Resources
Results
CCRS Implementation Guided Study: Program-Based CCRS Support
The CCRS Implementation Guided Study opportunity is a “light” version of the CCRS Implementation Cohort that includes a facilitation guide, Google Slides presentations, and all accompanying materials needed to lead advanced CCRS work on a program or team level – for ELA, Math, or both – all housed in a Canvas platform “course.” This guided study uses the same tools for instructors to practice analyzing lessons, units, instructional tasks, and resources that are used in CCRS Implementation Cohort, held every other year on a statewide level.
Contextualizing Adult Education: Learning from Six Decades of Experience and Research
September 2020, ProLiteracy released a research brief focused on the importance of contextualizing adult education. Read more to learn about what research has to say, as well as strategies to contextualize instruction with adult learners.
CCRS for Adult Education
The College & Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRS) is the document that lays out the standards for English Language Arts/Literacy, Math, and Foundational Reading Skills. CCRS is one of the three components - along with the Transitions Integration Framework (TIF) and the Northstar Digital Literacy Standards - of the Minnesota ABE content standards.
Skillblox
Skillblox is a tool created by CrowdED Learning in response to the question “What if instead of searching various books and sites for quality content, they were all organized in one place?” This database of content streamlines the process of creating targeted and individualized learning plans (online packets, if you will) for adult education students. It is searchable by CCR standards, and soon TABE 11/12 competencies.
PBS Learning Media – ELA
This resource organizes video content from PBS around subjects, grade levels, and standards. You can even search by CCRS standard! This provider integrates with Google Classroom. If you use Google Classroom, connect with the provider to make it easy to share materials with your students.
PBS Learning Media – Math
This resource organizes video content from PBS around subjects, grade levels, and standards. You can even search by CCRS standard! This provider integrates with Google Classroom. If you use Google Classroom, connect with the provider to make it easy to share materials with your students.
CCRS Classroom Videos – ESL
Want to see the CCRS (College & Career Readiness Standards) in action in an ESL classroom, but don’t have time to get out and observe your colleagues? Look no further than these wonderful classroom videos featuring seasoned instructors from Literacy Minnesota as they expertly implement the…
Common Core Sheets
Find hundreds of ready-to-use math worksheets on this website. The worksheets can be searched by grade level, math skill, and type of problem. Math tests and flashcards can also be created.
PowerUp: What Works – English Language Arts Teaching Strategies
This website was built for teachers with a variety of learner levels in their K-12 classes and offers resources, strategies, and practical tips to personalize instruction to meet the needs of struggling students. The teaching suggestions and instructional suggestions can easily be applied to adult ESL classrooms where English Language Arts CCRS are being applied. This page provides information on topics such as teaching context clues, self-questioning, visualizing, and semantic mapping.
New Academic Word List (NAWL) Finder and Sorter
EAPFoundation.com offers a free electronic tool for finding, highlighting, and sorting academic words within texts. Their word source is the New Academic Word List or NAWL, a recent update of the Academic Word List or AWL. There is also the option of creating a simple, head word, or word family gapfill, where the found academic words become blanks in the text.
Progressions: Illustrative Mathematics
Videos and tasks on math content progressions related to fractions in the Common Core standards.
Math Snacks: Fractions
Online activities and videos for supporting students' understanding of math concepts such as ratios, scale factors, fractions, number lines, and so on. Some activities may need additional language learning supports (i.e. for beginning English learners). Videos are also available in Spanish and in a printable "comic book" form.
Math Snacks: Ratios
Online activities and videos for supporting students' understanding of math concepts such as ratios, scale factors, fractions, number lines, and so on. Some activities may need additional language learning supports (i.e. for beginning English learners). Videos are also available in Spanish and in a printable "comic book" form.
Our School Garden
This project-based unit of instruction leads students through a process of writing, filming, editing, and showcasing their own videos about a community garden they have tended all summer.
Academic Debate Unit
This project-based academic debate unit ends with a service field trip. Over several weeks, students effectively develop and refute arguments; analyze controversial issues; evaluate evidence; and recognize opportunities for leadership.
Getting Started, Moving Forward with the CCRS Writing Standards
These two handouts provide nine reading-writing tasks that incorporate close readings of informative or narrative texts and writing production of sentences, paragraphs, or essays.
Text Structures
Each printable text structure activity provides six short passages and a worksheet for identifying each passage’s text structure (chronological, compare and contrast, cause and effect, sequence, problem and solution) and completing a related graphic organizer.
Reading Skills for Healthcare Workers – Fluency
This website provides 175 CNA (certified nursing assistant) and general healthcare passages and audios for adult readers at grade levels 5.5 to 8.5 (Intermediate level). All are CCRS aligned and include pre-reading questions, definitions of healthcare or high-frequency vocabulary, and text-dependent questions.
Newsela – Fluency
From the Newsela homepage, teachers can sign up for FREE and unlimited access to printable news articles, about the same topic but at 5 different lexile scores, and all aligned with CCRS reading anchors. This resource is extremely helpful for fluency instruction!
Newsela – Comprehension
Teachers and students can sign up for FREE and unlimited access to relevant news articles and quizzes, at 5 different lexile scores, all aligned with CCRS reading anchors. This varied and vertical text selection allows an entire class to read, discuss, and comprehend the same non-fiction content!
New Resources
Presenter Information
Get information about stipends, reimbursements, the MN Adult Ed policy on use of images in presentations, and other instructions for presenters.
MN Adult Ed YouTube Channel
The MN Adult Education YouTube Channel is a free online PD resource that you can use to explore teaching techniques and classroom ideas in action! Find out more in this MN ABE Connect newsletter article.
ATLAS Announcements & Future PD
Check out the latest list of ATLAS professional development announcements and opportunities! This is the document that is shared at all ATLAS events.
Virtual Meeting Resources
Find resources for conducting online meetings/events/presentations! You are welcome to use and adapt these materials to fit your own needs and context.
Upcoming ABE Events
January 27, 2026
9:00 am–10:00 am
Online
SiD Class Setup Essentials
Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 1/27/26 Venue: Online (see details below) Join us for an in-depth webinar about how to set up classes in SiD. We’ll cover the basics of creating, duplicating, and removing classes. We’ll also dig into how to build specialty classes like IET, Workplace, and Distance Learning. Learn More
Online
January 27, 2026
6:30 pm–8:30 pm
Online
Volunteer Core Training Module 3: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Learners
Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 1/27/26 Venue: Online (see details below) Participants learn how to apply teaching practices that support language and skill development for all learners. These practices include ensuring that instruction is learner centered, using an appropriate level of teacher talk and delivering error correction. Learn More
Online
January 29, 2026
8:15 am–3:30 pm
Online
Language & Literacy Institute 2026 – VIRTUAL EVENT – Day 1
Online
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: THU. 1/29/26 IMPORTANT NOTE: You must register for EACH day you plan to attend! FLYER (Final Agenda) PROGRAM SCHEDULE (Complete Session Descriptions) COMING SOON! If you require ASL Interpretation, contact Gail Rutan… Learn More
Online