Guide your students on a journey through the desert ecosystem! From the sweeping sands of the Namib and Kalahari in southern Africa, to the dry heart of Australia’s Outback, and the rocky cold of the Gobi, deserts come in many forms.
✨ Perfect for grades 3–8, here’s what you need to bring ecosystems to life:
- Iconic BBC Videos: Share the clips on this page to introduce the location, plants, animals, and climate of the desert. (Don't miss the lions and lizards!) Brought to you by world-class BBC programs like Planet Earth, Wilderness With Simon Reeve, Africa, and Seven Worlds, One Planet.
- Free Printable: Use the Desert Brochure Template to help students pull it all together in an ecosystem report with facts they’ve learned (and a little extra research).
It’s everything you need to make ecosystems easy to teach and truly memorable for your students.
“Not all heroes wear capes.” Some might be found in grease-stained jumpsuits, like mechanic Jamie Howell, who spends his spare time finding stolen motorbikes. But Howell isn’t doing it to build himself an impressive collection. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Having your bike stolen is not only inconvenient and scary, it’s often heartbreaking. Having experienced firsthand the joy and the value of riding a motorcycle, Howell is working to return that privilege to the people that have had their bikes taken.
But he doesn’t just drive around shouting “Marco,” and waiting for a Harley to roar back “Polo.” Instead, he visits known “dumping grounds” for stolen bikes, where thieves ditch bikes for a couple of days if they suspect they have trackers, before coming back to collect the bikes, often using them to steal even more bike. It’s like using celery to eat… something else that’s as gross as celery.
After recovering a bike, Howell can help find its owner and reunite them. You might think that in today’s world of constant surveillance footage, fewer people would even try to get away with theft. In reality, bike thieves can strike quickly and in broad daylight, and sometimes they can’t even be prosecuted by police (even if there’s video footage) if they have their faces covered.
Move over, Superman. There are new heroes flying through the sky! The women of London’s Air Ambulance fly helicopters staffed with medical crews that take to the skies to save lives and inspire people everywhere. Not only do these teams provide critical care to people in need, but they also shape future generations by demonstrating what’s possible for women. But, it’s not specific to inspiring kids. A current pilot actually came from a full career as an accountant before moving from The Cloud to the clouds.
As impressive as it already is, the company is always striving to improve. They’ve recently gotten a team together to operate an ECMO, a life-support system for patients with severe, life-threatening heart or lung failure. Everyone works as a team to make sure patients get transported quickly and safely. The pilots not only fly the choppers but are instrumental in helping the medical team get set up for success and allowing them to focus on the patients.
Cholesterol is tricky — your body needs the waxy substance to build cells and make hormones, but there’s a bad type of cholesterol called “LDL” (low-density lipoprotein). Too much LDL can put people at risk for heart attacks or stroke, so controlling cholesterol levels can be life-saving.
Luckily, a new gene editing therapy called VERVE-102 may be able to help with high cholesterol. There’s a trial running now that’s small but mighty, involving only 35 patients, all of whom have either inherited high cholesterol or have had a heart attack at a young age. They continued their regular medication but added this new gene editing therapy to their treatment.
Not only did results show levels of bad cholesterol reduced by up to 62%, but the level continued to remain low after a year, suggesting that patients may only need one treatment to feel the effects of this treatment for the rest of their lives. Is it magic? Close! It’s science!
The idea behind the gene editing plays off of the liver’s role. It’s supposed to clear bad cholesterol from the blood and stop it from clogging up vessels, unless a protein called PCSK9 gets in the way. PCSK9! It even kind of sounds like “pesky”! The new medicine edits PCSK9’s gene, so that it stays out of the way and the liver can do its job.
Journey into the heart of the rainforest and explore the four amazing layers that make this ecosystem so unique. From the sunlit emergent layer high above the trees to the dark and humid forest floor below, students will discover how different plants and animals survive and thrive in each part of the rainforest.
This Kahoot examines the rainforest’s distinct layers — the emergent layer, canopy, understory, and forest floor — and the important roles they play in supporting biodiversity. Students will learn how animals adapt to life at different heights, how plants compete for sunlight and water, and how all the layers work together to create one of the richest ecosystems on Earth.
Watch the related BBC videos (below), then invite your Grade 3–8 students to test their knowledge and uncover the wonders hidden within each layer of the rainforest.
It may only be the size of your fist, but your heart is one of the hardest-working organs in your body. It beats nonstop — whether you’re running laps, laughing with friends, or fast asleep. This Valentine’s season, show your heart a little love by learning what makes it tick.
Think you know what an artery does? Or how long does it take for blood to complete a full circuit through the human body? Get ready for a quiz full of fascinating facts, surprising science, and a few twists that might make your pulse race!
Get swept up in the drama of Earth’s extreme weather! This BBC video clip collection — featuring clips from Blue Planet, Blue Planet II, and other acclaimed BBC series — takes you into the heart of hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and more. Discover how these powerful forces shape our planet, challenge wildlife, and reveal the awe-inspiring power of nature.
Get ready to meet some of the fluffiest, funniest, and most fascinating pets around! In this special collection from My Pet and Me, hosts Ferne Corrigan and Rory Crawford introduce us to animals with big personalities and even bigger hearts, from talkative Siamese cats and stylish poodles to gentle donkeys and deaf dogs who don’t let anything hold them back.
Each episode celebrates the joy of having a pet while teaching kids how to care for animals with kindness, patience, and curiosity. Whether you're learning how to groom a pony or discovering how a station cat spends her day, this collection highlights the many ways pets enrich our lives and how we can return the favor.
Get ready for cuteness overload with this heartwarming playlist of baby animal videos! Watch ducklings wobble, elephants splash, wildebeests race, seals snooze, and otters play with endless charm. Perfect for captivating your class while sneaking in a little science, these clips will have your students saying “aww” while you say, “This totally counts as learning!”
In The Heart and Lungs of the World, host Radzi Chinyanganya explains how the Amazon rainforest plays a critical role in regulating the Earth's climate by recycling water from the trees into the atmosphere. The Amazon takes in and pumps out water, which creates moisture that forms clouds and produces rain. With 400 billion trees cycling water, this process significantly influences global weather patterns, including rainfall in regions far from the rainforest itself, such as the United States’ Midwest. 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.
Way above the noise and traffic of New York City, rooftops are being transformed into something unexpected— farms in the sky. What used to be empty, unused space is now filled with soil, vegetables, herbs, and community gardens, all with a sweeping view of the skyline.
Some of these rooftop farms use over 200,000 pounds of soil and grow around 30 different crops, turning concrete rooftops into living green spaces. Fresh food is being grown right in the heart of the city — so local it can go from roof to table in the same neighborhood.
But these gardens aren’t just about food. They help the city work better in quiet but powerful ways. They soak up rainwater to reduce flooding and ease pressure on sewer systems during storms. They also help cool buildings in the summer, which can lower energy use and costs.
And beyond the science, rooftop gardens have another impact: they’re peaceful, beautiful places that bring nature into one of the busiest cities in the world — showing that even in a concrete jungle, something green can still grow.
The article "Can Eating Chili Peppers Help You Live Longer?" from BBC's Science Focus reveals research that links regular chili pepper consumption with lower chances of dying from heart disease, cancer, or any cause. Drawing from large-scale studies across several countries, the findings suggest spicy food could play a role in improving overall health.
Guide your students on a journey through the desert ecosystem! From the sweeping sands of the Namib and Kalahari in southern Africa, to the dry heart of Australia’s Outback, and the rocky cold of the Gobi, deserts come in many forms.
✨ Perfect for grades 3–8, here’s what you need to bring ecosystems to life:
- Iconic BBC Videos: Share the clips on this page to introduce the location, plants, animals, and climate of the desert. (Don't miss the lions and lizards!) Brought to you by world-class BBC programs like Planet Earth, Wilderness With Simon Reeve, Africa, and Seven Worlds, One Planet.
- Free Printable: Use the Desert Brochure Template to help students pull it all together in an ecosystem report with facts they’ve learned (and a little extra research).
It’s everything you need to make ecosystems easy to teach and truly memorable for your students.
“Not all heroes wear capes.” Some might be found in grease-stained jumpsuits, like mechanic Jamie Howell, who spends his spare time finding stolen motorbikes. But Howell isn’t doing it to build himself an impressive collection. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Having your bike stolen is not only inconvenient and scary, it’s often heartbreaking. Having experienced firsthand the joy and the value of riding a motorcycle, Howell is working to return that privilege to the people that have had their bikes taken.
But he doesn’t just drive around shouting “Marco,” and waiting for a Harley to roar back “Polo.” Instead, he visits known “dumping grounds” for stolen bikes, where thieves ditch bikes for a couple of days if they suspect they have trackers, before coming back to collect the bikes, often using them to steal even more bike. It’s like using celery to eat… something else that’s as gross as celery.
After recovering a bike, Howell can help find its owner and reunite them. You might think that in today’s world of constant surveillance footage, fewer people would even try to get away with theft. In reality, bike thieves can strike quickly and in broad daylight, and sometimes they can’t even be prosecuted by police (even if there’s video footage) if they have their faces covered.
Move over, Superman. There are new heroes flying through the sky! The women of London’s Air Ambulance fly helicopters staffed with medical crews that take to the skies to save lives and inspire people everywhere. Not only do these teams provide critical care to people in need, but they also shape future generations by demonstrating what’s possible for women. But, it’s not specific to inspiring kids. A current pilot actually came from a full career as an accountant before moving from The Cloud to the clouds.
As impressive as it already is, the company is always striving to improve. They’ve recently gotten a team together to operate an ECMO, a life-support system for patients with severe, life-threatening heart or lung failure. Everyone works as a team to make sure patients get transported quickly and safely. The pilots not only fly the choppers but are instrumental in helping the medical team get set up for success and allowing them to focus on the patients.
Cholesterol is tricky — your body needs the waxy substance to build cells and make hormones, but there’s a bad type of cholesterol called “LDL” (low-density lipoprotein). Too much LDL can put people at risk for heart attacks or stroke, so controlling cholesterol levels can be life-saving.
Luckily, a new gene editing therapy called VERVE-102 may be able to help with high cholesterol. There’s a trial running now that’s small but mighty, involving only 35 patients, all of whom have either inherited high cholesterol or have had a heart attack at a young age. They continued their regular medication but added this new gene editing therapy to their treatment.
Not only did results show levels of bad cholesterol reduced by up to 62%, but the level continued to remain low after a year, suggesting that patients may only need one treatment to feel the effects of this treatment for the rest of their lives. Is it magic? Close! It’s science!
The idea behind the gene editing plays off of the liver’s role. It’s supposed to clear bad cholesterol from the blood and stop it from clogging up vessels, unless a protein called PCSK9 gets in the way. PCSK9! It even kind of sounds like “pesky”! The new medicine edits PCSK9’s gene, so that it stays out of the way and the liver can do its job.
Journey into the heart of the rainforest and explore the four amazing layers that make this ecosystem so unique. From the sunlit emergent layer high above the trees to the dark and humid forest floor below, students will discover how different plants and animals survive and thrive in each part of the rainforest.
This Kahoot examines the rainforest’s distinct layers — the emergent layer, canopy, understory, and forest floor — and the important roles they play in supporting biodiversity. Students will learn how animals adapt to life at different heights, how plants compete for sunlight and water, and how all the layers work together to create one of the richest ecosystems on Earth.
Watch the related BBC videos (below), then invite your Grade 3–8 students to test their knowledge and uncover the wonders hidden within each layer of the rainforest.
It may only be the size of your fist, but your heart is one of the hardest-working organs in your body. It beats nonstop — whether you’re running laps, laughing with friends, or fast asleep. This Valentine’s season, show your heart a little love by learning what makes it tick.
Think you know what an artery does? Or how long does it take for blood to complete a full circuit through the human body? Get ready for a quiz full of fascinating facts, surprising science, and a few twists that might make your pulse race!
Get swept up in the drama of Earth’s extreme weather! This BBC video clip collection — featuring clips from Blue Planet, Blue Planet II, and other acclaimed BBC series — takes you into the heart of hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and more. Discover how these powerful forces shape our planet, challenge wildlife, and reveal the awe-inspiring power of nature.
Get ready to meet some of the fluffiest, funniest, and most fascinating pets around! In this special collection from My Pet and Me, hosts Ferne Corrigan and Rory Crawford introduce us to animals with big personalities and even bigger hearts, from talkative Siamese cats and stylish poodles to gentle donkeys and deaf dogs who don’t let anything hold them back.
Each episode celebrates the joy of having a pet while teaching kids how to care for animals with kindness, patience, and curiosity. Whether you're learning how to groom a pony or discovering how a station cat spends her day, this collection highlights the many ways pets enrich our lives and how we can return the favor.
Get ready for cuteness overload with this heartwarming playlist of baby animal videos! Watch ducklings wobble, elephants splash, wildebeests race, seals snooze, and otters play with endless charm. Perfect for captivating your class while sneaking in a little science, these clips will have your students saying “aww” while you say, “This totally counts as learning!”
In The Heart and Lungs of the World, host Radzi Chinyanganya explains how the Amazon rainforest plays a critical role in regulating the Earth's climate by recycling water from the trees into the atmosphere. The Amazon takes in and pumps out water, which creates moisture that forms clouds and produces rain. With 400 billion trees cycling water, this process significantly influences global weather patterns, including rainfall in regions far from the rainforest itself, such as the United States’ Midwest. 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.
Way above the noise and traffic of New York City, rooftops are being transformed into something unexpected— farms in the sky. What used to be empty, unused space is now filled with soil, vegetables, herbs, and community gardens, all with a sweeping view of the skyline.
Some of these rooftop farms use over 200,000 pounds of soil and grow around 30 different crops, turning concrete rooftops into living green spaces. Fresh food is being grown right in the heart of the city — so local it can go from roof to table in the same neighborhood.
But these gardens aren’t just about food. They help the city work better in quiet but powerful ways. They soak up rainwater to reduce flooding and ease pressure on sewer systems during storms. They also help cool buildings in the summer, which can lower energy use and costs.
And beyond the science, rooftop gardens have another impact: they’re peaceful, beautiful places that bring nature into one of the busiest cities in the world — showing that even in a concrete jungle, something green can still grow.
The article "Can Eating Chili Peppers Help You Live Longer?" from BBC's Science Focus reveals research that links regular chili pepper consumption with lower chances of dying from heart disease, cancer, or any cause. Drawing from large-scale studies across several countries, the findings suggest spicy food could play a role in improving overall health.