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McGraw-Hill’s SRA Imagine It! is a comprehensive reading and English language arts program for students in PreK-6. Resources are available in print and online formats and address to the Common Core State Standards (PK-6) and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (K-5). Learning List recently reviewed SRA Imagine It! CCSS-aligned materials for grades K-6 and TEKS-aligned materials for grades K-5. SRA Imagine It! provides explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. At each grade, instruction is presented in units organized around themes (e.g., Risks and Consequences). Reading selections include features that familiarize students with the author and illustrator. A “Theme Connections” page asks students to consider how the unit’s theme is evident in the current reading and to make connections to other readings and their own lives. Lessons include “Write About It!” writing prompts and “Inquiry” research activities that link content to social studies and science. Teachers have access to extensive online instructional support, including on demand professional development videos provide grade specific support for teaching reading and writing skills. Teachers in Common Core states have access to a “Common Core Literacy eHandbook” that supports the transition to the Common Core State Standards. About McGraw-Hill Education* McGraw-Hill Education  (MHE) believes that their contribution to unlocking a brighter future lies within the application of their 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 they develop help educators impart their knowledge to students more efficiently.  MHE believes 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, their 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. Why? Because learning changes everything. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from McGraw-Hill Education. © 2015 Learning List

McGraw-Hill Education’s Everyday Mathematics 4 About McGraw-Hill Education* 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 Education. Subscribe to Learning List for access to full editorial reviews, alignment reports and spec sheets.

McGraw-Hill’s SRA FLEX Literacy About McGraw-Hill Education* McGraw-Hill Education  (MHE) believes that their contribution to unlocking a brighter future lies within the application of their 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 they develop help educators impart their knowledge to students more efficiently.  MHE believes 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, their 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. Why? Because learning changes everything. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from McGraw-Hill Education.

McGraw-Hill Education’s Texas Social Studies Series is a set of comprehensive social studies courses for middle school and high school students.  The series includes courses for each middle school grade, core high school instruction (i.e., world geography, world history, and U.S. history), and high school electives (e.g., sociology, psychology, economics).  This blog post addresses core middle school and high school courses only.  Learning List  has reviewed this series relative to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills ( TEKS ). These courses include print and digital resources and support instruction in blended learning environments. Content is structured using Understanding by Design® (UBD) model, which frames instruction in terms of “Enduring Understandings” and “Essential Questions.”  Each course includes features to help students step into the place and/or time of study using period timelines, an interactive maps, illustrations and photographs, and quotes from primary sources. Lessons include videos, interactive games (e.g., The Voting Rights Matching Game), slide shows, and visual elements, such as photographs, charts, and graphs.  Students have access online libraries of “Skills Builder” and “Test Prep” resources. Skills Builder resources address geography, research, writing, and presentation skills and include links to college and career readiness development materials. The Test Prep library provides rubrics and resources to improve test-taking skills. Teacher resources include planning guides, comprehensive lesson plans, and support for implementing the UBD model, including clear statements of learning objectives, expected student outcomes, and connections to the TEKS. Teacher editions provide interactive whiteboard lessons, guidance for differentiating instruction and assessing student learning, and suggestions for videos, slide shows, and related readings to support content. Teachers have access to McGraw-Hill’s “Networks Resource Library,” which includes professional development videos, correlations to the TEKS and ELPS, and links to external resources. The Library also includes tools to support student learning, including Foldables® graphic organizers, a handbook for geography skills, additional primary source documents, and resources to develop 21st Century Skills (e.g., financial literacy). About McGraw-Hill Education: McGraw-Hill Education partners around the world with students, educators, administrators and other professionals to deliver engaging, adaptive and personalized solutions that improve performance and results.  They combine proven, research-based content with the best emerging digital technologies to guide assessment, teaching and learning.  McGraw-Hill Education employs more than 6,000 people in 44 countries and publishes in more than 60 languages.

McGraw-Hill Education’s Sociology and You is a comprehensive sociology course for high school students that includes print and online resources. The course introduces students to the study of social structures and includes engaging multimedia features, such as videos and interactive learning tools, which support instruction in blended learning environments. Learning List has recently completed a review of Sociology and You. Sociology and You addresses how social structures shape human societies and behavior. Content is organized using Understanding by Design® (UBD) model, which frames instruction in terms of “Enduring Understandings” and “Essential Questions.” Chapters open with essential questions to guide students’ thinking and include a “Technology and Society” feature that examines how technology influences social experiences. Chapters include primary source documents for analysis and hands-on projects. Lessons begin with lesson-specific essential questions, a brief overview of content, and an explanation of why it matters to students. Students have access to a glossary in Spanish and English and online libraries of “Skills Builder” and “Test Prep” resources. Skills Builder resources address geography, research, writing, and presentation skills and include links to college and career readiness development materials. The Test Prep library provides rubrics and resources to improve test-taking skills. Click here for an outline of the course or here for a program overview.   About McGraw Hill Education at a Glance* Sociology & You  is written exclusively for high school to introduce students to the discipline of sociology and the sociological study of society. McGraw-Hill Education believes that their contribution to unlocking a brighter future lies within the application of a 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 McGraw Hill develops help educators impart their knowledge to students more efficiently. McGraw Hill believes 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, McGraw Hill learning engineers, content developers and pedagogical experts are developing increasingly open learning ecosystems that improve pass rates, elevate grades and increase engagement for each individual learner while improving outcomes for all. Why? Because learning changes everything. * The content in this section is provided by or adapted from  McGraw Hill Education . © 2015 Learning List

McGraw-Hill Education’s Texas High School Math Series is a set of comprehensive courses for Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-calculus that includes print and digital resources.  Courses reference the TEKS throughout the instruction and focus on preparing students for end-of-course exams. Math Process Standards are integrated throughout the instructions and each course includes specific Response to Intervention (RtI) resources. Courses begin with a “Chapter 0” review of the knowledge and skills needed to be prepared for instruction. Subsequent chapters include a “Get Ready” feature that provides a quick check of prerequisite skills and knowledge, an overview of new vocabulary in English and Spanish, and instructions on how to use graphic organizers to support retention of content. Chapters include a mid-point quiz and end with a test preparation feature that includes a study guide, lesson-by-lesson review problems, sets of test-taking strategies, and a TEKS-formatted practice test. “Student Handbooks” provide extra practice problems, selected answers and solutions, a glossary, and reference materials, including formulas, measures, and mathematical symbols and properties. Online course resources include tutorials in key content, BrainPOP® animations of concepts, graphing software, and virtual manipulatives. Teacher editions include comprehensive correlations to the TEKS and ELPS and a “TEKS Skills Trace” feature that allows teachers to track students’ mastery of specific TEKS and preparation for end-of-course exams. Teacher editions provide background information in key content, RtI strategies, and guidance in teaching the math process standards. More information is available at the McGraw-Hill Education Texas site .

McGraw-Hill Education’s Texas Social Studies Series includes comprehensive courses for high school social studies electives, including Economics, Psychology, Sociology, and U.S. Government.  Learning List  has reviewed this series relative to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills ( TEKS ). The Economics course introduces students to the fundamentals of economics, including the effects of economic policies and decisions on daily life. Instruction addresses principles of economics and includes background on the key figures and events that have contributed to development of contemporary economic theories. Understanding Psychology covers fundamental concepts in psychology with a focus on research and statistics in the field. Sociology and You addresses how social structures shape human societies and behavior. U.S. Government addresses the foundations, structures, and processes of U.S. government and their effect on civic life. In each course, content is organized using Understanding by Design® (UBD) model, which frames instruction in terms of “Enduring Understandings” and “Essential Questions.” Course resources support instruction in blended learning environments and include interactive content and include engaging multimedia features, such as videos and interactive learning tools.

Each year, school administrators are challenged to find meaningful ways in which to engage families in discussions of student learning that support improved outcomes. In the past, discussions of student achievement were often limited to parent-teacher conferences and report cards. However, technology-based tools have created a range of new opportunities that enable administrators, teachers, and parents to engage in meaningful, ongoing communication about student progress. For example, many districts have created websites portals that provide parents with access to information about student schedules, grades, and attendance. In addition, many online instructional resources include progress monitoring tools that allow parents to access student progress reports, and some popular student data management systems allow schools to share student data directly with parents. Recognizing that simply sharing data does not make it understandable or actionable for parents, the Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) has created a set of tip sheets to guide administrators, teachers, and parents in communicating about student data in ways that support student learning and forge strong partnerships between families and schools. According to HFRP: Many of the tips represent small but significant—and often overlooked—steps in sharing data with families that can make a big difference in families’ ability to access, understand, and act on information about their child’s progress. Some HFRP tips address steps that administrators may want to consider as teachers and students return to school. These tips include: Providing families with an orientation that covers how to access and understand student data, such as benchmark test scores, as well as how to logon to parent portals and other online data sharing tools; Building capacity for data sharing through staff professional development activities focused on effective communication about student data, student privacy requirements, and the use of technology-based data tools; and Ensuring equitable access to data by designating some school computers for parent use and providing data reports in parents’ native language.

Some teachers get excited when a new online product is purchased for the campus or the district, other's don't. Why is that? For one reason, teachers will have to spend time during the day (or evening) getting to know the product - how to navigate through it, how to input students’ names, how to assign lessons and assess students and how to create reports. More importantly, teachers often feel as if they have to review lessons completely themselves to make sure they align with the standards before they assign the lessons to their students. Most teachers are already burning their candle at both ends; they cannot find an extra minute in the day to review lessons in a new product. Learning List to the rescue! Learning List verifies each product’s alignment to state standards, either to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) or to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). When educators subscribe to Learning List, they have at their fingertips an alignment road-map for each product – a report listing multiple, specific citations (lessons or page numbers) that align to each standard addressed in the product. Teachers can assign with confidence the citations contained in Learning List's alignment road-maps, knowing that they align to the content, context and cognitive demand/rigor of the standards. With Learning List as a resource, teachers may even have time to work out or to see a movie.

In the face of decreased budgets and increased pressure to improve students’ performance on standardized tests, many schools have reduced the number of field trips they provide to cultural institutions, such as museums and historical sites.  Instead, schools have focused on increasing the amount of time students spend in class preparing for tests and often allocate resources to “reward” field trips to entertainment venues, such as amusement parks, for students who improve their attendance or test scores.  However, research suggests that in de-emphasizing culturally enriching field trips, schools are missing valuable opportunities to develop students’ critical thinking skills as well as their ability to appreciate and understand diverse peoples, perspectives, and historical periods. The study, conducted by researchers a t the University of Arkansas, is the first large-scale, random-assignment analysis of the effects of cultural-enrichment field trips on student outcomes.  The research design compared survey results between matched pairs of K-12 students.  For each student pairing, one student was randomly selected to participate in a cultural-enrichment field trip during the period of the study and the second student’s participation was deferred.  Researchers found that the students who participated in field trips experienced significant increases in their critical thinking skills, as well as benefits in terms of historical empathy (i.e., the ability to understand the lives and perspectives of people who lived in different places or in different times), tolerance, and interest in cultural institutions.  Notably, the benefits of field trips were considerably stronger for disadvantaged students.  The study’s authors conclude: We don’t just want our children to acquire work skills from their education; we also want them to develop into civilized people who appreciate the breadth of human accomplishments.  The school field trip is an important tool in meeting this goal.

On Monday, the Business Roundtable released a report, Taking Action on Education and Workforce Preparedness , which outlines a plan for preparing the U.S. workforce to be competitive in the 21st century. The plan calls for full implementation of the Common Core State Standards , asserting that the CCSS are more rigorous than previous state standards, aligned with the expectations of higher education, and internationally benchmarked. Noting that “higher standards do not guarantee better student achievement,” the BRT provides a set of recommendations for successfully implementing the CCSS, including: Create an Independent Organization to Review Curricula: Educators need an independent organization to create Consumer Reports-type reviews that assess how well curriculum and instructional materials are aligned with the Common Core State Standards. Although there is currently a shortage of high-quality curricula aligned to the Common Core State Standards, eventually curricula of varying quality will be available from both nonprofit and for-profit sources. Independent review regarding the quality of these materials will assist educators with making well-informed, cost-effective decisions. Learning List meets this need. The editorial reviews and alignment reports featured on LearningList.com provide objective, qualitative information about instructional resources as well as their alignment to the Common Core and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Learning List reviews both publisher-produced and open-source instructional materials. The goal of our service is to provide educators and parents with the information they need to select standards-aligned materials that will improve their students’ achievement. Launched just two weeks ago, districts large and small, urban and rural are subscribing to Learning List’s instructional materials review service.

When choosing instructional materials, it is imperative that we educators carefully consider if the materials are aligned to the standards. Too often, we make the mistake of choosing an instructional material by merely considering the content of the standard (what is being taught), such as ending punctuation or cause/effect. We often neglect to pay attention to whether the materials address the cognitive demand of the standard (what students are required to do to demonstrate their mastery of the standard). We spend countless hours finding what we think are the best lessons to teach a standard, but if the lessons we choose do not address the content, cognitive demand and context of the standard completely, then all of our hard work is for naught. No matter how well we teach the lesson, few students will be successful at mastering the standard. That’s why it’s so important to purchase materials that are aligned to the “depth and complexity,” or the 3 C’s of the standards. We’ll write more about the 3 C’s next week.