If I had to choose just one ELA resource to share with teachers, Newsela would get the nod. With articles ranging from health and sports to science and money, Newsela makes it easy to supplement your lessons with informational text a la CCSS or PA Core.
The feature which makes Newsela stand out from other resources is the ability to change Lexile levels of the text with one click. For example, in a article titled “Microsoft Program Focuses on helping Businesses in Africa,” one student can be reading the following 480L opening paragraph:
Anand Mariappan is from Seattle, Washington. He works at a company called Microsoft. Microsoft is a big technology business. Mariappan makes programs for Microsoft. The programs might help people add numbers. It also helps them keep information.
And another may be reading the 1210L version:
Anand Mariappan is a software guru who works at Microsoft. He spends his days at work building data-analysis tools largely designed for people like him — office workers accustomed to high-resolution computer monitors, lightning-quick Internet and the creature comforts of a modern office park.
The Spanish version? No problem…one click offers this paragraph:
Anand Mariappan es especialista en programas informáticos y trabaja para Microsoft. Se dedica a crear herramientas de análisis de datos diseñadas principalmente para personas como él, es decir, empleados de oficina acostumbrados a usar monitores de computadora de alta resolución, una Internet con la velocidad de un rayo y todas las comodidades propias de los centros empresariales modernos.
Best. Resource. Ever.
At Least It's Not Math 