Community of Learning
Connect 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!
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
Sustainable Sounds - Building Instruments from Trash
Sustainable Sounds is far and away our most popular virtual program. Rooted in the live version running for 30+ years, we’ve upped the engagement level by adding a baked-in in-school instrument-building component that’s fun for students… and easy on teachers! Our live performer will show students how to build their own instruments while using all their senses to discover the science behind them. Throughout the show we incorporate timely and important information about the fight against Plastic Pollution and Climate Change, and how students can get involved; finally culminating in the fun and noisy Thing Jam!
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Earth Day Estuary Exploration
Go on a seashore safari without getting wet during our Earth Day excursion into Sarasota Bay. Embark on a sightseeing adventure over mudflats, seagrass meadows, and mangrove trees. Uncover the challenges sea creatures face between the tides and maybe wave to a scientist working with us on the docks. You never know what we will find when we explore the estuary together. A Suncoast Remake Learning Days event made possible by the generous support of the Patterson Foundation. #SuncoastRemakeDays
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Civics and Democracy in the Early United States: A Monticello Digital Learning Experience
Students will explore Monticello, the plantation home of Thomas Jefferson, with a Monticello guide to uncover the ideas of self-government, citizenship, and liberty in the early United States. Students interact with the Guide and use primary sources including objects and letters, as well as experience a 360-degree virtual tour of Monticello.
Thursday, April 24, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Storytelling and Writing
Two fun and easy ways to write using art! If your students are 'reluctant writers,' create excitement by using the unique writing methods of paper-cutting and drawing. Your students enjoy a paper-cutting story and a draw and tell story. Then they can create their own fiction, nonfiction or personal narratives using these hands-on techniques!
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Snakes and the Scientific Method
After practicing observational skills of reptiles such as snakes, students will use the scientific method as they attempt to discover one of the snake's natural habitats. We'll perform an experiment, learn how to use evidence to solve problems and answer questions, and even test our new knowledge with a snake in a mystery habitat!
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
George Washington Carver - The Scientist (lab)
This lesson focuses on the scientific and
humanitarian work of George Washington Carver during his years at Tuskegee
Institute in Alabama. After a review of his work promoting soil conservation,
the park ranger will demonstrate how to make peanut milk, incorporating the
scientific method.
Thursday, May 1, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Animal Adventure Poses
Develop strength and flexibility while tapping into imagination. Mimicking animal poses
Friday, May 2, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Asian American Artists
Asian American artists are integral to the multifaceted story of
American art. Explore their artwork and discuss the
life experiences, historic events, and cultural connections that
inspire their artistic practice.
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Swimming With Sharks, the Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark
We will read the story "Swimming With Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark," in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Dr. Eugenie Clark, a Japanese-American scientist, broke barriers in marine biology at a time when few women ventured into the depths of the ocean. Known as 'the Shark Lady,' Genie wasn’t afraid to explore the unknown and uncover the secrets of the sea. Join us as we read this inspiring story aloud, then dive into activities that promote critical thinking, oral language skills, fluency, pronunciation, STEM engagement, and reading comprehension.
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Cultural Diversity: Diversity in the Dugout
The program provides an overview on racial and ethnic communities and the ways that they have changed the landscape of baseball since the late 1800s.
Thursday, May 8, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Stories in Art Across Asia
Explore a work of art and an Asian folktale in this interactive virtual program!
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
BONE-voyage! A Fossil's Journey from the Field to the Lab
From discovery to seeing enormous dinosaurs in the museum, a fossil’s journey is fascinating. MOR Paleontology Lab and Field Manager, Lee Hall, will tell the story of the process of paleontology - from first discovering a fossil in the field to exhibiting entire dinosaurs in a museum in a fun and engaging way. From very young students to high school, this program will help illustrate the importance of paleontology and its role within the sciences, and as an exciting career for students interested in studying the history of life on Earth.
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Art of Ancient Greece and Rome: Gods and Goddesses
Visit the MFA’s Gods and Goddesses gallery to explore the heroes and deities depicted in ancient Greek and Roman artworks. By looking at large-scale sculptures and small intimate objects, students see how ancient artworks convey the personalities and stories of these celebrated mythical figures. Program Duration: 30-40 minutes. Recommended for Grades 3-6.
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
National Paper Airplane Day with the US Air Force
It's National Paper Airplane Day! Celebrate by learning the basics of flight from the US Air Force. Learn about the forces that allow your airplane to fly with maximum performance. Whose airplane can fly fastest and furthest?
Each student should have a sheet (or two!) of paper as we will be folding paper airplanes during the session.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Chinese Folktales
Marty brings Chinese folktales to life using tech tricks, improv and audience participation.
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Mountain - Swamp Trek: a Habitat Adventure!
Start at the top of the mountains, meet our resident river otters and
learn all about their special adaptations. Then travel to the swamp and
discover the differences and similarities between these two amazing habitats! Meet many different animals along the way
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Great Ocean Voyage: Shark Adaptations
Walk through the Aquarium and learn about stingray adaptations in The Shallows. Then “dive into” the deepest tank in North America: our Great Ocean Tank! The Great Ocean Tank holds four different shark species and over 550 individual animals. Learn all about the adaptations that help sharks to survive, and how they should be protected -- not feared!
Thursday, May 29, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Monday, June 2, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Look & Discover
Explore the museum's collection through this general introductory experience designed to examine artworks from many time periods and cultures.
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Cave Creatures
Go on a short virtual tour of Great Basin National Park, then become a cave detective to explore what organisms can survive in the cold, dark environment of Lehman Caves. Gain a deeper understanding of how animal adaptations are linked to specific environments.
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Letters from a '49er: John Robertson Maben and the Search for California Gold!
In 1849, John Robertson Maben traveled to California in search of gold. In a series of thirteen letters, Maben describes his travels to his wife, Sarah. These letters are especially vivid as Maben was witness to events both momentous and mundane. He wrote of the cholera epidemic of 1849, the great St. Louis fire that same year, and the excitement and brutality of the California gold fields. In this program, students will join Maben on his journey, interpreting his letters, tracing his travels on a nineteenth-century map, and examining the landscape.
Thursday, June 5, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
The colors of Yoga: Chakras
Discover the chakra system- the energy centers within the body. Learn about the colors and symbolism of each one.
Friday, June 6, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Wolf Pup 101
Ever wondered what it’s like to grow up as a wolf? Step
into the shoes of our wolf care staff and follow our Ambassador wolves through
their first year of life. You will learn all about the stages of pup
development and what it takes to raise wolves here at the International Wolf
Center!
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Magnificent Migrators
Join us as we explore some of the wild adventures and travels that many marie animals make in their lifetime. Explore the reasons that animals might travel great distances, the adaptations that help them, and draw along with us to mark the momentous occasion of these magnificent migrators.
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Animal Adaptations
Adaptations are amazing! Explore and learn the many traits that animals need to help them survive in the wild as we visit exhibits and meet live animals. All Toledo Zoo Programs include a live tour of an animal exhibit with a knowledgeable guide and time for interaction with participants.
Thursday, June 12, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Water Those? Aquatic Invasive Species!
This program will introduce students to the concept of a
food web in an aquatic ecosystem. Students will also discover how invasive
species like zebra and quagga mussels can disrupt those food webs in the Great
Lakes. Rangers will use props and activities to keep students engaged
throughout the program.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
George Washington Carver - The Scientist (lab)
This lesson focuses on the scientific and
humanitarian work of George Washington Carver during his years at Tuskegee
Institute in Alabama. After a review of his work promoting soil conservation,
the park ranger will demonstrate how to make peanut milk, incorporating the
scientific method.
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Mob vs Spy: Crime Scene Investigation
Discover crime-solving with The Mob Museum and the International Spy Museum!
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Spiders! Participate in A Folktale Using Sign Language! Do Action Science - Webs, Food, Body Parts
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. Simulate actual spider behavior while exploring a spider web that you created!
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Movement and Motion
This program examines the relationship of science and the game of professional football. Straight line movement, zig-zags, circular motion, back & forth, pushing & pulling - all movements that influence the sport.
Thursday, June 26, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
!LIVE: Sharks
Join us for a jawsome virtual animal encounter where you’ll dive deep into the world of sharks. Meet the shark species we care for at Mote Aquarium, including bonnetheads, sandbars, nurses, blacknoses, and more, along with their cousins—the skates and rays. Then uncover the secrets of the shark lifecycle and how we care for these incredible creatures. Finally, see where our science meets conservation to ensure the future of these vital ocean dwellers.
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Sharks with Wonders of Wildlife
Join Wonders of Wildlife as we explore and learn all about sharks!
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Alex Says - Yoga Game
Incorporating music with a freeze dance, students will freeze in a yoga pose testing their pose memory!
Friday, July 11, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
To See Is to Think
In a world filled with images, it is important to be visually literate. While exploring artworks that represent various time periods, styles, and mediums, students will: (1) build a visual vocabulary and learn how to form interpretations based on visual evidence and (2) build visual literacy by examining the deliberate choices artists make in their work and why.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Art of Sea Monsters
Become a scientific illustrator and bring ancient fossils to life, through art! Look as the ancient sea life that once roamed the great plains and try your hand at representing the fossil record through art!
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Photography as Art: The History of Daguerreotype Photography
In 1839, the French artist Louis Daguerre announced the development of a new process to create photographs on silver plates. Named after its creator, daguerreotype photography took the world by storm. In this program, Historian and Curator Nick Sacco will discuss the history and science behind the first commercial form of photography ever invented. He will highlight numerous daguerreotype photographers and their work, including three daguerreotype photographs of Ulysses S. Grant from the 1840s.
Thursday, July 17, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
The Three Sisters: American Indian Stories
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!
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Illustrating Poe
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
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Solar System Investigation
Tour the solar system and make observations about the celestial bodies we visit. Use those observations to guess the name of each destination: from Mars to the moons of Saturn! Students will gain a new understanding of how the solar system was formed and the forces that keep it in motion.
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Solar System Science
What are the components of our solar system? How are planets similar and different? Journey through the solar system without leaving your seat.
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Mindful Movement and Breathing
Introducing simple breathing exercises paired with gentle movements.
Friday, August 1, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
The History of Sports in the Midwest
Students will hear little known stories about the history of different sports in the mid-west region of the United States. Sports included in this program are, the history of college world series baseball, horse racing, women's softball, and the story of many black athletes that rose to fame during the civil rights era.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Popculture Through Baseball Cards & Language
Explore the advent of baseball cards, their connection to tobacco and gum products, and their evolution into the modern day baseball card. Students will also learn about baseball terminology that has become part of everyday conversation in the classroom and workplace.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Healthy Hearts
Students will learn how exercise strengthens the heart, lungs, bones, muscles and other body systems. Through active participation, students will learn about the components of physical fitness.
Thursday, August 7, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Monster Mania
Storyteller and author Marty Chan shares monster myth tales and guides kids through the steps to creating their own mythical monsters.
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Moat Monsters and Oozlefinches
A 200 year old fort can hold a lot of mysteries! Could there be a monster lurking in the moat? Is there such thing as an oozlefinch bird? Learn about the history of Fort Monroe's mysterious creature sightings and how they live on today.
Thursday, August 14, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Why are Australian animals so weird?
Discover some amazing animals that only live in Australia and why they are so different to other parts of the world.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
George Washington Carver: Struggle for Education - FREE
This
lesson focuses on numerous obstacles George Washington Carver faced and
overcame in order to earn his education and how he became a role model of
perseverance and success.
Thursday, August 21, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Skeletal Secrets
Did you know that skulls are handy for much more than just fun Halloween decorations? In fact, skulls can tell us a lot about the diet and habits of different species. Let’s decode some of the tales beneath the scales!
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Tusker Power!
Dive into the natural history of the heartland of the USA! Think like a paleontologist, examine ancient elephant fossils, and explore the ancient life found right here in yoru backyard!
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Rock On! The Secret Life of Rocks & Minerals
How are rocks created? Are minerals and rocks the same thing? What are fossils? Use our geology specimens to help answer some of these questions! This interactive program will explore the intricate processes that occur on earth that lead to the formation of rocks, landforms and fossils.
Thursday, August 28, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Standing and Balancing
Alone or with an option partner, students will practice a variety of standing and balancing poses! Helps to build trust and patience.
Friday, September 5, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Arm strength challenge
From plank to downward facing dog to dolphin and a few poses in between, shoulders and arms will be strengthened. We will focus an form and perseverance!
Friday, October 3, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Leg strength quest
Using our imagination, accompanied by an inspirational playlist, together we will build leg strength pretending to climb or explore rugged terrain.
Friday, November 7, 2025
1:00 pm ET
45 minutes
Gratitude and Relaxation Yoga Circle
In a circle, we practice gratitude-themed and relaxation poses. Cultivating a sense of gratitude and belonging, students can share one thing they are thankful for as we conclude in child's pose.
Friday, December 5, 2025
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!