The National Geographic Photo Ark uses the power of photography to teach people of all ages about our planet’s amazing diversity and foster a real human connection to Earth’s animals.
Explorer, photographer, and founder of the Photo Ark, Joel Sartore has taken more than 57,000 portraits of 16,000 species—and counting—in his quest to document our world’s astonishing biodiversity. He’s more than halfway to his goal of documenting all of the approximately 20,000 species living in the world’s zoos, aquariums, and wildlife sanctuaries.
Teachers can introduce students to Joel Sartore and some of the fascinating animals in the Photo Ark with these free downloadable handouts: Photo Ark Edition of Explorer Magazine; Photo Ark Overview Poster; All in a Day’s Work; My Animal Photos: Joel Sartore; and Photo Ark Species Poster.
The Photo Ark website takes students behind the scenes to see how Sartore creates intimate portraits of these creatures. Students can also learn more about the amazing species in the Photo Ark with this interactive Google Earth Voyager Story.
The interactive digital experience allows learners to explore each animal in the Photo Ark collection and share information about endangered species with their friends. Classroom activities highlight the importance of storytelling in conservation and empower students to spread the word about species extinction. For example, an activity for grades 3–5 focuses on the relationship between animal habitat and conservation. Another activity for grades 6–8 empowers students to develop their own storytelling styles and emphasizes the role of writing and photography in conservation.