Educators here are some great ways to incorporate PBS Programming into your classroom. Whether you are exploring outer space, animation, 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 the KLRN events page.
ARTHUR: MY MUSIC RULES/THAT'S A BABY SHOW!
Monday, 5/2 at 4:30pm on channel 9.1
Link to PBS Kids Videos: https://pbskids.org/arthur
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.
SKINDIGENOUS: NEW ZEALAND
Thursday, 5/5 at 2pm on channel 9.2
Link to PBS Learning Media Video: https://klrn.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/big-pacific-passionate/big-pacific-passionate/
A Symbol of Nature (Grades 6-12) In this video segment from Nature: "The Mystery of Eels," Maori bush guide Daniel Joe and scientist Dr. Don Jellyman explore the eel’s central role in the culture and history of New Zealand's native Maori people, and discuss the vilification it has suffered from the misguided policies of New Zealand's government.
Rain Shadows Observe the effect of mountains on regional climate in this gallery of natural-color satellite images from NASA. Natural-color images show landscape features near mountains of the United States, New Zealand, Bolivia, and Tanzania. Differences in vegetation on the windward and leeward sides of the mountains are clearly seen in these images. Click "Expand" to see the full image.
CYBERCHASE: PLANTASAURUS!
Tuesday, 5/10 at 4pm on channel 9.1
Link to PBS Kids Video: https://pbskids.org/cyberchase/
Cyberchase: 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.
Pollinators | Cyberchase (Grades K-2) Learn how animals spread pollen from one plant to another with this video from Cyberchase. This resource includes discussion questions, vocabulary, and a hands-on activity that models how pollinators spread pollen from flower to flower.
HAYAO MIYAZAKI: 10 YEARS WITH THE MASTER: PONYO IS HERE
Thursday, 5/12 at 10am on channel 9.2
Link to PBS Learning Media Video: https://klrn.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/36c864cf-060a-42c4-8887-b9cf9445a872/sanjay-patel-pixar-animator/
Animated Filmmaker Kirsten Lepore (Grades 3-12) Kirsten Lepore is an artist and filmmaker who works with different animation techniques, including stop-motion animation and claymation. With these videos, learn more about the intentions behind her food-focused film, the unusual materials she works with to create her projects, and why she loves the laborious process of stop-motion animation. Lepore also demonstrates the basics of shooting a stop-motion animation film.
Student Stop Motion Animations | Media Arts Toolkit (All Grades) This collection includes simple stop motion animations created by Middle School and Elementary students.
The Purpose of Animation | Video Production: Behind the Scenes with the Pros (Grades 3-12) KET graphic designer and animator Clark Bradshaw discusses the purpose of animation and how it can be used in a video project.
ARTHUR: BUSTER'S BREATHLESS/THE FRIGHT STUFF
Tuesday, 5/17 at 4:30pm on channel 9.1
Link to PBS Learning Media Video: https://klrn.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/arct14.hpe.afhdylan/kids-in-action/
Buster's Asthma Rap (Grades K-5) Buster Baxter sings about having asthma, in this video from Arthur: "Buster's Breathless."
Buster's Breathless (Grades K-5) This read-aloud story is based on the Arthur episode, "Buster's Breathless." As you read, pause to talk about the characters and what's happening in the story.
Stay Active With Asthma (Grades K-5) Help Buster and Arthur make it to the soccer game on time! When you come to a pair of pictures in this maze, choose the safe path. Watch out for the asthma triggers, in this activity from Arthur: "Buster's Breathless."
ARTHUR: MUFFY MISSES OUT/ARTHUR TAKES A STAND
Wednesday, 5/18 at 4:30pm on channel 9.1
Link to PBS Learning Media Video: https://klrn.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ac20-sel-stand/arthur-takes-a-stand-arthur/
Collaborate | ARTHUR (Grades K-5) Work together with your children to complete a puzzle or make a mural, in this activity from Arthur.
A Folktale Play | ARTHUR Listening to folktales from around the world can enrich children's understanding of many cultures. Turn a story into a play, in this activity from Arthur.
CYBERCHASE: FIND THOSE GLEAMERS!
Thursday, 5/26 at 4pm on channel 9.1
Link to PBS Learning Media Video: https://klrn.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/vtl07.math.number.nums.equalamtgo/equal-amounts-of-gold-cyberchase/
Performance by Music of the Spheres (Grades 3-5) In this video segment from Cyberchase, Music of the Spheres plays a song using the correct beats and patterns, which helps to restore balance and harmony at Mount Olympus. This video segment is a follow-up to the resource "Finding the Common Beat."
10ths and Decimals | Cyberchase (Grades 3-5) In this video segment from Cyberchase, the CyberSquad is trying to get to the Mother’s Day Harvest on the Madre Bonita Express train. However, Hacker has ripped out a piece of the train track, and the Cybersquad must use what they know about fractions, measurement and decimals to find a way to repair the track.
Song Maker | The Majesty of Music and Math (Grades 3-12) Learn to create and share your own songs, adding beats, melodies and harmonies.
NATURE CAT: THE LEAF FAIRY/MIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
Wednesday, 5/25 at 2pm on channel 9.1
Link to PBS Kids Videos: https://pbskids.org/naturecat/videos/?60c5b918-92e6-46cb-a4a7-14cb731258ee
Activity Starters | Nature Cat (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.
It's Nature Art Day! | Nature Cat (Grades K-5) Tally ho, it’s Nature Art Day! An extremely excited Nature Cat proudly unveils his latest nature masterpiece – a statue of himself made out of acorns. But there’s a slight problem: the statue’s acorn head is gone! Uh-oh, where’d it go?
Miniature Garden | Nature Cat (Grades PreK-2) Children will learn about seed and plant growth by creating a miniature garden.
LET'S GO LUNA!: A MOON'S TRIP TO PARIS/IF A HAMSTER COULD FLY
Monday, 5/30 at 1:30pm on channel 9.1
Link to PBS Kids Videos: https://pbskids.org/luna/videos/
A Visit from Luna | Let's Go Luna! (Grades PreK-2) Circus Fabuloso travels around the world to learn about cultures, customs, and traditions. If Circus Fabuloso visited your neighborhood and spent time with your family, what tradition would you want to share? / ¿Qué tradición te gustaría compartir?
Postcards | Let's Go Luna! (Grades K-2) Write a message and send a postcard to a family member or friend./ Escriba un mensaje y envíe una postal a un familiar o amigo.
Arts and Crafts | Let's Go Luna (Grades PreK-2) Get creative with these hands-on activities from Let's Go Luna! From making your own telescope to drawing your dream destination, these printable worksheets help encourage your child's creativity.
TO CATCH A COMET
Tuesday, 5/31 at 4pm on channel 9.2
Link to PBS Learning Media Video and Related Resources: https://klrn.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/npls12.sci.ess.eiu.whycomets/why-study-comets/
Why Study Comets? (Grades 3-8) Learn what comets are and how they inform us about the early solar system, in this video adapted from NASA. Comets, which are made of frozen gasses, ice, dust, and rock, are typically in a deep freeze in the outer solar system. But when a comet nears the Sun, it loses streams of gasses and forms a coma (a thin, temporary atmosphere at its head) and a tail. Dr. Paul Chodas, a research scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory explains that comets—unlike planets, which have undergone significant processing—contain original materials from when the solar system formed and can inform us about the conditions of the early solar system.
What’s in Space? (Grades 3-5) Observe and read about Earth’s cosmic neighborhood and objects found in space with this annotated slideshow of NASA images. This slideshow can pique students’ interest and provide opportunities to ask questions about various objects found beyond Earth’s surface as they consider what telescopes have revealed.
Asteroids & Comets | Science Trek (Grades 3-5) Asteroids are small, rocky objects left over from the formation of our solar system. Comets are leftovers too, made of dust, rock and ice. These small worlds can tell us what the early solar system was like. On this Science Trek, host Joan Cartan-Hansen and her guests, Brian Jackson and Camille Eddy of Boise State University, will answer students’ questions about asteroids and comets.
