Exploring the Great Basin is aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts, addressing Literacy.RI.3.5 and Literacy.L.3.6. Readers explore the Great Basin and learn about the plants and animals it is home to through full-page color photographs accompanied by narrative nonfiction text. A graphic organizer is included. This book should be paired with "e;Wildlife of the Great Basin"e; (9781477724767) from the Rosen Common Core Readers Program to provide the alternative point of view on the same topic.