Project Highlights

BASAL READING PROGRAMS AND RELATED MATERIALS

Houghton Mifflin Company

Houghton Mifflin Reading © 2005
Legacy of Literature © 2004
Invitation to Literacy © 1997
Celebremos la literatura © 1993
The Literature Experience © 1993
Literatura en Español © 1990
Houghton Mifflin Reading © 1989
Houghton Mifflin Transition © 1987
Programa de Lectura en Español de Houghton Mifflin © 1987

Harcourt School Publishers
Trophies © 2003
Collections © 2000
Signatures © 1997, 1998
Treasury of Literature © 1995
HBJ Treasury of Literature © 1993

READING IN THE CONTENT AREAS
• We designed and developed an innovative reading comprehension support strand for Houghton Mifflin Science. These materials reinforce science vocabulary and key concepts from the core textbook. This was the first major product to feature the “exploding textbook page” (reduced facsimiles of textbook pages whose features are annotated with callouts). This technique has since appeared in several other programs designed to help students get the most out of content-area reading. © 2006

• We created the prototypes for reading comprehension support materials for Houghton Mifflin’s social studies program (Florida Edition). © 2005

SOCIAL STUDIES
• We recently developed the grade 4 California history textbook for Reflections, Harcourt’s new social studies program. This textbook is currently the market leader in California, and the program is also the market leaders. © 2007

• Between 1997–1999, we worked with the publishers of Cobblestone Magazine to create a new magazine titled California Chronicles, which features articles on California history. Each issue has a topical focus relevant to the California social studies standards for fourth grade. We were responsible for all planning, writing, editorial, and photo research work.

GRAMMAR, SPELLING, AND VOCABULARY
• We created G.U.M. published by Zaner-Bloser in 1987; the second edition was published in 2008. G.U.M. has enjoyed strong, consistent sales for more than 10 years.
• We participated in program planning, prototyping, and development of Houghton Mifflin's Vocabulary Power. This program, which supports Houghton Mifflin Spelling, proved so popular that the publisher decided to change its format from two-color to four-color after the first printing. The program offers a new approach to building students’ vocabulary knowledge. © 2005

FOR ENGLISH-LANGUAGE LEARNERS
• We created the prototypes for all components of Moving Into English, Harcourt’s reading program for English language learners (Texas). It currently has the majority of the ELL market in Texas, and has also been marketed successfully in many other states. © 2005

• We were the sole developers of El Programa de Lectura en Español de Houghton Mifflin, which, in the years after its publication in 1987, had more than 40% of the Spanish reading market in California and a strong market presence in other parts of the country.

• We also helped develop Houghton Mifflin’s Spanish reading programs Celebremos la literatura © 1993, and Literatura en Español de Houghton Mifflin (© 1990).

• We were the sole developers of Houghton Mifflin Transition (first edition © 1987; second edition © 1998). This pioneering program, which is designed to bring ELL students who are fluent Spanish-language readers up to Grade Level in one year, was far and away the most successful product of its kind.

TOYS AND GAMES
We have assisted several interactive game companies in creating scope-and-sequences, lessons, and content that align with states’ instructional goals at various grade levels.

• Mind Flash Trivia and Turbo Twist Extreme are two interactive toys developed by LeapFrog. We created trivia questions to support curriculum standards for grades 3 and 4, in the following areas: earth science, life science, math/logic, reading/language arts, history, and geography. (© 2004)

• We developed a scope and sequence of spelling skills for grades 1–6, as well as spelling lists and support activities, for Spelling Turbo Twist, an interactive toy developed by LeapFrog.

• We developed a 5,000 word vocabulary list for grades 1–6, based in part on key vocabulary in the most-used science, social studies, and reading programs, for an interactive toy called the Vocabulator, also by LeapFrog.

• We also developed a humorous, age-appropriate content for several Klutz Press products, including math items for Klutz Kwiz and trivia questions for Road Trip Trivia.

Please see our Corporate Resumé for a complete list of projects.