Read About Our Latest Instructional Materials Reviews

New Product: Frog Street’s Pre-K 2020 Curriculum

August 30, 2022October 8, 2020

Are your Prekindergarten teachers ready to adopt new materials during Texas Proclamation 2021? Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Frog Street’s Pre-K 2020 Curriculum.

Frog Street’s Pre-K 2020 is a comprehensive, dual language program for Prekindergarten. The program focuses on developing kindergarten readiness through positive learning environments, best-practice instruction, and supporting the needs of all students. Frog Street is designed to support instruction in the ten domains of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.

New Product: Scholastic’s PreK On My Way

August 30, 2022October 7, 2020

Are your prekindergarten teachers looking for materials that emphasize social and emotional development? Take a look at Learning List’s review of Scholastic’s PreK On My Way.

Scholastic’s PreK On My Wayis a comprehensive program for Prekindergarten. The program supports instruction in the ten domains of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines with an emphasis on development of literacy, language, and math skills. The goal of the program is for students to “flourish as readers, writers, and explorers of the world.”

New Curriculum Review: Savvas Learning’s Three Cheers for Pre-K

August 23, 2022October 1, 2020

Are you considering buying new materials for Pre-K? Before you do, take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Savvas’ Three Cheers for Pre-K.

Savvas Learning Company’s Three Cheers for Pre-K is a comprehensive program for Prekindergarten. The program provides skills-based learning experiences designed around purposeful play and children’s literature. Three Cheers for Pre-K is designed to support instruction in the ten domains of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines, balancing social and emotional, physical, and academic development.

New Product: QuaverEd’s Pre-K Curriculum

August 30, 2022September 22, 2020

Are your Prekindergarten teachers ready to adopt new materials during Texas Proclamation 2021? Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of QuaverEd’s Pre-K Curriculum.

QuaverEd’s Pre-K Curriculum is a comprehensive program for Prekindergarten. It intends to support instruction in the ten domains of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. The product is comprised of digital teacher materials and the “All-in-One Classroom Set,” which is a set of tangible materials.

The Importance of Using Standards-Aligned Materials

September 13, 2020

In a recent article titled, “Four Ways State Leaders Can Help Teachers Implement High Quality Curriculum,” the author discusses how state policymakers can support the reopening of schools for a successful school year. She encourages policymakers to “Provide clear and simple guidance to ensure all content is standards-aligned and offer examples of what that may look like for in-person and virtual settings.”

As districts searched for new online materials to support at-home learning, technology compatibility may have driven their purchasing decisions. Now that they are having to use the materials, alignment should be an important consideration. Here are three reasons why understanding the standards alignment of materials being used for at-home learning is critical to students’ academic success.

Why Teachers Need More Planning Time

December 8, 2022September 6, 2020

Planning time: Image of teacher on her laptop computer

This article discusses “Four Ways State Leaders Can Help Teachers Implement High-Quality Curriculum.” One of the author’s suggestions is that leaders provide time and space for educators to plan. One of the reasons educators need more planning time is that online preK-12 materials have become increasingly complex to use. Here’s why.

Planning time to learn the product’s organization and how to navigate to various types of content

Learning List reviewers have reviewed thousands of PreK-12 instructional materials. Our team is adept at learning how to navigate through online materials. These days, reviewing online materials is taking longer because materials often consist of different components to remediate, enrich and extend students’ learning. Sometimes, each component uses a different online platform; more commonly, the assessments component uses a different platform from the material’s instructional components. Thus, merely learning how to navigate through online materials takes longer than it used to.

A Seismic Shift in Science Materials

September 3, 2020

Over the last several years, we have reviewed hundreds of science materials aligned to state standards, Advanced Placement frameworks, and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Over the last two years, we have observed a significant design shift in science products. Using the 5E model and Project Based Learning (PBL), publishers are designing science instruction to engage students in doing science, rather than learning about science. Where traditional instructional materials might present information and ask students to respond through short-answer or multiple-choice questions, newer materials provide teachers with resources to facilitate inquiry-based science instruction.

Dear Mom and Dad, Welcome to Your 1st Year of Teaching!

July 21, 2022August 29, 2020

Are you a first-time homeschool teacher or are you proctoring at-home learning while your child is attending school online this semester? Either way, you are likely out of your comfort zone and feeling (a little) overwhelmed. How are you ensuring that your child is learning what he/she is supposed to learn? This blog post provides a few pointers and accompanying resources to help you keep your child on track during this school year.

Selecting Materials to Support Differentiated Instruction

July 21, 2022August 26, 2020

As this school year resumes, teachers are going to need to differentiate and accelerate instruction to ensure that students are ready for their new grade level’s content. Whether you are selecting from your district/campus’ existing materials or purchasing new materials, we offer the following questions to help you identify materials that will support teachers in differentiating instruction to meet the needs of their students.

(1) Do the resources offer differentiated planning support for teachers?
Teachers need resources that will help them differentiate instruction to meet their students’ varied learning needs while simultaneously implementing the district curriculum. Here are three features to look for in teacher materials to support teachers in planning differentiated instruction.

New Product: Math NSpired from Texas Instruments

July 21, 2022August 24, 2020

Is your district looking for a resource to support students and teachers in grade 8 mathematics and Algebra I? Take a look at Learning List’s review of Texas Instruments’ Math Nspired.

Texas Instruments’ Math Nspired is a collection of supplemental online lessons and activities intended to teach mathematics content and provide professional learning support for teachers. Learning List has reviewed the content for grade 8 mathematics and Algebra I. The lessons are provided to teachers as part of their participation in professional learning services provided through Texas Instruments. The goal is to support teachers in implementing engaging strategies, thereby helping students achieve greater conceptual understanding of the content.

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