Sample Learning Paths
Sample learning paths are examples that illustrate how Digital Human Library experiences can be sequenced, adapted, and organized to fit different grades, curriculum subject areas, and learning goals. Each sample highlights how experiences fit together rather than what must be taught, giving teachers the freedom to explore ideas, imagine possibilities, and start planning.
Sample Learning Path Overview
Sample Learning Paths range from a single lesson to extended inquiries, designed to adapt to what you teach, revealing the way ideas grow through connected experiences.
Sample Learning Paths include:
- a topic or big idea
- a sequence of experiences
- examples across curriculum subject areas
- points for discussion, reflection, and new learning
Sample Learning Paths
Weather and Natural Disasters, Grades 2–5
Subjects: Science
Big Idea: Weather systems and natural events can have powerful impacts on communities and environments, and understanding these patterns helps us prepare and respond.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Tornado Hunters; Meteorologists; Emergency Response Teams
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Tornadoes, Hurricanes, and Floods in VR Experience; NASA Weather and Climate Visualizations
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Careers in meteorology, climate science, and emergency management (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore weather patterns and extreme natural events through immersive and visual experiences. They investigate how tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters form and impact communities. Expert conversations provide insight into how scientists study weather and how communities prepare for and respond to emergencies. Students apply their learning by analyzing weather data, creating preparedness plans, or designing solutions to reduce the impact of natural disasters.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Water Systems and Community Responsibility, Grades 7-8
Subjects: Science, Social Studies
Big Idea: Water is a shared resource that connects natural systems, communities, and human responsibility.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Safe Drinking Water Foundation; Texas Wildlife Association
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Water Treatment Plant 3D Virtual Tour; Wastewater Treatment Process Virtual Tours
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Environmental and water-related careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore how water moves through treatment and wastewater systems in virtual environments to build shared context. Questions emerge around access, sustainability, and responsibility. Expert conversations deepen understanding of how water systems are managed and protected. Reflection focuses on how communities depend on and care for shared water resources.
Next Steps: View Learning Path | Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Landforms, Resources, and Sustainability, Grades 7–9
Subjects: Geography
Big Idea: Natural landforms and resources shape how people live, work, and make decisions about sustainability.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: National Parks Conservationists
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Australian Outback; Guilin Mountains; Parks Canada; National Geographic Underwater Parks
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Environmental and geography-related careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore physical environments through virtual experiences to understand landforms and resource distribution. Expert conversations deepen insight into conservation and sustainability. Reflection focuses on balancing resource use with environmental responsibility.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Flight, Innovation, and Systems, Grades 6–9
Subjects: Science
Big Idea: Innovation in flight relies on scientific principles and systems thinking.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Flight engineers; Aviation specialists
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Aviation museums; Airports; Control centres
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Aerospace and engineering careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore flight systems through virtual environments to understand forces, motion, and design. Expert conversations deepen understanding of engineering and innovation. Reflection focuses on how science enables technological advancement.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Social Studies and The Humanities
Communities, Place, and Perspective, Grades 3–6
Subjects: Social Studies; Literacy
Curriculum - Big Idea: Communities are shaped by history, culture, and shared experiences.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Treaty 6 Education Council
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Community-focused careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore community spaces through virtual tours to build understanding of place and culture. Expert conversations deepen insight into history, identity, and lived experience. Reflection focuses on how communities are shaped and how perspectives influence understanding.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
History, Memory, and Human Rights, Grades 10–12
Subjects: History; Social Studies
Curriculum - Big Idea: Historical events shape identity, rights, and collective memory.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Historians; Human rights educators; Refugee crisis experts
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: American Museum of Natural History; Canadian Museum of History; National Women’s History Museum
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: History, law, and human rights careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore historical events through museums and narratives to understand multiple perspectives. Expert conversations deepen understanding of human rights and justice. Reflection focuses on how history informs present-day responsibilities.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Movement, Expression, and Performance, Grades 5–8
Subjects: Drama; Dance
Curriculum - Big Idea: Movement and performance communicate ideas, emotions, and stories.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Travelling Stage
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Northern Lights (movement in nature)
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Performing arts pathways (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students observe movement through virtual experiences and explore how body, space, time, and energy communicate meaning. Conversations with performing artists deepen understanding of storytelling through movement. Students create and reflect on short performance pieces inspired by what they observed.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Art, Identity, and Cultural Expression, Grades 7–9
Subjects: Arts; Social Studies
Curriculum - Big Idea: Art reflects identity, culture, and the social contexts in which it is created.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Art Gallery of Ontario; National Gallery of Canada
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Andy Warhol Museum; Google Arts & Culture: Street Art
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Creative and arts-related careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore artworks through virtual galleries to observe how identity and culture influence artistic expression. Expert conversations provide insight into creative processes and perspectives. Students reflect on how art communicates ideas and consider how personal or community identity can be expressed creatively.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Music, Performance, and Creative Careers, Grades All
Subjects: Music
Curriculum - Big Idea: Music is a form of expression shaped by culture, practice, and collaboration.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Professional musicians; Composers
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Concert halls; Performance spaces
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Music and performance careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore music through performance spaces and professional insight. Expert conversations deepen understanding of creative process and collaboration. Reflection focuses on music as expression and career pathway.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Storytelling, Voice, and Communication, Grades All
Subjects: Literacy
Curriculum - Big Idea: Stories shape how people understand themselves, others, and the world.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Authors; Poets; Illustrators; Oral historians
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Museums of storytelling; Oral history collections; Computing history exhibits
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: HWriting, media, and communication careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore storytelling across media and cultures to understand voice and perspective. Expert conversations provide insight into craft and purpose. Reflection focuses on how stories communicate ideas and create meaning.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Food Systems, Health, and Everyday Choices, Grades 4–6
Subjects: Health; Science
Curriculum - Big Idea: Food systems influence health, communities, and the environment.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Nutritionists; Chefs; Personal Trainers
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Restaurants in 360 Virtual Tour
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Food and health-related careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore food environments to understand how food is produced, accessed, and prepared. Expert conversations support discussion around nutrition, health, and choice. Reflection focuses on how everyday decisions connect to broader food systems.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Movement, Fitness, and Personal Growth, Grades 4–8
Subjects: Physical Education
Curriculum - Big Idea: Movement supports physical health, focus, and personal development.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Fitness and movement specialists
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Extreme sports; Olympic training; Professional athletics
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Sports and wellness careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore movement through immersive experiences to understand coordination and skill development. Expert conversations support discussion around fitness and well-being. Reflection focuses on personal growth through movement.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Mathematics, Data, and Decision-Making
Risk, Data, and Decision-Making, Grades 11–12
Subjects: Mathematics; Science
Curriculum - Big Idea: Mathematics and science support decision-making in uncertain and complex situations.
Experiences - Video Conference with Experts: Actuaries; Storm chasers
Experiences - Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality: Earthquakes; Floods; Extreme weather simulations
Experiences - CareerMentor AI: Data, risk, and analytics careers (coming soon)
Learning Path: Students explore natural disasters through immersive simulations to understand risk and probability. Expert conversations deepen understanding of how data informs decisions. Reflection focuses on mathematical thinking in problem-solving.
Next Steps: Build Learning Path in LessonDesign
Build a Learning Path
After exploring Sample Learning Paths, the next step is to build your own learning path using LessonDesign AI. All you need is an idea, and LessonDesign AI will add your curriculum, help you build assessment tasks, activties, and suggest Digital Human Library experiences that will engage students and create the conditions for deep learning.
LessonDesign AI
LessonDesign AI is the platform teachers use to build learning paths. It supports exploration as much as planning, so you don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin.
With LessonDesign AI, teachers can:
- Start with a big idea, topic, or learning goal
- Connect the curriculum to your grade and subject area focus
- Design assessment tasks for, as, and as learning
- Integrate meaningful experiences and activities using dHL's
Video Conference with Experts library, Virtual Tours & VR, and CareerMentor AI - Design activities and tasks that teach transferrable skills and cultural competencies
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