Connecting real-world experiences to classroom goals—one field trip at a time.
At Delve, we believe students learn best when they can see, touch, and experience the concepts they’re studying. That’s why so many of our educational field trips and mobile programs are designed to support the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards—not just through worksheets or lectures, but through real-life exploration.
Whether it’s observing compost in action, exploring pollinator habitats, or learning how urban farms address food insecurity, Delve Experiences help students connect classroom knowledge to real-world systems.
What is TEKS?
The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) are the state’s required learning standards for public schools. They outline what students are expected to learn at each grade level across subjects like science, social studies, math, and English. While they’re designed for classroom instruction, the core ideas—like observation, inquiry, and systems thinking—translate beautifully into hands-on settings.
At Delve, we don’t offer formal curriculum or TEA-certified materials. But many of our programs are built to support TEKS goals by helping students experience those concepts in action—whether they’re watching bees pollinate flowers, measuring compost temperature, or exploring how food reaches their plate.
What It Means to Support TEKS Through Real-World Learning
We know teachers and co-op leaders often look for “TEKS-aligned” programs. But what does that really mean?
At Delve, we don’t offer packaged curriculum or claim TEA approval. Instead, we work with certified educators and subject-matter experts to design experiences that support TEKS-based learning goals in meaningful, hands-on ways. Some of our programs are built from the ground up with TEKS objectives in mind. Others were created independently but naturally reinforce science, sustainability, and systems thinking—key elements across many TEKS strands.
In short: our job is to make it easier for students to see what they’re learning—and for educators to feel confident that those moments connect back to the classroom.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Across Texas, our experiences help students explore concepts like:
- 🐝 Pollination and life cycles in a mobile honeybee demo
- 🥕 Composting, food systems, and soil health in urban garden tours
- 🔬 Observation and scientific inquiry during private farm visits
- 🌱 Biological systems and ecosystems on working farms and microfarms
- 🧠 Real-world career pathways in agriculture, environmental science, and food entrepreneurship
Every program is different, and every student brings their own curiosity—but TEKS-aligned themes are woven throughout.
Where We’re Starting: DFW Programs That Support TEKS
Our deepest network of TEKS-supportive experiences is currently in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, where we offer educator-designed programs at partner farms like Ridglea Giving Garden and Opal’s Farm, along with science-enriched experiences like our Honeybee Show-and-Tell and the seasonal Halloween Science Spooktacular Field Trip.
👉 Explore TEKS-supportive field trips in the DFW area
As we expand, we’re building more inventory in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and beyond—with a focus on science, sustainability, and systems thinking through an agricultural lens.
What’s Next
We're actively working with educators, farm hosts, and community leaders to:
- Develop new experiences that meet curriculum goals
- Add clear TEKS references to our listings
- Make it easier to filter programs by subject and grade level
In the meantime, if you're an educator looking for a field trip or enrichment program aligned to your goals, we’re happy to help.
📩 Contact us to discuss your needs,
A Note on TEKS and Transparency
While Delve Experiences are designed to support TEKS learning objectives, they are not TEA-approved instructional materials. Some programs are developed in collaboration with certified educators; others provide natural reinforcement of science, environmental literacy, and inquiry-based learning. We strive to be transparent about how each experience connects to student outcomes.
