CommonLit 360 Schools & Districts Unlock the Full Benefits of CommonLit 360 with CommonLit School Essentials PRO

The professional development, data tracking tools, and wrap-around supports needed to roll out CommonLit’s comprehensive English Language Arts curriculum for grades 6–12

CommonLit 360 is a comprehensive digital reading curriculum for grades 6–12. Each unit in the ELA curriculum comes complete with rigorous and engaging reading, writing, vocabulary, and discussion lessons. Powered by CommonLit’s award-winning digital platform, our curriculum is supportive for all students and user-friendly for teachers.

In this blog post, we’ll highlight the key benefits of the 360 curriculum and how CommonLit works with schools and districts to provide an affordable set of wraparound services that facilitate effective implementation of the program.

How We Designed CommonLit 360

Rigorous and Standards-Aligned Curriculum for Grades 6-12

CommonLit 360 includes six rigorous thematic units per grade. Throughout the school year, students will read a wide range of literary, poetry, and informational texts, engage with  full-length novels, and produce many different types of writing. Students write several literary analysis essays, complete authentic research, and craft an argumentative essay.

Our ELA curriculum is also designed to build students’ vocabulary and discussion skills. Students have the opportunity to learn and practice using at least 10 new words per unit. Units also give students the chance to hone their speaking and listening skills through a series of partner activities and discussion lessons.

Highly Engaging Units

While CommonLit 360 is rigorous and aligned to ELA standards, it is specifically designed to be engaging and supportive for all students.

Units include a topic and set of texts that will hook your students’ attention. They’ll love the relatable characters, nail-biting suspense, twist endings, and authentic representation within our diverse array of texts and topics. For example, 8th graders begin the year with our “Bad Behavior” unit before moving on to “Courageous Choices.” These units work together to help students explore the wickedness and goodness within humans.

Easy-to-use Curriculum and Technology

With CommonLit’s digital platform, reading and writing lessons are accessible for all students, including struggling readers and English Language Learners. Students can listen to any text using our tech-to-speech tool, translate text into over 30 languages, and digitally highlight or annotate the text as they work. These intervention strategies for struggling readers will improve their reading comprehension. Interactive writing lessons also include instructional videos and exemplars that will support students as they work.

CommonLit’s digital platform will also save teachers countless hours that would otherwise be spent searching for materials and laboriously grading work.

Each unit is presented to teachers in an easy-to-understand format. Teachers can preview lessons, access supplemental materials, print additional resources, and more.

After students complete lessons, teachers will be prompted to review multiple choice reports and provide quick feedback on student writing.

Teacher Choice and Flexibility

CommonLit 360 also provides teachers with the flexibility and choice that they need to support their students.

Digital lessons can be easily customized on CommonLit’s platform and come with editable slide decks and student worksheets. All lessons can also be downloaded and printed or completed online.

Each unit also comes with supplemental texts in both English and Spanish to make it easy for teachers to differentiate instruction for all learners.

Finally, CommonLit’s online reading program comes with pacing options. Teachers can choose an accelerated path and complete units in just four or five weeks or expand upon the unit by incorporating optional reading, writing, grammar, and discussion lessons.

How You Can Roll Out CommonLit 360

We recommend the CommonLit School Essentials PRO package to schools and districts utilizing CommonLit 360. The School Essentials PRO package is an affordable way to ensure success with the 360 Curriculum.

School Essentials PRO costs just $3,850 per school per year and it includes access to:

• Live webinar training,
• CommonLit’s Professional Development Portal,
• Customized Onboarding Experience
• with Clever, ClassLink, or Google Classroom,
• CommonLit’s Canvas integration
• CommonLit’s Assessment Series,
• School and district-wide data tracking, and
• Consultative Support from a 360 Specialist

Live Webinar Training

The PRO package also includes two live webinars for your team. After starting the year with a webinar introduction to CommonLit 360 that focuses on the key components of the 360 units and technology, we offer unit-specific trainings that are designed to get your team fully prepared for the next unit.

CommonLit’s Professional Development Portal

The Professional Development Portal is critical for any team that is looking to effectively use CommonLit 360.

For each unit of the 360 curriculum, CommonLit has created a module that will provide educators with the key knowledge they need as they prepare to teach their next unit. Modules include key information about upcoming reading lessons, writing curriculum outcomes, and key instructional decisions. Finally, teachers complete the module by creating their pacing plan for the unit.

Customized Onboarding Experience

With Clever, ClassLink, or Google Classroom, roster management is made easy. We will work with your team to choose the best rostering solution for your teachers and students. Students can quickly log in to CommonLit via Single Sign-On and teachers can focus on instruction (instead of resetting student passwords).

CommonLit’s Canvas Integration

CommonLit’s Canvas integration is a powerful time-saver that teachers will love! The integration includes 3 key benefits:

• Teachers can seamlessly import their classes from Canvas to CommonLit.
• Students can complete assigned CommonLit lessons directly from their Canvas account.
• Teachers can send student grades from CommonLit assignments back to their Canvas grade book.

CommonLit Assessment Series

With CommonLit’s Assessment Series, teachers in grades 3–12 gain access to 3 specialized benchmark assessments — a Pre-, Mid-Year, and Post-Assessment. The Pre-Assessment allows teachers to collect diagnostic reading data at the start of the year. The Mid-Year Assessment can be used to track student progress during the year and pinpoint areas where students are struggling. Finally, the Post-Assessment can be used to give teachers and administrators a comprehensive understanding of students’ growth throughout the year.

School and District-Wide Data Tracking

With access to CommonLit’s school and district-wide data reports, administrators are able to closely monitor student usage and achievement on CommonLit. Teachers can then turn these findings into data-driven instruction.

With this data, administrators are able to view school-wide student performance on any CommonLit lesson or benchmark assessment they complete. Teachers and administrators can closely monitor trends, set goals for students, and adjust instruction to better meet the needs of all learners.

Consultative Support

Throughout the school year, you’ll be partnered with a CommonLit account manager who is an expert on the 360 curriculum. They’ll be on-hand to help craft an instructional plan, answer technical questions, and provide consultative support throughout the partnership.

Next Steps

We’re eager to support your team!

If you’d prefer to speak to a CommonLit 360 specialist, schedule a quick call, here. We’re eager to work with your team!