Instructional Materials Reviewed

New Product: Education Galaxy Mathematics

August 30, 2022May 6, 2021

Are your teachers looking for ways to support students as they prepare for STAAR Math? Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Education Galaxy for math.

Education Galaxy provides online test preparation for students in grades K-8. Learning List recently reviewed the content for grade 6 math. The intent of the program is to support student mastery of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and to provide practice for the State of Texas STAAR assessment. The program uses formative assessment to create personalized learning options based on the skills and concepts students need to learn.

Alignment: Intervention & Test Prep Materials

May 3, 2021

As we near the end of the school year, your focus may be on intervention and testing. We offer three suggestions to help you prepare your students for end-of-year success.
Make sure your intervention materials are aligned to the standards you are reteaching. Using tightly aligned materials will reduce your workload and make intervention more effective. Many intervention materials are not designed to align to 100% of state standards. Make sure the material(s) you are using for intervention are aligned to the standards you are re-teaching. Verify that the citations (e.g., lessons, activities, assessments) you plan to use address both the content and rigor of the standards your students need to learn.

New Product: USATestprep U.S. History

August 30, 2022April 28, 2021

Are your teachers requesting materials to help students prepare for the U.S. History End-of-Course Exam? Take a look at Learning List’s review of USATestprep U.S. History.

USATestprep provides a supplemental program that includes online test preparation and digital instructional resources for Texas STAAR End of Course (EOC) exams, national exams, such as ACT or SAT, Advanced Placement Exams, as well as others. Learning List recently reviewed the content intended to support student learning specific to the U.S. History TEKS and preparation for the State of Texas U.S. History End of Course exam.

5 Helpful Tips for Reviewing Early Literacy Materials

November 28, 2022April 23, 2021

Early literacy development is critical to students’ success in the later grades and arguably, in life. Because students come to school with varying degrees of literacy, the quality of instruction and the quality of materials used in the classroom are primary determinants of the level of content and skill mastery young students achieve in literacy. What criteria do you look for when evaluating materials for early literacy?

Sign in front of bookcase in the Early Literacy section of a library explaining how Learning List's alignment reports can be useful for lesson planning after a material has been purchased.

Like most educators, at Learning List we believe that the instructional quality of any material is based on its alignment to state standards and other quality indicators. Thus, our Alignment Report verifies publisher claims of alignment, and our Editorial Review assesses the instructional quality of the material. Here’s what we look for in each type of review.

New Product: IXL Learning for Social Studies

August 30, 2022April 20, 2021

Is your district looking for a digital program to provide personalized social studies practice? Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of IXL Learning’s 6th Grade Social Studies.

IXL Learning is a supplemental online program providing content for grades PK-12 that includes language arts, math, social studies, and science. Learning List recently reviewed the social studies content for grade 6, which provides social studies practice problems and explanations. The program intends to offer a personalized learning experience to meet students’ individual learning needs.

New Curriculum Review: Accelerate Learning’s STEMscopes Math for CCSS

July 21, 2022March 22, 2021

Are your teachers looking for new materials for elementary math instruction? Take a look at Learning List’s review of Accelerate Learning’s STEMscopes Math.

Accelerate Learning’s STEMscopes Math is a comprehensive mathematics program for grades K-5. Learning List recently reviewed the content for grades 3-5. The materials are digital, with the option of printing PDF documents for most program components.

New Product: USATestprep Biology

June 28, 2022March 18, 2021

Are your teachers requesting materials to help students prepare for the Biology End-of-Course Exam? Take a look at Learning List’s review of USATestprep Biology.

USATestprep provides a supplemental program that includes online test preparation and digital instructional resources for Texas STAAR End of Course (EOC) exams, national exams, such as ACT or SAT, Advanced Placement Exams, as well as others. Learning List recently reviewed the content intended to support student learning specific to the Biology TEKS and preparation for the State of Texas Biology End of Course exam.

New Product: Istation Math

September 6, 2022March 15, 2021

Do your early childhood teachers need a program to supplement math instruction? Take a look at Learning List’s review of Istation Math.

Istation Math is a supplemental program for students in grades PK-5. Learning List recently reviewed the teacher directed lessons and the student digital app for grades PK-1. The material is designed to support students in developing mathematical skills through instruction that is sequenced from concrete, to representational, to abstract.

Assessing the Assessments In a K-12 Material

March 20, 2023February 16, 2021

Having facilitated many districts’ adoption processes and listened to educators articulate what they are looking for in instructional materials, we have observed that assessments are often under assessed during an adoption/selection process. Assessments are a critical component of the instructional cycle. Therefore, as part of Learning List’s qualitative, Editorial Review of each instructional material, we evaluate the material’s assessments. Based on our review of thousands of instructional materials, we offer the following four key considerations to help you determine whether the assessments embedded in an instructional material will meet your needs.

New Product Review: Edmentum’s Texas English 6-8

August 30, 2022January 1, 2021

Does your district need instructional materials to support middle school students who have selected home learning? Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Edmentum’s Texas English 6-8.

Edmentum’s Texas English 6-8 provides a fully digital, comprehensive program for middle school English Language Arts. The material provides a variety of activities to support students’ development of reading and writing skills. The goal of the program is to provide rigorous, relevant instruction through interactive, media-rich content.

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