Today, Knowledge Matters endorsed two middle school English Language Arts curricula that build content knowledge through high-quality, complex texts: ARC Core Fusion (6–8) and Novel Middle School ELA (6–8).
With these additions, the Knowledge Matters Curriculum Directory now spotlights 12 high-quality curricula that are exemplars of how the sciences of reading and learning can come together in K–8 instruction.
“Students’ literacy development doesn’t stop in elementary school; learners at all levels should be provided the opportunity to engage with rigorous, grade-level, knowledge-building content,” said Barbara Davidson, Executive Director of Knowledge Matters. “These curricula empower middle-school students to become subject-matter experts and accomplished readers, with instructional supports informed by cognitive science. The rich texts and engaging activities that encompass ARC Core Fusion and Novel Middle School ELA exemplify an equitable, knowledge-rich approach that supports literacy and learning.”
ARC Core Fusion is organized around four modules each year, which focus on a topic from science, social studies, or literature. The curriculum emphasizes reading a volume of texts on conceptually related subjects to quickly build student knowledge and vocabulary. In daily activities, students read and engage in peer discussion, independent research, and aligned writing. Each unit features a related research library, which students use to prepare a final writing assignment where they synthesize and apply knowledge gained from the unit’s anchor texts. A supplemental program, ARC Accelerator, offers a variety of resources to provide targeted instruction and practice for secondary students not yet reading on grade level.
Novel Middle School ELA builds units around rigorous, culturally diverse works of literature, immersing students in sustained, book-length reading experiences that develop both deep content knowledge and literary understanding. Units are organized around compelling, content-rich topics such as the Holocaust, Indigenous history, and the American Dream. Students have daily opportunities to write, moving from informal tasks to extended analytical and narrative pieces grounded in anchor texts. Diverse learning supports include strategically scaffolded materials and targeted guidance for multilingual learners.
“Our approach at Knowledge Matters is to ‘find the good and praise it,’ and these curricula have inspired our highest praise,” said Davidson. “As educators continue to implement the science of reading, we’re thrilled to endorse 12 high-quality, evidence-based, knowledge-building English language arts curricula. Every one is an outstanding option for students and teachers.”
The 12 ELA curricula endorsed by Knowledge Matters are: Amplify ELA (6–8), ARC Core (K–5), ARC Core Fusion (6–8), Bookworms (K–5), Core Knowledge Language Arts (6–8), Core Knowledge/Amplify (K–5), EL Education (K–8), Fishtank ELA (K–8), Louisiana Guidebooks (3–8), Reading Reconsidered (5–8), and Wit & Wisdom (K–8). To learn more, visit www.knowledgematters.org/curriculum-directory
About Knowledge Matters
Knowledge Matters champions the role of student knowledge in the sciences of reading and learning. We grow national awareness and support educators’ transition to high-quality, knowledge-building instruction, including through the Knowledge Matters Campaign’s School Tour, Curriculum Review Tools, and Curriculum Matters Professional Learning Network. Through Knowledge Matters Solutions, we build sustainable, evidence-based practices that enhance teacher expertise and accelerate literacy and learning. Our work is grounded in over 30 years of field-leading expertise by StandardsWork, the parent organization of Knowledge Matters. For more, see www.knowledgematters.org