Britannica Moves Ahead With Math Curricula

CHICAGO, IL, Nov 18 (MARKET WIRE) --
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. (www.britannica.com) today announced two
new initiatives in the area of mathematics curricula for K-12 schools.

On November 1, the company resumed distribution of its popular Mathematics
in Context program, a curriculum for grades 5-8 used in schools throughout
the United States. Encyclopaedia Britannica is the publisher of the
program, which has been marketed on Britannica's behalf in recent years by
Holt McDougal (www.hrw.com), formerly Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Mathematics in Context was developed by the Wisconsin Center for Education
Research, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison and the
Freudenthal Institute at the University of Utrecht, The Netherlands. It's
a standards-based curriculum whose initial development was funded in part
by the National Science Foundation. Connections are a key feature of the
program -- connections among topics, connections to other disciplines, and
connections between mathematics and meaningful problems in the real world.
The program emphasizes the dynamic, active nature of mathematics and the
way math enables students to make sense of their world.

Britannica also plans to introduce Britannica SmartMath, a formative
assessment and online, interactive math practice tool for Grades 1-6. It
consists of more than 35,000 practice questions that form a closely
intertwined curriculum correlated to standards. It combines questions and
lessons with a platform that individualizes student learning. Avatars and
an award system create a fun, game-like environment that engages students.
SmartMath was developed by Planetii
(http://www.planetii.com/corpsite/index.jsp).

"These are both excellent programs that together provide comprehensive
math coverage through middle school and give our customers one place to
find it all," said Michael Ross, a senior vice president at Britannica
and general manager of the company's education division.

Ross emphasized that Britannica's push into the math curriculum area is
part of a wider effort to move beyond the company's historical focus on
reference and provide more products that are highly useful in school.

"There's a growing need for high-quality curricula and other resources in
the classroom, and Britannica, with its sterling reputation and widespread
presence in schools, is well situated to help meet that need.
Increasingly, we'll focus on developing products that integrate reference
with the needs of teachers and students in the classroom today."

Schools interested in Mathematics in Context, Britannica SmartMath or any
of Britannica's products can go to http://info.eb.com or call
1-800-621-3900.

About Encyclopaedia Britannica

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., is a leader in reference and education
publishing whose encyclopedias and other products can be found in many
media, from the Internet to cell phones to books. A pioneer in electronic
publishing since the early 1980s, the company also still publishes the
32-volume Encyclopaedia Britannica, along with Web sites such as
Britannica Online School Edition and new printed products, such as the
Britannica Illustrated Science Library. The company makes its
headquarters in Chicago.

Contact:
Tom Panelas
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
312-347-7309
Email Contact

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