Blended Learning
IXL Launches Science Social Studies Curricula for Elementary Students
IXL Learning has expanded the
list of subjects covered by its Web-based
program that allows students to work at their own pace in personalized
and
blended learning environments.
Along
with existing curricula covering math, English and language arts, IXL
has added
science and social studies for students in grades 2-5. IXL
representatives
said the curricula are aligned with standards in all 50 states and with
the
Next Generation Science Standards. IXL Analytics provides teachers with
real-time reports so they can track student progress and pinpoint
trouble spots
quickly.
With
interactive activities in the science program, students can learn about
changes
of state, use real-life climate data to make their own weather
predictions, and
examine photos of animals and birds. IXL algorithmically generates
questions
and visuals that follow the student's progress.
With the
social studies program, students are encouraged to develop critical
thinking
skills by, for instance, analyzing different viewpoints on the Civil
War
through letters written by Union and Confederate soldiers. They also
stretch their
critical thinking skills while learning about Mount Rushmore and the
Statue of
Liberty, among other American landmarks.
"IXL
Science and IXL Social Studies aren't
one-directional teaching," said IXL Learning
CEO Paul Mishkin. "Rather, they are immersive experiences and a true
celebration of our endlessly fascinating physical and social worlds."
Cassidy
Cathey, a fourth-grade teacher at Brunson New Vision Charter School, said "students are driven by technology and IXL is the happy medium
between
tech and textbooks. I now teach a lesson, assign skills for review and
can
easily see if a student is having difficulty."