David Attenborough is teaching online geography lessons to kids at home

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Rachel Thompson
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David Attenborough is teaching online geography lessons to kids at home

Children all over the world are adapting to a new way of learning as schools closed due to the new coronavirus pandemic.

In the UK, schoolchildren are in for a treat during these unprecedented times. Sir David Attenborough will be teaching kids about oceans, mapping the world, and why animals look the way they do. The veteran broadcaster is just one of many celebrities stepping up to become a virtual teacher during the pandemic.

From today, the BBC is launching its biggest educational offering in its history, Bitesize Daily, featuring lessons from over 200 teachers and scores of celebrities. The BBC has collaborated with teachers and education specialists to compile a 14-week curriculum for youngsters across the UK. Remarkably, this program has been put together in just four weeks.

Manchester City footballer Sergio Aguero will be teaching the nation's kids how to count in Spanish. Award-winning pop stars Liam Payne and Mabel will be teaching music and reading to secondary school kids. Dr. Who's Jodie Whittaker will be teaching Bitesize daily lessons, while Professor Brian Cox teaches science topics including force and gravity.

Danny Dyer will be teaching the facts on Henry VIII as he teaches history to Key Stage One (KS1) pupils. Former MP (and viral sensation) Ed Balls will be teaching a Key Stage Three (KS3) maths class.

All aspects of Bitesize Daily have been developed with teaching professionals. As well as the host of famous faces that'll be keeping young people busy over the weeks to come, it's worth mentioning the 200 teachers who worked on this curriculum. This week, kids will meet Mr Burton, Ms Webb, Mr Brown, Ms Armit, Mr Mycock, and Mr McPartlin.

These teachers will head up daily lessons available from 9 a.m. BST every week day on BBC iPlayer and BBC Red Button.

"We’re proud that the BBC can bring together so many people to offer such a wide-ranging package of support to help children and parents right across the UK at such a challenging time," Alice Webb, director BBC Children’s and Education, said in a statement.

"We said the BBC would be there for people through this crisis, and we meant it. It’s vital that every child is able to continue learning — and the lessons we’re putting on will make sure they have fun at the same time."

Any chance we can get Olivia Colman teaching Drama? Now that would be a treat.

You can access BBC Bitesize Daily on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Bitesize website and app, BBC Four and BBC Sounds.

Topics BBC COVID-19

Rachel Thompson, sits wearing a dress with yellow florals and black background.
Rachel Thompson
Features Editor

Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.

A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.

Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.

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