This advisory recommendation has not been approved by the Instructional Quality Commission or the State Board of Education.

REVIEW PANEL ADVISORY RECOMMENDATION

2017HISTORY–SOCIAL SCIENCE ADOPTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

Publisher / Program / Grade Level(s)
Teachers’ Curriculum Institute / Social Studies Alive! California Series / K–5

Program Summary:

Social Studies Alive! California Series includes: Reading Further (RF), Interactive Tutorial (IT), Interactive Student Notebook (ISN), Student Text (Text), Teachers View (T), Student View (S), Reading Further (RF), Table of Content (TOC).

Recommendation:

Social Studies Alive! California Series is recommended for adoption because the instructional materials include content as specified in the History–Social Science Content Standards for California Public Schools and meet all the criteria in category 1 with strengths in categories 2–5.

Criteria Category 1: History–Social Science Content/Alignment with Standards

The program supportsinstruction designed to ensure that students master all the History–Social Science Content Standards for the intended grade level(s) and meetsall of the evaluation criteria in category 1.

Citations:

  • Criterion #1.2: Grade 1, S, Lesson 8, Explore: How Many People Make One Nation?
  • Criterion #1.2: Grade 2, T, Lesson Guide Presentation, Lesson 12 “How do Leaders help their Community?”
  • Criterion #1.11: Grade 3, S, Lesson 6, Section 6: Judy Heyman “Helps Disabled People” Standard 3.6.6 (Text/ISN).
  • Criterion #1.18: Grade 4, S, Lesson 9: Section: “Explore California, a Place for Immigrants.”
  • Criterion #1.20: Grade 5, S, Lesson Wrap Up: “Being a good citizen”, Section Explore “Why we Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Standard 5.12

Criteria Category 2: Program Organization

The organization and features of the instructional materials supportinstruction and learning of the standards.

Citations:

  • Criterion #2.1: Grade 1, T, TOC: click on CA Pacing Guide.
  • Criterion #2.2: Grade 4, T, TOC: click on CA Pacing Guide.
  • Criterion #2.4: Grade K–5, see Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, alignment to CA CCELA K–5 writing standards.
  • Criterion #2.8: Grade 4, T, TOC: Progression Sequential.
  • Criterion #2.9: Grade 3, S, Settling in CA, Literature “Two Chinese Immigrant Stories”(Text/ISN).
  • Criterion #2.13: Grade K – 5, T, TOC: click on How to use this program.

Criteria Category 3:Assessment

The instructional materials provideteachers with assistance in using assessments for planning instruction andmonitoring student process toward mastering the content.

Citations:

  • Criterion #3.2: Grade 1, T, Assessment, Lesson: Geography of the Community, Teachers’ Curriculum Institute Unit Test.
  • Criterion #3.3: Grade 2, Text: Interactive Tutorial.
  • Criterion #3.4: Grade K–5, T: Assessments, Summative.
  • Criterion #3.5: Grade 3, S: Economics of Local Region, Lesson Game, (A curious State).
  • Criterion #3.7: Grade 4, ISN/student view, Lesson 8: RF-Wells Fargo.

Criteria Category 4: Universal Access

Program materials ensure universal and equitable access to high-quality curriculum and instruction for all students and provide teachers with suggestions for differentiation for students with special needs.

Citations:

  • Criterion #4.1: Grade 5, T: any lesson, click resources, and click other resources, “Social Studies Alive! Methods to Transform Elementary Instruction” pdf.
  • Criterion #4.2: Grade 3, T: other resources using the inquiry Arc pdf.
  • Criterion #4.4: Grade 4, T:other resources ELA_Literacy_SSA pdf.
  • Criterion #4.10: Grade K, T: Resource, other resources, parent letter for teacher created accounts pdf.

Criteria Category 5: Instructional Planning and Support

The instructional materials contain a clear road mapfor teachers to follow when planning instruction and are designed to help teachers provide effective standards-based instruction and ensure opportunities for all students to learn the essential skills and knowledge specified in the standards.

Citations:

  • Criterion #5.1: Grade K–5, T: Lesson Guide, Present, Video, Overview, Materials, Preparation.
  • Criterion #5.2: Grade K–5, T: Differentiating Instruction, Enhancing Learning.
  • Criterion #5.4: Grade K–5, T: Resources, Media Library, Pacing Guide, Correlations, Other Resources.
  • Criterion #5.6: Grade K–5, TOC: Tool Bar at top click on “How to use this Program”.
  • Criterion #5.11: Grade K–5, T: Lesson Guides, Future Updates, Learn More, Contact Us.
  • Criterion #5.19: Grade K–5,T, TOC: any lesson, Lesson Guides, Materials, Assignments, Assessment, Grade Book, and Resources.

Edits and Corrections:

The Program is being recommended.

The following edits and corrections must be made as a condition of adoption:

  1. Grade K, Student Text (Text),Lesson 3,Section: Explore – Good Citizenship. Last section (Be Patriotic) change first sentence to, «You live in the United States.» Reason: not all students are citizens.
  2. Grade K,Student Text (Text), Lesson 8, Section: Explore – The Responsibility of Sacagawea. (4th paragraph) Omit the sentence “She spoke the language of the American Indians.”
  3. Grade K, Student Text (Text), Lesson: How do American Celebrate? ; Section: We sing song “America the Beautiful” add citation that the last 3 lines are omitted.
  4. Grade 1, Student Text (Text), Lesson 3, Section: Explore – The Flag of the U.S. Insert the Pledge of Allegiance.
  5. Grade 2, Student Text (Text), Lesson 7, Section: Intro (paragraph #2) Remove “all of the” different ways.
  6. Grade 2, Student Text (Text), Lesson 8, Section: Explore: (paragraph #7) What we can buy today? People don’t always likes (omit “s”).
  7. Grade 3, Student Text (Text), Lesson 5, Section: Liter – Two Chinese Immigrants, Story One, 3rd line the word “east” omit “s” to make it “eat”.
  8. Grade 4, Student Text (Text), Lesson; Wrap Up; Section: Symbols of California (paragraph #3, line 4) add “ed” to kill.
  9. Grade 4, Student Text (Text), Lesson 4, Section 6: The Spread of Disease (line 4) attached should be attacked.
  10. Grade 4, Student Text (Text), Lesson 12, Section: Reading Further – Art, Dreams and Learning (paragraph #14, 7th line) strike “those” change to “a man”.
  11. Grade 4, Student Text (Text), Lesson 4, Section: Reading Further – Founding the CA missions (Section: Juan Bautista de Anza) add “de” before Anza (twice).
  12. Grade 4, Student Text (Text), Lesson 1, Section: Introduction

The last paragraph add features after “California’s diverse geographic ______, including …”

  1. Grade 4, Student Text (Text), Lesson 7, Section 3: (paragraph #3) by 1849, a loaf of bread costed omit “ed”.
  2. Grade 5, Student Text (Text), Lesson 3, Section: Explore – American Indian Government (paragraph #4) add “s” to Indian; add comma after Pomo; strike comma after often.
  3. Grade 5, Student Text (Text), Lesson 7, Section 2: Massachusetts Bay: New England Colony (paragraph #1, sentence 2) strike “were Puritans who”, (sentence 3) strike “Another” and replace with “A”.
  4. Grade 5, Student Text (Text), Lesson 7, Section: Explore Colonial Families. Is last paragraph historically accurate?
  5. Grade 5, Student Text (Text), Lesson 12, Section 1: Minuteman (paragraph #2), Lesson 18; Section 7; ceded (paragraph #7), no definition shows when clicking on the words.
  6. Grade 5, Student Text (Text), Lesson 20, Section: Explore Art, Music and Literature (paragraph #5), omit the “e” from end of Rockiese.
  7. Grade 5, Student Text (Text), Lesson 22, Section 1: Interactive Tutorial, all answers are marked incorrect.
  8. Grade K-5, Student Text (Text), Lesson: Key Biographies. Title: Albert Einstein Biography (paragraph #2) add underlined words: “Einstein was born to a Jewish family in Germany.” (paragraph #6) add underlined words: “In 1933, Einstein, a refugee from Nazi Germany moved to the United States.”

California Department of Education: August 8, 2017

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