LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES

LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES

Education is the heart of animal protection and wildlife conservation!

New England Primate Conservancy offers a broad range of unique lessons and activities that make learning fun! All educational content is provided without cost so that it may be enjoyed by the widest possible audiences. The programs illustrate the interconnectedness and interdependence of animal and environmental conservation.

Our project-based lessons allow students to work individually or in teams. Students can actively engage in real-world and personally meaningful activities. The lessons encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, self-management, project management, and collaboration. All can be applied across multiple academic disciplines. All are engaging, with games, graphics, videos, and more.

Each addresses issues pertaining to wildlife, their habitats, and the conservation of their ecosystems. Even those that are specifically primate-themed speak to the importance of habitat conservation and why habitat preservation and protection are important to the futures of our fellow primates. It is impossible to disentangle the interdependence of species and their ecosystems.

You’ve asked for more ways to bring NEPC into the classroom and we’ve responded with on-demand videocasts and scheduled webinars. Learn more by clicking on the graphics below. 

The goal of all of our educational content is responsible stewardship of our planet and her creatures because…education is the heart of animal protection and conservation. We can all be part of the solution. Education is the key.

A new coloring activity for November 2023. Crested black macaques have some pretty dramatic facial expressions! Like all primates, they use facial expressions to communicate their feelings. Includes a BBC Earth video, fun facts, and four expressive pages to color any way you like.
In this video series, you’ll be amazed by the sheer number of primate species, their spectacular diversity, and how they are adapted specifically for their environments. You’ll meet primate species that you’ve probably never before heard of and learn about the delicate, beautiful, complex interdependence of all species within any habitat. Saving one species saves many!
Bring NEPC into your classroom, school, library, or organization with our informative educational webinars. Contact us to schedule your webinar! Click here to learn how.
Primate species are incredibly diverse. Discover the “art” of formulating informed theories about why primates are so diversely adapted in appearance and lifestyles. Use the 5-step scientific method to develop and justify your hypotheses. Being right is less important than how you arrive at your conclusions.
Embark on a virtual scavenger hunt that guides you throughout the NEPC website. Each correct clue brings you closer to deciphering a mystery. This engaging and interactive learning activity introduces you to a variety of topics and is a great way to initiate or extend discussions about conservation.
This is Primate Jeopardy! Based on the TV gameshow, we modified this template so you can test your primate knowledge or search the NEPC website for answers. Learn about apes, monkeys, and prosimians, where they live, and what you can do to protect them and their habitats. Remember to pose your responses as questions.
Use the 7-Step Scientific Method to discover the shared evolutionary history between and among primate species, including humans. This is a unique lesson that reinforces our shared evolutionary history and how each animal plays an important role in Mother Nature’s biodiversity.
A lesson for understanding how a dichotomous key can help to identify organisms in nature. In this lesson, we explore how to use dichotomous keys to scientifically identify nonhuman primate species. You're the scientist as you solve and create dichotomous keys to identify tamarins and lemurs.
Become a detective and uncover how the ingredients in your candy may be harmful to the rainforests and those who live in them. Videos with very clear action items in each of 5 project steps walk you through how to accomplish each task. Good Detective Strategies and Helpful Hints are included.
Inspired by flashcards, these cyber "flashcards" provide quick and easy insights into a variety of primate species. A fun and educational activity with so much to discover, like why each species may have multiple common names but only one scientific name, where in the world they live, and more.
A unique downloadable primate card deck, with instructions for four games, introduces nonhuman primate species' diversity and the habitats they call home. A bonus section reveals "Who's in the Cards." One-click brings you to a full Primate Species Profile. Learn while playing!
A journey of discovery, a short video takes you on a world tour of where primate species live. Five activities dig deeper into their habitats and the need to preserve them. Human primates, of course, inhabit every continent. What happens when our worlds collide?
An activity for understanding what defines rainforests, their vast biodiversity, and their importance to the health of the Earth. A self-guided slideshow sets the stage for the downloadable gameboard and tiles. Have fun while learning!
Chimpanzees, like humans, use facial expressions to communicate and show their feelings. Sometimes chimpanzee facial expressions can look similar to human facial expressions. Sometimes they mean something similar. Sometimes they don’t. Follow the lesson, color, and learn.
The study of conservation is filled with acronyms that describe the threat levels to species. It is a veritable alphabet soup of wordplay and abbreviated shortcuts. This lesson breaks the code so you can focus on the long-term health of animal species, their habitats, and the threats they both face.
Lesson 1 of the "What is Nature?" series starts at the foundation of how Nature supports all life. It explores food chains and energy flows. Includes a section just for educators. Key learning points include the interconnectedness and complexity of ecosystems and how nutrients and energy cycle through ecosystems.
"What is Nature?" Lesson 2 explores the world of pollinators, the resources they need to survive in their environment, and how cross-pollination is vital for ecosystem recovery and resilience. Consider the unique adaptations plants have to communicate with their pollinators and the reasons behind pollinator flower preferences.
"What is Nature?" Lesson 3 is all about Biodiversity, the fabric of life! It is Mother Nature's formula for success! Learn about Earth’s Living Organisms; Genetic, Species, and Ecosystem Diversity; Biodiversity Hotspots; and what can be done to support biodiversity. Includes videos, graphics, and activities.