• Photo: First round of the 2012  National Geographic Bee

    10 Bee Finalists Announced

    Winners To Compete in Finals Thursday, May 24

    More »

Each year thousands of schools in the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society. The contest is designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark student interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography. Schools with students in grades four through eight are eligible for this entertaining and challenging test of geographic knowledge.

National Bee: May 24, 2012

The 2012 National Geographic Bee, hosted by five-time Emmy Award winner Alex Trebek, premieres Thursday, May 24, at 8PM et/pt on National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD. See the Trailer.


It will also air later on public broadcasting stations. Check Local Listings

2012 National Geographic Bee

Teachers and Parents

  • Photo: 2009 National Geographic Bee finals

    How Schools Register

    Principals of schools in the U.S. with any of the grades four through eight are eligible to register their schools to receive contest materials for a school-level Bee.

  • Photo: The 2009 National Geographic Bee finals in Washington, DC

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Wondering how to register for the Bee or how to prepare? Our "Frequently Asked Questions" have the answers!

  • Photo: GeoBee Finals

    Study Corner

    What's the best way for students to prepare for the Bee? Here are some tips from the National Geographic Bee.

  • Photo: William Johnston

    Sample Questions

    Answer sample questions from the National Geographic Bee, and get ideas on how to look for clues within the questions that can help you figure out the right answers.

Quizzes to Go

  • Photo:  Screenshot from GeoBee Challenge HD for iPad

    Now on Your Favorite Mobile Device!

    Do you have what it takes to be the next National Geographic Bee Champion? Find out the fun way with the new GeoBee Challenge! Three types of game play make sure you really know your stuff and never get bored.

Google Earth Presents

  • Image: Google GeoBee video

    What Can You Do With Geography?

    A look behind the scenes into why geography matters, as students around the country prepare for the 2012 National Geographic Bee.

Download Google Earth »

GeoBee Airs May 24 at 8P

Student Activities

Teachers can use these activities in the classroom to prepare students for the bee!

  • Photo: Map of the world showing areas of freshwater

    Geo-Scavenger Hunt

    Simply memorizing terms and place locations can be tedious and even boring. One solution is to make the task fun with an atlas-based scavenger game.

  • Photo: Map of languages

    Exploring Diffusion

    The movement of people, goods, or ideas from one place to another is a process known as diffusion, which plays an important role in shaping the characteristics of where we live.

  • Photo: Infared satellite image of hurricane Rita

    Tracking Violent Storms

    Springtime brings the possibility of extreme weather, including violent thunderstorms and tornadoes.

See More from the Study Corner »