Lori Sixtos, a passionate 4th grade Social Studies and Science teacher, is on a mission to bring the story of Texas to life for her students. Originally from Tennessee, Lori has fallen in love with Texas history—and her excitement is contagious in the classroom. After being introduced to Exploros at a conference, she took the initiative to apply for a grant that would allow her students continued access to the platform, enhancing their learning experiences through collaborative and tech-integrated lessons.

In this Educator Spotlight, we chat with Lori about her favorite parts of teaching Texas history, how Exploros helps spark meaningful classroom discussions, and her tips for boosting confidence and engagement in young learners.

👋 Introduce yourself, including your name, subject, and grade level. We would love to hear more about your award and the grant you received!
My name is Lori Sixtos. I teach 4th grade Social Studies and Science. I was introduced to Exploros at a conference and fell in love with it! I was fortunate to use it for a couple of months, but that time was soon going to end.

My district offers teachers the chance to apply for a grant called the Foundation for Excellence Grant (FFE). After receiving a quote from Exploros, I applied—and in April, I was awarded the grant! It covered the program for the remainder of the current school year and all the way through next year.

📚 What aspect of Social Studies do you find most fascinating and enjoy teaching the most, and why?

I teach Texas History. I'm originally from Tennessee, so I knew nothing about Texas history before teaching it. But I absolutely love telling the story of how Texas came to be.

My favorite part to teach is the Texas Revolution. It’s an incredible chapter because it shows what people will do for something they truly believe in—even if it meant death. The men who fought and died for our great state of Texas are true heroes.

🎉 Share a success story or memorable moment made possible by Exploros.
When I first started using Exploros, we did the lessons as a whole group. Students are able to see what others are writing in real time. On one particular topic, students started asking each other about their answers. That encouraged an amazing group discussion!

Even though Exploros is an online platform, it still gave us the space to debate and talk through different answers and thought processes. It was awesome to see that kind of critical thinking and engagement happening in a digital environment.

💻 How has technology, particularly Exploros, empowered you as a teacher, helping you achieve your goals and enhance student outcomes?
Exploros offers a variety of ways for students to respond to questions. They’re able to write and even do some research on topics, which helps them practice and improve their writing—especially since their STAAR test and other assessments require them to write short-constructed responses or paragraphs.

It’s a great way to combine content learning with skill building.

🚀 What's one effective teaching strategy or tip for boosting confidence and student engagement in Social Studies?
Let students know it’s okay to be wrong—and make it fun!

When we’re in whole group and I call on students, sometimes they give me a wrong answer. I’ll use a “no” button or something silly and fun to let them know it’s not correct. They love it! It encourages all my students to participate, and they don’t worry about whether their answer is right or wrong.