To help educators nationwide observe Mental Health Month, Discovery Education is presenting a curated collection of free standards-aligned resources empowering educators to support student mental health. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.

Established in 1949 by Mental Health America and observed each May, Mental Health Month raises awareness and educates the public about mental illnesses and strategies for attaining mental health and wellness. This year’s theme, “Look Around, Look Within,” encourages communities to explore and understand how factors like education and the environment impact mental health. In recognition of Mental Health Month and the 2023 theme, Discovery Education presents the following collection of resources in collaboration with partners:

Virtual Field Trip
Grades 3-5

This virtual field trip from Soar with Wings – a program with Wings for Kids and the Allstate Foundation – introduces students to the key pillars of emotional intelligence. Accompanying educator guides, student activities, and family engagement materials help students apply mental wellness concepts in their daily lives.

Lesson Plan
Grades 6-12

In this digital lesson plan featuring an educator guide and a video from a CVS pharmacist, students learn that mental health is a key component of overall health, review strategies to support their mental health, and explore the effects stress, anxiety, and depression can have on the brain and body. The lesson plan is part of CVS Health’s Pharmacists Teach program, Dose of Knowledge which offers a suite of no-cost digital content aligned to learning standards empowering K-12 grade students with the facts about substance misuse and how to make good decisions for the health and well-being of themselves and their community, while also connecting classrooms to pharmacists.

Career Profiles
Grades 6-8

Better Health in Action – a program created in partnership with global biopharmaceutical company Takeda – empowers the next generation of health leaders to learn about the urgent widespread issue of health equity. The career profiles take students inside the lives of a diverse portfolio of biopharmaceutical professionals with career paths centered on STEM offering students opportunities to imagine their future and potential in the journey towards health equity. Accompanying videos available in nine languages analyze community inequities and empower students to take action toward improved health and education.

Professional Development
Deepen educator support around mental health in a variety of learning environments with professional learning resources. A network of partners committed to bringing important mental health resources into core instruction, this coalition supports educators and students nationwide.

Create teaching strategies that incorporate support for students’ mental health with on-demand e-learning modules. Designed in collaboration with Ready, Set, RISE! – an educational initiative with Kaiser Permanente and an Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Healthier Generation) – these resources help create student-centered and trauma-informed learning environments.

Finally, with a Masterclass series from Amazing Me – a program with the Dove Self-Esteem Project – educators can gain the skills they can use to encourage kindness and open communication in their classrooms that reduces weight-based bullying and instilling body confidence. The series is hosted by Marisol Perez, a clinical psychologist and researcher at Arizona State University and The Institute for Research and Education Advancing Children’s Health (REACH).

These resources and more are available on Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform and within the Wellness channel. The Wellness channel features content partners such as the Child Mind Institute and Everyday Speech. Explore four exciting new series including "MyYounger Self" and "Getting Better Together" from the Child Mind Institute, a children’s mental health nonprofit dedicated to stamping out stigma around mental illness and learning differences. The Everyday Speech collection showcases videos and activities that focus on topics like mindfulness, friendship, respect, decision-making, and empathy.

“It’s important we offer educators a wide range of free resources to support teaching and learning during, and beyond, Mental Health Month. These powerful digital materials are designed to promote student mental health in any learning setting,” said Amy Nakamoto, General Manager of Social Impact at Discovery Education.

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources—which can be purchased with federal stimulus funds—and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.