Educators | Discovery Education

Turning Pages into Possibilities: Four Years of Literacy Innovation

Lindsey Davis — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 18:51:59 +0000

Over the past four years, our partnership with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has centered on one mission: equipping educators and out-of-school-time professionals with the tools they need to close the literacy gap. Together, we’ve worked to make literacy instruction more accessible, engaging, and effective one creative step at a time.

We began with bite-sized Microlearning Modules: quick, 6–8-minute trainings paired with ready-to-use activities that educators could implement immediately. These modules offered practical strategies without overwhelming busy schedules. Next came animated Explainer Videos, designed to introduce the five foundational literacy skills in a way that was clear, visual, and fun.

By Year 3, we wanted to capture the magic of real classrooms. Our Masterclass video showcased the subtle but powerful techniques master teachers use every day—gestures, tone of voice, and hands-on manipulatives that transform lessons into experiences. Seeing these strategies in action brought theory to life.

Now, in Year 4, we’re expanding on the current student-facing content. Why? Because educators told us they needed more tools for direct instruction—and the data backs it up. These new resources will help teachers engage learners more deeply, reinforcing literacy skills in ways that feel interactive and meaningful.

As we celebrate National Family Literacy Month this November, we’re reminded that literacy is more than a skill it’s a gateway to opportunity. Explore our growing library of resources and see how we’re helping educators and families turn every page into a new possibility

Explore

The post Turning Pages into Possibilities: Four Years of Literacy Innovation appeared first on Discovery Education.

Futures Fair and Career Fairs: Shaping Student Professional Success

DE Staff — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 20:29:45 +0000

From Curiosity to Career: How School Career Fairs Shape Student Futures

It’s so rewarding to see students make breakthroughs, whether it’s learning a new concept, developing proficiency across multiple standards, or finding a sense of direction for their life after they finish school. But that last example can often be a mystery for many students. Educators hear “I don’t know” a lot when they ask about career plans, even from high school students.

That kind of moment is why career fairs matter. For many students, especially those whose families or communities haven’t presented a wide range of professions, a career fair may be the first time they glimpse what’s possible. Hearing a powerful story, meeting someone with an impressive job, or just seeing someone who looks like them in a role they hadn’t considered can shift their perspective.

Let’s explore the benefits of career fairs in general and then look at what makes Discovery Education’s Futures Fair stand out.

Four Reasons That Career Fairs Matter

Exposure Expands Possibility: Students can’t aspire to what they don’t know exists. Career fairs give them the chance to discover careers far beyond the small circle of what they normally see.
Relevance Connects School to Life: Research shows that students who participate in career development activities are significantly more likely to believe school is useful to their future. When they hear directly from a professional how math, writing, or teamwork matters in their field, students discover real-world applications for their skills.
Role Models Make Careers Real: Meeting professionals in person (whether an architect, nurse, or designer) helps them picture themselves in those roles. Career fairs turn job titles into relatable people and stories.
Interpersonal Skills for Success: Career fairs aren’t just about jobs, they’re practice grounds for life skills. Students learn how to ask thoughtful questions, introduce themselves with confidence, and explore what interests them. These interactions build social capital and professional fluency long before a job interview.

What Is Futures Fair?

Discovery Education’s Futures Fair is an annual virtual career fair connecting classrooms across the U.S. with real-world professionals from companies involved in STEM, the arts, skilled trades, entrepreneurship, public service, and more—including Honda, LIV Golf, and Verizon. Educators and students tune in to discover how today’s learning connects to tomorrow’s opportunities. They can choose from elementary, middle school, and high school tracks, which offer a series of 25-minute virtual sessions that give students a firsthand look at the skills shaping the future.

Our overall goal is that we want to encourage early and often career exploration and giving students all sorts of experiences that allow them to understand what their skills are, what they’re interested in, [and] who the people are in the jobs that they could be meeting.

Amy Nakamoto, EVP of Marketing, Brand, and Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education

What Was the 2025 Futures Fair Like?

The inaugural Futures Fair connected over 30,000 students in K–12 classrooms, virtually and in person, for a day of inspiring learning and career exploration. Some of the virtual sessions included:

Elementary Track (K–5)

“Bright Minds, Safe Futures: Exploring Smart Tech & Creative Problem-Solving!” from Norton’s Director of AI & Innovation Iskander Sanchez-Rola
“From Pipes to Sinks: The Plumbing Magic Behind Everyday Water!” from Home Depot’s Director Omni Retail Sales Casey Nix
“Fire Detectives: Solving Mysteries with Science” from The Hartford’s Forensic Engineer Ben Smith

Middle School Track (6–8)

“Medicine Meets Machines: Exploring the Future with a Tech-Savvy Doctor!” from Meta’s Director, Product Management John MacDonald
“From Cockpit to Cutting-Edge: A Journey into Aerospace Innovation” from Honeywell’s Distinguished Technical Fellow, Aerospace Technologies Thea Feyerelsen
“From Farm Fields to Lab Discoveries: A Scientist’s Journey to 3M!” from 3M’s Corporate Scientist Jeff Emslander

High School Track (9–12)

“Crash Science: How Engineers Design Cars to Keep You Safe!” from Honda’s Crash & Safety Test Engineer Paige Vernon, and Principal Automotive Crash Safety Engineer Susan Mostofizadeh
“Genes, Germs, and Discovery: A Biologist’s Mission to Make Science Make Sense!” by Illumina’s Senior Scientist Chris Beierschmitt
“Breaking the Mold: How Courage, Curiosity, and Steel Spark Lifelong Growth!” by Nucor’s Branch Manager Victoria Kirk

Explore Supporting Resources

A huge thank you to Discovery Education for including my students and me in such an inspiring experience. The Futures Fair was awesome. Moments like these remind me why I teach to empower students with voice, choice, and a vision for their future.

Daniel Jones, M.Ed. ABD

In-Person Futures Fair

This year’s experience was not limited to virtual. We approached our longstanding partner Prince Georges’ County Public Schools with the idea of transforming Gwynn Park High School into a real-life Futures Fair for the day. We brought corporate partners to the event, so more than 500 tenth and eleventh grade students got the chance to interact with professionals from companies like Capital Power, AES, Charles River, and The Swinerton Foundation. They also got to learn about community organizations such as PGCPS Parks & Rec and Atlantic Union Bank.

Education advocate and former engineer Brandon Okpalobi kicked the event off by inspiring students with a message to make the most of the opportunity to connect and explore. Then students participated in hands-on activities to develop the “4 Cs”:

“Pitch It” prompted kids to pitch a product idea in 30 seconds (Communication)
“Design a Logo” prompted them to design a logo for their dream brand (Creativity)
“Build It” challenged kids to build as high a structure as possible using pipe cleaners and tin foil (Collaboration)
“Reflex Test” asked them to consider what goes into making quick judgment calls (Critical Thinking)

The day concluded with a special, all-grades broadcast live from Churchill, Manitoba (the polar bear capital of the world). Renowned wildlife artist and former Disney animator Aaron Blaise explored how art can connect humans with wild animals, including polar bears.

All the students, educators, and professionals who joined the first Futures Fair made it successful far beyond our expectations, and now we can’t wait to do it again in 2026!

It’s very important to learn about [career options], so you can at least expand your information, [and] explore new things that you want to do in life.

Gwynn Park High School Student

How to Continue Career Exploration in Your School or District

Career exploration remains important beyond time spent holding career fairs. According to research we released last year, over two-thirds of students (67%) feel that their education is not evolving to meet workplace needs. And three out of four adults agree. However, we’re ready to help you change this for good:

Experience is the only teaching and learning solution that makes it easy to connect career exploration to curriculum.
Career Connect is built into Experience, making it safe and simple to bring industry professionals directly into classrooms.
Careers Hub lets educators access curated resources aligned to 14 career clusters, complete with profiles, virtual field trips, and immersive tools.

You’ll find even more resources through our partnership with STEM Careers Coalition.

Demo Experience Today!

DE Staff

The post Futures Fair and Career Fairs: Shaping Student Professional Success appeared first on Discovery Education.

Get Students Moving: Why Physical Immersive Activities Boost Engagement and Learning

Hannah McNaughton-Hussain — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 19:33:28 +0000

As educators know, sitting still for hours isn’t how children learn best. Decades of research and modern neuroscience all point to the same conclusion: physical movement improves attention, memory, motivation – and ultimately academic performance.

A 2023 meta‑analysis of over 7,300 participants found cognitively engaging physical activities (like movement requiring decision-making and rule-following) produced improvements in working memory, fluid intelligence, on-task behaviour, and creativity.
Less than 42% of U.S. children ages  6–11 meet the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity – impacting health and classroom focus.
A campus tech‑services team sums it up: just ten minutes of standing or gentle movement raises concentration, reduces stress, and improves retention – even at the college level.
A 2025 systematic review of children with ADHD found physical activity interventions improved working memory.

Movement enhances brain function by increasing circulation, activating cerebellar coordination centers, and strengthening recall pathways. When students move – whether via brain breaks, gesture-based math, or kinesthetic games – they stay alert and motivated, and they process concepts more deeply.

Immersive Learning: AR/VR Experiences Provide Opportunities for Movement

Immersive learning environments – think augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), simulations, role‑plays – are natural allies of physical, experiential learning. These technologies encourage learners to move through scenarios, manipulate virtual objects, and act out scenarios in ways that traditional instruction simply can’t.

When students move, they don’t just activate their muscles – they awaken a network of senses that feeds the brain with rich, multisensory input. Shifting position, changing perspective, and engaging in tactile interaction stimulates sight, sound, touch, and even balance, creating a layered sensory experience. These moments act as cognitive attractors – memorable, high‑engagement events where attention sharpens and information “sticks” more deeply. In immersive learning, physical movement amplifies this effect, making the experience feel real, personal, and memorable.

TimePod Adventures

TimePod Adventures turns students into the main character in narrative‑driven, 3D storylines – such as historic journeys or scientific explorations – played out in AR on an iPad or iPhone. Students physically move through space to investigate clues, collaborate in groups, and solve problems. The combination of spatial movement, story immersion, and peer interaction naturally promotes engagement, memory retention, and higher order thinking.

Download TimePod Adventures for iPad and iPhone

Sandbox AR

Sandbox AR enables students to build, share, and inhabit virtual topical worlds using augmented reality on an iPad. Whether constructing ecosystems, exploring ancient civilizations, or modeling scientific phenomena, learners physically move around their creations, manipulate objects in 3D space, and collaborate with classmates. It transforms abstract concepts into tactile, shared experiences – driving engagement and deep understanding.

Download Sandbox AR for iPad

Connecting Research to Practice

So how do these AR tools bridge the gap between research on movement and real classroom application?

Movement-Inspired Engagement & Retention

Stepping into a TimePod Adventures scene or walking around a Sandbox AR build turns learning into a physical experience. This movement taps into embodied cognition – boosting attention, memory, and concept retention.

Intrinsic Motivation and Autonomy

Physically active learning has been shown to raise motivation, independence, and mastery. Both apps put students in the driver’s seat, letting them explore, create, choose paths, and solve problems in ways that feel personally meaningful.

Active Collaboration and Social Interaction

Group work comes naturally here. Students move together, share observations, and make real‑time decisions. These moments mirror the benefits seen in active learning research, where collaboration, role‑play, and simulation strengthen critical thinking and achievement.

Classroom Management Support

Movement doesn’t have to mean chaos. Sandbox AR’s “table scale” mode keeps students seated while they build, discuss, and explain their choices, then “life scale” mode delivers that big immersive moment. TimePod Adventures’ 10‑minute AR episodes pair with full‑length classroom activities, giving students a structured, reflective segment to settle, focus, and capture their learning on paper.

Tips for Educators: Putting AR Movement to Work in Your Classroom

Plan for shared space: Clear an area where students can stand and move with tablets. Let them rotate roles – navigator, clue‑tracker, builder – to keep energy flowing.
Blend movement with content: Ask students to gesture concepts – map routes, act out historical events, or build with Sandbox pieces. Embedding learning in physical activity strengthens memory.
Reflect on experience: After each AR session, invite groups to discuss: What did moving around reveal? How did acting it out help you remember or understand?
Alternate formats: Use TimePod Adventures for narrative exploration, and Sandbox AR for creative building. That variety keeps engagement high and supports different learning objectives.

Ready to Get Your Students Moving?

Bringing physical movement into the classroom isn’t about turning lessons into PE class – it’s about following the science. Students who move stay more alert, engaged, motivated, and they learn better. Immersive learning tools like TimePod Adventures and Sandbox AR deliver movement-rich, experiential learning that echoes what decades of research tell us: embodied, active classrooms help students thrive.

By combining high‑quality AR experiences with flexible classroom design and purposeful reflection, educators can turn content into lived experiences – boosting engagement, memory, and outcomes in ways that traditional methods simply can’t match.

Hannah McNaughton-Hussain

The post Get Students Moving: Why Physical Immersive Activities Boost Engagement and Learning appeared first on Discovery Education.

The State of AI in Education: Dealing with Disruption

DE Staff — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 21:47:19 +0000

“Welcome, how can I help?” This may look familiar if you’ve used generative artificial intelligence (AI). Whether you’re currently using AI or not, you likely recognize that AI is affecting every industry, including education. For example, the 2025–2026 Education Insights report revealed that 40% of students admit using AI on assignments without permission. Based on this report and other news, it’s clear that AI in education is reshaping what it means to teach, learn, and engage. Let’s explore how schools can adapt now to prepare students for the future.

Download the Report

AI in Education Today

If a significant number of students are using AI to help them complete assignments without permission, are teachers aware of this? Yes, according to the 2025–2026 Education Insights report: 65% say they have caught their students doing so. Even if they haven’t caught students cheating using AI, teachers are aware that the potential exists.

Not all students have embraced AI in education, whether for cheating or for approved uses. Some are concerned that using AI will dull their critical-thinking skills, and others don’t find using AI to be fulfilling or a part of meaningful learning. Many students question the usefulness of the skills they’re currently learning based on what AI is already able to do. In fact, 70% of high school students surveyed for the Education Insights report agreed with the statement, “I believe the skills I’m learning will be something AI can do.” This belief may play a role in disengagement for some learners in the classroom.

Ultimately, the ease of student access to AI means that educators find themselves needing to find a balance between limiting misuse and exploring potential. Based on Education Insights report findings, educator familiarity with AI and AI tools may affect classroom usage:

Only 49% of teachers report using AI to complete tasks at school
Just 53% of teachers feel optimistic about AI’s possibilities

In contrast, 70% of the high school students who reported that they have used AI with approval believe it was helpful, saying they’ve been able to learn and complete schoolwork faster.

The Engagement Connection: Why AI Matters Beyond Technology

Research shows that engaged students learn and achieve more than peers who aren’t actively involved in their learning. Because engagement is so important, educators may wonder whether including AI in their classroom is a good idea. One challenge that AI presents is that it can complicate how teachers see and measure student engagement. For example, AI can make student thinking harder to observe where teachers only see the final output of completed assignments. And getting to that final output doesn’t mean that the student put in the necessary effort for deep learning to occur, like with traditional approaches to teaching and learning.

Challenges and Opportunities with AI in Education

Like many technological innovations, AI presents both risks and opportunities when students have access to it in the classroom. Primary risks come from misuse and include:

Deliberately using AI in ways that are not approved or intended
Convenient ways to plagiarize
Overreliance on AI that stunts critical thinking
Shortcuts that undermine authentic learning experiences

Notable opportunities include:

Personalized learning
Scaffolding when students need it
Increased efficiency in completing assignments and research
New forms of creativity and inquiry

Despite the risks, AI is here to stay, and educators are learning to define its role in teaching and learning. In doing so, they can guide students to use it thoughtfully so that it enhances, rather than replaces, meaningful engagement.

AI Strategies for Schools

Here are six recommended strategies to increase your chances of success:

Establish clear policies and shared language for AI use
Focus on process and thinking during assessment, not just output
Teach AI literacy explicitly
Design assignments that AI can’t easily solve
Use AI to support differentiation and feedback
Continuously evaluate and adapt practices

Note that you don’t have to figure all of this out on your own. Prominent companies can provide guidance and even work side by side with you to evaluate challenges, needs, and resources. For example, Norton, a leader in online safety, has joined the Digital Citizenship Initiative by Discovery Education and will offer free standards-aligned classroom resources supporting safe student engagement with AI.

Here’s what one teacher told us about AI in her classroom:

I always look for ways to engage students in using AI effectively—for example, to generate ideas, organize thoughts, and clarify questions—rather than relying on it to write papers or complete assignments.

Jessica Erlanger, High School English Teacher, Upland, CA

Shaping the Future, Not Simply Reacting

Most likely, AI is already being used in your school or district’s classrooms, and its presence will only continue to grow as the technology develops. So the question about AI is “How do we best use it to enhance teaching and learning?” rather than “How do we deal with it?” As we’ve seen in our exploration of the state of AI in education, when educators approach it with clarity, creativity, and intentionality, they can turn disruption into opportunity.

There’s more about AI in education and a wealth of fascinating insights into student engagement in our full Education Insights 2025–2026 report!

Download the Report

DE Staff

The post The State of AI in Education: Dealing with Disruption appeared first on Discovery Education.

Watch On Demand: Educator-Led Webinars to Power Your Classroom

Amy Reiss — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 19:13:07 +0000

Faced with teaching a unit on bacteria, two seventh-grade teachers paused to consider how their students would best learn the information. Watching a video? Exploring interactive simulations? Reading engaging content?

They quickly realized the answer was—all of these options. Or maybe just one of them. It simply depended on each student’s particular learning style. Enter Discovery Education’s choice boards, interactive “digital menus” which allow students to choose how they learn a topic or standard. Choice boards cater to different learning styles, foster deep engagement, and allow students ownership of their learning. They’re one of the many curriculum-aligned tools our educator panelists will be discussing in our upcoming Educator Essentials Fall Webinar Series.

Real Classrooms. Real Solutions. Real Impact.

Our Educator Essentials Webinar Series will feature short, practical sessions led by educators in our Discovery Educator Network (DEN) and aim to provide a deeper understanding of how to use DE tools in a meaningful way. They’ll focus on real classrooms, real solutions, and real impact, and you’ll walk away with fresh strategies you can put into practice immediately.

The Presenters

Rita Mortenson

Instructional Coach, Verona Area High School, Wisconsin

The Experience webinars will be hosted by Rita Mortenson, Instructional Coach at Verona Area High School in Wisconsin. Rita is a 20-year veteran user of Discovery Education and incredible advocate for Experience solutions. She brings a wealth of classroom insight and professional development expertise, making her uniquely equipped to guide educators in leveraging Experience solutions for transformative learning. Rita’s co-presenter will be Jessie Erickson.

Sarah Yonts

Library Media Specialist, L.I. Wilder Elementary School, Wisconsin

The DreamBox Math webinars will be hosted by Sarah Yonts, Library Media Specialist at L.I. Wilder Elementary School in Wisconsin. Sarah is in her 23rd year with Green Bay Area Public Schools, and has also worked as a music educator, classroom teacher, and middle school ELA teacher. A longtime DEN member, Sarah started using DreamBox Math in 2020 and acts as her school’s tech lead, helping teachers and students navigate its powerful features. Sarah’s co-presenter will be Kelsy Rusch.

Join us live to ask questions or watch on-demand when it fits your schedule!

The Lineup

Power Up Your Practice with Discovery Education Experience

Tuesday, October 28, 7:00 PM ET

Explore how Discovery Education Experience can elevate your instructional practice and boost student engagement. This session will spotlight the Instructional Strategy Center, Careers Hub, and Curriculum-Aligned Resources—three powerful tools designed to save time, personalize learning, and connect classroom content to real-world relevance.

Watch On Demand!

Engaging Every Learner with Discovery Education Experience

Monday, November 3, 7:00 PM ET

Student engagement is at the heart of effective teaching—and Discovery Education Experience offers flexible, standards-aligned resources to help you reach every learner. This webinar will explore how to use  Experience to personalize instruction, support core curriculum, and close learning gaps in literacy and math.

Watch On Demand!

Unlocking the Power of DreamBox Math Features

Tuesday, November 4, 7:00 PM ET

Explore how DreamBox Math’s most powerful features—Curriculum Guide, Assignments, and Progress Monitoring—can streamline instruction and elevate student engagement. This session will walk educators through how to plan, assign, and monitor learning with DreamBox Math, all while keeping students at the center of the experience. 

Watch On Demand!

Engaging Every Learner with DreamBox Math

Thursday November 6 7:00 PM ET

Student engagement is the key to meaningful learning—and DreamBox Math is designed to meet every learner where they are. This webinar will explore how DreamBox Math supports differentiation, connects to core curriculum, and helps close gaps in math understanding. Learn how to use DreamBox Math to foster confidence, personalize instruction, and make math meaningful for all students. 

Watch On Demand!

Ready to energize your classroom with tools that help every learner? Join us!

Learn more about Discovery Education Experience and DreamBox Math today!

DE Experience

DreamBox Math

The post Watch On Demand: Educator-Led Webinars to Power Your Classroom appeared first on Discovery Education.

Beyond the Buzzword: What Engagement Really Looks Like Across K-12

DE Staff — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:46:43 +0000

In our webinar Beyond the Buzzword: What Engagement Really Looks Like Across K–12, education leaders joined us to take a closer look at one of the most important, and maybe somewhat misunderstood, concepts in education: engagement in the classroom. Hosted by Justin Karkow, VP of Teaching and Learning at Discovery Education, the conversation featured insights from Dr. Jackie Kapushion, Dr. Jorge Perez-Gallego, Emily Thomas, and Selina Latimore—each bringing a unique point of view on what engagement looks like, how it’s measured, and how it can be cultivated across schools and districts.

Why Engagement Matters More Than Ever

Mr. Karkow opened with compelling data from our 2025–2026 Education Insights report: while 90% of teachers, principals, and superintendents agree that engagement is critical to student success, all of them see a need to improve it. In fact, 80% of students report struggling with boredom each week. This disconnect highlights that educators may not have clarity and alignment on what engagement truly means and how to foster it.

Download the Report

Engagement Is More Than Just Participation

Dr. Kapushion introduced a three-part framework for understanding engagement:

Behavioral Engagement: Are students showing up, participating in discussions, completing assignments, and following classroom norms and protocols?
Personal Engagement: Do students feel a sense of connection to peers, teachers, and staff members?
Cognitive Engagement: Are students thinking deeply, taking risks, engaging inside and outside the classroom, and owning their learning?

Ms. Latimore reflected, “Sometimes you see that natural spark start to dim…, but it’s because learning becomes routine. So, we have to spark their interest.” She emphasized that when students become invested in their learning, they become curious, confident, and willing to take risks. She also stressed the importance of connecting learning to real life.

Measuring Engagement: Beyond the Obvious

Recognizing and supporting engagement, which can be hard to measure and may be expressed in subtle ways by quieter students, requires thoughtful strategies. Panelists shared several approaches that they’ve found to be effective:

Social contracts: Co-created agreements between students and teachers that set expectations for respectful and active participation.
Wait time: Giving students a chance to think before responding, showing them that all voices matter.
Vertical learning spaces: Encouraging movement and collaboration to engage students in different modalities.
Learning walks: Used by district leaders to normalize definitions of engagement and observe it in action.

As Ms. Thomas put it, “We have really been working hard with our teachers to be intentional in building [these strategies] into their lesson planning, so that they are giving equal opportunities for all students to engage. No opting out. We’re all doing it. We’re all working together to get there.”

Tackling Barriers to Engagement

The 2025–2026 Education Insights report notes that students often feel both overwhelmed and under-challenged, which can lead to disengagement. Ms. Thomas’s team in Green Bay uses structured discussion techniques and collaborative learning to ensure every student has a role in the classroom conversation. She also pointed out that when teachers have a strong understanding of learning targets and goals, they can move the conversation toward them with questions that bring those ideas to light.

Technology as a Tool for Engagement

Dr. Perez-Gallego highlighted how technology, when used intentionally, can fuel engagement. His team leveraged an online world-building platform to create immersive science experiences, allowing students to explore exoplanets and ask real-world questions in a familiar digital environment. He explained how they came up with the idea: “Students choose to spend their free time in these virtual worlds, and they create their own adventures, their own environments. So, can we leverage that presence to go there and invite them to learn STEM fields?”

Dr. Kapushion emphasized the potential of AI tools to support engagement through personalized learning and timely feedback. This also helps them identify at-risk students and what specific interventions would help them. Her district uses “AI pop-ups” and “AI Bingo” to introduce educators to new strategies in a fun, low-pressure way.

Real-World Relevance: Engagement That Matters

Dr. Kapushion’s Innovation Center invites students to solve real-life problems faced by outside organizations, like designing underwater robots to investigate sewer system efficiency that was below standard. She explained, “They’re paid to do that work. Our businesses are reaching out to our students because [they] have the ability to think differently.”

Selina Latimore shared how her school addressed food insecurity through a school-wide urban gardening initiative. Students not only learned how to grow and cook food but also connected their learning to real-world applications—an approach that sparked curiosity and built community.

Building Shared Understanding Across Communities

Creating alignment on engagement requires a shared language and vision. Panelists stressed the importance of:

Instructional frameworks that define engagement and guide professional development.
Communication between district leaders, principals, teachers, students, and families.
Professional learning that reaches every level of the organization and is rolled out district wide with consistency.

Key Takeaways for Education Leaders

Define engagement clearly across your district or school.
Recognize engagement in multiple forms, especially among quieter students.
Create safe environments that encourage risk-taking and curiosity.
Leverage technology and real-world projects to make learning relevant.
Build shared understanding through professional learning and community engagement.

There’s so much more to learn from the full discussion, so we invite you to watch the recording!

Discover More About Engagement in the Classroom

To dive deeper into the data and strategies discussed in the webinar, download Discovery Education’s 2025–2026 Education Insights Report. It’s packed with actionable insights for district leaders, principals, and educators looking to boost engagement in their schools.

Download the Report

Meet the Experts

Dr. Jackie Kapushion, Superintendent, St. Vrain Valley School District (CO)

With 37 years of experience in public education, Dr. Kapushion currently serves as Superintendent of St. Vrain Valley School District. She holds a doctorate in Leadership and Equity from the University of Colorado at Denver, where she also earned her MA in Administration, Supervision, and Curriculum Development.

Selina Latimore, Principal, Richland County School District One (SC)

Selina Latimore is a veteran educator with over 30 years of experience in K–12 education, including 15 years as principal of J.P. Thomas Elementary School. She holds degrees from Presbyterian College and the University of South Carolina and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Administration at Liberty University.

Emily Thomas, Associate Director of Curriculum, Green Bay Area Public Schools (WI)

Emily Thomas brings 14 years of experience in education. As Associate Director of Curriculum, she oversees PreK–12 math curriculum implementation, supports district math coaches, and leads math intervention programming.

Dr. Jorge Perez-Gallego, Education & Outreach Lead, National Solar Observatory (NSF)

Dr. Perez-Gallego is an astronomer, designer, museum professional, and educator with a PhD in Astronomy and an MFA in Design. He leads education, public outreach, and communications at the National Science Foundation’s National Solar Observatory.

DE Staff

The post Beyond the Buzzword: What Engagement Really Looks Like Across K-12 appeared first on Discovery Education.

Life Is a Puzzle—Solve It with Healthy Choices

Lindsey Davis — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 20:21:43 +0000

Find the right resources to spread awareness and empower

all students for Red Ribbon Week!

Observed annually from October 23–31, Red Ribbon Week honors the legacy of Drug Enforcement Agent Enrique (Kiki) Camarena and serves as a nationwide call to action for promoting wellness, safety, and prevention. It’s a time to recognize the impact of substance misuse and to encourage students to make healthy, informed choices that support their well-being and future success.

In celebration of the 2025 Red Ribbon Week theme, “Life Is a Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free,” we’re sharing proactive strategies and standards-aligned resources to help educators spark meaningful conversations and support students in building lives full of purpose, resilience, and connection.

Medication Safety

As part of the Pharmacists Teach program, Dose of Knowledge empowers educators, pharmacists, parents, and community members to guide students in making smart decisions about medication safety and mental health. These K–12 standards-aligned resources include everything educators need to teach students about responsible choices and wellness.

Think It Through, a choose-your-own-adventure animated experience that helps students practice decision-making and explore the consequences of their choices in a safe, engaging way.

Preparing for Positive Choices

The Ask, Listen, Learn classroom activities are designed with the whole child in mind.

These middle school resources help students:

Understand the short- and long-term effects of underage use on the developing brain.
Practice refusal and exit strategies to navigate peer pressure.
Separate fact from fiction through scientific research and peer discussion.
Explore real-world policy by creating mock legislation and debating societal impacts.

Ask, Listen, Learn helps students uncover the science behind how substances affect the brain and body, empowering them to say “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to risky behaviors.

Look into Real Life

Created in partnership with the DEA, Operation Prevention offers tools for educators, families, and communities to support prevention efforts. These resources are aligned to national health and science standards and integrate seamlessly into classroom instruction.

Through hands-on investigations, students explore the science behind substance misuse and its impact on the brain and body. English and Spanish resources, self-paced modules, and culturally responsive content help kickstart life-saving conversations.

The latest Virtual Field Trip, An Ounce of Prevention, empowers high school students to make informed decisions and become advocates for prevention in their communities. Students meet real people working to combat the fentanyl crisis and raise awareness about counterfeit drugs.

Join us Oct 29 during Red Ribbon Week for Careers at Sea and Shore: A Virtual Field Trip to Maritime Manufacturing Centers — designed for Grades 6–12. This experience takes students behind the scenes to see how submarines are built and introduces them to the engineers, welders, and technicians who make it happen.

More than just a look at cool technology, this field trip highlights how living a healthy lifestyle can open doors to meaningful careers in industries like maritime manufacturing and national security.

“Red Ribbon Week is a powerful reminder that every choice students make is a piece of the bigger picture. By providing educators with engaging, real-world resources, we help students build the skills they need to make healthy decisions and lead safe, fulfilling lives. Our partners are committed to supporting these conversations with content that’s age-appropriate, inclusive, and empowering.”

Madeline O’Neil, Senior Partner Impact Manager at Discovery Education

This year, honor Red Ribbon Week by sharing ideas for making healthy choices, raising awareness of real-life challenges, and encouraging responsible decision-making in and out of school.

The post Life Is a Puzzle—Solve It with Healthy Choices appeared first on Discovery Education.

Building Career Confidence: Helping Students Explore What’s Possible

Hannah McNaughton-Hussain — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 03:24:34 +0000

Middle and high school students often face a daunting question: What do you want to be when you grow up? For many, the pressure to have a clear answer comes far too early – long before they’ve had the chance to explore what options even exist. But what if we shifted the goal from choosing a career to building the confidence that one will suit them someday?

As educators, we’re in a powerful position to open that door. By providing space for students to explore a wide variety of career pathways – without pressure or expectation – we help them develop a mindset of curiosity and possibility.

Exploring Careers for the Sake of Possibility

For today’s students, the world of work is bigger – evolving faster – than ever before. There are jobs in industries that didn’t exist ten years ago, and many more that students won’t hear about in everyday conversation. That’s why it’s essential to offer them guided ways to explore widely, before they feel pressured to decide.

Career exploration isn’t just about making decisions. It’s about building belief: belief that they’ll find something meaningful. Belief that their unique interests and strengths are valuable. Belief that there’s a place for them in the world of work, even if they don’t know what it’s called yet.

Career Finder from Discovery Education

Designed specifically for middle and high school students, this free, web-based tool helps students explore dozens of careers – especially within the wide world of STEM – through short videos and adaptive prompts. It’s a personalized, video-driven journey that puts students in the driver’s seat.

Using a mix of real-life job stories, engaging media, and thoughtful questions, Career Finder gives students a “conversation-like” experience – meeting real professionals and learning what they do, how they got there, and why they love it.

How It Works: A Journey of Self-Discovery

The Career Finder is built around four key themes that shape how students think about future jobs:

Workplace Environment – Do they want to work indoors or outdoors? With people or on their own?
Communication Style – Are they comfortable presenting? Do they like collaborating?
Motivation – What drives them: building relationships, pursuing their passion, learning new skills?
Level of Education – Are they thinking about college, apprenticeships, or on-the-job training?

Through each of these themes, students interact with the content by selecting preferences, watching short, high-quality videos, and providing feedback. They’ll meet a Minecraft Engineer, a Fire Sprinkler Fitter, a Bat Conservationist, and many more – each bringing something unexpected and inspiring to the table.

At the end, students receive a summary of their preferences, plus links to even more careers and learning resources. This open-ended structure means students can return again and again, discovering new paths each time.

Why It Matters: The Benefits for Students

This Career Finder isn’t about locking students into one “perfect” job. It’s about inviting them to explore, reflect, and imagine the future on their own terms. Here’s what makes it such a valuable tool:

Confidence in the Future – Students hear directly from real people who once had the same questions they do now. That representation matters: it builds confidence that there’s a career out there they’ll connect with.
Early Exposure to Career Pathways – Whether or not students are thinking about jobs yet, seeing the variety of options early on helps them connect the dots between school and the real world.
Student Agency – The experience is self-directed, letting students choose what they watch and how they respond. This freedom supports authentic engagement.
Accessibility for All Classrooms – The interactive is browser-based, requires no log-in, and works on any device, making it a great fit for classrooms with limited tech or time.
Open-Ended Seat Time – With many branching pathways to explore, the Career Finder works well during advisory periods, enrichment blocks, substitute plans, or career readiness lessons.
Personalized Reflection – The interactive adapts to each student’s input and provides a summary they can use to spark follow-up discussions or guide further research.

How Teachers Are Using It

Here are just a few ways the Career Finder can be woven into everyday classroom moments:

Career Readiness Lessons – Use it as a launch point for classroom discussion or journaling about interests and goals.
STEM Classrooms – Show the diversity of careers connected to science, tech, engineering, and math – even ones students wouldn’t expect!
Social-Emotional Learning – Support self-awareness and confidence by helping students explore their communication styles and motivations.
Advisory or Homeroom Time – Let students explore independently, then share one new job they found interesting with a peer.
Virtual or Hybrid Settings – Assign Career Finder as an asynchronous activity with a follow-up reflection or class discussion.

Starting the Conversation

The new Career Finder ends with a strong message: This is just the beginning.

Helping students explore careers isn’t about pressuring them to decide early – it’s about building curiosity, confidence, and clarity. When students understand that there’s a whole world of jobs they’ve never even heard of, they begin to see possibility in their future.

Discovery Education’s Career Finder gives them a safe, engaging, and empowering way to start that journey. It’s free, flexible, and designed with student voice at its core.

Get Started

The post Building Career Confidence: Helping Students Explore What’s Possible appeared first on Discovery Education.

Fueling Growth: How Student Engagement Drives Math and Reading Success

DE Staff — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 22:40:13 +0000

Oliver is a third grader who loves playing soccer and wants to be a firefighter someday. He gets excited about reading when he can choose from a selection of books, especially those about helping others. His teacher has noticed that Oliver is more likely to complete his comprehension check worksheets when he’s responding to these types of books. In addition, Oliver really seems to enjoy working through supplemental lessons offering adaptive literacy tools that adjust to his pace.

Sofia is an eighth-grade student who enjoys movies and plans on studying mechanical engineering in college. Her favorite part of Algebra class is when her teacher incorporates interactive problem-solving games that allow teams to compete against each other. She often volunteers to be a team leader and submit their answers during the games.

Both Oliver and Sofia are actively engaged in learning, although each responds to different strategies for building interest, motivation, and confidence. We know that engagement is critical for student achievement based on years of research. As noted in our recent Education Insights report, “when students are deeply engaged, knowledge retention improves, skills transfer, and deeper understanding takes place. These are outcomes that matter not just for end of course or grade level outcomes, but for real-world readiness.”

Ideally, each classroom in a school would be set up to meet a broad range of student engagement needs, but not everyone will know what instructional options exist and how much of a difference they can make. Let’s start by identifying what engagement is, explore strategies to strengthen it, and then look at real-world evidence that it leads to student growth in both math and reading.

What Are the Three Types of Student Engagement?

Oliver and Sofia’s stories illustrate that engagement takes many forms. Research shows it falls into three categories: cognitive, behavioral, and personal. “Cognitive” refers to thinking and learning, and it applies when students are:

Doing critical thinking and problem solving
Using deep learning strategies
Setting goals and monitoring their progress

For example, giving elementary students problem-based addition and subtraction tasks helps them understand the reasoning behind the math, especially when asked to show their thinking and represent answers in more than one way.

“Behavioral” refers to what students do at school, and it applies when students are:

Attending school consistently and on time
Actively participating in class
Completing assignments on time

We can see students participating in class in a variety of ways, such as asking questions when they aren’t sure what worksheet instructions mean or taking notes during a class discussion that they use to write an essay later.

“Personal” refers to how students feel about school, teachers, and peers, and it applies when students:

Are enthusiastic and motivated to learn
Feel connected
Enjoy positive relationships with other students and teachers

Here, students may feel more comfortable providing answers to teacher questions in class when they know it’s ok to be wrong.

How Can We Foster Student Engagement?

Educators have many ways to establish and strengthen the three types of student engagement, such as:

Setting clear expectations and establishing routines (cognitive)
Including student choice and voice (cognitive)
Using a curriculum that is challenging and culturally relevant (behavioral)
Encouraging social learning (behavioral)
Creating a supportive environment in the classroom (personal)
Using frequent, timely, and specific feedback (personal)

In addition, removing barriers to learning is essential for students to make progress. This could take the form of added scaffolding, or it may involve incorporating alternative formats such as audio or video content. And rather than doing it all by themselves, teachers can lean on instructional technology solutions more than ever. For instance, adaptive tools like DreamBox Math personalize pacing and content for each student, so they stay motivated.

How Can Technology Boost Student Engagement?

Technology by itself isn’t necessarily engaging, so it’s critical that educators evaluate educational programs based on whether they include approaches proven to boost engagement. The most effective tools go beyond digitizing content and instead adapt to each learner’s needs. For example, DreamBox Reading uses real-time data to adjust instruction, giving students the right level of challenge and support while keeping them motivated. Plus, since students learn in different ways and often have strong preferences for learning, it’s best to either have a variety of tools on hand or resources that offer built-in flexibility to teach using a variety of modalities and/or content.

This translates into students discovering practical applications of knowledge, taking ownership of their learning, avoiding boredom and frustration, working at the right pace for them, and feeling that it’s ok to make mistakes—all of which can positively affect student progress to an eye-opening extent sometimes.

Real-World Success

What are some examples of technology improving student engagement?

Real-life context aligned to curriculum, including examples, anecdotes, problem-based learning, and interviews
Vetted, age-appropriate videos and audiobook options, supporting different styles of absorbing information
A set of choices in assigned reading materials or methodology for solving problems, such as virtual manipulatives for math
Game-like experiences for individual, small-group, or whole-class learning that reading comprehension or math problem-solving
Adaptive software that personalizes learning based on student interactions, such as adjusting the difficulty level or offering different types of problems

Teachers may look to supplemental materials to strengthen student engagement, and since many are digital, they can quickly and easily implement one or more of the strategies previously mentioned.

One example of a supplemental program is DreamBox Math. It provides an interactive set of activities and adapts to each student as they progress through lessons, adjusting the level of challenge to keep learners motivated. What’s more, it closely tracks each student’s personalized learning, giving teachers insights into their progress with strengths, struggles, and opportunities for growth highlighted. Schools and districts across the country have reported significant student growth after adding DreamBox Math to their toolkit:

Denton Public Schools: The percentage of kindergarten students proficient in math grew from 63% one year to 75% the next year
Salem School District: Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) testing scores in 2022–2023 were some of the highest Salem had ever seen, and state testing (Wisconsin Forward) scores also improved
Harbison West Elementary School: In one grade level, 86% of students met their MAP goal with 80% median conditional growth compared to all other grade levels (70% range)

For literacy instruction, Reading Plus provides personalized instruction and intervention for students in grades 3–12. It includes texts that reflect their own lives and experiences and texts from global sources to add to cross-curricular knowledge, giving learners choice and agency in their journey. Recent school and district successes with this solution include:

Holman Middle School: Tier 2 students averaged two reading-level gains and Tier 3 students averaged 2.5 level gains in just their first year
Waterford Graded School District: Students who completed 80+ lessons grew an average of 3.2 reading levels, and those who completed 100+ lessons averaged 4.0 reading-level gains
Henderson Collegiate Middle School: In one year, the entire school saw 2.6 reading-level gains with 47% of students at or close to reading level, up from 15% previously

What to Explore Next

Even though we’ve looked at the three types of student engagement, strategies for meeting different needs, what technology has to offer, and real-world gains at schools and districts, there’s still more to learn. The 2025–2026 Education Insights report presents key findings about engagement based on feedback from thousands of K–12 superintendents, principals, teachers, parents, and students across the United States. It answers questions like “What percentage of students are bored each week?” and “How well do student and teacher observations of high student engagement match up?” Dig into the data and insights in the report to gain a better understanding of how to support stronger student engagement in your school or district.

Read the Report

The post Fueling Growth: How Student Engagement Drives Math and Reading Success appeared first on Discovery Education.

Literacy and Math Strategies in the U.S.: What’s Working and What Isn’t

DE Staff — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 22:39:38 +0000

Taking Time to Assess Instructional Impact

Educators must always balance urgent needs in classrooms with the longer-term goal of improving student outcomes. As part of a regular series on the state of education in the U.S., we asked four passionate leaders in K–12 education to join us for a conversation about literacy and math instruction and student achievement:

Dr. Emily Hare, Director of PreK–12 Mathematics for Guilford County Schools
Dr. Amanda Malone, K–12 Literacy Director for the Mississippi Department of Education
Dr. Melissa Sadorf, Executive Director of the National Rural Education Association and professor at Northern Arizona University
Dr. Rufus Hill, State Director of K–12 Mathematics Coaching for the Mississippi Department of Education

Host Dr. Karen Beerer, Senior Vice President of State and Strategic Partnerships at Discovery Education, opened the discussion by outlining what educators are observing and the pressures they’re experiencing in schools and districts of all kinds:

The declines evident in the 2024 NAEP reading and math scores
Legislation in many states that requires evidence-based instruction in curricula and sets aside funding for curriculum, tutoring, and acceleration efforts.
Technology fatigue for educators driving demand for simpler, integrated solutions
Teacher shortages and the effects on educators, schools, and districts

But these challenges also create opportunities for using personalization and data-driven strategies to close gaps, making conversations like this one essential for driving progress in literacy and math.

What’s Currently Working?

Dr. Beerer said, “I thought we’d start with Mississippi, because when you read about the amazing growth that Mississippi students have achieved over the past decade, they often call it the ‘Mississippi Miracle.’ [But] it really wasn’t a miracle. It was planned, strategic systems of change.” Dr. Amanda Malone explained that everything began with legislation focused on K–3. Now schools throughout the state have literacy coaches who focus on “the whole child and the whole teacher.” In addition, they’ve found having access to high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) is key.

For rural communities, relationships remain the foundation. Dr. Melissa Sadorf shared, “Teachers know their students and their families on a very personal level, and that allows those instructors to be highly responsive to student needs, even when formal resources are scarce.” By necessity, teachers wear multiple hats and can use technology to be a bridge that levels the playing field for students.

At the district level, Dr. Emily Hare explained that they are “intentional about aligning their work to a shared vision and value about what math instruction is and the experience each student should have” in her district. This shared vision guides curriculum development, HQIM choices, and professional learning, resulting in consistency across classrooms.

What Needs More Attention?

“Too many students are leaving high school without the skills they need to succeed, especially in rural and high-poverty schools,” remarked Dr. Sadorf. Teacher shortages are making sustained improvement difficult, and a reliance on short-term grants and pilot programs means gains are hard to hold onto.

Dr. Hare agreed, adding: “We’ve articulated clear commitments at the state and district level, but how do we ensure that our supports and resources are consistent across all of those schools? It’s really not a question of effort—I think we all know that—but of sustaining and scaling that vision so that it lives in daily practice.”

In Mississippi, coaches are actively building teacher capacity around HQIM, but sometimes teachers are trained and then leave. Dr. Malone emphasized that using resources most effectively will help, especially when technology is involved.

Dr. Rufus Hill pointed out that using resources with fidelity is important for success, especially since the teacher shortage means not everyone has the specific background in what they’re teaching. He mentioned one math teacher with an ELA background who has “been able to kind of teach herself to teach the students” using HQIM.

Strategies and Real-World Examples of Change

The panelists shared programs, approaches, and partnerships that are driving real gains in literacy and numeracy.

Dr. Malone identified:

Using and training educators on structured literacy, which is based on the Science of Reading
Helping students learn to read in the most efficient way
Continually evolving and learning as educators

Dr. Hill noted:

Implementing the Mathematics Instruction Observational Protocol (MIOP)
Creating a coaching academy with instructional leaders and coaches
Starting a partnership with the Dana Center at the University of Texas

Dr. Hare emphasized:

Implementing HQIM with integrity for children that are traditionally underserved
Supporting collaborative math leadership teams at school and district levels
Seeking input from cross-collaborative district teams multiple times per year

Dr. Sadorf then concluded that collaboration is a multiplier: partnering increases impact, closes gaps, and “ensures educator voices shape solutions that benefit everyone.”

Supplemental Resources

Regarding HQIM and supplemental resources, Dr. Beerer asked how educators assess them and then implement them in the classroom. Dr. Malone noted that while each district chooses its own resources, state department level administrators can “see commonalities and provide coaching around those.” She recommended using supplemental resources to elevate math and literacy instruction.

Innovation in Math and Literacy

The panelists each offered a single word or phrase to capture what innovation in math and literacy means to them.

Dr. Sadorf chose the word connected, saying, “Innovation in literacy math has to connect students to engaging, relevant learning.”
Dr. Hare chose alignment, explaining, “It’s about aligning to our vision, our values.”
Dr. Hill came up with purposeful, noting, “I just think that with every decision that we make, we need to make sure that we have a purpose for that.”
Dr. Malone’s phrase was “Effectively partnering what we know with what we have, with a learner in mind.”

Engagement’s Role in Learning

In closing, Dr. Beerer brought up the “big topic” of engagement, something that always seems to come up in discussions about ways to improve learning. She noted that the 2025–2026 Education Insights Report, with a focus on engagement, offers key insights about education, motivation, and challenges in today’s classrooms. The report is free to download.

There’s so much more to learn from the full discussion!

Watch the Video

Host and Experts’ Backgrounds

Dr. Karen Beerer, Senior Vice President of State and Strategic Partnerships at Discovery Education.

Dr. Emily Hare, Director of PreK–12 Mathematics for Guilford County Schools. With a Ph.D. in Teacher Education, she is dedicated to building strong systems that empower teachers and students to succeed in math.

Dr. Amanda Malone, K–12 Literacy Director for the Mississippi Department of Education. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher, coach, and coordinator, she brings deep expertise in literacy leadership. She earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration.

Dr. Melissa Sadorf, Executive Director of the National Rural Education Association and professor at Northern Arizona University. She has over 30 years of experience in education as a teacher, principal, and superintendent.

Dr. Rufus Hill, State Director of K–12 Mathematics Coaching for the Mississippi Department of Education. He earned degrees from Alabama A&M, Delta State University, and completed his doctorate at National University.

The post Literacy and Math Strategies in the U.S.: What’s Working and What Isn’t appeared first on Discovery Education.