For Teachers

How it works

What to Expect

Our live events are roughly 45 minutes long and focus on visual storytelling, in the form of media rich presentations or virtual field trips. Speakers share their stories, research, expeditions, explorations, successes, failures and more. During most events, we mix in a Kahoot! quiz so students can to further student interaction, before moving into live Q&A.

Live events are announced each month and regularly updated via our newsletters (released each Sunday evening, subscribe on the home page), the website and our social media channels (@ebtsoyp). We use StreamYard to broadcast the events as it allows us to to reach a large number of classrooms with each lesson, it is great even with poor connectivity, and there is no program that educators need to download. You can register for the events right on the lesson pages on this website.

We don’t put grade levels on our events, this is intentional! We want a large group of students to be inspired through each live event, which is why our speakers focus on telling their stories and sharing their work in very visual ways. The majority of the live events are excellent fits for grades 3-8, with K-2 gravitating towards the virtual field trip events. High school classes join regularly, often choosing the recordings of events due to more fixed schedules.

Getting Started

We now have 4 ways your classroom can join the adventure:

1) Grab a camera spot so your class can appear on screen and interact with the speaker. We generally have 5-6 classrooms joining in this way for each event. We’ll contact you within 24 hours to confirm your spot, your camera spot isn’t confirmed until you respond to our message. There’s no program to download, although Google Chrome is by far the best browser to use. Shortly before the event, we’ll send you a special link, and all you have to do is follow it to join the live event. We’re happy to do a quick test call in advance if it’s your first time.

2) Grab an audio spot so your classroom can ask questions via microphone, with your camera turned off. This is a great option for classrooms that might not have permission to appear on camera, but still want direct interaction with the speaker.

3) Tune in live to the live stream on our YouTube channel, any number of classrooms can join this way, take part in the Kahoot! quizzes, and send in some questions using the live chat. We’ll email you the YouTube link to use after you have registered.

4) Every live event is recorded directly to our YouTube channel, we have a growing library of past events that can be used by educators and students at any time: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvQkEzcH9f_9OylEdmALiWg

FAQ

Q: What time are the events listed in?

A: All events are listed in Eastern time (Toronto/New York).

Q: What technology do I need to join a camera spot?

A: A laptop, chromebook, or iPad that you can connect to a projector or smartboard will do the trick. You can use a desktop computer as well, but you’ll need an external camera and microphone. We use StreamYard, there’s nothing you need to download, although it’s highly recommended that you use Google Chrome as your browser.

Q: Do I need to sign up for an event if I’m going to watch live on YouTube with my class?

A: Yes, we’ll send you the links you need to join and it helps us keep track of the number of students joining our programs.

Q: How do I know if a camera spot is available for an event?

A: All events can be found on the Lesson Page with the date and time, a description, a link to register, and the number of camera spots out of 6 still left. 

Q: Can I still sign up for a camera spot if it says that there are zero spots?

A: Yes, you’ll get a message from us letting you know that the spots have filled and you’ll be added to the waitlist. We’ll contact you if a class cancels their spot. We’ll also share how to tune in live via YouTube if a camera spot doesn’t open up.

Q: Is there a limit to how many classes can register to tune in live on the YouTube live stream?

A: Nope, any number of classrooms can tune in live and interact.

Q: When are the recorded events available?

A: Immediately after the live event finishes, you can also join in part way through a live event and rewind the event to the beginning.

Q: How do I access my camera spot on the day of the event?

A: We email a link the day before the event, follow it with Google Chrome as your browser (5-10 minutes early) and you’ll be brought right into your camera spot.

Q: This is my first time, can we do a test call?

A: Absolutely, we’re happy to do test calls with first time teachers to make sure that their tech is ready to go. Request a test through ebtsoyp@gmail.com or ask for one after you’ve registered for an event.

Q: What’s the format for the events?

A: Events are generally 45 minutes in length. The speaker shares a lesson for the first 15-20 minutes and then the remaining time is a moderated Q&A with the live classrooms. We also have live Kahoot! quizzes during most of the events that classrooms joining in live can take part in.

Q: Do my I need a signed media releases for my students?

A: That depends on the policy in your school board/district. Most schools have a media release form that goes home to parents at the beginning of the school year that covers events like this. If you need one to use with your classroom, we’re happy to share a template you can use.

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Upcoming Lessons:

March 21, 2024

9:00 am to 9:45 pm EST

Available spots:

6

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March 22, 2024

12:00 pm to 12:45 pm EST

Available spots:

6

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March 25, 2024

10:00 am to 10:45 am EST

Available spots:

6

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March 26, 2024

11:00 am to 11:45 am EST

Available spots:

6

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