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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Discovery Education, a division of the company that owns the Discovery Channel and a number of other cable TV networks, have announced a partnership that will bring new resources to the school system.
The partnership was announced Thursday evening at Discovery Place, where the Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin conducted a screening of his upcoming special program, "The Vanishing Frog."
Earlier Thursday, Corwin, a biologist who hosts a regular program on the Animal Planet, visited Cochrane Middle School in northeast Charlotte and Morehead Elementary School in the University area. He talked to students about the threat of amphibian extinction and other environmental topics.
"Discovery Education provides the resources which can show teachers how to present the curriculum in the classroom," said Steve Wakefield of Discovery Education, whose president, Bill Goodwyn, lives in Charlotte. "For example, when a student asks, 'What does a frog look like?' a teacher can call up one of our two-minute videos and show them."
Coni Rechner, vice president of Discovery Education, said the partnership will provide professional development opportunities for CMS teachers, along with the access to cable TV's resources.
"This is a digital age, and children are learning differently," Rechner said. "The partnership should help teachers meet the learning styles of their students."
Corwin, whose program on the vanishing golden frog of Central and South America's tropical forests will debut Nov. 20 on the Animal Planet, also conducted a panel discussion at Discovery Place following the screening of the show Thursday night. Cindy Moss, director of Science and Math Instruction for CMS, moderated that discussion.
Discovery Communications, parent company of Discovery Education, operates the Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, Science Channel, TLC and several other cable networks.
