Attention Educators: Connect Students To Nature With Free Lesson Plans!
Explore Series: The series is produced by explore.org, a philanthropic media organization and a multi-media division of the Annenberg Foundation. Created by filmmaker and philanthropist Charles Annenberg Weingarten to champion the selfless acts of others, inspire lifelong learning and help people fall in love with the world again, explore.org is home to more than 300 original films and a massive library of world-class photography from all over the globe.
Raptor Resource Project:A wealth of knowledge on raptors, non-profit Raptor Resource Project has multiple lesson plans centered around the live peregrine falcon and bald eagle cams. In addition to their lesson plans, check in on the online classroom for scheduled Q&A sessions.
Channel Islands National Park: The national park in California may be closed to visitors, but their curriculum is available and free for anyone to use. For elementary school students, this list of lesson plans will cover a range of topics on oceanography and marine life.
Mpala Research Centre: There is always a good view on our African wildlife live cam network, and Mpala has enriching lesson plans and an excellent field guide for students to learn about the many species of mammals, birds, and reptiles they’ll spot.
Katmai National Park & Preserve: Our internet-famous #BearCam doesn’t go live until the summer, but grade 3–5 students can still access these brown bear lesson plans year-round. Learn all about bear fishing techniques and inherited vs. acquired bear behaviors.
For more ways to incorporate bears into the classroom for 2021, check out the Fat Bear Week in the Classroom lesson plan from our resident naturalist, Mike Fitz.
Polar Bears International: Lesson plans, webcasts, mini courses, school report materials — the fleet of resources available from Polar Bears International is a treasure trove. It’s also the prime time of year for Northern Lights viewing on our arctic live cam library. Join us this spring on their Tundra Connections page for educational live chats every Tuesday and Thursday!
Aquarium of the Pacific: Jellyfish, penguins, and tropical fish are abundant on our 24/7 streaming live cams at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. Check out their multiple teacher resources that use the web cams as a guide for learning.
GRACE (Gorilla Rehabiliation and Conservation Education Center): While students tune in to watch the rescued Grauer’s gorillas at GRACE’s sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they can use this handy identification guide to pinpoint distinguishing features and behaviors exhibited by each gorilla. In addition, GRACE has provided a lesson plan and worksheet to go alongside the viewing of the camera.
OrcaLab: Take in the scenic views of British Colombia while also learning about orcas. OrcaLab has put together a lesson plan for grade 5 students looking to learn about the orcas they see on the livecams!
In addition to these incredible free lesson plans and resources, don’t forget that you can always check in on any of the explore.org’s live cam chat boards to participate in Q&A with our volunteer moderators. Our website is a family-friendly home, and we’re here for you.
