Andy Mann has worked as a filmmaker and photographer who works in the ocean, adventure, and conservation spaces for about 10 years. His experience as a climber, diver, and explorer allows him to capture unique imagery about our changing planet. Andy works with the Sea Legacy and New England Aquarium and is a co-founder of 3 Strings Productions in addition to his work with National Geographic.  

Use the resources in this collection to prepare your students for his upcoming National Geographic Live! student matinee experience. Use the “Before the show” ideas to introduce students to Andy Mann and the topics (photography, filmmaking, conservation, ecosystem, adventure, STEM, ocean) that he will discuss during the show. Use the “After the show” ideas to extend the learning after the event has ended.

Before the Show:

• Have students review Andy Mann’s biography using the links in the Explore More tab on this page.

• Use the MapMaker Interactive, to explore the area where Andy Mann works. 

• Learn more about the Layer of Life in the Gulf of Mexico with this infographic from the September 2010 issue of the National Geographic magazine.

• As a class, watch the film Failure and Persistence (2:09) to learn more about how failure is just the beginning of a project and how perseverance is necessary to achieve a scientific breakthrough.

• Use the Power of Images in Storytelling (1 hour, 30 minutes) activity to help students explore the role of images in storytelling.

• Next, have students discuss the meaning of exploration with the Why We Explore (1 hour, 40 minutes) activity.

• Want more activity ideas related to oceans? Try one of these Google Earth activities that focus on the Pristine Seas project.

• Want resources on sharks? Check out this collection!

• Provide each student with a KWL Chart. Introduce the program they will attend and, who the speaker is, and offer a brief description of the speaker’s topic(s). Have students fill out the What I Know and What I Want to Know columns of the KWL Chart. Have them fill out the What I Learned column after the show.

• Use the graphic organizer collection to select a graphic organizer to help your students organize their questions and new knowledge before, during, and after the program. For example: 

• Download and print the T Chart. Have students label the left column with Questions I Have and the right column with Answers, and then conduct research about the speaker and their topic ahead of the program. Have students record answers to their questions during or after the program. Have students conduct research to complete any unanswered questions for homework. Have each student share a question and answer with the class. 

• Download and print the provided Five Ws Chart. Have each student bring their copy to the matinee program and take notes. Have students share and discuss their notes after the show.

After the Show:

• Use the Explorer Comparisons worksheet and have a class discussion to help students make connections between themselves and Andy Mann. Distribute the worksheet to students before the presentation and review the directions with them. Review any terms with which they are unfamiliar with. After the presentation, have students share the notes that they took during the show. Have a class discussion about attitudes and skills and how students demonstrate them in their everyday lives. Have students record their personal examples on the worksheet.

• Review the continents, countries, or areas that the speaker presented. Ask: What continents, countries, or areas does the speaker work in? Have younger students imagine that these places were characters in the stories that Andy Mann shared. Ask: What role did place play in Andy Mann’s story? Why was location important to the story? How did the characteristics of the place influence the story? Note: You may need to introduce the concept of place for your students before they can answer and discuss these questions. 

• Discuss and define any unfamiliar terminology that the speaker used. Ask: What vocabulary words did Andy Mann use that were new to you? Invite volunteers to write the words on the board, and have the class define them as a group using the information they learned from the speaker or through research. If desired, have students record unfamiliar terminology during the show on one-half of a T Chart. Then, have them write the definitions on the other side following this class discussion.

• Have a class discussion about the attitudes National Geographic explorers embody. Ask: What attitudes did Andy Mann talk about today? In what ways does Andy Mann demonstrate curiosity, responsibility, empowerment, and persistence in his work? Why do you think these attitudes are important for explorers? Students can use their Five Ws Chart for reference and a graphic organizer to organize their ideas.

• Have a whole-class brainstorm on how students can make changes or support the speakers’ work. Ask: What, if any, call to action did the speakers make? How can you implement any changes in your day-to-day life? What can we work on together as a group?