Exploring Geography & Global Issues © 2024
Core Code Alignment
Social Studies
Geography
09040000030: World Geography
Geography
09040000030: World Geography
Recommendation
Recommended Primary
Evaluation
This material provides a lot of instructional support for teachers as they teach the course. Each lesson tells which skills the lesson is designed to focus on. Each lesson also tells teachers what additional online resources can be used and if there are any suggested hands-on activities. Overall, this material is a good material but might need some supplemental materials for more current issues. The online textbook for students has a lot of writing activities and review materials but is not as interactive as other materials for this course. We would recommend this material but do suggest looking at the online content and printed material to see if it aligns with the teaching styles of your LEA.
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Rubric : Social Studies 2025
Compliance with State Law (Required)
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sensitive Materials and Prohibited Submission 53G-10-103 and R277-628 | Does Not Violate Law | NA | NA | May Violate Law | ||
| Prohibited discriminatory practices 53G-2-105 and 53B-1-118 | Does Not Violate Law | NA | NA | May Violate Law | ||
| Maintaining constitutional freedom in the public schools 53G-10-202 | Does Not Violate Law | NA | NA | May Violate Law | ||
| Free from advertising, e-commerce, or political interest | Does Not Violate Law | NA | NA | May Violate Law | ||
| Instruction in American History and Government 53G-10-302 | Does Not Violate Law | NA | NA | May Violate Law | ||
| Most of this instruction is in the "Political Geography" section of the textbook. | ||||||
| Instruction on the Flag of the United States of America 53G-10-304 | Does Not Violate Law | NA | NA | May Violate Law | ||
| There is not a lot of instruction included about the flag but there are images, discussions, and a few references to the flag so it is there. | ||||||
Indicators
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alignment | The content of this material is evidence-based and aligns with grade-level Utah core standards. It is current, well-researched, and referenced from reliable sources. | The content of this material is evidence-based or research-based. The material aligns with most grade-level Utah core standards but will need supplementary materials to ensure coverage of all the Utah core standards. | The content of this resource aligns with a few grade-level Utah core standards but is not evidence-based or research-based. | The content of this resource does not align with any of Utah's core standards. | ||
| There is a good alignment with the World Geography standards, as shown by the alignment document that was included and reviewer exploration of the materials. | ||||||
| Accuracy | The materials provided are comprehensive and well-suited to meet the needs of both teachers and students, in addition to the content outlined in “Adequate.” The materials ensure that all educational content is grounded in factual and up-to-date knowledge. These resources support a deep understanding of the subject, facilitating effective teaching and meaningful learning experiences. | Materials include or direct teachers and students to accurate background information and resources. | Materials include or direct teachers and students to background information and resources containing inaccuracies, such as stereotypes and misconceptions. | Materials are not accurate. | ||
| This curriculum has a great deal of resources for teachers for every lesson. There are also videos that show teachers how to teach specific content or subjects. There are also video helps for students to look at while reviewing materials. | ||||||
| Developmental Appropriateness | Materials are consistently age and developmentally appropriate. (Age-appropriate is defined as suitable for a child of the same age or level of maturity, based on the development of cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral capacity typical for the child's age or age group.) | Materials are mostly age and developmentally appropriate. | Materials contain aspects that are not age or developmentally appropriate. | Materials are not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate. | ||
| We did not find anything that was not developmentally appropriate for this age group. | ||||||
| Sequencing | Material is organized with clarity, and subject matter is explored in ways that always build on previous content and skills. (Materials do not necessarily need to follow the same sequence as outlined in the Standards). Materials are sequenced in a clear strategic progression, with content and skills assisting students in conceptual understanding. Content and concepts are regularly introduced and reinforced in recursive and iterative ways. | Material is organized with clarity, and subject matter is explored in ways that regularly build on previous content and skills. (Materials do not necessarily need to follow the same sequence as outlined in the Standards). Content and concepts are often introduced and reinforced in recursive and iterative ways. | Material is less organized and subject matter is explored in ways that sometimes build on previous content and skills, but is not consistent and intentional. Content and concepts are rarely introduced and reinforced in recursive and iterative ways. | Material is disorganized, and the subject matter is not explored in ways that build on previous content and skills. | ||
| There are 4 types of lessons in this curriculum. The Introduction Lessons help students get curious, remember what they already know, and see what’s coming next. Learn the Concepts Lessons dive into the big ideas, use different teaching strategies to build understanding, and check what students have learned. Inquiry Activity Lessons let students explore big questions by looking at sources, organizing evidence, and pulling everything together to take action. Finally, Review and Apply Lessons give students time to review, show what they know, and get extra help if they need it. | ||||||
| Navigation | Educators and students can navigate the material independently. Instructions are clear and understandable. | The material contains instructions that are understandable and easy to navigate. Students may need educator support to navigate the material. | The material is only usable with direct educator support due to a lack of clear instructions. Students will need educator support to navigate the material. | The instructions in the material are unclear, and navigation is difficult. | ||
| Navigation is a bit clunky but with instructions and practice, students and teachers would understand how to navigate the material. | ||||||
| Instructional Support | This material goes beyond the content outlined in "Adequate" by providing problem or project-based content with integrated skills and concepts from various disciplines to help students make sense of the material. It also supports the learning needs of all students, including those with disabilities, multilingual learners, etc., by offering flexibility and maintaining high standards. | The material provides supplemental resources and some examples to educators of ways to deliver instruction. It contains a few of the following: scaffolding lesson plans, personalized/differentiated instruction, experiential learning, concept mapping, questioning techniques, and family involvement. | The material contains a limited amount of instructional support. | The material does not provide instructional support or examples for the educator. | ||
| There are several resources that offer instructional support for teachers as they navigate instruction. | ||||||
| Rigor | Materials provide routine opportunities for students to think critically by identifying, explaining, analyzing, and making logical, evidence-based arguments on essential concepts and ideas related to the anchor standards and content standards. Materials, including texts and/or graphic sources, address content standards with an appropriate level of depth and complexity for the intended grade level, paying particular attention to cognitively rigorous questions requiring a depth of knowledge. | Materials provide some opportunities for students to think critically by identifying, explaining, analyzing, and making logical, evidence-based arguments on essential concepts and ideas related to the anchor standards and content standards. Materials, including texts and/or graphic sources, address content standards with an appropriate level of depth and complexity for the intended grade level. | Materials provide limited opportunities for students to think critically by identifying, explaining, analyzing, and making logical, evidence-based arguments on essential concepts and ideas related to the anchor standards and content standards. | Materials do not provide opportunities for students to think critically by identifying, explaining, analyzing, and making logical, evidence-based arguments on essential concepts and ideas related to the anchor standards and content standards. | ||
| There are a wide variety of images, charts, and other media with guiding questions for students to interpret information. | ||||||
| Inquiry | Material provides consistent opportunities for students to generate substantive, open-ended, compelling questions. Materials routinely attend to active inquiry by providing meaningful opportunities for students to explore/research social studies content that aligns with compelling and guiding questions. Materials regularly use high-quality and age-appropriate primary and secondary sources that encourage students to investigate questions and explore answers as a class, in groups, or on their own. Materials provide ample opportunities for student reflection regarding questions and understandings. | Material provides some opportunities for students to generate substantive, open-ended, compelling questions. Materials often attend to active inquiry by providing meaningful opportunities for students to explore/research social studies content that aligns with compelling and guiding questions. Materials often use high-quality and age-appropriate primary and secondary sources that encourage students to investigate questions and explore answers as a class, in groups, or on their own. Materials provide some opportunities for student reflection regarding questions and understandings. | Material has limited opportunities for students to generate substantive, open-ended, compelling questions. Materials sometimes attend to active inquiry by providing meaningful opportunities for students to explore/research social studies content that aligns with compelling and guiding questions. Materials sometimes use high-quality and age-appropriate primary and secondary sources that encourage students to investigate questions and explore answers as a class, in groups, or on their own. Materials provide few opportunities for student reflection regarding questions and understandings. | Material does not provide multiple opportunities for students to generate substantive, open-ended, compelling questions. Materials rarely attend to active inquiry by providing meaningful opportunities for students to explore/research social studies content that aligns with compelling and guiding questions. Materials rarely use high-quality and age-appropriate primary and secondary sources that encourage students to investigate questions and explore answers as a class, in groups, or on their own. Materials rarely provide opportunities for student reflection regarding questions and understandings. | ||
| Almost every lesson has inquiry based activities or discussions for student to engage. | ||||||
| Written and Oral Production | Materials provide ample opportunities for students to write, and speak with clarity and precision, for a variety of audiences, particularly when crafting well supported arguments and research findings. Materials provide routine opportunities for a balance of informational/explanatory, narrative, and opinion/argument writing aligned to the social studies content. | Materials provide some opportunities for students to write, and speak with clarity and precision, for a variety of audiences, particularly when crafting well supported arguments and research findings. Materials provide some opportunities for a balance of informational/explanatory, narrative, and opinion/argument writing aligned to the social studies content. | Materials provide few opportunities for students to write, and speak with clarity and precision, for a variety of audiences, particularly when crafting well supported arguments and research findings. Materials provide few opportunities for a balance of informational/explanatory, narrative, and opinion/argument writing aligned to the social studies content. | Materials provide no opportunities for students to write, and speak with clarity and precision, for a variety of audiences, particularly when crafting well-supported arguments and research findings. Materials provide no opportunities for a balance of informational/explanatory, narrative, and opinion/argument writing aligned to the social studies content. | ||
| Almost all of the student ebook lessons have some type of writing for students to complete at the end of the lesson. There are discussions scattered throughout each lesson that are intended to give students the opportunity to have conversations. | ||||||
| Reading and Viewing | Materials support disciplinary approaches necessary to construct meaning and produce text-based interpretations. Materials provide opportunities for students to sift, organize, question, synthesize and interpret information found in texts and other sources. Materials provide opportunities for the evaluation of textual accounts in their many forms, critically scrutinize evidence, and evaluate, compare, and synthesize accounts. Materials include a variety of text types and genres such as newspaper articles, political cartoons, diaries, etc. Materials provide routine opportunities for students to engage with a wide range of complex, grade-level texts of a variety of lengths and forms aligned to the social studies content. Materials use and encourage the thoughtful use of a wide range of primary and secondary sources. | Materials support disciplinary approaches necessary to construct meaning and produce text-based interpretations. Materials provide opportunities for students to sift, organize, question, synthesize and interpret information found in texts and other sources. Materials provide opportunities for the evaluation of textual accounts in their many forms, critically scrutinize evidence, and evaluate, compare, and synthesize accounts. Materials include a variety of text types and genres such as newspaper articles, political cartoons, diaries, etc. Materials provide routine opportunities for students to engage with a wide range of complex, grade-level texts of a variety of lengths and forms aligned to the social studies content. | aterials support disciplinary approaches necessary to construct meaning and produce text-based interpretations. Materials provide opportunities for students to sift, organize, question, synthesize and interpret information found in texts and other sources. Materials provide opportunities for the evaluation of textual accounts in their many forms, critically scrutinize evidence, and evaluate, compare, and synthesize accounts. Materials include a variety of text types and genres such as newspaper articles, political cartoons, diaries, etc. Materials provide routine opportunities for students to engage with a wide range of complex, grade-level texts of a variety of lengths and forms aligned to the social studies content. | Materials support disciplinary approaches necessary to construct meaning and produce text-based interpretations. Materials provide opportunities for students to sift, organize, question, synthesize and interpret information found in texts and other sources. Materials provide opportunities for the evaluation of textual accounts in their many forms, critically scrutinize evidence, and evaluate, compare, and synthesize accounts. Materials include a variety of text types and genres such as newspaper articles, political cartoons, diaries, etc. Materials provide routine opportunities for students to engage with a wide range of complex, grade-level texts of a variety of lengths and forms aligned to the social studies content. | ||
| When taught in the way the curriculum is designed, there are opportunities for students for more closely evaluate materials. Ideally there would be more varied things for students to look at from a wider variety of sources but the material is sufficient. | ||||||
| Chronological Reasoning | Units and lessons routinely account for the role of time in sequencing, causation, changes and continuities. Materials assist in contextualization, clarifying the role of time when providing context to the interpretation of the meaning and significance of events or concepts, with attention to both continuity and change over time. | Units and lessons often account for the role of time in sequencing, causation, changes and continuities. Materials assist in contextualization, clarifying the role of time when providing context to the interpretation of the meaning and significance of events or concepts, with attention to both continuity and change over time. | Units and lessons sometimes account for the role of time in sequencing, causation, changes and continuities. Materials assist in contextualization, clarifying the role of time when providing context to the interpretation of the meaning and significance of events or concepts, with attention to both continuity and change over time. | Units and lessons rarely account for the role of time in sequencing, causation, changes and continuities. | ||
| Argumentation | Materials routinely provide opportunities for practice formulating credible claims based on evidence found in varied texts, attending to the ambiguity found when using conflicting sources. Materials regularly present different perspectives on the same event or experience, using techniques of historians, economists, geographers, or political scientists to further illustrate disciplinary thinking. | Materials often provide opportunities for practice formulating credible claims based on evidence found in varied texts, attending to the ambiguity found when using conflicting sources. Materials often present different perspectives on the same event or experience, using techniques of historians, economists, geographers, or political scientists to further illustrate disciplinary thinking. | Materials sometimes provide opportunities for practice formulating credible claims based on evidence found in varied texts, attending to the ambiguity found when using conflicting sources. Materials sometimes present different perspectives on the same event or experience, using techniques of historians, economists, geographers, or political scientists to further illustrate disciplinary thinking. | Materials do not provide opportunities for practice formulating credible claims based on evidence found in varied texts, attending to the ambiguity found when using conflicting sources. | ||
| It would be helpful to have more varied perspectives in these materials. | ||||||
| Sourcing | Materials provide a range of tools to help students assess the credibility of sources, seek alternative perspectives, and make sound judgments about the usefulness and limitations of the sources. Materials often attend to strategies, including the lateral reading of online sources, to further hone sourcing skills. | Materials provide some tools to help students assess the credibility of sources, seek alternative perspectives, and make sound judgments about the usefulness and limitations of the sources. Materials attend to strategies, including the lateral reading of online sources, to further hone sourcing skills. | Materials provide few tools to help students assess the credibility of sources, seek alternative perspectives, and make sound judgments about the usefulness and limitations of the sources. | Materials provide no tools to help students assess the credibility of sources, seek alternative perspectives, and make sound judgments about the usefulness and limitations of the sources. | ||
| There are some of these tools present but we would ideally like to see more varied sources. | ||||||
| Connection to Current Issues | Materials provide routine opportunities for students to make connections between issues from the past and issues today Materials provide routine opportunities for student engagement as they apply what they have learned to their own lives and communities at the local, state, tribal, national, and global level Materials provide ample opportunities for students to develop civic knowledge, skills, and/or dispositions regarding current issues. | Materials provide some opportunities for students to make connections between issues from the past and issues today Materials provide some opportunities for student engagement as they apply what they have learned to their own lives and communities at the local, state, tribal, national, and global level | Materials provide few opportunities for students to make connections between issues from the past and issues today Materials provide few opportunities for student engagement as they apply what they have learned to their own lives and communities at the local, state, tribal, national, and global level | Materials provide no opportunities for students to make connections between issues from the past and issues today Materials provide no opportunities for student engagement as they apply what they have learned to their own lives and communities at the local, state, tribal, national, and global level | ||
| There are portions in the text where a teach is able to find more current issues to discuss but we found that we were not seeing a lot of current issues presented or multiple opportunities for students to make connections to historical issues. | ||||||
| Asset-Based Stance | Materials often leverage students’ own home language, cultural assets, and prior knowledge Materials prompt connections between classroom learning and students’ families and communities. Materials provide opportunities for students to connect their learning to their own contexts and experiences. | Materials sometimes leverage students’ own home language, cultural assets, and prior knowledge Materials prompt connections between classroom learning and students’ families and communities. | Materials rarely leverage students’ own home language, cultural assets, and prior knowledge Materials prompt connections between classroom learning and students’ families and communities. | Materials do not leverage students’ own home language, cultural assets, and prior knowledge Materials prompt connections between classroom learning and students’ families and communities. | ||
| There are some discussion questions and writing prompts that are designed to leverage student assets. | ||||||
| Discourse | Materials provide ample and routine supports for students in developing skills for civil discourse and respectful disagreement, particularly evidence-based reasoning using claims supported by reliable, vetted evidence Materials provide norm-setting protocols for collaborative conversations The materials encourage opportunities for students to engage in dialogue regarding complex social issues in a civil manner. | Materials provide some supports for students in developing skills for civil discourse and respectful disagreement, particularly evidence-based reasoning using claims supported by reliable, vetted evidence Materials provide norm-setting protocols for collaborative conversations. | Materials provide few supports for students in developing skills for civil discourse and respectful disagreement, particularly evidence-based reasoning using claims supported by reliable, vetted evidence | Materials provide no supports for students in developing skills for civil discourse and respectful disagreement, particularly evidence-based reasoning using claims supported by reliable, vetted evidence | ||
| There are many opportunities for students to participate in conversations and civil discourse in every lesson. | ||||||
| Assessments | The material contains a variety of formative and summative assessments aligned with Utah Core Standards. It provides appropriate intervention strategies that lead to observable performance and real-world experiences for students. | The material contains formative assessments aligned with Utah Core Standards with few interventions. | The material contains a limited number of assessments without intervention strategies. | The material does not provide assessment materials. | ||
| There are multiple forms of assessments to ensure that students are able to apply their knowledge to actual implementation. | ||||||
| Ethnic Studies (Ethnic studies in core standards and curriculum should be a narrowly tailored incorporation of age-appropriate opportunities that naturally arise through education without pretextual effort in courses, programs, or activities where ethnic studies is not a primary focus. The material should incorporate curriculum of people and cultures that reflect the state’s various demographics without commentary that seeks to violate the neutrality standard established in codes: 53B-1-118, 53G-2-103, 53G-2-104, 53G-2-105, 67-27-107, | In addition to the content outlined in “Adequate,” this material offers multiple evidence-based supplemental resources and opportunities for learning about various forms of cultural philosophies and epistemologies from Utah, the United States, and worldwide. The materials provide cultural backgrounds, contemporary real-life experiences, and contexts that are relevant to local students. Some examples may include people with disabilities, various body types, and ages. | This material demonstrates respect for diverse socio-cultural identities. The material provides opportunities to acknowledge and integrate the histories, cultures, contributions, and perspectives of people from the United States and worldwide. The material accurately represents the cultures, languages, traditions, beliefs, values, and customs of people from diverse backgrounds through a variety of texts, examples, scenarios, imagery, and applications. | The material has limited themes of social and cultural histories within the United States and globally. The material provides limited examples of inclusive or cultural real-life experiences and does not include diverse characters. | The material does not meet the requirements within the ethnic studies core standards and curriculum requirements. (53E-4-204.1). | ||
| There are many different people and varieties of cultures discussed at length in this material. The images also include various groups of people. | ||||||
| Shared Values and Character Traits | The material extends beyond the content outlined in "Adequate", it includes elements that connect Utahns to the world. The material offers multiple evidence-based supplemental resources and opportunities for cultivating character traits in students. Some examples may include characters with a variety of personalities, education, income, occupation, or behaviors that illustrate character traits. | The material focuses on the shared values of diverse people and communities, the common elements that unite Utahns, and displays some character traits in its imagery and content. It aims to cultivate character traits in students, such as courage, leadership, intelligence, integrity, honesty, respect, morality, civility, duty, honor, and service, along with principles found in the Constitution. | The material lacks a sense of shared values or common elements that unite Utahns. Furthermore, the material has limited resources addressing civic and character education. | The material does not meet the requirements within the ethnic studies core standards and curriculum requirements (53E-4-204.1) and civic and character education. (53G-10-204) | ||
| There are not a lot of direct links made to Utah, even though this material does show a variety of communities and discusses differing values. | ||||||
Material Characteristics
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Characteristics | This material goes beyond the content outlined in "Adequate" by incorporating modern, up-to-date, and relatable visuals. | In physical terms, the material is interactive and provides high-quality audio-visual and tactile experiences for all users. | The material offers limited or low-quality audio-visual and tactile experiences for students, but it is reusable. | The content either has low audio-visual quality or is not intended for reuse. | ||
| We had hoped that there would be more interactive components in the student version of the materials but most of the interaction is writing based or sometimes discussion based. It would be beneficial for there to be more interactive components that vary how students can interact with the digital platform. | ||||||
| Technical Standards | This material surpasses the content outlined in "Adequate" by ensuring the safeguarding of student data privacy and easy installation or access without technical assistance. Furthermore, any licensing information is clearly stated in the description. | The materials meet all the requirements of federal and state laws, as well as accepted technical standards such as ISTE Standards and VPAT Compliance. Additional technical specifications and limitations, including hardware requirements, bandwidth demands, and software/web access restrictions, are clearly outlined in the description. The design of the materials allows for error-free installation or access without the need to purchase additional components. | The material is constrained by specifications that require additional materials, technical assistance, hardware, software, or infrastructure. Access to resources within the material expires after a trial period. | Student data privacy is at risk. | ||
| Adaptability | The material is currently relevant and adaptable for educators and students. The material can be customized for the needs of diverse learners. | Educators or students can utilize the material, but it may not be customizable for the needs of diverse learners. | The material has limited options to address adaptability for the needs of diverse learners. | The material is not suitable for different educational settings with diverse learners. | ||
| Each lesson provides ways to adapt the lesson for various learners. | ||||||
UTAH STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
250 East 500 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111-3204
Phone: 801.538.7807