What is the National Geographic Learning Framework?
The National Geographic Learning Framework lays out what we believe children and youth should learn from their experiences with the Society. It communicates National Geographic’s core beliefs and values, and has been created to provide guidance for every product, resource, service, and experience we design.
The Learning Framework supports educators—everyone who teaches and cares for children and youth—with resources and tools to meet our mission:
We teach kids about the world and how it works, empowering them to succeed and to make it a better place.
HOW WAS THE LEARNING FRAMEWORK DEVELOPED?
We have built the Learning Framework around a set of learning outcomes that define what children and youth can learn and do at various ages, from pre-kindergarten through high school.
To determine these learning outcomes, we dug deep into national standards in key subject areas. We also sought advice and input from subject matter and child development experts, along with the combined expertise of NG instructional designers, researchers, and content developers—many with years of K-12 teaching or early childhood education backgrounds.
The mindset of an explorer:
Attitudes, Skills, Knowledge
Attitudes
Key attitudes encompass the mindset of an explorer. National Geographic kids are:
Curious and adventurous—curious about how the world works, seeking out new and challenging experiences throughout their lives.
Responsible—with concern for the welfare of other people, cultural resources, and the natural world. They are respectful, considering multiple perspectives, and honoring others regardless of differences.
Empowered to make a difference. They act on curiosity, respect, responsibility, and adventurousness, and they persist in the face of challenges.
Curious
Responsible
Empowered
Skills
National Geographic kids have a set of skills required for exploration and discovery. They can…
Observe and document the world around them, and they can make sense of those observations.
Communicate experiences and ideas effectively through language and media. National Geographic kids are storytellers! They have literacy skills with which they interpret and create new understanding from spoken language, writing, and a wide variety of visual and audio media.
Collaborate with others to achieve goals.
And they solve problems. They are able to generate, evaluate, and implement solutions to problems. They are capable decision makers—able to identify alternatives and weigh trade-offs to make well-reasoned decisions.
Observe
Communicate
Collaborate
Problem-Solve
Knowledge
Young people need to understand how our ever-changing and interconnected world works in order to function effectively and act responsibly. We divide that understanding into National Geographic’s three key subject areas.
Human Journey is all about where we have been, where we live now (and why), and where we are going.
Changing Planet encompasses all that co-exists on our planet—interconnected through systems that generate and nurture each other.
Wildlife that inhabit our planet—from the butterflies in our back yards to the lions in Africa.