Book People Unite for an Awesome Cause

Reading is Fundamental (RIF) has created a PSA aimed at reading lovers everywhere — urging us to come together to help us get books into the hands of kids who need them the most.

Remember visiting Narnia, playing Jumanji, and eating Green Eggs and Ham? Books can have an incredible effect on children’s lives, yet there’s only one book for every 300 kids living in underserved communities in the U.S.

If you could, please take a few moments to take the Book People pledge declaring your belief in the transformative power of books – and get a free download of the new RIF song. Join RIF in igniting a movement to spark a love of reading in America – and get books to kids who need them most.

Val Kilmer unrecognizable as Mark Twain

According to Yahoo.com:

He's played the rock god Jim Morrison, Moses, and even Batman, but now Val Kilmer is taking on the diety of authors: Mark Twain, in a one-man play, "Citizen Twain," which he created. The 52-year-old wrote, directed, and stars in the project.

From the photo of him in full Twain getup, it may be hard to believe that the actor is the usually blond, baby-faced Kilmer.

The show, which will run for two weekends at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, is all just preparation for a movie that Kilmer is set to do also as Twain, "Mark Twain and Mary Baker Eddy." The two were historical adversaries: Twain, a social satirist, and Eddy, the founder of Christian science.

The pair never met, but Twain was obsessed with her views, and wrote screeds against her. Kilmer told the Huffington Post that after seven years studying the two, "It's very much like 'Amadeus.' It's a dual biography. I'm regretting that now, because it's really hard to do."

As Twain, the "Heat" actor is unrecognizable. Fans may be reminded that the actor's trademark is exhaustive research in a role, and the Twain project is no exception. Kilmer wears the signature wild white hair and trademark mustache. His face is wrinkled, and he speaks with Twain's twang. The "Willow" actor, whose career has long been in a slump, is apparently financing the film himself. A note on the movie's website says the actor sold his New Mexico home to help with funding.

Kilmer, who is also an accomplished stage actor, told the Hollywood Reporter that the live performance is a great way into the character, who, he said, he's always loved for "his humor and genius." He added, "There's really no way of creating the role of Mark Twain without being onstage. He was a speaker, first and foremost; he did it before he was a famous writer. It's how he became famous as a writer, and it's even how he wrote novels. He would write in the morning and then read them to his children."

The Thing About Rubrics

by Douglas Grudzina

I’m currently working on a rubric for a 9 – 12 series of writing books designed specifically to ensure attainment of the grades 9 – 12 Common Core State Standards in writing.

The series is going to be called College and Career Readiness: Writing - Levels 9-12, and is based on Common Core State Standards.

You can expect to see Levels 10 and 11 available in our January 2013 catalogue. (There’s a good reason we’re starting in the middle of the series, but that’s another post for another day.)

Some of you might want to call what I’ve been working on the past few weeks a series of rubrics because there is a distinct rubric for each grade level with articulated increasing expectations. A top-scoring 12th-grader’s piece is a significantly more sophisticated and better-written piece than a top-scoring 9th-grader’s.

But I believe the term “rubric” denotes the entire system. It might be convenient to talk about the “9th-grade rubric” or the “12th-grade rubric,” but these “rubrics” are really only parts of the larger, comprehensive rubric that traces a student’s growth from his entry into high school to his graduation and provides language to discuss successes, challenges, and future plans. And that’s the thing about rubrics; they are much more about the quality than the score.

The thing about rubrics is that they are not about the grade.

Let’s be really, really honest with each other. Grades are so vague and relative as to be almost meaningless. We all know that, on some hypothetical, ideal level, a grade of “A” denotes “excellent” work, and an “F” denotes “poor” work, but what does that mean? What does “excellent” look like? How poor does writing have to be to be acknowledged as “poor”?

Fill in the blanks in the following sentence (you know you can): “This same essay would receive an ‘A’ in Mr./Ms.______’s class, and a ‘C’ in Mr./Ms.______’s class.”

We accept as a given that some teachers are “easy scorers,” and some are “hard scorers”; but shouldn’t all teachers at the same grade level score pretty similarly? Shouldn’t they all recognize excellent work as excellent, poor work as poor, and average work as average?

If they were all working from the same scoring instrument (fancy-talk for rubric), they would.

Consider the following descriptions:

• Writing is fluid and articulate. Tone and style seem natural and inevitable given the topic, purpose, and audience of the piece.
• The distinctions between the student’s ideas and those from other sources are explicit.
• If appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose, narrative techniques enhance the overall impact of the piece.

Let’s say the above describes the top score of a twelfth-grade essay. There might be some discussion about what constitutes “fluid and articulate” writing, but the student either draws distinctions between his own claims and the claims of his sources or he doesn’t. But the rubric clearly communicates the expectation that top writing is fluid and articulate, and the distinctions between student claims and source claims are explicit.

That’s the thing about rubrics; they’re communicative.

You can give the above excerpt to just about everyone—principal, parent, student, teacher, aide, substitute, national press … and they’d all pretty much understand what your school means by “excellent.” There are no numbers, no weird scales or formulas—just the descriptions of our expectations: writing that is articulate, a style that seems natural, and distinctions between the student’s ideas and those from other sources that are explicit.

When Janyce sits down to write her essay, she knows what she needs to do. 

When Janyce’s father reads over her work, he knows what to look for. When the principal reads all the essays to pick one to publish in the Times, she’s got criteria by which to choose a good one. The teacher and aide know what they’re looking for when they grade the paper, and the substitute has words he can use to explain Janyce’s grade to her in the teacher’s absence.

So rubrics aren’t about grades; they communicate quality.

And the thing about rubrics is that they describe not only the aspired-to top quality but the good, fair, average, mediocre, and poor as well. Janyce’s essay might not (yet) be top quality, but how not-top-quality is it? And how can we tell?

Let’s look at how a rubric might describe a less-than-excellent paper to communicate to all concerned parties where the student is succeeding and where she needs to improve. In the excellent essay, the writing was “fluid and articulate,” and the distinctions were “explicit.”

In a good-but-not-excellent essay,

• Writing is fluid and articulate. Tone and style seem natural and inevitable ...

and

• The distinctions … are explicit.

In an average essay,

• Writing is competent … tone and style seem forced, contrived, or self-conscious,

and

• The distinctions … are clearly suggested.

In a less-than-average-but-not-poor essay,

• Tone and style are … appropriate [but] lack interest and voice,

and

• The distinctions … are usually apparent.

And in a poor essay,

• Tone and style [are] inconsistent,

and

• Distinctions [are] usually apparent.

The thing about rubrics is that they focus on the quality of the work and help to keep everyone on the same page. Mr./Ms. ___, the “easy grader” can’t be more forgiving of the unclear distinctions and bump the ranking of the paper up, and Mr./Ms. ____, the “hard scorer” can’t be excessively severe and evaluate an otherwise fine paper too harshly. The teacher who “likes” Janyce and the teacher who “doesn’t like” Janyce will find themselves evaluating her work by the same criteria. Janyce’s principal will know the criteria by which she will choose an essay for publication in the paper, and Janyce’s father will know where Janyce succeeded in this essay and what aspects of her writing she still needs to improve.

It almost doesn’t matter what score (or grade) the essay actually gets. A 

well-meaning “A” from a “high scorer” and a heavy-handed “C” from a “low scorer” don’t really mean all that much anyway—not if our goal is to make Janyce a better writer, a College and Career Ready writer.

The thing about rubrics, is that they are instructional tools as much as they are evaluative tools.

Leading Educational Publisher Launches New Online Version of Best-Selling SAT-Prep Vocabulary Program

February 20th, 2012, Smyrna, DE — This week, Prestwick House, Delaware’s leading educational publisher, is proud to unveil Vocabulary Power Plus Online — a digital version of the company’s best-selling Vocabulary Power Plus for the New SAT series. This new program will include all of the exercises and resources from the series in an easy-to-use, cloud-based format that puts an interactive version of the books directly on student screens.

Over the past 29 years, Prestwick House has become one the leading publishers of educational materials in the country by consistently developing new products for English teachers. In recent years, a focus on technology in the classroom has led Prestwick House to publish over 1,500 different downloadables, including e-books based on best-selling Literary Touchstone Classic editions and individual eLessons.

“We’ve always been focused on how teachers can use technology in the classroom. In the past, we’ve emphasized using the power of the Internet to make it easier and cheaper to get ready-to-use resources into the classroom, but we’re finally reaching a point in which access to computers is pervasive enough that teachers will be able to make technology a core part of their classroom,” says Keith Bergstrom, head of the Prestwick House Digital Division.

“As I speak with teachers about Vocabulary Power Plus Online, I’m learning a lot about what they’re looking for in terms of online resource. Many companies are making online programs full of cute animations that may entertain, but they’re not actually teaching students. We’re committed to developing pedagogically sound resources that empower teachers to do what they do best – make a personal connection with students and foster learning.”

With this unique vocabulary program, students will gain all of the benefits of the traditional student workbooks, along with added benefits like automatic grading and access to classwork via any computer with an internet connection. The system will allow students to see upcoming assignments, complete homework, practice for tests, and take quizzes and tests online. Teachers will be able to manage grade books, create assignments, and see reports on individual student progress.

The system also gives instant feedback right on the screen, showing where students need to improve as they work through each lesson. Additionally, all grades are reported directly to the teacher, saving valuable grading time on multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank questions.

“We believe that a teacher will always be the center of a classroom, so we’re at work developing tools that make teachers’ lives easier and their classrooms more effective,” says Bergstrom. “Right now, we’re evaluating tools to improve a teacher’s ability to use our curriculum resources, and we hope to unveil more online resources in the coming year.”

To find out more or schedule a free Vocabulary Power Plus Online demo for your school or district, please call (800)-932-4593 or visit www.PrestwickHouse.com.

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If you’d like more information about this topic or to schedule an interview, please call Keith Bergstrom at 302/659-2070 x131 or e-mail Keith at keith@prestwickhouse.com.

Waste Not, Want Not: A New Program from Prestwick House

When you handle as many books as we do on a daily basis, there is no way to avoid a few dinged up, torn, and oddly folded copies. Since books like this don't meet our strict requirements for sale, they've always ended up in the recycling bin. 

It pains us to get rid of usable but imperfect books, but we never want to risk shipping damaged books to teachers like you who already have enough to worry about.

In these tight economic times, it occurred to our warehouse staff that teachers might appreciate having a free back-up copy -- even if it is slightly damaged or torn. 

That’s why they came up with new “Waste Not, Want Not…” envelopes. 

These envelopes are added to orders when we happen to have extra copies that are unsaleable but still readable. Each envelope says “Please note that you were not charged for this copy. Since it is slightly damaged and therefore unsellable, we hoped that you might be able to use it as a backup. Sincerely, The Prestwick House Warehouse Staff.” 

At Prestwick House we strive to be on the teacher's side, and are constantly trying to come up with new ways to help you out. We know budgets are tight, and we hope that finding an unsolicited extra copy in a future order might be something that comes in handy in your classroom.

What are Teacher Reviewers Saying About Our Introduction to Literary Theory Presentation?

Recently, we received feedback on the Introduction to Literary Theory Power Presentation from teachers on the Prestwick House National Curriculum Advisory Board.

With this unique PowerPoint presentation, you will be able to give your students the tools they need to understand literature beyond the simple conventions of plot, characterization, and theme. Covering six critical theories through the lens of the classic Cinderella story, Introduction to Literary Theory will help your students to clearly see how literature can be seen from different perspectives. 

Introduction to Literary Theory can be used in conjunction with your favorite Multiple Critical Perspectives guides or as a stand alone addition to your curriculum.

Theories covered include: Feminism, Marxism, Psychoanalytic/Freudian Theory, Archetypal/Mythological Theory, New Historicism, and Formalism.

"I am very impressed with this product. The format is far more teacher and student friendly than a textbook. The amount of information on each screen allows students to take accurate notes quickly before advancing on to additional screens. Visually, the product is easy to view and read."

"I would use this product myself. I am always looking for current, user-friendly materials I feel my students will find as interesting as I do. This product fills that bill."

"The product's format is by far its strongest attribute. Anytime a teacher can use visuals in the classroom, it increases the chances that students will be drawn into the lesson. Here, the presentation can be viewed on a large, overhead screen making it easy for all students to see and take notes from."

- Karen DiBetta

"The accompanying instructions are incredibly clear. Even teachers who are not used to using PowerPoint will be able to navigate it easily."

- Elizabeth Miley

"Each theory is compact and gives an excellent summary of what students should look for when exploring literature from a different perspective. Kudos!"

- Judith Mayersmith

"For any teacher of students who will be heading to university, providing a basis for analysis is useful. It would also be useful for students to examine the various theories before arriving at college, so that it will not be new and foreign to the students." 

- Leticia Geldart

"I have struggled with a clear way of presenting literary theory to my students. This product does exactly that."

- Stephanie Rodevick

"We have been moving toward a more comprehensive coverage of literary theory over the past 2 school years and I see this product as a way to better organize our instruction with our junior and seniors. The consistency of the presentation would help us as teachers to be more consistent as well."

- Cam Matthews

"This product is a wonderful way to spark discussion of a work of literature. The various literary methods addressed in the presentation provide ample opportunity for all students in the class, regardless of ability, to engage in a meaningful discussion of a work."

- Sonya K Shaw

Prestwick House Develops New ACT Prep Program Based on Best-Selling Vocabulary Power Plus for the New SAT Series

This week, Prestwick House will introduce its first vocabulary series tailored to the needs of ACT students, Vocabulary Power Plus for the ACT.

Based on the same techniques used in Prestwick House’s best-selling Vocabulary Power Plus for the New SAT vocabulary series with over 700,000 copies sold since 2004, Vocabulary Power Plus for the ACT is now available for students in grades 9-12.

“This series is based on both NCTE/IRA scientific research and the ACT itself,” says author, Daniel Reed. “Because of this, teachers will be able to give their students quality ACT test prep while simultaneously adhering to best practices in teaching vocabulary.”

“With the number of vocabulary words students are expected to learn, and the limited amount of time available to teachers in the classroom, it makes sense to create a program that can maximize both student ACT scores and word retention.”

While the ACT exam has been taken by students across all fifty states since 1960, ACT.org reports that the number of students taking the test has grown significantly in the past ten years. In 2010, 27 states reported over 50% of the student population as test-takers.

“With the increased number of students preparing for the ACT test and a lack of ACT-specific vocabulary products on the market, we wanted to make sure that teachers had what they need to help their students excel,” says Prestwick House Brand Manager, Jerry Clark.

“Vocabulary Power Plus for the ACT covers not only vocabulary, but also reading, writing, and grammar in a logically structured format. While skills learned through Vocabulary Power Plus for the ACT are universally useful, the series is specifically tailored for use as preparation for the ACT — something that we think teachers of ACT test-takers will find extremely useful.”

In addition to teaching vocabulary, this series provide students with practice on ACT-style questions and provides effective writing strategies that will prepare them for the ACT writing component.

“We provide ACT-style questions so that exam takers will be familiar with the structure of the language portion of the ACT on the morning they take it. The series helps test takers develop the cautious aggression necessary to succeed on any assessment test, whether ACT or SAT,” explains Reed.

“The ACT writing test is about getting your idea on paper in a short amount of time—not editing or proofreading or rewriting, because there’s very little time (30 minutes) for revision. Developing a rapid writing strategy for use with any topic is essential.”

Along with student workbooks, a teacher’s edition, and multiple versions of test packages, the Vocabulary Power Plus for the ACT series contains helpful Introduction Presentations and Practice Presentations. Introduction Presentations familiarize students with words at the beginning of each unit and help them grasp shades of meaning by using words in an authentic context. Practice Presentations ensure that students have a firm understanding of new words provides the practice they need to retain them.

Currently, Prestwick House is looking for school partners to test the effectiveness of Vocabulary Power Plus for the ACT on students’ ACT scores. If you are interested in partnering with Prestwick House to try out this new program in exchange for free vocabulary materials, please contact Keith Bergstrom at keith@prestwickhouse.com or (302)-659-2070 x131.

To learn more about Vocabulary Power Plus for the ACT, call (800)-932-4593 or visit http://www.PrestwickHouse.com.

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About Prestwick House - Founded in 1983 by a former Dover High School administrator, Prestwick House is a leader in educational publishing. With a focus on helping English teachers in grades 9-12, Prestwick House publishes the largest selection of literature teaching guides in the country, a line of classic novels, and hundreds of other educational products. Find out more at PrestwickHouse.com

What are Teacher Reviewers Saying About Vocabulary Power Plus for the ACT?

Recently, we received feedback on Vocabulary Power Plus for the ACT from teachers on the Prestwick House National Curriculum Advisory Board.

Prepare your students for peak performance on the ACT exam with Vocabulary Power Plus for the ACT — our newest program that uses all of the proven techniques that have made Vocabulary Power Plus for the New SAT our best-selling program since 2004, with over 740,000 copies sold!

Try this easy-to-use program risk free and find out easy it is to provide critical vocabulary practice to ensure that your students will do well on the exam.

The words are defined, organized, used in context with multiple practices, and even gives the opportunity to practice new roots and prefixes. I also find the practice English sentences to be incredibly useful.

All students, whether taking the ACT or not, need to improve vocabulary skills. They also need to be able to read for errors. Learning root words and prefixes is an easy and organized way of improving vocabulary skills as well. This product does meet a demand!

Leticia C. Geldart

"The product gives excellent practice in the skills need for the college exam, including English grammar and writing."

- Karen Dennis

"There is an increased emphasis on vocabulary in state and national standards. This guide will not only prepare students for the ACT, but will also increase their comprehension in all disciplines."

- Sara Zeek

"Standardized testing is common today, and vocabulary is an integral element, necessary for success on these tests. Students need introduction to words that are more advanced than the language they use when communicating with their friends. Packaging everything necessary for a complete word study in one volume is an efficient method for improving word recognition, understanding, and retention."

"A well-educated student must have an extensive vocabulary that is often not well-developed without formal vocabulary study. The ability to read and comprehend what is read is important both to success in the classroom and success in life.The variety of exercises included ensure that students do not simply memorize a word for a test and then forget it. They get a sense of when and how to use the word which makes it more likely that they will remember and use newly acquired vocabulary."

"I am impressed with the variety of exercises for each lesson and the use of review lessons to aid retention. These review lessons introduce additional exercises such as crosswords. While primarily designed for the ACT, the vocabulary and exercises reflect the vocabulary and skills required to be successful on other standardized tests."

- Cynthia Byers

"Perhaps one of the hardest things to help students with is giving them a depth of vocabulary that will aid them not only on the ACT but also in college. This is a helpful approach with extremely accessible exercises.
The set of lessons would provide my students with words and exercises to help them incorporate these words into their academic vocabulary. The roots exercises are especially useful for my classroom."

- Janice Mullan

"As an AP teacher, I teach my students the value of diction and syntax - this book will definitely help identifying new words that will help them in their AP exams."

- Luis Garza

"Good organization; well-aligned with what the ACT expects students to know and be able to do (writing and critical reading especially, as there are fewer materials available that focus on these along with vocabulary instruction); periodic reviews after each set of seven chapters; rubrics for evaluating writing; state standards listed (an excellent item to include!)"

- Sharon King-Hanley

What are Teacher Reviewers Saying About Our Bloom's Taxonomy Teaching Guides?

Recently, we received feedback on Levels of Understanding: Macbeth from teachers on the Prestwick House National Curriculum Advisory Board.

Instead of teaching your students how to answer questions about a particular text, these title-specific literature guides will help them develop the skills to critically evaluate literature and develop the knowledge and habits required by the Common Core State Standards.

Each Prestwick House Levels of Understanding Guide allows you to take Bloom’s taxonomy out of the theoretical realm and put it into full practice in your classroom, as well as guaranteeing that each and every title you teach will get your students another step closer to their goal of college and career readiness.

"The presentation of historical information appears at the beginning and increases the likelihood that students will grasp elements of the play more easily and make historical and cultural connections that will allow student ownership of the material."

"The variety and complexity of questions will allow students a more complete exposure and knowledge of the play. They will be forced to think to answer the questions. Collaboration will prevent frustration at dealing with the more difficult concepts. I like the presentation of the historical information and the use of the comparison chart. Information in the chart is more easily accessible than the same information in paragraph form."

- Cynthia Byers

"The set up using background to the play first is both informative and interesting. The layout of the study guides for each act progresses clearly through the levels of understanding and I see this as being very helpful as I work to differentiate for all levels of students. The study guides are also comprehensive in coverage of the plot, character, and literary elements. "

- Cam Matthews

"The book begins with an introduction to Bloom's Taxonomy and then procedes to give instructions on how to use the book. The background information on Macbeth is invaluable which is followed by the teacher's guide and student worksheets. It could not be more user-friendly."

"The use of Bloom's Taxonomy and the provision of quality text-specific questions is of inestimable worth to the busy classroom teacher today."

- Karen F. Jones

"There are tons of teaching materials on the market for Shakespeare. What this publication does, however, is allow for differentiated instruction in the classroom. A teacher can reserve the synthesis and evaluation items to challenge students while relying on reader response for students who may not have the critical thinking skills of other students."

"I really like this product. It ranks up there with the Multiple Critical Perspectives Guides which I have used in my advanced classes. Most teachers are anxious to move their students beyond basic comprehension (and should!) and this publication would allow them to do that, as long as their knowledge of the work was sufficient."

- Michelle Peeling

"As a teacher of Macbeth, I find the levels of questions most helpful. This is a product that would be wonderful for both the beginning and the veteran teacher.
I am impressed with the depth of analysis required in these study questions - they definitely go beyond plot. Sometimes these questions are the most difficult to create, so this resource will gift teachers with the most precious resource -- time."

"I'm sold with the levels of questions. Often, things claim to be "higher-level," but they're in reality lower-level questions disguised with words like "evaluate." These questions are truly what they claim to be. They add depth to the unit."

- Elizabeth Miley

"Having taught Macbeth in an English class of students with low motivation and weak reading skills, there is so much in here that can be extracted and used for the lower level student. However, it also provides a great deal for those students who need to be challenged. I also feel that it provides a great deal of helpful information for the teacher--novice or experienced."

"I believe that the alignment to Bloom's Taxonomy is an excellent feature. Many states that are working to realign their standards to a Common Core would see this as a valuable piece. Also, many teachers struggle with understanding Shakespeare themselves and have a difficult time knowing how to properly present the material to their students. This would be a marvelous resource; it is so comprehensive."

- Bernadine M. Srocki

"Wonderful! Because the materials provide the full range of questioning -- from comprehension through evaluation -- a teacher really has the opportunity to tailor the questioning for each class. It is a true time saver!"

- Leticia Geldart

"I can see using the comprehension questions and reader's response questions for individual work, and many of the higher level questions would be great for small group discussions."

- Mellissa McCreary

What are Teacher Reviewers Saying About Reading Informational Texts?

Recently, we received feedback on Reading Informational Texts: Non-Fiction Passages and Exercises Based on the Common Core State Standards from teachers on the Prestwick House National Curriculum Advisory Board.

Instead of you spending hours doing research to find the perfect non-fiction passages, Reading Informational Texts provides you with exactly what Common Core State Standards (CCSS) require — challenging selections to give your students vital practice with non-fiction works.

Each student workbook provides rigorous, direct student instruction and contains an anthology of 12 passages chosen using the CCSS designated methods - including difficult-to-find and well known historical, legal, and scientific works. To help your students get the most out of what they are reading, passages are outfitted with helpful margin notes, a defined vocabulary list, and short background materials.

Using Reading Informational Texts, you will guide your students through a close reading of each work, challenge them with short answer and essay questions, and ultimately help them gain the skills necessary to read and understand any work of nonfiction.

Read quotations from teachers below, check out a free lesson, or find out more at PrestwickHouse.com!

"The text is excellent at naming its terms and defining those terms. The authors have done well at anticipating what a teacher may be thinking while reading and answer it. For example, the part about 'this may be at a higher level than students are used to reading' is quite appropriate."

- Nancy Stansberry

"The information provided explaining the rationale for the included texts is lucid and well-organized. I particularly liked the questions and suggested answers as laid out in the teacher's guide itself. Sophisticated analysis coupled with a way to approach such complex texts with students. Traditional literature text books do not generally include these types of pieces (from court cases on to Patrick Henry). A real need to expose students to such rich, historical texts exists. Students need to read challenging texts! It's also essential for them to read essential historical texts. I so enjoyed reading them!"

- Leticia C. Geldart

"The included Lexile Measure and Flesch-Kincaid ratings are fantastic resources for the logical order as well as differentiation."

- Chris Mikulskis

"The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are in the forefront of educational discussions right now. Educators in many if not all states, mine included, are in the process of deciding how to implement the CCSS. For English teachers like myself and schools like mine, it is a matter or incorporating more informational texts into our curriculum, which is now fiction-heavy."

"This is a timely book with a wealth of information on choosing appropriate informational texts, the standards that each reading selestion covers, and both the qualitative and quantitative applications for each text. Resources such as these are exactly what teachers need in order to provide the kinds of experiences with informational text that the Common Core State Standards require."

"I would certainly use the 11-12 grade level book in my AP English class and recommend it to the AP History teacher in my school. In adddition, I would recommend it to all English teachers for use at the appropriate grade level. The text demands that students read carefully and with conviction, analyzing rhetorical techniques (ex. tone, form, author's purpose)as well as content. These are the highest level skills, required of AP-level students and required of successful students in colleges and universities."

- Sharon King-Hanley

"I would use this product. The excerpts are challenging, but as it states in the introduction (which I loved!), 'there has been a downward trend in the complexity of the texts students have been required to read in school.' These pieces certainly raise the bar and require students to utilize various levels of thinking."

"The text is extremely well organized. The annotations are fabulous! The chosen pieces of informational text are varied and interesting. The scaffolding offers teachers opportunities to guide their students through the material in a way that is less daunting. All components tie directly to the Common Core Standards, which is excellent."

- Julie Petitbon