—Rollout of Digital Social Studies Curriculum in District Middle Schools to Support the Growth of Students’ Critical Thinking and Citizenship Skills—
Silver Spring, Md. (October 23, 2019) – New Jersey’s Trenton Public Schools (TPS) today unveiled a new partnership with Discovery Education. Through this collaboration, Discovery Education will provide educators in district middle schools an innovative, digital social studies curriculum that supports the development of students’ critical thinking and citizenship skills. Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms.
Among the largest school systems in the State of New Jersey, TPS serves a diverse population of more than 11,000 students. With a mission to graduate all students with a vision for their future, a motivation for continuous learning, and the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in their choice of college or career, district leaders sought innovative new approaches to teaching and learning. After considering a number of options to enhance social studies instruction and develop students’ critical thinking and citizenship skills, TPS selected Discovery Education’s Social Studies Techbook for middle school teachers and students.
Discovery Education’s Social Studies Techbook pairs compelling core content with thought-provoking essential questions, primary source analysis, and project-based tasks to help all students experience the social studies. Specifically developed for diverse student audiences and curated by experts for ease of access, Social Studies Techbook’s high-quality, multimodal content supports the improvement of academic vocabulary, breaks down barriers to learning, provides all students multiple ways to shine, and engages students in higher-level thinking. In addition, a variety of differentiation tools integrated at point of use help educators meet the unique needs of each student. Access to two Lexile levels of core content, authentic Spanish translation—and 180 additional languages through Google Translate—as well as strategies for teaching students with special needs and English learners assist educators in creating inclusive, immersive learning experiences.
“The Trenton Public Schools are incredibly excited to kick-off this new partnership with Discovery Education,” said Michael Hodnicki, Supervisor of Humanities for Secondary Education at Trenton Public Schools. “By providing our students an engaging digital curriculum that challenges and engages them in social studies, we are putting them in a position to grow the critical skills they will need for career and citizenship success.”
To help TPS educators integrate their new digital resources into classroom instruction in the coming school year, Discovery Education will provide teachers numerous professional learning opportunities. Through these interactive professional development opportunities, participants will learn best practices for integrating technology and digital content into teaching and learning in ways that will maximize the power of their new resources, increase student engagement in instruction, and improve students’ academic achievement.
TPS educators will also receive support from the Discovery Education Community. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Education Community connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.
“The team at Discovery Education is thrilled to begin this partnership with Trenton Public Schools,” said Kelly Hoce, Discovery Education’s Director of Education Partnerships. “The talented educators at Trenton Public Schools have created an exciting vision for social studies instruction across the district, and we are proud to be a part of their plans.”
For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest.
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K. and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.
Contact:
Discovery Education
Stephen Wakefield
Email: SWakefield@discoveryed.com
Phone: (240) 463-2894