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November 2024
Discovery Ed Update is a monthly newsletter from ESC Region 11 providing you with timely, curated resources from the Discovery Education Experience and information about training and support.
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Need to Know Jr.
The Need to Know series by Discovery Education has been a dynamic and rich resource for grades 3-5 since it launched last year. In October, Discovery launched the Need to Know Jr. series to help K-2 students learn about civics and history. The first "Jr." content helps our youngest learners develop an understanding and context for the big ideas behind voting, so it's right on time for November!
Here's what Discovery Education has to say about the Need to Know channel:
The world around us is constantly changing. Everything you see today is affected by something that happened in the past—so to build the future, we Need to Know our history. In this DE Original Series, students will travel through time, investigating the things they Need to Know. To guide them along their journey, each episode is paired with curated Ready-to-Use Lessons and PDF Activities that align with the topics, featuring additional historical context and primary source resources.
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November Resources
Every month, Discovery Ed publishes a calendar of daily activities for grades K-2 and 3-5. These simple, powerful activities can be assigned to students or used as a presentation.
Check the most recent calendars out here:
Together with the activity calendars, help students practice literacy using the daily sentence fix-its: November Daily Sentence Fix-Its.
In addition, look below to find learning activities for grade levels and special days in November! 🦃
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Oct. 31-Nov. 2
Dia de los Muertos
From October 31 to November 2, families and friends gather together to remember loved ones who have died and offer their support for the spiritual journey of the deceased. With historical roots in traditions older than 2,500 years, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festivities include tidying graves, building altars with offerings of flowers and gifts, and eating festive foods. Pair a video or other content from the Day of the Dead channel with the Connect the Dots strategy to tie students' backgrounds and experiences with new learning about Dia de los Muertos.
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Nov. 8
National STEM/STEAM Day
STEM is more than Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. STEM asks students to consider deep, real-world questions and collaborate with others to arrive at meaningful conclusions. Discovery Education has compiled all of their partner resources, original materials, and STEM strategies on their Hot Topic: STEM page, so give it a look to inspire your support for STEM/STEAM instruction. In addition, check out the Top 10 SOS Strategies for STEM.
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November 5 — Election Day
 Discover democracy in action on Election Day! Election Day is the day set by law for general elections in the United States, held on the Tuesday immediately following the first Monday in November. U.S. citizens ages 18 and older cast a vote for the political candidates of their choice on Election Day. In this channel, explore the importance of civic participation, learn about the history of voting rights, become familiar with the electoral process, and stay informed on the latest news for the current election cycle. Please check out the collection of election infographics to support and enrich your students' understanding of the process!
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Nov. 10
Sesame Street Day
Sesame Street premiered on November 10, 1969 as an immediate sensation. Though initially meant to simply be fun and educational, the show has evolved into an international cultural phenomenon. It was decided that Sesame Street would rely greatly on research processes in order to better inform various aspects of the program, spanning across the introduction of new characters, plotlines, and production design. The Sesame Learning channel is designed to enhance your instruction and interactions with students. The resources are designed to reinforce skills and concepts you’re targeting, provide for individualized instruction, or fill a gap in your curriculum—including emergent literacy and English language arts, mathematics, social studies, civics, holidays and special occasions, and more!
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Nov. 11
Veterans Day
Veterans Day began as an extension of Armistice Day (WWI) to become a commemoration for those who served in World War II, and the day has grown to pay tribute to anyone who has served in the armed forces. This federal holiday gives citizens a chance to reflect on how war has shaped the United States and a space honor those who have fought for freedom. Choose a video or reading passage from the Veterans Day Channel and encourage students to reflect on it using a strategy such as Make it Concrete or Reminds Me Of.
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Nov. 23
Fibonacci Day
Leonardo Fibonacci discovered a pattern of counting that continues to influence math and technology today. The pattern is made up of numbers that sum the previous two numbers before them — 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 — and so on. The sequence is used in computing, stock trading, and architecture and design.
Discover the Fibonacci sequence in nature during this lesson or find its connection to Algebra in this video series.
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November 28 — Thanksgiving
 Let's give thanks—for Thanksgiving! This annual holiday is based primarily in the United States and Canada and started as a day of gratitude for the harvest bounty. In this channel, consider the history and tradition of Thanksgiving. Find resources that highlight the evolving values, customs, and new interpretations of this holiday in modern times. Here a resources for various grade levels:
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👨💻Professional Learning Designed for Your Needs
Districts and charters that contract with ESC Region 11 for Discovery Education have access to professional learning. Need ideas? Check out the list below for possible professional learning topics:
- Getting Started with Discovery Education Experience (DEX)
- Designing Instruction Using Discovery Education
- Going Deeper with DEX
- What's New in Discovery Education
- Discovery Education Resources to Support Families
- DE at Home Resources
- Discovery Ed Does Dig Cit!
- Discovery Education Resources for Counselors
- Post-Secondary Success with Discovery Education
- Discover the New Tech Apps TEKS
- Supporting xxxxx with Discovery Education Experience
- *or whatever we can dream up!
Contact Andy Simpson to discuss your training needs and reserve a date.
⭐Become a DEN STAR in the Discovery Education Community!
DEN STARs are knowledgeable about using digital resources and want to continue learning about the most effective ways to use Discovery Education (DE).
They’re educators from all roles and backgrounds who receive custom resources and access to professional learning opportunities. They are also part of a like-minded community interested in using DE to reach all learners. To learn more, click the button!
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Andy Simpson, M. Ed.
Digital Resources Consultant
asimpson@esc11.net
(817) 740-3652
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