Discovery Education’s Science Techbook for Texas (Discovery Texas) is a comprehensive science curriculum for grades K-8. The material focuses on helping students act as scientists and engineers through relevant phenomena, hands-on labs, and interactive activities. The materials are available in print and digital formats.
Discovery Texas organizes learning around phenomena and recurring themes and concepts present in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Each grade level provides four units based on the core content strands in the TEKS. The units are also identified as Earth science, physical science, or life science. These focus areas are consistently color-coded across all grade levels (blue-Earth science, pink-physical science, orange-life science).
Each unit contains numerous lessons that are grouped based on major concepts for that unit. Lessons are designed around the 5E model and are structured in 20-minute increments, meaning each lesson is designed to take 20, 40, or 60 minutes, depending on the content of the lesson “Explore” lessons typically span multiple lessons.
Phenomena, scientific and engineering practices, and recurring themes are consistently and systematically integrated throughout each lesson. The “Explore” lessons are sequenced so that students participate in hands-on and interactive activities and watch videos prior to reading the material. This sequence scaffolds students’ development of concepts so that by the time they read about the concept, they have sufficient background information. Ongoing structures and routines support critical thinking and students acting as scientists and engineers.
To learn more about the material’s rigor and supports for special student populations, read Learning List’s spec sheet and editorial reviews.
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About Discovery Education*
Discovery Education inspires educators to go beyond traditional learning with award-winning digital content and professional development. Science Techbook invites students to explore the marvels of our world with an immersive, phenomena-based core science curriculum designed to bring the excitement of science to life!
*The content in this section is provided by or adapted from Discovery Education.