National Geographic Unveils Free Science Education Programs Inspired by New Series “One Strange Rock”
21st Century Fox Social Impact
On the eve of the premiere of One Strange Rock, the thrilling 10-part documentary series exploring the conditions that create life on Earth, 21st Century Fox’s National Geographic has launched a suite of educational tools designed to bring to life some of the series’ key scientific lessons. The resources are available completely free for educators and include activities for students of all ages, including interactive online games and maps, photography, videos, slideshows, worksheets, articles, and a curriculum guide developed in collaboration with the nonprofit Journeys in Film. One Strange Rock premieres on Monday, March 26, at 10/9c on National Geographic.
One Strange Rock was filmed in 45 countries on six continents and from space, and features insights from some of the world’s most accomplished astronauts. The series is hosted by Will Smith and presented by visionary director Darren Aronofsky, who spoke about the series’ potential as an educational tool at a Television Critics Association panel in January: “What was exciting about this was taking astronomy, anthropology, biology, chemistry, and physics, and trying to sort of blend them together to talk about this home that we’re all living on.”
The educational materials reflect this broad engagement with many different scientific fields, including articles on climate change, videos on plate tectonics, and an elementary school guide to extreme weather. The curriculum guide for middle and high school students works hand-in-hand with the series to spark discussions about the solar system, microscopic organisms, the history of the space program, and more. Journeys in Film previously partnered with 21CF for curriculum guides tied to Hidden Figures, Mars, and He Named Me Malala.
