This summer, Open Up Resources launched its high school ELA curriculum offering: Odell Education High School Literacy Program. Now available in print, we’re excited to offer samples to interested schools.
Recently, the curriculum earned an “all-green” rating from EdReports – the highest rating available – in Text Quality, Building Knowledge and Usability. The curriculum was found not only to be organized in a way to build knowledge with high quality, rigorous texts, but also to provide support for teachers to implement the program with routines and protocols to build student independence.
This highly rated ELA program for grades 9-12 uses text-centered instruction from classic and modern authors celebrating diverse voices, ideas and perspectives. Students conduct their own analysis, engage with their peers through meaningful tasks, and access grade-level texts with effective, built-in scaffolding and support (regardless of reading ability). The curriculum further supports teachers with tools to enable cooperative learning and cultivate rich academic discussion.
Within each unit of the curriculum is a series of integrated short writing-based assessments. These build toward a Culminating Task where students are required to support their analysis with textual evidence.
A Literacy Toolbox is available to support students in reading, writing and speaking including graphic organizers and academic reference guides. Additionally, built-in supports are available for English learners.
A notable difference between the Odell Education High School Literacy Program and other high school ELA curriculum is its Yearlong Project and Community-Based learning project. Students begin the school year by creating a learning community where they work together to establish common goals through discussions prompted by open-ended questions such as “Who changes the world?” As the year progresses, they work through substantive texts and topics together that range from classic literature to trade books. They cover important issues that impact the world and their community such as public health and world hunger. At the end of the school year, the students apply their skills to a research project that covers a subject of importance to them. Their research is then presented to the school in student-formed teams.
Teacher resources include a Discussion Tool and Academic Discussion Reference Guide that supports the use of academic language during formal and informal group discussions. There’s also abundant teacher notes in each lesson to provide background information on a topic or text, tips on enacting a strategy or routine, and additional ideas for student support.
This curriculum fosters creativity and critical thinking skills that allow students to succeed later in college, their careers and civic life. To learn more about using Odell Education High School Literacy Program at your school, request samples or get a print quote today.
