Instructional Model

Frisco ISD promotes a “three-dimensional” (3D) science instructional model. 3D science instruction refers to the intentional integration of three distinct dimensions: 

• Scientific and Engineering Practices (SEPs)

• Disciplinary Content (TEKS)

• Recurring Themes and Concepts (RTCs)

3D science instruction emphasizes that science is not just a series of isolated facts. This enables students to view science more as an interrelated world of inquiry and phenomena rather than a static set of science disciplines. 

Shifts in FISD science Instruction

LESS LIKE:

• Learning of ideas disconnected from questions about phenomena

• Teachers providing information to the whole class

• Teachers posing questions with only one right answer

MORE LIKE:

• Using systems thinking and modeling to explain phenomena and to give a context for the ideas to be learned 

• Students conducting investigations, solving problems, and engaging in discussions with teacher guidance 

• Students discussing open-ended questions that focus on the strength of the evidence used to generate claims