AlphaScience is the science learning program for Alpha students, grades 3–9. It’s an “Alpha-national” curriculum that covers the NGSS, TEKS (Texas), NGSSS (Florida), Arizona Science Standards, and much more! The course pairs short instructional videos, gated reading articles, and adaptive practice so students build genuine conceptual understanding, not just recall.
How to log in
AlphaScience opens directly on TimeBack.
Open TimeBack: Sign in to TimeBack and find your child's AlphaScience science course on your “Home.”
Launch AlphaScience: Open the "subject tab" and click Jump In.
Getting Started
Every AlphaScience lesson is made up of three activities that unlock in order. A student must finish each one before the next becomes available:
Video (📹) - a short narrated video that teaches the concept.
Reading article (📄) - a written lesson that unlocks section by section.
Exercise (🎓) - an adaptive question bank where the student shows mastery.
Every lesson unlocks in order: Video → Article → Exercise
How a lesson works
Step 1: Watch the video - and answer to keep playing
The video will pause to ask a quick question about what you just watched. Answer it correctly, and the video will keep playing. If you miss it, read the feedback and try again.
Answer the checkpoint question correctly to resume the video
Step 2: Read the article to unlock each section
The reading opens one section at a time. Answer the checkpoint question at the end of a section correctly to reveal the next one.
Answering the checkpoint question correctly unlocks the next section of the article
Step 3: Finish with the Practice
Answer the practice questions, and read the explanation after each one. It tells you the right answer and how to get similar questions right next time. Aim for 80% or higher on your first try. Need a reminder? Use Rewatch video or Reread article right there in the Practice.
A sample question in the Practice (PowerPath-100)
How XP works
Videos and reading articles award XP when you finish them — not only the Practice at the end.
You need at least 80% on the checkpoint questions. Below 80%, you can Try again for XP or Continue without it.
100% on a video or article gives a bonus (about 1.25× the XP listed on the path).
The first complete that earns XP is the one that counts. A second try pays half, a third pays a quarter, then none. Once you’ve earned XP on that item, later completes don’t add more.
Practice (the quiz) is separate: reach at least 80% accuracy to earn that activity’s XP. Master it on your first try for the full amount.
See your XP on the Daily Science and Weekly Science goals. If the path still shows 0 after you earned XP, Refresh the path. Goals can take a few minutes, or a visit to Home, to catch up.
Course Progression
Within a course, your child works through the units in order, and within each lesson, the video, article, and practice unlock in sequence.
Elementary learners progress across 3rd → 4th → 5th Grade Science
Middle-school learners cover the five science courses: Engineering Design → Chemistry → Biology → Physics → Earth and Space Science.
A grade or course is considered complete when the student has mastered every lesson at 80% or higher and, per the program’s standard, passed the grade-level science mastery test at 90% or higher. Students who fall short are given targeted lessons to close the gap before retrying.
Read-aloud (Grade 3)
Grade 3 lessons include read-aloud audio to support younger and developing readers. Grades 4 and above are designed to be read independently, in line with the program’s reading-fluency goals.
Habits that lead to success
Watch and read all the way through: Take your time with the video and the article so the concepts stick.
Never skip the explanations: Reading why an answer is right (or wrong) is how you get the next one right.
Answer the first time carefully: Getting checkpoints and practice right on the first try earns your XP faster.
Quick Tip: Stuck on a question in the quiz? Use Rewatch video or Reread article to go through the instructions again - the answer is always in the lesson.
Common Issues | FAQs
How does my child log in?
AlphaScience auto-signs you in on TimeBack. You can also sign in using Google Single-Sign-On (SSO) - your child clicks “Sign in with TimeBack SSO” and signs in with Google using their @2hourlearning account, with their password provided on your parents portal.
My child can't move to the next lesson
Lessons are sequential; Every AlphaScience lesson is made up of three activities that unlock in order. A student must finish each one before the next becomes available: Video, Reading Article, and Exercise.
My child finished the video or article but earned no XP
Videos and articles award their own XP (separate from Practice). Check which of these applies:
Under 80% on checkpoints: no XP. Use Try again to earn it, or Continue without XP.
Already earned XP on that item: later completes don’t add more. A second try pays half, a third pays a quarter, then none.
Path still shows 0: Refresh the science path. Daily and Weekly Science goals can take a few minutes, or a visit to Home, to catch up.
Saw a note that XP was added for earlier science videos or articles: they don’t need to redo those. Going forward, XP on a video or article only lands if they get enough checkpoint questions right.
My child is earning very low XP
There are some scenarios here. See which one applies to you.
Low XP, high minutes: your child is likely distracted or not reading the explanations. Kindly refocus them and remind them to slow down and read.
Low XP, low minutes: your child is probably rushing and guessing through checkpoints and practice. Talk about the value of working thoughtfully.
Stuck on the same Practice: sit with them, re-watch the video together, and use the answer explanations to close the specific gap.