Why School Districts LOVE Science Techbook for Texas
Built for Texas
Discovery Education’s Science Techbook for Texas is a comprehensive core curriculum designed for Texas teachers and students.
100% TEKS Alignment
Science Techbook for Texas strategically and systematically integrates the scientific and engineering practices, recurring themes and concepts, and grade-level content as outlined in the TEKS.
STAAR 2.0 Practice
Assessments include new STAAR question types: text entry, hot spot, drag and drop, multipart, multi-select, and short constructed response.
Engaging Hands-On Activities
Easily meet lab and activity requirements with engaging hands-on activities and interactives that fit into standard lesson blocks.
Assessments & Data
Inform instruction with ongoing formative and summative assessments, many with auto-grading. Progress monitoring allows for district-wide reports.
Authentic Spanish Content
Science Techbook for Texas provides a complete science curriculum in English and Spanish.
Texas-Specific Content
Science phenomena and activities feature Texas locations so students can truly see themselves in the program.
Student-Centered Learning
Science Techbook for Texas is a hands-on and immersive active learning program. Watch students transform into junior scientists and engineers through engaging real-world lessons.
Phenomena-Driven Instruction
Students are motivated to understand the science content because it’s exciting and relevant.
Real-World Learning Experiences
Students build conceptual understanding through hands-on activities, interactives, and grade-level appropriate scientific texts in every Concept.
Differentiated, Targeted Instruction
Point-of-use instructor guidance includes differentiation and ELPS support, common misconceptions, and instructional strategies.
Ongoing Classroom Success
To meet the needs of instructors, Discovery Education offers flexible professional learning options, including in-person and remote sessions. One-on-one and small-group sessions are available. Topics include planning lessons, implementing instructional strategies, collecting data on student learning, and engaging students with high-quality materials.
Optimize Your Time
Make the most of your time! Science Techbook for Texas includes intuitive digital tools that personalize the student experience and instructor resources that streamline processes.
FAQ Section
Was Science Techbook for Texas reviewed by the State Review Panels?
Yes! Science Techbook for Texas has 100% TEKS and 100% ELPS coverage at all grade levels, K-8 and Biology, certified by the State Review Panels (SRPs) in the summer of 2023. Download the eligibility report here, which highlights our alignment.
Does Discovery Education Science Techbook for Texas cover 100% of the new TEKS and ELPS?
Yes! This program was built exclusively for the TEKS and has 100% TEKS and 100% ELPS coverage at all grade levels.
Is Science Techbook for Texas available in Spanish?
Yes! Science Techbook for Texas provides a complete science curriculum in English and Spanish available with a single click. This includes everything students will see in the core curriculum from text, video, interactives, assessments, and more. The Discovery Education original video series Phenomena Junior in the K-5 program includes Spanish-speaking students. For grades K-8, the print student editions are also available in Spanish. Additionally, over 100 languages are available through Immersive Reader and Google Translate.
We also support Emergent Bilinguals with embedded listening, reading, writing, and speaking supports to help students meet grade-level science content expectations. Emergent Bilinguals will benefit from features like Immersive Reader, Interactive Glossary, authentically translated lessons, summative and formative assessments in English and Spanish, and more.
Teachers can access point-of-use instructional strategies aligned to the ELPS to meet the needs of their learners and use student data to inform and differentiate instruction.
What funding can districts use to adopt Science Techbook for Texas?
What Learning Management Systems does Science Techbook for Texas support?
Science Techbook for Texas is compatible with a variety of learning management systems, including Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, Microsoft Teams, and more. For the latest information on integrations and access, visit the Discovery Education Help Center.
How does Science Techbook for Texas prepare students for STAAR Assessments?
Science Techbook for Texas provides several formative and summative assessment opportunities, carefully embedded in the cycle of learning to help teachers guide their students to mastery of key learning targets and objectives. These assessment opportunities allow teachers and students to monitor progress and provide direct practice with STARR-like item types across a variety of assessment formats.
Ongoing formative assessment questions are embedded in the lessons; look for “What Did You Figure Out?”, “Check for Understanding”, and “Phenomenon Check-In” prompts. Formative assessments include STAAR 2.0 Item types.
In the Evaluate lessons in grades 3-8 and Biology, you will find Concept Summative Assessments. The question types in these assessments mirror the look and feel of STAAR-based item types and include the new STAAR question types: text entry, hot spot, drag and drop, multi-part, multi-select, and short constructed response.
Many assessments are automatically graded, and instructors can view student and class performance in the Concept Assessment Results section.
For more assessment information, click here.
How do I know students will succeed with Science Techbook for Texas?
Multiple studies show that regular use of Science Techbook in the classroom delivers positive academic results for educators and students across a variety of districts and populations in the United States. For example, in an independent study with Arizona’s Sahuarita Unified School District, a third party evaluated Discovery Education’s impact and found that the use of Science Techbook resulted in increased science, math, and reading proficiency in grades 3-8. In the second study, a correlation was found between the frequency and depth of use of Science Techbook and student achievement in science in grades 6 and 7. This research and more can be found here.
Have their been any independent reviews of Science Techbook?
In an independent 3rd party review from Learning List, these features of Science Techbook were listed as product strengths:
- Provides reading support through the embedded Microsoft Immersive Reader
o Includes ongoing structures and routines to support critical thinking and students acting as scientists and engineers - Consistently and systematically integrates phenomena, scientific and engineering practices, and recurring themes throughout each lesson
- The design of the material provides comprehensive support for teachers at point-of-use
- Intentional scaffolding of lessons enables students to experience scientific concepts and develop background understandings before reading the material
How is the program structured?
Science Techbook for Texas has four Units in every K-8 grade level and seven Units in Biology. Units are divided into a series of Concepts purposely scaffolded to unpack the science ideas associated with the Units’ standards. Each Concept contains a series of 5E lessons broken into learning activities that follow a logical progression and are designed to build student understanding of scientific concepts.
Instruction in each Concept launches with a real-world phenomenon to engage students and inspire them to make connections and ask questions that will drive their investigations. As students progress through the Concept, they circle back to the phenomenon to extend their understanding and explain it.
Does Science Techbook for Texas have multiple reading levels?
Yes! Science Techbook for Texas includes two reading levels for all grades 3-8 and Biology literacy lessons to support a deeper understanding of science content. Level A is on grand-band and Level B is 200 Lexile points below.