Conservation Classroom: How a Zoo Built a Digital Collection for Learning

When we think of digital collections, our minds usually go to objects: artifacts, documents, photographs. But what if a collection wasn’t made up of things, but of experiences? At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), that’s exactly the idea behind Conservation Classroom.

“Digital collections don’t just have to be objects in a museum,” says educator Kaden Borseth. “They can be learning experiences that people can explore and immerse themselves in anytime they want.”

And immerse they do. Conservation Classroom is a free, virtual program designed for K–5 students, reaching over 130,000 learners in all 50 U.S. states and 43 countries. Its structure is deceptively simple: four steps—Wonder, Engage, Act, Connect—delivered through videos, live webinars, activities, and career spotlights. But what makes the program stand out is its deliberate design, rooted in teacher feedback, student engagement data, and clear educational outcomes.

Step One: Wonder

Every month begins with a spark of curiosity. “We start out with a short video called I Wonder,” explains educator Laura Hernandez. “I wonder…what is migration? Do animals go to the doctor? What does it mean to be endangered?”

These bite-sized videos do more than introduce vocabulary—they model inquiry. Students are encouraged to bring their own questions to the table, ready to be tested in the live program that follows. Teachers use them both as pre-lessons and as standalones to stoke curiosity.

Step Two: Engage

Then comes the live connection. “Students participate in a free, live, interactive webinar where they are connected to animals, science, and the environment and can engage with Smithsonian staff in real time,” says Briana Thomas.

Here, kids don’t just passively watch—they interact through polls, emojis, and questions that may be answered live by veterinarians, animal keepers, or scientists. Behind the scenes, a team fields queries at a dizzying pace, reinforcing that curiosity is welcome. Accessibility is built in: captioning, Spanish interpretation, and ASL ensure the widest possible reach.

The recordings then join the ever-growing digital archive—a collection of interactions as much as information.

Step Three: Act

After the excitement of a webinar, students turn ideas into action. “Each lesson has two activity sheets,” Borseth explains. “One that students can use to follow-along with during the program and a post-program activity sheet.”

The during-program sheets—rainforest BINGO, animal exam charts, bird banding data—help children focus, observe, and record like real scientists. Post-program sheets lean on creativity: design a reptile comic strip, invent an aquatic superhero, or pledge an Earth Day action. They’re playful, but they also serve as evaluation tools, measuring both knowledge gains and empathy shifts.

Step Four: Connect

Finally, the program closes the loop by connecting students to possible futures. “Our short Career Connections video helps pull everything together by showing a STEM career related to the program topic,” says Thomas.

But these aren’t the usual suspects. Students meet a conservation biologist using drones and cameras like a secret agent, or a landscape architect blending art and engineering to design zoo habitats. As Hernandez explains, “The goal is for students to see themselves reflected in zoo staff, and to understand how every career here helps with the conservation of species.”

A Digital Collection by Design

The modular design is intentional. Teachers can pick and choose—just a Wonder video here, a Career Connection clip there—or use the full suite as a standards-aligned package. To date, NZCBI has created 14 I Wonder videos, 27 live webinars, 40 activity sheets, and 19 career films.

It’s not just scale, but accessibility that sets the program apart. All videos are captioned, digital materials meet web standards, and live events feature both ASL and Spanish interpretation.

And the results? A 4.8 out of 5 satisfaction rating, with more than 90% of educators agreeing the program is fun, engaging, and builds empathy for animals. Teachers consistently describe the resources as enriching and—perhaps most importantly—free.

Behind the Scenes

Borseth is quick to note that this isn’t a one-department project. “The support of animal keepers and veterinary team allow us to get up-close views for our Animal Glam Cam, while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our animals. We also collaborate with scientists and researchers to share innovative stories about the conservation work we are doing both locally and worldwide.”

And without IT, volunteers, and behind-the-scenes logistics, the hundreds of questions and smooth streaming would be impossible.

“This is definitely a team effort,” adds Hernandez.

A Collection That Inspires Action

For all its moving parts, the program’s aim is simple: to help children fall in love with animals, and to see conservation not as an abstract cause, but as something they themselves can act on.

As Borseth puts it: “Our short-term outcomes include students being engaged and asking questions. Medium-term, we want them to feel connected to animals and care about them. Long-term, we hope students develop a lifelong love of wildlife and are inspired to save species.”

Conservation Classroom may not collect artifacts, but it does collect something just as valuable: curiosity, empathy, and the seeds of conservation action—assembled into a digital archive of learning experiences that continue to grow.

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Kaden Borseth, Laura Hernandez and Briana Thomas from Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute spoke at the Digital Collections Summit 2025.