Common Sense Media Review
By Sierra Filucci
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teaching tool is more at home in school.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
ASSIGNMENT DISCOVERY is an educational program specifically designed for middle and high school students. Covering a wide range of topics, the show methodically introduces students to concepts and ideas related to earth science, language arts, physics, history, and much more. Documentary film footage from the Discovery Channel library is enhanced by lesson plan material embedded into the program, such as topic questions and periodic breaks for student discussions about what they've learned so far. Experts such as scientists, writers, and explorers provide context and analysis throughout each program, and the show suggests resources so students can find out more about that episode's subject.
Is It Any Good?
For teachers or home-schooling parents, Assignment Discovery can be a great resource for teaching, especially since the Discovery Channel Web site provides lesson plans and other resources to accompany the episodes. Throughout the episodes, the narrator speaks slowly and clearly -- much like an ideal teacher -- as the screen displays the kind of top-notch footage that the Discovery Channel is known for. Those eager to learn about certain subjects might find the show fascinating even outside of school, but be forewarned that most adults -- and many teens -- will find the slow pace and simplistic language too dull to maintain their interest.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the topics the show covers. What did you learn? What did you already know? Was there anything in the episode that surprised you? Was there something you learned about that you'd like to research further? How will you go about doing that? Will you need help from a parent or teacher to find the information you want?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 10, 2002
- Cast : Leyna Weber , Thom Kikot
- Network : Discovery Channel
- Genre : Educational
- Topics : History , STEM
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate