diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_new_post.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_new_post.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ef2dd75450
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_new_post.html
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+<article class="new-post-article">
+    <div class="inner-wrapper">
+        <form class="new-post-form">
+            <div class="left-column">
+                <label>Create new post in:</label>
+                <div class="form-topic-drop">
+                    <a href="#" class="form-topic-drop-btn">Homework / Week 1 <span class="drop-arrow">▾</span></a>
+                    <div class="form-topic-drop-menu-wrapper">
+                        <div class="form-topic-drop-search">
+                            <input type="text" class="form-topic-drop-search-input" placeholder="filter topics">
+                        </div>
+                        <ul class="form-topic-drop-menu">
+                            <li><a href="#">All</a></li>
+                            <li><a href="#">Following</a></li>
+                            <li><a href="#">General</a></li>
+                            <li>
+                                <a href="#">Homework</a>
+                                <ul>
+                                    <li><a href="#">Week 1</a></li>
+                                    <li>
+                                        <a href="#">Week 2</a>
+                                        <ul>
+                                            <li><a href="#">Problem 1</a></li>
+                                            <li><a href="#">Problem 2</a></li>
+                                        </ul>
+                                    </li>
+                                </ul>
+                            </li>
+                        </ul>
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+                <div class="options">
+                    <input type="checkbox" name="follow" id="new-post-follow" checked><label for="new-post-follow">follow this post</label>
+                    <br>
+                    <input type="checkbox" name="follow" id="new-post-anonymous" checked><label for="new-post-anonymous">post anonymously</label>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+            <div class="right-column">
+                <div class="form-row">
+                    <input type="text" class="new-post-title" name="title" placeholder="Title">
+                </div>
+                <div class="form-row">
+                    <textarea class="new-post-body" name="body" placeholder="Enter your question or comment…"></textarea>
+                    <div class="new-post-preview"><span class="new-post-preview-label">Preview</span></div>
+                </div>
+                <div class="form-row">
+                    <input type="text" class="new-post-tags" name="tags" placeholder="Tags">
+                </div>
+                <input type="submit" class="submit" value="Add post">
+                <a href="#" class="new-post-cancel">Cancel</a>
+            </div>
+        </form>
+    </div>
+</article>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6946b2c92b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+<script type="text/template" id="thread-list-template">
+    <div class="browse-search">
+        <div class="browse is-open">
+            <a href="#" class="browse-topic-drop-icon"></a>
+            <a href="#" class="browse-topic-drop-btn"><span class="current-board">Homework / Week 1</span> <span class="drop-arrow">▾</span></a>
+        </div>
+        <%include file="_filter_dropdown.html" />
+        <div class="search">
+            <form class="post-search">
+                <input type="text" placeholder="Search all discussions" class="post-search-field">
+            </form>
+        </div>
+    </div>
+    <div class="sort-bar">
+        <span class="sort-label">Sort by:</span>
+        <ul>
+            <li><a href="#" class="active" data-sort="date">date</a></li>
+            <li><a href="#" data-sort="votes">votes</a></li>
+            <li><a href="#" data-sort="comments">comments</a></li>
+        </ul>
+    </div>
+    <div class="post-list-wrapper">
+        <ul class="post-list">
+        </ul>
+    </div>
+</script>
+
+<script type="text/template" id="thread-template">
+    <article class="discussion-article" data-id="${'<%= id %>'}">
+        <a href="#" class="dogear"></a>
+        <div class="discussion-post">
+            <header>
+                <a href="#" class="vote-btn discussion-vote discussion-vote-up"><span class="plus-icon">+</span> <span class='votes-count-number'>${'<%= votes["up_count"] %>'}</span></a>
+                <h1>${'<%= title %>'}</h1>
+                <p class="posted-details">
+                    <span class="timeago" title="${'<%= created_at %>'}">sometime</span> by
+                    <a href="${'<%= user_id %>'}">${'<%= username %>'}</a>
+                </p>
+            </header>
+            <div class="post-body">
+                ${'<%= body %>'}
+            </div>
+        </div>
+        <ol class="responses">
+            <li class="loading"><div class="loading-animation"></div></li>
+        </ol>
+        <form class="discussion-reply-new">
+            <h4>Post a response:</h4>
+            <ul class="discussion-errors"></ul>
+            <div class="reply-body"></div>
+            <div class="reply-post-control">
+                <a class="discussion-submit-post control-button" href="#">Submit</a>
+            </div>
+        </form>
+    </article>
+</script>
+
+<script type="text/template" id="thread-response-template">
+    <header>
+        <a href="#" class="vote-btn" data-tooltip="vote"><span class="plus-icon"></span><span class="votes-count-number">${"<%= votes['up_count'] %>"}</span></a>
+        <a href="#" class="posted-by">${"<%= username %>"}</a>
+        <p class="posted-details" title="${'<%= created_at %>'}">Sometime</p>
+    </header>
+    <div class="response-body">${"<%= body %>"}</div>
+    <ol class="comments">
+        <li>
+            <form class="comment-form">
+                <input type="text" placeholder="Comment…" class="comment-form-input">
+            </form>
+        </li>
+    </ol>
+</script>
+
+<script type="text/template" id="response-comment-template">
+    <p>${'<%= body %>'}<span class="posted-details">–posted <span class="timeago" title="${'<%= created_at %>'}">sometime</span> by <a href="#">${'<%= username %>'}</a></span></p>
+</script>
+
+<script type="text/template" id="thread-list-item-template">
+    <a href="${'<%= id %>'}" data-id="${'<%= id %>'}"><span class="title">${"<%= title %>"}</span> <span class="comments-count">${"<%= comments_count %>"}</span><span class="votes-count">+${"<%= votes['up_count'] %>"}</span></a>
+</script>
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/single_thread.html b/lms/templates/discussion/single_thread.html
index f238e3d967..cab4502dcf 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/single_thread.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/single_thread.html
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 <%! import django_comment_client.helpers as helpers %>
 <%! from django.template.defaultfilters import escapejs %>
+<%! from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse %>
+<%! from courseware.access import has_access %>
+
 <%inherit file="../main.html" />
 <%namespace name='static' file='../static_content.html'/>
 <%block name="bodyclass">discussion</%block>
@@ -33,9 +36,6 @@
 </script>
 </%block>
 
-<%! from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse %>
-<%! from courseware.access import has_access %>
-
 <nav class="course-material">
   <div class="inner-wrapper">
     <ol class="course-tabs">
@@ -69,60 +69,7 @@
   </div>
 </nav>
 
-<article class="new-post-article">
-  <div class="inner-wrapper">
-    <form class="new-post-form">
-      <div class="left-column">
-        <label>Create new post in:</label>
-        <div class="form-topic-drop">
-          <a href="#" class="form-topic-drop-btn">Homework / Week 1 <span class="drop-arrow">▾</span></a>
-          <div class="form-topic-drop-menu-wrapper">
-            <div class="form-topic-drop-search">
-              <input type="text" class="form-topic-drop-search-input" placeholder="filter topics">
-            </div>
-            <ul class="form-topic-drop-menu">
-              <li><a href="#">All</a></li>
-              <li><a href="#">Following</a></li>
-              <li><a href="#">General</a></li>
-              <li>
-                <a href="#">Homework</a>
-                <ul>
-                  <li><a href="#">Week 1</a></li>
-                  <li>
-                    <a href="#">Week 2</a>
-                    <ul>
-                      <li><a href="#">Problem 1</a></li>
-                      <li><a href="#">Problem 2</a></li>
-                    </ul>
-                  </li>
-                </ul>
-              </li>
-            </ul>
-          </div>
-        </div>
-        <div class="options">
-          <input type="checkbox" name="follow" id="new-post-follow" checked><label for="new-post-follow">follow this post</label>
-          <br>
-          <input type="checkbox" name="follow" id="new-post-anonymous" checked><label for="new-post-anonymous">post anonymously</label>
-        </div>
-      </div>
-      <div class="right-column">
-        <div class="form-row">
-          <input type="text" class="new-post-title" name="title" placeholder="Title">
-        </div>
-        <div class="form-row">
-          <textarea class="new-post-body" name="body" placeholder="Enter your question or comment…"></textarea>
-          <div class="new-post-preview"><span class="new-post-preview-label">Preview</span></div>
-        </div>
-        <div class="form-row">
-          <input type="text" class="new-post-tags" name="tags" placeholder="Tags">
-        </div>
-        <input type="submit" class="submit" value="Add post">
-        <a href="#" class="new-post-cancel">Cancel</a>
-      </div>
-    </form>
-  </div>
-</article>
+<%include file="_new_post.html" />
 
 <div class="discussion container">
   <div class="discussion-body">
@@ -131,84 +78,4 @@
   </div>
 </div>
 
-<script type="text/template" id="thread-list-template">
-  <div class="browse-search">
-    <div class="browse is-open">
-      <a href="#" class="browse-topic-drop-icon"></a>
-      <a href="#" class="browse-topic-drop-btn"><span class="current-board">Homework / Week 1</span> <span class="drop-arrow">▾</span></a>
-    </div>
-    <%include file="_filter_dropdown.html" />
-    <div class="search">
-      <form class="post-search">
-        <input type="text" placeholder="Search all discussions" class="post-search-field">
-      </form>
-    </div>
-  </div>
-  <div class="sort-bar">
-    <span class="sort-label">Sort by:</span>
-    <ul>
-      <li><a href="#" class="active" data-sort="date">date</a></li>
-      <li><a href="#" data-sort="votes">votes</a></li>
-      <li><a href="#" data-sort="comments">comments</a></li>
-    </ul>
-  </div>
-  <div class="post-list-wrapper">
-    <ul class="post-list">
-    </ul>
-  </div>
-</script>
-
-<script type="text/template" id="thread-template">
-  <article class="discussion-article" data-id="${'<%= id %>'}">
-    <a href="#" class="dogear"></a>
-    <div class="discussion-post">
-      <header>
-        <a href="#" class="vote-btn discussion-vote discussion-vote-up"><span class="plus-icon">+</span> <span class='votes-count-number'>${'<%= votes["up_count"] %>'}</span></a>
-        <h1>${'<%= title %>'}</h1>
-        <p class="posted-details">
-          <span class="timeago" title="${'<%= created_at %>'}">sometime</span> by
-          <a href="${'<%= user_id %>'}">${'<%= username %>'}</a>
-        </p>
-      </header>
-      <div class="post-body">
-        ${'<%= body %>'}
-      </div>
-    </div>
-    <ol class="responses">
-      <li class="loading"><div class="loading-animation"></div></li>
-    </ol>
-    <form class="discussion-reply-new">
-      <h4>Post a response:</h4>
-      <ul class="discussion-errors"></ul>
-      <div class="reply-body"></div>
-      <div class="reply-post-control">
-        <a class="discussion-submit-post control-button" href="#">Submit</a>
-      </div>
-    </form>
-  </article>
-</script>
-
-<script type="text/template" id="thread-response-template">
-  <header>
-  <a href="#" class="vote-btn" data-tooltip="vote"><span class="plus-icon"></span><span class="votes-count-number">${"<%= votes['up_count'] %>"}</span></a>
-    <a href="#" class="posted-by">${"<%= username %>"}</a>
-    <p class="posted-details" title="${'<%= created_at %>'}">Sometime</p>
-  </header>
-  <div class="response-body">${"<%= body %>"}</div>
-  <ol class="comments">
-    <li>
-      <form class="comment-form">
-        <input type="text" placeholder="Comment…" class="comment-form-input">
-      </form>
-    </li>
-  </ol>
-</script>
-
-<script type="text/template" id="response-comment-template">
-    <p>${'<%= body %>'}<span class="posted-details">–posted <span class="timeago" title="${'<%= created_at %>'}">sometime</span> by <a href="#">${'<%= username %>'}</a></span></p>
-</script>
-
-<script type="text/template" id="thread-list-item-template">
-    <a href="${'<%= id %>'}" data-id="${'<%= id %>'}"><span class="title">${"<%= title %>"}</span> <span class="comments-count">${"<%= comments_count %>"}</span><span class="votes-count">+${"<%= votes['up_count'] %>"}</span></a>
-</script>
-
+<%include file="_underscore_templates.html" />