*All Screenshots taken on my computer from the Discovery Kids website*

I’m sure most of you are aware of the “Discovery Channel”, and the vast amount of topics it discusses both on TV and online. The Discovery Channel offers a website just for children, making it safe to use:

www.kids.discovery.com

It is full of games, puzzles, activities, quizzes, and information about different topics, all geared toward young readers. It features popular shows such as “Myth Busters” and “Dirty Jobs”. Readers can engage with these different topics through various activities, such as learning about the messiest jobs and determining fact from fiction.

How Would I Use It In The Classroom?

The top of the website features a navigation bar with multiple links. By clicking on the “Tell Me” button, you will arrive on a page that has more information on a wide variety of topics, including “Curiosity Center”, “MythBusters Lab”, “Animals”, “Earth”, “Health”, “Machines”, and so much more. As teachers, we can use this information as an extension to the lessons we teach in our classroom. For example, if we were discussing the Earth and the importance of trees in a science unit, we could find more information on this topic right on this website. There is a link titled “Why Do We Need Trees?” in the “Tell Me” section of the website. Together, you could read about this with your students to find out more about why trees are so important to our planet. In addition, if you are researching certain topics with your students, this website is a great resource to use, and that your students can also have access to.

Standards & Assessment

 The content standards met by this website are determined by which topic(s) you choose to learn more about with your students. For example, when reading more about the sun with your students and the importance it has in our lives, we could associate the 1st Grade Common Core Standard for Earth and Space Science: The sun is the principal source of energy. 

The standard met will be determined by the activities you choose and the information you wish to learn more about with your students. The same goes for assessment. You could use the information in the readings in the “Tell Me” section to create comprehension questions for assessment. These readings could also lead to group discussions and informal assessment as you listen to the students’ responses to the questions you pose.

Reference:

Discovery Kids : Home. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://kids.discovery.com