EdCircuit StaffCharlotte, NC (Tuesday, August 1, 2023)—Pennsylvania’s Colonial School District (CSD) announced today the renewal of their multiyear partnership with Discovery Education. Through the continuation of this collaboration, CSD ensures that K-5 students and educators across the district will maintain access to cutting-edge digital resources supporting science instruction aligned to Pennsylvania STEELS standards as well as national standards. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports instruction wherever it takes place.
The Colonial School District serves about 5,330 students from the Borough of Conshohocken and the Townships of Plymouth and Whitemarsh in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just northwest of Philadelphia. In its five elementary schools, one middle, and one high school, CSD provides a space that is welcoming for all students to learn, grow, and serve.
In 2020, CSD’s teachers and administrators sought a K-5 science solution aligned to national and state science standards, simple to use, easy to integrate into instruction, and aligned to CSD’s mission to create resilient, lifelong learners and leaders who will enrich the world. Following a thorough review of available solutions, CSD’s administration selected Mystery Science from Discovery Education for use in all K-5 classrooms.
Mystery Science, which joined the family of Discovery Education services in 2020 and has 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.
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.
“Over the years, Discovery Education’s Mystery Science has been an essential tool for student success,” said Maria Wileczek, Curriculum Supervisor at Colonial School District. “This, and the resource’s unique combination of phenomena-based instructional resources and professional development support, made the decision to continue this relationship easy.”
In addition to Mystery Science, Discovery Education Experience is also available in the district’s K-3 classrooms.
CSD educators also have access to the Discovery Educator Network. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Educator 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 incredibly excited to see the success Colonial School District’s students and educators are having with our services,” said Sage Pintler, Discovery Education’s Manager of District Partnerships “Colonial School District has established itself as a leader in K-5 Science education, and we are proud to be a part of their work.”
For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning services—which can be purchased with federal stimulus funds—visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.
