Digital Tools: Discovery Ed and TEXGuide

August 13 or 15, 2018

In this workshop, you will explore the resources available for you in Discovery Education. You will also learn about the lesson resources available for STAAR and EOC courses that are now available in TEXGuide.

Discovery Education offers videos curated by subject matter experts into content collections by grade and topic. Resources include interactive activities, reading passages, audio clips, skill builders, and writing prompts. Teacher resources include lesson starters, training videos, and classroom strategies.

If you don't already have a login, you will need a code:

  • Bonham 63DC-9A91
  • Lamar 63DC-545A
  • Travis 63DC-9599
  • Temple High School 63DC-F2BA
  • Wheatley 269E-C4F6

You can find a "getting started" handout here.

OVERVIEW

VIDEO: Overview of Discovery Education Streaming - 1:55

HELP TOPIC: 10 Step Guide: Discovery Education Streaming

ACTIVITIES

  • "Show What You Know" Quiz
  • Click on the Help menu ("?", top right) and choose Getting Started. Explore the 4 tabs: 1) Learn & Lead, 2) Strategies & Resources, 3) Events & Experiences, and 4) Connect with DE.

SPOTLIGHT ON STRATEGIES

The Spotlight on Strategies (SOS) series includes simple instructional strategies incorporate digital media in meaningful, effective, and practical ways. Find the series in the Professional Learning Center organized by skill or intent, or search for Spotlight on Strategies.

VIDEO: Spotlight on Strategies - 3:21

LINK: Spotlight on Strategies

ACTIVITIES

  • Find an SOS activity in "Vocabulary Development" that you would like to use. In which lesson/unit do you plan to use the strategy?
  • Get with a teaching partner. Choose a category (Key Ideas and Details, Summarizing, Sequence, etc.) that you would like to explore together.

STREAMING

In Streaming, you can browse for videos (or video segments) by topic or state standards.

VIDEO: Browse by Topic/Standard - 2:31

LINK: Search for Resources

NOTE: You can share videos to Google Classroom. Find the video you want to use and click Share.

ACTIVITIES

  • Select a topic that you would like to search for an upcoming unit. Find 2 videos, 1 text file, and one image. Save these resources to the Quicklist (click the "+" in the top right corner of the resource.)
  • With a teaching partner, select one of the TEKS where you know students struggle. Search for resources that you might include in your upcoming lessons.

MY CONTENT

VIDEO: My Content - 1:21

LINK: Bookmark with QuickList and My Content

ACTIVITIES

  • Go to the Quicklist that you created in the Streaming activity above (you will find the Quicklist in the top right next to the "?" mark.) Add those resources to "My Content" (to add to "My Content, click on the name of the resource and then on the "..." in the top right.)
  • Create a folder in "My Content" with the title of an upcoming unit. Add resources to your folder. Move the folder to "School Content" to share it with other teachers at your campus or move it to "District Content" to share with other teachers across the district.

BOARDS

VIDEO: Builder Tools (Focus on Boards) - 3:28

LINK: BoardBuilder

ACTIVITIES

  • Look at the 50 Ways to Use Board Builder board. Select 2 that you would like to try. Get with a partner and share your choices.
  • Create a new board and save it in "My Content". Add items to your board for your lesson. Share the board with your school or the district.
  • Find a teaching partner and admire each other's boards!

DISCOVERY EDUCATION NETWORK (DEN)

VIDEO: Discovery Education Network (DEN) - 1:53

LINK: Maximize Your DEN Experience

ACTIVITIES

  • Update your DEN Profile.
  • Follow Discovery Education on Twitter (@DiscoveryEd)
  • Join the DEN Online Community to 1) get access to online courses and 2) to share and learn from other teachers.


TEXGuide

TEXGuide (texguide.net) serves as a bridge between curriculum, aligned resources, and instructional planning. TExGUIDEs provide teachers with a platform to easily access TEKS-aligned resources, increase the efficiency and quality of lesson planning for teachers, and positively impact student performance.