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English Language Arts (ELA) Programs
English Language Arts (ELA) Programs
These ELA programs generally provide instruction in both reading comprehension and writing. It isn't necessary to use a pre-packaged program, however. Some families prefer to select their own material and create their own language arts course, and the resources on this page can provide a great starting point.
Intended to be taught in parallel with social studies and science units, which are also provided; writing is embedded throughout. Includes recommended texts for independent reading. Some unit books: Seedfolks; The Breadwinner; One Crazy Summer; A Wrinkle in Time.
Offers diverse texts, subject area themes, and lots of color images. Focuses on reading comprehension, but there are lots of writing assignments about the reading as well as tools to help students organize their ideas. Novels and other chapter books are not part of the program but can be added. Library copies available.
Units are centered around a main text and topic but also have a variety of additional fiction and nonfiction reading. Colorful lesson slides aid instruction and worksheets are provided. Units: Making of a Scientist; The Birchbark House; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Wonderstruck; and Shutting Out the Sky.
Covers literature and writing. Fifth grade titles include: The Mighty Miss Malone; Holes; Number the Stars; Boy: Tales of Childhood; The Tripods; Brown Girl Dreaming; The Phantom Tollbooth; I Am Malala; and Anne of Green Gables.
Lengthy units with plenty of reading and writing lessons from which to choose. Titles include: The View From Saturday; My Side of the Mountain; The Witch of Blackbird Pond; The Invention of Hugo Cabret; The Ballad of Lucy Whipple; A Wrinkle in Time.
Combines language arts with early US history and includes literature and informational reading, such as: Buffalo Bird Girl: A Hidatsa Story; 1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving; The Birchbark House; Ben and Me; The Story Of Harriet Tubman: Freedom Train; The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
More ELA Resources & Reading Ideas
More ELA Resources & Reading Ideas
The resources in this section are great for learning about literature and other texts, but the writing instruction tends to be more limited. For example, you might find writing prompts, but not support for how to organize ideas and develop paragraphs and essays. See the CRC Writing pages for if you would like resources to help with writing.
Book Award Winners
Book Award Winners
Young Reader's Choice Awards - Sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Library Association. Junior Division, Grades 4-6, Intermediate Division: Grades 7-9, Senior Division: Grades 10-12
Edmonds School District Windows & Mirrors Nominees - Grades 3-8
Evergreen Teen Book Award - Middle school and high school levels
Washington Library Association Book Awards - The William C. Towner Award for informational text for grades 2-6; The Sasquatch Award for grade 4-6; The Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award (WCCPBA) for grades K-3; The OTTER Award for grades 1-3.
Brave Writer Mechanics and Literature
Brave Writer Mechanics and Literature
Website: Brave Writer Mechanics and Literature
Dart for ages 8-10; Arrow for ages 11-12; Boomerang for ages 13-14; Singshot for ages 15-18. Offered as monthly subscriptions, but single issues, "Literature Singles," are also available. New book titles every year. Digital only.
Each program provides one book title per month along with discussion questions and exercises for improving grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Students may write about the discussion topics, but writing is not the focus of the series. See Brave Writer Writing Projects for information on the writing series.
Build Your Library
Build Your Library
Website: Build Your Library
K-12. A literature-based curriculum offering resources for language arts, history, science, and art. The language arts part of the curriculum includes literature to read aloud in each level of the program, as well as readers for students to read independently in levels three and up.
Although Build Your Library does not provide writing instruction, there are writing prompts and suggestions for writing projects, and students do narration, copywork, and dictation. The science and social studies topics in each level differ from what is typically taught in the grade levels of a standards-aligned program, but are still important.
Great Works Instructional Guides for Literature
Great Works Instructional Guides for Literature
Website: Great Works
Workbook literature guides grouped by grade band for students in K-3rd, 3rd-5th, 4th-8th, 9th-12th . The guides provide vocabulary work and activities to help understand story elements, and there are comprehension questions which ask students to use evidence from their reading to respond to prompts orally and in writing. Graphic organizers and other tools help students organize their ideas. Some assignments make connections to other subject areas such as science, social studies, and fine arts.
Rigorous Reading: An In-Depth Guide for Any Novel
Rigorous Reading: An In-Depth Guide for Any Novel
Website: Rigorous Reading series
The Rigorous Reading literature guides series isn't as extensive as the Great Works Instructional Guides for Literature, but it does offer a couple of workbooks which are not tied to a particular novel and can be used with almost any literature book:
Rigorous Reading: An In-Depth Guide for Any Novel Grades 3-5
Rigorous Reading: An In-Depth Guide for Any Novel Grades 6 & Up
Torchlight Curriculum, PreK- 5
Torchlight Curriculum, PreK- 5
Website: Torchlight Curriculum
Each Torchlight level is filled with many contemporary and diverse literature selections, each with a corresponding Literature Primer providing vocabulary and discussion topics. The curriculum also covers poetry, history & social studies, science, and art. Year-long writing projects offer students the opportunity for creative writing tied to the level's themes. Digital PDFs only.
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