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District staff recommend McGraw Hill (K–5) and National Geographic (secondary) for social‑studies adoption; samples available 30 days
Summary
Staff recommended K–5 adoption of McGraw Hill Impact and National Geographic (Cengage) for secondary, stressing project‑based learning, geographic relevance and Spanish/differentiated materials; samples will be available for 30 days and the board will vote in June.
District staff presented recommended social‑studies materials and asked the board to review sample texts before a June adoption vote.
The elementary recommendation is McGraw Hill Impact for K–5; the secondary recommendation is National Geographic (Cengage). Melanie and other teachers explained that both choices emphasize project‑based learning, crosswalks to other content (for example, language arts), digital and print access and Spanish translations. "So our rubric, we wanted digital print access...At the secondary level, it was very important to us that there was a neutral unbiased language," one presenter said.
Staff said teachers would receive professional development, with some social‑studies teachers attending PBL (project‑based learning) training through the Buck Institute; the district plans ongoing implementation support. Sample materials will be on display in the district office for about 30 days and the board will take a formal vote at the June meeting.
Board members and staff discussed how project‑based approaches can be balanced with standards and assessment. The presenters said that the curriculum choices are intended to provide a consistent instructional touchstone while enabling hands‑on projects and local connections.
