Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs
What does the program cover?
Texas history, geography, and government.
What is the age level of the program?
The program is age integrated to allow you to enjoy discovering Texas as a family, but it targets grades 4-9.
Is it a full-year course or a semester course?
There are 10 chronological time periods presented as separate volumes with a total of 31 chapter overviews, so it would be very convenient to teach it in a year. BUT by varying your selection of activities, you could adapt it easily for longer or shorter courses, since each volume is self-contained.
Is everything done on computer?
The chapter overviews are best read from the CD so that students can benefit from the graphics. A master file with print-out text documents, maps, test suggestions, and other exercises is also provided on the CD.
The activity guides are also on the CD—coordinated with each volume. Except for the web links, the activities are not actually done on the computer.
The program is self-contained on the disk. Nothing actually loads permanently onto your computer.
What sorts of activities are included in the program?
- Web links coordinated with each topic
- Unit studies (a variety to appeal to all kinds of student interests)
- Related topical studies
- Biographies
- Discussion questions for critical thinking and application of knowledge. These often emphasize character qualities and provide an opportunity to apply scripture and biblical worldview.
- Book lists for library visits
- Field trip suggestions for each unit
Is there a teacher’s guide?
Each volume has a Teacher Tips section included on the CD. This is where you will find the book lists and field trip suggestions, as well as a summary of the main ideas for the period, vocabulary lists, and other helpful websites.
Are tests included?
Suggested test questions with answer key are included in the Teacher Tips. By saving the questions to a Word document, you can adapt the questions to your students’ needs. Some parents use the Thinking More questions for oral or essay tests to help them gauge their students’ comprehension.
What are the system requirements?
Discover Texas runs best on Windows 98 or better Pentium 200) with 30 MB free HDD space and 64 MB RAM. You will also need an SVGA Monitor capable of at least 600 x 800 and Internet Explorer 4.0. Most modern PCs easily meet these requirements.
Can I use the program on a MAC computer?
Yes. Several customers have had good success using the program with PowerPoint for MAC.