High-Quality Instructional Materials for K–8 Classrooms | Studies Weekly HQIM

In today’s educational climate, when test scores are down and NCES reports that a third of students are behind grade level, High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) are not just nice to have, but may be the most impactful and low-cost interventions a school can make.

Research conducted by David Steiner for the Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education suggests that High-Quality Instructional Materials can close outcome gaps, significantly improve state test scores, and boost student achievement more than many common school improvement interventions.

A report released by The New Teacher Project in 2018 revealed that when students who started the year behind grade level had greater access to HQIM, specifically grade-appropriate content, they closed the outcomes gap with their peers by more than seven months.

HQIM don’t just improve student outcomes, but can also greatly ease the burden on teachers. EdReports suggests that teachers spend 7-12 hours a week searching for educational materials online or creating their own materials from scratch. Both approaches show the dedication of our teachers. They are willing to put extra time into meeting the difficult task of covering standards while meeting their students’ needs.

The problem is that online and self-made materials do not always match the standards, and online materials are often not vetted for accuracy. By providing comprehensive, standards-based, research-backed materials all in one place, HQIM save teachers hours of preparation time and the worry over whether their standards are being met.

An example of HQIM are the Social Studies, Science, and Health curricula offered by Studies Weekly. All Studies Weekly programs are designed and continuously updated to ensure:

• Evidence-based teaching strategies
• Close alignment and adherence to standards
• Comprehensive and grade-appropriate learning materials
• Adaptable content that can be scaffolded, differentiated, and customized to reach all learners
• Accessibility to all teachers and students
• Embedded teacher supports and resources

Studies Weekly bases its curricula on pedagogy and research-backed educational frameworks to promote effective teaching methods.

For example, the Studies Weekly Explore Science Teacher Edition structures lesson plans based on the 5E Model and the three dimensions of learning from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): Science and Engineering Practices (SEP), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCC).

Studies Weekly Social Studies and Health and Wellness are also highly researched and incorporate evidence-based teaching strategies. In the example below (Fig. 1), the Teacher Edition notes the High-Impact Teaching Strategies incorporated into the following lesson plan.

HQIM need to align with and cover standards. Studies Weekly provides and maintains standards documentation to clearly show how the program covers state standards. Standards correlation documents can be found in your Studies Weekly Online account or made available upon request.

Teachers can also find information on standards coverage for each lesson in their Teacher Editions.

Studies Weekly’s curricula are complete programs, with scaffolded, grade-level materials to span the whole school year. Each publication is built to meet students where they are by scaffolding up to provide access to grade-level language, concepts, and learning objectives. The materials are carefully aligned to state standards and include everything educators need to deliver high-quality instruction, from engaging lessons and content to ready-made assessments.

An important aspect of HQIM is the ability to adapt content to students’ needs. The Studies Weekly Online platform allows teachers to differentiate instruction at both the class and individual student levels. Teachers can customize online articles, activities, quizzes, assessments, and more according to their teaching styles and students’ needs. Customized content can be assigned to individual students or the whole class, allowing teachers more control over the online learning experience (Fig. 2).

Studies Weekly programs also contain suggestions for differentiation, extension activities, and additional readings throughout the Teacher Edition to help teachers easily adapt instruction without taking extra prep time.

HQIM must be accessible and inclusive. Studies Weekly’s Social Studies, Science, and Health curricula accommodate the needs of all learners with resources embedded into the online platform, like:

• A variable-speed audio reader
• ADHD-focused reading panels
• Google Translate integration
• Color and text adjustment options
• English Language Development slides (Fig. 3)

Teachers are asked to accomplish a lot in a limited time and often with limited resources. Studies Weekly provides teachers with many usable and adaptable resources to make it easy for them to pick up and differentiate their curriculum.

The Studies Weekly Online platform contains a vast library of digital resources, like lesson videos and images, primary source interviews, and virtual field trips (Fig. 4).

Student grades and reports are also accessible on the online platform, making it easy to monitor student progress and identify opportunities for intervention early.

Effective, ongoing professional development is critical to the successful partnership of a teacher and curriculum program.

To support teachers throughout their school year with Studies Weekly, teachers have access to hundreds of hours of on-demand PD through their Studies Weekly Online account. Sessions range from implementation and curriculum-specific resources to classroom management and effective instructional strategies. These help teachers feel professional support and growth throughout their entire partnership with Studies Weekly’s HQIM.

Investing in High-Quality Instructional Materials is a leap toward student success and academic excellence for all learners. Knowing the importance of HQIM, Studies Weekly keeps its Social Studies, Science, and Health curricula as low-cost as possible so no school has to choose between affordability and quality.

Want to learn more about how Studies Weekly’s HQIM can improve student outcomes, meet standards, and achieve the goals of your school or district, all for a low price? Reach out to a representative for samples, quotes, and more.

Education Elements. (n.d.). FROM VISION TO PRACTICE A Comprehensive Guide to High Quality Instructional Materials. Retrieved july 29, 2025, from https://www.edelements.com/comprehensive-hqim-curriculum-guide

Let High School Science Teachers Know They’re Not Alone. (n.d.). Retrieved july 29, 2025, from https://www.edreports.org/resources/article/let-high-school-science-teachers-know-theyre-not-alone

National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved July 29, 2025, from https://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/press_releases/8_15_2024.asp

What we teach matters. (n.d.). Learning First. Retrieved July 29, 2025, from https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/050bc165-4c10-4808-8959-e4e29f6c8880/content