Join us for the Explorer Classroom Storytelling Series and immerse your learners in an exciting program to explore the power of storytelling and connect to the important stories in their own communities!
The program features live weekly, virtual events with National Geographic Explorers bringing storytelling to life through narrative, photography, and video. In each show, host and Young Explorer Andrea Villarreal Rodriguez will connect a National Geographic Explorer with your students for a 45-minute live, virtual class, filled with interactive moments and a Q&A session.
Offline following each event, use our Educator Mission Guide to guide your learners through a short hands-on activity designed to build their skills as storytellers and deepen their connection to their own communities.
The Explorer Classroom Storytelling Series will run weekly from April 11th – May 16th, 2024. Each event will take place at 10am and 2pm ET on Thursdays. Participating classrooms should be in grades 3-8 (ages 8-14).
There are two ways to participate in the live events: watch the YouTube livestream or participate as a featured guest onscreen in Zoom. A recording of the events will be available to watch on-demand on our YouTube channel if your students cannot attend live.
Below, find more information about each episode and check back for links to event recordings.
EPISODE ONE
Journalism on Foot | Paul Salopek | April 11, 2024 @10am and 2pm ET
Explorer and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Paul Salopek has been retracing our ancestors’ global migration–on foot–for a decades-long storytelling project called the Out of Eden Walk. Join to learn about the thousands of miles Paul has walked and how we can rediscover our world by slowing down and observing carefully.
EPISODE TWO
Elevating Community Voices | Noel & Pragna Kok | April 18, 2024 @10am and 2pm ET
Together, Explorers and storytellers Noel & Pragna Kok founded the community-centric organization Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) to ensure that the stories of Africa are told by and from the perspective of African people. Join to learn how they aim to elevate, remove barriers, and build capacity for African visual storytellers.
EPISODE THREE
Uncovering Critical Stories | Ashley Lamb-Sinclair & William Anderson | April 25, 2024 @10am and 2pm ET
Explorer Ashley Lamb-Sinclair is an award-winning educator, author, speaker, and 2016 Kentucky Teacher of the Year. Dr. William Anderson is the Director of the Teacher Education program for the University of Denver and a clinical professor in the Ed College. She is the founder of 2892 Miles To Go, a place-based education program that connects young people with educators and leaders to co-create solutions to address environmental, social, and cultural issues impacting their communities. Join to learn about the little known stories of people and places across the United States, and how to ask critical questions about your own community’s stories.
EPISODE FOUR
The Power of Photography | Muhammed Muheisen | May 2, 2024 @10am and 2pm ET
Explorer Muhammed Muheisen is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, a National Geographic photojournalist, and founder of the Dutch non-profit organization Everyday Refugees Foundation. Join to learn about his work and how photography can be a powerful tool for inspiring change.
EPISODE FIVE
Storytelling Series Celebration! | Markus Martinez Burman & Andrea Villarreal Rodriguez | May 16, 2024 @ 10am and 2pm ET
Join Young Explorers Markus Martinez Burman, a documentary photographer, and Andrea Villarreal Rodriguez, a visual storyteller, for an inspiring session. Celebrate your students’ work alongside the other participating classes and hear from selected classrooms about the important stories they have discovered in their own communities!
Each episode in this series will be recorded for you to enjoy on demand after the event has ended. If you have questions about this series, or would like more information or assistance, please contact the Explorer Classroom team by sending us an email at explorerclassroom@ngs.org.
If you are interested in participating in just one or two individual events, please register for the events of your choice here.
Interested in more from Explorer Classroom? See our full schedule of events on our homepage!