Community of Learning

 

CISCO Connected Educator LogoConnect live with field specialists from renowned museums, zoos, science centers, historic sites, aquariums, and more to chat about topics in art, literacy, STEM, and history.

FREE SERIES. Register for an easy one-click connection link.

This live educational series airs at 1:00 PM ET. Can’t make it? Catch up on CILC’s YouTube channel and access free activities here!

American Society for Deaf Children Logo of 5 hands in multiple colors all with their pinkie finger, pointer finger and thumb all sticking out and a heart on the back of the hand.
Thank you to the American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC), who has been supporting families with children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing since 1967, for their partnership in providing American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation for select livestreams. If you need ASL interpretation for a program, please contact us at info@cilc.org.

 

Upcoming Community of Learning Programs

Book Launch - Izzy Wong's Nose for News

by Author Marty Chan

Join author Marty Chan for a mystery extravaganza. He'll introduce the title character of his new novel and he'll challenge kids to solve a mystery in this virtual book launch. This session will work best for grades 4 and up.

For Grade K-6


Monday, October 7, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Diversity of the American West: Culture, People, & Environments

by Booth Museum

Learn about different cultures that contributed to the American West through artwork in the Booth collection. Includes: Latino cowboys (vaqueros), black cowboys, Chinese-American immigrants and indigenous cultures.

For Grade K-6


Tuesday, October 8, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Illustrating Poe

by Poe Museum

Students will listen to and read a selection of Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry including "Alone," "Annabel Lee," and "Eldorado.” Throughout the reading, students will pay attention to the imagery in the poems. Then, students will create their own artwork inspired by the poems and showcase their creations to their fellow classmates.

For Grade K-6


Thursday, October 10, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Ghost Stories

by Author Marty Chan

Author and storyteller Marty Chan shares eerie ghost stories and tips on how kids can write their own creepy tales. This session will work best for grades 4 - 7.

For Grade K-6


Tuesday, October 15, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Draw with Us: Spooky Seas

by Aquarium of the Pacific

Join us on a deep dive into the darkest parts of the ocean. Together we will explore the unique creatures that call this habitat home, the adaptations they use to live in this challenging environment, and draw some of our favorite deep sea friends!

For Grade K-6


Wednesday, October 16, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Spy School 101

by International Spy Museum

In this skill-based program, interactive challenges with real-world stories are woven together to explore the shadow-world of espionage and answer the question…do you have what it takes to be a spy?

For Grade K-6


Thursday, October 17, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Pumpkins & Pop Culture

by Central Michigan University: Museum of Cultural & Natural History

Learn all about October's favorite gourd...the pumpkin! Explore how the pumpkin has influenced popular culture as seen in films, comic books and children's tales.

For Grade K-6


Tuesday, October 22, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Spiders! Participate in A Folktale Using Sign Language! Do Action Science - Webs, Food, Body Parts

by Author Valerie Marsh

Use sign language and participate in a folktale story about spiders and their webs! Then become an arachnologist (spider scientist) and learn some fun spiders facts with Miss Liz the Science Wiz. Your students will simulate real spider behavior while exploring a spider web that they have created! Students will be able to retell our sign language story and do our science experiments at home.

For Grade K-6


Wednesday, October 23, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Thomas Alva Edison: Man vs Myth

by Hank Fincken: A National Theatre Company of One

Mr. Edison is sometimes credited with inventing the twentieth century. If he did not, he certainly pushed it in a new direction. Mr. Fincken has been portraying Edison for more than twenty years. He hopes to show why Edison the man is so much more interesting than Edison the myth. "I feel it was a unique learning experience to be involved with a person who re-enacts another's life. He was so knowledgeable and efficient that at the end some of my children asked was it really Thomas Edison." Educator New York State

For Grade K-6


Thursday, October 24, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Harrowing Halloween on the CMA Screen

by Cleveland Museum of Art

Come with us to explore the CMA’s artworks related to Halloween and the Fall Season. Together we will explore the museum’s spookiest artworks, learn about how and why artists made them, and create spooky artworks of our own! Join us if you dare

For Grade K-6


Tuesday, October 29, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Happy Shalloween

by Mote Marine Laboratory

From ghost sharks to zombie worms, the ocean is full of creepy creatures that slither and slime, wiggle and wind through the deep sea. Dive into a Shalloween celebration of spooktacular creatures like skeleton shrimp, vampire squid, hagfish and more as we learn what lurks under the waves. It's a time of fish, fun, and delightful frightfuls for buoys and ghouls of all ages inside Mote's A-SCARE-IUM.

For Grade K-6


Wednesday, October 30, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Supernatural Stories from Japan

by National Museum of Asian Art

For grades 4-6. How does art communicate how we imagine the supernatural? Students will meet scary ghosts, powerful demons, and comical monsters in works of art from Japan. Students will learn about theatrical plays and folktales that feature these supernatural beings and the heroes, guardians, and everyday people they menace.

For Grade K-6


Thursday, October 31, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

African Modern Dance with Oiada International

by Oiada International

Jump into the rhythm of African as you connect live with dancers in Ghana, learn choreography to discover cultural connection between African and modern dance forms.

For Grade K-6


Tuesday, November 5, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Animal Myths Busted!

by Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Can an owl turn its head all the way around? Do porcupines shoot their quills? Can turtles leave their shells? Find out by joining us as we present and analyze some myths and misconceptions about animals found at the zoo!

For Grade K-6


Wednesday, November 6, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Wolf Reintroduction

by International Wolf Center

From Yellowstone to North Carolina and beyond, wolf reintroductions have been part of conservation efforts for decades. Join us for this interactive presentation to learn all about these reintroductions and the methods scientists use for them, as well as dispel some misconceptions and myths along the way!

For Grade K-6


Thursday, November 7, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

The Three Sisters:

by Booth Museum

Learn about The Three Sisters through American Indian oral tradition and artmaking! Participants will learn about the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois and Cherokee people's dependency on three important crops while examining the science behind these resources. Participants will discuss the message of the story of The Three Sisters and act out the story with simple, guided movements-- using artwork as an inspiration. Participants complete the program with their own artwork! Original illustrations and hands-on interaction bring this program to life for younger students!

For Grade K-6


Tuesday, November 12, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Whales of the West Coast

by Ocean Wise

Explore the Whales of the West Coast of Canada ans become a Ocean Wise whale researcher. Explore how to identify common whale species, what makes them different from one another, The connection they have with Indigenous communities and how we can learn more from them like a scientist!

For Grade K-6


Wednesday, November 13, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Powhatan Indians- an Eastern Woodlands People

by Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation

Explore the lives and society of the Powhatan Indians, an Eastern Woodlands people inhabiting Virginia’s coastal plain long before 1607. Using inquiry methods and reproduction artifacts, explore the Powhatan Indian culture, including roles of different members of its society, government structure and how the Powhatan Indians used natural resources to produce tools, clothing, houses and food.

For Grade K-6


Thursday, November 14, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

American Indians

by Smithsonian American Art Museum

American Indians are part of the past, present, and future of the United States. Explore histories and cultures of some American Indians as captured by both Native and non-Native artists. Discuss the influence of geography, tradition, and tribal affiliation on contemporary Indian artists.

For Grade K-6


Tuesday, November 19, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Finding the "Real" Pocahontas

by Virginia Museum of History & Culture

The study of Pocahontas is an excellent exercise testing the strength of primary versus secondary sources. Factually we know very little about Pocahontas. These facts are often interwoven with myth and legend surrounding her life. Depictions of Pocahontas throughout time can reveal as much about the time they were created as they do about the Indian "princess".

For Grade K-6


Thursday, November 21, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Exploring Impressionism: Art of Claude Monet

by Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Immerse your students in paintings by Impressionist artist Claude Monet. Students learn to identify elements of Impressionism, such as the depiction of everyday life and the study of changing light and weather. Through a guided activity, students will use their senses to imagine a visit to Monet’s water lily garden. Program Length: 30-40 minutes

For Grade K-6


Tuesday, November 26, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Penguins Live!

by Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Go nose-to-beak with more than 80 Antarctic penguins in one of our most popular programs! Become a penguin expert and learn about penguins all over the world, including the three types of cold-weather penguins housed inside the Scott Aquarium.

For Grade K-6


Wednesday, November 27, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

#GivingTuesday: Community of Learning

by CILC

Do not miss our final celebrations of our anniversary year that is dedicating to supporting the next 30 years of CILC innovation in our #GivingTuesday Pay As You Wish Events!

For Grades K-12


Tuesday, December 3, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Mystery on the Reef

by Ocean Wise

Something isn’t quite right on the reef. Work as a class and talk to local animals, complete mini challenges, and use body movements to get closer to solving the mystery, all while learning how reducing plastic pollution can turn you into a superhero too!

For Grade K-6


Wednesday, December 4, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Nature in our Holiday Traditions

by Royal Botanical Gardens

When you think of this time of year, what smells and colours come to mind? Pine, gingerbread, mulled cider, green, and red? These are related to plants that have been used to celebrate our winter holidays for 1000s of years within different cultures. In fact, most of the plants that we use today for holidays have long histories and amazing stories from ancient times. These stories come from all around the world, and are part of many religions and beliefs.

For Grade K-6


Thursday, December 5, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Draw with Us: Arctic Adventures

by Aquarium of the Pacific

What does it take to live in some of the coldest habitats in the world? Lets take an icy adventrue to explore, and draw, who lives in the Arctic and Antarctic and what adaptations these animals use to survive.

For Grade K-6


Wednesday, December 11, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Pratice of Gift-Giving

by National Museum of Asian Art

When do people give gifts? Why do people give gifts? How do you feel when you give or receive a gift? What do gifts look like in cultures across Asia? Students will explore gifts exchanged for holidays, religious customs, and other rituals with example objects from countries such as China and India.

For Grade K-6


Thursday, December 12, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Winter Animal Adaptations

by Rocky Mountain National Park

Ever wonder what animals do in the winter? Join a ranger to discover the hidden life on animals in the winter in Rocky Mountain National Park.

For Grade K-6


Tuesday, December 17, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Jingle Shells

by Mote Marine Laboratory

Make a splash with your class this SEA-son by diving into some undersea mysteries. Where do ocean animals migrate? How do they adapt to freezing temperatures? Why does ice float? Does it snow in the ocean? Then meet Sandy Claws and some festive friends as we shell-ebrate with winter craftivities. It's an oceanic adventure that's sure to bring waves of joy and curiosity to your classroom!

For Grade K-6


Wednesday, December 18, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

Chinese New Year from Taipei, Taiwan

by Banyan Global Learning

Chinese New Year is celebrated by over 1 billion people worldwide. In this trip we take students to local shops and street decorations to see how Taiwanese citizens are celebrating this great holiday. We learn the history of the holiday, the meaning of current zodiac sign, and more. The trip continues with some exploration of the night markets, local temples and other exciting locations.

For Grade K-6


Thursday, December 19, 2024

1:00 PM ET

45 minutes

I am an elementary teacher from Brazil. I signed up today to see how this would work and see if I could use this in my classes. This is great!  The instructor is great, the cameras (with different angles) are helpful. Just wanted to say I love it!
Teacher

In Spring 2020, CILC launched the Community of Learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as an interactive virtual learning resource for learners of all ages. The videos below capture testimonials from learners who continue to enjoy the Community of Learning educational livestream series. The videos below capture testimonials, reactions from some who have enjoyed the programming so far.
Consider helping CILC continue  provding FREE interactive virtual learning experiences to students, teachers, families, and lifelong learners by making a donation today!

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