The post 7 Black History Month Teaching Ideas Featuring Authentic Voices and Resources appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>Black History Month is the perfect opportunity to explore the many remarkable people, events, and accomplishments that have helped shaped our nation. Explore these curated collections of authentic resources that celebrate Black History.
As you look for ways to bring a new dimension to these milestones, consider ways to go beyond what’s commonly covered to help your students draw meaningful connections to their learning. Introduce your class to the first African American women to travel to space or dig into the impact of the Harlem Renaissance. Offering new perspectives and experiences can drive deeper cultural understanding and help your students see themselves in the history!
1. African American Experiences
Show students how the contributions, struggles, and triumphs of African Americans are woven into the fabric of American history and culture. Students will learn about America’s complex history, gain insight into the experiences of classmates, and imagine a more equitable future for all.
2. Celebrating Black History
Find everything you need in this comprehensive collection of high-quality content and learning resources. Browse content highlighting the lives and contributions of Black writers, soldiers, scientists, artists, and more! Learn about a variety of prominent figures in history and learn new perspectives that help students see themselves in history.
4. Honor the Red Tails
Share the incredible true story of the Red Tail Squadron as told by Colonel Charles McGee, one of the last living members of the Tuskegee Airmen. Dive into the history of the Tuskegee Airmen and the accomplishments of African American pilots during World War II. Then learn how the Red Tails fought, not only to protect American lives, but to also end segregation in the US Armed Forces. End the video with a panel discussion featuring Colonel McGee and his fellow Tuskegee Airman, Cadet William T. Fauntroy, Jr., as well as Command Sergeant Major Michele S. Jones—the first woman in the U.S. Army Reserve to reach the esteemed position.
5. Ready-to-Use Activities
Explore these ready-to-use activities to celebrate Black History Month and bring exciting historical figures and stories into your daily lessons! Spanning all grade levels, browse Sentence Fix-Its for younger students or full February Activity Calendars for grades K-8 that offer an activity for every day of the month.
6. Remember Rosa Parks
Remember Rosa Parks on her birthday (February 4) with Discovery Education’s Rosa Parks resources! Introduce PreK-5 students to her impacts on the Civil Rights Movement with the Curiosity: Rosa Parks video, which shows how Rosa Parks made a stand against segregation from her famous bus ride through the rest of her life. Next, get K-2 students thinking critically about Rosa Parks with the Rosa Parks activity or have 6-8 students summarize what they’ve learned with the Tweet Tweet activity.
7. Voices of the Civil Rights Movement
Find First-Hand accounts and learn more about the people behind the Civil Rights Movement! Created in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal, Voices of the Civil Rights Movement‘s videos and related activities will help students discover new, authentic perspectives of this historic era.
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]]>The post Honoring Five Historic Latino and Hispanic Mathematicians appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) is the perfect time to highlight the accomplishments of Hispanic and Latino communities in your classroom! Here are five Hispanic and Latino mathematicians to celebrate with students this month:
1. Jaime Escalante (1930-2010)
Jaime Escalante was a math educator from Bolivia. He immigrated to the United States in the 1960s. In 1974, he accepted a job as a math teacher at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. The student population was predominantly Hispanic and low-income. It was a challenging place to teach, with a history of violence and academic underperformance.
Escalante wanted to see his students succeed and started an advanced mathematics program. Eventually, his program grew. In 1982, his largest class took and passed the AP Calculus test. Because so many of his students had passed, the testing company suspected cheating and invalidated their scores. Escalante protested, and many students retook and passed the test months later. This incident gained a lot of public attention and was the basis for the 1988 film Stand and Deliver.
Jaime Escalante continued teaching until 1998. He received many awards for his work in education, including the Presidential Medal of Excellence, and was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 1999.
2. Ruth Gonzalez (Present)
Ruth Gonzalez, born in Houston to Mexican parents, was interested in math throughout elementary school and high school. In 1976, she earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin. While doing research at the Applied Research Laboratories at the university from 1976 to 1980, she earned her master’s degree in mathematics.
In 1980, Gonzalez joined the Exxon Production Research Company as a geophysical mathematician and continued her graduate work at Rice University. In 1986, she received her Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Rice, making her the first U.S.-born Hispanic woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics! She’s had an extensive career developing seismic imaging tools and encourages other minority girls and women to pursue a career in math and science.
3. Alberto Pedro Calderón (1920-1998)
Alberto Pedro Calderón, widely considered one of the 20th century’s most important mathematicians, was born in Mendoza, Argentina. He studied at the University of Chicago and the University of Buenos Aires. While in Chicago, he studied under Antoni Zygmund, a Polish mathematician who was an expert analyst. They went on to collaborate for more than 30 years.
Calderón and Zygmund developed the theory of singular integral operators. The theory was the basis for one of the most influential movements in mathematics: the Chicago School of (hard) Analysis. This school of thought emphasizes applying mathematical analysis to the study of partial differential equations (PDEs). PDEs are used in science and engineering to measure and describe a variety of phenomena such as sound, heat, electrostatics, and quantum mechanics.
Calderón’s original work, with and without his mentor, greatly influenced mathematical analysis and ranged over a variety of topics including PDEs, interpolation theory, Cauchy integrals on Lipschitz curves, ergodic theory, and inverse problems in electrical prospection. Some practical applications for Calderón’s work include signal processing, geophysics, and tomography.
4. Ruy Luís Gomes (1905-1984)
Portuguese mathematician Ruy Luís Gomes was one of the leading intellectuals of the 20th century. However, he was persecuted by Portugal’s government for his outspoken ideas and independent thinking. Nonetheless, he was committed to teaching and research, making many significant mathematical contributions and serving as a role model for a generation of intelligent, creative mathematicians.
Gomes passionately believed that teachers should be more than the transmitters of theory. Rather, they should act as active research agents, inspiring students to come up with their own new theories and conclusions. He was an innovator in connecting Portuguese mathematicians with mathematicians and other scientists around the globe.
Gomes also believed in a global mathematics community, promoted through seminars, conferences, short courses, study and research centers and scientific societies. At the time, this idea of global cooperation was radical. The Portuguese government didn’t approve. Gomes, his associates and his students created two influential magazines dedicated to mathematics: Portugaliae Mathematica, mainly composed of research articles and Gazeta Matemática. Both magazines are still published today by the Portuguese Mathematical Society.
5. Júlio César de Mello e Souza (1895-1974)
Júlio César de Mello e Souza was a Brazilian writer, educator and mathematics professor. He was known for his entertaining books explaining mathematics, most of them published under the pen names of Malba Tahan and Breno de Alencar Bianco. Many of his most popular books incorporate mathematical word problems and puzzles into whimsical stories inspired by the Arabian Nights. His most famous work, The Man Who Counted, recounts the adventures of Beremiz Samir, who uses extraordinary mathematical superpowers to battle dangerous enemies and win fame and fortune.
Many educators credit Júlio César de Mello e Souza with being an innovator, far ahead of his time, for his use of stories and games to engage students in learning math skills. The Malba Tahan Institute was founded in 2004 by the Brazilian government to preserve this talented writer and mathematician’s legacy. The State Legislature of Rio de Janeiro declared his birthday, May 6, a national holiday: Mathematician’s Day.
Highlighting the contributions of these Hispanic and Latino mathematicians is a great way to honor National Hispanic Heritage Month and encourage students to explore the history of mathematics all year long!
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]]>The post #CelebrateWithDE: Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Commemorate this annual celebration that recognizes the rich heritages, cultures, histories, and accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the United States. This includes people from the Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, as well as those who have origins in the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.
Dive into content from Discovery Education and pique your students’ interest in Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
Introducing Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Start your AAPI Heritage Month celebrations by learning more about the various cultures and countries that make up the continent of Asia. Check out the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Channel to find articles, audiobooks, podcasts, and activities that reveal how Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders celebrate their heritage and continue to shape the United States.
Easily plan your lessons for students in grades 3-8 with DE’s ready-to-use background builder or teacher choice board to help students build context around the importance of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage.
Travel to the Past
Learn about the history of different countries and people of Asia and the Pacific Islands with videos and reading passages from DE! Go back in time to over 1,400 years ago, when the South Pacific Islanders observed the migration of the pacific golden plover. See how the Polynesians followed the flock for over 400 years, and how it eventually led them to the Hawaiian Islands.
Look into the truth of historical women’s experiences with a reading passage that reveals the truth about how women in ancient China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Korea fought in wars. Discover how female skeletons show battle scars consistent with fighting injuries, revealing that women likely fought alongside men in ancient times.
Explore the Cultures
Step into the shoes of different Asian and Pacific Islander cultures by learning about the different countries and their people. With videos from DE, students can see these countries with their own eyes. Introduce younger students to the country of India with this video highlighting five interesting facts about the country of India, including one about a festival where you paint an elephant from trunk to toe!
Take students in grades 6-12 to Cambodia with this video that illuminates the impacts of sand dredging on Cambodia’s identity, values, and survival. Students can hear from a Native Cambodian woman who shows how the manufactured removal of land from Cambodia’s coastline threatens to overpower their culture.
Learn more about the written and spoken languages of Asian and Pacific Islander cultures with this selection of classic fairy tales from Japan, featuring the son of a peach, a cruel stepmother and an enchanted mirror, and a warrior with a mission from the Dragon King! These tales were first translated in 1908 by Yei Theodora Ozaki, based on the Japanese version by Sadanami Sanjin.
Next, share this video that reveals the meaning behind Land of Big Numbers author Te-Ping Chen’s name. In this video, she tells students how she learned to embrace her heritage and how it shaped her identity.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month starts on May 1! Honor the history and contributions of these cultures and countries with engaging resources from Discovery Education for the month of May or throughout the entire school year.
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]]>The post #CelebrateWithDE: Women’s History Month appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>March is Women's History Month! We’ve collected all the impactful DE resources that highlight stories from extraordinary women in history and feature modern women making a difference in our world. Keep reading to find ready-to-use activities, videos, and resources available in Discovery Education Experience you can use in your lessons to honor Women’s History Month!
“I teach with the ‘see it, be it mentality.’ I believe we need to show students, particularly girls, that their ideas are valid, and they already have the power to make their dreams come true. With curated resources from Discovery Education and their partners, I can empower my students today to become the leaders of tomorrow.”
– Cecilia Wilburn-Davis,
5th grade teacher, 2022 Teacher of the Year, Oakbrook Elementary School (SC)
Walk Through Women’s History
Start your celebration with the curated collection in our Women in History Channel! Reflect on the remarkable journey of women throughout history and learn contemporary stories of women changing the world. This channel showcases stories of pioneering women throughout history and explores the impact women have had in politics, STEM, the arts, sports, and more.
Take a deeper look at significant figures in women’s movements with DE’s Women’s History Teacher Choice Boards! These flexible collections of activities for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8 are easily modified to fit your students’ needs and interests. Choose from multiple activities and a variety of content that can be used as student assignments or as an all-in-one instructional presentation.
The Womanica Channel has a powerful podcast series that investigates incredible stories of groundbreaking women whose legacies have stood the test of time. These bite-sized audio clips share biographies of women you may or may not know, but whose impacts have changed the world. Gain inspiration and spark student curiosity by listening to the contributions, trials, and triumphs of phenomenal women from a variety of backgrounds including scientists, activists, teachers, comedians, and more!
Meet Modern Career Women
Pop into present day to learn about modern world-changing women and their careers!
The NBA and WNBA Game Changers: Celebrating Women’s History video showcases game-changing women who are passionate about creating a more equitable playing field for all. Former WNBA player Crystal Langhorne and Seattle Storm Co-owner Ginny Gilder share about their sports careers and encourage students to continue using their voices to create positive change.
Students can connect their interests to potential careers with the IF/THEN Channel! Students can learn about who creates their favorite video game, protects the animals in the jungle, or works to cure cancer! The IF/THEN Initiative is created in partnership between Lyda Hill and Discovery Education and is committed to showing young girls exactly what a scientist looks like and inspire the next generation of STEM leaders.
Girls4Tech, Mastercard’s signature STEM program supported by Discovery Education, allows students to step into the world of cybersecurity. Hear from women working in cybersecurity to keep us all safe online and explore their exciting and innovative careers. Geared towards giving girls in middle and high school access to STEM resources and career exploration tools, this program dives deeply into the topics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity.
Consider more career options with the STEM Careers Coalition, the first-of-its-kind national STEM initiative powered by corporate and non-profit leaders and anchored in schools by DE. This program offers educators an array of career profiles featuring diverse women in various industries and job roles. Discover how leaders at places like Procter & Gamble, The Caterpillar Foundation, American Petroleum Institute, and more use STEM every day to create innovative solutions to the world’s challenges. These career profiles are accompanied by lesson resources that engage students in the world of STEM by helping them focus on their career goals with simple strategies, roadmaps, and other easy-to-use digital tools.
The resources, career profiles, and content available in Discovery Education Experience are here to help you make your mark on March's Women's History Month!
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