Get ready to step into one of the toughest places on Earth! First watch The Animals of The Gobi Desert, a short clip from the award-winning BBC series Planet Earth. Sir David Attenborough takes you deep into the Gobi Desert, where summers scorch at 122°F and winters freeze at –40°F. You’ll meet the incredible Bactrian camels who survive here by slurping water straight from snow — yes, snow — in the desert!
Once your students have watched the video, invite them to check for understanding with this quick, 8-question quiz!
In Going to School in a War Zone, host Radzi Chinyanganya uncovers harsh realities of living and going to school in Afghanistan, a country that has been embroiled in conflict for decades. This video focuses on the impact of the war on students' education, with a special emphasis on Mohammad's account of life in a war zone where the sound of gunfire and the presence of tanks are a daily occurrence. The episode explores the challenges students face, including the dangers they encounter at school, the fear of being caught in crossfire, and the emotional toll of attending school in such conditions. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In The Rich Feeding Grounds of the Southern Ocean, explore life in the incredible ecosystem of the Southern Ocean. Life flourishes there despite the harsh conditions. Humpback whales use ingenious hunting techniques to feast on krill, the most abundant animal species on Earth. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In The Resilience of Gentoo Penguins, learn how Gentoo penguins show incredible resilience as they face predators, harsh climates, and changing ice conditions to feed and protect their young. From orca chases to the penguins’ first journeys to the sea, the challenges of survival are great in Antarctica’s changing environment. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In Snow Monkeys in the Mountains, narrator Sir David Attenborough introduces the blue-faced, golden-coated snow monkeys, who thrive in the coldest conditions. He explains how these large monkeys use their size to stay warm and rely on the group for survival in harsh, food-scarce winters. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents
In Wombats and Kangaroo in the Snow, learn about the harsh conditions marsupials face in the Great Dividing Range. Kangaroos shelter their young in pouches; wombats can survive on very little food. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In Snow Petrels and Their Life in Antarctica, narrator Sir David Attenborough highlights these resilient birds as they make one of the longest migrations on Earth to find a nesting site in the heart of Antarctica. Petrels brave harsh conditions, defend their territory, and prepare for the challenge of raising their chicks. Once their eggs hatch, parents must make a 600-mile round trip to the ocean to gather food. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In How Musk Oxen Survive in the Arctic, narrator Sir David Attenborough showcases musk oxen in the Arctic and their adaptations for survival in harsh conditions. The musk oxen can break through the frozen ground to access vegetation, creating opportunities for other animals like Arctic foxes and various birds. Calves are birthed early, allowing them to acclimate to their environment before summer arrives. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Winter Survival Strategies of Male Emperor Penguins, narrator Sir David Attenborough details the incredible survival strategies of male emperor penguins during the harsh Antarctic winter. After the females leave, the males form tightly packed groups to protect their eggs from the extreme cold. Facing brutal conditions, the penguins huddle together, constantly shifting to ensure everyone has a chance to stay warm. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Thriving in the Harsh Environment of the Villa Luz Cave, narrator Sir David Attenborough takes us on an expedition into Villa Luz Cave, a place filled with dangerous gases and sulfuric acid. Despite these hazardous conditions, fish, bacteria, and other creatures manage to thrive. Learn about the role of extremophiles, strange formations called snottites, and how bacteria form the basis of the food chain in this toxic environment. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Heart of a Gaucho, host Simon Reeve journeys deep into Patagonia to meet Taibo, a gaucho who spends much of his year alone in the wilderness tending animals and braving harsh conditions. Taibo shares how he’s been a gaucho his entire life, living in an outpost with only the basics, like bread and meat, and enduring winters that can drop to nearly -20°F. Simon learns about the gauchos’ legendary horse-riding skills as Taibo teaches him to ride “gaucho style.” This video is excerpted from BBC’s Wilderness With Simon Reeve, an epic adventure into the heart of Earth’s last great wild areas, where nature is at its most beautiful and fragile.
In How Plants Thrive in Extreme Conditions, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes plants that thrive in some of the harshest places on Earth. The dragon’s blood tree in Socotra uses its unique shape to catch the morning mist and water its roots, while the desert rose stores water in its thick trunk and grows right out of bare rock. Meanwhile, the red mangrove tree survives salty water by filtering out most of the salt through pores, showing how nature helps plants adapt to tough environments! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
Get ready to step into one of the toughest places on Earth! First watch The Animals of The Gobi Desert, a short clip from the award-winning BBC series Planet Earth. Sir David Attenborough takes you deep into the Gobi Desert, where summers scorch at 122°F and winters freeze at –40°F. You’ll meet the incredible Bactrian camels who survive here by slurping water straight from snow — yes, snow — in the desert!
Once your students have watched the video, invite them to check for understanding with this quick, 8-question quiz!
In Going to School in a War Zone, host Radzi Chinyanganya uncovers harsh realities of living and going to school in Afghanistan, a country that has been embroiled in conflict for decades. This video focuses on the impact of the war on students' education, with a special emphasis on Mohammad's account of life in a war zone where the sound of gunfire and the presence of tanks are a daily occurrence. The episode explores the challenges students face, including the dangers they encounter at school, the fear of being caught in crossfire, and the emotional toll of attending school in such conditions. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
In The Rich Feeding Grounds of the Southern Ocean, explore life in the incredible ecosystem of the Southern Ocean. Life flourishes there despite the harsh conditions. Humpback whales use ingenious hunting techniques to feast on krill, the most abundant animal species on Earth. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In The Resilience of Gentoo Penguins, learn how Gentoo penguins show incredible resilience as they face predators, harsh climates, and changing ice conditions to feed and protect their young. From orca chases to the penguins’ first journeys to the sea, the challenges of survival are great in Antarctica’s changing environment. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In Snow Monkeys in the Mountains, narrator Sir David Attenborough introduces the blue-faced, golden-coated snow monkeys, who thrive in the coldest conditions. He explains how these large monkeys use their size to stay warm and rely on the group for survival in harsh, food-scarce winters. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents
In Wombats and Kangaroo in the Snow, learn about the harsh conditions marsupials face in the Great Dividing Range. Kangaroos shelter their young in pouches; wombats can survive on very little food. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In Snow Petrels and Their Life in Antarctica, narrator Sir David Attenborough highlights these resilient birds as they make one of the longest migrations on Earth to find a nesting site in the heart of Antarctica. Petrels brave harsh conditions, defend their territory, and prepare for the challenge of raising their chicks. Once their eggs hatch, parents must make a 600-mile round trip to the ocean to gather food. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In How Musk Oxen Survive in the Arctic, narrator Sir David Attenborough showcases musk oxen in the Arctic and their adaptations for survival in harsh conditions. The musk oxen can break through the frozen ground to access vegetation, creating opportunities for other animals like Arctic foxes and various birds. Calves are birthed early, allowing them to acclimate to their environment before summer arrives. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Winter Survival Strategies of Male Emperor Penguins, narrator Sir David Attenborough details the incredible survival strategies of male emperor penguins during the harsh Antarctic winter. After the females leave, the males form tightly packed groups to protect their eggs from the extreme cold. Facing brutal conditions, the penguins huddle together, constantly shifting to ensure everyone has a chance to stay warm. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Thriving in the Harsh Environment of the Villa Luz Cave, narrator Sir David Attenborough takes us on an expedition into Villa Luz Cave, a place filled with dangerous gases and sulfuric acid. Despite these hazardous conditions, fish, bacteria, and other creatures manage to thrive. Learn about the role of extremophiles, strange formations called snottites, and how bacteria form the basis of the food chain in this toxic environment. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Heart of a Gaucho, host Simon Reeve journeys deep into Patagonia to meet Taibo, a gaucho who spends much of his year alone in the wilderness tending animals and braving harsh conditions. Taibo shares how he’s been a gaucho his entire life, living in an outpost with only the basics, like bread and meat, and enduring winters that can drop to nearly -20°F. Simon learns about the gauchos’ legendary horse-riding skills as Taibo teaches him to ride “gaucho style.” This video is excerpted from BBC’s Wilderness With Simon Reeve, an epic adventure into the heart of Earth’s last great wild areas, where nature is at its most beautiful and fragile.
In How Plants Thrive in Extreme Conditions, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes plants that thrive in some of the harshest places on Earth. The dragon’s blood tree in Socotra uses its unique shape to catch the morning mist and water its roots, while the desert rose stores water in its thick trunk and grows right out of bare rock. Meanwhile, the red mangrove tree survives salty water by filtering out most of the salt through pores, showing how nature helps plants adapt to tough environments! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.