Explore ELA is a research-based program that gives middle school educators instant access to the highest-quality standards-aligned content and instructional materials. With exciting units and more than 1,000 engaging text and multimedia resources, Explore ELA develops the knowledge and literacy students need to read grade-level and increasingly complex texts with joy and confidence.
Explore ELA: Supplementary ELA Program | Grades 6–8
The Knowledge Middle Schoolers Need. Texts They'll Want To Read
Explore ELA: Supplementary ELA Program | Grades 6–8
The Knowledge Middle Schoolers Need. Texts They'll Want To Read
Explore ELA is a research-based program that gives middle school educators instant access to the highest-quality standards-aligned content and instructional materials. With exciting units and more than 1,000 engaging text and multimedia resources, Explore ELA develops the knowledge and literacy students need to read grade-level and increasingly complex texts with joy and confidence.
Engaged Readers Are Strong Readers
Middle schoolers are navigating a whirlwind of changes. Their emotions are in flux, their identities are forming, and their interests are evolving. With so much happening, engaging them can be a real challenge. But we believe that harnessing their curiosity is the key to their success. That’s why Explore ELA puts engagement first—ensuring students are focused, on task, and actively learning.
Research shows that middle school is an "age of opportunity" for "long-lasting positive learning and development, if approached at the right time and in the right way," according to the Association of Middle Level Education (AMLE) and its partners—and is, in fact, so important it should be made a national priority.
Knowledge Drives Comprehension
But to make learning stick, students must be engaged. With Explore ELA, you have thousands of grade-level texts that students WANT to read. Our research-based approach integrates cross-curricular topics and diverse genres to build the knowledge, vocabulary, and critical skills students need to develop as proficient readers, writers, and thinkers.
Explore ELA at a Glance
For Students:
- Content tailored to their interests and age
- Inviting format
- Annotation and reaction tools
- Student choice and voice
For Teachers:
- Ready-to-go units and lessons of varying lengths
- Comprehension checks and real-time reports
- Differentiation tools
- Implementation tips
- Simple search and discovery
For Admins:
- Confidence in quality and effectiveness
- Meaningful data at class, school, and district levels
- Transparency into content, standards, and skills
“Explore ELA makes approaching a new unit so much less overwhelming! . . . Someone has already done the ‘leg work’ in finding or creating so many supplemental resources for the texts that are taught in middle school.”
–Seventh-Grade Teacher
The Search for High-Quality Content Is Over
High-quality instructional materials are essential but not always easy to find. With a single search in Explore ELA, browse rigorous research-based content and standards-aligned lessons created by Scholastic and vetted by middle school teachers. Search by skill, standard, topic, or genre and fill your most critical curricular gaps with stories that students will be talking about long after the bell rings.
Build Knowledge. Unlock Complex Texts.
The more a student knows, the more they comprehend. Explore ELA builds knowledge, comprehension skills, and vocabulary cohesively and across subject areas with rich, relevant content. By building skills in service of knowledge, students will be able to tackle more complex texts.
Increase Reading Volume and Stamina
Students need access and variety to read voluminously. Explore ELA provides multiple genres, formats, and perspectives, ensuring students engage with content that is meaningful and intentional. With thoughtfully curated opportunities to extend reading and deepen learning, we promote sustained engagement.
Provide a Pathway to Grade-Level Texts
Support readers of all levels with easy-to-use scaffolds and differentiation tools, including background-building videos, vocabulary slideshows, and audio read-alouds. Plus, we've crafted quick text sets just for striving readers to prepare for grade-level texts.
“This product saves teachers hours of planning and preparation time. It has so many great connected resources together in one place, and because they are vetted by Scholastic, we know that they are legit and worthwhile.”
–Middle School Principal
Strengthen Teacher Capacity and Satisfaction
Explore ELA's point-of-use professional development videos offer an efficient way for new and veteran teachers to build instructional skills and ensure fidelity of implementation. Videos are built right into the lessons. Topics include:
- Differentiation strategies
- Discussion protocols
- Conferencing ideas and approaches
See the Gains. Drive the Learning.
You need to know what your students need. That's why we provide you with actionable, real-time data to inform instruction. High-level reports for administrators measure usage, quality of usage, and learning so you can be sure your investment is paying off.
Explore the Program
Teachers spend an average of 7 hours a week searching for high-quality instructional materials to support their lessons.
Explore ELA gives teachers hours of their time back with ready-made texts, resources, and lessons vetted by teachers and created by Scholastic—all just a few clicks away.
Units and Text Sets
Planning has never been easier or more enjoyable. Robust instructionalized pathways feature multiple texts, lessons, videos, and activities based on the most-taught middle school themes, essential questions, and novels.
- Literature studies
- Skills lessons
- Power packs for striving readers
- and more!
The Library
Browse 1,000+ grab-and-go texts and multimedia resources to support your literacy goals and provide meaningful practice in writing and other literacy skills. Just Explore ELA!
- Thousands of authentic texts
- Bell ringers and exit tickets
- Anchor charts
- Quizzes tagged with skills and standards
- Videos
- Writing kits
- and more!
Connect with These Knowledge-Building Solutions
Research shows that knowledge has a profound impact on comprehension. That's why Scholastic offers a variety of programs that enhance Explore ELA and support knowledge-building across the curriculum.
Knowledge Library
This evidence-based small-group solution integrates knowledge building with the essential literacy skills students need to become strong readers in Grades K–5.
Scholastic Magazines+
Boost background knowledge with real-world content that engages students and enhances instruction in any subject for PreK–12—in print and digital formats.
