Watch recording
Explorer Classroom

Animating My Memory

Grade / Age
3 - 8 / 8 - 14
Duration
45 minutes
Explorer Classroom is a live, interactive online event featuring National Geographic Explorers.

Join animator Manu Akatsa as he brings the songs of his childhood to life through animation.

Google Classroom
MS Teams
Facebook
Share via email

Credit: Explorer Submitted Image

Event Recording

About This Event

In the first event of the Storytelling Series, join National Geographic Explorer and filmmaker Manu Akatsa to see how he brings incredible stories to life with animation. Learn his secrets to finding, creating, and sharing powerful stories from your own life!

Activity: After the event, guide your students through the first mission, Sharing Your Own Stories, where they will share and reflect on rich and meaningful stories from their own lives.

Resources

Storytelling Series 2026: Program Guide

Explorer Mindset Learning Framework

Mission One: Sharing your Own Stories- share this worksheet with your students after the event.

Viewing Instructions: prepare for the event with these tips.

Videos : Uli and Tata Animation

Article (related to the topic but not Manu’s direct work) :

EduHub - What the Lullabies We Sing to Our Children Reveal About Us

Featured Explorer

National Geographic Explorers are an international community of changemakers, who use the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world, while inspiring the next generation to do the same.

Other Explorer Classroom Events

Image of Documenting Environmental Resilience in Africa

Documenting Environmental Resilience in Africa

Miora Rajaonary | Photographer

Earth Day Event: Document the Great Green Wall, an initiative to restore Africa’s landscapes, with photo-artist Miora Rajaonary.

Grade/Age

Grade: 3 - 8 / Age: 8 - 14

Apr 22, 2026

10 AM or 2 PM / ET

Image of Engineering Adventures In Space

Engineering Adventures In Space

Tracy Drain | Systems Engineer

Launch into the world of space engineering with systems engineer Tracy Drain.

Grade/Age

Grade: 3 - 8 / Age: 8 - 14

May 7, 2026

10 AM or 2 PM / ET

Image of Planet of the Snails and Spiders
Watch recording

Planet of the Snails and Spiders

Martina Panisi | Conservation Biologist and Environmental Educator

Slide into the fun world of snails and spiders with conservation biologist Martina Panisi!

Grade/Age

Grade: 3 - 8 / Age: 8 - 14

Apr 16, 2026

Image of Life in Hot Water
Watch recording

Life in Hot Water

Rosa Vásquez Espinoza | Chemical Biologist, Amazon Conservationist, Artist

Explore boiling water with biologist Rosa Vásquez Espinoza and learn about microbes and their importance to the freshwater system.

Grade/Age

Grade: 3 - 8 / Age: 8 - 14

Mar 19, 2026

Image of Stories on Foot
Watch recording

Stories on Foot

Paul Salopek | Writer, Journalist

Journey with journalist Paul Salopek as he treks across the globe telling the powerful stories of people he meets along the way.

Grade/Age

Grade: 3 - 8 / Age: 8 - 14

Feb 26, 2026

Image of Unhidden Voices of History
Watch recording

Unhidden Voices of History

James Edward Mills | Writer

Join journalist James Edward Mills to uncover the hidden history of often overlooked communities.

Grade/Age

Grade: 3 - 8 / Age: 8 - 14

Feb 19, 2026

Image of Cultural Lens of Food
Watch recording

Cultural Lens of Food

Sonya Lee | Documentary filmmaker

Explore sustainable fisheries through the cultural lens of Korean food with filmmaker Sonya Lee.

Grade/Age

Grade: 3 - 8 / Age: 8 - 14

Feb 5, 2026