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Telling Your Own Stories: 20th Anniversary of National Geographic Photo Camp
This post was written by Heather Chiles, an Engagement and Marketing Strategy staff member at the National Geographic Society. Photography can be a personal and profound way to explore your community and help your students tell their own stories. In an effort to inspire and empower the next generation, the National Geographic Society is proud to support Photo Camp––an outreach program that introduces young people … Continue reading Telling Your Own Stories: 20th Anniversary of National Geographic Photo Camp
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Infinite ʻĀina: Announcing 2892 Hawaiʻi
Featured Image: Keauhou overlooking the active Kīlauea volcano taken in 2022. Photo Credit: Whitney Aragaki This post was co-written by Whitney Aragaki & tia north, educators and 2892 storytellers. ʻĀina, in the Hawaiian language, translates to land and Earth, and all that thrive on them. Land is how we forge and build connections, land becomes our sanctuary, our “special place”. It is why place-based storytelling … Continue reading Infinite ʻĀina: Announcing 2892 Hawaiʻi
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You’re Invited: Explorer Classroom SERIES on Wildlife!
Join us for the Explorer Classroom Wildlife Series and immerse your learners in an exciting program to explore wildlife globally, while taking action locally! The program features live weekly, virtual events with National Geographic Explorers bringing science, exploration, conservation, and storytelling to life. In each show, a National Geographic Explorer connects with your students for a 45-minute live, virtual class, filled with interactive moments and … Continue reading You’re Invited: Explorer Classroom SERIES on Wildlife!
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Invisible Wonders of Science: Revealing Nature’s Stunning and Secret World
From the secret life cycle of the honeybee to the lightning-fast behaviors of hummingbirds, wonder can come from the most unexpected and unseen places. If you have been looking for new ways to inspire and excite your learners in the classroom, look no further than the mind-blowing work of National Geographic Explorer and photographer Anand Varma! Varma’s stunning photography highlights creatures whose incredible details typically … Continue reading Invisible Wonders of Science: Revealing Nature’s Stunning and Secret World
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Get to Know NatGeo: Chief Education Officer Dr. Deborah Grayson
Image credit: Rebecca Hale, National Geographic Society As autumn approaches and we prepare for a new school year, the Education Division at the National Geographic Society (NGS) is looking forward to a new year of learning, storytelling, and opportunity. In all of our work, NGS Education remains committed to the Society’s mission to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world through science, storytelling, and, … Continue reading Get to Know NatGeo: Chief Education Officer Dr. Deborah Grayson
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Back to School with NGS! Explorer Classroom Returns for a New Season
This post was written by Heather Chiles, an Engagement and Marketing Strategy staff member at the National Geographic Society. Dive into What’s New for the 2023-2024 School Year! September is here and class is in session! We’ve gathered interactive resources, programs, and virtual events to make this school year even more inspiring for your students! It’s no secret that educators can uplift, inspire, and encourage … Continue reading Back to School with NGS! Explorer Classroom Returns for a New Season
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International Youth Day & the Slingshot Challenge
Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders 2024 Slingshot Challenge Opens for Submissions September 20, 2023 Every year on August 12th, the world comes together to celebrate International Youth Day, an occasion dedicated to recognizing the valuable contributions of young individuals in shaping our global society. At the National Geographic Society, we believe that young people hold the key to building a sustainable future. Recognizing that young people are … Continue reading International Youth Day & the Slingshot Challenge
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The Future of Learning: Found While Exploring the Past
Featured Image: Ashleigh Glickley captures images from the dive boat just before diving with the team of National Geographic Explorers. Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust/Nautilus Live Ashleigh Glickley, teacher from Hawthorne Spanish Immersion School in Louisville, KY, wrote this post. “Don’t forget to breathe,” I reminded myself as we descended into the crystal blue waters off the coast of Maui in October of 2022. It was … Continue reading The Future of Learning: Found While Exploring the Past
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World Elephant Day: Conservation Begins With Education
This post was written by Heather Chiles, an Engagement and Marketing Strategy staff member at the National Geographic Society. A small spark of curiosity can create a wave of change. Our National Geographic Explorers uplift the next generation of conservationists and storytellers around the world. Conservation begins with education. Elephants have long held a dear place in the hearts of our National Geographic Explorers. This … Continue reading World Elephant Day: Conservation Begins With Education
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Take Your Classroom to the Next Level of Interactive Learning: Meet the Reimagined MapMaker!
This post was written by Heather Chiles, an Engagement and Marketing Strategy staff member at the National Geographic Society. As an educator, you have worked hard to develop engaging lesson plans that will resonate with your students. We’ve spent the last ten years crafting the ultimate learning resource to bring your classroom the latest in GIS software. Geography and mapping have always been a way … Continue reading Take Your Classroom to the Next Level of Interactive Learning: Meet the Reimagined MapMaker!
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The Explorer Mindset: What it Means to Think Like an Explorer
Bayan Atari, a National Geographic Society Education staff member, wrote this post. Our Explorers are what drive National Geographic forward. Every single Explorer is a curious and passionate leader who uses their creativity, innovation, and storytelling skills to find tangible solutions for the protection of our world. But what does it take to be an Explorer? It begins with a combination of attitudes, skills, and … Continue reading The Explorer Mindset: What it Means to Think Like an Explorer
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The Edge of all Life: Join the Nat Geo Expedition Documenting Earth’s Northernmost Lands
Have you ever wondered what the northernmost terrestrial life on Earth is? This summer, a team of National Geographic scientists and storytellers will head to the northernmost land on Earth (the far north coast of Greenland) to document terrestrial life and set up base-line transects to monitor the impact of climate change over the next 100 years. Dr. Brian Buma, the expedition leader, is an … Continue reading The Edge of all Life: Join the Nat Geo Expedition Documenting Earth’s Northernmost Lands
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Meet the 2023 Slingshot Challenge Winners
At National Geographic, we believe that every person has the potential to develop the same Explorer Mindset that drives Explorers to inquire, explore, seek knowledge, and work to solve the world’s most pressing problems. Recognizing that young people are committed to taking action to protect our planet and inspire a more sustainable future, the National Geographic Society and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation launched … Continue reading Meet the 2023 Slingshot Challenge Winners
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Meet National Geographic’s 2023 Grosvenor Teacher Fellows
The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship (GTF) is a professional development opportunity for pre-K–12 educators made possible by a partnership between Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society. The 2023 fellows are the first cohort to be selected since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This year’s Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship class is made up of 50 exemplary educators, representing everything from the visual arts to Spanish, psychology, career and … Continue reading Meet National Geographic’s 2023 Grosvenor Teacher Fellows
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Young Changemakers Around the World Aim to Slingshot the Planet Forward
15 Slingshot Challenge Finalists Unveiled At the National Geographic Society, we believe that young people hold the key to building a sustainable future. That’s why we challenged 13-18 year-olds to slingshot our planet forward with innovative new ideas around conservation solutions. Thanks to educators across the world, thousands of young voices answered the call. We asked Slingshot Challenge participants to create a one-minute video outlining … Continue reading Young Changemakers Around the World Aim to Slingshot the Planet Forward
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Learn the Ins and Outs of Citizen Science in This Brand-New Course
Dr. Brittney Beck and National Geographic Explorer Anne Haywood wrote this post. How can we inspire learners of all ages to engage with the world and contribute to cutting-edge scientific research? What if we said you could join teams of scientists and National Geographic Explorers without leaving your school community? Well, you can! Explore global citizen science and its potential for teaching and learning through … Continue reading Learn the Ins and Outs of Citizen Science in This Brand-New Course
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To Build Sustainable Communities, We Must Grapple With the Past
Kayla Swanson and Rose Jennings, both of the Science Museum of Minnesota, wrote this post. The historic neighborhood of Rondo was long a hub of Black community and culture in St. Paul, Minnesota. However, the construction of Interstate 94 in the 1960s divided the neighborhood, destroying homes and businesses and driving many residents out. Yet Rondo is resilient—in spirit and in reality—and here at the … Continue reading To Build Sustainable Communities, We Must Grapple With the Past
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New Travel Opportunities to Inspire Your Students’ Inner Explorer
People say that traveling changes you. I would say that traveling just makes you more of who you are meant to be. I am so grateful that [National Geographic Explorer] Ami Vitale and our trip leaders cultivated an environment where we could ask questions and grow as both photographers and people. Sarah H., 2017 Prague Photography Workshop This summer, high school students from around the … Continue reading New Travel Opportunities to Inspire Your Students’ Inner Explorer
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From the Field: A Lesson Plan on Marine Mammals and Ocean Exploration
Carissa Cabrera, an ocean conservationist and informal educator, wrote this post. The ocean generates over half the world’s oxygen, meaning we are dependent on it with nearly every breath. The ocean is also a critical buffer against climate change: it absorbs an estimated 90 percent of the excess heat from the atmosphere. Humans are inextricably connected to the sea, the natural services it provides for … Continue reading From the Field: A Lesson Plan on Marine Mammals and Ocean Exploration
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Explore the Legacy of Generations Past With These Lessons From Route 66
Melodie N. Graves, a storyteller with the Route 66 team of 2892 Miles to Go: Geographic Walk for Justice, wrote this post. When many people think of Texas, they think of cowboys. Images of big hats, bucking broncos, and open plains come to mind. Very often, perhaps always, these images feature cowboys who are white men. But there is a long, unacknowledged history of Black … Continue reading Explore the Legacy of Generations Past With These Lessons From Route 66
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Expand Your Global Awareness as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow
After a two-year hiatus, the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship will return to host educators aboard Lindblad Expeditions’ voyages for a life-changing, field-based experience. Geography is an approach to understanding and engaging with the world around us. The geographic perspective is at the core of our work at the National Geographic Society. It’s a way of looking at the world, a way of understanding why things are … Continue reading Expand Your Global Awareness as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow
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Tut at 100: Get to Know the “Boy King” and His Tomb
One hundred years ago this month, the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings opened a window on ancient Egypt and its fascinating “boy king.” To mark the centennial anniversary of this historic moment, National Geographic has prepared a variety of engaging opportunities to teach and learn about Tut and his world. Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience Rewind the clock … Continue reading Tut at 100: Get to Know the “Boy King” and His Tomb
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Teach History Inclusively With These Eight Community-Centric Lessons
National Geographic Explorer Ashley Lamb-Sinclair, steward of 2892 Miles to Go: Geographic Walk for Justice, wrote this post. In the spring of 2013, I took a busload of 15-year-olds to hear the Dalai Lama speak in our hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. His visit was a culminating moment after a year of citywide engagement with the global Charter for Compassion. My students were among hundreds who … Continue reading Teach History Inclusively With These Eight Community-Centric Lessons
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Remembering Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Tom Kenning
This blog post honors the life and legacy of Tom Kenning, who passed away while rescuing a 17-year-old girl from drowning in Lake Michigan in June. A cherished member of the National Geographic community, Tom Kenning was a middle school social studies teacher at Plato Academy Pinellas Park in Pinellas Park, Florida, U.S., as well as a member of the National Geographic Society’s Grosvenor Teacher … Continue reading Remembering Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Tom Kenning
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MapMaker Activity: Explore and Protect the Ocean With Pristine Seas
MapMaker, National Geographic’s geovisualization tool, contains an ever-expanding list of map layers curated for students. Together, they form a geographic data set that learners can use to illustrate a concept or tell a story. These map layers are data that learners can overlay on a basemap, like a transparency on a projector. In September, we shared tips for getting started with MapMaker. Now, we have … Continue reading MapMaker Activity: Explore and Protect the Ocean With Pristine Seas
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This Bat Season, Go Beyond the Myths With Your Learners
Educator James Fester wrote this post. Depending on where you live, this time of year can be a prime opportunity to see bats—those small, nocturnal, winged creatures. In the eastern U.S., bats search for food and mates in the fall before hunkering down to hibernate. This year, October 24-31 is Bat Week, a valuable chance to learn about and celebrate the role bats play in … Continue reading This Bat Season, Go Beyond the Myths With Your Learners
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Meet Koki Mookodi, Who’s Inspiring Educators in Her Native Botswana
Koketso “Koki” Mookodi is a National Geographic Explorer and Botswana country director for the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project (NGOWP), which aims to secure permanent, sustainable protection for the Okavango River Basin in southern Africa. The basin covers parts of Angola, Namibia, and Botswana, where its waters fan out to form an iconic inland delta. Koki’s vision is to ensure that NGOWP’s work includes—and benefits—the … Continue reading Meet Koki Mookodi, Who’s Inspiring Educators in Her Native Botswana
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Birthed From Hope, Stories to Rebuild a Broken World
Chloe Nunn, C. Isabel Núñez Lendo, Michael Schrenk, and Wendi Pillars wrote this post. One hot summer’s day several years ago, I, Chloe, stood knee-deep in the warm, clear waters of Point Judith Pond, Rhode Island, surveying my wards: young campers away from home, probably consuming far too much sugar and getting almost no sleep. But in the moment, they were joyfully splashing around, mostly … Continue reading Birthed From Hope, Stories to Rebuild a Broken World
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Introduce Your Students to Mapmaking With This Interactive Tool
Are you looking for a new way to incorporate mapping into your teaching? Perhaps you’d like a hands-on tool for introducing a global topic or promoting spatial literacy. MapMaker, National Geographic’s online geovisualization tool, is here to help. It allows your learners to explore the world through various classroom-curated basemaps, data layers, and annotation options. With this web-based app, anyone can visually experience and interact … Continue reading Introduce Your Students to Mapmaking With This Interactive Tool
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Learn With Our Explorers on a Series of Expeditions in Hawai‘i
With a long tradition of open-ocean navigation and specialized skills to survive on remote islands, Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) have a deep connection to and understanding of the land and the sea. In the spirit of this tradition, National Geographic Explorers, including Kānaka Maoli, are embarking on expeditions driven by ocean conservation and exploration and informed by traditional Hawaiian knowledge. Educators, Scientists, and Storytellers Unite … Continue reading Learn With Our Explorers on a Series of Expeditions in Hawai‘i
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The Okavango River Basin Is One of a Kind. Explore It With This StoryMap
Educator Heidi Ragsdale wrote this post. As an eighth grader, I saved up money for months and months and used it to fund a trip that activated my curiosity for exploring the world. After a bus ride, train trip, shuttle seat, van expedition, and eight hours of hiking with a 40-pound pack, I found myself staring at the blue-green water of Havasu Falls at the … Continue reading The Okavango River Basin Is One of a Kind. Explore It With This StoryMap
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Developing an Explorer Mindset Benefits Educators Too
Academic instructional coach Ashleigh Glickley wrote this post. How can the attitudes of an Explorer Mindset lead to teacher leadership within a school? As my colleagues and I returned last fall and set out to cultivate an Explorer Mindset among students, I was determined to apply the Explorer Mindset to our work as educators too. Explorers are curious, responsible, and empowered, and these were the … Continue reading Developing an Explorer Mindset Benefits Educators Too
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Introducing the Slingshot Challenge
Share Your Innovative Conservation Solutions With the World Calling all young changemakers! This October, the National Geographic Society, with support from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, will launch a new, global video challenge called the “Slingshot Challenge,” creating a platform where you can voice your ideas about the future of conservation work. If you are 13 to 18 years old and are passionate about … Continue reading Introducing the Slingshot Challenge
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How a Student-Explorer Team Took Environmental Action From Space
National Geographic Explorer Kim Young, who teaches high school world history, wrote this post. During the summer of 2018, sitting in a small conference room outside Fairbanks, Alaska, I had the opportunity to listen to a team of climate scientists present data they had collected using satellite imagery to gain insight into forest fire patterns. As a medieval world history teacher, much of the conversation … Continue reading How a Student-Explorer Team Took Environmental Action From Space
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This Summer, Learn How to Bring the Power of Storytelling to Your Classroom
This post was written by Nicole Ursprunger, a Marketing and Engagement staff member at the National Geographic Society. You spent all year helping your students learn. This summer, prioritize your own development by enrolling in National Geographic’s free Storytelling for Impact courses. This online learning series, developed in partnership with Adobe, will introduce you to National Geographic Explorers who will help you master the basics … Continue reading This Summer, Learn How to Bring the Power of Storytelling to Your Classroom
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Infinite ʻĀina: Introducing the 2892 Hawaiʻi Storytellers
So often, education is centered on a narrative of personalization and individualized student learning. As teachers, much of the way we are encouraged to design learning experiences for students is to center and craft around the learner. We place students in a classroom and build the world around them. This posits humans as central and superior to the environment around them. However, our world and … Continue reading Infinite ʻĀina: Introducing the 2892 Hawaiʻi Storytellers
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Inspire Summer Learning With These National Park Resources
Educator James Fester wrote this post. It’s that time of year again. In the Northern Hemisphere, the days are some of the longest all year, and in many places, temperatures are at their hottest. People spend summer in all sorts of ways: engaging in outdoor activities, exploring their communities, or trying to toast the perfect marshmallow over a flickering fire. Sadly, that last one eludes … Continue reading Inspire Summer Learning With These National Park Resources
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Nine Questions With National Geographic Explorer KM Reyes
National Geographic Explorer KM Reyes is a political scientist and conservationist who, through her organization Centre for Sustainability PH (CS), organizes to protect natural environments on the Philippine island of Palawan. Last month, she participated in a special Explorer Classroom session live from National Geographic’s Explorers Festival. Afterward, we caught up with KM to learn more about her background and her work addressing environmental challenges … Continue reading Nine Questions With National Geographic Explorer KM Reyes
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Mythical Cartography: A Creative Way to Foster an Explorer Mindset
If I want to create a dark world of intrigue and evil, how can I communicate that story through mapmaking? What shape might my landforms take? What colors or shading might I select? What fonts and place-names might evoke a sense of danger? Going deeper, how can I connect to cartographic traditions and the human journey while taking a step forward, away from colonial perspectives that linger on some current maps? The possible conversations and lessons here are limitless. Mapmaking can help students develop a sense of responsibility and respect for other people, cultures, and the natural world, thus helping build an Explorer Mindset. Continue reading Mythical Cartography: A Creative Way to Foster an Explorer Mindset
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How Our Arctic-Themed Art Contest Honors Young People’s Calls to Action
National Geographic Explorer Dr. Jennie Warmouth wrote this post. When I traveled to the Arctic Circle as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow in 2019, my students at Spruce Elementary School followed along as I posted photos and stories from the field. For most, these daily snapshots provided a first glimpse into the Arctic’s pristine beauty and magnificent wildlife. My students responded with awe and wonder followed … Continue reading How Our Arctic-Themed Art Contest Honors Young People’s Calls to Action
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Science Below the Surface: Transforming Ocean Learning With 360º Videos
This post was co-written by National Geographic Explorer Dr. Jennifer Adler and academic instructional coach Ashleigh Glickley. Adler: It was 9 a.m., and the Florida summer sun had already melted my ChapStick. The air temperature was almost 100°F (38ºC), the parking lot at Blue Heron Bridge was almost full, and I almost threw the 360-degree camera into the ocean, where I’d never have to see … Continue reading Science Below the Surface: Transforming Ocean Learning With 360º Videos
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Join Us 6/6 for A Star-Studded Explorer Classroom. Plus, Fun Summer Ideas
As the school year comes to a close, National Geographic Education recognizes the need for young people to continue exploring and learning outside the classroom. Kick off summer by participating in the season finale of Explorer Classroom on Monday, June 6, at 2 p.m. ET, where students will be able to ask a group of our Explorers about their exciting work. Then, challenge your students … Continue reading Join Us 6/6 for A Star-Studded Explorer Classroom. Plus, Fun Summer Ideas
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Rediscovering Black History in Louisville: A Reflection
For Black people, the Ohio River isn’t just any river—just like the Red Sea isn’t just any sea to Christian believers. When enslaved Africans escaped from plantations to go North, the Ohio served as an almost-there point. They knew freedom waited on the other side if they could get there. Can you imagine facing that huge river, understanding what it meant once you got to the other side, while also remembering the family and friends you had to leave behind? Continue reading Rediscovering Black History in Louisville: A Reflection
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Unpacking the Everest StoryMap: My Four Instructional Tips
Educator Heidi Ragsdale wrote this post. Living in a state with some of the highest peaks in the United States, I often wonder about the amazing views from these mountaintops. In 2015, I got to see one firsthand when I traveled to the top of Imogene Pass in the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado. Time stood still as I took in the vista surrounding … Continue reading Unpacking the Everest StoryMap: My Four Instructional Tips
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Use These Engaging Amazon Activities to Deepen Student Learning
Estimated to be twice the size of India and contain 10 percent of the world’s known species, the Amazon rainforest is a critically important ecosystem — but not just to the plants and animals that call it home. The importance of this threatened ecosystem to the health of our planet is one of the reasons the National Geographic Society focused a fantastic new set of resources on the Amazon. The curated collection, featuring activities, articles, and other engaging resources, is free and available to integrate into your Earth Month instruction! If you’re interested in supporting the inquisitive, budding Explorers in your own classroom, keep reading as I share some highlights and ideas from this awesome collection. Continue reading Use These Engaging Amazon Activities to Deepen Student Learning
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24 Fourth Graders + a National Geographic Explorer = Magic
Educator Sharee Barton wrote this post. In the spring of last year, National Geographic Explorer Rosa Vásquez Espinoza stood behind a tree in Yellowstone National Park, waiting to surprise 24 fourth-grade students with whom she’d been Zooming for several months. Suddenly, a voice yelled “Watch out” and Rosa turned around to see a huge bison walking in her direction. Rosa quickly moved away from the … Continue reading 24 Fourth Graders + a National Geographic Explorer = Magic
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This Earth Day, Join Us on a Virtual Field Trip to the Amazon
On Friday, April 22, at 1 p.m. ET, join National Geographic for a 35-minute Virtual Field Trip! Three National Geographic Explorers are helping us better understand and protect the Amazon rainforest. We’ll hike through the cloud forests of Peru, where an Indigenous biologist is studying the movement of Andean bears. Next, we’ll wend our way through the mangrove forests of Brazil with a marine ecologist. … Continue reading This Earth Day, Join Us on a Virtual Field Trip to the Amazon
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The Whole Earth Breathes: Connections to Explore on World Breathing Day
A powerful example of the relationship between humans and the natural world lies in the breath — the action of inhaling oxygen produced by the natural world and using it to fuel our lives. In observance of World Breathing Day, April 11, 2022, you can explore relevant resources and activities in my ArcGIS StoryMap “One Breath at a Time,” embedded below, then join me on a journey through the anatomy of our lungs and how they connect us with the entire Earth. Continue reading The Whole Earth Breathes: Connections to Explore on World Breathing Day
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Stone Soup and Mystery Calls: Bringing the World to My English Learners
Educator Asma Mustafa wrote this post. When I was younger, I listened to Radio Monte Carlo. At the time, I didn’t understand the broadcasts, because I didn’t know English. When I moved from Saudi Arabia to Gaza at 14 years old, I decided to learn more. Listening to songs and watching movies in English made me dream of speaking English myself. My family wanted me … Continue reading Stone Soup and Mystery Calls: Bringing the World to My English Learners
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Teaching a PBL Unit on Water Transformed Our Students’ Learning
This post is transcribed from an interview with educators Debbie Holman and Nicole Orswell. Next year we’ll be teaching in a new middle-high school designed to encourage project-based learning (PBL). So, when given the opportunity to run a small PBL cohort this year, we thought: Why not give it a try? Let’s dip our toes in and share what we learn with the rest of … Continue reading Teaching a PBL Unit on Water Transformed Our Students’ Learning
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Join Us March 8 for Our Next Virtual Field Trip: “Women Pushing Boundaries”
On Tuesday, March 8, at 1 p.m. ET, join National Geographic for a 30-minute Virtual Field Trip that celebrates Women’s History Month alongside four intrepid female Explorers. We’ll travel to the Ganges River in India with an environmental engineer to examine the plastic pollution crisis. Then, two Explorers will take us into their world of conservation and share insights from co-publishing a children’s book about … Continue reading Join Us March 8 for Our Next Virtual Field Trip: “Women Pushing Boundaries”
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I’m a Black Educator With an Explorer Mindset. But It Wasn’t Always That Way.
Dr. William Anderson wrote this post. I live in Colorado, which is consistently ranked one of the most active states in the U.S. In 2020 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said more than 82 percent of Colorado residents reported exercising during their leisure time in the preceding month. Colorado has at least 39,000 miles of trails, thousands of miles of rivers, and dozens … Continue reading I’m a Black Educator With an Explorer Mindset. But It Wasn’t Always That Way.
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Experience Mount Everest Like Never Before
When we’re young, many of us learn that Mount Everest is the tallest peak on Earth. But how did it form, and when? What does it take to climb to the top? (Hint: expert Sherpa guides and supplemental oxygen play essential roles.) What is the current state of the mountain, and what might its future hold? Explore these questions—and more—through “Expedition Everest,” a new, interactive … Continue reading Experience Mount Everest Like Never Before
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Maps Are a Tool to Understand the Past—and Shape the Future
Once we see the visual, reality hits and the story unfolds. Then we can do something about it. Maps help people better understand their physical space so we can digest it visually then think about it critically. Now that I have maps as tools for understanding what happened to Little Africa and how history touched not only my own family but also my community, I can put them to use. I can use these maps to honor the legacy of Little Africa and to ignite conversation in my community about how not to perpetuate similar violence now. Holding a map in our hand can be the difference between causing harm and undoing it. Continue reading Maps Are a Tool to Understand the Past—and Shape the Future
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Exploring Through Hip-Hop: A Win-Win for My Students and Me
Hip-hop was our vehicle for exploring universal issues, beginning with learning about storytellers and leaders like Phyllis Wheatley and Muhammad Ali and eventually through engaging with our community about issues the Young Prodigy’s felt, understood, or lived. Because our foundation was letting students lead their own learning, when authentic opportunities arose for community engagement, we could take advantage of them or even create them for ourselves. Young Prodigy’s speak with policymakers and community leaders regularly now because their own learning has led them there. The community benefits from their engagement as much as they do. Continue reading Exploring Through Hip-Hop: A Win-Win for My Students and Me
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How This Outdoor Educator Drew a VIP Visit From Parks Canada
The key to starting a successful outdoor education program, according to educator Bill Bagshaw, is to capture students’ enthusiasm. Teachers must create a “long sales pitch where you are promoting it and how much fun it is,” he said. If you’re able to organize field trips, that can be a good strategy: “That really sells the program, and you can then work to build it up. Once that has been done, you can add some things, like research projects.” Continue reading How This Outdoor Educator Drew a VIP Visit From Parks Canada
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Tea Cakes and Black History: Reclaiming a Legacy
I first learned about the history of tea cakes from a book called Christmas Gift, by Charlemae Rollins, about how enslaved people were allowed to cook certain things at Christmastime, and one of those recipes was a tea cake. Tea cake recipes were passed by word of mouth because our ancestors couldn’t read or write; they were forbidden from learning, of course. They didn’t have measuring cups or spoons, but they were able to create the recipes by word of mouth with loose measurements. Continue reading Tea Cakes and Black History: Reclaiming a Legacy
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Why Abi Henneberry Takes Her Class Outside Each Day
“We have delighted in discovering slugs underneath oak leaves, muskrats surfacing in local ponds and swimming to shore, and migrating geese establishing nesting grounds,” kindergarten educator Abi Henneberry told me. “Once, we discovered very active, fearless voles in the green space surrounding a local storm pond. They had created holes and tunnels in the grasses we had passed many times, and they were jumping everywhere. This was a tremendous opportunity for children to appreciate their place as visitors in another species’ world.” Continue reading Why Abi Henneberry Takes Her Class Outside Each Day
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How to Get Students Outside? Try Backward Planning
“I have always looked for opportunities to get students outside,” Xena Biffert told me. Xena is a district science consultant in Alberta, Canada, where we both live, and previously taught kindergarten and grades three through six. When she started bringing her own classes outdoors, it required her to think differently. “As I began taking students outside more, I really needed to reconsider the way I planned,” she said. “I started to do a lot of backward planning.” Continue reading How to Get Students Outside? Try Backward Planning
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Teaching Empathy: From Me to We
My recommendation to elementary school teachers interested in enhancing their students’ empathic capacities is to begin with a deep and meaningful study of “self.” Explicitly teach your students how to identify and name their own emotions and associated sensations. Support your students as they begin to consider the cognitive, affective, and perceptual perspectives of their peers within your classroom. With time, widen the lens to consider multiple points of view across local, regional, and global scales. Finally, expand to include a multispecies perspective. Continue reading Teaching Empathy: From Me to We
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There Are Many Ways to Explore. Just Ask These 10 Trailblazing Educators
Throughout the ups and downs of the past year, educators persevered and focused on inspiring learners’ curiosity and exploration, even as they themselves were navigating uncharted territory. As we look back on 2021, their optimism and dedication make us hopeful about what lies ahead in education. Here are just 10 of the countless exploration-minded educators who made an impact on young people, their fellow educators, and the planet over the past year. Continue reading There Are Many Ways to Explore. Just Ask These 10 Trailblazing Educators
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My Country Added Climate to the Curriculum. Now the Real Work Starts
Participants in my master’s degree study expressed confidence in delivering lessons on climate change even though they admitted to limited exposure while they were students. Now that it is a requirement for social studies teachers in Jamaica to teach global climate change, I see it as the perfect opportunity to engage my colleagues about climate change education—and recommend to them the “Teaching Global Climate Change” course that made such a difference for me! Continue reading My Country Added Climate to the Curriculum. Now the Real Work Starts
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Build On MLK’s Legacy With Your Students: Here Are Five Creative Ways
While teaching about the civil rights movement must not be limited to a single day or month of the year, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day may provide educators an opportunity to dive deeper into the life and legacy of the reverend and activist. With the federal observance coming up on Monday, Jan. 17, here are five creative ideas to use with your students. Continue reading Build On MLK’s Legacy With Your Students: Here Are Five Creative Ways
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Breathe Like a Warrior: The Profound Lesson I’m Taking Into 2022
Although my COVID-19 Remote Learning Emergency Fund project did not launch as I had intended, it was still a success! Through all the challenges, I found a way to prioritize the needs of my students, accepting them, their circumstances, and the emotional state in which they showed up each day. Foremost, I met a humble man who graciously gave the gift of his time to help me navigate through the rough sea of life. Continue reading Breathe Like a Warrior: The Profound Lesson I’m Taking Into 2022
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Virtual Tours Are Taking Off. Here’s How to Integrate Them Into Your Teaching
When virtual exploration is structured along inquiry-based lines, student curiosity becomes the driver, allowing for choice and interest to guide learning. Using a broad, open-ended question like “How do monuments communicate meaning?” and allowing students choice as they explore virtually helps them learn how natural and cultural landmarks convey meaning. These great resources will get you started teaching with virtual tours. Continue reading Virtual Tours Are Taking Off. Here’s How to Integrate Them Into Your Teaching
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Meet the Young Leaders Inspiring Global Change
Fearless. Committed. Innovative. Impact-driven. These words describe a group of young people who refuse to accept the status quo. They’re breaking barriers, using their voice for change, and introducing transformative ideas to their communities. We’ve selected 25 of these audacious changemakers—between 16 and 25 years old—to join our cohort of 2021 Young Explorers. Continue reading Meet the Young Leaders Inspiring Global Change
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Restore Our Ocean With the 2021 ArcGIS StoryMaps Ocean Challenge Winners
The 2021 ArcGIS StoryMaps Challenge for Restoring Our Ocean, co-hosted by Esri and the National Geographic Society, encouraged high school students, college students, and individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 to create impactful stories that illuminate our ocean’s pressing problems, offer solutions, and inspire change. Explore our six winners below. Continue reading Restore Our Ocean With the 2021 ArcGIS StoryMaps Ocean Challenge Winners
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Engage and Inspire With These 4 Resources on the Webb Space Telescope
The planned launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) on December 22 provides educators and students the opportunity to be part of an amazing wave of collaboration, innovation, and exploration. It offers the chance to experience a moment in time that will likely encourage students across the world to create their own space path. There are so many ways for educators, students, and communities to be a part of the JWST mission. Continue reading Engage and Inspire With These 4 Resources on the Webb Space Telescope
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The Ocean Separates These Young Storytellers. It’s Also What Connects Them.
In October, the National Geographic Society brought together 31 youth from 14 countries around the world for a virtual Photo Camp focused on the theme of ocean connections. We talked to three Photo Camp students to learn how the experience helped them develop their storytelling skills and empowered them to use their voices to make an impact. Morgan Dethlefsen is from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, Ciara Ratum is from the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, and Parwat Singh is from the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Continue reading The Ocean Separates These Young Storytellers. It’s Also What Connects Them.
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Finding Hope in My Fifth Graders’ Podcast Project: A Reflection
The students decided they wanted to build connections to the local land through discussions with Indigenous elders, community members, authors, and science experts. They wanted to help others connect with nature and one another. And they were curious enough to find ways to make this happen. Continue reading Finding Hope in My Fifth Graders’ Podcast Project: A Reflection
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“A Field Trip Anywhere”: Try This MapMaker Project With Your Students
The great news is that MapMaker was recently updated and features some incredible new tools students can use for exploration. Using MapMaker in the classroom is an easy lift to allow students to glimpse the tools of a geographer and begin to use them on their own. Teachers do not have to be fluent in mapmaking or technology to use MapMaker. In addition, using MapMaker provides an opportunity to talk about the role of cartographers and potential careers involving these skills. Continue reading “A Field Trip Anywhere”: Try This MapMaker Project With Your Students
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How My Geography Class Used Tins to Tell the Story of Place
I loved and appreciated the insights that students shared with me through their Story of Place assignments. Fast-forward to this September: we were back in the classroom full-time, and I wanted to transform the project into something more tangible. Continue reading How My Geography Class Used Tins to Tell the Story of Place
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Advance Your Learning Journey With These Newly Reopened Courses
Do you want to connect with a global community of educators while transforming your teaching practice? If so, National Geographic’s free online courses for educators may be the perfect opportunity for you. Six of our courses are paced and cohort-based, with a limited number of sections per year. Enrollment for winter 2022 is open now, and the courses begin on January 19. Continue reading Advance Your Learning Journey With These Newly Reopened Courses
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Next Stop: Outer Space. How Innovation Fuels Young Explorer Ilias Psyroukis
Innovation. It’s an idea central to the work of National Geographic Young Explorer Ilias Psyroukis. After becoming interested in space in high school, Ilias, a native of Greece, co-founded the nonprofit organization SPIN – Space Innovation, which educates young people about space and supports them in making and launching their own satellites. Continue reading Next Stop: Outer Space. How Innovation Fuels Young Explorer Ilias Psyroukis
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I Saw the Arctic Up Close. Now I’m Using It to Teach Math.
I believe it is essential that educators interweave climate literacy into all contents. We need to respect and be responsible for our world. We can do this by recognizing we are all leaders and problem solvers and by helping young people see themselves as capable of solving this crisis. They can make a difference, but we need to empower them. That is my role. Continue reading I Saw the Arctic Up Close. Now I’m Using It to Teach Math.
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Virtual Field Trip: Native American Stories
Three storytellers shared unique insights from their experiences as Native Americans in the National Geographic Virtual Field Trip: Native American Stories. We traveled to New Mexico where a dedicated conservationist reinvents maps through the Zuni Map Art Project. Then, we visited the Flathead Reservation in Montana where a photographer challenges stereotypes through journalism. And finally, we took a quick trip to Ontario where a 20-year-old artist … Continue reading Virtual Field Trip: Native American Stories
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Black Oklahoma: Tearing down bridges that white supremacy built
Uncovering history is a form of social justice and studying history allows one to make better decisions for their community, city, state, and the world at large. Having a platform to tell our stories our way is a revolutionary act that creates powerful ripple effects of change. Our hope is that this work will inspire leagues of educators and young people to study, uncover, and tell critical stories of justice that have been lost or neglected. Everyone is a storyteller and everyone has an impactful story to share with the world. In the work of social justice, we each must reinvent ourselves as storytellers who have nothing to lose so we can be effective at pushing change forward. Continue reading Black Oklahoma: Tearing down bridges that white supremacy built
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Next Virtual Field Trip Destination? Our Solar System and Beyond!
Explore outer space with this National Geographic Virtual Field Trip! Meet an astrophysicist searching the stars for distant planets, a nonprofit founder making space accessible to young people, and the co-creators of a new solar system graphic that appears in National Geographic magazine. Originally airing live on Wednesday, September 29 at 1 p.m. ET, this Virtual Field Trip is available now on YouTube. The Virtual … Continue reading Next Virtual Field Trip Destination? Our Solar System and Beyond!
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“Investing in Young People Is Investing in the Future”: 5 Youth Leaders Talk Social Change
This year’s summer intern class brings rich insights and experiences to the National Geographic Society. We gathered five of its members to discuss their passion for social change and share lessons for other young people seeking to make a positive impact in their communities. The conversation that follows, in which these youth leaders reflect on their storytelling, community-building, and other work on social change, has … Continue reading “Investing in Young People Is Investing in the Future”: 5 Youth Leaders Talk Social Change
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How We Tell Stories Will Shape Our History, Our Land, and Our People
I love my city. I’m sure you love yours just as much and feel like your community holds the same importance, whether you live in America or somewhere else in the world. And it does, as do the people who live within it. This is the essence of #2892MilestoGo: Take your step to tell the stories within your community that deserve to be heard. Continue reading How We Tell Stories Will Shape Our History, Our Land, and Our People