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."

Featured

  • abstract geometric pattern of glowing interconnected triangles, hexagons, and circles in blue, gold, and white, spread across a dark navy-to-black gradient background

    OpenAI Introduces 'Operator' AI for Performing Web Tasks

    OpenAI has announced "Operator," an AI agent designed to perform web-based tasks autonomously using its own browser. Currently available as a research preview for Pro users in the United States, the tool aims to automate everyday activities such as filling out forms, ordering groceries, and even creating memes.

  • digital illustration of Estonia with glowing neural network-like connections spreading across the map

    Estonia to Roll Out ChatGPT Edu for all Secondary Schools

    In a nationwide artificial intelligence program dubbed "AI Leap 2025," the country of Estonia plans to provide free access to leading AI applications for all secondary school students and teachers. The initiative will launch with a rollout of ChatGPT Edu to 20,000 high school students in grades 10-11 and their 3,000 teachers, beginning Sept. 1.

  • glowing digital brain made of blue circuitry hovers above multiple stylized clouds of interconnected network nodes against a dark, futuristic background

    Report: 85% of Organizations Are Leveraging AI

    Eighty-five percent of organizations today are utilizing some form of AI, according to the latest State of AI in the Cloud 2025 report from Wiz. While AI's role in innovation and disruption continues to expand, security vulnerabilities and governance challenges remain pressing concerns.

  • DreamBox Math

    Discovery Education Announces Accessibility Enhancements for DreamBox Math

    Discovery Education has updated DreamBox Math, an online math program for K–8 students to supplement core instruction, to improve accessibility for K–5 students, according to a news release. DreamBox Math provides personalized instruction by adapting to individual learners’ responses and providing an engaging, dynamic learning environment.