Horticultural Science 1a/1b

Evaluation for 1.1a
Materials include a scope and sequence outlining the TEKS, ELPS, concepts, and technical skills taught in the course.

In the “Scope and Sequence” section a table breaks down the TEKS and ELPS on a unit-by-unit basis in the rows titled “Aligned Standards” and “Additional Standards.” The “Scope and Sequence” also provides a clear picture of how learning unfolds over time. In addition, the section identifies alignment to the TEKS, ELPS, Texas Career and Technical Education (CTE) Employability Skills Standards, industry standards, and technical skill domains.

In the “Scope and Sequence” section a table provides students with a list of technical skills such as, “Identifying plant categories, production methods, and management practices used across different horticulture sectors and applying basic concepts of plant science technologies such as micropropagation, genetic engineering, and precision agriculture tools.”

Evaluation for 1.1b
Materials include suggested pacing to support effective implementation for various school models [e.g., traditional secondary schools, Early College High Schools (ECHS), Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH)], schedules (e.g., block, modified block), and instructional calendars (e.g., varying number of instructional days).

In the “Pacing Guide,” the “Blended Learning” section ensures consistent instruction across diverse academic calendars and schedules, including traditional, block, modified block, Early College High School (ECHS), and Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) settings.

The “Pacing Guide” features two implementation pathways to accommodate different school models and introduces a standard block schedule complete with weekly unit breakdowns, pacing notes, and a sample execution plan. The guide also provides a specialized pacing matrix designed specifically for ECHS and P-TECH schedules for 45- and 90-minute class periods.

Evaluation for 1.1c
Materials include an explanation for the rationale of unit order as well as how concepts and technical skills to be learned connect throughout the course.

The “Rationale for Chapter Order” section explains the rationale for the parts/chapters sequence, describing how instruction progresses in a coherent, conceptual, and skill-building sequence. The “Professional Standards and CTE Employability Skills Instruction Framework” explains how the materials reinforce employability skills, leadership development, communication, problem-solving, and technical skills. The resource shows how the course progressively develops to support workforce readiness and instructional continuity.

In the unit 1 lesson plan, the “Connections Throughout the Course” section provides an overview of how the course content progressively develops technical skills. The section provides a rationale for the unit order, explaining how the content sequence builds upon prior learning. For example, the section states, “in an agriculture course, an earlier unit discusses the importance of agriculture careers, while a later unit lab calls for research into accessing career resources or identifying roles involved in the need for fresh food.”

Evaluation for 1.1d
Materials include protocols with corresponding guidance for unit and lesson internalization.

The materials provide internalization protocols and guidance that support educators and professional learning communities in preparing for instruction before implementation. The protocols include step-by-step guidance for internalizing daily instruction. The guidance directs educators to review the aligned TEKS and ELPS, unpack the concepts and technical skills that the lesson addresses, examine assessments and performance tasks, plan language development supports, determine how to assess student learning and skill mastery, prepare instructional materials and resources, and adjust pacing to accommodate local instructional schedules. In addition, in the “Scope and Sequence,” the “Internalization Tools Provided” section identifies resources that support this process. The resources include the “Unit Internalization Template,” “Lesson Preview Checklist,” “Lab and Safety Readiness Checklist,” “ELPS Integration Quick Reference,” “SAE and FFA Integration Guide,” and “Teacher Reflection Template.” Together, these protocols and resources provide corresponding guidance for unit and lesson internalization.

The “Protocols for Chapter and Lesson Internalization” provide corresponding guidance for educators to internalize instruction before beginning each chapter and lesson. The materials include educator directions for debriefing prior to instruction and a “Chapter Internalization Protocol” that outlines a five-step process for lesson preparation. The protocol guides educators to unpack the chapter learning objectives and the aligned TEKS, analyze the final chapter assessment to determine the expected level of student performance, map the instructional scope and pacing of individual lessons alongside key vocabulary, anticipate potential student misconceptions while identifying exemplar student responses, and plan remediation and extension strategies before instruction begins. These protocols establish a consistent process for educators to prepare for instruction and implement each chapter and lesson as designed.

Evaluation for 1.1e
Materials include resources and guidance for instructional leaders to support teachers with implementing the materials as designed.

The instructional materials detail a dedicated administrative framework within the “”Instructional Leader Implementation Guide.” This guide outlines how school administrators and instructional coaches play a critical role in supporting educators to implement the lesson plan materials exactly as designed. The text emphasizes that instructional leaders strengthen implementation fidelity when they thoroughly understand instructional design and planning and delivery across the course.

In the “Instructional Leader Guide,” the “Supporting Teachers in Planning and Delivery” section features key indicators for administrators to look for in educator observations. The resource provides clear guidance for how instructional coaches can support educators as they prepare to implement the course, such as expecting logically sequenced content that builds knowledge and skills across lessons and units. The materials provide instructional leaders with “look fors in observations” such as when an educator adjusts the scheduling model while maintaining coverage of core content.

Evaluation for 1.2a
Materials include comprehensive unit overviews that provide the background content knowledge and academic, professional, and technical vocabulary necessary to effectively teach the concepts and technical skills in the unit.

The “Unit Overview,” “Prior Knowledge and Prerequisite Skills,” and “Vocabulary and Language Supports” sections provide educators with a comprehensive overview of the course units. The sections include the key concepts, required background knowledge, and a preview of unfamiliar vocabulary and language to help students understand how the unit uses key terms and expressions.

To establish clear learning objectives, the unit 8 lesson plan provides an initial “Unit Overview” section to scaffold major concepts surrounding plant health challenges. The text details why accurate diagnosis is vital for industry success and for differentiating between pests, diseases, weeds, and nutrient deficiencies. The materials also provide a structured framework for the unit’s introductory class session.

Evaluation for 1.2b
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English for each unit with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.

The materials include a “School Connections Letter” for each unit that provides family supports in both English and Spanish. Each letter is designed to help families support their student’s learning outside of the classroom by providing optional conversation prompts, questions to ask their student, additional activities that extend the unit content at home, resources for further learning, and relevant course vocabulary. These unit-specific letters provide families with guidance and suggestions that reinforce the concepts and technical skills introduced during instruction, encouraging continued learning at home.

The materials provide additional family supports that increase access to instructional resources across units. The “School Connections Letter” is available in English and Spanish, allowing families to access guidance in either language. In addition, a literacy support toolbar enables users to translate webpage content into over 90 languages, including English and Spanish. This feature allows families to access family-facing resources and instructional guidance in their preferred language. The materials also include a human-narrated podcast at the end of each unit lesson that families can use to engage with unit content and support student learning beyond the classroom.

Evaluation for 1.3a
Materials include comprehensive, structured, detailed lesson plans that include objectives, questions, tasks, materials, and instructional assessments required to meet the content and language standards of the lesson (aligned with the TEKS and the ELPS).

The curriculum fulfills the requirement for robust learning scaffolding by embedding explicit, tiered inquiry prompts directly within its accompanying instructional slide decks. Rather than using slides to passively deliver information, the publisher intentionally structures the slide decks to act as an active cognitive bridge. Each slide deck module begins with a series of “Connective Inquiry” prompts designed to activate student schema and surface prior knowledge before introducing advanced entrepreneurial concepts. For example, a think-pair-share prompt asks students to identify a problem they recently solved in their daily lives, before the slide deck introduces the concept of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition.

As the slide decks progress, the prompts transition into scaffolded, open-ended questions that challenge students to synthesize their personal experiences or previous unit lessons with new technical content, such as linking basic communication skills to advanced negotiation tactics. This media-driven scaffolding ensures that educators can maintain an interactive, inquiry-based lecture flow that continuously anchors new academic content to students’ existing cognitive framework. The middle of each slide deck includes pause points that pose formative questions, such as “How does the active listening framework we learned in Slide 4 change when you are speaking to a disgruntled customer vs. an investor?” The concluding slides transition students from the slide deck to independent application by mapping the slide concepts directly onto their upcoming unit labs.

Evaluation for 1.3b
Materials include a lesson overview listing the teacher and student materials necessary to effectively deliver the lesson (e.g., equipment, labs, technology, supplies, safety gear), and the suggested timing for each lesson component.

In each unit lesson plan, the “Materials and Resources” and “Instructional Activities” sections provide a comprehensive list of required educator and student resources, such as physical materials or software. The “Estimated Time” section provides suggested pacing for each lesson as a whole. The section also lists each instructional activity, such as “Vocab Warm-Up,” “Individual Work,” and “Closure,” in sequence with a timing estimate.

The “Teacher Resources” tab features a comprehensive “Scope and Sequence” that establishes the pedagogical rationale for unit order and illustrates how core concepts and technical skills intertwine throughout the course. Furthermore, the “Scope and Sequence” incorporates industry-specific standards and features a detailed table that maps out each unit alongside its corresponding TEKS and cross-unit links.

Evaluation for 1.3c
Materials include guidance on the effective use of lesson materials for extended practice (e.g., homework, extension, enrichment, work-based learning, Career and Technical Student Organizations, professional skills practice).

The “Lesson Plans” and “Student-Facing Components” sections offer guidance on how to effectively use the lesson plans as designed, including targeted sections to support student growth beyond the core lesson. The sections outline how educators should use the homework and enrichment components to reinforce learning. The “Implementation and Quality Guide” also describes the student-facing components, which connect students to Career and Technical Student Organizations to foster professional development.

The curriculum incorporates rigorous application in the unit 8, “Enrichment & Extension” section. The framework prompts students to extend their mastery of disease management by creating a localized prevention plan for a hypothetical greenhouse crop.

Evaluation for 2.1a
Materials include a variety of instructional assessments (e.g., skills demonstrations, portfolio evaluations, certification benchmarks) at the unit and lesson level (including diagnostic, formative, and summative) that vary in types of tasks and questions.

In unit 5, the end of lesson 4 includes a “Knowledge Check” section with questions. By answering knowledge check questions aligned to each unit’s learning objectives, students can test whether they understand new information and uncover any knowledge gaps. 

Unit 5 provides instructional assessments that use scenario-based tasks to measure student understanding of industry concepts like fertilizer basics. For example, a formative knowledge check provides a scenario about a local farmer, Sanoe, and decreased production of apples on trees. This scenario allows for in-process feedback between students and educators.

Evaluation for 2.1b
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the types of instructional assessments included.

In the “Implementation and Quality Guide,” the “Instructional Assessments” section details the definition and intended purpose of each assessment type. The materials use diagnostic assessments, like knowledge check questions and early reflection activities, to activate prior knowledge. Formative assessments, such as critical thinking, discussion, and knowledge check questions, are tools that monitor student understanding. Summative assessments, including multiple-choice quizzes, unit activities, and mid-course and final reflection activities, evaluate student mastery of the learning standards.

In the unit 1 lesson plan, the “Definition, Purpose, and Administration of Instructional Assessments” section provides educators with guidance on the different types of assessments in the lesson and how to implement those assessments to gauge learning. Reflection activities engage students with the lesson content at the beginning, middle, and end. This allows students to “activate prior knowledge,” monitor their learning, and reflect on how the content connects to their experiences and goals.

Evaluation for 2.1c
Materials include teacher guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.

The educator guidance supports consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments. The “Teacher Resources” dashboard includes comprehensive guidance in the “Implementation and Quality Guide” and unit 1 lesson plan, which outline assessment procedures for each assessment type. The materials specify how to administer assessments, whether students should work independently or collaboratively, and the educator’s role during the assessment process. For example, students complete knowledge check questions independently and get immediate feedback; take part in discussion questions in whole-group, small-group, or partner settings; and complete summative unit activities individually or in small groups, using educator-provided rubrics. The materials also identify the resources needed to administer assessments and note that all students are expected to participate in the assessment process.

The lesson plans embed additional guidance to promote implementation fidelity across classrooms. Instructional time blocks provide pacing expectations and clearly indicate when assessments should occur within the lesson sequence. The plans include educator-facing directions, facilitation notes, and assessment administration procedures that reduce ambiguity and help ensure educators consistently deliver assessments. In addition, students access quizzes and exams through the digital platform, which standardizes scoring procedures and automatically records results. Together, these supports provide educators with clear expectations for administering assessments and collecting reliable evidence of student learning.

Evaluation for 2.1d
Diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments are aligned to the TEKS and objectives of the course, unit, or lesson.

The lesson plan demonstrates how assessments align to the TEKS and unit objectives in daily instruction. The materials clearly list the TEKS, ELPS, and objectives at the start of the unit and each class lesson, and the assessments mirror those goals in practice. For example, early knowledge check questions function as diagnostics, embedded critical thinking questions and checks for understanding serve as formative assessments, and the unit activities and unit 1 quiz act as summative assessments. Together, this shows that the course not only plans alignment in its scope and sequence, but consistently carries it through classroom instruction.

Unit 8 provides an assessment system where diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments align to both the course TEKS and specific learning objectives. The unit aligns with the TEKS Standard 8A, “Identify and manage common horticultural pests, diseases, and deficiencies.” The unit 8 diagnostic, summative, and formative assessments align with the TEKS as well. For example, slide 13 states, “Critical Question: What is the importance of horticulturists correctly identifying whether plant damage is caused by pest, disease, or nutrition?”

Evaluation for 2.1e
Instructional assessments include TEKS-aligned items at varying levels of complexity.

In the “Implementation and Quality Guide,” the “Instructional Assessments” section identifies multiple TEKS-aligned instructional assessment types that increase in rigor and complexity. Critical thinking questions align with the TEKS and ELPS and promote higher-level thinking, analysis, and reasoning. Unit activities are also TEKS-aligned instructional activities and tasks that progressively increase in rigor and complexity. Together, these items demonstrate that assessments align with the TEKS and intentionally assess at multiple cognitive levels rather than a single level of rigor.

Unit 8, “Plant Pests and Diseases,” starts with an introductory bell ringer and then builds on vocabulary. The unit continues with pre-reading, group work, vocabulary in context, direct instruction, individual work, and closure. Each section has questions that increase in levels of complexity throughout the unit. The unit aligns with the TEKS Standard 8A, “Identify and manage common horticultural pests, diseases, and deficiencies.” The unit also contains diagnostic, summative, and formative assessments that align with the TEKS. Examples vary in complexity, such as giving students who are struggling labeled diagrams and the phrase “the symptom suggests ___ because ___.” Students who show mastery practice extended diagnostic reasoning by analyzing real-world plant case scenarios.

Evaluation for 2.2a
Instructional assessments and scoring information provide guidance for interpreting student performance.

In “Teacher Resources,” unit 1, the “Suggested Answers and Rubrics” section provides educators with clear guidance for interpreting student performance and ensuring fair, consistent evaluation of student work. The section provides possible answer responses with a generic rubric for the unit 1 critical thinking questions that act as knowledge checks. An example is, “How can pesticide storage or disposal negatively impact the environment and surrounding community?” The unit activities also include time for reflection, such as in step 2, and a guiding rubric that shows what evidence from students would receive “full, partial, or little credit.”

“Teacher Resources” features a dedicated “Suggested Answers and Rubrics” section for each unit that delivers detailed sample responses for formative check-ins, such as critical thinking or discussion questions. These sample responses establish a clear baseline by identifying the exact depth of conceptual understanding, analytical reasoning, and technical accuracy that the course expects from students, ensuring that educators can execute fair and consistent evaluations of student work across classrooms.

Evaluation for 2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of included tasks and activities to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.

In the “Implementation and Quality Guide,” the “Instructional Assessments” section explains how educators should use assessment results to inform instruction. The section describes knowledge check questions as tools that help educators see what students already know at the start of a unit and track growth at the end. The section also frames mid-course and final reflection activities as ways for educators and students to notice patterns in learning over time. The guide identifies multiple-choice quizzes as summative checks on overall understanding, making clear that different assessments serve different purposes in helping educators interpret student progress.

In the “Differentiation and Scaffolding Instruction” section, the “Teacher-Facing Components” subsection provides interventions that support educators in responding to student trends in performance on assessments. The unit 2 “Instructional Response to Assessment Performance” section identifies specific activities that educators can use to address low-performance skills based on student performance data. For instance, the section includes remediation tasks such as having students sketch or digitally design their own edible garden using space-saving methods that align with technical concepts, and helping students compare indoor garden trends. This approach ensures that the material specifically aligns to the skills being assessed.

Evaluation for 2.2c
Materials include tools for teachers to track student progress and growth and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.

The “Implementation and Quality Guide” explains that the course platform includes built-in tools that let both educators and students monitor progress over time. In the student version of the course platform, students can directly access their grades and detailed information for each assignment, allowing them to monitor their progress and growth and gain a better understanding of what they have mastered and what they need to work on. Educators also have access to the same student performance data to track student progress and growth. The “Implementation and Quality Guide” clearly links student data to assessments such as knowledge check questions, which help educators spot patterns and adjust instruction when needed. This linkage ensures that monitoring directly informs instructional adjustments.

The educator-facing “Progress Snapshot” dashboard compiles student scores from the formal final assessments of all the TEKS-aligned lessons into a single, high-utility control panel. This reporting tool instantly aggregates and categorizes classroom performance trends, sorting students into three readiness tiers—on track, approaching, or needs attention—based on their core assessment averages. For instance, the dashboard can identify how many students fall into the needs-attention tier (averages below 69 percent) versus the on-track tier (averages above 80 percent), allowing educators to immediately identify mastery trends and deploy immediate targeted support or advanced enrichment. This real-time analysis pairs with pretest/posttest reports that display student performance metrics side-by-side to contrast baseline entry data with post-instructional achievement. If a class has only completed the diagnostic pretest, the report populates those results independently, allowing instructors to isolate conceptual strengths or developmental weaknesses prior to direct instruction and adjust lesson delivery.

Evaluation for 3.1a
Materials include teacher guidance for differentiated instruction, activities, and paired (scaffolded) lessons for students who have not yet reached proficiency in content and technical skills in the course TEKS.

The materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction for students who have not yet reached proficiency in content and technical skills in the course TEKS. For example, unit 6 provides differentiated instruction for students who have not reached proficiency in content and/or technical skills. The “Instructional Response to Assessment Performance” section includes an “If Students Struggle” subsection that provides a concept-sort reinforcement activity.

The materials include educator guidance on activities for students who have not yet reached proficiency in content and technical skills in the course TEKS. For example, in “Teacher Resources,” the “Approaching Proficiency Interventions” section provides educators with a tiered technical checklist that breaks the multistep cutting process into separate, isolated mechanical actions. The guidance prompts the educator to use a show and copy strategy, modeling a single precise slice, pausing for students to replicate it on scrap plant tissue, and using visual safety anchors before allowing students to attempt the full propagation task independently on live production stock. The materials also contain specific educator instructions and paired student tasks that scaffold technical skill deficits during hands-on lab components, such as executing a standard stem cutting or whip-and-tongue graft.

Evaluation for 3.1b
Materials include pre-teaching or embedded supports for unfamiliar vocabulary and references in text (e.g., figurative language, idioms, academic, professional, and technical language).

The materials include embedded supports for unfamiliar vocabulary and references in text, such as figurative language, idioms, and academic, professional, and technical vocabulary. For example, in the “Implementation and Quality Guide,” the “Introductory Elements” and “Introduction” sections emphasize the importance of embedding academic and technical vocabulary instruction throughout the learning process. The guide encourages educators to introduce and review content-specific vocabulary at the start of each lesson to support student understanding of unfamiliar terms, and promotes ongoing reinforcement of vocabulary during instruction. These details demonstrate that the materials intentionally integrate language development throughout the course rather than address it as a one-time activity.

The materials include pre-teaching or embedded supports for unfamiliar vocabulary and references in text, such as figurative language, idioms, and academic, professional, and technical vocabulary. For example, chapter 3 provides differentiated instruction for students who have not reached proficiency in content and/or technical skills. The “Customized and Scaffolded Instruction” section includes a “Support for Less-Advanced Students” subsection with an activity that instructs educators to reinforce “objectives from previous lessons, such as identifying basic plant features or distinguishing between simple classification categories.” One of the tasks is a small group activity to sort pictures.

Evaluation for 3.1c
Materials include teacher guidance for differentiated instruction, enrichment, and extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in content and technical skills in the course TEKS.

The materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction, enrichment, and extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in content and technical skills in the course TEKS. For example, unit 6 includes an “Enrichment & Extensions” section with activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in course content and technical skills. Activities include “comparative analysis of asexual propagation methods” and an “applied problem-solving task” where students solve a real-world scenario.

In the “Implementation and Quality Guide,” the “Differentiation and Scaffolding Instruction” section provides educators with guidance for enriching and extending learning for students who have demonstrated proficiency in the course TEKS and technical skills. The framework includes strategies that promote deeper engagement through cross-curricular connections in literacy, mathematics, and science, while encouraging students to apply content in more complex and meaningful ways. These supports help ensure that students who are proficient continue to be challenged and have opportunities to extend their understanding beyond the core instructional expectations.

Evaluation for 3.1d
Materials include teacher guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education.

The materials include educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education. For example, unit 6 includes an “Intervention Methods (SDI)” section to support students who require SDI. The materials provide a reinforcement activity that uses a concept-sorting task in which students categorize vocabulary terms paired with simplified definitions and visual supports. In addition, the materials provide scaffolding through recommendations to break instruction into smaller, manageable segments, helping students build understanding and master content and technical skills at an appropriate pace.

In the “Implementation and Quality Guide,” the “Differentiation and Scaffolding Instruction” section provides clear guidance for educators on delivering SDI to students receiving special education services and supports. The guide outlines targeted instructional strategies and modifications that help educators support students who require additional services while maintaining alignment with the course TEKS. The guidance emphasizes intentional planning and flexible instruction, and directs educators to embed SDI supports within daily lessons rather than treating them as add-ons.

Evaluation for 3.2a
Materials include (explicit) direct prompts and guidance to support the teacher in modeling and explaining the concept(s) to be learned.

The lesson plan for class 2, lesson 2 provides direct, educator-facing guidance that supports educators in modeling and explaining key concepts. The lesson provides structured directions for how educators should introduce new content, explain core ideas, and lead discussion before students move into independent or collaborative tasks. These prompts help educators clearly frame concepts, model thinking, and scaffold explanations so students understand the content and why it matters. Educators also use the corresponding lesson slide deck to support direct instruction and activities.

The materials include direct prompts and guidance to support the educator in modeling and explaining concepts. For example, the “Teacher Demonstration: Modeling the Perfect Wound” section provides an explicit, numbered sequence for the instructor to model the physical incision required for successful air layering. The material includes precise callout prompts directing what the educator should say while performing the technical action, such as “Say: ‘Watch the depth of my knife edge. I am scraping down through the phloem layer to reveal the green cambium beneath, but I am not cutting deep into the woody xylem. If I go too deep, look at what happens to the structural integrity of this stem.’” This script ensures educators uniformly deliver exact technical methodologies before students attempt hands-on practice.

Evaluation for 3.2b
Materials include teacher guidance and recommendations for effective lesson delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches.

The materials include educator guidance and recommendations for effective lesson delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches. For example, in the “Implementation and Quality Guide,” the “Lesson Plans” section outlines how the course does not rely on a single method, but rather is intentionally designed around a mix of instructional approaches including direct explanation, guided discussion, inquiry-based activities, reflection, and hands-on, away-from-keyboard (AFK) learning. This guidance helps educators plan lessons that engage students in multiple ways while staying aligned to course objectives and the TEKS.

In unit 6, the lesson begins with a think-pair-share activity in which students discuss the bell ringer question with a partner before sharing responses with the class. The lesson also incorporates multiple instructional strategies, including vocabulary writing and speaking activities, creating vocabulary lists, direct instruction using slides and videos, class discussions, and an exit ticket. These varied approaches support student engagement and provide educators with multiple ways to deliver content and monitor understanding.

Evaluation for 3.2c
Materials support multiple types of practice (e.g., guided, independent, collaborative) and include guidance for teachers and recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.

The materials support multiple types of practice (e.g., guided, independent, collaborative) and include guidance for educators and recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation. For example, unit 6 supports multiple types of practice and structures such as when students use collaborative practice to complete a think-pair-share for the bell ringer and share their responses with the whole group. Students continue through this lesson with guided practice notes from the slide deck, then individually journal before working as a small group.

Chapter 3 supports multiple types of practice through a variety of instructional structures. Students first engage in independent practice by individually completing activities such as calculating growth rates. The lesson then transitions to collaborative learning, where students work in small groups to complete a plant kingdom sorting activity before sharing their findings with the whole class. To conclude the lesson, students work with a partner to complete an exit ticket, providing an additional opportunity for collaborative reflection and application of learning. These varied structures support independent, small-group, partner, and whole-group learning experiences throughout the lesson.

Evaluation for 3.3a
Materials include teacher guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic, professional, and technical language.

The materials include educator guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency (as defined by the ELPS), which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic, professional, and technical language. For example, in the “Implementation and Quality Guide,” the “Emergent Bilingual Students” section describes how materials provide linguistic accommodations for students at various proficiency levels. These accommodations are an intentional and integrated part of the course design. Each unit reinforces vocabulary through discussions, written tasks, and contextual use within activities so that language support is embedded throughout instruction rather than treated as a one-time strategy.

In “Teacher Resources,” the “ELPS Communication Matrix” gives educators specific strategies to support students as they present a landscape design proposal. For students at the beginning and intermediate proficiency levels, the materials include illustrated speaking supports that pair images of landscape features with corresponding technical vocabulary. For students at the advanced proficiency level, the materials provide a “Professional Client Script” that incorporates industry-specific language and transitional phrases to strengthen communication skills. These scaffolds support students in engaging in authentic oral and written tasks while developing academic and technical vocabulary at increasing levels of language proficiency.

Evaluation for 3.3b
Materials include implementation guidance to support teachers in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual/ESL programs.

The materials include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual/ESL programs. For example, at the beginning of chapter 11, the “Bilingual/ESL Program Blueprints” section includes language objectives aligned to the content TEKS, helping educators intentionally integrate language development with content instruction. The section outlines instructional strategies that support emergent bilingual (EB) students, including interactive vocabulary development, structured cooperative learning opportunities, and activities that connect language practice to technical content. Additional recommendations help educators scaffold complex concepts and academic language, making the materials adaptable for state-approved ESL instructional settings while maintaining alignment to course objectives.

Unit 6 includes explicit, step-by-step instruction for educators to effectively use the materials for EB students in bilingual/ESL programs. The unit includes activities for EB students that support students at the beginning, intermediate, and high intermediate/advanced proficiency levels as defined in the ELPS.

Evaluation for 3.3c
Materials include embedded guidance for teachers to support emergent bilingual students in developing academic, professional, and technical vocabulary, increasing comprehension, building background knowledge, and making cross-linguistic connections through oral and written discourse.

The materials include embedded guidance for educators to support EB students in developing academic, professional, and technical vocabulary. For example, the unit 1 lesson plan demonstrates how each lesson provides explicit guidance for supporting EB students through structured vocabulary development and scaffolded academic discourse. The “ELPS” and “Differentiation and Scaffolding Instruction” sections direct educators to pre-teach key academic and technical vocabulary, model correct pronunciation, and provide sentence stems to support both oral and written responses. The plan also incorporates strategies such as think-pair-share and small-group discussions, allowing students to process and refine ideas through collaborative dialogue before transitioning to independent written work.

The materials include embedded guidance for educators to support EB students in increasing comprehension and building background knowledge. For example, the “Technical Writing Scaffold” resource provides educators with strategies for building background knowledge and supporting students as they complete a commercial landscape proposal. The resource includes annotated professional examples to model industry expectations, as well as structured sentence frames and vocabulary supports that incorporate technical terminology. These scaffolds help students strengthen their understanding of professional language conventions and support the progression from simple descriptive responses to more detailed, industry-specific technical writing.

The materials do not make cross-linguistic connections through oral and written discourse.

Evaluation for 3.3d
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.

This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs.

Evaluation for 4.1a
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide explicit (direct) instruction on industry-specific knowledge and skills in alignment with the course TEKS.

The “Implementation and Quality Guide” establishes that educators receive structured lesson plans that guide direct instruction in industry-specific knowledge and skills, aligned with the course TEKS. The guide also explains that each class period includes clearly sequenced instructional activities where educators introduce core horticultural science concepts, model professional practices, and lead students through content that mirrors real-world industry expectations. This sequence ensures that educators address technical knowledge and skills—such as career pathways, professional responsibilities, and foundational horticultural science principles—in line with the course TEKS.

In unit 8, the “Instructional Time: Direct Instruction” section guides educators on direct instruction on industry-specific knowledge and skills. The section provides educators with prompts under each bullet and slide that are specific to the horticulture industry and plant pests and diseases, in alignment with the course TEKS.

Evaluation for 4.1b
Materials consistently provide opportunities for students to develop, use, and apply industry-specific academic, professional, and technical vocabulary.

In the unit 2 lesson plan students begin by practicing saying, reading, and writing key terms so they become comfortable with how the words sound and what they mean. As the unit continues, students revisit key terms through collaborative review, discussions, and short presentations, giving them repeated chances to use the language in real contexts and meaningful ways instead of just memorizing definitions. This steady, multi-modal approach reflects ELPS-aligned practice and helps students truly own the academic and technical vocabulary rather than seeing it as a checklist.

Unit 8 provides opportunities for students to develop, use, and apply industry-specific vocabulary in the “Academic, Professional, and Technical Vocabulary” section. One example is “integrated weed management: using several weed control methods together so no single method has to do all the work.”

Evaluation for 4.1c
Materials provide opportunities for students to develop and refine industry-specific knowledge and skills through activities and tasks that progressively increase in rigor and complexity across lessons and units within the course.

In the “Scope and Sequence,” the “Connections Across Units” section illustrates how learning progresses throughout the course. The materials provide explanations and examples that show how later units reinforce and expand upon foundational concepts from earlier units. This intentional progression supports students to develop increasingly sophisticated horticulture knowledge and technical skills, building on prior learning as they advance through the course.

In unit 8, the “Prior Knowledge and Prerequisite Skills” section provides opportunities for students to develop and refine their knowledge of plant pests and diseases. The unit provides the educator with six bullet points that detail what students need to scaffold their knowledge. For example, “Students should understand that plants can be affected by living organisms such as insects and microorganisms that may cause damage or disease.” This bullet point sets the foundation for learning about specific plant pests and diseases in unit 8.

Evaluation for 4.1d
Materials include activities and tasks that require students to demonstrate understanding of industry-specific knowledge and skills in alignment with the course TEKS.

The “Implementation and Quality Guide” frames the lesson plans as a coherent system that intentionally aligns the objectives, guiding questions, activities, materials, and assessments with the course TEKS. The lesson plans are also designed to require students to demonstrate industry-specific knowledge and skills. The guide emphasizes that unit activities give students opportunities to go beyond simple recall and apply the industry-specific knowledge and skills they have learned in meaningful ways. The guide also clarifies that the materials give educators explicit direction on how to present key concepts so student tasks clearly connect to Texas standards.

In unit 8, the “Closure” section includes activities and tasks that require students to demonstrate understanding of industry-specific knowledge and skills. For example, one task states, “A grower finds plants with a fine white growth covering leaves and stems, but no obvious wounds. Lab tests show an organism that lacks chlorophyll and reproduces by spores. Which pathogen group is MOST likely responsible?”

Evaluation for 4.2a
Materials explicitly connect new knowledge and skills to prior learning across lessons and units within the course and across courses as applicable.

The unit 5 lesson plan demonstrates how the materials explicitly connect new knowledge and skills to prior learning. The unit starts by building on unit 4, relating plant structures to pollination. Then, students further build on this knowledge as they learn about plant needs and nutrients. Finally, students synthesize this knowledge by understanding the types and impacts of fertilizers and how to interpret fertilizer labels in relation to plant needs.

In unit 8, the “Prior Knowledge and Prerequisite Skills” section explicitly connects new knowledge and skills related to plant pests and diseases to prior learning across previous lessons and units. For example, the unit states, “Students should be familiar with observable plant characteristics, including leaf color, growth patterns, and visible signs of stress or damage.”

Evaluation for 4.2b
Materials are aligned with and provide relevant cross-curricular connections that support transferable academic knowledge and skills in literacy, math, social studies, and science.

In each lesson plan the “Cross-Curricular Connections” section highlights how the unit integrates academic knowledge and transferable skills from other disciplines. This section identifies opportunities for students to apply concepts and skills from areas such as literacy, mathematics, science, and career readiness within the context of horticulture instruction. These opportunities reinforce learning across content areas while supporting students to develop industry-relevant knowledge and skills.

In the unit 8, “Cross-Curricular Connections” section, students examine how plant health affects agriculture, food production, and landscape management in communities. Students discuss how pest outbreaks, invasive weeds, or crop diseases influence economic stability, resource use, and human decisions in agricultural and environmental systems. This cross-curricular connection supports students in transferring academic knowledge and skills to social studies.

Evaluation for 4.2c
Materials integrate academic, technical, and employability knowledge and skills in the context of the course and in alignment to the course TEKS.

The “Implementation and Quality Guide” shows that the course is intentionally designed to integrate academic, technical, and employability knowledge and skills in alignment with the course TEKS, rather than teaching them separately. The guide emphasizes that lessons consistently combine horticultural science content with reading, writing, discussion, and problem-solving activities, while also reinforcing workplace skills such as collaboration, communication, and responsibility. This integrated approach ensures that students learn technical content while also building the academic reasoning and employability skills needed to apply that knowledge in real-world situations.

In unit 8, the “Enrichment & Extensions” section tasks students to use academic, technical, and employability knowledge and skills as they “analyze real-world plant case scenarios that include symptoms, environmental conditions, and plant species. Ask students to determine the most likely pathogen type and justify their reasoning using evidence from the scenario and lesson concepts. Encourage comparison across cases to deepen recognition of disease patterns.”

Evaluation for 5.1a
Materials provide opportunities for students to investigate career clusters and programs of study as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS.

The unit 3 lesson plan gives students repeated, interactive opportunities to investigate horticultural science career clusters and pathways, such as in class 1, lesson 1; class 2, lesson 2; and class 4, lesson 3. Throughout the first two lessons, students examine the required education, training, certifications, and workplace skills for multiple horticulture career pathways. In class 4, activity 3, “What Disciplines Keep the Horticulture Industry Growing?” includes an initial career exploration. The lesson tasks and activities push students beyond simply recognizing the names of careers by asking them to analyze how education, training, and professional skills shape opportunities and entrepreneurship in the horticulture industry.

In the “Course Slides” section, the Horticulture 1a unit 3 slide decks provide opportunities for students to investigate career clusters and programs of study. The “Careers and Entrepreneurship in Horticulture” section helps students explore careers such as “hydroponics, floral shop owner, landscape designer, greenhouse owner, and lawn care business owner.”

Evaluation for 5.1b
Materials provide opportunities for students to analyze relevant regional or statewide Labor Market Information (LMI) or emerging market workforce data to support data-driven investigations of careers.

The course introduction includes an activity where students conduct a data-driven investigation of horticulture careers using a variety of online resources aligned to the course TEKS. After learning about careers within the horticulture industry, students research career pathways, examine workforce information, and analyze education, training, and employment requirements associated with different occupations. This investigation allows students to apply research skills while developing a deeper understanding of career opportunities within the horticulture field.

In the “Course Slides” section, the Horticulture 1a unit 2 slide decks have students analyze relevant regional or statewide labor market information. The “Regional Crop Diversity in Texas” section asks, “If you had to run your own small farm in one Texas region, which would you choose and what would you try to grow there? Why?” This question helps students investigate careers in Texas regions that relate to the types of crops grown in that region of the state.

Evaluation for 5.1c
Materials include career investigation activities and tasks designed to support development of individual career goals (e.g., career interest inventories, career goals, post-secondary education requirements, post-secondary career plans).

In the class 2, lesson 2, “Instructional Time: Group Work” activity, students review and investigate horticulture career pathways. Then students write a short paragraph describing which career best matches their interests and how they might explore it through a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project or internship.

In the “Course Slides” section, the Horticulture 1a unit 3 slide decks include career investigation activities and tasks. For example, the “Training and Education” slide tells students to ask themselves, “Why is it important for plant-science professionals to understand the education, training, certifications, and career-development steps required in their field?,” and “How can being informed about these requirements help someone access internships, apprenticeships, or advancement opportunities in the plant-science industry?” Students explore what type of education—on-the-job training, certifications, or formal education—matches their individual career goals.

Evaluation for 5.2a
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide explicit (direct) instruction on professional standards and employability skills relevant to career clusters and programs of study as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS and Texas CTE Employability Skills Standards.

The unit 3 lesson plan provides clear, step-by-step guidance for educators to teach professional standards and employability skills through modeled instruction and structured discussion. For example, class 3, lesson 3 covers professionalism in the workplace; class 4, lesson 4 covers effective workplace communication; and class 5, lesson 4 continues the effective workplace communication topic. Class 3 instructs educators to lead a 3-2-1 bell ringer to begin the class discussion of professionalism, then gives educators clear guidance on how to teach the lesson concepts and facilitate activities. The unit slide deck supplements all of the direct instruction components and individual and group tasks. The materials embed intentional, educator-directed instruction on employability skills in authentic horticultural science contexts.

The lesson 3 slide deck guides educators to provide direct instruction on professional standards and employability skills relevant to the Plant Science and Horticulture Programs of Study/Career Clusters. The slide deck aligns with the TEKS and Texas CTE Employability Standards by providing different industry-based certifications and opportunities, trainings, and webinars. The slide deck continues with “Professionalism in the Workplace,” “Preparing for an Interview,” and “Characteristics of Good Employees.”

Evaluation for 5.2b
Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in career development activities and tasks (e.g., mock interviews, resume writing, portfolio development) as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS and Texas CTE Employability Skills Standards.

The unit 3 lesson plan provides opportunities for students to engage in career development activities and tasks as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS and Texas CTE Employability Skills Standards. In class 2, students explore career paths and develop a plan for pursuing their goals. In class 3, students learn how to prepare for an interview and demonstrate professional skills. The unit 3 tasks and activities support students as they participate in their SAEs and prepare for a future career in horticulture.

The lesson 3 slide deck provides opportunities for students to engage in career development activities and tasks, which align with the TEKS and Texas CTE Employability Standards by providing information on preparing for an interview and practicing effective communication skills.

Evaluation for 5.2c
Materials emphasize the use of academic, professional, and technical vocabulary during career development opportunities.

The materials embed structured career development activities in the lesson plans that emphasize the use of academic, professional, and technical vocabulary. In unit 5, activity 2, students demonstrate professional workplace behaviors by identifying workplace expectations and participating in a mock job interview for a landscaping consultant position. This activity requires students to apply professional language while discussing workplace expectations in a professional setting. The lesson integrates career development with academic and professional vocabulary associated with employability skills and the horticulture industry.

The materials reinforce academic, professional, and technical vocabulary through collaborative learning and presentation activities. Class 5 includes a unit vocabulary review where students practice content-area vocabulary with a partner before writing and presenting a formal script. The activity requires students to incorporate academic and professional terms into their presentations, such as constructive criticism, etiquette, personal hygiene, and verbal communication. Classmates listen for and respond to this vocabulary during the presentations. The lesson 3 slide deck further supports vocabulary development through a series of slides that introduce and reinforce key technical and professional terms, including vertical communication, personal hygiene, and hydroponics. Together, these activities provide repeated opportunities for students to use academic, professional, and technical vocabulary during career development experiences.

Evaluation for 6.1a
Materials include experiential learning through classroom experiences (e.g., labs, workplace simulations, project-based learning) and/or work-based learning (e.g., job shadowing, internships, practicums) to develop or reinforce the real-world application of technical and employability skills in the context of the course and aligned to the appropriate level on the work-based learning continuum.

In unit 2, students participate in authentic work-based experiential learning through an ongoing SAE. In this activity, students select and activate an industry-standard tracking system such as the Agricultural Experience Tracker, enter preliminary project details, and submit proof that their record system is live. Students must plan how they will consistently document hours, tasks, expenses, decisions, and photographic evidence of their agricultural work over time. By using a professional SAE platform that real Future Farmers of America (FFA) students and agricultural workers rely on, students take part in genuine experiential learning that reinforces both technical skills (e.g., record keeping, documentation, project management) and employability skills (e.g., responsibility, consistency, and professionalism).

Chapter 5 features structured, classroom-based plant production labs that reinforce the practical application of technical propagation techniques and greenhouse leadership behaviors. Within these interactive simulations, students operate in collaborative greenhouse management teams to monitor water chemistry, balance nutrient delivery schedules, and manage climate control systems for a simulated commercial crop cycle. The lesson plans guide the educator to evaluate student performance using formal workplace readiness rubrics, assessing technical precision alongside core employability skills like team coordination, resource conservation, and adaptive troubleshooting. This hands-on lab environment corresponds with the simulated workplace tier of the work-based learning continuum to develop authentic agricultural competencies.

Evaluation for 6.1b
Materials provide opportunities for students to use relevant industry-specific materials (e.g., technical texts/manuals, equipment, technology, supplies) during experiential learning.

The course activities include learning through classroom experiences and work-based learning to support real-world application of technical and employability skills. In one activity, the educator distributes a variety of seeds, leaves, cones, flowers, and whole-plant images. Students identify and record the traits that place each plant within their taxonomic group. Students then use industry-specific vocabulary to justify their identifications. In addition, in unit 2, activity 1, students learn about industry tools and equipment then go out into their community to analyze horticultural tasks. Students determine which types of tools would be most appropriate for each task and how to address any safety or maintenance concerns.

The instructional materials transition from theoretical concepts to real-world implications, reinforcing the application of technical and employability skills. The curriculum integrates SAEs, which serve as a student-led and educator-supervised experiential learning activity. This integration provides opportunities for students to apply classroom learning to practical scenarios within the fields of horticulture and plant science. The unit 7 lesson plans provide opportunities for students to use relevant industry-specific materials and supplies during experiential learning, such as soil-based media, seeds, and a digital camera. These skills help students bridge the connection between classroom and industry.

Evaluation for 6.1c
Materials emphasize the use of academic, professional, and technical vocabulary during experiential learning opportunities.

The materials emphasize the integration of high-level agricultural vocabulary during the chapter 3 hands-on, classroom-based plant propagation and cultivation simulations. The daily lesson plans provide the instructor with a specialized “Lexical Enforcement Protocol” outlining strategies to actively redirect students from colloquial descriptions to precise professional terminology during team lab collaboration and technical demonstrations. Students are systematically evaluated via rubric criteria on their ability to accurately articulate and apply advanced technical concepts, including adventitious rooting, vascular cambium alignment, callus formation, and scion-rootstock compatibility. This deliberate linguistic framing ensures that students use the operational vocabulary of real-world production nurseries to defend their technical choices during experiential learning cycles.

Section 7 features a comprehensive structural framework that requires students to use academic, professional, and technical terminology within simulated agronomic workflows and diagnostic correspondence. The guide provides specific lesson instructions and templates for students to draft formal “Plant Pathology Briefs,” integrated pest management matrices, and cross-functional greenhouse logging memoranda during group production challenges. The accompanying educator evaluation rubrics contain dedicated criteria that penalize informal or non-scientific phrasing, requiring students to embed strategic academic verbs like mitigate and propagate alongside precise scientific terms like phytotoxicity, parthenocarpy, and binomial nomenclature (genus and specific epithet). By auditing both written and verbal communication through this rigorous linguistic lens, the curriculum ensures that all experiential workspace interactions reflect contemporary agricultural science and professional standards.

Evaluation for 6.2a
Materials include opportunities for students to apply academic and technical knowledge and skills to authentic, real-world, industry-specific problems and develop and evaluate viable solutions as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS.

Chapter 8 requires students to actively apply quantitative botanical research and biological data analysis to resolve real-world crop loss challenges that local nurseries face. Students gather and examine live or simulated plant tissue samples to isolate localized pathogenic outbreaks, plot disease progression charts, and perform formal environmental vector analyses. The lesson plans direct the educator to evaluate student proposals based on the scientific viability of their non-chemical mitigation strategies, economic risk management, and overall alignment with the course TEKS. This performance-based simulation forces students to act like commercial greenhouse managers, engineering data-driven solutions to navigate authentic agricultural threats.

The unit 7 lesson plans include opportunities for students to apply academic and technical knowledge and skills to authentic, real-world, and industry-specific problems and develop and evaluate viable solutions. For example, one activity asks students to “learn about entrepreneurship in the horticulture industry by developing a simple business concept and understanding how pricing, marketing, and customer service affect success.” In this example, students create their own business planning worksheet and come up with a business concept, target market, budget/pricing plan, and marketing strategy. This is appropriate for the level of the course and aligns with the course TEKS.

Evaluation for 6.2b
Materials include opportunities for students to conduct industry-related data analysis to evaluate information, identify trends, and justify decisions using quantitative and qualitative reasoning as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS.

Chapter 9 provides structured opportunities for students to analyze complex agronomic data sets to identify emerging crop performance trends and forecast future harvest yields. Students manipulate raw phenotypic metrics and environmental data—such as photosynthetic active radiation curves, daily temperature variations, and internodal elongation rates—using data-tracking software to calculate growth coefficients and map cultivation volatility. The lesson framework requires students to draft a formal agronomic optimization report, combining quantitative growth calculations with qualitative observations of leaf canopy health to justify their final climate-control adjustments. The curriculum ensures that students use empirical evidence rather than intuition to make greenhouse adjustments.

The unit 7 lesson plans include opportunities for students to conduct industry-related data analysis to evaluate information, identify trends, and justify decisions using quantitative and qualitative reasoning. For example, the materials instruct educators to “Extend learning through data interpretation by providing simple soil test result tables (pH, organic matter, nutrient levels) and having students determine what soil improvements would be needed for healthy plant growth.” The educator then asks students “to connect soil test values to conservation or amendment strategies discussed in the lesson and explain reasoning to peers. Students should be able to interpret basic soil test data to recommend soil quality improvements.” This activity is appropriate for the level of the course and aligns with the course TEKS, specifically § 127.54(d)(7)(D): compare various soil-based growing media.

Evaluation for 6.2c
Materials include opportunities for students to engage in inquiry-based learning (e.g., formulating industry-specific questions, conducting research using industry-specific sources) as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS.

Chapter 2 provides structured opportunities for students to lead independent, inquiry-based plant science investigations by creating their own research questions about optimal plant growing media. Students generate qualitative hypotheses about physical properties like drainage efficiency, pore space, and aeration in various soil-less substrates. Students then select and evaluate industry-specific professional resources, such as USDA research databases, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension publications, and commercial horticultural substrate technical specifications. Students use this information to design their parameters to test plant growing media and develop a formal proposal. This instructional layout trains students to independently decode soil chemistry data and evaluate substrate viability in strict alignment with the course TEKS.

The unit 7 lesson plans include opportunities for students to engage in inquiry-based learning. For example, the unit instructs educators to have students “design a soil recommendation plan for a real or hypothetical Texas site (home garden, school landscape, or urban container system). Require them to classify the soil, identify limitations (erosion risk, compaction, drainage), and recommend improvements or soilless alternatives with rationale tied to plant growth needs. Encourage use of technical vocabulary and presentation to peers. Students should be able to apply soil classification knowledge to recommend appropriate media and management practices.” This activity is appropriate for the level of the course, aligns with the course TEKS, and prepares students to formulate industry-specific questions and conduct research using industry-specific resources.