Fly Your Science Class to Planet Pigeon

Developed by PBS Nature and expertly built by CrackedCubes, Planet Pigeon is your window into real-world science—disguised with fast-paced blocky fun. The world and accompanying lesson plan are created for students ages 8-10 and designed to align with Next Generation Science Standards.

Students will race through city skylines using navigation cues, dodge traffic and predators, and collect materials to build the ultimate nest. Mini-games challenge memory and logic, all grounded in real pigeon research. A historical twist adds depth with missions inspired by messenger pigeons who once saved lives during wartime.

Through these activities, learners explore animal adaptations, life cycles, and survival strategies in an interactive way. They’ll discover how pigeons use their senses to navigate urban environments, compare sensory systems across species, and model life cycle stages—all while developing critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

The vibe? Quirky, clever, and totally Minecraft. The activities are rooted in authentic animal behavior and urban environmental issues—think food waste, wildlife coexistence, and the science behind those famous pigeon flocks. It’s delightful, meaningful, and a reminder that learning can happen anywhere, even in the flutter of wings overhead.

Planet Pigeon is an experiment by Nature to explore new ways to encourage lifelong learning—blending education with interactivity, so even students who’d never watched a documentary can live one, through play. After having experienced the Planet Pigeon world, you can expect your students to be able to demonstrate how pigeons are able to thrive in urban settings and explain their survival strategies and physical adaptations across environments. Students will come away with a new appreciation for the intelligence, resilience, and humor of the world’s most common bird.