviewing constant rates of change and ordered pairs. The lesson starts with a "Show What You Know" activity that reinforces earlier work with slope and y-intercept. The materials support educators in highlighting and connecting key patterns and relationships through multiple means of representation. For example, in "Identify Rational & Irrational Numbers," teachers use visuals and diagrams to show how number types are related. Interactive tools and sorting tasks help students explore decimal patterns and square roots to classify numbers. The materials provide guiding questions and activities that reinforce patterns and big ideas across concepts. In lessons like "Apply Properties of Integer Exponents" and "Calculate the Volume of Cones," prompts help students reason through formulas, compare relationships among shapes or expressions, and justify their steps. Activities include diagrams, drawing tools, and real-world prompts that build deep understanding through varied representations.
Evaluation for 3.2b
The materials provide teacher guidance and recommendations for effective lesson delivery using a variety of instructional approaches. For example, the lessons include pacing suggestions for each instructional segment, such as five minutes for a pre-assessment, five minutes for a real-world connection, 30 minutes for explicit instruction, and five minutes for a post-assessment. The slides use icons to help teachers shift between instructional approaches. For example, the "Collaborate" icon signals opportunities for discussion, the "Write" icon indicates written response tasks, and the "Practice" icon guides students from whole-group instruction to independent learning. In the lesson "Calculate the Volume of Cylinders," the "Teacher Resources" guide educators to introduce volume formulas and then apply them to real-world problems. The materials encourage student discourse, with prompts such as the following: "How can we determine which formula to use when finding the volume of different three-dimensional shapes?" and "Why is it important to use appropriate units when calculating volume?" The "Skills Summary" guides teachers to progress from formula introduction to applying calculations for cylinders, cones, and spheres, helping students notice connections between these shapes. The lesson "Evaluate & Solve Square Roots & Cube Roots" uses multiple instructional strategies. The "Teacher Resources" recommend beginning with concrete visuals to explain perfect squares before progressing to solving quadratic equations. The materials prompt discourse with questions, such as "How does recognizing perfect squares and perfect cubes help us solve quadratic and cubic equations?" This approach scaffolds student understanding from concrete examples to abstract problem-solving.
Evaluation for 3.2c
The materials provide multitiered interventions using different practice models. For example, in the lesson "Understand Rotations, Reflections & Translations," students receive direct support through teacher-led slides, collaborate with peers during group activities, and complete self-paced tasks independently. The materials include structures that move from whole-group instruction to individual practice. Lessons use collaborative activities to build conceptual understanding and multiple-choice questions for independent skill checks. These structures support students at different learning levels within the same lesson. Although the materials provide various intervention models and practice types, they do not offer explicit directions or strategies for teachers to implement these interventions effectively during instruction.
Evaluation for 3.2d
The materials include opportunities for student engagement through interactive slides and digital practice, but they do not include enrichment or extension methods that challenge students who have already mastered the content or offer deeper exploration of concepts. The materials provide all students with access to the same core lessons, quizzes, and assignments, supporting general engagement, but they do not include differentiated tasks or pathways to extend learning for advanced students. The materials offer a structured sequence of lessons with clear pacing and learning goals, which helps maintain instructional flow. However, the materials lack guidance for educators on how to implement enrichment or extension strategies for students who need an additional challenge beyond the grade-level content.
Evaluation for 3.2e
The materials include a live dashboard that displays student progress, accuracy, and pace in real time, which allows teachers to monitor understanding as students work. However, the materials do not include guidance to support educators in providing timely feedback based on the information provided by the dashboard. The materials embed formative assessment opportunities throughout lessons, including "Check for Understanding" tasks, pre- and post-assessments, and prompts within lessons. The platform allows teachers to provide live feedback during participation lessons for all drawable activities, such as "Draw It," "Drag & Drop," and "Math Manipulatives." While the materials include prompts to support educators in delivering timely feedback during lesson delivery, there is no explicit guidance on how to respond to student answers or adjust instruction in the moment. Each lesson includes multiple opportunities for student interaction, such as collaboration slides and written responses, that could support timely feedback during delivery. However, the materials lack explicit prompts or educator guidance on how to use these opportunities to give effective and timely feedback aligned to student needs.
Evaluation for 3.3a
The materials include interactive features that allow students to respond using drawings, images, text, and voice recordings. For example, in the "Featured Lessons," students can share their thinking through videos and GIFs during the "Collaboration" and "Check for Understanding" activities. However, the materials do not include educator guidance on providing or incorporating linguistic accommodations for all levels of language proficiency, as defined by the ELPS. The materials include access to the Immersive Reader, which allows text-to-speech and translation features for student-facing content. The "Teacher Resources" also provide definitions of key vocabulary to support academic language development. However, the materials do not include educator guidance on how to use these features as part of a structured plan for providing linguistic accommodations across all levels of language proficiency. The materials provide academic vocabulary support for all students through built-in glossaries and visual models. The "Help Center" indicates that browser settings may support displays in multiple languages, but Nearpod lessons themselves are not translated. The materials do not include educator guidance on incorporating linguistic accommodations to support emergent bilingual (EB) students in developing increasingly academic language aligned with the ELPS.
Evaluation for 3.3b
This guidance is not applicable to the program because it is not designed to be adaptive.
Evaluation for 3.3c
The "Implementation Guide" lists EB support as a learning scenario alongside special education and intervention. The guide also includes flexible delivery options and classroom examples. However, the materials do not provide specific implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual or English as a second language (ESL) programs. The materials support student language development through activities, such as polls, quizzes, "Draw It," and interactive videos. Lessons include features that promote reading, writing, drawing, and speaking. However, the materials do not include implementation guidance to help educators adapt these tools for use within bilingual or ESL program models. The materials include features that encourage student participation in multiple modes, including "Virtual Reality (VR) Field Trips," "Fill in the Blanks," and "3D Objects." These tools support general engagement and communication. However, the materials do not address state-approved bilingual or ESL program models, such as dual language immersion or ESL pull-out instruction.
Evaluation for 3.3d
While Nearpod for grade 8 includes interactive activities, such as polls, drag-and-drop tasks, and virtual manipulative tools, the materials do not include embedded guidance for teachers to explicitly support EB students in developing academic vocabulary or building background knowledge through oral or written discourse. Lessons typically include static vocabulary slides without scaffolds like sentence stems, structured language routines, or supports for crosslinguistic connections. There is also no evidence of teacher guidance to facilitate structured oral discourse that increases comprehension or builds background knowledge specific to EB needs. Additionally, written discourse activities are limited and do not include supports, such as modeled responses or writing frames, aligned to academic language development.
Evaluation for 3.3e
This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs.
3.1 Differentiation and Scaffolds
3.1a
Materials include explicit educator guidance for lessons or activities scaffolded for students who have not yet reached proficiency in prerequisite or grade-level concepts and skills.
Materials include explicit educator guidance for lessons or activities scaffolded for students who have not yet reached proficiency in prerequisite or grade-level concepts and skills.
0 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 3.1a
Evaluation for 3.1a
Materials include explicit educator guidance for lessons or activities scaffolded for students who have not yet reached proficiency in prerequisite or grade-level concepts and skills.
0 out of 1 points
3.1b
Materials include explicit educator guidance for language supports, including pre-teaching and embedded supports for developing academic vocabulary and unfamiliar references in text.
Materials include explicit educator guidance for language supports, including pre-teaching and embedded supports for developing academic vocabulary and unfamiliar references in text.
1 out of 4 points
Evaluation for 3.1b
Evaluation for 3.1b
Materials include explicit educator guidance for language supports, including pre-teaching and embedded supports for developing academic vocabulary and unfamiliar references in text.
1 out of 4 points
3.1c
Materials include explicit educator guidance for enrichment and extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level and above grade-level content and skills.
Materials include explicit educator guidance for enrichment and extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level and above grade-level content and skills.
0 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 3.1c
Evaluation for 3.1c
Materials include explicit educator guidance for enrichment and extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level and above grade-level content and skills.
0 out of 2 points
3.1d
Digital materials include accommodations, including text-to-speech, content and language supports, and calculators that educators can enable or disable to support individual students.
Digital materials include accommodations, including text-to-speech, content and language supports, and calculators that educators can enable or disable to support individual students.
2 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 3.1d
Evaluation for 3.1d
Digital materials include accommodations, including text-to-speech, content and language supports, and calculators that educators can enable or disable to support individual students.
2 out of 3 points
3.1e
Materials include educator guidance on offering options and supports for students to demonstrate understanding of mathematical concepts in various ways, such as perform, express, and represent.
Materials include educator guidance on offering options and supports for students to demonstrate understanding of mathematical concepts in various ways, such as perform, express, and represent.
1 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 3.1e
Evaluation for 3.1e
Materials include educator guidance on offering options and supports for students to demonstrate understanding of mathematical concepts in various ways, such as perform, express, and represent.
1 out of 2 points
3.2 Instructional Methods
3.2a
Materials include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance for educators to build knowledge by activating prior knowledge, anchoring big ideas, and highlighting and connecting key patterns, features, and relationships through multiple means of representation.
Materials include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance for educators to build knowledge by activating prior knowledge, anchoring big ideas, and highlighting and connecting key patterns, features, and relationships through multiple means of representation.
5 out of 5 points
Evaluation for 3.2a
Evaluation for 3.2a
Materials include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance for educators to build knowledge by activating prior knowledge, anchoring big ideas, and highlighting and connecting key patterns, features, and relationships through multiple means of representation.
5 out of 5 points
3.2b
If designed to be static, materials include educator guidance for effective lesson delivery and facilitation using various instructional approaches.
If designed to be static, materials include educator guidance for effective lesson delivery and facilitation using various instructional approaches.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 3.2b
Evaluation for 3.2b
If designed to be static, materials include educator guidance for effective lesson delivery and facilitation using various instructional approaches.
2 out of 2 points
3.2c
Materials include multi-tiered intervention methods for various types of practice and structures and educator guidance to support effective implementation.
Materials include multi-tiered intervention methods for various types of practice and structures and educator guidance to support effective implementation.
2 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 3.2c
Evaluation for 3.2c
Materials include multi-tiered intervention methods for various types of practice and structures and educator guidance to support effective implementation.
2 out of 3 points
3.2d
Materials include enrichment and extension methods that support various forms of engagement, and guidance to support educators in effective implementation.
Materials include enrichment and extension methods that support various forms of engagement, and guidance to support educators in effective implementation.
0 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 3.2d
Evaluation for 3.2d
Materials include enrichment and extension methods that support various forms of engagement, and guidance to support educators in effective implementation.
0 out of 2 points
3.2e
Materials include prompts and guidance to support educators in providing timely feedback during lesson delivery.
Materials include prompts and guidance to support educators in providing timely feedback during lesson delivery.
1 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 3.2e
Evaluation for 3.2e
Materials include prompts and guidance to support educators in providing timely feedback during lesson delivery.
1 out of 2 points
3.3 Support for Emergent Bilingual Students
3.3a
If designed to be static, materials include educator guidance on providing and incorporating linguistic accommodations for all levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.
If designed to be static, materials include educator guidance on providing and incorporating linguistic accommodations for all levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.
0 out of 4 points
Evaluation for 3.3a
Evaluation for 3.3a
If designed to be static, materials include educator guidance on providing and incorporating linguistic accommodations for all levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.
0 out of 4 points
3.3b
If designed to be adaptive, materials include embedded linguistic accommodations for all levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.
If designed to be adaptive, materials include embedded linguistic accommodations for all levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.
Not scored
Evaluation for 3.3b
Evaluation for 3.3b
If designed to be adaptive, materials include embedded linguistic accommodations for all levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.
0 out of 0 points
3.3c
Materials include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual/ESL programs.
Materials include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual/ESL programs.
0 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 3.3c
Evaluation for 3.3c
Materials include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual/ESL programs.
0 out of 1 points
3.3d
Materials include embedded guidance to support emergent bilingual students in developing academic vocabulary, increasing comprehension, building background knowledge, and making cross-linguistic connections through oral and written discourse.
Materials include embedded guidance to support emergent bilingual students in developing academic vocabulary, increasing comprehension, building background knowledge, and making cross-linguistic connections through oral and written discourse.
0 out of 8 points
Evaluation for 3.3d
Evaluation for 3.3d
Materials include embedded guidance to support emergent bilingual students in developing academic vocabulary, increasing comprehension, building background knowledge, and making cross-linguistic connections through oral and written discourse.
0 out of 8 points
3.3e
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.
Not scored
Evaluation for 3.3e
Evaluation for 3.3e
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.
0 out of 0 points
Rubric Section 4
Depth and Coherence of Key Concepts
Materials are designed to meet the rigor of the standards while connecting concepts within and across grade levels/courses.
Total
56% (9 out of 16 points)
Evaluation for 4.1a
The materials include practice opportunities that build conceptual understanding aligned to the grade 8 TEKS. In "Solve Multi-Step Linear Equations," students begin by solving one-step and two-step equations with rational numbers and then progress to solving multistep equations with variables and rational coefficients on both sides. Tasks require students to make connections across representations and develop procedural fluency through increasingly complex problem types. Instructional assessments are embedded throughout the learning pathways and require students to demonstrate depth of understanding aligned to the TEKS. In "Apply Properties of Integer Exponents," students engage with multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and drag-and-drop questions that increase in complexity and assess conceptual knowledge of exponent rules across a variety of formats. Formative assessments throughout grade 8 include a variety of task types that support depth of understanding. In lessons such as "Evaluate Square Roots" and "Approximate Irrational Square Roots," students complete tasks of varying complexity that reinforce reasoning, number sense, and procedural skills. Assessment formats include matching, drag-and-drop activities, and multistep problem-solving aligned to the TEKS expectations.
Evaluation for 4.1b
The materials include questions and tasks that increase in rigor and complexity, leading to grade-level proficiency in the mathematics TEKS. In "Solve Multi-Step Linear Equations," students solve one-step and two-step equations before progressing to multistep equations, including enrichment questions involving rational numbers that require flexible thinking. The materials sequence tasks that increase in rigor and complexity, supporting grade-level proficiency. For example, in "Identify the Number of Solutions for One-Variable Equations," students begin with equations that have one solution. The materials extend student thinking and progress to no solutions and infinite solutions before having students solve mixed equations. Practice tasks in the materials lead to grade-level proficiency. In the "Perform Operations with Numbers in Scientific Notation" bundle, students convert large numbers to scientific notation; add, subtract, and multiply numbers in scientific notation; and solve word problems. Materials are not included, but teachers may add their own to increase rigor. However, the materials do not include questions and tasks—including enrichment and extension materials—that increase in rigor and complexity, leading to above-grade-level proficiency in the mathematics TEKS.
Evaluation for 4.2a
The materials demonstrate horizontal coherence through the lesson "Identify Number of Solutions for 1-Variable Equations," which builds conceptual understanding by connecting the application of inverse operations to solving increasingly complex equations. Students analyze multiple equation types—including one-step and two-step equations as well as equations with variables on both sides—and make connections between solution strategies and the number of possible solutions. The materials show a coherent progression of ideas in the scope and sequence for the "Angle Relationships & Pythagorean Theorem" unit. The "Pythagorean Theorem" "Topic Bundle" begins with understanding the theorem and its converse, then moves to applying it in problem-solving and, finally, to using it to find the distance between two points in a coordinate plane. The "Teacher Resources" include "Connection to Prior Learning" and "Connection to Future Learning" sections that support coherence within the grade level. For example, in the lesson "Apply Properties of Integer Exponents," the teacher notes explain that students previously worked with whole-number exponents and are now introduced to integer exponents. The "Connection to Future Learning" outlines how this learning will extend to performing operations with scientific notation, reinforcing patterns and relationships within the topic.
Evaluation for 4.2b
The digital platform for students consistently uses instructional strategies and digital tools that build familiarity and reinforce learning as students advance. Nearpod provides a consistent set of interactive tools—such as quizzes, polls, and collaborative activities—that are used across all grade levels, promoting student familiarity and instructional continuity. The "Teacher Resources" mention prior learning and future learning topics that educators may connect to current instruction.
Evaluation for 4.2c
The materials connect students' prior knowledge of concepts and procedures to concepts to be learned in the current grade level. For example, in the lesson "Solve Linear Equations," students connect to concepts and procedures of solving one- and two-step equations to make connections to solving equations with variables on both sides. The materials do not have students use knowledge of concepts and procedures to connect concepts to be learned in future grades. For example, in the lesson "Pythagorean Theorem for Distances Between Points," students engage in grade-level work to find distances on the coordinate plane, but the materials do not offer explicit guidance on how this skill prepares students for future learning, such as using the distance formula in high school. As a result, students are not supported in understanding how current content connects to more advanced mathematical concepts. The materials connect to students' prior learning through teacher-facing notes in each lesson. The "Teacher Resources" include "Connection to Prior Learning" and "Connection to Future Learning" sections that describe what skills students have previously developed and will build on. These sections provide coherence across lessons and activities but are intended for teacher use only and do not actively support students in making these connections.
Evaluation for 4.3a
The materials include a "Show What You Know" section at the start of each lesson, with four multiple-choice questions designed to assess prior knowledge of relevant concepts. However, these questions occur only at the beginning of lessons and do not provide opportunities for distributed or spaced retrieval of previously learned skills across multiple lessons or units. Lessons such as "Convert & Compare Numbers in Scientific Notation" and "Approximate & Compare Irrational Numbers" begin by prompting students to engage with foundational ideas, like powers of ten or perfect squares. While this offers a brief opportunity to retrieve prior learning, the materials do not include intentional, ongoing opportunities to revisit and reinforce these concepts throughout the curriculum. The materials do not offer consistent opportunities for review of previously learned skills across learning pathways. For example, in the lesson "Create Linear Functions," the "Assess Prior Knowledge," "Check for Understanding," and "Evaluate Student Learning" components all focus solely on writing linear equations in slope-intercept form, without integrating or revisiting earlier, connected concepts.
Evaluation for 4.3b
The materials do not provide interleaved practice opportunities with previously learned concepts across learning pathways. In Nearpod, interleaving is primarily used for skills within individual lessons, not for revisiting or connecting broader concepts across units. The materials provide interleaved practice opportunities with previously learned skills across learning pathways by integrating multiple strategies and tools within individual lessons and reinforcing them through varied activities. While many lessons focus on one concept at a time, the materials also provide opportunities for students to apply a mix of previously learned skills within each lesson. For example, when students solve problems involving the Pythagorean theorem, the materials continue to have them work on solving equations and recognizing rational and irrational square roots.
4.1 Depth of Key Concepts
4.1a
Practice opportunities throughout learning pathways (including instructional assessments) require students to demonstrate depth of understanding aligned to the TEKS.
Practice opportunities throughout learning pathways (including instructional assessments) require students to demonstrate depth of understanding aligned to the TEKS.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 4.1a
Evaluation for 4.1a
Practice opportunities throughout learning pathways (including instructional assessments) require students to demonstrate depth of understanding aligned to the TEKS.
2 out of 2 points
4.1b
Questions and tasks, including enrichment and extension materials, increase in rigor and complexity, leading to grade-level and above grade-level proficiency in the mathematics TEKS.
Questions and tasks, including enrichment and extension materials, increase in rigor and complexity, leading to grade-level and above grade-level proficiency in the mathematics TEKS.
2 out of 4 points
Evaluation for 4.1b
Evaluation for 4.1b
Questions and tasks, including enrichment and extension materials, increase in rigor and complexity, leading to grade-level and above grade-level proficiency in the mathematics TEKS.
2 out of 4 points
4.2 Coherence of Key Concepts
4.2a
Materials demonstrate coherence across concepts horizontally within the grade level by connecting patterns, big ideas, and relationships.
Materials demonstrate coherence across concepts horizontally within the grade level by connecting patterns, big ideas, and relationships.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.2a
Evaluation for 4.2a
Materials demonstrate coherence across concepts horizontally within the grade level by connecting patterns, big ideas, and relationships.
1 out of 1 points
4.2b
Materials demonstrate coherence vertically across concepts and grade bands, including connections from grades 3–12, by connecting patterns, big ideas, and relationships.
Materials demonstrate coherence vertically across concepts and grade bands, including connections from grades 3–12, by connecting patterns, big ideas, and relationships.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.2b
Evaluation for 4.2b
Materials demonstrate coherence vertically across concepts and grade bands, including connections from grades 3–12, by connecting patterns, big ideas, and relationships.
1 out of 1 points
4.2c
Materials demonstrate coherence across lessons or activities by connecting students’ prior knowledge of concepts and procedures to the mathematical concepts to be learned in the current grade level and future grade levels.
Materials demonstrate coherence across lessons or activities by connecting students’ prior knowledge of concepts and procedures to the mathematical concepts to be learned in the current grade level and future grade levels.
2 out of 4 points
Evaluation for 4.2c
Evaluation for 4.2c
Materials demonstrate coherence across lessons or activities by connecting students’ prior knowledge of concepts and procedures to the mathematical concepts to be learned in the current grade level and future grade levels.
2 out of 4 points
4.3 Coherence and Variety of Practice
4.3a
Materials provide spaced retrieval opportunities with previously learned skills and concepts across learning pathways.
Materials provide spaced retrieval opportunities with previously learned skills and concepts across learning pathways.
0 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 4.3a
Evaluation for 4.3a
Materials provide spaced retrieval opportunities with previously learned skills and concepts across learning pathways.
0 out of 2 points
4.3b
Materials provide interleaved practice opportunities with previously learned skills and concepts across learning pathways.
Materials provide interleaved practice opportunities with previously learned skills and concepts across learning pathways.
1 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 4.3b
Evaluation for 4.3b
Materials provide interleaved practice opportunities with previously learned skills and concepts across learning pathways.
1 out of 2 points
Rubric Section 5
Balance of Conceptual and Procedural Understanding
Materials are designed to balance conceptual understanding, procedural skills, and fluency.
Total
74% (28 out of 38 points)
Evaluation for 5.1a
The materials provide opportunities for students to interpret, analyze, and evaluate mathematical concepts and complex, real-world situations. For example, in grade 8, students compare two linear functions represented in different formats—such as graphs, tables, and equations—to determine which car has better fuel efficiency and which has more gas at the start, prompting analysis of slope and y-intercepts in context. In "Solve Systems of Linear Equations by Graphing," students evaluate systems of equations through graphing to determine the number of solutions and interpret the point of intersection in real-world scenarios, such as comparing earnings or costs. These tasks deepen conceptual understanding through meaningful, real-life applications. In "Create & Interpret Graphs of Functional Relationships," students analyze a cross-country run by interpreting increasing, decreasing, and constant intervals on a graph, identifying whether the graph is linear or nonlinear, and explaining the meaning of each section in the context of the run.
Evaluation for 5.1b
The materials provide opportunities for students to create concrete models and representations of mathematical situations. In the lesson "Simplify Square Roots Using Models," students use square tiles or building blocks to model and simplify square roots, reinforcing the relationship between area and side length. In the lesson "Solve Systems of Linear Equations by Graphing," students graph equations to visually represent linear relationships and use drawing tools to create graphs showing increasing, decreasing, and constant intervals in real-world scenarios. In the "Find Volume of Cones" lesson, the materials include "Draw It" tasks, where students sketch cone models with labeled dimensions. These models support students in applying volume formulas and using visual and spatial reasoning for missing dimensions.
Evaluation for 5.1c
The materials provide opportunities for students to apply conceptual understanding to new problem situations and contexts. For example, after learning to classify decimals as repeating or terminating, students use this understanding to determine whether numbers are rational or irrational and justify their classifications in real-world examples involving measurement or data. In the lesson "Convert Large Numbers into Scientific Notation," students build a conceptual understanding of how to express large quantities using powers of ten. Subsequent activities help students apply this understanding to new situations, such as converting small decimal values to scientific notation and comparing numbers written in scientific notation using inequality symbols. In the lesson "Write & Interpret an Equation for Line of Best Fit," students analyze a scatterplot and interpret a line of best fit for a real-world problem. They then apply their conceptual understanding by writing an equation in slope-intercept form, describing the rate of change, and using the model to make predictions in new contexts, such as analyzing the growth patterns of alligators over time.
Evaluation for 5.2a
The materials provide practice activities that ask students to apply skills learned during the lesson, supporting general fluency development. For example, lessons include tasks that reinforce concepts introduced in instruction. However, the materials do not include support structures that are specifically designed to build student automaticity necessary to complete grade-level mathematical tasks. The grade 8 materials require students to perform mathematical procedures with accuracy and flexibility. For example, in a volume lesson, students are encouraged to select the appropriate strategy for solving a problem based on the scenario rather than focusing on step-by-step calculations. Similarly, lessons such as "Approximate & Compare Irrational Numbers" and "Evaluate & Solve Square Roots & Cube Roots" include opportunities for students to explore different solution strategies and deepen conceptual understanding. However, while these lessons support procedural skill and conceptual reasoning, they do not include repeated or structured practice designed to build the automaticity necessary to complete grade-level mathematical tasks. The materials support skill development through activities that allow students to choose problem-solving methods and engage in guided practice. For example, students demonstrate procedural understanding by solving problems during lessons. However, the materials do not include tasks that emphasize efficiency, promote number sense, or offer repeated opportunities that are intentionally designed to develop student automaticity.
Evaluation for 5.2b
The materials guide students to apply mathematical procedures with flexibility and accuracy throughout instruction. In the grade 8 lesson "Convert Large Numbers into Scientific Notation," students begin with a "Think About It" prompt that encourages them to consider different strategies for expressing quantities in scientific notation. Later, the "Return to Think About It" revisits the same scenario, prompting students to apply formal procedures and vocabulary with precision. The materials support flexible and efficient problem-solving by allowing students to select methods that best fit the task. In the grade 8 lesson "Compare Different Proportional Representations," students learn to identify proportional relationships using multiple strategies—such as calculating y and x and analyzing tables, graphs, or verbal descriptions—and apply their chosen method during the "Time to Climb" practice. The materials embed procedural practice throughout interactive tasks that require students to apply strategies efficiently and accurately. In grade 8 lessons, such as "Apply Properties of Integer Exponents," "Solve Linear Equations," and "Apply the Pythagorean Theorem," students engage with "Draw It" tasks, quizzes, and "Open-Ended Questions" that prompt them to choose and explain the strategies that make the most sense. Frequent "Quick Checks" reinforce correct application and procedural fluency across multiple formats.
Evaluation for 5.2c
The materials provide opportunities for students to evaluate mathematical representations, models, strategies, and solutions for efficiency, flexibility, and accuracy throughout learning pathways. Embedded questions and tasks prompt students to assess the effectiveness and accuracy of their mathematical methods within lessons. The materials guide students to use multiple representations and solution paths. In the lesson "Solve Linear Equations," students solve equations with variables on both sides using different strategies, such as moving variable terms to the left or right side. In "Approximate & Compare Irrational Numbers," students estimate values using number lines and comparisons to perfect square roots. The materials include evaluation of representations and solutions. In the lesson "Identify & Convert Rational & Irrational Numbers," students use classification diagrams, conversions, and long division to justify answers.
Evaluation for 5.2d
The materials scaffold student learning by progressing from concrete to abstract concepts through the learning pathway. For example, in the lesson "Solve Multi-Step Linear Equations," the "Teacher Resources" pose the following guiding question: "How could you solve . . . using algebra tiles?" While this encourages the use of multiple strategies, the materials do not provide guidance to help students compare or select the most efficient method among algebra tiles, the distributive property, inverse operations, or the standard algorithm. Lessons provide opportunities for students to use manipulatives, visuals, and equations to solve problems. However, the materials do not include teacher-facing supports that explain when or why a particular method may be more efficient. The materials provide students with opportunities to engage with multiple approaches but lack guidance in identifying or selecting the most efficient strategy. Students engage with various problem-solving strategies during lessons, including manipulatives and symbolic methods. However, the materials do not include educator guidance that directs students toward choosing more efficient approaches, missing opportunities to support strategic decision-making in method selection.
Evaluation for 5.3a
In "Understanding Slope," Nearpod introduces slope through graphs and real-world examples, such as speed or cost comparisons, reinforcing the conceptual meaning of rate of change prior to introducing the formula. The lesson "Solving Systems by Substitution" demonstrates each algebraic step in solving one equation for a variable and substituting into the other, with teacher notes and interactive whiteboard practice, supporting the procedural emphasis in TEKS 8.9C. The materials include formative assessments embedded throughout each lesson that check for both conceptual understanding and procedural mastery. Students encounter problems of increasing complexity, ensuring that they not only understand mathematical concepts but can also perform calculations and algorithms with precision—meeting the dual expectations of the TEKS.
Evaluation for 5.3b
The materials include questions and tasks that provide opportunities for students to use concrete, pictorial, and abstract models, as required by the TEKS. In the lesson "Simplify Square Roots Using Models," students use square tiles (concrete) to represent perfect squares. In the lesson "Evaluate Square Roots," students analyze pictorial representations, such as square pools and square grids, before transitioning to abstract models using numerical square-root expressions. The materials support the TEKS-required use of concrete models, pictorial representations, and abstract models through visual and symbolic progression. In the lesson "Understand the Pythagorean Theorem & Its Converse," students represent squares of side lengths pictorially to verify the relationship a² + b² = c² and then use the abstract equation to solve problems involving right triangles. The materials include tasks that align with the TEKS by incorporating multiple representational models. In the lesson "Use Pythagorean Theorem on Coordinate Planes," students work with pictorial models, such as right triangles placed on coordinate planes, and apply abstract models to calculate distances using the Pythagorean theorem. These tasks bridge visual reasoning with symbolic understanding.
Evaluation for 5.3c
In lessons on linear equations and systems, students manipulate balance-scale models (concrete) to represent equations physically, then translate these experiences into symbolic equation solving. Students work with function graphs and tables to explore relationships and write symbolic expressions or inequalities, making connections between representational and abstract forms. Students use manipulatives or virtual algebra tiles to model operations, such as combining like terms or solving equations, linking physical model creation to symbolic procedures. In geometry and functions lessons, students plot points and create graphs representing functions, then write and solve equations corresponding to these visual models. Nearpod lessons on linear equations use balance-scale models with accompanying teacher explanations that illustrate how the physical model reflects equation properties, guiding students in understanding the representation. In graphing lessons, Nearpod offers teacher notes and annotated visuals that describe the relationship between plotted points and corresponding functions or inequalities, supporting student comprehension.
Evaluation for 5.4a
The materials support academic mathematical language development through the use of manipulatives, visuals, and sentence frames. In the lesson "Simplify Square Roots Using Models," students use square tiles or building blocks to represent square areas and identify square roots, recording their answers using structured sentence frames. The materials provide interactive opportunities for students to develop mathematical vocabulary using visual models and drag-and-drop strategies. In "Identify & Convert Rational & Irrational Numbers," students classify numbers by dragging them into labeled categories and completing partially written paragraphs using academic terms like rational and irrational. The materials embed academic vocabulary development through highlighted terms, definitions, and visuals. In "Solve Systems Of Linear Equations By Graphing," key terms, such as system of equations and y-intercept, are introduced and defined at the beginning of the lesson. Students then use graphs and interactive tools to apply these terms in context.
Evaluation for 5.4b
The "Teacher Resources" for "Understand Rotations, Reflections & Translations" include a list of academic vocabulary terms—such as congruent figures, corresponding parts, reflection, rotation, and translation—and provide general suggestions for introducing these terms through visual examples. However, the materials do not include embedded educator guidance to scaffold, support, or extend students' use of academic mathematical vocabulary during mathematical discussions or peer interactions. In "Use Triangle Angle-Sum & Exterior-Angle Theorems," students are prompted to communicate using academic language. For example, students respond to questions, such as the following: "What strategies would you use to solve this problem? What do you already know about triangles and their angles?" While these prompts support vocabulary use, the materials do not include educator guidance to scaffold or extend students' academic language during these conversations with peers and educators. In "Understand Scientific Notation," the materials include a list of terms in the "Teacher Resources" and prompt students with questions, such as "What strategies could you use to determine the distance between the plane and the sea floor below?" While students are expected to engage with academic mathematical vocabulary in these contexts, the materials do not provide embedded educator guidance to support or extend students' vocabulary use when communicating their reasoning.
Evaluation for 5.4c
In "Use Similar Triangles to Determine Slope," the materials prompt students to justify their strategy using precise mathematical vocabulary when sketching slope triangles on a graph. Prompts—such as "Where would you sketch your triangles, as well as vertical and horizontal changes, on this graph?" and "Are the slopes equal? How do you know?"—encourage students to use academic language while explaining their reasoning. In the lesson "Understand Rotations, Reflections & Translations," students engage in both oral and written discourse using academic vocabulary. For example, students respond to prompts, such as the following: "What do you notice about the objects in the two images?" and "Which objects were transformed in Rida's video game levels? What movements did they make?" Slides marked with a "Collaborate" icon indicate opportunities for peer dialogue. In the lesson "Approximate & Compare Irrational Numbers," the materials build conceptual understanding through discourse prompts, such as the following: "If you had to write a fraction that represents where 33 falls between 23 and 36, what fraction would you use? How did you determine that fraction?" and "Which numbers are irrational? How do you know?" These questions, paired with "Collaborate" icons, support oral discourse. Written prompts also encourage students to explain how they identify perfect squares to estimate non-perfect squares.
Evaluation for 5.4d
In the lesson "Understand Rotations, Reflections & Translations," the materials include questions to facilitate mathematical conversations, allowing students to hear and use math language with peers. A "Collaborate" slide prompts students with the following question: "What do you notice about the objects in the two images?" It also provides a space for typed, audio, or video responses. The lesson also includes prompts, such as the following: "Which objects were transformed in Rida's video game levels? What movements did they make?" and "What could you translate to a different position?" However, the materials do not include embedded guidance to support students in refining their mathematical language or building on peer responses. In the lesson "Approximate & Compare Irrational Numbers," the materials include embedded prompts that support oral and written mathematical conversations. For example, a slide displaying a "Collaborate" icon asks students, "If you had to write a fraction that represents where 33 falls between 23 and 36, what fraction would you use? How did you determine that fraction?" The lesson also prompts students to identify perfect squares before estimating irrational numbers, supporting the use of mathematical language in writing. However, the materials do not include embedded guidance for students to refine their mathematical language or build on peer reasoning during discussions. The "Teacher Resources" for the lesson "Understand Rotations, Reflections & Translations" include guiding questions, such as the following: "How can we use corresponding parts to prove that two figures are congruent?" and "How are reflections, rotations, and translations similar? How are they different?" These prompts support mathematical conversations and vocabulary development.
Evaluation for 5.4e
In the lesson "Understand the Pythagorean Theorem & Its Converse," the "Teacher Resources" include answer keys for interactive slides and provide analysis of student misconceptions for each incorrect response on the pre- and post-assessments. However, the materials do not include exemplar responses for constructed-response items, nor do they offer embedded guidance to redirect inaccurate student thinking or suggest alternative strategies during instruction. The "Teacher Resources" for the pre- and post-assessments in grade 8 include answer keys and brief rationales for incorrect answer choices. The materials do not include anticipated student responses beyond the provided correct answers, and they do not offer redirection prompts or instructional moves to support students with misconceptions during learning tasks. In the lesson "Find the Volume of Cylinders," the materials offer prompts to encourage discussion, such as "Is there another way we can represent pi?" While these prompts promote reasoning, the materials do not include exemplar responses, anticipated variations in student thinking, or embedded supports to address incorrect answers or redirect student misconceptions during instruction.
Evaluation for 5.5a
The materials integrate the TEKS process standards by embedding guiding questions that prompt students to reflect on and communicate their mathematical reasoning. In the lesson "Write Linear Equations from Graphs," the "Teacher Resources" include prompts asking students to explain how rate of change and initial value describe a linear relationship and how to calculate slope from multiple representations. These questions support students in making sense of problems and persevering in solving them. The "Mathematical Practice Application" pages further connect graphical information to algebraic expressions, reinforcing students' ability to reason through and solve real-world problems using consistent patterns across representations. The materials support the use of multiple representations to develop and communicate mathematical understanding. For example, in the lesson "Approximate & Compare Irrational Numbers," students use a number line to approximate irrational numbers, providing a visual and spatial model to support reasoning about abstract numerical relationships. In the lesson "Understand Rotations, Reflections & Translations," students describe transformations using both written responses and virtual manipulatives, fostering communication of mathematical ideas and supporting the TEKS process standards through active engagement. The materials provide opportunities for students to apply mathematics in meaningful real-world contexts, aligning with the TEKS process standards. In the grade 8 lesson "Approximate & Compare Irrational Numbers," students determine how much fencing is needed for a pet play area, applying their understanding to a practical situation. Similarly, in the "Find Angles in Transversals of Parallel Lines" lesson, students use drag-and-drop and drawing tools to identify and label angle relationships, combining physical interaction with visual representation to enhance understanding and communication of geometric concepts.
Evaluation for 5.5b
The materials embed process standards across lessons and activities; however, they do not include an accompanying description of how these standards are intentionally integrated throughout the learning pathways. For example, while the content TEKS are clearly aligned to each activity, the materials do not highlight how or where the process standards are applied or connected from one lesson to the next. Although the materials incorporate the TEKS process standards across multiple lessons, they do not identify or describe the placement or purpose of these standards within the broader instructional sequence. Educators may observe the use of process standards in classroom tasks, but the materials offer no explicit explanation or mapping of how they are woven into the overall learning progression. The materials include instructional content aligned to the TEKS and offer opportunities for students to engage in process standards; however, they do not provide an overview or guidance that explains how those process standards are connected across the learning pathways.
Evaluation for 5.5c
The materials list the content TEKS associated with each lesson but do not provide an overview of the TEKS process standards incorporated within that lesson. While educators can see which content standards are being addressed, there is no guidance on the specific process standards students are expected to engage with during instruction. Although the instructional materials demonstrate integration of process standards in student tasks, they do not include a clear overview or identification of which TEKS process standards are embedded in each lesson. The materials do not explicitly outline the TEKS process standards on a per-lesson basis. There is no visual or written summary accompanying each lesson that identifies which process standards are addressed, limiting transparency and instructional planning related to process-focused learning outcomes.
5.1 Development of Conceptual Understanding
5.1a
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to interpret, analyze, and evaluate mathematical concepts and complex, real-world situations.
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to interpret, analyze, and evaluate mathematical concepts and complex, real-world situations.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 5.1a
Evaluation for 5.1a
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to interpret, analyze, and evaluate mathematical concepts and complex, real-world situations.
3 out of 3 points
5.1b
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to create concrete models and representations of mathematical situations.
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to create concrete models and representations of mathematical situations.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 5.1b
Evaluation for 5.1b
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to create concrete models and representations of mathematical situations.
2 out of 2 points
5.1c
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to apply conceptual understanding to new problem situations and contexts.
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to apply conceptual understanding to new problem situations and contexts.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 5.1c
Evaluation for 5.1c
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to apply conceptual understanding to new problem situations and contexts.
1 out of 1 points
5.2 Development of Fluency
5.2a
Materials provide tasks that are designed to build student automaticity and fluency necessary to complete grade-level mathematical tasks.
Materials provide tasks that are designed to build student automaticity and fluency necessary to complete grade-level mathematical tasks.
1 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 5.2a
Evaluation for 5.2a
Materials provide tasks that are designed to build student automaticity and fluency necessary to complete grade-level mathematical tasks.
1 out of 2 points
5.2b
Materials provide opportunities for students to practice the application of efficient, flexible, and accurate mathematical procedures throughout learning pathways.
Materials provide opportunities for students to practice the application of efficient, flexible, and accurate mathematical procedures throughout learning pathways.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 5.2b
Evaluation for 5.2b
Materials provide opportunities for students to practice the application of efficient, flexible, and accurate mathematical procedures throughout learning pathways.
3 out of 3 points
5.2c
Materials provide opportunities for students to evaluate mathematical representations, models, strategies, and solutions for efficiency, flexibility, and accuracy throughout learning pathways.
Materials provide opportunities for students to evaluate mathematical representations, models, strategies, and solutions for efficiency, flexibility, and accuracy throughout learning pathways.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 5.2c
Evaluation for 5.2c
Materials provide opportunities for students to evaluate mathematical representations, models, strategies, and solutions for efficiency, flexibility, and accuracy throughout learning pathways.
3 out of 3 points
5.2d
Materials contain guidance to support students in selecting the most efficient approaches when solving mathematics problems.
Materials contain guidance to support students in selecting the most efficient approaches when solving mathematics problems.
0 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 5.2d
Evaluation for 5.2d
Materials contain guidance to support students in selecting the most efficient approaches when solving mathematics problems.
0 out of 1 points
5.3 Balance of Conceptual Understanding and Procedural Fluency
5.3a
Materials explicitly state how the conceptual and procedural emphasis of the TEKS are addressed.
Materials explicitly state how the conceptual and procedural emphasis of the TEKS are addressed.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 5.3a
Evaluation for 5.3a
Materials explicitly state how the conceptual and procedural emphasis of the TEKS are addressed.
2 out of 2 points
5.3b
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to use concrete models, pictorial representations, and abstract models as required by the TEKS.
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to use concrete models, pictorial representations, and abstract models as required by the TEKS.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 5.3b
Evaluation for 5.3b
Questions and tasks provide opportunities for students to use concrete models, pictorial representations, and abstract models as required by the TEKS.
3 out of 3 points
5.3c
Materials include supports for students in connecting, creating, defining, and explaining concrete and representational models to abstract (symbolic/numeric/algorithmic) concepts, as required by the TEKS.
Materials include supports for students in connecting, creating, defining, and explaining concrete and representational models to abstract (symbolic/numeric/algorithmic) concepts, as required by the TEKS.
6 out of 6 points
Evaluation for 5.3c
Evaluation for 5.3c
Materials include supports for students in connecting, creating, defining, and explaining concrete and representational models to abstract (symbolic/numeric/algorithmic) concepts, as required by the TEKS.
6 out of 6 points
5.4 Development of Academic Mathematical Language
5.4a
Materials provide opportunities for students to develop academic mathematical language using visuals, manipulatives, or other language development strategies.
Materials provide opportunities for students to develop academic mathematical language using visuals, manipulatives, or other language development strategies.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 5.4a
Evaluation for 5.4a
Materials provide opportunities for students to develop academic mathematical language using visuals, manipulatives, or other language development strategies.
1 out of 1 points
5.4b
Materials include embedded educator guidance to scaffold, support, and extend students’ use of academic mathematical vocabulary in context when communicating with peers and educators.
Materials include embedded educator guidance to scaffold, support, and extend students’ use of academic mathematical vocabulary in context when communicating with peers and educators.
0 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 5.4b
Evaluation for 5.4b
Materials include embedded educator guidance to scaffold, support, and extend students’ use of academic mathematical vocabulary in context when communicating with peers and educators.
0 out of 2 points
5.4c
Materials include embedded guidance to support student application of appropriate mathematical language and academic vocabulary in discourse.
Materials include embedded guidance to support student application of appropriate mathematical language and academic vocabulary in discourse.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 5.4c
Evaluation for 5.4c
Materials include embedded guidance to support student application of appropriate mathematical language and academic vocabulary in discourse.
1 out of 1 points
5.4d
Materials include embedded guidance to facilitate mathematical conversations allowing students to hear, refine, and use math language with peers.
Materials include embedded guidance to facilitate mathematical conversations allowing students to hear, refine, and use math language with peers.
1 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 5.4d
Evaluation for 5.4d
Materials include embedded guidance to facilitate mathematical conversations allowing students to hear, refine, and use math language with peers.
1 out of 2 points
5.4e
Materials include embedded guidance to anticipate a variety of student answers including exemplar responses to questions and tasks, including guidance to support and/or redirect inaccurate student responses.
Materials include embedded guidance to anticipate a variety of student answers including exemplar responses to questions and tasks, including guidance to support and/or redirect inaccurate student responses.
0 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 5.4e
Evaluation for 5.4e
Materials include embedded guidance to anticipate a variety of student answers including exemplar responses to questions and tasks, including guidance to support and/or redirect inaccurate student responses.
0 out of 2 points
5.5 Process Standards Connections
5.5a
TEKS process standards are integrated appropriately into the materials.
TEKS process standards are integrated appropriately into the materials.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 5.5a
Evaluation for 5.5a
TEKS process standards are integrated appropriately into the materials.
1 out of 1 points
5.5b
Materials include a description of how process standards are incorporated and connected throughout the learning pathways.
Materials include a description of how process standards are incorporated and connected throughout the learning pathways.
0 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 5.5b
Evaluation for 5.5b
Materials include a description of how process standards are incorporated and connected throughout the learning pathways.
0 out of 2 points
5.5c
Materials include an overview of the TEKS process standards incorporated into each lesson.
Materials include an overview of the TEKS process standards incorporated into each lesson.
0 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 5.5c
Evaluation for 5.5c
Materials include an overview of the TEKS process standards incorporated into each lesson.
0 out of 1 points
Rubric Section 6
Productive Struggle
Materials support students in applying disciplinary practices to productive problem-solving, including explaining and revising their thinking.
Total
62% (13 out of 21 points)
Evaluation for 6.1a
In the lesson "Understand the Pythagorean Theorem & Its Converse," hints—such as "The hypotenuse (c) will always be directly across from the right angle" and "Since both sides of the equation are equal, these side lengths can create a right triangle"—support students in making sense of mathematical relationships. The "Mathematical Practice Application" tasks require students to engage in multistep problem-solving and provide visual supports that strengthen conceptual understanding, encouraging mathematical reasoning and perseverance across tasks. In the grade 8 "Topic Bundles" "Rational & Irrational Numbers" and "Scientific Notation," students engage in sustained problem-solving and apply reasoning to real-world scenarios. For example, in "Rational & Irrational Numbers," students approximate and compare irrational numbers using visual models, such as number lines, supporting their ability to make sense of abstract quantities. In "Scientific Notation," students convert and estimate values, then apply their understanding to contextual problems, fostering perseverance through multistep calculations. In "Evaluate & Solve Square Roots & Cube Roots," students engage in mathematical thinking through prompts, such as the following: "How can Isaac determine the side lengths of the square pool?" and "Can you think of any other numbers that would be perfect squares?" These tasks develop reasoning about numerical patterns and relationships. Similarly, in "Identify & Evaluate Functions," students explore structure and meaning in data by answering questions, such as "What do you notice about the locations of the golf balls?" and "Why might this set of ordered pairs be confusing?" Each lesson sequence builds from foundational skills to more complex tasks, providing scaffolds and challenges that promote reasoning and perseverance over time.
Evaluation for 6.1b
The materials support students in understanding, explaining, and justifying multiple strategies for determining slope. In the lesson "Use Similar Triangles to Determine Slope," students use slope triangles to analyze vertical and horizontal change. In "Write Linear Equations from Graphs," students apply the slope formula. The "Check for Understanding" screens prompt students to use their method of choice to determine slope and y-intercepts from ordered pairs, while the "Real-World Connection" problem encourages students to generate equations based on graphs using strategies that make sense to them. These tasks promote mathematical flexibility and strategy justification. In the "Teacher Resources" for "Use Similar Triangles to Determine Slope," the "Mathematical Practice Application" page guides teachers to prompt students to justify how rise and run values on slope triangles connect to linear equations. As students match slope triangles with equations, they must explain their reasoning, evaluate their peers' thinking, and compare strategies. This instructional guidance reinforces that there are multiple valid approaches to solving problems and helps students refine their understanding through discourse and justification. In the grade 8 lessons "Apply Properties of Integer Exponents," "Solve Linear Equations," and "Apply the Pythagorean Theorem," interactive Nearpod tools—such as "Draw It," quizzes, and "Open-Ended Questions"—support students in understanding, explaining, and justifying their chosen solution strategies. These tools provide opportunities for students to use flexible reasoning and communicate why their selected approach makes sense, reinforcing that multiple problem-solving methods can lead to valid outcomes.
Evaluation for 6.1c
The materials require students to make sense of mathematics by providing multiple opportunities to do, write about, and discuss math with peers and educators. In the lesson "Convert Large Numbers into Scientific Notation," the materials prompt students with questions, such as the following: "What strategies would you use to convert scientific notation to standard form?" and "What strategy do you prefer: changing the factors in a multiplication expression or moving the decimal point?" These prompts encourage verbal explanation and mathematical discourse during teacher-led discussions. The materials require students to write explanations and justify their reasoning in mathematics. In the lesson "Identify Rational & Irrational Numbers," students determine whether numbers are rational or irrational and then record their reasoning on the slide. This activity supports written mathematical discourse and deepens conceptual understanding. The materials require students to make sense of mathematics through interactive features that promote doing, writing about, and discussing math. In the grade 8 lesson "Find Volume of Cones," students write explanations, collaborate with peers, and practice skills using the interactive game "Time to Climb." The lesson includes tools, like polls, "Fill in the Blanks," "Draw It," and "Collaboration Boards," to engage students in multiple forms of mathematical sense-making.
Evaluation for 6.2a
The materials support educators in guiding students to share their problem-solving approaches, including explanations, arguments, justifications, and multiple points of entry. In the lesson "Use Similar Triangles to Determine Slope," the "Teacher Resources" instruct educators to have students justify how rise and run determine slope and to compare strategies with peers. This guidance fosters discussion and evaluation of mathematical reasoning. However, the materials do not support educators in guiding students to reflect on their problem-solving approaches. In the lesson "Solve Systems of Linear Equations by Graphing," students explain their reasoning by responding to prompts, such as the following: "How could we use the graph to determine how long it will take Pao to catch the horse?" and "Why did you choose this point to solve the system?" These tasks promote student discourse and encourage multiple methods. However, the materials do not guide educators to prompt students to reflect on the effectiveness of or reasoning behind their approaches. In the lesson "Calculate the Volume of Cones," students justify their thinking by answering questions, such as the following: "Why is it important to use appropriate units when calculating volume?" and "How do approximations used for pi affect the accuracy of volume calculations?" These prompts support explanation and justification. However, there is no teacher guidance to support student reflection of their problem-solving processes.
Evaluation for 6.2b
The materials identify anticipated misconceptions but do not include prompts or guidance to support educators in providing explanatory feedback. In the "Teacher Resources" for the lesson "Use Pythagorean Theorem," the "Common Misconceptions" section notes that students may misidentify side lengths or the hypotenuse when applying the theorem, but it offers no instructional suggestions to help teachers address these misunderstandings during instruction. The materials include examples of correct and incorrect student responses but lack prompts or guidance to support educators in delivering explanatory feedback. In the "Pre-Assessment Analysis" and "Post-Assessment Analysis" for "Use Pythagorean Theorem," explanations are given for wrong answers. However, the materials do not provide strategies that teachers can use to respond to student misconceptions and support conceptual understanding. While the materials provide correct answers in the "Answers" section of the "Use Pythagorean Theorem" lesson, they do not offer guidance to help educators respond to student errors. The materials do not include feedback prompts or instructional support for addressing misconceptions related to calculation errors or misidentifying components of the formula.
6.1 Student Self-Efficacy
6.1a
Materials provide opportunities for students to think mathematically, persevere through solving problems, and to make sense of mathematics.
Materials provide opportunities for students to think mathematically, persevere through solving problems, and to make sense of mathematics.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 6.1a
Evaluation for 6.1a
Materials provide opportunities for students to think mathematically, persevere through solving problems, and to make sense of mathematics.
3 out of 3 points
6.1b
Materials support students in understanding, explaining, and justifying that there can be multiple ways to solve problems and complete tasks.
Materials support students in understanding, explaining, and justifying that there can be multiple ways to solve problems and complete tasks.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 6.1b
Evaluation for 6.1b
Materials support students in understanding, explaining, and justifying that there can be multiple ways to solve problems and complete tasks.
3 out of 3 points
6.1c
Materials are designed to require students to make sense of mathematics through multiple opportunities for students to do, write about, and discuss math with peers and/or educators.
Materials are designed to require students to make sense of mathematics through multiple opportunities for students to do, write about, and discuss math with peers and/or educators.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 6.1c
Evaluation for 6.1c
Materials are designed to require students to make sense of mathematics through multiple opportunities for students to do, write about, and discuss math with peers and/or educators.
3 out of 3 points
6.2 Facilitating Productive Struggle
6.2a
Materials support educators in guiding students to share and reflect on their problem-solving approaches, including explanations, arguments, justifications, and multiple points of entry.
Materials support educators in guiding students to share and reflect on their problem-solving approaches, including explanations, arguments, justifications, and multiple points of entry.
4 out of 8 points
Evaluation for 6.2a
Evaluation for 6.2a
Materials support educators in guiding students to share and reflect on their problem-solving approaches, including explanations, arguments, justifications, and multiple points of entry.
4 out of 8 points
6.2b
Materials include prompts and guidance to support educators in providing explanatory feedback based on student responses and anticipated misconceptions.
Materials include prompts and guidance to support educators in providing explanatory feedback based on student responses and anticipated misconceptions.
0 out of 4 points
Evaluation for 6.2b
Evaluation for 6.2b
Materials include prompts and guidance to support educators in providing explanatory feedback based on student responses and anticipated misconceptions.
0 out of 4 points