Programming Highlights

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Teachers: Take a look at The Long View

WGBY recently aired the documentary, The Long View, the story of two Oakland high schools and their community of students, families, and teachers.  Filmmaker Susan Zeig describes common threads that can unite viewers:  “the importance of community participation, impact of inequitable funding, need for greater respect and value for the teaching profession, and the cost of the high turnover among school administrators.”

In the film many of our regional educators will recognize the strengths and challenges of urban schools and communities throughout the country as well as the trauma experienced by Continue reading →

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Teach Diversity with Hispanic Heritage

Teachers need to model appreciation and respect for diversity every day, and PBS LearningMedia can serve as a strong classroom resource.  Before the end of Hispanic Heritage Month — September 15 through October 15 — and beyond, there are rich resources to celebrate the 54+ million people of Hispanic descent living in the United States, including many neighbors in our region.

At PBS LearningMedia WGBY is proud to provide a resource that highlights Latino culture in western MA through the lens of Continue reading →

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Molly of Denali — PBS KIDS Newest Show Is Also A Podcast

Molly of Denali, which premiered earlier this month, is the first nationally distributed children’s series with a Native American as its lead character.  This latest PBS KIDS production from WGBH Boston is earning high marks, including first-hand praise from a Springfield Head Start class of migrant children. Continue reading →

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Love These Resources from PBS LearningMedia

Happy Valentine’s Day.  Ladybugs are unlikely to conjure images of love as do doves, swans and puppy dogs.  Many may think of ladybugs as harmless creatures that walk along window sills and occasionally take wing.  But this video from KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios shows them gathering after long winter flights to hibernate and find mates in a ritual that is sure to fascinate students.

You’ll find many intriguing resources  Continue reading →

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50 Years of Sesame Street — A Force for Good in 150 Countries

Regardless of the grade you may teach, please take a few minutes to watch this joyful Sesame Street Season 50 Anthem that launches a year-long celebration.

Sesame Street is now the longest-running children’s show in American television history.  As a recent press release explains, “Set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement and the war on poverty, Sesame Street was created to answer a simple question:  could television be used to  Continue reading →

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Homelessness Close to Home

The  homeless — we may notice them on sidewalks or at traffic lights.  Sometimes they’re holding signs, sometimes they’re rummaging through trash or pushing carriages packed with bags.  How much do we really know about this population to which virtually none of us would want to belong?

A two-part series about homelessness in our region that recently aired on WGBY’s nightly program, Connecting Point, explores Continue reading →

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As We Prepare to Celebrate Thanksgiving

As students can see in this video clip from American Experience, the first Thanksgiving wasn’t the same holiday we celebrate today — in fact, the Pilgrims didn’t even call it “thanksgiving.”  PBS resources such as this one can capture students’ imagination and open their minds to learning about their history as well as their present world.

You’ll find bountiful resources Continue reading →

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PBS KIDS’ LET’S Go LUNA! Shows Children the World

LET’S GO LUNA! is the newest addition to PBS KIDS’ line up of programs dedicated to teaching and inspiring our youngest viewers.  As The Wall Street Journal reports today in an article entitled In ‘Let’s Go Luna,’ PBS Offers a Global Message, “the new children’s TV series emphasizes appreciation for other cultures . . . ”

Research shows that young children have limited exposure to social studies concepts in school, and LET’S GO LUNA! helps address this gap by encouraging kids ages 4-7 to explore and appreciate cultures worldwide and build global citizenship and social skills.  While LETS GO LUNA! launches tomorrow, November 21, PBS LearningMedia already offers Continue reading →

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Real-World Relevance in the Classroom: The Daily News Story

The Daily News Story takes the best of the PBS NewsHour news program and pairs it with discussion questions, lesson plans and stories developed specifically for students.  In partnership with PBS LearningMedia, this respected, in-depth programs creates a collection that helps teachers and students Continue reading →