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We just learned that the Urban Curriculum Council asked Pearson, McGraw-Hill and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to submit the instructional materials they submitted for state adoption to Learning List for review, as well. The Urban Curriculum Council is a consortium of the instructional leaders of the 17 largest school districts in Texas. Why did they make this request? On September 20 th , the Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced that there are 277 K-12 science products and 131 K-8 math products going through the state adoption process.  Furthermore, the state panels have found that 280 products address 100% of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). How are districts going to determine which are best for their students? Learning List supplements the state’s adoption process by providing of reviews to help educators determine which products are best suited for their students. For state adopted products, LearningList.com will feature: the state panel’s verification of each product’s alignment to the TEKS, a professional review that concisely explains the features and functionality that makes each product unique, as well as the requirements for implementing the product successfully, and subscriber ratings and reviews where educators can share feedback about the products. For instructional materials that have been submitted for state adoption, Learning List provides an verification of each product’s alignment to the TEKS or the Common Core standards, as well as a professional review and subscriber ratings and reviews. Learning List is currently accepting English language arts, math and science products for review. Subscribers and publishers may submit products for review, .  The reviews on LearningList.com are available through an individual, district- or campus-wide subscription. To learn more about our service, go to LearningList.com.

As a means to support educators in identifying resources that will meet their students’ needs, Learning List provides periodic updates about grants and funding opportunities focused on improving education. Today’s post highlights some opportunities that are currently accepting applications and proposals. Take a Trip Recognizing that some of the best educational experiences take place outside of the classroom, Target is currently accepting applications from educators for Target Field Trip Grants . The program provides grants of up to $700 to support field trips to museums, historical sites and cultural organizations for K-12 students nationwide. Applications for the 2013-14 school year are due by noon CST on September 30, 2013. Be Creative The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation sponsors an annual mini-grants program for public schools and public libraries. The program provides up to $500 in funding for projects that foster creative expression in diverse communities. Grant applications for the 2014-15 school year will be accepted through March 15, 2014. More information is available on the Foundation website. Get Some Action Research The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is offering collaborative grants of up to $3,000 for pre-service teachers, classroom teachers, and university faculty to conduct action research focused on improving the understanding of mathematics instruction in the PK-8 classroom. NCTM is currently accepting proposals for the 2014-15 school year with a deadline of May 2, 2014. More information about the grant program is available at the NCTM website .

Curriculum Associates’ STAAR Ready Math. About Curriculum Associates* Curriculum Associates is a rapidly growing education company committed to making classrooms better places for teachers and students. We believe that all children have the chance to succeed, and our research-based, award-winning products, including i-Ready®, Ready®, BRIGANCE®, and other programs, provide teachers and administrators with flexible resources that deliver meaningful assessments and data-driven, differentiated instruction for children. Because we are independently owned and operated, we are able to provide the best prices so that every district, school, and educator can afford to bring top quality resources to their students. By maintaining our independence, we are able to channel our investments toward the things that really matter—like product development, research, and unmatched customer service. For the past 40 years, we have consistently developed high-quality products that make a profound difference in the lives of students and educators, and we will continue to bring these proven products—as well as new ones—to you in the future. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from Curriculum Associates. Subscribe to Learning List for access to full editorial reviews, alignment reports and spec sheets.

Learning List recently reviewed two Wiley Publishing courses that support the early transcendental approach to calculus instruction: Calculus: Early Transcendentals and Calculus: Early Transcendentals Single Variable. Both are comprehensive resources written by the team of authors led by Howard Anton that support instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC courses. They are available in print and eBook formats; additional online instructional materials are available from Wiley. Additional course resources are available at www.howardanton.com and using the WileyPLUS learning management system (LMS). Calculus: Early Transcendentals presents instruction in 16 chapters, including a “Chapter 0: Before Calculus” that reviews functions students have likely encountered in algebra and other math courses (e.g., absolute value functions, piecewise functions). Calculus: Early Transcendentals Single Variable presents the same content that is included in Calculus: Early Transcendentals chapters 0-10, which addresses single variable calculus. Both courses support instruction in teacher-led and student self-study learning environments and emphasize the application of calculus to real-world problems. Instruction includes biographical information about important figures in the development of calculus (e.g., Leonhard Euler) and frequent example problems with step-by-step solutions. Chapters end with “Making Connections” problems that require students to combine concepts and strategies presented in the chapter to solve problems. A set of icons indicates when students will need to use a graphing calculator or a computer algebra system (e.g., Maple) to solve problems. The course does not include materials, question sets, or practice tests that specifically address preparation for AP exams. About Wiley Publishing* Wiley's Global Research business is a provider of content-enabled solutions to improve outcomes in research, education and professional practice with online tools, journals, books, databases, reference works and laboratory protocols. With strengths in every major academic, scientific and professional field, and strong brands including Wiley Blackwell and Wiley VCH, Wiley proudly partners with over 800 prestigious societies representing two million members. Through Wiley Online Library , we provide online access to a broad range of content: over 4 million articles from 1,500 journals, 9,000+ books, and many reference works and databases. Access to abstracts and searching is free, full content is accessible through licensing agreements, and large portions of the content are provided free or at nominal cost to nations in the developing world through partnerships with organizations such as HINARI, AGORA, and OARE. Wiley's Professional Development business creates products and services that help customers become more effective in the workplace and achieve career success. It brings to life the ideas and best practices of thought leaders in business, finance, accounting, workplace learning, management, leadership, technology, behavioral health, engineering/architecture, and education to serve these communities worldwide. Wiley Global Education serves undergraduate, graduate, and advanced placement students, lifelong learners, and, in Australia, secondary school students. We publish educational materials in all media, notably through WileyPLUS, our integrated online suite of teaching and learning resources. Our programs target the sciences, engineering, computer science, mathematics, business and accounting, statistics, geography, hospitality and the culinary arts, education, psychology, and modern languages. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from Wiley Publishing . Subscribe to Learning List for access to full editorial reviews, alignment reports and spec sheets.

Learning List has reviewed two of Wiley Publishing’s calculus courses written by the team of authors led by Deborah Hughes-Hallet. These resources include: Calculus: Single Variable and Calculus: Single and Multivariable.  Each course supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus . AB and BC courses. Resources are available in print and eBook formats, with additional online content. Materials for each course support teacher-led instruction and student self-study. As its name suggests, Calculus: Single and Multivariable is the more comprehensive course.  It contains 21 chapters, the first 11 of which present instruction in single variable calculus. This is the same content addressed by Calculus: Single Variable . The subsequent 10 chapters present multivariable calculus . Both products emphasize the real-world applications of calculus in contexts such as economics, medicine, and engineering. Frequent example problems model new techniques and strategies and provide step-by-step solutions that are easy to follow. Algebraic sentences are explained in detail and common student misconceptions are identified. Overall, Learning List’s reviewers found that each text did a good job of integrating the big ideas, enduring understandings, and essential knowledge for AP Calculus AB and BC. Reviewers said that concepts were framed clearly and that instruction clarified the connection between each concept and its real-world applications. Online self-study resources available at WileyPLUS include ORION adaptive practice tools, video tutorials, and additional reading and practice activities for each chapter. ORION adaptive software provides a diagnostic assessment that evaluates students’ understanding of chapter content by each objective. Video tutorials, or “Mini Lectures,” present whiteboard instruction with voiceover narration for some example problems. About Wiley Publishing* Wiley's Global Research business is a provider of content-enabled solutions to improve outcomes in research, education and professional practice with online tools, journals, books, databases, reference works and laboratory protocols. With strengths in every major academic, scientific and professional field, and strong brands including Wiley Blackwell and Wiley VCH, Wiley proudly partners with over 800 prestigious societies representing two million members. Through Wiley Online Library , we provide online access to a broad range of content: over 4 million articles from 1,500 journals, 9,000+ books, and many reference works and databases. Access to abstracts and searching is free, full content is accessible through licensing agreements, and large portions of the content are provided free or at nominal cost to nations in the developing world through partnerships with organizations such as HINARI, AGORA, and OARE. Wiley's Professional Development business creates products and services that help customers become more effective in the workplace and achieve career success. It brings to life the ideas and best practices of thought leaders in business, finance, accounting, workplace learning, management, leadership, technology, behavioral health, engineering/architecture, and education to serve these communities worldwide. Wiley Global Education serves undergraduate, graduate, and advanced placement students, lifelong learners, and, in Australia, secondary school students. We publish educational materials in all media, notably through WileyPLUS, our integrated online suite of teaching and learning resources. Our programs target the sciences, engineering, computer science, mathematics, business and accounting, statistics, geography, hospitality and the culinary arts, education, psychology, and modern languages. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from Wiley Publishing . Subscribe to Learning List for access to full editorial reviews, alignment reports and spec sheets.

Learning List has reviewed Wiley Publishing’s Calculus and Calculus: Single Variable comprehensive courses. Both courses are written by the team of authors led by Howard Anton and support instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC courses. Resources are available in print and eBook formats and additional online instructional materials are available from www.howardanton.com and using the WileyPLUS learning management system (LMS). Calculus presents instruction in single and multivariable calculus in 16 chapters that include “Chapter 0: Before Calculus.” Chapter 0 reviews the concept of a function, including functions students have likely encountered in algebra and other math courses (e.g., absolute value functions, piecewise functions). Calculus: Single Variable provides instruction in single-variable calculus in 11 chapters, which is the same content as provided in chapters 0-10 of Calculus. Both courses support student self-study and teacher-led instruction and the application of calculus to solve real-world problems. Chapters open with a photograph and brief introduction that introduces content and establishes its relevance to real-world problems. Instructional narratives are written at an advanced level and include illustrations, graphs, and figures to support understanding. Extensive problem sets are provided for each chapter section. Courses do not include materials, question sets, or practice tests that specifically address preparation for AP exams. Learning List’s reviewers found online resources for both courses to be easy to access and use. Teacher and student eBooks have an interactive table of contents and highlighting and note taking tools. When accessing eBooks in WileyPLUS, users have access to dropdown menus that enable searches by chapter content, by section, or learning objective. Teachers may add content, including a course syllabus, and use messaging tools to communicate with students. About Wiley Publishing* Wiley's Global Research business is a provider of content-enabled solutions to improve outcomes in research, education and professional practice with online tools, journals, books, databases, reference works and laboratory protocols. With strengths in every major academic, scientific and professional field, and strong brands including Wiley Blackwell and Wiley VCH, Wiley proudly partners with over 800 prestigious societies representing two million members. Through Wiley Online Library , we provide online access to a broad range of content: over 4 million articles from 1,500 journals, 9,000+ books, and many reference works and databases. Access to abstracts and searching is free, full content is accessible through licensing agreements, and large portions of the content are provided free or at nominal cost to nations in the developing world through partnerships with organizations such as HINARI, AGORA, and OARE. Wiley's Professional Development business creates products and services that help customers become more effective in the workplace and achieve career success. It brings to life the ideas and best practices of thought leaders in business, finance, accounting, workplace learning, management, leadership, technology, behavioral health, engineering/architecture, and education to serve these communities worldwide. Wiley Global Education serves undergraduate, graduate, and advanced placement students, lifelong learners, and, in Australia, secondary school students. We publish educational materials in all media, notably through WileyPLUS, our integrated online suite of teaching and learning resources. Our programs target the sciences, engineering, computer science, mathematics, business and accounting, statistics, geography, hospitality and the culinary arts, education, psychology, and modern languages. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from Wiley Publishing . Subscribe to Learning List for access to full editorial reviews, alignment reports and spec sheets.

Learning List recently reviewed WileyPLUS’s The Molecular Nature of Matter , which is a comprehensive, advanced high school chemistry course. Resources include online and print materials. Instruction focuses on developing students’ conceptual understanding, problem solving skills, and knowledge of the real-world application of chemistry concepts. Content supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry courses. A first-year chemistry course is recommended as a prerequisite. The Molecular Nature of Matter begins with a short history of chemistry that provides a foundation for understanding the course’s approach to molecules and chemical reactions. Subsequent chapters address the factual and conceptual content that forms the basis for developing theoretical models in chemistry.  Chapters include “Chem FAQ” interactive slide shows that address common student questions (e.g., “What is an atomic mass unit?”). Some chapters include video demonstrations of chemistry concepts and/or links to PhET interactive simulations hosted by the University of Colorado. Course resources facilitate teacher-led instruction and student self-study, and the program includes ORION online adaptive study and practice software, which offers individualized instruction. Students complete a diagnostic assessment that evaluates their understanding of chapter content by objective and prescribes customized “Study” and “Practice” activities tailored to their individual learning needs. The Study feature of the program recommends sections of the e-text for students to read or review. Practice uses adaptive software to customize practice problems for each student. About Wiley* Wiley's Global Research business is a provider of content-enabled solutions to improve outcomes in research, education and professional practice with online tools, journals, books, databases, reference works and laboratory protocols. With strengths in every major academic, scientific and professional field, and strong brands including Wiley Blackwell and Wiley VCH, Wiley proudly partners with over 800 prestigious societies representing two million members. Through Wiley Online Library , we provide online access to a broad range of content: over 4 million articles from 1,500 journals, 9,000+ books, and many reference works and databases. Access to abstracts and searching is free, full content is accessible through licensing agreements, and large portions of the content are provided free or at nominal cost to nations in the developing world through partnerships with organizations such as HINARI, AGORA, and OARE. Wiley's Professional Development business creates products and services that help customers become more effective in the workplace and achieve career success. It brings to life the ideas and best practices of thought leaders in business, finance, accounting, workplace learning, management, leadership, technology, behavioral health, engineering/architecture, and education to serve these communities worldwide. Wiley Global Education serves undergraduate, graduate, and advanced placement students, lifelong learners, and, in Australia, secondary school students. We publish educational materials in all media, notably through WileyPLUS, our integrated online suite of teaching and learning resources. Our programs target the sciences, engineering, computer science, mathematics, business and accounting, statistics, geography, hospitality and the culinary arts, education, psychology, and modern languages. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from Wiley Publishing . Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

Learning List recently reviewed WileyPLUS’s comprehensive, advanced high school physics course that includes online and print materials. Instruction focuses on developing students’ conceptual understanding, problem solving skills, and knowledge of the real-world application of physics concepts. Content supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Physics courses. A first-year physics course and Algebra 2 are recommended as prerequisites. The Physics course begins with a review of key math concepts and skills (e.g., symbolic manipulation, the quadratic formula), and then addresses physics concepts (e.g., force, momentum, energy, optics) with a focus on problem solving and the examination of real-world phenomena through the lens of physics. The course has frequent example problems with complete solutions. Textboxes highlight and review the math skills needed to solve problems.  Example problems are followed by two or more similar practice exercises for students to solve independently. Some practice problems include “Chalkboard Video” tutorials that provide step-by-step guidance in solving problems and discuss common misconceptions and mistakes.  Other problems are accompanied by “Video Help” or “Guided Online” (GO) tutorials to facilitate solutions. Assessment resources include a downloadable test bank of multiple choice questions and answer key for each chapter. Test bank items are editable and indexed by chapter section and level of difficulty.  About Wiley* Wiley's Global Research business is a provider of content-enabled solutions to improve outcomes in research, education and professional practice with online tools, journals, books, databases, reference works and laboratory protocols. With strengths in every major academic, scientific and professional field, and strong brands including Wiley Blackwell and Wiley VCH, Wiley proudly partners with over 800 prestigious societies representing two million members. Through Wiley Online Library , we provide online access to a broad range of content: over 4 million articles from 1,500 journals, 9,000+ books, and many reference works and databases. Access to abstracts and searching is free, full content is accessible through licensing agreements, and large portions of the content are provided free or at nominal cost to nations in the developing world through partnerships with organizations such as HINARI, AGORA, and OARE. Wiley's Professional Development business creates products and services that help customers become more effective in the workplace and achieve career success. It brings to life the ideas and best practices of thought leaders in business, finance, accounting, workplace learning, management, leadership, technology, behavioral health, engineering/architecture, and education to serve these communities worldwide. Wiley Global Education serves undergraduate, graduate, and advanced placement students, lifelong learners, and, in Australia, secondary school students. We publish educational materials in all media, notably through WileyPLUS, our integrated online suite of teaching and learning resources. Our programs target the sciences, engineering, computer science, mathematics, business and accounting, statistics, geography, hospitality and the culinary arts, education, psychology, and modern languages. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from Wiley Publishing . Subscribe to Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material.

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.

Learning A-Z’s Science A-Z is a supplemental program that supports science instruction in grades K-6. Resources are available online. Student materials must be downloaded and printed or displayed using classroom projection devices. Instruction blends science content with literacy skills through the use of leveled non-fiction readers and hands-on science activities. content is structured in units that address four science domains (i.e., Life, Earth, Physical, and Process Science) for specific grade spans (i.e., K-2, 3-4, and 5-6). Online content is organized simply using tabs for each science domain. Within each tab, resources are organized by grade band in terms of core and supplemental instruction and students’ reading level. Online resources are searchable by keyword, standard (e.g., TEKS) and material type (e.g., video). Each unit contains resources for core instruction and supplemental activities. Core instruction focuses on a non-fiction text about a science topic and includes vocabulary cards and sets of hands-on activities. Non-fiction texts are available in Spanish and at multiple reading levels to support students reading below, at, and above grade level. Supplemental materials include short reading assignments and videos addressing science topics. 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 full editorial reviews and alignment reports.

For those who had other plans on Saturday evening and thus, did not watch the Patrick-Ratliff debate over CSCOPE, here’s a run-down. The debate, moderated by Scott Braddock, Quorum Report, continued for two hours, and despite trading a few jabs, both men focused their comments on answering questions from two panelists: Dr. Mary Ann Whiteker, Superintendent of Hudson ISD and JoAnn Fleming, from Grassroots America - We The People. The questions focused on such topics as: (1) research base for Patrick’s claim during the legislative session that students in schools that used CSCOPE underperformed their peers in schools that did not use CSCOPE lessons; (2) why the Legislature only investigated CSCOPE lesson plans, and not the other lesson plans used by Texas districts, and (3) issues of CSCOPE’s management and transparency. In their closing statements, both men agreed that the crux of “this debate is a difference of opinion about what local control looks like.” Patrick believes that “local control” is about parents’ right to decide their children’s education, and the Legislature’s number one job is to stand up for the parents and students. He believes that parents do not want CSCOPE lessons to be taught in Texas schools without further vetting by the State Board of Education: “Let’s look at the lessons and see if there’s value there. If there’s not value there, no one should want them.” Ratliff, on the other hand, defines local control as governance by the locally elected school board. He believes that the legislature should not micromanage what’s going on in Texas classrooms. He argued that school boards, not the legislature, are in the best position to decide whether their district should use CSCOPE. Saturday’s debate will not be the end of the controversy over CSCOPE or over the definition of local control.

Our goal is to save educators time and money! We hire experienced, certified teachers with expertise in standards alignment.  We train our reviewers to verify a publisher’s correlation and to assess the products’ key features and functionality.  Our editorial reviews draw from our reviewer's feedback and interviews with the publisher and their customers who have personally used the product with students.   The purpose of these reviews is to identify the attributes that make each product unique and distill the information necessary to implement the product effectively so that students get the full instructional value from the product. The reviews on LearningList.com will be accessible to educators nationally via an individual or organization-wide low, annual subscription, starting in August 2013. Additional products in additional subjects will be added on an ongoing basis.