Join the National Zoo as we celebrate Head Start's 60th birthday with the help of Giant pandas and meerkats! Discover how not only the zoo celebrates birthdays but also how people across the world celebrate special moments!
Celebrations
Panda, Meerkats
National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of American History, National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
IT-ATL 7; IT-ATL 8; IT-SE 13; IT-LC 11; IT-C 3; IT-PMP 6; IT-PMP 7; IT-PMP 8; P-ATL 11; P-ATL 13; P-SE 11; P-PMP 3
Lessons and Activities
Check out fun and easy activities and lesson plans to help kids, families, and teachers explore birthdays and other celebrations with the Smithsonian Institution.
How to Make a Panda Popsicle ›
Learn how to make a human-friendly popsicle modeled after the ice treats that we give our pandas!
| Resource Description | |
|---|---|
| Type: | E-Course |
| ELOF Standards: | IT-ATL 8; IT-PMP 6; IT-PMP 7; IT-PMP 8; P-ATL 13; P-PMP 3 |
| Course Project Time: | 10+ minutes |
| Activity Project Time: | 2-4 hours |
How Can Family Celebrations and Traditions be the Same and Different? ›
How can family celebrations and traditions be the same and different? To support this overarching question, the course guides parents, teachers, and children through activities that answer the following questions:
- What are my family celebrations and around where I live?
- What do other family celebrations look like around America?
- What do other family celebrations look like around the world?
- How are family celebration traditions different?
| Resource Description | |
|---|---|
| Type: | E-Course |
| ELOF Standards: | IT-SE 13; IT-LC 11; IT-C 3; P-SE 11; P-ATL 11 |
| Project Time: | 15+ |
| Best for Ages: | 4+ |
60-Year Treasure Hunt ›
Head Start is turning 60 — and the Smithsonian is celebrating with a special adventure! To mark this milestone, our friend Pinky is heading out on a mission across the Smithsonian to discover amazing objects that are 60 years old. From retro treasures to historic highlights, join Pinky as we explore what 60 years really looks like through the lens of Smithsonian collections.
| Resource Description | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Video |
| ELOF Standards: | IT-ATL 7; P-ATL 11 |
| Video Length: | 5:52 |
| Best for Ages: | 2+ |
Counting Birthday Years in Tree Rings at SERC ›
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is turning 60—and we’re celebrating with the help of trees! In this video, we count tree rings to show just how long 60 years really is. Join us as we explore how trees mark time and how SERC has been learning from and about nature for six amazing decades!
| Resource Description | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Video |
| ELOF Standards: | IT-ATL 7; P-ATL 11 |
| Video Length: | 3:42 |
| Best for Ages: | 2+ |
Meerkat Birthday Bash: Watch, Create, Celebrate! ›
First, watch meerkats at the National Zoo celebrate their birthday with a special train and treats. Next, learn about meerkat characteristics before creating your own meerkat puppet that can pop in and out of its own tunnel!
| Resource Description | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Video + E-course |
| ELOF Standards: | IT-ATL 8; IT-PMP 6; IT-PMP 7; IT-PMP 8; P-ATL 13; P-PMP 3 |
| Video Length: | 5:30 |
| Project Time: | 10+ |
| Best for Ages: | 2+ |
Nick's Music Playlist ›
Put on your dancing shoes! Find all the songs you loved from the program, plus more songs from Nick the Music Man and Pinky Jackalope!
Explore More Programs
Three Cheers for Trees ›
In this field trip, children will learn about tree characteristics and their role in the natural and man-made world.
Trees
Two-toed sloth, Red-rumped agouti
Suited for Survival ›
Suited for Survival, special Halloween edition, explores animal adaptations from prehensile-tailed porcupines to super soft chinchillas. Students will learn how unique adaptations help animals survive.
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, 3-LS4-3, 4-LS1-1
mammals, survival, adaptations, animal traits, animal behavior
patterns, structure and function
Free
Wild Medicine ›
What happens to a seal who has a toothache? How does an orangutan get a checkup? Wild Medicine invites students to Join our team of veterinarians and other animal health professionals to explore how animals go to the doctor, just like us!
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, 3-LS1-1, 4-LS1-1
Health, animal care, veterinary medicine
Patterns, cause and effect, systems and system models, structure and function
Free
What Makes a Habitat a Home? ›
From deserts to rainforests, what makes a habitat a suitable animal home? What Makes a Habitat a Home explores habitats around the world and some of the animals that live in these habitats.
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, 3-LS4-3
habitat, animals, survival, four basic needs, adaptations
cause and effect, systems and functions
Free
Community Helpers ›
In this field trip, children will learn about community helpers, who they are, and how they help take care of a community.
Community
Beaver, Meerkat, Western lowland gorilla
Caring About Conservation ›
What is conservation? Why is it important? Caring About Conservation explores the meaning of "conservation," some of the animals Smithsonian scientists are trying to save, and what we can all do to protect wildlife.
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3-3, K-2-ETS1-1, K-2-ETS1-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS2-1, 3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-4, 3-5-ETS1-2
Conservation, sustainability, animals, wildlife, science
Cause and effect, systems and system models, structure and function, and stability and change
Free
Valen-TINY Mammals ›
What makes an animal a mammal? Valen-TINY mammals gives students an up-close look at mammal traits from some cute and tiny zoo animals.
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, 1-LS1-2, 1-LS3-1, 3-LS1-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS4-3, 4-LS1-1, 5-PS3-1, 5-PS3-1
Mammals, animal groups, adaptations
Patterns, cause and effect, energy and matter
Free
Music and Sound All Around ›
In this field trip, children will learn about the importance of music and sound for both people and animals. What sounds do animals make and why? What objects can make sounds, and how can you play them to create music?
Music and Sound
Siamang, Kunekune pig, Gorilla
Explore the Rainforest ›
Fly, leap and swim along on an adventure through the Amazon Rainforest to explore the sights and sounds of plants and animals living in this unique ecosystem.
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3-3, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS1-1, 3-LS2-1, 3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-4, 4-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1
Amazon, rainforest, biodiversity, rainforest layers, animals
Patterns, cause and effect, scale proportion and quantity, and systems and system models
Free
Saving Endangered Species ›
What does it mean when an animal is endangered and what can we do to help? Meet one of the National Zoo’s most endangered species and learn how staff care for these special animals.
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, 3-LS4-3, 5-ESS3-1
endangered species, conservation
Free
Big, Small, Let's Measure Them All ›
In this field trip, children will practice identifying what is big, medium, and small. In addition, kids will become familiar with other measurement terms such as longer, shorter, taller, bigger, and smaller.
Size and Measurement
Asian elephant, Black and rufous elephant shrew
Discovering Amphibians ›
Join us as we celebrate Amphibian Week. Learn about amphibians, get an up-close look of some of them and chat with an amphibian expert.
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, 3-LS4-3, 4-LS1-1
amphibians, adaptations, habitats, life cycles
Free
Happy Birthday! ›
Join us as we celebrate Head Start's birthday and America's 250th birthday!
Birthday
Bald eagle, California sea lion, Eastern screech owl