Volusia County Schools is proud to provide strong, high-quality science instruction that inspires curiosity, builds scientific literacy, and prepares students to think like scientists. In grades K-8, teachers use the research-based Discovery Education Science Techbook to support engaging, standards-aligned learning experiences. This curriculum is built around the 5E instructional model—Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate—which helps students connect with real-world phenomena, investigate scientific concepts, develop explanations, apply their learning, and reflect on their understanding.

Through hands-on investigations, collaborative learning, scientific modeling, data analysis, reading and writing in science, and purposeful use of technology, students learn to ask meaningful questions, evaluate evidence, and communicate scientific ideas. Instruction also emphasizes Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER), giving students a clear structure for making scientific claims, supporting them with evidence, and explaining their reasoning. These experiences strengthen critical thinking and help every student develop a lasting appreciation for science.

Unique to Volusia

Middle school students are enrolled in Comprehensive Science or Advanced Comprehensive Science courses. These integrated courses connect life science, physical science, Earth and space science, and the nature of science so that students develop a broad scientific foundation by the end of eighth grade.

A truly unique opportunity for Volusia County students is our district STEM Bus, an exciting mobile learning lab that visits every middle school and brings hands-on STEM experiences directly to sixth-grade students. Powered by solar energy, the STEM Bus gives students access to engaging tools and technologies they may not encounter in a traditional classroom, including digital microscopes, 3D printers, a Van de Graaff generator, virtual reality goggles, robotics, circuits, and many other interactive investigations that spark curiosity and inspire future innovators.

Volusia County students also benefit from an extraordinary experience made possible through the generosity of the Lohman Family. For more than five years, the Lohmans have supported “The Lohman’s Day at THE BROWN,” ensuring that every eighth-grade science student in Volusia County has the opportunity to participate in a field study at the Lohman Planetarium at THE BROWN. Their generous gift provides substitutes, transportation, and tickets for students and chaperones, removing barriers and making this memorable science experience possible for all eighth graders across the district.