Texas’ Corpus Christi Independent School District (CCISD) today announced it has expanded its partnership with Discovery Education, which has supported student learning across the school system since 2017. In the latest phase of this collaboration, a new edition of the award-winning Mystery Science service built especially for Texas educators is helping CCISD teachers in K-5 classrooms districtwide engage students more deeply in science instruction. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports instruction wherever it takes place.
Committed to developing hearts and minds, CCISD serves nearly 33,000 students at 56 campuses within 68 square miles. The district’s mission is to graduate lifelong learners who are prepared to continue their education, enter the world of work, and be productive citizens. Since 1909, when the district was created, CCISD has served the community by focusing on excellence in preK-12 public education.
To engage the district’s K-5 students more deeply in science instruction, CCISD sought a solution that would make it easier than ever to integrate highly engaging digital resources into science instruction. Specifically, district leaders and teachers sought a digital resource aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards, supportive of hands-on learning, and accessible to the district’s English Language Learners. Following a careful review of potential solutions, the CCISD team selected the new, TEKS-aligned Mystery Science for classroom use.
Mystery Science, which joined the family of Discovery Education services in 2020 and recently won SIIA’s Best Science Instructional Solution CODiE award for Grades PK – 8, provides K-5 educators simple to use, open-and-go, hands-on lessons that inspire students to love science. Each lesson begins by posing a question commonly asked by young students. Students then explore these questions through interactive videos featuring real-world visuals fostering a sense of wonder and actively supporting student engagement in the accompanying discussion prompts.
Then, students participate in easy to prepare hands-on labs that use simple science supplies commonly found in classrooms or at home. The TEKS-aligned Mystery Science contains everything teachers need to get students engaged in hands-on science and make that subject the best class of the day.
With lessons organized by TEKS strand and searchable by specific TEKS, the new Mystery Science for Texas simplifies prep for teachers, making the integration of this resource into classroom instruction simple. Plus, all K-5 science lessons are now available in Spanish, with the accompanying videos featuring authentic Spanish narration and Spanish text-on-screen (for discussion questions, vocabulary words, and step-by-step instructions). Editable ready-to-use worksheets and assessments are also available in both English and Spanish.
Mystery Science is the latest Discovery Education service to be selected for classroom use by CCISD. Currently, the company’s Social Studies Techbooks are used in middle school classrooms districtwide. Featuring standards-aligned, core-curricular resources that use an inquiry-based approach to enhance literacy and critical thinking skills, Discovery Education’s Social Studies Techbook aids teachers and students as they approach inquiry through the 5Es Framework: Engage, Explore, Explain, Extend, and Evaluate. From stories of ancient cultures to in-depth explorations of civics and government, this comprehensive digital textbook takes concepts off the pages and brings lessons to life.
In addition, the Discovery Education K-12 learning platform is used in all CCISD classrooms. Connecting educators to a vast collection of high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, intuitive quiz and activity creation tools, and professional learning resources, Discovery Education provides an enhanced learning platform that facilitates engaging, daily instruction in any environment. These resources, sourced from trusted partners, are aligned to state and national standards, and help educators bring the outside world into teaching and learning every day. Both the TEKS-aligned Mystery Science and the Social Studies Techbook are accessed through the Discovery Education platform.
“Finding a digital resource that is highly engaging to students, simple for teachers to use, and aligned to the Texas TEKS is difficult,” said CCISD Elementary Science Director Holly Sindt. “We are very excited to introduce Mystery Science into classroom instruction, as we know this will be a popular resource with teachers and students alike.”
All CCISD educators enjoy access to the Discovery Education Community. A global network of education professionals, the Discovery Education Community connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable idea sharing and inspiration.
“Discovery Education is proud to deepen its relationship with Corpus Christi Independent School District,” said Raquel Gruver, Discovery Education’s Education Partnerships Manager. “CCISD is creating lively classroom environments in which children are free to explore the world around them, and we are excited to be supporting the work of this district’s talented team of educators.”
For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.
