A returning favorite from the original Steinhart Aquarium, the Swamp is best known as the home of Claude, the startlingly white Alligator mississippiensis that's become one of the Academy's ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 1, 2025) — Submissions for the California Academy of Sciences ' 2026 BigPicture: Natural World Photography Competition are now open, and will be accepted through March 1, ...

This is a recurring event. Check the daily calendar for more schedule information.

Teacher Tip: In this portion of the lesson, you will be drawing the coral polyp anatomy on the board while your students build their edible polyp. The TEACHER GUIDE shows what to draw on the board ...

In this lesson for middle to high school, students will obtain, evaluate, and critically discuss information about the highly-debated topic of nuclear energy. Blend Common Core ELA requirements as you ...

The Academy's herpetology collection began in 1853 with a single Galápagos tortoise shell. It has since grown to be the 6th largest reptile and amphibian collection in the world and serves as an ...

This activity works best if the worksheets with the planet names are placed side-by side on a table, and are arranged to match the order from the Sun. In front of these sheets place the instruction ...

In this kinesthetic model, students will learn that plants need carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to carry out photosynthesis. Using ping pong balls and egg cartons, they will simulate the ...

Based at the Academy in San Francisco, the Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability (IBSS) is at the forefront of efforts to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and ...

Trace patterns of agricultural expansion through space and time, especially as they relate to climate and geography, and locate such expansion on a map or timeline. Explain how agriculture is linked ...

If you want your students to practice their measuring skills, you can structure this activity so that each student gets a chance to measure. Put students in groups of six, and give each group a liter ...

The Department of Ichthyology houses one of the largest and most important research collections of its kind in the world. There are over 200,000 cataloged lots (jars) containing roughly 1.6 million ...