Middle School is not easy for many students. Many face a perfect-storm of social, emotional and academic issues that create barriers to their academic success and overall sense of self. The use of contemporary profiles in On the Record™ provides much sought after strategies for middle school students to tackle important social and emotional issues they encounter throughout adolescence.

Sometimes harrowing, sometimes controversial, but always inspiring, On the Record™ uses compelling text, targeted discussions, and writing activities to get students thinking critically and writing creatively about their own lives.

On the Record™ features:

• Class sets of 12 contemporary Paired Profiles for fostering higher order thinking and critical thought - essential elements of the Common Core State Standards
• Stretch Texts provide an opportunity for students to read more challenging texts primary sources that are rigorous, complex, and authentic
• The support materials guide students through close reads of each text and encourage students to demonstrate understanding of the text by citing evidence and making inferences.
• Multimedia PowerPoint slideshows build background knowledge and connect students to learning platforms
• Extended research, media, and writing activities and projects keep students learning beyond the text
• Flexible implementation used with your core textbook or as part of your own ELA curriculum

On the Record™ Authors: Powerful advocates for your classroom

• Erin Gruwell, and her nonprofit organization, The Freedom Writers Foundation, have received many awards, including the prestigious Spirit of Anne Frank Award.
• Alfred W. Tatum is an associate professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Director of the UIC Reading Clinic where he hosts an annual African American Adolescent Summer Literacy Institute. Dr. Tatum began his career as an eighth-grade teacher in Chicago.

On the Record™ Components

• 120 Lead Books (4 books; 30 copies each)
• 48 Reader’s Choice Books (8 books; 6 copies each)
• Teacher’s Guide
• Reader’s Handbook (30 copies)
• 2 Teacher Resource CDs, include:
  • Platform and Book Intro Slide Shows
  • Stretch Texts for every book