Mazer Creative Services

Science

National Geographic School Publishing

Reading Expeditions © 2002–2006
Supplementary nonfiction science readers for grades 3–8

Mazer’s Role

For a client whose brand identity is tied to engrossing stories accompanied by lush photographic images, Mazer devised a series of richly visual readers with compelling narratives. Working from raw material provided by the client, Mazer’s editors successfully produced a final polished manuscript. In addition to editing, factchecking, and analyzing readability, Mazer conducted extensive photo research to meet National Geographic’s exacting standards and the creative demands of this product line. Mazer’s book designers used these images to support content area reading skills and to make each spread grab the young reader’s attention.

Houghton Mifflin

Big Books © 2007
Grade K primary science student edition

Mazer’s Role

Mazer piloted this project from prototype to the final three-dimensional full-color standing flipbook. Our editorial staff crafted imaginative lessons for the youngest learners and, in collaboration with designers and art buyers, developed a teacher’s edition, activity cards, and picture cards. The creative team then adapted and expanded the material for California, Florida, and Georgia iterations.

National Geographic/The JASON Project

Operation: Monster Storms
Web site and print editions for students and teachers, grades 5–8

Mazer’s Role

For this innovative project, Mazer collaborated with the JASON team to generate print student and teacher editions as well as a comprehensive interactive learning Web site. Our editorial department worked closely with the client and our own design team to produce a distinctive overall concept that supports and emphasizs the content and extends from the books to the Web. This is an ongoing, phased project, with the client returning to our development group to roll out further iterations and features.

McDougal Littell

Mazer’s Role

Tapping into resources at all three Creative Services sites, Mazer provided editorial and production services for this large-scale integrated science program. Mazer fashioned student and teacher editions for life, Earth, physical, and integrated science, seamlessly blending new material with repurposed content. To complement the basal editions, Mazer also created unit resource books, unit transparency books, lab manuals, and both English and Spanish editions of unit assessment books and note-taking and reading study guides.

SRA / McGraw-Hill

Reading for Information © 2005
Grades 2–4

Mazer’s Role

Mazer initiated a series of engaging and entertaining science readers geared to the needs of above-level learners, on-level learners, below-level learners, and English language learners. Our editorial team invested substantial time conceptualizing and outlining these books, incorporating the client’s original ideas and relevant state standards. Mazer drew on its extensive pool of freelance writers to produce manuscript for 150 books which we then shepherded through the development cycle.

Houghton Mifflin

Independent Inquiry © 2005
Grades 1–6 consumable ancillaries and teacher support

Mazer’s Role

Mazer editors, production artists, and art management specialists combined forces to meet stringent specifications and an aggressive schedule for this project, which included approximately 80 six-page activities and teacher support materials. The objective was to adapt elements of the client’s national science program for use with its Mazer-developed California student edition. To accomplish this task, editorial team members created many new materials and repurposed existing materials—extensively revising content to suit California standards and modifying activities for use at divergent grade levels. This carefully achieved balance resulted in activities that offered creative approaches to independent inquiry while meeting standardized procedural and assessment criteria.

Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Health & Wellness © 2005
Grades K–5 comprehensive health program

Mazer’s Role

Collaborating seamlessly with the program’s author team and two design studios, Mazer wrote, edited, art directed, and produced all components of this comprehensive health series. The project included work on student and teacher editions, workbooks, primary big books for K–2, and little readers for grades 1–2. Mazer also conducted focus testing of prototype lessons and combined forces with the client’s editorial team to incorporate valuable market feedback, ultimately ensuring that the program meshed with teachers’ goals for elementary health education.

Houghton Mifflin

Mazer’s Role

For this innovative consumable line, Mazer’s editorial, production, and art management departments assisted the client with prototype development and then created one four-color “worktext” (combination workbook/textbook) per grade level. Each worktext consists of reduced supplemental science reader spreads flanked by “wings” featuring corresponding study guide activities. The workbook facet of the product includes self-contained activities, such as completing a chart, as well as interactive activities, such as identifying and marking pertinent information within the reader text. Despite a decision to expand the scope of the ongoing project to include review and revision of the readers, Mazer successfully delivered the completed project on time and with a higher than average level of content review.

Prentice Hall

Mazer’s Role

Mazer’s editorial team compiled and repurposed several elements from preexisting client resources to adapt Prentice Hall’s Earth, life, and physical science national materials for use in Georgia. Mazer editors also correlated the adapted materials to Georgia state standards. Editorial management operated smoothly and efficiently throughout the project, enabling staff to track and direct the flow of materials supplied by the client and to communicate closely and extensively with outside vendors. To ensure that the entire team stayed abreast of the many decisions, guideline modifications, and question-and-answer exchanges, Mazer developed and used an internal information-sharing Web site.

Glencoe

Mazer’s Role

To develop note-taking ancillaries to accompany Glencoe Science student editions, Mazer created an exceptional product that the client credits with driving sales of the Glencoe Science program. Incorporating the Cornell note-taking method, Science Notes features a wide range of graphic elements that facilitate note taking as students progress through each chapter of Glencoe Science. Mazer editors and production artists generated appealing graphics designed to involve students in lesson content, reinforce their learning, and elicit thorough, well-organized student notes for each chapter. Engaging in a successful give-and-take relationship with the client, Mazer contributed to the design and evolution of the product and wrote guidelines for use by Mazer staff, independent contractors, and the client.