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The College Board recently announced the 2017 AP® Example Textbook Lists.  Only materials that Learning List reviewed were eligible for inclusion on the Example Textbook Lists for the courses listed here. The College Board used our reviews to select the materials included on those Lists. To date, we have reviewed almost 100 publisher-produced and OER AP materials. To ensure that the reviews are of the highest caliber, we collaborated with The College Board to design the review methodology, and we hired as our reviewers many of the AP teachers who helped the College Board design the AP course frameworks. Here are  three important ways  our reviews help teachers  choose  and  use  AP materials most effectively.  (1)  Alignment to the course frameworks   A material's inclusion on an Example Textbook list, does  not  mean that a material is aligned to 100% of the Learning Objectives (LO) or Practices/Skills contained in the course framework. As this table shows, materials on the Example Textbook lists range  significantly  in their alignment to the course frameworks. Our alignment reports not only show the standards to which each material is/is not aligned, but more importantly, specific citations that are/are not aligned to each standard. (2)  Enhanced correlations : Our alignment reports provide more guidance than the publisher's correlation.   We review AP materials for alignment to each LO, Essential Knowledge (EK) and Skill/Practice contained in the relevant course framework.   (3)  Instructional design and supports : Beyond alignment, our editorial reviews help teachers determine which materials will provide the best instructional resources and support to help prepare their students for success in the course. The editorial reviews describe how closely each material follows the design of the course framework. They highlight the number and type of instructional supports provided for teachers and students. And, they explain how well the material fulfills the pedagogical shift in the redesigned course frameworks (e.g., whether assessment questions are structured similarly to the AP exam questions, whether the material offers hand-on learning experiences, etc...).    This 3-minute  video  explains the types of reviews and tools available on Learning List.com. We offer campus-wide, district-wide or AP-only subscriptions to make our reviews accessible to all AP teachers.  Contact us  for more information.

Learning List has reviewed Harvard University’s CS50 AP.  This comprehensive product supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles courses. Content is available online and includes printable resources. Instruction introduces students to the basics of computer science and computer programming languages. Students use their learning to solve real-world problems that are relevant to them. Most CS50 AP resources are available at no cost at https://ap.cs50.net . CS50 AP content is video-based and facilitates student self-study and instruction in flipped learning environments. Direct instruction is presented in videos of (1) Harvard professor David Malan’s, the course’s creator, lectures; (2) section instruction presented by teaching fellows; (3) and “shorts” presented by a variety of students. Videos are available in YouTube and MP4 download formats. Instruction is rigorous, but contains supports for students. Video content is accompanied by downloadable, text-based resources, including lecture notes, reference sheets, and PowerPoint slides of presentations. Reference sheets are one-page summaries of content that clarify new vocabulary and terms, provide contextual definitions, and illustrations of concepts, where appropriate. A set of CS50 alumni who are currently full-time Microsoft employees are available via Skype to support AP teachers and students, alike. About CS50 AP* CS50 is Harvard University’s introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming for students with a diversity of technological background and experience. CS50 for AP Computer Science Principles is an adaptation of CS50 specifically tailored to align with the AP Computer Science Principles curriculum framework. The course’s assignments, materials, and resources are all identical to the version of the course taught at the college-level, albeit adapted to suit a secondary school audience.   *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from CS50 .   Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.

Mentoring Minds’ Total Motivation Math is a supplemental product that supports targeted remediation and preparation for Texas’ STAAR mathematics exams in grades 6-8. Content is available in print and online formats. Content is organized using a clear structure that focuses on direct instruction, practice, and assessment. Instruction supports Response to Intervention programs as well as test preparation. Total Motivation Math presents instruction in units organized using the 5E instructional model. Each unit contains an introductory, open-ended problem set; guided and independent practice activities; a short, multiple-choice formative assessment; critical thinking extension problems; journal and vocabulary exercises, a “Motivation Station” extension activity; and homework. At each grade level, Total Motivation Math includes two performance-based assessments. Assessments provide a narrative “Stimulus” that frames the context for problem solving, a “Task Overview” that clarifies the problems to be solved, and a series of open-ended problems in which students apply what they have learned to the problem. About Mentoring Minds* Mentoring Minds is an educational publisher focused on the success of students. Mentoring Minds’ passion is to develop quality educational materials that encourage students to think critically for effective problem solving. Equipped with many years of educational experience, Mentoring Minds’ product development team creates materials that address relevant issues in the classroom such as critical thinking, vocabulary development, the prevention of bullying, classroom management, and accommodations for students with special needs.   *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Mentoring Minds .   Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed each of CompuScholar’s submissions for Texas’ Proclamation 2017 call for CTE products that support instruction in information technology courses. Each product is discussed briefly below: Java Programming (Abridged) is a web-based, computer science course for high school students. It is a two-semester course that addresses the Java programming language, a primary programming language used by today’s software industry.  This course requires no previous programming experience and supports instruction for Computer Science I. TeenCoder: Windows Programming  is a web-based, computer science course for high school students. Instruction addresses one of the primary programming languages, C#, used by today’s software industry.  Similar to Java Programming (Abridged), this course requires no previous programming experience and support instruction for Computer Science I. Digital Savvy is comprehensive, year-long, online course that introduces students to concepts in information technology. Content meets the requirements for Principles of Information Technology courses. Instruction addresses a broad range of topics, including basics of computer hardware, operating systems, networks, social media, commonly used software programs (e.g., spreadsheets), and the role of technology in the workplace. KidCoder: Web Design is a year-long, online course that covers all topics generally included in introductory web-design programs at the middle school and high school levels. Content addresses the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript skills needed to create websites. Instruction meets the requirements for Texas Web Technologies courses. About CompuScholar* Using a love of computers and programming to inspire a new generation, and frustrated by a lack of proper teaching materials for young students, CompuScholar founders Chris and Andrea Yust set out to make a difference. They worked together to create courses that would teach professional programming languages in a fun way that students could understand and that non-technical teachers and parents could teach. Chris and Andrea have co-written more than eight introductory computer programming textbooks for kids and teens. The entire CompuScholar team continues to work to make Computer Science education approachable and available to all. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from CompuScholar .   Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed online resources for Savvas’s ReadyGEN .  This comprehensive product supports literacy instruction in grades K-6. Content is available in print and online formats and supports instruction in blended learning environments. Instruction is inquiry-based and focuses on developing independent readers and writers with strong reading and listening comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills. Across grade levels, ReadyGEN content is organized in thematic units (e.g., “Finding Courage”), modules, and lessons. Each module is built around an anchor text, a set of “Text Collection” supporting texts, and “Sleuth” close reading selections. Instruction uses theme-related literary and informational texts that present diverse characters and themes that support tolerance and understanding of differences. “Sleuth” is a structured approach to developing close reading skills. Each module includes writing workshops focused on a particular type of writing (e.g., opinion, narrative). Workshops provide direct instruction in the writing process, opportunities for independent writing, and a “Shared Writing” activity in which students share their work with the class. Daily lessons also include “Reader’s and Writer’s Journal” activities in which students practice new vocabulary, close reading, and writing skills. About Savvas* Savvas is the world’s learning company, with expertise in educational courseware and assessment, and a range of teaching and learning services powered by technology. Savvas’s mission is to help people make progress through access to better learning. Bringing digital learning to school children worldwide, Savvas is helping to transform education with full-time online and blended schools, online courses, technology, and host of support services. With a focus on successful student outcomes, these programs deliver high-quality, highly personalized, and flexible learning experiences -- students are able to complete schoolwork when and where they learn best, 24/7. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Savvas . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed CS Matters in Maryland. This comprehensive open educational resource (OER) supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles courses. Content is available online and includes printable teacher resources. Instruction is inquiry based and focuses on the theme of data. Students learn about internet data; processes for managing, analyzing, and interpreting data; and the use of data to solve real world problems. Resources are available at no cost at: www.csmatters.org . CS Matters begins with an optional introductory unit (i.e., Unit 0) that provides a preview of the course’s content, how technology is evolving, and introduces the concept of computer intelligence and the role of algorithms. Core content is organized in six units: (1) Your Virtual World, (2) Developing Programming Tools, (3) Information and the Internet, (4) Data Acquisition, (5) Data Manipulation, and (6) Data Visualization. The course uses the Python programming language; Python 3.4 and PyCharm Community Edition IDE software may be installed at no cost. A student text is not provided. CS Matters student materials are curated from a variety of free online resources (e.g., How to Think Like a Computer Scientist ). Annual summer workshops for supporting the use of CS Matters in AP classrooms are held at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County About CS Matters* CS Matters in Maryland is part of the  CS for All Consortium , a network of nonprofit leaders, government supporters, expert practitioners, companies, and advocates who regularly contribute their guidance, resources and tools to promote the success of the Computer Science (CS) education movement. Additionally, CS Matters is a member of the  Expanding Computing Education Pathways  (ECEP) Alliance, which seeks to increase the number and diversity of students in the pipeline to computing and computing-intensive degrees by supporting state-level computing education reforms. CS Matters is committed to providing equitable access to computer science education for all students in Maryland. *Information in this section is provided  by or adapted from CS Matters .   Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed L & M Instructional Resources’ MathImagine for grades 5-8 and Algebra I. This supplemental online, mathematics tutoring program supports preparation for Texas’ STAAR exams for students in grades 5-8, Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Instruction addresses the grade- or course-specific Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and is presented in interactive tutorials and online practice activities. MathImagine for each grade level and course begins with a pretest that identifies the standards students have not yet mastered. Tutorials are organized by standard and are formatted in sets of interactive, animated slideshows followed by practice activities. Slideshows provide narrative discussions of concepts and/or essential questions for students to answer (e.g., “How is the area of a trapezoid related to a parallelogram?”). Practice activities, or quizzes, are also formatted as slide shows. Quizzes provide corrective feedback, including hints and examples. About MathImagine* MathImagine products focus on Math standards and objectives that are assessed! The interactive lessons and problem-based quizzes prepare students for state assessments and success in their math classes. Texas products are based on the designated grade and course eligible Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from MathImagine .   Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Journeys , which is a comprehensive product that supports language arts and reading instruction in grades K-6. Content is available in print and online formats and facilitates instruction in blended learning environments. Journeys provides systematic and explicit instruction in key literacy skills at each grade level. Instruction focuses on vocabulary development, the close reading of complex texts, and using textual evidence to support conclusions. Across grades, Journeys presents instruction using a consistent structure that incorporates predictable routines (e.g., think-pair-share). At grades K-2, content focuses on the needs of developing readers and emphasizes the development of phonemic awareness and phonics, reading, writing, and speaking skills. At grades 3-6, content builds systematically increasing students’ skills and introducing increasingly complex texts. Reading selections emphasize diverse cultures and perspectives, as well as themes that support inclusion. Each lesson includes two, age-appropriate anchor texts that reflect the unit’s theme. Anchor texts are a balance of literary and informational texts. Instruction focuses on close reading skills and includes teacher-led whole group and small group activities. Each unit includes grammar and writing practice activities and a “Compare Texts” feature that helps students connect what they have read to themselves, other texts, and the real-world. Units at each grade level end with a performance-based project that emphasizes communication skills. About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt* HMH creates engaging, dynamic and effective educational content and experiences from early childhood to K-12 and beyond the classroom, serving more than 50 million students in more than 150 countries. Available through multiple media, our content meets the needs of students, teachers, parents and lifelong learners, no matter where and how they learn. HMH’s renowned and awarded children's books, novels, nonfiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. Our distinguished author list, from Ralph Waldo Emerson to Philip Roth, and brands from Curious George to The Lord of the Rings, includes 10 Nobel Prize winners, 48 Pulitzer Prize winners, 15 National Book Award winners, and more than 100 Caldecott, Newbery, Printz and Sibert Medal and Honor recipients. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt .   Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s (HMH) Collections is a comprehensive product that supports English language arts instruction in grades 6-12. Content is available in print and online formats and facilitates instruction in blended learning environments. Across grades, instruction focuses on developing students’ close reading skills, ability to think critically about texts, and use of textual evidence to support their conclusions. Learning List recently reviewed resources for grades 6-8. Across grade levels, content is organized in six “Collections,” or units, built around literary and informational texts that address a common theme (e.g., “Approaching Adulthood”). Instruction in each Collection centers on anchor texts and related reading selections. eTexts integrate content from Collections’ “Close Reader” consumable print work text. Close Reader selections address the same topics as the anchor texts and provide opportunities for students to apply close reading skills with scaffolding and support. Close Reader content is available in Spanish. Collections contains extensive resources for English language learners (ELLs) and struggling readers, including Level Up” tutorials and “Xplor eMagazine.” Level Up tutorials provide direct instruction in basic skills and Xplor presents short, engaging articles related to content. Teacher resources contain “Language Workshops” lessons for ELLs. Language Workshop provides lesson plans that address the specific needs of ELLs and are parallel in content to each anchor text lesson. Each Workshop lesson supports students in understanding the author’s language, learning new vocabulary, and unpacking the text’s meaning. About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt* HMH creates engaging, dynamic and effective educational content and experiences from early childhood to K-12 and beyond the classroom, serving more than 50 million students in more than 150 countries. Available through multiple media, our content meets the needs of students, teachers, parents and lifelong learners, no matter where and how they learn. HMH’s renowned and awarded children's books, novels, nonfiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. Our distinguished author list, from Ralph Waldo Emerson to Philip Roth, and brands from Curious George to The Lord of the Rings, includes 10 Nobel Prize winners, 48 Pulitzer Prize winners, 15 National Book Award winners, and more than 100 Caldecott, Newbery, Printz and Sibert Medal and Honor recipients. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt .   Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.

Learning List recently reviewed Wiley Publishing’s Hughes-Hallett, Calculus, 7e AP® Edition for Calculus AB and BC.  This updated edition contains new material and is a comprehensive resource that supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC.  Hughes-Hallett, Calculus, 7e AP® Edition contains content for Single Variable and Multivariable calculus. Please see our original blog post about Wiley Publishing’s Hughes-Hallett Calculus. Click  here for further details.   Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.

Savvas’s my Perspectives is a comprehensive product that supports English language arts instruction in grades 6-12. Content is available in print and online formats and facilitates instruction in blended learning environments.  The student-centered program develops close reading skills and students’ ability to communicate effectively in written and spoken formats. Learning List recently reviewed online resources for grades 6-8. At each middle school grade, instruction is organized in five thematic units (e.g., “Facing Adversity”). As the title suggests, myPerspectives explores authors’ points-of-view and helps students develop their own perspectives. Units present a balance of literary and informational texts and a variety of genres from a range of time periods. Readings have diverse authorship and represent protagonists and themes that reflect a variety of experiences, support inclusion, and facilitate understanding. myPerspectives incorporates a structured approach to close reading that asks students to: (1) Notice elements of the text (e.g., who, what, where), (2) Annotate the text, (3) Connect the text to prior knowledge or other texts they have read, and (4) Respond to the text (e.g., complete Comprehension Checks, write a summary). The complexity of texts builds within and across middle school grades. Teacher resources for each reading selection include a “Text Complexity Rubric” that clarifies the text’s complexity using quantitative (e.g., Lexile level) and qualitative (e.g., structure) measures. About Savvas* Savvas is the world’s learning company, with expertise in educational courseware and assessment, and a range of teaching and learning services powered by technology. Savvas’s mission is to help people make progress through access to better learning. Bringing digital learning to school children worldwide, Savvas is helping to transform education with full-time online and blended schools, online courses, technology, and host of support services. With a focus on successful student outcomes, these programs deliver high-quality, highly personalized, and flexible learning experiences -- students are able to complete schoolwork when and where they learn best, 24/7. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Savvas . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed Perfection Learning’s Patterns of World History, Combined Volume, With Sources, 2 nd Edition. This comprehensive product supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) World History courses. Content is available in print and eBook formats and includes additional online resources. Using broad historical patterns as an organizational structure (e.g., path breaking technological innovations), the text presents a narrative of world history that supports contextual understanding of the events and innovations that have shaped the world. Core content is presented in six parts organized in terms of chronological periods: (1) From Human Origins to Early Agricultural Centers: Prehistory-600 BCE, (2) The Age of Empires and Visionaries: 600 BCE-600 CE, (3) The Formation of Religious Civilizations: 600-1450 CE, (4) Interactions Across the Globe: 1450-1750, (5) The Origins of Modernity: 1750-1900, and (6) From Three Modernities to One: 1914 to present. Each part begins with a two-page overview of the period and and its key patterns, a timeline, and a set of “Thinking Like a Historian Questions” to guide students’ reading (e.g., “How was each religious civilization of the period 600-1450 unique? How were these civilizations comparable?”). Chapters end with a “Against the Grain” essays that provide opposing or contradictory narratives related to the period of study (e.g., Thor Heyerdahl’s theory that early Polynesians were descended from Peruvians) with questions to support analysis and discussion. End-of-chapter activities include “Patterns of Evidence,” which presents a set of textual and visual primary sources. A short introduction frames the context for each source, and each source is followed by several “Working With Sources” document-based questions. About Perfection Learning* For over 85 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 new demands of the Common Core 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.   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 detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.