Educators here are some great ways to incorporate PBS Programming into your classroom. Whether you are exploring Nature, National Park or Social Justice these lesson plans and activities will provide you supplemental activities to add to your classroom learning. For a full list of the KLRN schedule click here.
Don’t forget each month KLRN provides FREE Teacher training. For a full list of upcoming trainings check out theKLRN events page.
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: I Am Jesse Owens / I Am Ella Fitzgerald Tuesday, 3/01 at 3:30pm on 9.1
Link to PBS Kids Videos: https://pbskids.org/xavier/videos
Activity Starters | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (Grades PreK-2) Be deliberate when inviting your student to watch a PBS KIDS show. These resources can help by adding meaningful conversation and easy activities to their experience. This resource is available in English and Spanish. Try out this fun Yadina Coloring Page on PBS Kids too!
Olympic Runner Jesse Owens "the Buckeye Bullet" | Know Ohio (Grades 3-8) Jesse Owens broke not only running records but racial barriers, as well! His running career began early in Ohio, and took him all the way to the Olympics where he crushed the Nazi competition.
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: I Am Cesar Chavez / I Am Dolores Huerta Thursday, 3/03 at 3:30pm on 9.1
Link to PBS Kids Videos: https://pbskids.org/xavier/videos
The Sawyer Show | Take the Stage (Grades K-2) Learn about the achievements of George Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Dolores Huerta by acting them out! Sawyer, a student in history class, imagines himself hosting a talk show with guests George Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Dolores Huerta. When Sawyer interviews these historical figures about their achievements, the viewers act out phrases that represent each of their legacies.
El Show de Gabby | Take the Stage en Español (Grados K-2) ¡Aprende sobre los logros de George Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, el Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. y Dolores Huerta actuandolos! Gabby, una estudiante de la clase de historia, se imagina que presenta un programa de entrevistas con los invitados George Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, el Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. y Dolores Huerta. Cuando Sawyer entrevista a estas figuras históricas sobre sus logros, los espectadores actúan frases que representan cada uno de sus legados.
This Little Light of Mine: The Legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer Monday, 3/07 at 11am on 9.2
Link to KLRN Video Player: https://video.klrn.org/video/america-reframed-fannie-lou-hamers-america-promo/
Teaching Guide: Exploring Fannie Lou Hamer and the Civil Rights Movement in Rural Mississippi (Grades 6-12) This teaching guide helps instructors use a specific primary source set, Fannie Lou Hamer and the Civil Rights Movement in Rural Mississippi, in the classroom. It offers discussion questions, classroom activities, and primary source analysis tools. It is intended to spark pedagogical creativity by giving a sample approach to the material. Please feel free to share, reuse, and adapt the resources in this guide for your teaching purposes.
Alma’s Way: Beatbox Big Time / Super Sisters Monday, 3/07 at 3pm on 9.1
Link to PBS Kids Videos: https://pbskids.org/almasway/videos
Neighborhood Notebook | Alma's Way (Grades PreK-2) As Alma explores, she appreciates all the great things about her neighborhood. How can we make observations and celebrate our communities? Students can use a printable Alma’s Way My Neighborhood Notebook to observe the people, places, things, and cultures that make their communities special. Notebooks can be completed independently or as a part of a group activity, and in any order that best fits a student's skill level and interests. (This resource is available in English and Spanish)
Think It Through | Alma's Way (Grades PreK-2) As Alma learns about families, friendships and communities, she discovers that sometimes challenges and conflicts arise. In those moments, Alma stops and “thinks through” the situation. Then, she knows what to do! Support critical thinking and problem-solving skills with this group discussion, video clips and Alma’s Way visual cards. Practice Alma’s, “think through” strategy. This skill can be used throughout the school year in many different situations! (This resource is available in English and Spanish)
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. - Uncovering America Tuesday, 3/08 at 7pm on 9.1
Link to PBS Learning Media Video: Q&A with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. | Teaching the Civil War through a New Lens (Grades 3-12)
Teachers, you’re invited to an exclusive conversation with Dr. Henry Louis Gates! This one-hour conversation will explore topics on the lasting impact of the American Civil War, the following period of Reconstruction, and the ways in which these historical events continue to impact our nation’s psyche. How can we look past the required curriculum to teach the history of this country? How can we incorporate current events into lessons from the past? You will have the opportunity to see Dr. Gates answer questions, so come prepared for a rich, deep and honest conversation that will help you connect to your students, and help make yesterday’s lessons relevant today.
Finding Your Roots: The Seedlings | Episode 1: Genetics and Genealogy Camp Overview (Grades 3-12) Penn State University Anthropologist/Paleobiologist Dr. Nina Jablonski and “Finding Your Roots'' series host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. provide an introduction to what campers will explore during the Finding Your Roots: The Seedlings Genetics & Genealogy Camp.
Cyberchase: Sustainable By Design Tuesday, 3/15 at 4pm on 9.1
Videos on PBS Kids: https://pbskids.org/cyberchase/videos (Videos are available in English and Spanish)
"Ugly" Food and Food Waste | Cyberchase (Grades K-2) Jackie wants to make her perfect pumpkin pie for Giving Thanks Day, but all the “perfect” pumpkins are gone! All that’s left on the farm are dented pumpkins and lots of "ugly” produce that no one wanted to buy. This video from Cyberchase teaches students that “ugly” looking produce tastes the same and is just as healthy as produce that looks “perfect.” Support materials include fruit and vegetable cards, discussion questions, vocabulary, and a blind taste test activity.
Sustainable Gardening | Think Garden (Grades 3-5) This video from KET's Think Garden collection examines methods of practicing sustainable gardening. Examples explored include plant choice, companion planting, composting, water conservation, and more. Also, learn about things not to do in a sustainable garden like tilling or using pesticides or commercial fertilizers.
Adopting Sustainable Food Practices (Grades 3-12) The traditional subsistence practices of indigenous people were once sustainable, unlike today's lifestyles. Most foods are now produced and transported using methods that can damage the environment and contribute to climate change.
Arthur: Fernlets by Fern / Prunella and the Haunted Locker Thursday, 3/17 at 4:30pm on 9.1
Link to PBS Kids Videos: https://pbskids.org/arthur/video
Arthur's Park Game | ARTHUR (Grades PreK-2) Practice taking action to improve your world by playing Arthur's Park, a digital game from the PBS KIDS series ARTHUR. In order to create a new park in an empty lot, Arthur has to make a speech to raise awareness, hold a bake sale to make money, and then equip the park. As children play each round, set in a board game format, they accumulate stars that they use to “buy” what they need for a new park. They also recognize the importance of making a plan to achieve one’s goals.
Finding Solutions | ARTHUR (Grades PreK-2) Learn how students can work together, talk through problems, and effect positive change in this animated video from the PBS KIDS series ARTHUR. When Francine starts a campaign to help save the environment, Muffy worries that her family’s business—selling cars—will be affected. Then she and her dad discover a solution that is not only ecological but will help ensure his company’s future.
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: I Am Billie Jean King / I Am Arthur Ashe Monday, 3/21 at 3:30pm on 9.1
Link to PBS Kids Videos: https://pbskids.org/xavier/videos
Women on the Court: Billie Jean King to Rebecca Lobo (Grades 9-12) Students will learn about two influential figures in women’s sports in this media gallery from Finding Your Roots. By examining the lives of tennis great Billie Jean King and basketball star Rebecca Lobo, students will learn more about the accomplishments of these women—ranging from winning the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match in 1973 to being a pioneer in women’s professional basketball.
Arthur Ashe | How the Monuments Came Down (Grades 6-12) Learn about tennis champion Arthur Ashe, whose death spurred residents of his hometown of Richmond, Virginia, to honor him with a statue along a grand boulevard that had previously only featured statues of Confederates.
Arthur: Sleep No More / Pet Peeved Thursday, 3/24 at 4:30pm on 9.1
Link to PBS Kids Videos: https://pbskids.org/arthur/video
Share Tactics | ARTHUR (Grades K-5) Use the following activities to help your children develop the ability and willingness to share.
Generosity | An ARTHUR Interactive Game (Grades 3-5) Explore the topic of generosity in this interactive game, Arthur’s Giving and Keeping Game, based on the characters and storyline from the PBS children’s series ARTHUR. Arthur finds out sharing things (including time) isn’t always easy to do. Help Arthur make some difficult decisions about sharing his chocolates, money, and time with friends.
Cyberchase: The Great Outdoors Wednesday, 3/30 at 4pm on 9.1
Videos on PBS Kids: https://pbskids.org/cyberchase/videos (Videos are available in English and Spanish)
Design Your Own Plant Superhero (Grades K-5) This Cyberchase at-home activity allows students to examine different types of plants and how they clean the air to make it better for us to breathe. Students will use what they’ve learned about air-cleaning plants to design their own plant superhero that can protect from pollutants in the air. (This resource is available in both English and Spanish)
You Can Help the Environment! (Grades K-5) Learn how to take action to help the environment with this poster from Cyberchase. Inspire kids to make a difference for the planet. Kids can select one of the tips from the poster to follow. Create a chart to track their success over the course of a week or a month. Discuss why small steps can add up to make a big difference!
Amelia Earhart: American Experience Sunday, 3/27 at 6pm on 9.2
Link to PBS Learning Media Video: Amelia Earhart | Aviator, Record-breaker, and Activist Video (Grades 3-8)
Amelia Earhart | Aviator, Record-breaker, and Activist: Lesson Plan (Grades 3-8) Amelia Earhart was a pioneer of early aviation, courageously flying airplanes at a time when the risks were high. Equally bold was her pursuit of a career as a woman in a non-traditional field. Through two primary source activities and a short video, students will learn about Earhart’s passion for flying and determination to succeed as a female aviator.
Amelia Earhart Reader | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (Grades K-2) Learn about Amelia Earhart with this printable biosketch reader and support materials.