Our first Ck12.org book has hit the classrooms. This is a huge experiment in using open source text books. LKSD has implemented our first customized Biology Text district wide. We customized a book using templates and tools made available through Ck12.org and their Flexbook platform.
My interest began as I struggled to use commercial books that were loaded with academic language and lengthy chapters filled with thousands of concepts at once. I was searching for books that would be ESL friendly, but still rich in content and rigorous. The Ck12.org books are arranged in concepts vs chapters which present a more digestible chunk of knowledge at one time. We can also edit the book and use our own analogies and local pictures and terms. A team of teachers worked on customizing these books over the summer. Books are available in print and digital format.
KYUK recently did a news story about our efforts.
http://kyuk.org/post/new-science-textbooks-could-bring-students-closer-science-behind-climate-change