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.

This virtual school program is part of Conservation Classroom, a collection of monthly lessons for K-5 students. Each lesson has four elements: wonder (video), engage (live virtual program), act (activities), and connect (video). Follow along with all four parts or pick and choose the videos and activities you want to explore. 

Grades:

K-5

Standards:

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

Topics:

endangered species, conservation

Cost:

Free

Wonder

I wonder... what does it mean to be endangered? Explore endangered species, why we should care and things we can do to help them survive. 

Engage

In this free, live virtual program, students met two endangered species and learned what they can do to help. Access the recording to enjoy the program that aired on April 24, 2024. Recording includes English captions, as well as Spanish and ASL interpretation. 

Act

During the live program, follow along circling conservation actions that save species. After the program, write and draw your Earth Day pledge. Share your drawings with us at nzp-education@si.edu.

Hojas de actividades disponibles en español: Acciones Que Salvan Especies y Mi Compromiso Del Día de la Tierra. Comparta sus dibujos con nosotros en nzp-education@si.edu.

Connect

Meet Kaden, a zoo educator who inspires us all to take action to protect wildlife and wild places. As part of their "unZOOsual" career, Kaden works in-front-of and behind the camera to create amazing educational content for viewers like you!

For Educators

Educator's Materials

Conservation Classroom: Saving Endangered Species i­­s best suited for grades K-5. The full lesson consists of two videos, a live program, and two activities. Refer to the Smithsonian Learning Lab collection to help teach this lesson.


Letter to Guardians

After participating in the live program, print or send the following letter to guardians, explaining what their student learned in this lesson and how they can continue to engage from home.

Carta para el tutor

Después de participar en el programa en vivo, imprima o envíe la siguiente carta a los tutores, explicando lo que su estudiante aprendió en esta lección y cómo pueden continuar participando desde casa.

Explore More Programs

May 8, 2024 at 2 pm ET

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.

Grades:

K-5

Standards:

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

Topics:

amphibians, adaptations, habitats, life cycles

Cost:

Free

May 16, 2024 at 2 pm ET

Happy Birthday, Head Start!

Happy birthday, Head Start! How do animals keep their bodies healthy year-round? Join the Smithsonian's National Zoo to learn about animals at our Kids' Farm with special resources from the National Portrait Gallery and other Smithsonian museums.

Content Unit:

Our Bodies and the Five Senses

Standards:

Supports Head Start ELOF Goals P-SCI-1; P-SCI-2; P-SCI-3

Cost:

Free

Languages:

English, Spanish (simulcast)

May 22, 2024 at 12 pm ET

Exploring Neighborhood Birds

Birds are everywhere! Learn about some of our neighborhood birds and the techniques used to study them from a migratory bird scientist.

Grades:

2-6

Standards:

Supports NGSS 2-PS1-2, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS1-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, 3-LS4-3, 4-LS1-1

Topics:

birds, migration, observation, tracking, bird banding

Cost:

Free