Exploros is an open-educational resource (OER) that provides comprehensive products that support instruction in the social studies and English language arts/reading (ELAR) core content areas. Exploros is available at no cost. Content is available online and facilitates instruction in teacher-led, technology-based learning environments, such as 1:1 programs and flipped classrooms. This review is of ELAR resources for grades 4-8.
At each grade level, Exploros organizes content in seven units that address: (1) foundational skills, (2) literary genres, (3) non-fiction texts, (4) author’s craft, (5) personal narrative, (6) the writing process, and (7) inquiry and research. Each unit is made up of a set of “experiences” or lessons that are organized using the 5E model (i.e., engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate). A “scene” or a set of online page(s) is provided for each “E” in the model. Scenes are activities related to the E of the 5E model. For example, the first scene in each lesson/experience is an engagement activity that clarifies the lesson’s learning objectives. [Read more…]
