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Learning List recently reviewed Apex Learning’s comprehensive online courses for Texas English I-IV. Each course provides a full year’s content organized in two semesters. Resources support instruction in self-paced, remediation, and credit recovery programs. English I and II focus on developing reading, writing, and critical thinking skills through the study of a variety of literary and informational texts. The first semester of English I covers the short story, fiction, poetry, and the novella, and the second semester addresses drama, rhetoric, and science fiction. English II covers prose, elements of fiction (i.e., setting), literary criticism, the research paper, practical documents (e.g., formal letters), persuasive writing, speech, and argumentation. English III addresses American literature and is organized chronologically, spanning the American Revolution to contemporary writing and the media. Similarly, English IV presents chronological coverage of British and world literature from Homer’s Odyssey through contemporary writing (e.g., Beckett) and the media. Across courses, students learn to write for different purposes, including explanatory, argumentative, analysis, and research-based essays. Each course provides tools to help struggling readers, such as embedded prompts ask students to respond to what they have read. Prompts provide example responses and a field for students to write their comments. The first semester covers the American Revolution through the rise of Modernism after World War I. The second semester covers the Great Depression to contemporary writing and the media.  Across both semesters, students learn to write for different purposes, including explanatory, argumentative, analysis, and research-based essays. About Apex Learning* Founded in 1997, Apex Learning is the leading provider of blended and virtual learning solutions to the nation's schools. The company's standards-based digital curriculum — in math, science, English, social studies, world languages, and Advanced Placement® — is widely used for original credit, credit recovery, remediation, intervention, acceleration, and exam preparation. Schools across the country are successfully using Apex Learning digital curriculum to meet the needs of students, from building foundational skills to creating opportunities for advanced coursework. *The content provided here was provided by or adapted from Apex Learning. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

Learning List has reviewed Apex Learning’s Texas Biology— a comprehensive online course for Texas high school students. Resources support instruction in self-paced, remediation, and credit recovery programs. Instruction focuses on building students’ understanding of biology concepts and developing scientific process and communication skills. Texas Biology presents content in two semesters made up of seven units each. First semester instruction provides a unit that introduces students to biology, including science process skills. Other units cover chemistry, cells, the transfer of energy and matter, and earth’s resources. The second semester covers DNA and heredity, DNA to protein, ecosystems and natural selection, evolution and classification, and human biology.  The sixth unit for each semester is a review and preparation for the semester exam and the seventh unit is an introduction to the STAAR end-of-course (EOC) exam and a diagnostic practice test. Each unit contains a “Doing Science” lesson that develops students’ scientific processes skills through a hands-on Lab investigation in which students collect and analyze data and draw conclusions. Instruction addresses careers in STEM fields and writing activities are integrated throughout the course. Assessment resources for each semester include a diagnostic practice test for the STAAR EOC exam. About Apex Learning* Founded in 1997, Apex Learning is the leading provider of blended and virtual learning solutions to the nation's schools. The company's standards-based digital curriculum — in math, science, English, social studies, world languages, and Advanced Placement® — is widely used for original credit, credit recovery, remediation, intervention, acceleration, and exam preparation. Schools across the country are successfully using Apex Learning digital curriculum to meet the needs of students, from building foundational skills to creating opportunities for advanced coursework. *The content provided here was provided by or adapted from Apex Learning. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

Learning List has reviewed Apex Learning’s online Texas Algebra I and Texas Algebra II courses. Both courses develop students’ conceptual understanding, computational skills, and proficiency in solving problems. Resources support instruction in self-paced, remediation, and credit recovery programs. Texas Algebra I s organized in two semesters. The first semester addresses linear equations, systems of linear equations, functions, exponents, and exponential functions. The second semester addresses polynomials, including factoring; quadratic equations and functions; the transformation of functions; and bivariate data.  Across semesters, students learn to reason mathematically and to use mathematical models and tools to solve real-world problems. Texas Algebra II’s first semester addresses systems of linear equations; functions, relations, and their graphs; transforming functions; and polynomial functions. The second semester addresses rational expressions and functions; exponents, logarithms, and their graphs; and bivariate data. Across both courses, students learn to reason mathematically and to use mathematical models and tools to solve real-world problems. In each course, units begins with a short video introduction that frames the real-world applications of what students will learn. Instruction is provided through a set of activities titled “Study,” “Check Up,” “Practice,” “Journal” and “Quiz.” Content includes embedded audio and video files that that engage students and support the instruction in the Mathematical Process Standards.  Journal activities allow students to express their reasoning and critique the reasoning of others, and resources to support struggling readers are provided (e.g., strategies to improve reading comprehension). About Apex Learning* Founded in 1997, Apex Learning is the leading provider of blended and virtual learning solutions to the nation's schools. The company's standards-based digital curriculum — in math, science, English, social studies, world languages, and Advanced Placement® — is widely used for original credit, credit recovery, remediation, intervention, acceleration, and exam preparation. Schools across the country are successfully using Apex Learning digital curriculum to meet the needs of students, from building foundational skills to creating opportunities for advanced coursework. *The content provided here was provided by or adapted from Apex Learning. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

Learning List has reviewed Apex Learning’s comprehensive resources to support instruction in Texas U.S. History courses. Content focuses on building students’ reading, writing, and historical thinking skills and supports instruction in self-paced, remediation, and credit recovery programs. Texas U.S. History presents content chronologically. Instruction is divided in two semesters made up of five units. The first semester covers the historical periods from Civil War Reconstruction (i.e., 1877) to the “World War 1 and Its Aftermath” and begins with a unit that introduces students to concepts in history (e.g., evaluating sources) and historical thinking skills used throughout instruction. The second semester covers the Great Depression through contemporary events.  The final unit for each semester is a review and preparation for the semester exam. Writing activities are integrated throughout instruction and content includes Interactive timelines, maps, and activities. New vocabulary is highlighted and linked to the glossary. When students scroll over new or unfamiliar historical terms (e.g., nativism, Scopes trial), a pop up window with a description or explanation of the term appears. Online pages have worksheets with questions that help students take notes and prepare for quizzes and exams. About Apex Learning* Founded in 1997, Apex Learning is the leading provider of blended and virtual learning solutions to the nation's schools. The company's standards-based digital curriculum — in math, science, English, social studies, world languages, and Advanced Placement® — is widely used for original credit, credit recovery, remediation, intervention, acceleration, and exam preparation. Schools across the country are successfully using Apex Learning digital curriculum to meet the needs of students, from building foundational skills to creating opportunities for advanced coursework. *The content provided here was provided by or adapted from Apex Learning. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

McGraw Hill’s Wonders Leveled Readers are a supplemental resource to support reading and language arts instruction at grades K-6. Readers are available in print and eBook formats.  Readers meet the needs of students below, at, and above grade level, as well as English language learners (ELLs). Learning List recently reviewed materials for grade 3. Wonders Leveled Readers provide a balance of informational and literary texts.  Each text begins with an essential question (e.g., “How can others inspire us?” “What are different kinds of energy?”) and is broken into several short chapters. Texts at each level differ in complexity but address the same concepts, vocabulary, reading strategies and skills (e.g., making predictions, theme), and essential questions. eBooks have audio readers and note taking tools. Each reader ends with a set of activities that includes a comparison of the primary text to a second, shorter text (i.e., “Paired Read”). Literary texts support comprehension using colorful illustrations and “Stop and Check” questions. Informational texts incorporate visual elements such as photographs, timelines, graphs, and diagrams. New vocabulary is highlighted and resources include a glossary and an index.  Across both types of texts, illustrations and visual elements in ELL readers support vocabulary development using labels of depicted items (e.g., pencil, prairie). About McGraw Hill* At McGraw-Hill Education, we believe that our contribution to unlocking a brighter future lies within the application of our deep understanding of how learning happens and how the mind develops. It exists where the science of learning meets the art of teaching. Educators have been and always will be at the core of the learning experience. The solutions we develop help educators impart their knowledge to students more efficiently. We believe that harnessing technology can enhance learning inside and outside of the classroom and deepen the connections between students and teachers to empower greater success. By partnering with educators around the globe, our learning engineers, content developers and pedagogical experts are developing increasingly open learning ecosystems that are proven to improve pass rates, elevate grades and increase engagement for each individual learner while improving outcomes for all. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from McGraw Hill. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

CPM Educational Program’s Core Connections Courses 1-3 are a series of comprehensive resources that support mathematics instruction in grades 6-8 and Core Connections Integrated I-III is a set of comprehensive materials that support instruction for each of the Integrated Pathways high school courses identified in Appendix A of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Learning List recently reviewed resources for each set of courses. Core Connections Courses 1-3 provide a three-year sequence of math instruction to prepare middle school students for college-preparatory algebra courses. Core Connections Integrated I-III provide a rigorous three-year sequence of math instruction to prepare high school students for advanced college-preparatory mathematics courses (e.g., calculus). Instruction in both sets of courses focuses on developing students’ understanding of mathematical concepts through problem-based learning activities. Students work collaboratively to identify solutions strategies, the connections between concepts, and to develop critical thinking skills. Core Connections courses emphasize the use of “Study Teams that work together to answer questions, justify reasoning, and identify multiple solution strategies. Through ongoing discussion, teams support one another and ensure all members understand problems and solutions. Teachers encourage students’ teamwork, facilitate discussions, and provide support when teams encounter questions they are unable to answer. Core Connections courses address the CCSS and are available in print and eBook formats. About CPM* CPM began as a grant-funded mathematics project in 1989 to write textbooks to help students understand mathematics and support teachers who use these materials. CPM Educational Program is now a nonprofit educational consortium of middle and high school teachers and university professors that offers a complete mathematics program for grades 6 through 12 (Calculus) designed to engage all students in learning mathematics through problem solving, reasoning, and communication. CPM’s Mission: CPM’s mission is to empower mathematics students and teachers through exemplary curriculum, professional development, and leadership. We recognize and foster teacher expertise and leadership in mathematics education. We engage all students in learning mathematics through problem solving, reasoning, and communication. CPM’s Vision: CPM envisions a world where mathematics is viewed as intriguing and useful, and is appreciated by all; where powerful mathematical thinking is an essential, universal, and desirable trait; and where people are empowered by mathematical problem-solving and reasoning to solve the world’s problems. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from CPM. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

DreamBox supplemental online resources support mathematics instruction for students in grades K-8.  The adaptive program provides individualized instruction using learning games that incorporate engaging animated characters. Resources support instruction in blended learning environments. Learning List recently reviewed materials for grade K. At grade K, DreamBox focuses on number sense and the skills needed for addition and subtraction. Instruction is presented in the form of interactive games, such as a matching game in which students match numbers that sum to 10 (e.g., 4 and 6). The adaptive program analyzes students’ answers and scaffolds instruction, providing corrective feedback, hints, and new questions based on individual student’s responses. Lessons use virtual manipulatives such as a “TenFrame” (i.e., “an array of squares used to teach counting, number relationships and computation”) and a “MathRack” (i.e., an interactive abacus). Reporting tools allow administrators and teachers to track student growth at the individual student, class, and grade level. Reports let users monitor students’ progress on assignments, mastery of standards, and time spent using resources, including time at home.  About DreamBox* At DreamBox, we believe all children can excel at learning, no matter where they start, where they live, or who they are. Along with district administrators, teachers, principals, and parents, we are dedicated to helping children realize their potential. Yet every child must be challenged, encouraged, and engaged in an individual way. That’s why we developed our revolutionary Intelligent Adaptive Learning™ technology, and combined it with a rigorous curriculum and an engaging game-like environment, to change the learning paradigm. Our innovative technology captures every interaction a student makes while working within and between lessons. As it dynamically adapts and individualizes instruction in real time, it provides millions of learning paths tailored to each student’s unique needs. It is a ground-breaking, student-driven learning environment that leverages gaming fundamentals to inspire and empower students to build 21st century thinking and problem solving skills, master key concepts, increase achievement, and boost long-lasting confidence in learning. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from DreamBox. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

Learning List recently reviewed Amazon’s TenMarks Math Teach and TenMarks Math —a set of comprehensive online resources to support mathematics instruction in grades K-12. Both resources address the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). TenMarks Math Teach includes “grab-and-go” interactive whiteboard (IWB) lessons, short video lessons on specific concepts, and interactive tutorials. TenMarks Math complements teacher-led instruction by providing independent practice assignments with embedded supports, including audio readers, hints, and video tutorials. TenMarks Math Teach resources include “Lessons,” “Videos” and “Amplifiers.” Lessons are teacher-led IWB lessons made up of interactive slides and accompanying teaching notes. Videos are supplementary resources that provide direct instruction in concepts (e.g., Understanding Division of Integers). Amplifiers are interactive tutorials in a slideshow format. TenMarks Math independent practice resources are made up of individual “Assignments” and “Jam Session” practice activities. Instruction is customizable and supports personalized learning, data-driven instruction, and intervention for struggling students. Assignments include supports to help students work independently. Supports include audio readers, hints, and video tutorials in concepts. Jam Sessions allow students to practice skills and build fluency, improving speed and accuracy with concepts. Jam Session problems focus on a specific standard and include audio readers. Teachers have access to video tutorials, live and archived webinars, articles, and FAQ documents to support the use of TenMarks tools and resources.  TenMarks Math Teach also provides a downloadable “Field Guide” to help teachers use resources.  About TenMarks* Our team of educators and technologists is committed to building solutions that improve learning outcomes. Our goal is to provide every stakeholder in the K–12 learning lifecycle with quality curricula, instructional resources, and technology that continually raise the bar of educational excellence. We leverage innovation across various business areas including next generation devices, advanced personalization and recommendations, and gaming and entertainment. This enables us to deliver unparalleled value to our customers–educators, schools, districts, and parents–as we all work toward creating a better generation of lifelong learners. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from TenMarks. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

American Reading Company’s (ARC) Research Labs is a project-based reading, writing, and research program for students in grades K-12. Resources are available in print format and address the instructional shifts of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (e.g., “Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction”). Instruction is organized in a workshop structure that provides opportunities for whole class, small group, and one-on-one instruction. Learning List recently reviewed resources for grades 1-5. Research Labs presents instruction in four 9-week modules that address narrative, argumentative, and informational writing and genre study (e.g., short story, novel). Each writing module frames a “Unit of Study” in social studies or science (e.g., Jobs in My Community, Plants) that integrates reading, writing, and research skills. Through a close reading of a complex “Central Text” for the unit, the class begins to explore and engage with the topic. Using leveled texts provided in the “Unit Research Library,” students independently investigate and decide on a research topic and a set of research questions. Each module contains “Writing Cards” that guide students in the writing process (e.g., drafting, revising, editing) as well as graphic organizers and rubrics that help students organize their thinking. Lessons include opportunities for formative assessment through one-on-one conferences between students and teachers. Each module ends with a final project that students publish and present to the class. Rubrics are provided to help teachers evaluate students’ writing and to support students in assessing their own work. About American Reading Company* The history of American Reading Company (ARC) began with one powerful idea. CEO and founder Jane Hileman, then working as a reading specialist, challenged a group of second graders reading on a kindergarten level to read 100 books. By giving them the choice to read books leveled to their abilities—books in which they were interested—her 100 Book Challenge enabled students to experience reading success and encouraged them to read more. Ms. Hileman and her colleagues used daily conferencing and assessment sessions to coach each student and to ensure that the shared curriculum met their needs. They were offered inexpensive prizes as incentives for reading a certain number of books. Parents were supported in establishing the home routines essential to sustained reading and long-term academic success. As a result, even the most reluctant of students got hooked on reading through Ms. Hileman’s 100 Book Challenge, and soon, all the second graders had dramatically improved their reading scores. Word of the 100 Book Challenge spread, and Ms. Hileman was invited to bring the program into Philadelphia city schools, where her ideas for reading improvement were put to use in several of the district’s poorest and poorest-performing schools. When two of the schools were recognized for doubling the percentage of students reading on or above grade level, 100 Book Challenge was cited as one of the reasons behind the schools’ successes. With the support of the William Penn Foundation, 100 Book Challenge spread to more than 70 Philadelphia schools. In 1998, the Abell Foundation of Baltimore asked Ms. Hileman to provide her program at ten Baltimore city schools. To fulfill that order, Ms. Hileman decided to establish 100 Book Challenge as a business. Over time, the company’s core program, 100 Book Challenge, was expanded to include Research Labs (thematic, integrated, project-based learning units in science and social studies) and Action 100 (a response to intervention accountability framework for whole-school transformation). To reflect its national customer-base and its growing list of products and programs, the company changed its name from 100 Book Challenge to American Reading Company in 2004. American Reading Company’s rapid growth and success in the classroom has not gone unnoticed. As one of the fastest growing companies in the United States, ARC has attracted minority investments from Random House and Ironwood Investments. It was recently recognized as one of the Top 500 Diversity Owned Businesses in the U.S. and is the recipient of the 2006 Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award.  *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from American Reading Company . Subscribe to Learning List for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material and thousands of other curriculum reviews.

Learning A-Z’s Headsprout is a supplemental online program to support reading instruction in grades K-5. Learning List recently reviewed the program’s early reading component for grades K-2. Alignment reports are available for grade K only. Instruction is presented in sets of sequential “Episodes” that teach foundational skills using engaging, animated characters in interactive videos. Printable “Sprout Stories” and flashcards provide opportunities for students to practice new skills. The early reading component of Headsprout provides 80 Episodes that address foundational skills, such as phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as well as punctuation and capitalization. The first 40 Episodes are also appropriate for pre-K classrooms. Episodes are 20-minute interactive videos that provide direct instruction and guided practice in a game format. Episodes are organized in sets that address sequential reading skills (e.g., letters represent sounds, sounds combine to make words, words combine to make sentences, sentences combine to make stories). Sets are built around a unifying theme (e.g., Sea World, Space World) and include thematic, animated characters (e.g., Pip the Fish) and age-appropriate humor. Headsprout includes a set of 90 decodable readers, or “Sprout Stories” that may be read online, printed, and displayed using classroom projection devices (e.g., interactive whiteboard, LCD projector). Beginning at Episode 5, each Episode has a corresponding Sprout Story that allows students to practice new skills. Sprout Stories present short blocks of text and incorporate Episode characters and colorful illustrations.  About Learning A-Z* Learning A-Z started as an idea. Bob Holl and Francis Morgan, two entrepreneurs with years of experience in the education industry, believed that every child deserved developmentally appropriate books and activities — at school and at home. With the support of a handful of staff, many of whom still hold key positions today, the pair started LearningPage, a free website that provides teachers with printable activities, and Reading A-Z, a subscription-based website that offers teachers effective, differentiated reading resources and instructional tools. Today, Learning A-Z provides a number of dynamic websites that deliver hundreds of thousands of resources to students and teachers across the world. As a leading PreK-6 online curriculum provider, Learning A-Z is now used in over half the school districts in the U.S. and Canada, and in more than 165 countries worldwide. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from Learning A-Z. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

EdReports recently released their reviews of four publishers’ instructional materials aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for mathematics: Math Learning Center’s Bridges in Mathematics (K-5), McGraw Hill’s Everyday Math (K-6), Kendall Hunt’s Math Innovations (6-8), and Origo’s Stepping Stones (K-5). Reviewing the materials for alignment to the instructional shifts of the CCSS, EdReports found only one material, Bridges in Mathematics , to be fully aligned and sufficiently easy to use. At Learning List , we were surprised by these findings. In contrast to EdReports, we found Bridges in Mathematics , Everyday Math , and Stepping Stones to be aligned to 100 percent of the CCSS at each grade level the material addressed. For each material, we provide three distinct reviews, including: (1) an overview of the material’s key academic attributes and technology requirements; (2) a detailed verification of the material’s alignment to each CCSS; and (3) an in-depth review of the material’s instructional content and design. For the alignment review, multiple experienced and certified teachers review the citations (i.e., pages, video, lessons) listed in publisher's correlation to verify that they address the content , context, and cognitive demand of each standard. For CCSS math products, we also review the material's alignment to each of the eight Mathematical Practice Standards (MPS), the CCSS-identified habits of mind that students should develop as a result of mathematics instruction (e.g., reason quantitatively). Our reviewers found that Bridges in Mathematics , Everyday Math , and Stepping Stones address 100% of the CCSS at each grade level. This does not mean that every citation we reviewed was aligned to the relevant standard; rather, it means that our reviewers found that every standard was fully addressed in at least one location in the text. We also found that the MPS are fully integrated in Bridges in Mathematics and Everyday Math. Origo did not submit an MPS correlation for Learning List to verify. Beyond alignment, our editorial reviews provide an in-depth analysis of each material’s instructional content and design, including multiple indicators of rigor, focus, coherence and ease of use.  For example, our editorial reviews for each of these three materials found that: distracting or extraneous content is limited, instruction is grade appropriate and the material develops critical or higher order thinking skills. While Bridges for Mathematics and Stepping Stones contain inquiry-based activities; Everyday Math did not.  All three materials provide assessments at appropriate instructional points but contain different types of navigation tools and different instructional resources for teachers and students, as elaborated upon in each review. Reviewing materials is an inherently subjective analysis. Both EdReports and Learning List provide rigorous reviews of each material for educators to use as a baseline for their internal review and selection process. In contrast to EdReports, we found that Bridges , Everyday Math, and Stepping Stones deeply addresses the CCSS.  Our editorial reviews further highlight each material’s attributes of rigor, coherence, focus and ease. Whether each of the materials is rigorous, focused or coherent enough for their students is a decision we leave for schools and districts to make for themselves. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for these materials.

Learning List has reviewed McGraw Hill’s Reading Mastery, Signature Edition , which is a comprehensive resource to support reading and language arts instruction in grades K-5. The program emphasizes structured direct instruction, rapid intervention, and ongoing support for struggling learners. Resources are available in print and online formats and addresses the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for each grade level. Reading Mastery provides carefully sequenced direct instruction in the concepts, skills, and strategies students need to become proficient readers. Content is presented at a controlled pace that ensures students have the requisite skills and knowledge to master increasingly complex reading and language arts content. The reading and language arts strands of the program are presented separately. Reading lessons integrate phonemic and phonological awareness, vocabulary skills, reading comprehension strategies, and fluency. Language arts lessons focus on developing oral language and writing skills. Lessons for both strands provide opportunities for guided and independent practice with scaffolded support, and for students to apply what they have learned. Content follows a logical progression and builds on students’ prior learning when introducing new skills. Instruction focuses on preventing the misunderstandings and frustration that may discourage struggling readers. Resources for each Response to Intervention (RtI) tier are provided and Reading Mastery: Fast Cycle is available for high performing students. About McGraw Hill* At McGraw-Hill Education, we believe that our contribution to unlocking a brighter future lies within the application of our deep understanding of how learning happens and how the mind develops. It exists where the science of learning meets the art of teaching. Educators have been and always will be at the core of the learning experience. The solutions we develop help educators impart their knowledge to students more efficiently. We believe that harnessing technology can enhance learning inside and outside of the classroom and deepen the connections between students and teachers to empower greater success. By partnering with educators around the globe, our learning engineers, content developers and pedagogical experts are developing increasingly open learning ecosystems that are proven to improve pass rates, elevate grades and increase engagement for each individual learner while improving outcomes for all. *The content provided here was provided by or adapted from McGraw Hill. Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.