Traverse Explorer

Equality in Voting Rights

Engage

Examine this flipbook to learn about the women’s suffrage movement’s leaders. 

Analyze

GERTRUDE SIMMONS BONNIN (ZITKALA-ŠA): ADVOCATE FOR THE “INDIAN VOTE” 

Genre: Article | Creator: Cathleen Cahill | Date: 2020 

Background 

Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (1876–1938), also known by her Lakota name, Zitkala-Ša, was an Indigenous suffragist and civil rights activist. She advocated for voting rights for Indigenous people and for the right to be acknowledged and respected as both a Yankton Sioux and an American. This article explores Zitkala-Ša’s life and activism. 

Learn about Zitkala-Ša’s contributions to voting rights for Indigenous people.

In 1924, advocacy by Native people like Zitkala-Ša and members of the Society of American Indians, along with complex political currents such as gratitude for Native veterans and increasing nativism, convinced Congress to pass the Snyder Act or the Indian Citizenship Act that endowed full US citizenship rights on all Native people born in the country. However, the law upheld US government oversight of Native lands. 

Zitkala-Ša was thrilled by the possibility of the vote. For many years she had been developing her ideas of capacious citizenship for Native people that could encompass membership in a Native nation as well as US citizenship. She also believed that by voting together, Native people could form a powerful bloc in certain states, especially those with large Native populations, that could help change federal policies. She urged Native people to take advantage of their new citizenship status to vote. In 1926, she and her husband formed the National Council of American Indians to coordinate the political actions of Native people across the nation. For three summers they traveled to Native communities learning of their concerns, discussing recent legislation, and registering voters. Initially, this seemed like a promising strategy. Many Native people began to vote and some Native men ran for and were elected to office, including Senator Charles Curtis a citizen of the Kaw Nation who served as Herbert Hoover’s vice president (1928–1932). 

However, many non-Natives, especially in states that had significant populations of Indigenous people like Arizona, Montana, and New Mexico, used a variety of strategies to disenfranchise Native people. Some of those strategies mirrored Southern Jim Crow laws, such as literacy tests, at-large elections, or poll taxes. Arizona and New Mexico argued that despite the Citizenship Act, anyone living on land that remained under government trust oversight in a wardship status could not vote. In this way, states used the relationship between Native people and the federal government to suppress voting. Zitkala-Ša was outraged. She continued her advocacy for Native rights and especially for self-governance of her nation, the Yankton Sioux, until her death in 1938. 

Excerpted from“Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala-Ša): Advocate for the ‘Indian Vote.’” 

Collaborate

Give One, Get One

Pose the following question to students. 

What are additional benefits that come with the right to vote? 

  • Have students write several answers to the question. 
  • Have students move around the room and talk with other students to give and get ideas in response to the question. Students should try to get at least one new idea from each peer conversation. 
  • Call on several students to share an idea they got that shaped their thinking. 

Teacher Resources

Think Like a Historian

Use this additional sourcing information to further contextualize the source in order to deepen students’ analysis and evaluation. 

Summary

This article describes the activist work of Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, or Zitkala-Ša. Zitkala-Ša urged women to use their new political power to advocate for Indigenous people’s rights and U.S. citizenship, which is something Zitkala-Ša did her entire life. 

Purpose

The purpose of this source was to describe the life and advocacy work of Zitkala-Ša. 

Intended Audience

This article was intended for a general contemporary audience. 

Source Considerations

This source shows that Indigenous American women were not granted the right to vote with passage of the 19th Amendment. Instead, they were still unable to vote until 1924 and, along with Indigenous American men, had to fight to exercise their rights because of discriminatory laws. 

Scaffolding and Differentiation

Use the following information to provide reading comprehension support. 

Genre 

Explain that this article was originally published on July 30, 2020, on the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission’s blog. The digital version has images and hyperlinks that are not replicated in this excerpt. 

Style 

Cahill uses long, complex sentences that students may find challenging. Encourage them to summarize Cahill’s main points.

Analyze and Discuss

To extend discussions, consider asking the following questions.

  • What is the author’s central claim? 
    • (Cahill’s central claim is that Zitkala-Ša advocated for voting rights for Indigenous citizens and for other Indigenous rights.)
  • Identify a piece of evidence Cahill uses that supports this claim.
    • (Answers will vary but may include “She urged Native people to take advantage of their new citizenship status to vote.”)

July 30, 2024 6:15 am

Imagine Learning Launches Enhanced Sonday System With Science of Reading Support 

Empowering Educators with Effective Tools for Every Student’s Success

Tempe, Arizona, July 30, 2024 – Imagine Learning, a leader in digital-first educational solutions, proudly announces the enhancements to the market-leading Imagine Sonday System. This powerful, multisensory reading program, based on the Orton-Gillingham approach, is designed to meet the diverse needs of students in special education, struggling readers, and students learning to read, ensuring every learner receives the support they need to succeed.

Innovative Enhancements to Support More Learners

The enhanced Imagine Sonday System builds on the structured, systematic, and multisensory teaching methods already proven effective and augments them with explicit instructional support grounded in the science of reading. Educators can implement comprehensive lesson plans with minimal preparation, now pairing them with science of reading-aligned warm-ups and cool-downs. This ensures the most effective, research-based reading instruction. The program offers vital tools to immediately identify and support struggling readers as early as PreK.

“The Imagine Sonday System has already empowered countless educators to tackle reading challenges effectively, ensuring student success,” said Eric Smith, General Manager of Imagine Learning Sonday System. “By integrating the latest science of reading research, our updated system provides a robust and effective solution for educators, from kindergarten through advanced levels.” 

Addressing Students with Special Needs

The number of students in special education programs has significantly increased over the past decades, highlighting the urgent need for effective interventions aligned with the latest science of reading research. The Imagine Sonday System offers a comprehensive solution of Tier 1 support and Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, which improve reading skills and help students transition out of special education when appropriate. Additionally, robust data collection and progress monitoring help meet stringent oversight and compliance requirements. 

Tackling Teacher Shortages

Imagine Sonday System addresses the pressing issue of teacher shortages, particularly in special education. The straightforward implementation process allows both veteran educators and those with little to no experience teaching reading to deliver high-quality instruction, alleviating some of the staffing pressures faced by schools. Paraprofessionals can also effectively implement the system, broadening the range of educators who can support students. Imagine Learning offers additional teaching support with Small Group Targeted Instruction, ensuring effective delivery of interventions and comprehensive support for both educators and students. 

Key Benefits of the Enhanced Imagine Sonday System

  • Ease of Use: Streamlined, six-step lesson plans ensure that educators can quickly implement the program with minimal training. 
  • Efficiency: Designed for rapid deployment; teachers are prepared to deliver high-quality lessons after just one training day. The intervention-focused lesson plans are pre-written, include all materials for delivery, and are designed to be only 35 minutes in length. 
  • Accessibility: Available in both digital and print formats, this inclusive solution ensures that a wide range of educators, from seasoned professionals to volunteers, can access and utilize the resources effectively. 
  • Support: Continuous access to expert advice and support ensures sustained success and effective implementation. 

To learn more about how Imagine Learning is driving equitable success for students with disabilities, visit Imagine Sonday System.

About Imagine Learning

Every classroom, every student is bursting with potential. That’s why we pursue relentless innovation at the intersection of technology, people, and curricula. Imagine Learning creates K–12 digital-first solutions, working alongside teachers to support 15 million students in over half of the districts nationwide. Our core portfolio includes Imagine IM, Imagine Learning EL Education, Twig® Science, and Traverse®. Our robust supplemental and intervention suite equips learners with personalized instruction for English and Spanish literacy, math, coding, and more. Imagine Edgenuity® and Imagine EdgeEX offer innovative courseware solutions, complemented by Imagine School Services’ Certified Teachers. Imagine Learning. Empower potential. Learn more: imaginelearning.com.

July 18, 2024 2:32 am

Is Professional Learning the Antidote to Teacher Burnout?

Discover the hidden power of professional learning in addressing teacher burnout. This blog post explores how shifting from traditional professional development to a more collaborative, teacher-driven approach can rekindle educators’ passion and resilience, ultimately benefiting both teachers and students.

Before we dive into what makes professional learning effective, we need to address the elephant in the room: the difference between professional development and professional learning. Bradley et al describe them as two mindsets, with the professional learning mindset being one “in which professional learning and growth are centered around accelerating personal and collective learning.”  

The shift from a PD to PL mindset means “moving from delivering information to intentionally co-designing, with educators, learning and growth opportunities that are grounded in the evidence about what is most needed and most effective.” 

So, while at first it seems like a small difference in semantics, it’s really the key to this whole conversation — especially during a time when teacher burnout is high. 

Addressing teacher burnout… with professional learning?

At this point, we know many of the causes of teacher burnout: heavy workloads, lack of funding, and classroom behavior issues, to name a few. But if these stressors don’t have an immediate fix, how do we help address the problem? 

You might roll your eyes when I say professional learning. But keeping in mind the shift in mindset, more one-off PD days are not what we’re talking about — not even if the focus is on teacher wellness. We’ve looked before at how administrators can care for teachers, including offering mental health and wellness support. But frankly, teachers are tired of being told to prioritize self-care when they don’t have the time or bandwidth.  

Educators go above and beyond for their students, ignoring their own well-being (inspiring the well-intentioned push to promote self-care) because teaching is a mission-driven craft. And because of that, we are seeing teachers burn out at rates that align with other service- and mission-oriented roles (e.g. nursing, social work, etc.).  

At the beginning of their careers, teachers feel deeply rooted in their “why,” but as the daily stresses of the profession take over, they can start to feel distanced from that purpose. This is what psychologists call misalignment burnout, when “we constantly engage with environments and in activities that go against our innermost values and beliefs, leading to a disconnect between our true selves and professional identity.”  

So how can we help teachers with this misalignment? That’s where professional learning comes in. 

The key to effective PL: reconnecting teachers with their “why”

A critical aspect of effective professional learning is that it helps educators to reconnect with their “why” and refills the proverbial tank needed to keep giving and giving and giving in an increasingly skilled way.  It also helps teachers to build a toolkit for how to respect their own barriers, keep their own well-being in check, and systematize the individualized support that they want to offer each student.   

Effective professional learning is teacher-driven, and therefore tailored by grade level, content area, career stage, and specific interests or passions. Teachers are professionals and should be treated as such, with autonomy and choice over how they hone their skills and stay informed about current research.  

We know that professional learning should be enduring, ongoing, job-embedded, and relevant, but if the main goal isn’t to get teachers back to that “why,” it’s missing a critical element. The goal is of course to build and strengthen skills, but the other, equally important outcome is to help teachers rekindle motivation and strengthen resilience.  

PL ideas that bring focus back to the “why”: 

New challenges arise and best practices evolve, “but one thing that has never altered is educators’ desire to affect positive change in the classroom.” So, if professional learning can tap into that in a meaningful way, it can make huge strides toward reinvigorating teachers. 

About the Author — Krysia Lazarewicz

Krysia Lazarewicz is Vice President of Professional Learning and Development at Imagine Learning, where she leads the vision, strategy, and execution of our professional learning. Before joining the Imagine Learning team, Krysia was Vice President of Business Development at Wiley University Services, where she partnered with over 100 institutions to develop and launch new online programs, focusing on helping educators and learners achieve their goals. Krysia’s background includes teaching middle school math and science and working in content development for Pearson. She has a strong passion for improving lives through education. 

July 16, 2024 6:30 am

Imagine Learning Introduces AI Grading Assistant for Writing in Imagine EdgeEX

Leading K–12 Curriculum Solutions Provider Uses AI to Empower Teachers and Enhance Education

Tempe, Arizona, July 16, 2024 – Imagine Learning, the largest provider of digital curriculum solutions in the U.S., serving 15 million students in more than half the school districts nationwide, today announced a newly developed AI tool within the Imagine EdgeEX curriculum offering, available in beta to all current customers. Imagine EdgeEX is the next generation of Imagine Edgenuity, designed to engage students and to help teachers streamline their work with actionable data and easy-to-use, customizable tools, an easy-to-navigate dashboard, and accessible features.

Imagine EdgeEX’s new AI Grading Assistant for writing provides teachers with actionable, context-specific feedback on submitted writing activities. The feature evaluates student writing, providing suggestions on clarity of thought, alignment to the learning objective, quality of writing, and more. This innovation saves educators time and significantly scales their impact, allowing them to devote more time to meaningful interactions with students. This tool will soon be complemented by additional AI-powered tools to help learners and teachers work more effectively and efficiently. Amid the shifts in education with the advent of generative AI, ongoing teacher shortages, and hurdles those in the profession face daily, there is a critical need to make teachers’ lives easier.

“At Imagine Learning, our priority has always been to create innovative, digital-first solutions that enhance the classroom experience for teachers and learners,” said Kinsey Rawe, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Imagine Learning. “Teachers are under so much pressure in today’s educational landscape. In a time where turnover and shortages continue to plague districts across the nation, we’re proud to launch Imagine EdgeEX’s first AI tool to not only lighten their workloads but also provide them with the support and empowerment they need.”

“When we set out to bring the power of generative AI to Imagine EdgeEX, protecting our customers’ data and privacy had to be our top priority. That’s why we intentionally designed our short-writing feedback with a privacy-first architecture, minimizing the data collected and shared, ensuring that our AI partners cannot use students’ submissions to train their models. Our customers can enjoy the personalized, intelligent experiences enabled by AI while having peace of mind that their data is fully protected and used only in accordance with our strict privacy policies,” said Jason Fournier, Vice President of AI Initiatives at Imagine Learning.

The new AI tool keeps the teacher in control while keeping security and privacy at its core. Teachers have the freedom to use, modify, or ignore the AI-suggested comments at their discretion. Another important goal was to make it convenient, so the tool is integrated into teachers’ feedback workflow within Imagine EdgeEX. Teachers can quickly choose, edit, or discard feedback without copying and pasting or moving between systems.

Along with Imagine Learning’s previously announced AI enhancements like the AI-tutoring assistant within Imagine Learning Sessions and the acquisition of Cue Think, this latest development reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to integrating AI into the education experience to enhance personalized learning and educator support.

To learn more about Imagine EdgeEX’s new AI feature and offerings for teachers, visit imaginelearning.com/edgeEX-ai.

About Imagine Learning

Every classroom, every student is bursting with potential. That’s why we pursue relentless innovation at the intersection of technology, people, and curricula. Imagine Learning creates K–12 digital-first solutions, working alongside teachers to support 15 million students in over half of the districts nationwide. Our core portfolio includes Imagine IM, Imagine Learning EL Education, Twig® Science, and Traverse®. Our robust supplemental and intervention suite equips learners with personalized instruction for English and Spanish literacy, math, coding, and more. Imagine Edgenuity® and Imagine EdgeEX offer innovative courseware solutions, complemented by Imagine School Services’ Certified Teachers. Imagine Learning. Empower potential. Learn more: imaginelearning.com.

Traverse Explorer

The Declaration of Independence

Engage

Learn about notable events in the American Revolution through this Interactive Time Line. 

Analyze

Genre: Document | Creator: Thomas Jefferson | Date: 1776 

Background 

Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. The document declares the colonies’ independence from Great Britain. Jefferson wrote the first draft and submitted it to Congress. The Committee of Five and Congress then made revisions before adopting and signing the document. The following excerpt is the preamble to the Declaration. 

Read this excerpt of the Declaration of Independence

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. —Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. 

Excerpted from The Declaration of Independence.

Collaborate

Found Poem 

Have students select and rearrange words, phrases, or lines from each source in the chapter to write a found poem. The poem should 

  • be composed entirely from language from the sources; and
  • communicate an understanding or idea connected to the chapter. 

Partner students to share their poems and discuss similarities, differences, surprises, and takeaways. 

Call on several students to share how writing or discussing their poems shaped their understanding of the chapter. 

Teacher Resources

Think Like a Historian

Use this additional sourcing information to further contextualize the source in order to deepen students’ analysis and evaluation. 

Summary

The Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It announced the separation of the 13 colonies from Great Britain and outlined the reasons why. This excerpt is the preamble. 

Purpose

The Declaration of Independence explains the ideals of a democratic government, lists the reasons for the colonists’ decision to separate from Great Britain, and formally declares the colonies an independent nation. 

Intended Audience

The immediate audience for the Declaration of Independence was King George III, colonists, and the international community. 

Source Considerations

This excerpt from the Declaration outlines the ideals of a democratic government. 

Scaffolding and Differentiation

Use the following information to provide reading comprehension support. 

Style

The Declaration uses long, complex sentences that students may find difficult to understand. Encourage students to pause frequently and use the annotation tool to summarize the main points. 

Organization

Students may not recognize that the Declaration has three parts. Explain that this excerpt is from the preamble, which comes before the list of grievances. 

Analyze and Discuss

To extend discussions, consider asking the following questions.

  • What words, phrases, or quotations from the document illustrate the authors’ perspective? 
    • (Answers will vary but may include “all men are created equal,” “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” “under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government.”) 
  • How does this demonstrate the authors’ perspective? 
    • (Answers will vary.) 
  • What is it about these words, phrases, or sentences that you think make them the most significant ones in the document? 
    • (Answers will vary but may include that these words or phrases have become well- known and frequently quoted today, or that they are the most powerful words or phrases.) 

June 28, 2024 6:30 am

School District of Philadelphia Advances Literacy with Science of Reading Focus

SDP Hosts Summer Institute with Support from Imagine Learning to Equip Educators with Innovative Literacy Training and Resources

Philadelphia, PA – June 27, 2024 – The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) recently hosted an innovative, in-person educator training focused on the implementation of high-quality instructional materials and practices aligned with science of reading research. This four-day Summer Institute, held from June 24–27, equipped over 800 educators and administrators with the tools and knowledge needed to enhance literacy instruction in the upcoming school year.

Importance of the Event

This training event marked a significant step in the District’s commitment to improving literacy outcomes and ensuring all students have access to high-quality learning experiences. By equipping educators to use the science of reading principles with Imagine Learning EL Education, the District aims to transform literacy instruction. The Summer Institute provided educators with in-depth training on evidence-based practices crucial for helping students develop strong literacy skills. This approach supports personalized learning and promotes equitable access to educational resources, addressing current challenges and ensuring all students can thrive academically.

“Embracing the science of reading is a testament to our commitment to accelerating our students’ academic achievement,” said Tony B. Watlington Sr. Ed.D., Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. “The School District of Philadelphia had the second-fastest recovery for reading in grades three through eight among all large urban peer districts included in the Education Recovery Scorecard released by the Harvard University Center for Education Policy Research and The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University. We are excited to continue leading the way in literacy education and empowering our educators to transform their classrooms with this Summer Institute.”

Event Details:

The Summer Institute offered educators hands-on training, interactive sessions, and opportunities to explore and implement science of reading principles in their classrooms. Keynote speakers Nicole Ormandy, Senior Director of Content Development at AIM Institute for Learning and Research, and Dr. Megan Gierka, Senior Content Developer at AIM Institute for Learning and Research, highlighted best practices, leveraging their expertise and insights.

District educators examined the structure and design of Imagine Learning EL Education, gained insights into year-long planning, and learned effective strategies to engage students and enhance their literacy skills. Participants built their understanding and application of effective literacy practices to support students as they learn to read and, ultimately, read to learn.

“Imagine Learning is proud to support the School District of Philadelphia in this transformative initiative,” said Terry Gilligan, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Core Curriculum at Imagine Learning. “Our role is to provide the necessary tools and resources along with strategic professional learning to ensure educators can effectively implement the science of reading and foster a love for learning that extends beyond the classroom.”

The Summer Institute was a significant milestone in SDP’s ongoing efforts to enhance teaching and learning through innovative educational solutions.

Main Takeaways:

  • The Summer Institute emphasized the critical role of evidence-based practices in literacy instruction, equipping educators with strategies to enhance phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
  • This initiative was deeply personal for the leaders and teachers at the School District of Philadelphia. Participants expressed a strong commitment to creating better futures for SDP students, recognizing that it all starts with teaching every student to read proficiently.
  • The overarching goal is clear: to ensure that every student in the district achieves reading proficiency. SDP’s excellent educators are dedicated to pursuing this ambitious endeavor, supported by the high-quality curricular materials and practices provided by Imagine Learning EL Education.

For the full agenda or additional information, please contact:

Aileen McNelis

NextTech Communications

Amcnelis@nexttechcomms.com

About the School District of Philadelphia

The School District of Philadelphia is the eighth-largest school district in the nation and the largest school district in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Enrollment includes nearly 198,000 students in public, charter, and alternative schools, and approximately 19,000 employees. Under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Tony B. Watlington Sr., the School District’s vision is to prepare students to imagine and realize any future they desire. For more information about the School District, visit www.philasd.org.

About Imagine Learning

Every classroom, every student is bursting with potential. That’s why we pursue relentless innovation at the intersection of people, curricula, and technology. Imagine Learning creates K–12 digital-first solutions working alongside educators to support 15 million students in over half of the districts nationwide. Our core portfolio includes Imagine IM, Imagine Learning EL Education, Twig® Science, and Traverse®. Our robust supplemental and intervention suite equips learners with personalized instruction for English and Spanish literacy, math, coding, and more. Imagine Edgenuity® is our flagship courseware solution, complemented by Imagine School Services’ Certified Teachers. Imagine Learning. Empower potential. Learn more at imaginelearning.com.

Edit and Share Assessments in Twig Science

Twig Science

Educators can now collaborate more easily on assessments

Educators can now edit and share assessments with their colleagues — saving time, allowing for flexibility, and making collaboration with colleagues more efficient. Administrators in the program can toggle this feature on or off depending on district needs.

Edit and Share Assessments in Twig Science
Edit and Share Assessments in Twig Science

Updated Dashboard Growth Widget in Imagine Language & Literacy 

Filter Growth Report data directly from your dashboard

In addition to the new Growth Report, our updated Growth Report Widget found on your dashboard now offers data visualizations that provide a quick snapshot of student performance on the benchmark tests. Now you can filter the data by test window and navigate to scores for literacy, oral vocab, and Lexile using the tabs at the bottom of the widget. Additionally, you can see students tested, test dates, and performance breakdowns. 

Imagine Language & Literacy Homepage

Updated Progress by Lesson Report in Imagine Language & Literacy

Imagine Language & Literacy

New feature added to the Progress by Lesson Report 

We’ve updated the Progress by Lesson Report to streamline your experience. Now you can hover over Lesson Groups to see all the lessons covered in that lesson group. Read more about this great new feature here

Imagine Language & Literacy Homepage

Updated Student Rating Scale in Imagine Language & Literacy

Student rating system changing from smiley faces to stars

Our teams really use student rating information to inform decisions on updates and improvements. We are updating the rating scale from 3 smiley faces to 5 stars based on user research and feedback. Students can now give more granular feedback on their activities to help us plan for future enhancements. 

Imagine Language & Literacy Homepage