Bellefonte Area School District utilizes a comprehensive system of instructional resources to support literacy development in grades K–5. Rather than relying on a single program, our elementary ELA curriculum combines several research-based resources that work together to develop the foundational skills, knowledge, vocabulary, comprehension, writing abilities, and communication skills students need to become successful readers and writers.

Each resource serves a specific purpose within our literacy program. Please click on the hyperlinks below to learn more about each resource and access family communication materials and support resources:

• Really Great Reading (Grades K–3): Really Great Reading provides explicit, systematic instruction in foundational reading skills. Grounded in the Science of Reading, the program helps students develop phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, encoding, and reading fluency. These foundational skills provide the building blocks necessary for successful reading comprehension and long-term literacy development.

• Handwriting Without Tears (Grades K–3): Handwriting Without Tears supports the development of handwriting skills through developmentally appropriate instruction and practice. Students learn proper letter formation, spacing, and writing habits that support written communication and overall literacy development.

• Arts & Letters (Grades K–5): Arts & Letters serves as the district's core elementary English Language Arts curriculum. Through rich literature, informational texts, and meaningful writing experiences, students build knowledge about the world while developing skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language. The program emphasizes critical thinking, discussion, and knowledge-building across a variety of topics and disciplines.

• Morpheme Magic (Grades 4–5): Morpheme Magic helps students deepen their understanding of word structure through the study of prefixes, suffixes, roots, and word parts. By developing morphological awareness, students strengthen vocabulary, reading comprehension, spelling, and writing skills while gaining strategies for understanding unfamiliar words.

In addition to our core instructional resources, teachers may utilize a variety of supplemental materials to enrich instruction, provide additional practice, and support student engagement.

• Epic provides students with access to a large digital library of books and reading materials that help foster independent reading and a love of literacy.

• Scholastic News connects literacy instruction to current events and real-world topics through engaging nonfiction articles, videos, and interactive resources.

• CommonLit offers high-quality reading passages, paired texts, and instructional supports that help strengthen reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and critical thinking skills.

• ReadWorks provides supplemental reading passages and literacy activities designed to support comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and knowledge-building across a variety of topics.

Together, these resources provide a cohesive and comprehensive approach to literacy instruction that supports students as they progress from learning to read to reading, writing, and communicating with confidence.

Bellefonte Area School District utilizes a variety of instructional resources to support literacy development in grades 6–12. Our secondary English Language Arts program is designed to help students become thoughtful readers, effective writers, skilled communicators, and critical thinkers who are prepared for success in college, career, and life.

As students progress through middle and high school, literacy instruction expands beyond foundational skills to include literary analysis, research, argumentation, vocabulary development, speaking and listening, and engagement with increasingly complex texts. Students explore a diverse range of literary and informational works while developing the ability to think critically, communicate ideas effectively, and engage thoughtfully with the world around them.

Each resource serves a specific purpose within our secondary literacy program. Please click on the hyperlinks below to learn more:

• Arts & Letters (Grade 60): During the 2026–2027 school year, sixth-grade students will participate in a one-year pilot of Arts & Letters, the district's elementary core literacy resource. This pilot was selected to provide continuity for students transitioning from fifth grade while allowing the district to evaluate the program's effectiveness in a middle school setting. Through rich texts, meaningful writing experiences, and knowledge-building topics, students continue developing skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language.

• Connections ELA (Grades 7–8): Connections ELA serves as the core instructional resource for students in grades seven and eight. The program integrates reading, writing, speaking, listening, vocabulary, and language instruction through engaging literary and informational texts. Students participate in collaborative discussions, close reading experiences, and authentic writing tasks that help prepare them for the increased rigor of high school coursework.

Bellefonte Area School District students also engage in the study of a variety of classic and contemporary literary works throughout middle and high school. Through novels, plays, short stories, poetry, and informational texts, students develop literary analysis skills, deepen their understanding of diverse perspectives, and strengthen their ability to interpret complex texts. Information about grade-level literature selections can be found here.

To support and enrich literacy instruction, secondary teachers may also utilize a variety of district-approved supplemental resources. These resources provide opportunities for additional reading practice, vocabulary development, background knowledge building, poetry study, differentiated instruction, and skill reinforcement. Current district-approved supplemental resources include:

• IXL (Grades 6–8): An adaptive learning platform that provides targeted practice in reading, writing, vocabulary, and language skills.

• Scholastic Scope (Grades 6–8): A classroom magazine featuring engaging fiction, nonfiction, drama, and current-events content that helps students strengthen literacy skills while exploring real-world topics.

• CommonLit (Grades 6–12): A digital platform that provides high-quality literary and informational texts, comprehension supports, vocabulary instruction, and standards-aligned assessments.

• ReadWorks (Grades 6–12): A collection of fiction and nonfiction texts designed to strengthen reading comprehension, build background knowledge, and support differentiated instruction.

• Poem-a-Day (Grades 9–12): A free resource from the Academy of American Poets that introduces students to contemporary and classic poetry while supporting analysis, discussion, and appreciation of the written word.

• Odell High School Literacy (Grade 12): Odell High School Literacy is a comprehensive instructional resource that engages students in critical thinking and meaningful exploration of complex themes through carefully designed, standards-aligned units. Grade 12 students utilize selected units focused on topics such as community, artificial intelligence, life preparation, and the meaning of a well-lived life. Through reading, writing, discussion, and inquiry, students analyze contemporary issues, consider multiple perspectives, and develop the literacy skills necessary for post-secondary success. These experiences encourage thoughtful reflection, civic engagement, and preparation for the opportunities and challenges that await beyond high school.

Together, these resources provide a comprehensive approach to secondary literacy instruction that supports students as they become increasingly independent readers, writers, thinkers, and communicators.