Featured Science/Environment Resources
Videos
In Myths and Discoveries About Blood, Dr. Michael Mosley introduces the science, history, and mystery behind blood and its life-giving role in the human body. Learn how blood has inspired myths about immortality and healing, while modern science begins to uncover its true functions and potential. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Wonderful World of Blood, in which Dr. Michael Mosley carries out six experiments on his own blood, from starving it of oxygen to injecting it with snake venom.
In Making Smart Choices for Our Planet, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how important it is to understand and take care of the natural world as we rely on it for things like air, food, and even our happiness. As the world’s population grows, we are using more and more resources like water and food sources, which could lead to problems in the future. But there’s hope! If we use science and technology wisely, we can make better choices and live more sustainably, helping the Earth for future generations. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Horizon: How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?, which explores the challenges of supporting a growing global population.
In The Gravity-Defying Design of the Caracal Cat, narrator Suranne Jones looks at the perfect design of the caracal, a wild cat, that allows it to leap upwards, defying gravity and catching birds in flight. Even more amazing is how the cat uses its flexible spine to twist its body two different ways so that it can push off itself and land on its feet no matter what. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Life in the Air, a documentary about animals that take to the sky.
In A Pedal Power Test, Jem is building a small plane powered by pedaling, but he needs to generate 350 watts to get it off the ground. After testing with Dr. Brickley, he discovers he can only produce 275 watts. The doctor believes with some training, Jem can increase his wattage and make his flying dream possible! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory, a series that delves into the ways science impacts our lives and shapes the world we experience every day.
In Myths and Discoveries About Blood, Dr. Michael Mosley introduces the science, history, and mystery behind blood and its life-giving role in the human body. Learn how blood has inspired myths about immortality and healing, while modern science begins to uncover its true functions and potential. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Wonderful World of Blood, in which Dr. Michael Mosley carries out six experiments on his own blood, from starving it of oxygen to injecting it with snake venom.
In Making Smart Choices for Our Planet, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how important it is to understand and take care of the natural world as we rely on it for things like air, food, and even our happiness. As the world’s population grows, we are using more and more resources like water and food sources, which could lead to problems in the future. But there’s hope! If we use science and technology wisely, we can make better choices and live more sustainably, helping the Earth for future generations. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Horizon: How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?, which explores the challenges of supporting a growing global population.
In The Gravity-Defying Design of the Caracal Cat, narrator Suranne Jones looks at the perfect design of the caracal, a wild cat, that allows it to leap upwards, defying gravity and catching birds in flight. Even more amazing is how the cat uses its flexible spine to twist its body two different ways so that it can push off itself and land on its feet no matter what. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Life in the Air, a documentary about animals that take to the sky.
In A Pedal Power Test, Jem is building a small plane powered by pedaling, but he needs to generate 350 watts to get it off the ground. After testing with Dr. Brickley, he discovers he can only produce 275 watts. The doctor believes with some training, Jem can increase his wattage and make his flying dream possible! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory, a series that delves into the ways science impacts our lives and shapes the world we experience every day.
Printables
Everyone loves a nature walk! Take your PreK–Grade 2 students outside to observe the world around them. With these worksheets on a clipboard, you can make your nature walk more focused and a true learning experience (in addition to being loads of fun!).
- Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt: Students look for a leaf, flower, bird, and more. They can check off each item they find and then color them when they get back to the classroom.
- Nature Walk Observations: Encourage your kids to draw and write what they see on their nature walk.
- Nature Walk I Spy: Challenge your students to find something that smells good, something round, something tiny, something rough, something green, and something that flies.
- Nature Walk Report: When you get back to the room, have your kids draw and write about what they saw on their nature walk.
We designed these worksheets for use in grades 3–8. Show one of our many short animal videos, and use the worksheets to get students to synthesize and extend their learning. Students can choose which worksheet to complete based on their interests, or you can assign one that best fits their learning needs.
This Planet Earth Passport is your students' perfect guide (just right for ages 8–11) to exploring some of the most-watched videos clips from the iconic BBC series Planet Earth. And it's right in time for Earth Day on April 22!
You can take part by showing your class our playlist of eight amazing animal videos and using our passport as a companion. Students will follow the map to each location and answer questions at each stop. They'll explore:
- Polar Bears in Antarctica
- Bobcats in the Rocky Mountains
- Catfish in France
- Marine Iguanas in the Galápagos
- Cave Swiftlets in Borneo
- Mouse Lemurs in Madagascar
- Dolphins in Western Australia
- Emperor Penguins in Antarctica
To make copies of the passport, print on both sides flipped on the long edge. Make sure you collate and then cut them in half (there are two passports per set).
Teaching ecosystems helps students see how every living thing is connected. That's why we've created our Ecosystems Collection. We cover six ecosystems (grasslands, desert, coral reef, tropical rainforest, mountain, and polar). After watching videos on each ecosystem, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful reports filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) There's a brochure template for each of the six ecosystems. Inside, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Everyone loves a nature walk! Take your PreK–Grade 2 students outside to observe the world around them. With these worksheets on a clipboard, you can make your nature walk more focused and a true learning experience (in addition to being loads of fun!).
- Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt: Students look for a leaf, flower, bird, and more. They can check off each item they find and then color them when they get back to the classroom.
- Nature Walk Observations: Encourage your kids to draw and write what they see on their nature walk.
- Nature Walk I Spy: Challenge your students to find something that smells good, something round, something tiny, something rough, something green, and something that flies.
- Nature Walk Report: When you get back to the room, have your kids draw and write about what they saw on their nature walk.
We designed these worksheets for use in grades 3–8. Show one of our many short animal videos, and use the worksheets to get students to synthesize and extend their learning. Students can choose which worksheet to complete based on their interests, or you can assign one that best fits their learning needs.
This Planet Earth Passport is your students' perfect guide (just right for ages 8–11) to exploring some of the most-watched videos clips from the iconic BBC series Planet Earth. And it's right in time for Earth Day on April 22!
You can take part by showing your class our playlist of eight amazing animal videos and using our passport as a companion. Students will follow the map to each location and answer questions at each stop. They'll explore:
- Polar Bears in Antarctica
- Bobcats in the Rocky Mountains
- Catfish in France
- Marine Iguanas in the Galápagos
- Cave Swiftlets in Borneo
- Mouse Lemurs in Madagascar
- Dolphins in Western Australia
- Emperor Penguins in Antarctica
To make copies of the passport, print on both sides flipped on the long edge. Make sure you collate and then cut them in half (there are two passports per set).
Teaching ecosystems helps students see how every living thing is connected. That's why we've created our Ecosystems Collection. We cover six ecosystems (grasslands, desert, coral reef, tropical rainforest, mountain, and polar). After watching videos on each ecosystem, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful reports filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) There's a brochure template for each of the six ecosystems. Inside, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Leveled Student Articles
The article "Habitats and Ecosystems: Understanding Their Differences and Impact on Biodiversity" from BBC's Discover Wildlife explains the differences between habitats, ecosystems, environments, and niches, as well as how these concepts affect biodiversity and the importance of understanding them for conservation efforts.
The article "Why Do Some Animals Glow? The Amazing Science of Bioluminescence" from BBC's Discover Wildlife explains how animals like glow-worms, squid, and fireflies produce light using special chemicals. It explores the role of luciferins and luciferase, the different colors of glow, and how creatures use this glow for communication, hunting, or self-defense.
The article "Is It True That the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans Don’t Mix?" from BBC's Science Focus debunks the viral myth that these two oceans remain separate. It explains how their waters do mix due to ocean currents and salinity differences.
The article "Top 10: Biggest Dog Breeds in the World" from BBC's Science Focus lists some of the largest dog breeds, discussing their sizes, temperaments, and roles. From Great Danes to Saint Bernards, these massive canines require special care but are also known for their loyalty and companionship.
The article "Habitats and Ecosystems: Understanding Their Differences and Impact on Biodiversity" from BBC's Discover Wildlife explains the differences between habitats, ecosystems, environments, and niches, as well as how these concepts affect biodiversity and the importance of understanding them for conservation efforts.
The article "Why Do Some Animals Glow? The Amazing Science of Bioluminescence" from BBC's Discover Wildlife explains how animals like glow-worms, squid, and fireflies produce light using special chemicals. It explores the role of luciferins and luciferase, the different colors of glow, and how creatures use this glow for communication, hunting, or self-defense.
The article "Is It True That the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans Don’t Mix?" from BBC's Science Focus debunks the viral myth that these two oceans remain separate. It explains how their waters do mix due to ocean currents and salinity differences.
The article "Top 10: Biggest Dog Breeds in the World" from BBC's Science Focus lists some of the largest dog breeds, discussing their sizes, temperaments, and roles. From Great Danes to Saint Bernards, these massive canines require special care but are also known for their loyalty and companionship.