Note: Most links in this article require a Discovery Education account. Open a separate tab and log into Discovery Education before accessing any of these links.
Overview
Discovery Education’s library of vetted, high-quality content contains a wide variety of resources to support teaching and learning in the Social Studies Classroom. Whether you are teaching about economics, government, geography tools, cultural regions, World War II, Election Day 2020, map skills, branches of the government, community helpers, and so much more – Discovery Education’s resources provide engaging alternatives to consider when designing learning experiences.
Discovery Education’s curriculum experts have curated these resources into channels to provide quick and easy access to support planning engaging learning experiences. Many of our channels organize the content into grade-bands to ensure the content is appropriate for your students.
Complete a keyword search for your topic and find channels to best suit your needs! Don’t forget to subscribe to your favorite channels to add them to your My DE homepage.
Channels
-
Stuff You Missed in History Class Podcast: Join history buffs Holly and Tracy as they uncover extraordinary details about lesser-known and misremembered people, far off places, and the most fascinating events throughout history.
-
BESE: BESE is a digital news platform that reconstructs and recontextualizes narratives around how young people connect to today's America. Founded by actress Zoe Saldana, each series from BESE promotes inclusivity and navigates the American tapestry of cultures, identities, and nations. Students will be inspired by a diverse collection of inventors, entrepreneurs, newsmakers, problem-solvers, change-makers, and thought leaders who have contributed to our society through science, technology, art, and culture.
-
Museum Access: Get an insider's view of museums around the world with Museum Access. Hosted by Leslie Mueller, each episode explores museums in a way that the everyday visitor cannot. Get behind-the-scenes details and learn from personal interviews with the directors, curators, and creative personnel.
-
Dissent, Equity, and Inspiring Change: Recent senseless deaths of people of color at the hands of government authorities have caused waves of nationwide protest and civil unrest, and demands to end institutional racism. Many protesters desire a society that is more tolerant and inclusive for all. Racism, intolerance, and effective forms of protest have been rooted in societies around the world for decades. From the patriots of the American Revolution to those seeking social justice today, groups throughout history have raised the banner of protest. The resources in this channel help educators facilitate classroom conversations and much-needed discussions about implicit bias and systemic racism, human rights, equity, social justice, dissent, protest, and empathy. By listening to the voices of changemakers and rights defenders, examining how the Constitution supports rights and equity, and revealing the power of radical empathy, these curated resources help students see how one single voice can change a nation and the world for the better.
-
America: Facts vs Fiction: Hosted by former Naval officer and actor/comedian Jamie Kaler, this series takes students on adventures exploring the truths and hidden secrets of America’s past. The series uncovers surprising and unknown details of American history to draw a line in the sand separating fact and fiction.
-
NASA: From the first lunar landing to the latest Mars rover to the vast network of satellites measuring the health of our planet, NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has paved the way for humankind to explore the wonders of the cosmos. Learn about the groundbreaking technologies, daunting missions, and extraordinary talent of astronauts past and present.
-
Animated Hero Classics: Journey through history with Animated Hero Classics, a series of biographies of scientists, inventors, explorers, and social champions from around Europe, North America, and the Middle East. This channel is also available in Spanish.
-
Speak Truth to Power: Speak Truth to Power is a human rights education program founded by Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. The program introduces students to influential human rights defenders through powerful storytelling and interactive learning to inspire passion and action to end and prevent human rights abuses and violations around the world. RFK Human Rights, in partnership with Discovery Education, Humanity United and Fund II Foundation, provides educators with flexible, standards-aligned digital resources, designed to educate, engage and inspire the next generation of human rights defenders.
-
Teaching with Testimony: USC Shoah Foundation: The USC Shoah Foundation - The Institute for Visual History and Education is dedicated to making audio-visual interviews with survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides a compelling voice for education and action.
-
Time Warp Trio: Watch what happens when three 10-year-old city kids get their hands on a magic book that can send them anywhere in time or space. Based on the widely popular book series by Jon Scieszka, each episode is based on real history and offers up a quirky, interesting fact often left out of classroom lessons.
Strategies & Activities
Discovery Education’s SOS Instructional Strategies are research-based strategies for integrating digital curriculum resources in meaningful, effective, and practical ways. Get started with our Top 10 SOS Strategies for Social Studies (Canadian Subscribers).
Discovery Education contains over 1,000 grab-and-go activities – including many Studio Boards for quick implementation in your classroom. Learn more about Studio and explore boards made for the Social Studies Classroom.