The DE Characters help students feel welcome, connected, and joyful while in DE. They learn alongside the student and lighten the mood of any challenging lesson.
Meet the DE Characters
Disco
Disco is fun loving and there for you. Her role is to be welcoming, helpful and make you laugh. She loves to bring you what you need to get your work done. You can find Disco helping you onboard onto our apps, or sitting quietly by for hours as Mei conducts experiments.
Disco
Biodata Readout
Alert | Helpful | Ready
Functions
Onboarding
setting up classrooms
setting up profile
first time user experience
Tutorials / How To
Offer to help
Bringing you things
Offering templates/ Quick Starts
Playful reflection of your actions
You’ll find Disco
Ready to play with you!
Switching gears on command
Bringing something helpful
Protecting the Keiki
Offering to help
Guarding a treat or treasure but willing to give it begrudgingly
Dreaming about catching prey
Communication
Disco does not talk or have thought bubbles
She communicates through objects that she brings
Tail wags
Nose wiggles
Makes dog sounds
Loves
Helping
Running outside
Birds
Organization and lists
Your approval
Chasing
Cuddling
Learns Through
Smelling
Practice
Feedback from last time
Tools
Backpack
Notepad
Whiteboard
It May Surprise You
Nothing! Disco is just what she seems.
Struggles With
Saving her buried treats or treasures for later (She digs them up right away).
Curriculum – while Disco enjoys being in proximity to academic pursuits, she personally prefers social elements to intellectual
Delayed gratification – she can wait, but it hurts.
When she grows up
Disco would like everything to stay the same as it is now. Her only wish is to cuddle the robots in a big puppy pile. She thinks that would be extra nice.
Learning Related Emotions
Here are typical poses and expressions that Disco will exhibit as she feels through four scenarios during the learning experience. These relate helpfully to the students’ own feelings as they succeed and struggle in their own learning journey.
I’ve got this! I can teach someone else.
I’m pretty confident.
I think I understand, but I might need a little more practice.
Help me.
Eduardo
Eduardo is a curious, good guy navigating the teenage life. He gets swept away in topics that interest him and is unapologetic about his passions. He is an adventurer and avid skier. His favorite subjects are math and anything technology related.
Eduardo
Biodata Readout
Courageous | Stoked | Questioning
Functions
Fist bumping you for showing up
Helping you get found if you’re lost
Anything Math
Latest technology
Digging deeper: Can’t stop nerding out on stuff!
Asking the next question
Modeling confidence
Modeling independence
Healthy skepticism
You’ll find Eduardo
First in line to try a new thing
Mobilizing friends
Thinking that anything is possible
Staying up late to keep reading
Being an early adopter
Loves
Exploring new topics
Bringing people together
Math (he finds it relaxing)
Adrenaline
Learns Through
Research
Focus
Reading
Tools
Rubik’s cube
Graph paper
Shades
It May Surprise You
Eduardo is an avid skier – he uses a sit ski and is a shredder on the slopes.
He has also dabbled in paragliding.
He loves to joke around with his grandpa. (Abuelo is his gramps. You didn’t know?)
Struggles With
Remembering to take a break
Irreverence toward norms.
When He Grows Up
Eduardo wants to be in charge of something big. And maybe set a world record.
Learning Related Emotions
Here are typical poses and expressions that Eduardo will exhibit as he feels through four scenarios during the learning experience. These relate helpfully to the students’ own feelings as they succeed and struggle in their own learning journey.
I’ve got this! I can teach someone else.
I’m pretty confident.
I think I understand, but I might need a little more practice.
Help me.
Victor
Victor is a dreamer. He is deeply curious and spends lots of time wondering about different things. Victor is most closely associated with learning about the wonders of the universe. He’s a good friend and cares about feelings. He is quiet but articulate when expressing himself.
Victor
Biodata Readout
Empathetic | Engrossed | Daydreamer
Functions
Curiosity
Science
Considering different perspectives
Social Emotional Learning
Showing you it’s fine to pause and think
Inquiry and encouraging big questions
Space
You’ll find Victor
Laying in the grass watching ants
Daydreaming
Considering all the angles
Loves
Learning different perspectives
How things are connected
Thinking about space
Pizza
Butterflies
Friends
Learns Through
Thinking
Quiet reflection
Tools
Magnifying glass
Telescope
Spiral bound notebook
It May Surprise You
Victor daydreams every single day.
Even though he’s quiet, Victor is articulate.
Struggles With
Doing anything quickly
Getting ahead of himself
Hearing the teacher (or anyone) when he’s deep in thought
When He Grows Up
Victor would like to study where Earth came from.
Learning Related Emotions
Here are typical poses and expressions for Victor that he would exhibit as he feels through four scenarios during the learning experience. These are helpful to relate to student’s own feelings as they succeed and struggle in their own learning journey.
I’ve got this! I can teach someone else.
I’m pretty confident.
I think I understand, but I might need a little more practice.
Help me.
Zoe
Zoe is out front and can’t contain her enthusiasm. She is a born leader and loves to organize her friends. She is social and full of ideas. Zoe is always dancing or moving. Her favorite subjects in school are Social Studies and World History.
Zoe
Biodata Readout
Confident | Lively | Imaginative
Functions
Helping you feel like anything is possible
Making it a game
Big sister figure
Showing you it’ll be fun
Instructions/the rules (as a peer)
Suggesting projects
Encouraging you to jump right in
Helping others
Engaging with social issues
History
You’ll find Zoe
Turning it into a game
Proposing a big idea
Jumping into action
Organizing teams
Being attentive
Loves
Challenges
Projects
Dancing! (And all movement)
Building creative things
Learns Through
Trying it out right away—she is not afraid to fail
Talking
Tools
Highlighter
Map (homemade)
Project-making stuff (tape, spring, rope, scissors, pipe cleaners, glue
It May Surprise You
Zoe is a good listener.
She likes taking care of younger robots and animals.
She sometimes gets overcome with the giggles. (It’s infectious!)
Struggles With
Jumping to conclusions.
Prioritizing fun (it usually works out). Remembering to make space for others when she’s swept away in the moment.
When She Grows Up
She hopes to start a make-your- own bubble gum store or be a dance teacher.
Learning Related Emotions
Here are typical poses and expressions that Zoe will exhibit as she feels through four scenarios during the learning experience. These relate helpfully to the students’ own feelings as they succeed and struggle in their own learning journey.
I’ve got this! I can teach someone else.
I’m pretty confident.
I think I understand, but I might need a little more practice.
Help me.
Mei
Mei has a rich internal life. She takes her time and loves to figure out how things work. She’s team STEM all the way. On any given day you may find her taking apart a roomba to see what makes it tick or testing out a new programming language.
Mei
Biodata Readout
Alert | Helpful | Ready
Functions
Being your pal when you need quiet time to think or refuel
Helping you persevere
Anything STEM
Analysis / yearning to understand
Experimenting
Being curious about how things work
Coding
You’ll find Mei
Taking apart the vacuum cleaner to see how it works Teaching herself how to code
Analyzing the contents of bear scat
Hiding in the lab supply closet to avoid the kickoff party
Loves
Patterns
Music
Solving puzzles
Learns through
Doing
Dissecting
Tools
Microscope
Notebook
Bird whistle
It May Surprise
Mei has a mischievous side and likes to play tricks.
She’s really into birds.
Struggles With
Chaos
Overstimulation
Big groups
When She Grows Up
She might become an engineer.
She looks forward to knowing so many baseline things, that she’ll think of brand new questions to ask.
Learning Related Emotions
Here are typical poses and expressions that Mei will exhibit as she feels through four scenarios during the learning experience. These relate helpfully to the students’ own feelings as they succeed and struggle in their own learning journey.
I’ve got this! I can teach someone else.
I’m pretty confident.
I think I understand, but I might need a little more practice.
Help me.
The Keiki
Keiki are joyful and lighthearted little friends. They help you feel brave when venturing into new territory. They love learning together with you as well as learning from you.
The Keiki
Biodata Readout
Interested | Joyful | Little
Functions
Hold your hand when starting a new or complicated topic (It’s ok, they’re new here too.)
Error states: How did we get here?
Aging down content
Adding playfulness
Eager audience to hear you recap what you learned
You’ll find The Keiki
Awestruck at simple things that are still new – a loud truck, a babbling brook, a fuzzy caterpillar
Smiling
Staying a while
Savoring feelings
Self-entertaining: walking on the curb to not fall off, kicking pinecones, logrolling, observing grasshoppers
Being “in the moment”
Communication
Keiki emote with neon glyphs!
Facial expressions
Tummy screens
Keiki don’t talk
All Keiki giggle
Special relationship with sounds of the natural world (whales, bird chirps, river rushing) They stop in their tracks, angle their ears to hear better. They might make the sound back, then laugh
They understand each other more than we do. They chuckle at each other
Loves
The company of others
Taking in the world around them Bugs
Learns Through
Experiences
5 senses
Tools
Balloon
Stickers
Crayons/Colored Pencils
It May Surprise You
Keiki likes to leave a mark–
stickers, a tie of yarn or dandelion seeds.
Keiki use emotive sounds and
visuals, not words.
Struggles With
Differentiating between
significant and insignificant things – it all seems big.
Theory – Keiki are too little to understand concepts that aren’t simple.
Being literal – don’t always get jokes.
Fear of lightning- are you afraid of it too?
When she grows up
The Keiki want to spend their days smelling stuff, feeling lots of soft things, carrying balloons and eating many lollipops.
How Many Keiki Are There?
Nobody really knows.
They are often in a group of 3 to 5. But don’t be fooled! They can also be seen solo and in pairs – and occasionally in larger groups.
Learning Related Emotions
Here are typical poses and expressions that the Keiki will exhibit as they feel through four scenarios during the learning experience. These relate helpfully to the students’ own feelings as they succeed and struggle in their own learning journey.
I’ve got this! I can teach someone else.
I’m pretty confident.
I think I understand, but I might need a little more practice.
Help me.
Abuelo
Abuelo is the friendly neighborhood old guy. He’s up for anything that means quality time with the kids. He is an exceptional listener. His favorite topics are health, nutrition and mindfulness. Abuelo is lighthearted telling great jokes covering all DE subject matters.
Abuelo
Biodata Readout
Amused | Patient | Present
Functions
Asking how that works again? Use to reiterate instructions/ recap
Being lost – what do ya know, are you lost too?
Health
Nutrition
Mindfulness
Jokes and lighteheartedness
Asking the “dumb” question
Culture
You’ll find Abuelo
Listening carefully to a long story from one of the kids Chuckling at his own joke.
Adjusting his antennae so he can hear better.
Avoiding giving an answer and instead asking the right questions so you think of it yourself.
Loves
A good joke
Health and vitality – “Exercise! It keeps the joints strong.” “Vegetables – good for the gut, if you know what I mean.” “Meditation – calms the mind”
Hanging with the kids
Interesting snacks
Learns Through
Actively listening to the kids
Tools
Snack sack
Sweat band (think RBG working out)
It May Surprise You
Abuelo was once a proud chef
and is still a gastronome.
Abuelo deeply appreciates
different cultures.
He’s easily moved and can be caught tearing up when looking at art or hearing a story.
Struggles With
Hearing
Staying awake
Technology “So this ‘internet’ sends invisible information?” “You’re saying we can use GPS instead of this map? I’m not so sure…”
The world moving too fast – he can’t believe the modern things he learns from the kids.
Learning Related Emotions
Here are typical poses and expressions that Abuelo will exhibit as he feels through four scenarios during the learning experience. These relate helpfully to the students’ own feelings as they succeed and struggle in their own learning journey.
I’ve got this! I can teach someone else.
I’m pretty confident.
I think I understand, but I might need a little more practice.
Help me.
Examples of the DE Characters in our Products
Rules of Their World
Below you will find guidance on the best practices for use of the DE Characters from grade-band appropriateness to sizing to rules of their world. Please read and follow our brand guidance closely when it comes to the very precious intellectual property of the Discovery Education Characters to ensure we are all rowing in the same direction as a brand.
Please note we have a more in-depth nonpublic Character Bible available for company employees.
Grade Band Chart
All DE Characters can be used for material of any grade, but there are primary characters for K-2 and 3-5 that should lead the activity or content.
Which Character to Choose?
What do you want to convey & for what age? Examples of logical choices
Characters at Scale
Below is a chart showing each DE Character at scale in relation to each other. Please check this chart carefully and use it when placing the Characters in your work.
Character Sizing
Characters are only to be seen at a certain size. When they appear on the page layout too small, it’s hard to see their expressions or any of the details.
Characters should never be so big that they overwhelm the needs of the page, whether those needs are to take an action or learn from a photograph.
Tummy Screen Icons
The DE Characters use their tummy screens to express themselves and add context to what’s happening.
A DE Character should always have an icon or “tummycon” on their tummy screen. They should never appear with a blank screen.
The icons are not vector; they are raster. They are drawn in Procreate. Please reach out if you need a new icon and we will make one for you.
Example Icons
Characters and Teaching
Our DE characters should never be used to represent teachers. Only Abuelo would be of the correct age to be a teacher, but that was not his profession.
We never want to suggest “robots as teachers” and want to be sensitive to that possible connection.
Opacity
We never put any opacity over a DE Character – either light or dark. The Characters must be displayed at full saturation, and nothing ever goes on top of them.
Don’t- Never cover a DE Character with a scrim
Fidelity and Usage
We have a number of Top Tier pieces of art that we prefer to save for very special user facing projects. We do not want to cheapen this work by using it everywhere. A general rule of thumb is, if the art has a background and a number of DE Characters, please ask a designer for advice before using it.
Top Tier Art
Please consult with a designer on when and how to use this type of DE Character art.
Everyday Art
Use it with our thanks! Use it to announce free bagels in the kitchen! Use it to thank a teacher on social media!
Color is Baked In
Never change the color of a DE Character. The colors chosen are intentional, historical, and are part of our legally owned intellectual property.
Correct Color
This is the color of Eduardo, and it does not change.
Don’t- Do not change the color of a DE Character.
Subject Matter Color
Did you know The Keiki are the only DE Characters that have colors directly tied to a subject matter? There is green for Science, purple for Math, and orange for Social Studies.
Science
Math
Social Studies
Communication
The DE Characters communicate in different ways. Below is a handy chart to help ensure you are applying the correct type of communication for each.
Disco communicates through emotive dog sounds and holding objects. Disco does not talk.
Victor communicates through talking, speech bubbles, and his belly screen.
The Keiki communicate through their belly screens, neon glyphs, emotive sounds, and giggling. The Keiki do not talk.
Mei communicates through talking, speech bubbles, and her belly screen.
Zoe communicates through talking, speech bubbles, and her belly screen.
Eduardo communicates through talking, speech bubbles, and his belly screen.
Abuelo communicates through talking and speech bubbles.
Note: Speech bubbles appear when no audio is present.
Their World
Who said robots?
The characters do not generally acknowledge that they are robots. They are treated like humans who grow and learn.
I see you!
The user is sometimes spoken to and “seen”. For example, a character may ask the user, “Do you need help with this? I’m confused too.” Or at the end of a story, they may say, “What would you do?”
No magic
They interact with real world things, phenomena and places. No mystical or fantasy storylines.
Yes imagination!
Time travel
Characters can visit historical and future times.
Impossible visits
They can go to impossible locations like space, microcosmic environments, and under the sea.
Nobody is in charge
They are a posse of pals.
Dress Up
To further reflect their current topic of interest, characters may dress up to really show their spirit and their love of learning. e.g. the Keiki below is dressed up as a tiger while reading Tiger Tales.
