While we’ve know for quite a while that STEM education is essential, Massachusetts now highlights science, technology, engineering and mathematics during its STEM Week.
PBS has a history of educating in these content areas — long before STEM became an acronym! Remember Sesame Street’s Count, Sid the Science Kid and the Wild Kratts’ brothers to name just a few? And let’s remember Continue reading
What better way to help students understand the scope of climate change than to let them explore past polar extremes of the Artic and Antartic? This trailer, from a two-hour NOVA special that premiered in 2020, shows paleontologist Kirk Johnson taking viewers on an epic adventure through time at the polar extremes of our planet.
It’s one of the resources found in the interactive NOVA Polar Lab, which uses 360° videos, interviews with scientists, and mini-games to send students in grades 6-12 on an immersive quest to understand how the poles are key to Continue reading
While the webinar Meeting the Moment With Project-Based Learning on April 1 promises to share key PBL elements and practices as well as supportive resources, there are simply too many resources to see in one hour! (Last post has webinar details.)
Teaching Project-Based Lessons | Sound Field, one of many Project Based Learning (PBL) resources at Continue reading
This past December New England Public Media provided two Family and Community and Learning (FCL) series from Ready to Learn, a U.S. Department of Education funded initiative. Each series of four sessions allowed us to introduce children to key STEM and literacy concepts using resources from Continue reading
You can take early elementary learners on math and environmental adventures with two PBS LearningMedia collections from the PBS KIDS shows Old Squad and Cyberchase!
One of these collections is inspired by the zaniest, craziest team of Continue reading
A recent article in Today entitled, We need Mister Rogers’ video messages after 9/11 now more than ever, reminded me how Fred Rogers’ words continue to calm and instruct — both children and adults. This video was made when Mister Rogers Neighborhood was no longer on the air, and he was said to doubt whether videos such as this one would do any good.
In this video we hear the simple wisdom needed in the aftermath of 9/11 as well as now — when our country and Continue reading
The following post was written by MaiCherish Harris, Elms College student and NEPM summer intern:
Today a unique change signals the start of summer– the summer solstice! The summer solstice is the day that has the longest period of sunlight all year.
This happens when Continue reading
The following post was written by MaiCherish Harris, Elms College student and intern at WGBY/NEPM.
School closings came with the loss of a very special learning experience: field trips. As things open back up, families may be looking for ways to make up for lost time. They may also be looking for ways to keep children engaged over summer break.
Virtual field trips from PBS can Continue reading
As we see in this video clip, Hero Elementary is a school for budding superheroes. Here kids learn to master their innate powers, like flying and teleportation, while exploring science along the way. The new series, which recently premiered, gives children ages 4 to 7 important tools to help solve problems by encouraging them to think and act like scientists, igniting their natural curiosity. The show also showcases character and social-emotional concepts such as kindness, empathy, and commitment to working together.
You can already find resources that put these tools in the hands of children at Continue reading
WILD KRATTS is a wildly popular PBS KIDS program. Geared towards ages 6 to 8 but loved by kids younger and older, episodes present age-appropriate science inspired by the natural abilities of the animals that the Kratt brothers — and young viewers — meet.
To support the learning goals from each video clip in the PBS LearningMedia collection, a set of graphic organizers can be used while viewing full episodes (available in English & Spanish). Continue reading