EdCircuit StaffCharlotte, NC (Thursday, November 30, 2023)—K-5 educators across Arizona’s Pendergast Elementary School District (PESD92) are enhancing science instruction thanks to a new collaboration with worldwide edtech leader Discovery Education. In this latest phase of PESD92’s multiyear partnership with Discovery Education, students and teachers in K-5 classrooms districtwide now have access to the company’s award-winning Mystery Science product. With these new digital resources, educators are empowered to ignite student curiosity and more deeply engage young learners in science instruction as they explore the natural world.
In 1885, the district was established in a Central Arizona farming community to serve 100 students in one school building. Today, PESD92 covers 20 square miles and serves the communities of Phoenix, Glendale, and Avondale, providing excellent educational opportunities for approximately 8,300 preschool through eighth grade students on 12 campuses.
PESD92 is a high-performing, collaborative community preparing students to compete in a globally connected society. To support that mission, the district sought engaging digital resources that would empower students to explore, problem-solve, design, and innovate in a safe, caring environment. Following an extensive evaluation of viable solutions, PESD92 selected Discovery Education’s Mystery Science for use in the district’s K-5 classrooms.
Mystery Science, a winner of 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. Mystery Science 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 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 joins a suite of innovative Discovery Education services already in use across the district. Among the Discovery Education resources used by PESD92 teachers and students is Discovery Education Experience, a curated collection of high-quality, grade-level appropriate, digital content aligned to Arizona’s rigorous K-12 Academic Standards that is made available to public schools statewide by Arizona’s Department of Education.
In addition, PESD92 educators also use Discovery Education’s Social Studies Techbook to create engaging learning experiences focused on the Social Studies. A standards-aligned, core-curricular resource, Social Studies Techbook uses an inquiry-based approach to enhance literacy and critical thinking skills, allowing students to approach topics in the Social Studies through the 5Es: Engage, Explore, Explain, Extend, and Evaluate.
Finally, PESD92 uses DreamBox Math by Discovery Education to foster the conceptual understanding, self-assurance, and motivation students need to develop a deep understanding of complex mathematical ideas. A web-based program for students in grades K-8, Dreambox Math adapts and differentiates in real-time based on students’ answers and problem-solving methods.
“We are excited to deepen our collaboration with Discovery Education to enhance science instruction in our K-5 classrooms,” said Dr. Catherine Linddhardt, PESD92’s STEAM and Technology Integration Specialist. “Discovery Education’s classroom-tested resources will increase our teachers’ ability to ignite younger students’ curiosity and drive deeper engagement in instruction.”
All educators using Discovery Education’s digital resource have access to the Discovery Education Network. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Education Network 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 expand our partnership with the Pendergast Elementary School District,” said Alex Porpora, Discovery Education’s District Partnership Manager. “The team at PESD92 has laid out a truly innovative vision for the thoughtful integration of edtech into instruction, and we are pleased to support their efforts to bring this vision to life.”
For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions visit www.discoveryeducation.com, stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
