What scientific factors would help decide a race between the Olympic Games’ most accomplished swimmer and the world’s most efficient predator? In August, students and teachers will be able to explore this question and more when Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White comes to Science Techbook™ and Discovery Education Streaming Plus. As five-time
Why True STEM Learning Begins at Home
By Jonathan Gerlach — International Consultant for STEM Education Initiatives, Discovery Education Though there has been an increased focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills recently, the ideals of STEM education were a recurring priority in education years before the term was first coined by the National Science Foundation in 2001. In the
How to Reach Middle Schoolers By Mastering the Four C’s
By Margaret Ferry The middle school years can be among the toughest for teachers, administrators, and the students themselves. While there’s no easy formula to apply for dealing successfully with this complicated group of adolescents, surviving — and thriving — in the middle school years may lie not in mastering the 3 R’s of reading,
Sparking and Maintaining Interest: Girls & STEM
By Cindy Moss, Senior Director of Global STEM Initiatives for Discovery Education What did you want to be when you grew up? At the end of the last century, you wouldn’t have been able to even name some of the top jobs of today: user experience developer, driverless car engineer, mobile app designer. Maybe that isn’t
4 Steps to Measure Growth in an Inquiry-Based Science Classroom
By Jeanette Edelstein I loved science as a young kid. A paper model of the solar system hung across my bedroom ceiling. I marveled at the sight of tiny onions pulled from grass clumps in my backyard. And I dutifully gave my cats checkups with the real stethoscope I got from my dad. So what
See the Difference Math Techbook Made in Richmond County Schools
Just one year after its introduction in Richmond County Schools (NC) in 2015, educators could already see how Discovery Education Math Techbook had helped students across every middle school grade attain consistent gains on end-of-year tests. According to student achievement data from the district, Techbook has helped turn the tide for students across Richmond County
5 Stories of Superintendent Leadership from AASA and Discovery Education
Despite wielding tremendous influence in their respective school districts, the lives of superintendents can become isolated if they don’t have peers to reach out to. That can be tolling, even when they’re not in the midst of making weighty decisions. With this in mind, we developed a five-part content series that demonstrates best practices for
EdReports.org Gives Math Techbook Highest Possible Rating
A panel of expert reviewers at EdReports.org recently weighed in on Discovery Education’s Math Techbook and gave the digital textbook its highest possible rating. You can read EdReports’ review of Math Techbook here. Among more than 50 courses reviewed by EdReports at the middle-school level, Discovery Education’s are the only ones to receive a perfect
Meeting Students in the Middle: Guidance for Engaging Middle School Learners
Whether you’re an educator or a student, middle school can be tough. As students enter their adolescence, more is expected academically than ever before. During these pre-teen years, students must become more focused, organized, and disciplined to succeed in school – a shift that is complicated by the rapid changes they find themselves going through
Teaching Scientific Explanation to Middle School Learners
On almost a daily basis, there are articles in the news that seek to provide a scientific explanation for how or why a given natural phenomenon occurred. The topic may be climate change, nuclear energy, genetically modified food or something else that impacts the everyday lives of middle school students. Students need to be able