What You See
The Lessons page lists every lesson in the unit in sequence. Each lesson shows its title, lesson type (e.g., the teal color ‘Spark’ badge in the image below), and standards alignment. Clicking any lesson opens the full lesson plan. Assessments that occur within the lesson sequence are discoverable directly on the lesson page where they appear.
Lesson Elements
Lesson Element | What It Shows | How to Use It |
Lesson Title | The title and chapter/section reference (e.g., “Lesson 5: Point of View and Belonging”) | See the full lesson sequence at a glance |
Lesson Type Badge | Color-coded badge showing lesson type: Reading, Writing, Academic Discussion, Research, Presentation, Flex, Spark, Mid-Unit Assessment, End-of-Unit Assessment | Quickly identify lesson types for planning; each type has a consistent instructional structure |
Standards Tags | Each lesson displays its aligned CA CCSS for ELA and ELD standards (e.g., RL 8.1, W 8.2, ELD.PI6.6a.Ex) | Cross-reference standards coverage; confirm that target standards are being addressed |
“Go to lesson” Button | Opens the full lesson plan | Click to access the complete lesson with all instructional guidance |
Inside a Lesson
When you open an individual lesson, you see the full lesson plan with:
Texts used in this lesson: Includes short-form texts with cover images and access links
Learning Objectives: Includes Content Objective, Language Objective (ELD-aligned), and Foundational Skill Focus
The full standards alignment: Includes ELA focus and supporting standards and the ELD standards
The lesson’s instructional sequence: Includes Teacher annotations and provides differentiation guidance for Multilingual Learners, students with disabilities, advanced learners, and students performing below grade level.
Each lesson follows a consistent instructional sequence that varies by lesson type. For example:
A Reading lesson typically moves through Launch, Literacy Lab, Learning in Action, and Look Back.
A Writing lesson follows Launch, Literacy Lab, and Look Back.
Academic Discussion lessons include structured routines such as Socratic Seminar or debate formats.
This consistent structure helps teachers plan efficiently and helps students build familiarity with routines across the year. The Lesson Type badge at the top of each lesson immediately signals which sequence to expect.
Assessments Embedded in the Lesson Sequence
When an assessment falls within a lesson’s instructional sequence, it is accessible directly on that lesson page, at the point in the sequence where it occurs. Teachers do not need to navigate to the Assessments tab to find or administer it.
Assessment Element on the Lesson Page | What It Contains | How to Use It |
Assessment (Teacher Edition) | A complete teacher-facing lesson plan for facilitating the assessment; includes answer keys and exemplar student responses | Use to prepare for and facilitate the assessment; refer to answer keys and exemplars when reviewing student work |
Student Assessment | A print-ready PDF of the student assessment | Download and print to make class copies; distribute to students for the assessment |
Note
Embedding assessments within the lesson page ensures that teachers encounter each assessment in context, alongside the instruction it follows. The Assessment (Teacher Edition) provides everything needed to facilitate the assessment, score student work, and identify next instructional steps.
Note
Many lessons display three objectives:
a Content Objective (what students will learn),
a Language Objective (ELD-aligned, what language students will practice),
and a Foundational Skill Focus (what language or literacy skill is reinforced).
This three-part structure ensures lessons address content, language, and skills simultaneously