Meet Ranger Hamza, beloved host of BBC's Ranger Hamza's EcoQuest, and his faithful Ramblers. In these short video clips, your young nature explorers can learn all about the natural world around them, from birds and insects to flowers and trees. Make sure you follow up with your own nature walk, and don't miss our free nature walk worksheets!
Bright, delicate, and full of surprises, butterflies are more than just beautiful insects — they’re masters of transformation. Starting life as tiny eggs, they go through an incredible metamorphosis before emerging with colorful wings that help them migrate, absorb sunlight, and regulate their body temperature.
From caterpillars to spiracles, this is a great quiz to help students ages 8–14 become butterfly know-it-alls.
Dive into this curated playlist of clips from Got Science?, the BBC’s magazine-style series that unpacks the science behind everyday life. From why we melt at baby animals to why scary movies make us jump, each episode reveals the surprising biology and behavior shaping our world. Students can explore questions like why flies are nearly impossible to catch and why bedbugs are so tough to defeat. Every video includes discussion questions, writing prompts, and more to spark curiosity and critical thinking in middle and high school classrooms.
Around the world, over one-third of the grass that grows will be harvested by insects! First watch The Industrious Insects of the Grasslands, a short clip from the award-winning BBC series Planet Earth. Sir David Attenborough introduces you to grass cutter ants, who harvest grass to feed underground fungus that they feed upon, and termites, who can digest grass and in turn become food for the giant anteater.
Once your students have watched the video, invite them to check for understanding with this quick, 8-question quiz!
Bug inspectors! Bingo and Lila are keeping an eye on the bugs on their water slide. They need to make sure Dad doesn’t squish them with his bum! Can you find five leaf bugs, shiny bugs, grasshoppers, ants, caterpillars, rainbowy bugs, and ladybugs?
Inspired by Season 3, Episode 46 "Slide": Bingo and Lila are excited to play on their new waterslide, but first they have to make sure they don’t squish any bugs.
Aw, look at these little critters. Just snip, roll and stick to make a butterfly, dragonfly, or a ladybug. Too easy! You'll need your own popsicles sticks. Here's what you'll do:
- Cut out the bits on the page. Glue the wings to the sticks first! Then roll and stick on the bodies. Make sure to leave a gap at the top of each stick for the head.
- Roll the heads into smaller loops and tape shut. Then curl the antennae (feelers!) around a pencil and glue them on top of the heads.
- Tape the heads at the top of the sticks. Ding ching! Say hello to your bug friends!
Discover the amazing hunting techniques of cave glow worms, witness the transformation of lake fly midges, and delve into the mysteries of bioluminescence in the jungle night. Prepare for a close-up look at the miniature marvels all around us!
The article "Millions of Insects Squeeze Through a Narrow Mountain Pass in the Pyrenees Each Year!" from BBC's Discover Wildlife reveals how over 17 million insects migrate through a narrow mountain pass in the Pyrenees each autumn.
The article "Eating Insects Is Good for Your Gut" from BBC's Science Focus reveals the findings of a clinical trial that shows that eating insects can increase beneficial gut bacteria and reduce inflammation, offering potential health benefits beyond their nutritional value.
The article "Secrets of Metamorphosis: Why Some Animals Transform" from BBC's Discover Wildlife explains why certain animals undergo dramatic changes while others retain the same form throughout life. Evolutionary biologist JV Chamary explores the biological and ecological advantages of metamorphosis.
In The Future of Cotton-Topped Tamarins, learn how over 95% of Colombia's lowland forest has been cleared. Some cotton-topped tamarins are now cut off from the rest of their species, and this, together with fewer insects for them to eat, has made them endangered. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Meet Ranger Hamza, beloved host of BBC's Ranger Hamza's EcoQuest, and his faithful Ramblers. In these short video clips, your young nature explorers can learn all about the natural world around them, from birds and insects to flowers and trees. Make sure you follow up with your own nature walk, and don't miss our free nature walk worksheets!
Bright, delicate, and full of surprises, butterflies are more than just beautiful insects — they’re masters of transformation. Starting life as tiny eggs, they go through an incredible metamorphosis before emerging with colorful wings that help them migrate, absorb sunlight, and regulate their body temperature.
From caterpillars to spiracles, this is a great quiz to help students ages 8–14 become butterfly know-it-alls.
Dive into this curated playlist of clips from Got Science?, the BBC’s magazine-style series that unpacks the science behind everyday life. From why we melt at baby animals to why scary movies make us jump, each episode reveals the surprising biology and behavior shaping our world. Students can explore questions like why flies are nearly impossible to catch and why bedbugs are so tough to defeat. Every video includes discussion questions, writing prompts, and more to spark curiosity and critical thinking in middle and high school classrooms.
Around the world, over one-third of the grass that grows will be harvested by insects! First watch The Industrious Insects of the Grasslands, a short clip from the award-winning BBC series Planet Earth. Sir David Attenborough introduces you to grass cutter ants, who harvest grass to feed underground fungus that they feed upon, and termites, who can digest grass and in turn become food for the giant anteater.
Once your students have watched the video, invite them to check for understanding with this quick, 8-question quiz!
Bug inspectors! Bingo and Lila are keeping an eye on the bugs on their water slide. They need to make sure Dad doesn’t squish them with his bum! Can you find five leaf bugs, shiny bugs, grasshoppers, ants, caterpillars, rainbowy bugs, and ladybugs?
Inspired by Season 3, Episode 46 "Slide": Bingo and Lila are excited to play on their new waterslide, but first they have to make sure they don’t squish any bugs.
Aw, look at these little critters. Just snip, roll and stick to make a butterfly, dragonfly, or a ladybug. Too easy! You'll need your own popsicles sticks. Here's what you'll do:
- Cut out the bits on the page. Glue the wings to the sticks first! Then roll and stick on the bodies. Make sure to leave a gap at the top of each stick for the head.
- Roll the heads into smaller loops and tape shut. Then curl the antennae (feelers!) around a pencil and glue them on top of the heads.
- Tape the heads at the top of the sticks. Ding ching! Say hello to your bug friends!
Discover the amazing hunting techniques of cave glow worms, witness the transformation of lake fly midges, and delve into the mysteries of bioluminescence in the jungle night. Prepare for a close-up look at the miniature marvels all around us!
The article "Millions of Insects Squeeze Through a Narrow Mountain Pass in the Pyrenees Each Year!" from BBC's Discover Wildlife reveals how over 17 million insects migrate through a narrow mountain pass in the Pyrenees each autumn.
The article "Eating Insects Is Good for Your Gut" from BBC's Science Focus reveals the findings of a clinical trial that shows that eating insects can increase beneficial gut bacteria and reduce inflammation, offering potential health benefits beyond their nutritional value.
The article "Secrets of Metamorphosis: Why Some Animals Transform" from BBC's Discover Wildlife explains why certain animals undergo dramatic changes while others retain the same form throughout life. Evolutionary biologist JV Chamary explores the biological and ecological advantages of metamorphosis.
In The Future of Cotton-Topped Tamarins, learn how over 95% of Colombia's lowland forest has been cleared. Some cotton-topped tamarins are now cut off from the rest of their species, and this, together with fewer insects for them to eat, has made them endangered. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.