As social distancing and sheltering in place become the norm these days, most of us are having to radically reconfigure our routines, work life, and relationships. For parents, widespread school closures have thrown an extra complication into the mix as they scramble to assemble curricula for their kids (I’ve never appreciated teachers more, or felt worse about how chronically underpaid they are, than over the past four days). With all this in mind, Sierra editors dug into the archives to find these eight soul-soothing nature and wildlife slideshows.

If you have just recently been thrust into the world of homeschooling, why not get a little extra mileage out of the viewing experience? Ask your charge how many species they can name and what they know about each animal. Write down any questions that come up and then have your kids research answers on the internet. Or, have them pick their two favorite photographers and compare and contrast their work. Most importantly, though, take the time to enjoy the images together. 

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"Meditations of an Underwater Photographer": Henley Spiers gets up close and personal with undersea life.

"Searching for the Wild in New York City": A writer on a lunch break in Manhattan discovers the wild all around.

"Christian Vizl's Underwater Photography": Catch a slideshow of a world rarely seen.

"The World According to David Yarrow": The fine-art photographer turns a transcendent lens toward the wild.

"Where Baby Animals, Sisterhood, and Conservation Collide": Wildlife photography is dominated by men. Suzi Eszterhas wants to change that.

"Ian Shive's Marine National Monuments": Stills from the film Hidden Pacific.

 "Check Out Audubon's 2019 Award-Winning Photos": Bird is the word.