Did you know that World Teachers’ Day was celebrated on 5 October? Teachers play a huge role in steering the education of future generations. World Teachers’ Day is a day to celebrate how teachers are transforming education but also to reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and vocation, and to rethink the way ahead for the profession globally. This year, the theme was dedicated to ‘Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession’. There is an untapped potential for teaching to be an inherently collaborative process, supported by policies, practices and environments that value mutual support, shared expertise, and joint responsibility. [1] With this Map of the Week, the European Atlas of the Seas Team would like to celebrate the fundamental work of all teachers and educators.
By maintaining and developing the catalogue of more than 270 map layers and the Atlas Teachers’ Corner, the Atlas Team aims to help teachers and educators bring the ocean into their educational activities. The Teachers’ Corner includes a range of resources and activities for students of all ages, such as map-based exercises, quizzes and games. This week, we put one particular game in the spotlight: the Atlas Hide and Seek Game. This game focuses on marine biodiversity. The Hide and Seek Game has been developed in the map layer on European Maritime Day in My Country 2025. For this game, the Atlas Technical Team has hidden five marine species in the map. The instructions provide hints to find the marine species. Give it a try! Did you find them?
If you are a teacher, make sure to also have a look at the game’s Teachers’ Guide. It provides you with all you need to organise the game in your classroom as a fun educational activity!
Wish to learn more about the ocean and seas? The map layer on European Maritime Day in My Country 2025 shows the vast number of events that are being organised this year in the framework of European Maritime Day in My Country. There are still many events taking place this month! Browse the event calendar and search for an event close to where you are!
The Atlas Teachers’ Corner also includes copies of presentations that the Atlas Team has made at past events. On 17-19 September 2025, the Atlas Team was thrilled to participate in the European Marine Science Educators Association (EMSEA) annual conference in Ostend (Belgium). Wish to know more about this event?
Have a look at the presentation made during the workshop titled ‘Learn how to easily create amazing maps with the European Atlas of the Seas!
Read our article dedicated to the EMSEA conference and the Brussels Clean Festival!
To conclude this Map of the Week, we would like to reflect on what support teachers need. One way in which the Atlas Team would like to support teachers throughout this academic year, in addition to maintaining and developing the content of the Atlas and its Teachers’ Corner, is by highlighting some of the many interesting resources out there on the ocean. Exactly one month ago, when the academic year began, we published a Map of the Week titled ‘New European Blue Schools Map for the New School Year’ that included interesting resources. Have they helped you so far? We hope that the Atlas, its Teachers’ Corner and these resources can support all teachers!
Wish to see your school join the Network of European Blue Schools? Don’t miss the deadline for applications on 31 October 2025!
The data in the map is provided by the European Commission.