Select the "Course Admin" button, then the "Discussions" button

Select the "new" drop down menu button and then select the "New Topic" from the drop down menu.

First step is to Choose a Forum which is why we have to create a forum before we can create a topic.

Select the "Choose a Forum" drop down menu and select the forum (or folder) where you want to put the topic.

For a whole class discussion, leave the "Open topic, everyone can access this topic and its content" radio button selected.

Create a Title

In the "Description" section, write the instructions or prompt for this discussion in this space. You can add video, images, and URLs to the prompt.

Under the "Options" section, determine if you want to require students  to start a thread before they can read and replay to other threads.

Scroll back up to the top of the page and select the "Restrictions" tab

There is no Due date on a Discussion Topic. You have two options:

The "Availability" option, which sets a time period during which students can see and respond to a discussion post, or "Locking Options" which sets a time period during which students can respond to the discussion.

Best practice if you want a due date is to select the "Unlock topic for a specific date range" radio button. Then select a start date of now and then put an end date of when the discussion is due.

Select the "Assessment" tab in the "Edit Topic" page

From the "Grade Item" field, select the name of the grade item you want to connect to this discussion topic.

Enter how many points the discussion topic will be worth.

Now select the "Save and Close" button

On the "Discussion" home page, you should see your Discussion topic listed.