The UK might be looking at 2027 with a lot less scrolling and far fewer TikTok dances, as Prime Minister (at the time) Kier Starmer announced plans to ban people under 16 from using social media, planned for spring.
Many of the ban's strongest supporters are parents who lost children in cases linked to online harms and have been campaigning for this for years. Though they’re happy about the announcement, there’s still some skepticism about how the ban will actually work, the logistics of how it will be enforced, and what sort of pushback there will be.
Even before taking effect, the proposal has sparked debate. Some people argue the ban is too strict and that better guidance, education, and parental controls would be more effective. Others point out that many teenagers use social media to stay in touch with friends and family. Some also worry the ban could give parents a false sense of security if they rely on it instead of staying involved in their children's online lives.
Tech companies argue the ban may not keep children as safe as supporters hope, as a ban on widely-used platforms might push some young people toward less-regulated online spaces that aren’t included in the ban or entice them to find a work-around for the age verification.
With Mother’s Day coming up in the U.S., what better way to celebrate than by spotlighting some of nature’s most devoted moms?
This fun, feel‑good 8‑video BBC playlist dives into the incredible bond between animal moms and their babies — and the wild ways they raise them. Watch puma cubs practice their hunting skills, a baby orangutan learn the ropes high in the treetops, humpback whale calves set off on their first epic journeys, and prairie dog pups turn playtime into survival training.
From feeding and protection to movement and life lessons, these clips show just how much it takes to grow up in the wild — and how moms make it all possible.
Featuring favorites like prairie dogs, orangutans, polar bears, and humpback whales, this playlist pulls from iconic BBC series like Animal Babies and Planet Earth.
Because mom love? It’s everywhere in the animal kingdom!
Turn your classroom into a global exploration hub! This country report template invites students in Grades 3–8 to become curious investigators — uncovering what makes each country unique and sharing their discoveries in creative ways.
Designed with flexibility in mind, the resource includes two approachable formats:
- Snapshot Style: A lively, visual option that’s perfect for quick learning or younger students. Learners can sketch, label, and highlight key features — like flags, landmarks, foods, and traditions — while building confidence with short responses.
- Explorer Style: A more in-depth format for students ready to dig deeper. It guides learners through topics such as geography, wildlife, culture, and history, helping them organize ideas and develop clear, informative writing.
Best of all, this template pairs seamlessly with BBC videos — bringing countries to life through real-world sights, sounds, and stories. Students can watch, wonder, and then weave what they’ve learned into their own reports.
Quick Teacher Tips: Use country studies as a springboard into wider learning across subjects:
- Geography: Map skills, climate zones, landforms, and ecosystems
- Language Arts: Informational writing, summarizing, note-taking, and presenting
- History: Key events, timelines, and how the past shapes the present
- Math: Population comparisons, distances, currency conversions
- Arts & Culture: Traditional patterns, music, celebrations, and food
- Current Events: Tie in informational reading and media literacy by exploring what’s happening in that country today in an age-appropriate way.
In JoJo and Gran Gran Grow Flowers, Jared gives JoJo a daffodil plant to grow. When they get home, JoJo gives the plant what it needs to grow and then gets impatient when it’s not growing fast enough. Real-life friends plant seeds in pots. 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 JoJo and Gran Gran Go Birding, it’s springtime and JoJo and her grandmother are excited to see the baby birds that waddle, quack, and cheep. A real-life girl and her family make a bird box for their backyard. 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.
From towering trees to tiny mosses, plants are some of the most important living things on Earth. They make the oxygen we breathe, provide food for people and animals, and create the green spaces that make our planet beautiful. Whether they’re growing in forests, deserts, or even cracks in the sidewalk, plants are quietly hard at work every day.
From photosynthesis to the difference between seeds and spores, this is the perfect quiz to help students ages 8–14 "grow" their plant knowledge!
March 5, 2026, marks the 20th anniversary of premiere of BBC's Planet Earth (and it's just in time for Earth Day on April 22, too!). The breathtaking and award-winning documentary series, narrated by none other than Sir David Attenborough, highlights the natural wonders of our planet. In honor of this momentous occasion, we've put together some of the most popular clips from this beloved natural history show for students ages 8–14.
Get up close and personal with hydroplaning dolphins. Witness an iguana hatchling's terrifying race to survive, pursued by racer snakes. Watch the first steps of two polar bear cubs emerging from hibernation. More of the real-life magic of our blue marble awaits in this video playlist, part of our Planet Earth Collection. Grab your Planet Earth Passport and start exploring!
In Inside the Harbin Ice Festival, the Harbin Ice Festival lights up the night sky in Harbin, China for a few weeks each winter. Huge ice buildings are created and lit for tourists to visit before they melt in the spring. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, a documentary series detailing the world's largest annual human migration (Chunyun), where over 1.5 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.
In Preparing Flowers for Chinese New Year, a farm in Kunming, China’s Spring City, prepares flowers for the busy Chinese New Year season. Flowers travel from farm to auction, where buyers purchase them for shops. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, a documentary series detailing the world's largest annual human migration (Chunyun), where over 1.5 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.
In Chunwan: The World’s Biggest Stage, performers have prepared for a year to participate in the largest televised event in China. The Chunwan, or Chinese Spring Festival Gala, is a collection of amazing acts. It is televised to the entire country and is watched by billions of people. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, a documentary series detailing the world's largest annual human migration (Chunyun), where over 1.5 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Think You Know Groundhog Day? Prove It!
Groundhog Day is a time to watch a furry little weather forecaster pop out of its burrow and predict whether winter will stick around — or if spring will arrive early. But how much do you really know about this quirky tradition, celebrated every year on Feb. 2?
From Punxsutawney Phil’s famous shadow sightings to surprising facts about groundhogs and their burrows, this quiz is packed with fun and a few tricky twists. It takes true shadow-sleuth skills to uncover all the surprises of Groundhog Day.
You can put two short words together to make one long word. Say the sounds and make the long words with
your letter tiles, then try the story.
F lands on Flowerpot Moon! It is spring and she takes her lunchbox to Treetop Park. She spots a big pink slug and a brown snail.
Watch full episodes of Alphablocks on their official YouTube channel!
The UK might be looking at 2027 with a lot less scrolling and far fewer TikTok dances, as Prime Minister (at the time) Kier Starmer announced plans to ban people under 16 from using social media, planned for spring.
Many of the ban's strongest supporters are parents who lost children in cases linked to online harms and have been campaigning for this for years. Though they’re happy about the announcement, there’s still some skepticism about how the ban will actually work, the logistics of how it will be enforced, and what sort of pushback there will be.
Even before taking effect, the proposal has sparked debate. Some people argue the ban is too strict and that better guidance, education, and parental controls would be more effective. Others point out that many teenagers use social media to stay in touch with friends and family. Some also worry the ban could give parents a false sense of security if they rely on it instead of staying involved in their children's online lives.
Tech companies argue the ban may not keep children as safe as supporters hope, as a ban on widely-used platforms might push some young people toward less-regulated online spaces that aren’t included in the ban or entice them to find a work-around for the age verification.
With Mother’s Day coming up in the U.S., what better way to celebrate than by spotlighting some of nature’s most devoted moms?
This fun, feel‑good 8‑video BBC playlist dives into the incredible bond between animal moms and their babies — and the wild ways they raise them. Watch puma cubs practice their hunting skills, a baby orangutan learn the ropes high in the treetops, humpback whale calves set off on their first epic journeys, and prairie dog pups turn playtime into survival training.
From feeding and protection to movement and life lessons, these clips show just how much it takes to grow up in the wild — and how moms make it all possible.
Featuring favorites like prairie dogs, orangutans, polar bears, and humpback whales, this playlist pulls from iconic BBC series like Animal Babies and Planet Earth.
Because mom love? It’s everywhere in the animal kingdom!
Turn your classroom into a global exploration hub! This country report template invites students in Grades 3–8 to become curious investigators — uncovering what makes each country unique and sharing their discoveries in creative ways.
Designed with flexibility in mind, the resource includes two approachable formats:
- Snapshot Style: A lively, visual option that’s perfect for quick learning or younger students. Learners can sketch, label, and highlight key features — like flags, landmarks, foods, and traditions — while building confidence with short responses.
- Explorer Style: A more in-depth format for students ready to dig deeper. It guides learners through topics such as geography, wildlife, culture, and history, helping them organize ideas and develop clear, informative writing.
Best of all, this template pairs seamlessly with BBC videos — bringing countries to life through real-world sights, sounds, and stories. Students can watch, wonder, and then weave what they’ve learned into their own reports.
Quick Teacher Tips: Use country studies as a springboard into wider learning across subjects:
- Geography: Map skills, climate zones, landforms, and ecosystems
- Language Arts: Informational writing, summarizing, note-taking, and presenting
- History: Key events, timelines, and how the past shapes the present
- Math: Population comparisons, distances, currency conversions
- Arts & Culture: Traditional patterns, music, celebrations, and food
- Current Events: Tie in informational reading and media literacy by exploring what’s happening in that country today in an age-appropriate way.
In JoJo and Gran Gran Grow Flowers, Jared gives JoJo a daffodil plant to grow. When they get home, JoJo gives the plant what it needs to grow and then gets impatient when it’s not growing fast enough. Real-life friends plant seeds in pots. 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 JoJo and Gran Gran Go Birding, it’s springtime and JoJo and her grandmother are excited to see the baby birds that waddle, quack, and cheep. A real-life girl and her family make a bird box for their backyard. 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.
From towering trees to tiny mosses, plants are some of the most important living things on Earth. They make the oxygen we breathe, provide food for people and animals, and create the green spaces that make our planet beautiful. Whether they’re growing in forests, deserts, or even cracks in the sidewalk, plants are quietly hard at work every day.
From photosynthesis to the difference between seeds and spores, this is the perfect quiz to help students ages 8–14 "grow" their plant knowledge!
March 5, 2026, marks the 20th anniversary of premiere of BBC's Planet Earth (and it's just in time for Earth Day on April 22, too!). The breathtaking and award-winning documentary series, narrated by none other than Sir David Attenborough, highlights the natural wonders of our planet. In honor of this momentous occasion, we've put together some of the most popular clips from this beloved natural history show for students ages 8–14.
Get up close and personal with hydroplaning dolphins. Witness an iguana hatchling's terrifying race to survive, pursued by racer snakes. Watch the first steps of two polar bear cubs emerging from hibernation. More of the real-life magic of our blue marble awaits in this video playlist, part of our Planet Earth Collection. Grab your Planet Earth Passport and start exploring!
In Inside the Harbin Ice Festival, the Harbin Ice Festival lights up the night sky in Harbin, China for a few weeks each winter. Huge ice buildings are created and lit for tourists to visit before they melt in the spring. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, a documentary series detailing the world's largest annual human migration (Chunyun), where over 1.5 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.
In Preparing Flowers for Chinese New Year, a farm in Kunming, China’s Spring City, prepares flowers for the busy Chinese New Year season. Flowers travel from farm to auction, where buyers purchase them for shops. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, a documentary series detailing the world's largest annual human migration (Chunyun), where over 1.5 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.
In Chunwan: The World’s Biggest Stage, performers have prepared for a year to participate in the largest televised event in China. The Chunwan, or Chinese Spring Festival Gala, is a collection of amazing acts. It is televised to the entire country and is watched by billions of people. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, a documentary series detailing the world's largest annual human migration (Chunyun), where over 1.5 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Think You Know Groundhog Day? Prove It!
Groundhog Day is a time to watch a furry little weather forecaster pop out of its burrow and predict whether winter will stick around — or if spring will arrive early. But how much do you really know about this quirky tradition, celebrated every year on Feb. 2?
From Punxsutawney Phil’s famous shadow sightings to surprising facts about groundhogs and their burrows, this quiz is packed with fun and a few tricky twists. It takes true shadow-sleuth skills to uncover all the surprises of Groundhog Day.
You can put two short words together to make one long word. Say the sounds and make the long words with
your letter tiles, then try the story.
F lands on Flowerpot Moon! It is spring and she takes her lunchbox to Treetop Park. She spots a big pink slug and a brown snail.
Watch full episodes of Alphablocks on their official YouTube channel!