In JoJo and Gran Gran Celebrate Creole Day, JoJo and her grandmother attend a Creole Day celebration. Jojo learns songs in the Creole language. Real kids learn a dance and get dressed to perform! This video is excerpted from BBC’s JoJo & Gran Gran, a children's animated television series following JoJo, an inquisitive and cheerful 4-and-a-half-year-old girl and her loving Gran Gran, who always has something new to teach her.
In Hey Blackbird, City Bird!, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers search for a bird that has adapted to life in the city — the blackbird! They experience one way that the blackbird has adapted to life in the city: by singing. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In Listen and Look! Searching for Songbirds, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers use their five senses to try to find blackbirds and learn about this interesting songbird. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
Shout of the number when you see the Numberblocks' pictures.
"I'm number 1 and this is fun! I've gone 1 block to play with and the whole of me is 1."
"I'm number 2, how do you do? I've got blocks to play with and the whole of me is 2. Look! 1 is part of me and 1 is part of me... and the whole of me is 2."
Watch full episodes of Numberblocks on their official YouTube channel!
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Story in Song introduces students to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement through music, humor, and powerful historical images. Told as a song, the video shares key moments from Dr. King’s life and his leadership in the fight for equality in a way that is clear, memorable, and engaging for students.
Excerpted from BBC’s Horrible Histories — a multi-award-winning musical and sketch comedy series — this short video uses a familiar, student-friendly format to help make an important part of U.S. history easier to understand. The combination of lyrics, visuals, and real moments from the era helps students connect with the ideas of fairness, courage, and peaceful protest.
At just two and a half minutes, this video is ideal for classrooms. Use it as a quick introduction to Martin Luther King Jr., a lively entry point into the Civil Rights Movement, or a meaningful way to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It works well as a lesson opener, a review tool, or a discussion starter about how people have worked together to create change in a democracy.
When you join your school band, you probably expect to perform in your school auditorium for friends and family. No shade to Gramps, but imagine the excitement when a group of kids learned that they were going to be performing at the massive Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool Football Club. Multiply that by 10,000,000, and that’s a fraction of what they may have felt when they learned they would be performing a Foo Fighters song there FOR the Foo Fighters!
The Bell Tower Beats is a band from Anfield Road Primary School, who had the pleasure (and pressure) of playing "Times Like These" by the Foo Fighters for the actual members of the Foo Fighters. The performance was organized by a year three teacher, and has gone viral on news and media sources. Not only was the performance fun, but it helped bring attention to the opportunity to join the school band.
Sápmi stretches across the far north of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia’s Kola Peninsula, and it’s home to the Sámi, the Indigenous people of the region. Watch the BBC video clips to see how Sámi families have followed reindeer herds across the tundra for centuries, why their bright traditional clothing (gákti) can show where someone comes from, and how joik, a traditional form of song, is used to express a person, place, or feeling. Then take the Kahoot to test what you’ve learned, including how a warming Arctic is making snow, ice, and grazing land harder to predict, and what that means for a way of life built around them.
Teachers: Show the BBC clips as a class before playing the Kahoot live or assign both for independent learning. It fits units on Indigenous peoples, European geography, or climate change, and gives students a concrete example of how a warming planet affects real communities.
During the War of 1812, the United States fought Great Britain over issues including the impressment of American sailors, restrictions on trade, and British support for Indigenous resistance to American expansion. In September 1814, British forces attacked Baltimore, Maryland, targeting Fort McHenry at the entrance to the city's harbor. After a bombardment that lasted through the night, the fort remained in American hands. The sight of the American flag flying over the fort the next morning became a symbol of the nation's resilience during the conflict.
Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer who witnessed the bombardment while detained aboard a British ship, was inspired to write a poem about the flag's survival. Originally titled "Defence of Fort M'Henry," the poem was later set to music and became known as "The Star-Spangled Banner." The song grew in popularity over the following decades and was officially designated the U.S. national anthem in 1931. Its origins connect a pivotal moment in the War of 1812 with the development of an enduring national symbol.
In Sarah and Duck Bake a Cake, Sarah and Duck are baking a special cake for Duck’s birthday! They mix flour, milk, and baking powder to make it big and fluffy — but oops! The batter spills! Luckily, the cake starts talking and helps them fix it. When the cake comes out of the oven, Sarah realizes it’s now the cake’s birthday, too! So Sarah, Duck, and the talking cake go to the park to celebrate with songs and fruit loaf. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Sarah & Duck, a kids' show about the adventures between 7-year-old Sarah and her quacky, flappy best friend, Duck.
In Billie Holiday and Strange Fruit, host Kathleen Turner recounts how Holiday’s song “Strange Fruit” became an iconic protest anthem during the Civil Rights Movement. Despite struggles with addiction, police harassment, and being blacklisted, Holiday's bravery and artistry made a lasting impact. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
Happy holidays! With so many celebrations all over the globe during this season, it's the perfect time to teach your Grade 3–5 students about winter holidays around the world. Make copies of this mini-book (simply print on both sides flipped on the short edge, stack, and fold to assemble) for your students and invite them to read about each holiday and complete a simple report page full of questions, coloring, drawing, favorite facts, and more. Here are the eight winter holidays covered:
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Diwali: A Hindu Festival of Lights celebrating the victory of light over darkness, with lamps, fireworks, and family gatherings.
-
St. Lucia Day: A Scandinavian holiday honoring St. Lucia, featuring processions with candles and special buns to bring light during the dark winter.
-
Las Posadas: A Mexican tradition reenacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, celebrated with processions, songs, and parties.
-
Hanukkah: A Jewish holiday celebrating the miracle of the Temple’s menorah oil lasting eight days, marked with candles, dreidel games, and fried foods.
-
Winter Solstice: The shortest day and longest night of the year, celebrated by many cultures as the return of the sun with feasts and light-themed traditions.
-
Christmas: A Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, often marked with gift-giving, decorations, and family gatherings.
-
Kwanzaa: A weeklong African American celebration honoring African heritage and the Seven Principles through candles, reflection, and community activities.
-
Lunar New Year: An Asian cultural holiday welcoming the new year on the lunar calendar, celebrated with family reunions, special foods, and traditions for good luck.
The article "Humpback Whales: Giants of the Ocean and Their Amazing Behavior" from BBC's Discover Wildlife explains the extraordinary lives of humpback whales. These giant marine mammals, known for their acrobatic leaps and complex songs, migrate across oceans, exhibit cooperative feeding behaviors like bubble-netting, and communicate in ways that mystify scientists. Despite their size, they are gentle giants, and their populations have made a remarkable recovery since the whaling industry nearly decimated them.
In JoJo and Gran Gran Celebrate Creole Day, JoJo and her grandmother attend a Creole Day celebration. Jojo learns songs in the Creole language. Real kids learn a dance and get dressed to perform! This video is excerpted from BBC’s JoJo & Gran Gran, a children's animated television series following JoJo, an inquisitive and cheerful 4-and-a-half-year-old girl and her loving Gran Gran, who always has something new to teach her.
In Hey Blackbird, City Bird!, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers search for a bird that has adapted to life in the city — the blackbird! They experience one way that the blackbird has adapted to life in the city: by singing. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In Listen and Look! Searching for Songbirds, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers use their five senses to try to find blackbirds and learn about this interesting songbird. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
Shout of the number when you see the Numberblocks' pictures.
"I'm number 1 and this is fun! I've gone 1 block to play with and the whole of me is 1."
"I'm number 2, how do you do? I've got blocks to play with and the whole of me is 2. Look! 1 is part of me and 1 is part of me... and the whole of me is 2."
Watch full episodes of Numberblocks on their official YouTube channel!
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Story in Song introduces students to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement through music, humor, and powerful historical images. Told as a song, the video shares key moments from Dr. King’s life and his leadership in the fight for equality in a way that is clear, memorable, and engaging for students.
Excerpted from BBC’s Horrible Histories — a multi-award-winning musical and sketch comedy series — this short video uses a familiar, student-friendly format to help make an important part of U.S. history easier to understand. The combination of lyrics, visuals, and real moments from the era helps students connect with the ideas of fairness, courage, and peaceful protest.
At just two and a half minutes, this video is ideal for classrooms. Use it as a quick introduction to Martin Luther King Jr., a lively entry point into the Civil Rights Movement, or a meaningful way to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It works well as a lesson opener, a review tool, or a discussion starter about how people have worked together to create change in a democracy.
When you join your school band, you probably expect to perform in your school auditorium for friends and family. No shade to Gramps, but imagine the excitement when a group of kids learned that they were going to be performing at the massive Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool Football Club. Multiply that by 10,000,000, and that’s a fraction of what they may have felt when they learned they would be performing a Foo Fighters song there FOR the Foo Fighters!
The Bell Tower Beats is a band from Anfield Road Primary School, who had the pleasure (and pressure) of playing "Times Like These" by the Foo Fighters for the actual members of the Foo Fighters. The performance was organized by a year three teacher, and has gone viral on news and media sources. Not only was the performance fun, but it helped bring attention to the opportunity to join the school band.
Sápmi stretches across the far north of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia’s Kola Peninsula, and it’s home to the Sámi, the Indigenous people of the region. Watch the BBC video clips to see how Sámi families have followed reindeer herds across the tundra for centuries, why their bright traditional clothing (gákti) can show where someone comes from, and how joik, a traditional form of song, is used to express a person, place, or feeling. Then take the Kahoot to test what you’ve learned, including how a warming Arctic is making snow, ice, and grazing land harder to predict, and what that means for a way of life built around them.
Teachers: Show the BBC clips as a class before playing the Kahoot live or assign both for independent learning. It fits units on Indigenous peoples, European geography, or climate change, and gives students a concrete example of how a warming planet affects real communities.
During the War of 1812, the United States fought Great Britain over issues including the impressment of American sailors, restrictions on trade, and British support for Indigenous resistance to American expansion. In September 1814, British forces attacked Baltimore, Maryland, targeting Fort McHenry at the entrance to the city's harbor. After a bombardment that lasted through the night, the fort remained in American hands. The sight of the American flag flying over the fort the next morning became a symbol of the nation's resilience during the conflict.
Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer who witnessed the bombardment while detained aboard a British ship, was inspired to write a poem about the flag's survival. Originally titled "Defence of Fort M'Henry," the poem was later set to music and became known as "The Star-Spangled Banner." The song grew in popularity over the following decades and was officially designated the U.S. national anthem in 1931. Its origins connect a pivotal moment in the War of 1812 with the development of an enduring national symbol.
In Sarah and Duck Bake a Cake, Sarah and Duck are baking a special cake for Duck’s birthday! They mix flour, milk, and baking powder to make it big and fluffy — but oops! The batter spills! Luckily, the cake starts talking and helps them fix it. When the cake comes out of the oven, Sarah realizes it’s now the cake’s birthday, too! So Sarah, Duck, and the talking cake go to the park to celebrate with songs and fruit loaf. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Sarah & Duck, a kids' show about the adventures between 7-year-old Sarah and her quacky, flappy best friend, Duck.
In Billie Holiday and Strange Fruit, host Kathleen Turner recounts how Holiday’s song “Strange Fruit” became an iconic protest anthem during the Civil Rights Movement. Despite struggles with addiction, police harassment, and being blacklisted, Holiday's bravery and artistry made a lasting impact. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
Happy holidays! With so many celebrations all over the globe during this season, it's the perfect time to teach your Grade 3–5 students about winter holidays around the world. Make copies of this mini-book (simply print on both sides flipped on the short edge, stack, and fold to assemble) for your students and invite them to read about each holiday and complete a simple report page full of questions, coloring, drawing, favorite facts, and more. Here are the eight winter holidays covered:
-
Diwali: A Hindu Festival of Lights celebrating the victory of light over darkness, with lamps, fireworks, and family gatherings.
-
St. Lucia Day: A Scandinavian holiday honoring St. Lucia, featuring processions with candles and special buns to bring light during the dark winter.
-
Las Posadas: A Mexican tradition reenacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, celebrated with processions, songs, and parties.
-
Hanukkah: A Jewish holiday celebrating the miracle of the Temple’s menorah oil lasting eight days, marked with candles, dreidel games, and fried foods.
-
Winter Solstice: The shortest day and longest night of the year, celebrated by many cultures as the return of the sun with feasts and light-themed traditions.
-
Christmas: A Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, often marked with gift-giving, decorations, and family gatherings.
-
Kwanzaa: A weeklong African American celebration honoring African heritage and the Seven Principles through candles, reflection, and community activities.
-
Lunar New Year: An Asian cultural holiday welcoming the new year on the lunar calendar, celebrated with family reunions, special foods, and traditions for good luck.
The article "Humpback Whales: Giants of the Ocean and Their Amazing Behavior" from BBC's Discover Wildlife explains the extraordinary lives of humpback whales. These giant marine mammals, known for their acrobatic leaps and complex songs, migrate across oceans, exhibit cooperative feeding behaviors like bubble-netting, and communicate in ways that mystify scientists. Despite their size, they are gentle giants, and their populations have made a remarkable recovery since the whaling industry nearly decimated them.