I really like how Shape of Life videos are arranged in segments and highlight the evolution of animals.
Shape of Life offers classroom videos depicting the evolution of the animal kingdom on planet earth. Students and educators explore animal adaptation, animations, and behaviors along with the amazing scientists who bring their stories to life. We also offer a rich selection of NGSS materials including lesson plans, readings, illustrations and activities that inspire a deeper dive into the animal phyla. Shape of Life content is FREE to students and educators all over the world.
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Your Sneak Peek of Shape of life Videos
Cristina Diaz describes her work as a taxonomist. She dives in Indonesia to study her favorite animal—the sponge. Conducting an experiment to see how fast a sponge filters, she injects a colored dye into the water. The results are amazing.
New Resources
Teach Our Children Well
Posted on June 6th, 2019
Boy, did the recent NPR program hit us between the eyes! It explores why teachers don’t want to tackle climate change in their classrooms.
AND!... 4 out of 5 parents wish they did!
AND!... 4 out of 5 parents wish they did!
In a show of support to teachers we added a whole new section to our online offering:
Climate Change and the Ocean
We think it’s essential students understand what’s going on in the beautiful blue that covers 70% of our planet.
Featured Teacher
Guadalupe (Lupita) Martín
Posted on July 11th, 2019
She’s a WINNER!
Guadalupe was a definite 'stand out' in our Tree of Life poster contest.
She is a very special teacher with a multi-layered appreciation for science.
Guadalupe is a dual-language immersion teacher at a school with a high percentage of low-income students, in Los Angeles County.
"Language is no barrier when I share Shape of Life videos with my students."
Guadalupe has been teaching for 10 years. She has taught Kindergarten, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth grade. Currently, Guadalupe teaches Kindergarten at La Ballona Elementary School in Culver City, CA - where she shares her love of science with young children.
Featured Scientist
Jeremy Goldbogen
Posted on July 11th, 2019
The Real Prince of Whales
Meet Jeremy Goldbogen. He tags whales. Yep, he pretty much has one of the coolest jobs of anyone we know.
Through Jeremy’s research we get to cruise the ocean on the back of whales and experience how they eat krill, make those amazing noises and maneuver with surprising agility. With a device the size of a book, Jeremy speaks volumes about the largest animals ever known to live on earth.
Featured Creature
Creature Feature: Krill and Whales
Posted on July 3rd, 2019
Krill are shrimp-like arthropods that make up a large portion of the zooplankton in many regions of the ocean. Krill are near the base of the oceanic food web feeding on phytoplankton. In turn, enormous swarms of krill feed the largest creatures in the ocean: blue and other baleen whales, sea birds, squid, and fish.
Blue whales, the largest animals that ever lived, eat up to four tons of krill a day to fuel their huge bodies. In fact, krill – about two inches long –make up the majority of their diet. Blue and humpback, and other baleen whales, are filter feeders. They take in huge gulps of seawater dense with krill straining out the water though their baleen and then swallowing their catch.
Blog
Whale Watching, Monterey Bay and Global Warming
Posted on July 3rd, 2019
Blue and Humpback Whales
Monterey Bay is our backyard. We’re lucky to be able to see the biggest creatures on earth gorge on krill and anchovies on a regular basis. It never gets ‘old’ to us.
We like to take a boat out of Moss Landing because it gets you quickly to where whales are feeding over the deep Monterey Canyon. During the upwelling season – April, May and June – cold water from the depths brings nutrients to the surface, which stimulates phytoplankton growth.
Welcome to the Plasti-Scene
Posted on April 30th, 2019
“Plastic is one of the worst enemies of marine species,” the World Wildlife Fund.
We’ve all read too many headlines about plastic floating in the ocean, not breaking down, washing up on every beach, being eaten by marine creatures, and entangling lots of others. Scientists are now trying to figure out what exactly that means for all the life in the ocean – and us.
News
Tree of Life Poster Winners!
Posted on June 6th, 2019
WOW! We're overwhelmed by your words of support for Shape of Life. We had teachers from all over the world let us know how they use Shape of Life resources in their classrooms.
While everyone is a winner in our book, we had to limit the ‘Winners’ of our popular Ray Troll Tree of Life poster to twenty five. Fear not, we’ll definitely hold another contest soon.
In the meantime…
We Wish A Hearty Congratulations to our 2019 Shape of Life Poster Contest Winners!
We'll See you In New Orleans and Salt Lake City in Fall 2019!
Posted on June 6th, 2019
September 7 - 11, 2019
AZA Annual Conference in New Orleans
October 24 - 26, 2019
NSTA Regional Conference in Salt Lake City