Unit Teacher Guide More Info
Unit Teacher Guides are found in the teacher resources for each of the TEKS. These guides were written to help teachers facilitate learning in their classrooms and provide them with the essential knowledge to teach the concepts. The unit guide features the TEKS, background information, prerequisite knowledge of students, common misconceptions, and essential questions. These unit guides may be printed and used during PLC’s or lesson planning time. The common misconceptions allow for the teachers to anticipate students' misconceptions and address them effectively and the essential questions allow for teachers to determine student mastery of the concept through exit tickets and questioning.
- Designed for teachers to use prior to teaching the standard
- Includes background information for teachers to help prepare them for teaching the content
- Common misconceptions included to anticipate and prepare for students misunderstanding related to the content
- Essential questions with explanations to allow for uniform understanding
Scope and Sequence More Info
EduSmart’s scope and sequence provides teachers with a framework that outlines the content and skills to be taught in a suggested order with suggested timelines. The scope and sequence provide teachers with the reporting category, the TEKS, the Scientific and Engineering Practices, Recurring Themes and Concepts, vocabulary, and suggested activities. This serves as a planning tool for teachers providing them an overview of the content and learning progressions, ensuring a coherent and comprehensive learning experience for students. The scope and sequence provide a comprehensive list of the TEKS arranged in a suggested progression that allows for the development of science. This approach allows for flexibility in planning the academic year according to the district’s designated scope and sequence. Moreover, it can be utilized as a ready-made progression for districts that do not have an official scope and sequence.
- Allows the thoughtful planning and lesson progression for grade level content
- Can be used in tandem with the official district scope and sequence or as a standalone scope and sequence.
- Includes the standard addressed
- Suggested days to spend on each unit
- Essential questions included to help prepare teachers for implementing the content
- Unit vocabulary that will be addressed during a specific content unit
- Each unit includes suggested Science and Engineering Practice standards and suggested Recurring Themes and Concepts standards. This can be used to facilitate student-made connections
ELPS Strategies More Info
EduSmart’s ELPS strategies guide is a document that assists teachers with their English Language Learners in their classroom. The document provides suggested accommodations based on the students’ English language proficiency level for each of the activities. The document also provides teachers with suggested instructional strategies to help their English language learners feel more confident in the classroom. This document can be used in lesson planning as well as PLCs.
- Serves as a guide for teachers to refer to when implementing the English Language Proficiency Standards
- The ELPS Strategies document provides suggestions and recommendations on how teachers can accommodate their English Language Learners through specific strategies that are specific to the content within EduSmart
Vertical Alignment More Info
The vertical alignment document outlines the progression of the content and skills across K-5 and 6-Biology. It provides a cohesive overview of the science curriculum vertically from one grade level to the next, ensuring a seamless and logical progression of learning. The vertical alignment document’s purpose is to provide teachers with an understanding of how the TEKS build upon each other and what the student should have learned in previous grade levels and what they will be expected to learn in the next grade levels. This allows teachers to plan effective lessons and discuss best practices amongst grade levels.
- This document is intended to allow teachers to see the progression of standards and content across grade levels
- The elementary vertical alignment document covers grades Kindergarten through Fifth grade
- Can be used as a reference or planning document when creating intervention or remediation groups
Scientific and Engineering Practices More Info
Scientific and Engineering Practices are an integral part of the Texas science curriculum, aimed at cultivating students’ skills and comprehension of scientific inquiry and engineering design. By familiarizing students with these practices, they acquire the tools used by scientists to ask and answer questions and the approaches used by engineers to identify problems and design solutions. EduSmart offers instructional materials specifically tailored to science and engineering practices. These activities are found in the tile titled “Scientific and Engineering Practices.” To assist teachers with the integration of the SEPS into the context of the content being taught, suggested SEPS are listed on the scope and sequence for each content standard.
- Instructional modules can be used to introduce scientific and engineering practices or to refer to skills.
- Interactivities- The gamified activity can be used to review SEPS and RTC’s
- Activities- These hands-on activities are designed to facilitate student’s knowledge and experiences with the science and engineering practices.
- Lab Safety Rules- This poster can be printed out and displayed for students as a reminder of lab safety practices.
- Suggested SEPS are located on the EduSmart scope and sequence within context of the content.
Recurring Themes and Concepts More Info
Recurring themes and concepts are the overarching key principles that span the entire field of science. These themes and concepts are relevant to all students in all grade levels. The recurring themes and concepts are designed to promote a deeper understanding of scientific concepts and encourage students to make connections between different areas of science. EduSmart offers instructional materials specifically tailored to the recurring themes and concepts, which can be found on the tile titled, Recurring Themes and Concepts. To assist teachers with the integration of the RTCS into the context of the content being taught, suggested RTCS are listed on the scope and sequence for each content standard.
- Instructional modules can be used to introduce recurring themes and concepts or can be used to review the recurring themes and concepts.
- Readers can be assigned to students to enhance their understanding of the recurring themes and concepts.
Anchoring Phenomenon More Info
The anchoring phenomenon is a central, real-world phenomenon that serves as a starting point for learning and understanding of the science concept that is going to be taught. It is an approach that helps engage students with and explore scientific concepts in a meaningful way. The anchoring phenomenon is used as a hook to capture students’ interest and curiosity, providing them with a context for learning. EduSmart’s anchoring phenomenon should be used at the beginning of the lesson cycle to allow for students to explore scientific ideas. This will encourage them to ask questions, foster scientific inquiry skills and critical thinking skills. The anchoring phenomenon can be referred to while moving through the content. The anchoring phenomenon can also be used to tie in the scientific and engineering practices such as K1.(A), 1.1(A) and 2.1(A) “ask scientific questions and define engineering problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models or investigations and recurring themes and concepts K.5(A), 1.5(A), and 2.5(A) “identify and use patterns to describe phenomena or design solutions.”
- Designed to help engage students with real-world challenges and situations
- Allow students to generate questions about the phenomenon to captivate their curiosity and activate prior knowledge
- Have students discuss the phenomenon in small groups or pairs before facilitating whole group discussion to support EL students as well as students requiring extra processing time or student talk
- Expected time 2-5 minutes
Instruction Modules More Info
EduSmart’s instructional modules are structured videos designed to support the instruction of specific scientific concepts and topics. The instructional modules are designed based on the TEKS that is being taught. They address the standard and are rooted in phenomena and paired with high quality visuals that bring the scientific concepts to life. The instructional modules feature automatic pauses that allow teachers to facilitate discussions; some questions that can be asked are found in the Teacher Unit Guide for each unit. Suggested scientific and engineering practices and recurring themes are listed in the scope and sequence for each standard, and the teacher may use them to facilitate inquiry and refer them to them during the instructional module.
- Direct instruction videos that average 8-12 minutes in length
- Can be used whole group or assigned virtually for small group or individuals
- Each video has multiple breaks to facilitate student discussion – Whole class, think-pair-share, or note-taking.
- When assigned virtually, the student must interact with the video after each break to continue it to reduce student inattention.
- Expected time 15-20 minutes
Instruction Module Companion More Info
The instructional module is a three-part fillable PDF or editable Google Doc to aid student comprehension. The instructional module companion guide’s first part is a fill-in the blank notes with word bank aligned to IM Video that are easily differentiated for multiple student populations. The second part of the instructional module is a graphic organizer based on the content that was taught. The third part of the instructional module is a journal prompt that ties the student learning together to a problem, phenomenon, or scenario that students must be able to explain. Differentiation ideas for part one of the IMC (IM companion):
- Three-part fillable PDF or editable Google Doc to aid student comprehension.
- Fill-in the blank notes with word bank aligned to IM Video that are easily differentiated for multiple student populations
- Accelerated learners – remove the word bank for a more student-led experience.
- Prefill the word or a portion of the word to support students as they take notes.
- Number each sentence to help maintain organization.
- Remove every other sentence to increase white space to give additional processing time if needed.
- Graphic Organizer for visual learning - use in whole groups or in small groups to allow students to collaborate and discuss their learning.
- Journal prompt for student summarization and synthesizing of concepts.
- Great for use as exit ticket or written assessment
- Differentiate for students as needed by using word bank, graphic organizer, or strategic grouping for students needing extra support.
- Use as digital or paper interactive note-booking tool:
- Students can highlight vocabulary words in red or green based on mastery of the definition.
- Add pictures examples for each sentence/definition. Add a sentence that explains WHY their picture is an example of the concept.
- Have students create their own writing prompt.
- Expected time 30 minutes
Student Review More Info
The student review is a condensed version of the instruction module, that highlights the most important concepts for review. The student reviews also feature integrated questions throughout the video review that students must answer before they can continue with the video. Students are given immediate feedback and can repeat this activity as as needed for mastery or for review.
- Designed for individual student use
- Short instructional video condenses IM into three most important concepts for concise instruction
- Includes formative assessment questions with embedded text to speech accommodations
- Student can repeat as needed to gain mastery
- Great for use in small group intervention settings for teacher-led reteach or review
- Expected time 10-15 minutes
Quiz More Info
EduSmart’s quizzes are found under the assessment tabs. These quizzes are formatted like the STAAR and feature a range of questions on the depth of knowledge. These quizzes can be used as a formal assessment, small group activity, or a whole group activity. Teachers have the autonomy to determine the use of the quizzes and the mode they are assigned. The quizzes can be printed, shown in present mode, or assigned online. The quizzes feature text-to-speech accommodation when assigned online. For each question, there is a speaker icon at the top left below the question number. Students may press this icon for text-to-speech of the question and there is a speaker icon for the answer choices. For each of the questions, the correlating standard is listed below the question number for teacher reference.
- All quizzes are STAAR-formatted, multiple-choice questions.
- Can be assigned virtually, conducted whole group, or printed.
- Have embedded accommodations for text-to-speech and language support.
- Presentation features allow the teacher to discuss the questions in a whole group setting for review or re-teach.
- K-2 has 5 questions, all other grade levels have 10 questions.
- Expected time 15-20 minutes
Interactivities More Info
Interactivities are an engaging activity that features STAAR like item types such as drag and drop, text-entry, hot spot and multi-select. The interactivity is a gamified version of the standard that allows for students to engage with content related to a real-world scenario. Students receive immediate feedback on their progress and can attempt the interactivity multiple times. The interactivity can be used as a review activity before an assessment, as a formal assessment, or as a small group activity. It can be assigned individually or whole group as well
- Interactive content mastery for formative assessment. Includes many different activities such as drag and drop, hot spot, and text entry.
- Gamified for high student engagement
- Students get immediate feedback and can replay the interactivities as many times as desired to reach mastery.
- Expected time 10-15 minutes
Simulations More Info
Virtual lab simulations that incorporate recurring themes and concepts with science and engineering practices such as asking questions, analyzing, and interpreting data, and designing solutions
- Students navigate through the entire experimental design process as they interact with the simulation
- Data can be collected and analyzed in traditional lab format or Claim, Evidence, Reasoning format.
- Expected time 15-20 minutes
Word Explorer More Info
Multi-part vocabulary practice for low-risk, high-engagement practice towards mastery of all vocabulary related to a topic. Excellent support for multiple sub-populations such as EL students, 504 and special education.
- Part 1 – Visual Literacy – Students must choose all correct images related to a word
- Part 2 – Students read textual facts and choose all correct statements that relate to the word – automatically accommodated with text-to-speech as needed
- Part 3 – Cloze activity where students drag and drop the appropriate words to complete a statement that represents correct application of the vocabulary
- In each part, students are presented with correct answers in the form of ‘lifelines’ after two incorrect responses to prevent misunderstandings and support independent practice
- After the three parts are complete, the student is given the formal definition of the word.
- Excellent for station work, individual practice, reteaching, or intervention.
- Expected time varies depending on the number of words in a unit. Generally, 10-30 minutes.
Activities More Info
The activities found in EduSmart are hands-on activities for students to complete in the classroom. These activities range from partner work to investigations. For each of the activities, there is a teacher version that provides the instructions, TEKS, SEPS and RTCS, safety reminders and suggested implementation. The teacher version can be found at the bottom right corner of the activity tile under “documents.” The teacher can also click the tile to access the student copy for student use. These hands-on activities are a wonderful way to bring science to the hands of students! They can be completed in groups, partners, or individually.
- Inquiry-based hands-on labs, investigations, application practice and research
- Include background knowledge, supplies needed, step-by-step directions, safety information, and student resources needed to complete the activity
- Student-led activities vary widely for each TEKS and grade level as appropriate for student exploration
- Can be completed whole group or small group or as part of a station rotation
- Varies widely based on the type of activity. Generally, 30 minutes.
Journal Prompt More Info
To integrate writing with science, EduSmart features journal prompt activities for students to complete to foster critical thinking skills and the ability to express ideas clearly. These journal prompts range on the depth of knowledge and require students to delve deeper into the scientific concepts and provide explanations that showcase their understanding. Through the act of writing, students develop their communication skills and gain confidence in expressing their scientific thoughts. The journal prompts serve as an avenue for students to reflect on their learning, connect scientific principles to real-life scenarios, and demonstrate their grasp of scientific ideas. The integration of writing and science thought EduSmart’s journal prompt activities create a learning experience where students can develop scientific literacy and written communication skills.
- Open ended written comprehension check
- Excellent for Exit ticket or quick writes, and short constructed response practice
- Usually include graphics with prompt.
- Expected time 5-10 minutes
Readers More Info
The readers are high quality high interest level readers that connect the TEKS to a real world-scenario or problem. They are cross curricular and feature the ELAR standards on the tile in the LMS. The reader features text-to-speech accommodations for students located at the top right corner of the screen. The students can also adjust the text size, color of the images and color overlays by using the accommodation toolbar on the top right. At the end of these readers, there is a 5-question probe addressing scientific concepts and ELAR standards. The readers can be assigned individually, in small groups, or whole groups. Students can partner read in a station or listen to the reading online.
- High Interest, non-fiction readers on a variety of topics related to each TEKS.
- Built in accommodations include text-to-speech, language support, and visual accommodations such as colored filters for dyslexia and larger font sizes.
- Multiple Lexile levels allow for easy differentiation at approaching, on-level, or above grade level comprehension
- Readers all include 5 question comprehension check: 3 multiple choices, one text entry, and a short-constructed response question.
- Cross-curricular to Include science and ELA TEKS
- Expected time 15-20 minutes
Engineering and Design Challenges More Info
EduSmart’s engineering and design challenges serve as an impactful capstone activity that effectively leverages students’ prior knowledge and provides an opportunity for students to collaborate in designing solutions to authentic real-world problems. The engineering design challenges reinforce and extend students’ understanding of key concepts and foster essential skills like teamwork, creativity, and communication. Students actively participate in the engineering design process and scientific practices.
- Students work together to design solutions, models, or presentations to address the problems listed in the engineering design challenge.
- Students must be able to participate in respectful scientific argumentation.
- Allows students to actively participate in scientific and engineering practices.
- Provides the teacher with a document that includes the SEPS, RTCS, success criteria and background information.
- Expected time ranges on these engineering design challenges. Please use your discretion and available class time to plan for the engineering design challenges. Generally, 1-4 class periods.
