As the nation heeds the significance of President Obama’s declaration of a national emergency to deal with the H1N1 flu, educators are bracing for the possibility of wide spread impact on student learning as a result of the virus. National Geographic Channel and National Geographic School Publishing are responding to the urgent call of U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to provide continuity of learning to keep students, sick or well, engaged in meaningful education activities if they are kept home during flu season.

To help address the needs of students who will be impacted, National Geographic Channel and National Geographic School Publishing are providing a special six-week programming block and free education resources that will be made available during what is expected to be peak flu season. All programming is G-rated and culled from the network’s award winning specials and ongoing series including Explorer, Naked Science, and Wild Spaces, while the educational materials are suitable for elementary, middle school and high school students, applicable to science, social studies and other disciplines.

The intention is to provide both healthy and infected students who are absent from school with opportunities to engage in a relevant learning experience. National Geographic is the only media company stepping up to provide specific resources to support this education initiative.

Nov. 16 – Dec. 25, 2009