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Distance Learning
Plan Your Virtual Trip to The Sanctuary
There are many ways to connect with The Elephant Sanctuary online. With live, on-demand, and asynchronous content available, our programs are fun, educational, and cater to all ages.
We strive to make all of our programs accessible, whether that means including captions for our deaf and hard of hearing friends; working with a translator or providing vocabulary for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners; or adapting our programs in other ways to meet audiences where they are. We are happy to work with you to provide the best experience possible. Choose from our menu of programs below.
Virtual Field Trips
Virtually visit The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee by signing up your class, Scout Troop, or community group for one of our free, interactive virtual field trips. We will bring the elephants to you at no cost through Zoom, Google Meet, Teams or any other video conferencing platform. Programs are differentiated by age and subject matter. Follow our scheduling link to choose the best date and time for your virtual field trip.
Are You Like an Elephant?
PreK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade
Would an elephant make a good pet? How is the largest land animal just like us? How are they different? In this program, we explore the difference between wild animals and animals in human care to understand more about why elephants live at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Next, get ready to move as students are encouraged to “flap their ears” and “stretch out their trunk” to compare and contrast an elephant’s body to their own. Students should leave this program understanding a bit more about why elephant ears are so big and their noses, so long.
- Applicable Next Generation Science Standards: K-LS-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1
- Program Length: 25 minutes
EleFamily
1st - 2nd grade
What makes a mammal a mammal? What does an elephant eat? Do elephants live in families? Follow an elephant as she grows and learns to become an adult member of her herd. In this program, we will discover what makes an elephant a mammal, what elephants eat and how their diet changes through their lives, as well as how they form important social skills that help them succeed in the wild. We will also introduce students to the resident elephants who live at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.
- Applicable Next Generation Science Standards: LS1A K-2, LS2A K-2, and LS3A K-2
- Program Length: 35 minutes
Designed to Thrive: Elephant Adaptations
2nd - 5th grade
Elephants can be found in a wide range of habitats, from tropical rainforests to grasslands and even deserts. How can they survive in all of these places? They have a unique set of adaptations that help them thrive in wild spaces. In this program, we take your students through some of the unique features of elephants to understand the basic concept of adaptations using elephants as a case study. We will also introduce students to the resident elephants who live at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.
- Applicable Next Generation Science Standards: 3-LS-2, 3-LS-4, 4-ESS-2, 5-LS-3
- Program Length: 45 minutes
An Elephant’s Journey to Tennessee
6th grade and up
How does an elephant born in the wild make their way to Tennessee? Hear the story of one of our resident elephants and the story of The Elephant Sanctuary. This introduction to The Sanctuary will illuminate our mission and offer an understanding of how we care for these complex creatures in captivity. Your audience will foster compassion for animals and an awareness of animal welfare by hearing about the life stories of our resident elephants. We also discuss what goes into caring for the elephants at The Sanctuary, hopefully inspiring the next generation of animal care and non-profit professionals.
- Program Length: 45 minutes
Lifelong Learners Programs
If you are looking for virtual events for your senior community, staff meetings, or service club, we recommend our Lifelong Learner’s Program. This program is the perfect introduction to The Elephant Sanctuary for adult audiences. Programs reserved for groups of 5 or more.
FlipGrid
If you are looking for asynchronous content to provide for your students to complete on their own time, our FlipGrid partner page is full of topics that range from observations of elephant behaviors to discussions of international conservation. New topics are added quarterly. These topics can be used in conjunction with a scheduled virtual field trip or can be added to curriculum units you already have planned for your classroom.
Virtual Events
Whether it’s World Elephant Day or Earth Day, you are invited to celebrate with The Elephant Sanctuary from the comfort of your own home or community. Keep an eye on our social media or our Discovery Center page for upcoming events and ways your family can participate virtually and in your home community.
Through Distance Learning, The Sanctuary’s mission and the name of the small town we call home – Hohenwald, TN – has reached a global audience. You can see the dramatic impact of this program on the maps above. Since 2013, our educators have reached more than 55,000 individuals, completed nearly 1,700 virtual programs, and have had audiences in 48 states and 39 countries on six continents.
For more information and to schedule a Distance learning program, please request a date through Calendly or reach out to Laura Roddy at laura@elephants.com or 931-796-6500 ext. 108.