creative design

mcgraw hill education

California “Wonders” Book Submission Sample Boxes

Submission Box Interior with Actual Package Materials

Package design for McGraw Hill Education’s “Wonders” literacy publications sample boxes.

Each box contained grade specific sample books and evaluation materials for MHE’s newest library of English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) student and teacher textbooks, teaching guides and online literacy tools.

The boxes were submitted to the California State Board of Education’s (SBE) 2015 Instructional Materials Evaluation and Adoption Process. The submission process, which reviews materials from educational publishers for use in the California school system, takes place every eight years for each educational category. The next open submission window for the English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) category is 2023.

Project Type: Packaging | Print

Firm: McGraw Hill Education
New York, NY

Client: McGraw Hill Education
New York, NY

Wil Gray: Art Direction | Creative Design | Packaging

Creative Director: Paula Darmofal
Project Manager: Terry Thompson

Retractable Grade Level Box Lids (interior, click for closer look)

During this particular submission year, MHE was facing major negative financial impacts in the publishing sector causing budgets for the production of submission packaging to the numerous state education boards around the country to be drastically cut. In prior submission years, materials boxes were custom designed for each grade being sent in for consideration. In MHE’s case, that meant a completely separate box design for each of 7 grade levels.

To reduce production costs, I suggested creating a single, main box with elements that would customize the box for each grade. Working with the packaging vendor, we created a unique, foldable box with an interchangeable and retractable box top, Velcro closure flap, convenient carry handles and custom label system. The packaging also doubles as an organizer and display case for the production samples. Producing this multi-grade use box drastically slashed production costs and made it simpler for academic reviewers to access and and reference specific items contained therein.

The full kindergarten through 6th grade “Wonders” curriculums were successfully adopted by the California SBE.