This year, my school district decided that most parents didn’t know about national curriculum standards and they sent a hard copy to each household. I now have a print copy of elementary guidelines for the state of Missouri.
This makes my life much easier when I’m writing up an activity for an educational publisher.
What grade would it be perfect for? I flip through the science or art standards, or whatever else is applicable, until I find a good fit.
When I want to sell a publisher on a project, a flip through the standards until I find specific listings for the skills taught by this activity. Now I can tell the publisher what grade level and specifically what standards I will cover. When I need standards for upper grades, I go to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education web page for curriculum and use the links from each curriculum area to the grade level expectations for that area.
Make use of the standards when you pitch your next picture book, magazine nonfiction or activity. You may find your way to greater sales.
–SueBE
One Writer's Journey 