AR

TEACH
DOWN AND DIRTY IN THE BAYOU
Imani, a seven-year-old student from Bridgeport, Connecticut, used to be frightened of
anything that flew or crawled. “I’m not scared anymore,” she says. “It’s like a beautiful
thing that just happened.” At BioBlitz, Imani says, "I felt like an explorer.” And that is a
beautiful thing. When kids see wonder and biodiversity in their own backyards, they
realize they can help protect those habitats in a way that is life changing.
Imani (below right) was one of 1,500 schoolchildren who got their hands dirty
during the 2013 BioBlitz and Biodiversity Festival in Louisiana’s Jean Lafitte National
Historical Park and Preserve, an event made possible through the support of Southwest
Airlines, the Harold M. and Adeline S. Morrison Family Foundation, the National Park
Foundation, and the National Park Trust.
Led by more than a hundred scientists from around the country, thousands of
amateur explorers, students, and family members, along with National Geographic
explorers Juan Martinez, Zeb Hogan, and Neil Losin, conducted a 24-hour inventory of
the plants, insects, mammals, birds, and other creatures that inhabit the 23,500-acre
preserve. Using technology like GPS and smartphone apps, they crowdsourced the
identification of species so scientists and naturalists not at the park could lend their
expertise. Together, they found 458 species, including a rare Louisiana milk snake and
a fish not previously on the park’s species roster.
National Geographic and the National Park Service have made a ten-year commitment
to conduct a BioBlitz in a different park each year leading up to the National Park
Service Centennial in 2016.
To learn more, visit nationalgeographic.org/bioblitz.
NEW TOOLS TO EXPLORE EDUCATION
“At Lockheed Martin, we believe it’s
our job to inspire future scientists
and engineers, and that starts with an
investment in science, technology, engineering,
and math education. That’s
why we’re so proud to partner with
National Geographic on our Engineers
in the Classroom program. Together
we will help shape the next generation
of innovators and technologists that
will make our lives better.”
MARILLYN HEWSON
Chairman, President, and CEO, Lockheed Martin
Corporation. Member, National Geographic
Education Foundation Board of Governors
Investments in new digital products and a cutting-edge website are helping educators
explain our interconnected world to students around the globe. In 2013 usage of the
Education Portal at NatGeoEd.org took off. The interactive media, lesson plans, and
mapping tools developed with the support of the Verizon Foundation and others are
reaching an enormous audience. In the last quarter of 2013 the portal welcomed more
than a million visitors per month, double the number during the same period in 2012.
We reached a larger number of educators more effectively in 2013 through
online courses and interactive e-books. Educators from around the world participated
in an eight-week online course funded by Annenberg Learner and the Annenberg
Foundation, “Water: The Essential Resource,” and reported increased confidence
across all areas related to the learning objectives. Our One Ocean is among the first
interactive professional development e-books for educators.
We debuted our Kids Engineering Exploration Challenge in China. The program
invites students to design engineering solutions to real-life problems that our explorers
face in the field. The challenge, funded by Oracle, is a collaboration of NG Education,
the NG Engineering Lab, and NG Kids. The program will be launched in the U.S.
in 2014 with the goal of building enthusiasm for and participation in the STEM subject
areas: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
To further encourage students to consider careers in STEM, we have also partnered
with Lockheed Martin to create materials for Engineers in the Classroom. This
program provides teaching tools and recommended hands-on activities for engineers
to use when sharing their experiences with K-12 students.
To learn more, visit NatGeoEd.org.
Left: Children identify species and make observations at the 2013 BioBlitz in Louisiana’s Jean
Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Above: National Geographic offers young people
ways to learn about our interconnected world through online resources and programs such as
the Great Nature Project and the Kids Engineering Exploration Challenge.
2013 ANNUAL REPORT 23