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Amazon’s TenMarks Math is a comprehensive online product that supports mathematics instruction in grades K-12. Content addresses the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the California CCSS. TenMarks Math includes interactive whiteboard (IWB) lessons, inquiry-based learning games (i.e., “Labs”), practice assignments, and short video tutorials on specific concepts. Learning List recently reviewed of materials for kindergarten. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> TenMarks Math provides scaffolded teacher-led instruction and independent practice to help students master the CCSS at each grade level. Content is organized by grade level and CCSS domain (e.g., Counting & Cardinality) and includes direct instruction and independent student practice activities. Content is customizable and supports personalized learning, data-driven instruction, and intervention for struggling students. Colorful visual models of concepts and simulations of problem-solving strategies are used across instruction. Teaching notes have questions to guide students’ thinking and their answers, a discussion of common student misconceptions, strategies for differentiation, and activities to extend learning. Teaching notes may be printed. Teachers also have access to a “Concept Trajectory” tool that illustrates how prerequisite standards and the standards currently being taught relate to one another and scaffold learning About TenMarks* TenMarks, an Amazon company, provides solutions to personalize learning and help every student reach his or her potential. Created and led by educators and technologists, TenMarks has built Amazon's CoDIE award-winning math program (TenMarks Math) and an engaging solution to help find the writer in every student (TenMarks Writing). *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from TenMarks . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Rally! Education’s Texas STAAR Reading for Figure 19 is a supplemental product that supports reading instruction and preparation for Texas’ STAAR Reading exams in grades 3-8. Content is available in print format. At each grade level, instruction focuses on the relevant reading comprehension skills identified in Figure 19 of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for English language arts and reading. Learning List recently reviewed resources for grades 5-8 (i.e., Levels E-H). < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> At each grade level, STAAR Reading for Figure 19 presents content in eight lessons that are evenly divided between literary and informational texts. Each lesson focuses on a specific genre (e.g., biography, poem).  Instruction includes guidance in reading strategies and responding to practice multiple choice questions. A downloadable “Teacher Guide” is available at each grade level. The Teacher Guide contains answer keys for each lesson’s multiple-choice questions. Answer keys reference the TEKS addressed by each question, including whether the TEKS is a readiness or supporting standard. About Rally! Education RALLY! Education is a national educational publishing company that has been in business for 15 years. RALLY! focuses on developing standards-based instructional print and online materials written specifically for each state. We are passionate about education and want to produce high quality materials for schools and school districts. Our team of educators and professionals work diligently to understand the needs of every state and develop instructional print and online materials that easily fit within any classroom setting. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Rally! Education. Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Texas Region 4 Education Service Center’s STAAR™  Techniques to Engage Learners in Literacy and Academic Rigor (STELLAR) is a test preparation product that supports teachers in preparing students for English language arts and reading STAAR tests in grades 4-8 and high school end-of-course exams in English I-III. Learning List recently reviewed resources for English I and English II. Content is available in print format. Instruction incorporates thematic reading selections that reflect a variety of genres, application activities, and practice tests formatted to reflect the STAAR end-of-course exam. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> For each course, core content is organized in four thematic units (e.g., Family Values). Units contain multi-genre reading selections presented as thematically “Paired Passages.” The pairing of selections is designed to facilitate discussion and written student responses. Paragraphs are numbered, and many selections are formatted with space for student note taking.  Reading selections are followed by “Big Ideas and Key Questions” that help teachers facilitate discussions, model reading processes, and guide student thinking. Each STELLAR unit ends with a practice test designed to prepare students for the STAAR end-of-course exam. Practice tests contain multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions, and include items that address revising and editing. About Region 4 Education Service Center* Region 4 Education Service Center (Region 4) is one of 20 regional education service centers established by the Texas Legislature in 1967 to assist school districts and charter schools in improving efficiencies and student performance. Regional education service centers are non-regulatory, intermediate education units. Texas Education Code, Chapter 8, gives each school district the opportunity to voluntarily be served by and participate with a regional education service center. Region 4 serves a seven-county area comprised of 48 public school districts and 34 open-enrollment charter schools, representing more than 1.2 million students, 95,000 educators, and 1,500 campuses. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Region 4 . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Blue Duck Education’s Mangahigh is a supplemental online mathematics product that supports skills practice and test preparation in grades K-8 and Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II and Precalculus high school courses. Learning List recently reviewed resources for grades K-8 and Algebra I. Content is formatted in math games that allow students to practice math skills. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Across grade levels, games address specific standards and skills, such as using frequency tables, adding fractions, or identifying points on a number line. Students earn points for correct answers and earn medals (i.e., gold, silver bronze) for accumulating points and improving their performance. Games are adaptive in the sense that questions become more challenging as students answer questions correctly, and less challenging as students answer incorrectly. Games are presented using two platforms: “Prodigi” and “Math Games.” Prodigi games are designed to familiarize students with Next Generation assessments and include questions in multiple choice, drag and drop, and true/false formats. Math Games reflect the style of arcade games in which the goal is to move characters or objects through or across an obstacle-laden course. For example, in an Algebra I Math Games, students must successfully factor quadratic equations in order to keep ships from sinking. Students earn points for each ship they save. About Mangahigh* Mangahigh.com is one of the world’s first Games-Based Learning sites, where students learn Mathematics via purpose-built casual games that balance fun and learning. Mangahigh was founded by an experienced team of mathematicians and game specialists who strive to balance game play and education. The educational content within Mangahigh is based on the core standards and is delivered through its proprietary educational games. Each game covers certain learning topics and is designed to dynamically adapt in difficulty to the ability of the student in order to make the user experience engaging, entertaining and personal. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Mangahigh . Subscribe to Learning List for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed EduSmart’s STAARSmart , which is a stand-alone, criterion-referenced test bank that supports formative and summative assessment and test preparation activities. Test bank items address the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for science at grades 3-8 and math at grades 3-5. Test banks are available online and allow teachers to create customized assessments that address specific TEKS. Test bank items for Biology will be added soon. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Test bank items contain STAAR release items and publisher-created questions formatted to reflect the STAAR exam. Items include tags that indicate the TEKS Readiness, Supporting, or Foundation standards and the Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (Levels 1-3) addressed by each question. Teachers may select pre-made test bank items and/or create their own questions using a variety of formats, including multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-bank, and matching. Instructional resources, such as tutorials, lessons, and review activities, are not provided. About EduSmart* EduSmart , developer of the EduSmart Science and EduSmart Math programs, is based in Austin, Texas. EduSmart provides standards-based digital teaching tools for the classroom that have been developed with a focus on the needs of the students and teachers. EduSmart programs’ research-based design and flexible format adapts easily to support all types of instructional models including direct instruction, cooperative learning, and inquiry-based instruction. *Information in the section is provided by or adapted from EduSmart . Subscribe to Learning List for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed NSF (National Science Foundation) C5 Project’s AP CSP Cyber Supplemental. This is a supplemental product that supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles (CSP) courses. Content is available online. Course resources are made up of downloadable PowerPoint lecture slides and downloadable lab activities and assessments in Word format. Instruction addresses the cybersecurity-related learning objectives and essential knowledge statements of the College Board’s course framework for AP Computer Science Principles. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> CSP Cyber Supplemental content is organized in seven modules that may be downloaded separately from the C5 site.  Modules address: (1) Applied Cryptography, (2) Secure Scripting, (3) Responsible Software Development, (4) Cybersecurity Principles, (5) Cybersecurity and Society, (6) Securing Risky Data, and (7) Cyber Threats and Countermeasures. Each module is made up of several units addressing related topics. Core content for each unit is presented in a PowerPoint presentation and a lab activity. For each module, teachers have an overview document that provides learning objectives, pacing information, and references to the AP Computer Science Principles big ideas, learning objectives, and essential knowledge statements addressed by instruction. *About the NSF C5 Project The C5 project is bringing together computer science faculty and cybersecurity educators to develop new course content that integrates the two disciplines. Created with the needs of our nation’s 1,100-plus community colleges in mind, C5’s contemporary cybersecurity content consists of modules that can be seamlessly incorporated into existing computing courses or bundled together to create an introductory cybersecurity-infused computer science course. The initial modules include but are not limited to applied cryptography, secure scripting, and responsible software development. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from the C5 Project . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed Perfection Learning’s Human Geography: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Exam. This test preparation product supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography courses. Content is available in print and digital formats. Instruction provides a review of human geography concepts (e.g., the spatial distribution of resources) and practice activities designed to prepare students for the AP exam. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Human Geography opens with an introduction that contains an overview of the AP Human Geography exam and test preparation strategies, including exam pacing, guidance in answering multiple-choice and free-response items, and a schedule for study and review. Core content is organized in seven units: (1) How to Think Like a Geographer, (2) Population and Migration, (3) Cultural Patterns and Processes, (4) Political Organization of Space, (5) Agriculture and Rural Land Use, (6) Industrialization and Development, and (7) Cities and Urban Land Use. Across units, instruction emphasizes a systematic approach to analysis that includes (1) comprehension of basic information, (2) identification of patterns, (3) explanations of the phenomena that cause patterns to form, and (4) prediction of the pattern’s outcomes. Instruction emphasizes the development of the writing skills needed for the AP exam. Each chapter ends with multiple-choice and free-response questions formatted to reflect the AP exam. The text concludes with a full-length AP practice exam. About Perfection Learning* For over 90 years, Perfection Learning® has been a leader in literature and language arts programs for grades 6-12. These programs cover the complete range of language arts skills and course areas with both textbooks and supplemental programs. Innovative literature programs provide cost-effective solutions for teaching critical thinking skills and incorporating the demands of Common Core and state standards. K-8 reading/language arts solutions include hybrid print/digital handwriting and spelling programs, nonfiction reading, and intervention programs in reading and math. In 2013, Perfection Learning® acquired AMSCO School Publications. For over 75 years, AMSCO has excelled in providing high-quality materials in social studies; AP®, ACT, and SAT preparation; world languages; science; language arts; and more.   *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Perfection Learning . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

In a recent op-ed appearing in The Hill , ThinkCerca ’s founder and CEO, Eileen Murphy Buckley, describes the challenges she faced as a novice English teacher working at  Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, one of Illinois’ best high schools and Michelle Obama’s alma mater. Like many first-year teachers, she struggled with classroom management, planning relevant and engaging instruction, and mastery of her content area. She received sage advice from veteran colleagues, but she “confesses” that her strongest supports as an inexperienced teacher were the instructional materials she used in the classroom. She writes: So, there is my confession after all these years, but I make it to say that the products we use in schools matter. The quality of those resources matter so very much because they are what empower students, regardless of which teacher they end up with. The materials shape teachers and teacher practice, and they shape the teachers they raise through years of side by side work. These products must answer to students and teachers as well as buyers — the admins and school boards who are the stewards of our future, our culture, our democracy. Products have material impact on the lives of our children and grandchildren — who will be caring for us and our country in the very near future. Simply put, reading materials impact the quality of teaching in much more significant ways than you might know. At Learning List, we understand the importance of high quality materials. We recognize that instructional materials influence how teachers teach as well as how and what students learn. And this understanding shapes how we review products. Our editorial reviews examine the supports each material does or does not provide for teachers. Our reviewers explain whether teacher resources include background in content and pedagogy; provide pacing information, lesson plans, and guidance in differentiating instruction; and offer professional development opportunities and professional communities that facilitate collaboration and sharing with other teachers who use the same product. Our reviewers note when they feel a product is particularly appropriate for novice teachers. Such products include comprehensive discussions of the required content knowledge and pedagogy, and offer detailed, often scripted, lesson plans to support instruction. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> In addition, our alignment reports help all teachers—novices and veterans—understand the learning standards for their subject and grade level. Learning List’s alignment reports enable teachers to see, in detail, what their students are expected to know and be able to do as a result of instruction. Our alignment reports enable administrators and school board members to ensure that the materials they purchase are addressing the required standards and preparing students for success in subsequent grades, college, and careers. Learning List’s editorial reviews and alignment reports complement each other in the type of information they provide. Editorial reviews provide a qualitative discussion of each product’s features and functionality. Alignment reports provide a detailed examination of how well each product does or does not teach the required learning standards, resulting in a quantitative measure of the product’s alignment to standards. Taken together, these reviews enable district administrators and school board members—" the stewards of our future, our culture, our democracy”—to ensure the instructional materials they select for their classrooms meet the needs of their teachers and students and support high quality teaching and learning. Note: Learning List has reviewed ThinkCerca's Common Core ELA materials for middle school.

GameSalad is a supplemental computer science program that supports instruction in grades PK-12. Content is available online and includes printable resources, such as lesson plans, worksheets, and quizzes. Instruction is project based and introduces students to concepts in programming and game design without the need to learn programming languages and coding skills. Learning List recently reviewed resources for grades 3-8. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> GameSalad organizes instruction in units that teach students how to create computer games using GameSalad’s “Creator” user interface. Most units focus on the development of a specific game (e.g., Space Runner, Top-Notch Trivia). Within units, students learn key computer science concepts, such as inputs/outputs, copyright law, universal access, and the applications and impacts of computer science in daily life. Students create games using a menu-based system that does not require knowledge of coding. Activities require students to apply reasoning skills, logic, and innovative thinking to solve problems. A textbook to accompany GameSalad is available separately from Cengage . About GameSalad* GameSalad is a revolutionary game development platform that allows anyone to create the game of their dreams without writing a line of code. It’s also the best way to introduce programming concepts, game design, and digital media creation to your students. Launched in 2010, GameSalad has been used by over one million aspiring game developers and has powered over 75 games that reached the top 100 in the App Store, including multiple #1 games. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from GameSalad . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed the National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center’s (NICERC) Computer Science course. This is a comprehensive product that supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles courses. Content is available online and is comprised of printable PDF materials. Online content is not interactive. Instruction is project based and emphasizes the development of problem-solving and critical thinking skills in the context of computer science.< Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> NICERC Computer Sci ence begins with three lessons that introduce students to the foundations of computer science and some ideas embedded in the course (e.g., the importance of failure to future success). Core content is organized in multi-day lessons that address specific components, or “pillars,” of computer science. Pillars include algorithms, computer programming, data structures, and computer architecture. Lessons address a set of related topics (e.g., the binary number system, binary arithmetic). Most lessons include one or more hands-on Activities that require students to work with classmates to complete computing tasks, such designing computer games. Additional Resources include a variety of additional activities, including puzzles, videos, and opportunities to create digital artifacts. Other resources include “Beam” supplemental lessons that teachers may incorporate in the course if they choose. Beams are meant to be capstone lessons that address the application of computer science to a variety of contemporary topics, including robotics, cyber security, and gaming. About NICERC* NICERC provides hands-on professional development, curricula, programs, and competitions to engage students in STEM disciplines. Project-driven curricula creates a context for the content at every level of learning. Professional development programs for K-12 teachers enable them to motivate creativity and innovation in students through problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication. These initiatives offered through NICERC provide a collaborative and comprehensive solution that fosters systemic change in education. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from NICERC . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed Norton’s America: A Narrative History, Tenth Edition. This comprehensive product supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) United States History courses. Content is available in print and digital formats. Instruction focuses on how political and economic developments have shaped the nation, with analyses of how these developments informed social change and discussions of key individuals and events. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> America begins with a preface that describes changes to the Tenth Edition and provides an overview of digital learning resources. Core content is organized in seven parts titled: (1) A Not-So-“New” World, (2) Building a Nation, (3) An Expanding Nation, (4) A House Divided and Rebuilt, (5) Growing Pains, (6) Modern America, and (7) The American Age. Each chapter begins with a set of “Focus Questions” (e.g., “How did the South and the West change by 1900?”) and a brief introduction. Co-author David Shi provides responses to Focus Questions in closed-captioned video segments on the course’s online “Student Site.” eBooks are searchable by keyword and have an audio reader; bookmarking, highlighting, and note taking tools; and a feature that allows teachers to post notes to the text for their students to see. The course’s online “Student Site” provides access to author videos, interactive maps (i.e., “iMaps”), downloadable primary source documents, and worksheets indexed by chapter. Students also have access to “Norton’s “InQuizitive” interactive, adaptive quizzing tool. About W.W. Norton* Now, in its 90th year and with an annual list of 400 titles, W. W. Norton is a global company, its familiar seagull logo appearing on books in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Latin America. Though the Norton of today is international in scope, there is much about the company that would remain recognizable to its founders: the editorial quality of the books, the rigorously anti-corporate style, and above all the shared sense of purpose that flourishes when all employees have a stake in the success of their firm. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from W.W. Norton . Subscribe to Learning List for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

The month commemorates the passage of the Smith-Hughes Act in February 1917. The Act was the first federal law to recognize the importance of vocational education to America’s economic future.  While the Smith-Hughes Act focused primarily on education for agricultural careers—the nation’s primary industry at the time—today’s CTE is organized in 16 Career Clusters that include critical and growing sectors of the current economy, including information technology, healthcare, energy, and manufacturing. Throughout February each year, national, state, and local CTE organizations celebrate the achievements of CTE students, advocate for CTE, and strive to raise awareness of CTE’s important role in a strong economy. The month emphasizes the benefits of CTE in academically preparing students for fulfilling careers that will support America’s continued economic growth. Educators can find CTE activities, links to articles about CTE, and advocacy materials on the Advance CTE website . < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Learning List has reviewed a wide range of CTE instructional materials across the Career Clusters. Most of these materials were submitted to the Texas Education Agency in response to Proclamation 2017, which called for the submission of CTE materials for state adoption in Texas. Readers may link to our blogs about PROC 2017 materials here: Adoption Materials for CTE Courses  Career and Technical Education: Anatomy and Physiology Career and Technical Education: Medical Terminology Career and Technical Education: Principles of Health Science New Product Review: Davis Publication Communicating through Graphic Design New Product Reviews: CompuScholar Information Technology Materials Review: Career and Technical Education (CTE) Resources Reviews of Materials for CTE and Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and state alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.