- Design and revision of WG closely connected to feedback from and observation of participating teachers.

- Materials cross into all the content areas typically taught at middle school level.

- The program has a democracy/citizenship theme: Join the National Conversation! A moral dilemma is introduced in each weekly unit.

- Reading level of the student materials is generally at the sixth-grade level.

- Focus words are selected from the Academic Word List.

- Program designed to affect student learning, teaching, and school-wide planning.

- The scheduling of the activities is flexible, but it is often it taught approximately 15 minutes day.

• Monday: English (Introductory Passage)
  
• Tuesday: Math (Word Problems)
  
• Wednesday: Science (Analytical Paragraph)
  
• Thursday: Social Studies (Debate)
  
• Friday: English (Essay)