Meet the roadtrippers: Gabe, Jackie, and Tomi—three young people interested in health equity. Then, follow along as they talk to scientific experts and Indigenous leaders in the performance, education and culinary fields, who are taking inspiration from nature to help create equitable ecosystems within their own communities.
Science Curriculum
Spring is Here! Explore with PBS KIDS!
🌸🌼 Spring is Here ☔️🌷 40+ Videos to Watch Playlist Above
Explore the Outdoors Activities & Games
- Explore the Outdoors: Nature Books, Outdoor Activities, Games, Gardening and Simple Science Ideas
- Exploring the Outdoors Learning Activities for Classrooms and Learning At Home: Explore Bugs, Animals, Nature, Protecting Our Planet, Earth & Space Topics
- Nature Activities Collection & Environmental Collections
More Activities by Series Page
PBS KIDS Eclipse Programs & Activities:
What & Where to Watch: WXXI Channels & Livestreams Guide:
Ready, Jet, Go! Episodes & Block Party Activities
Total Eclipse of the Sunspot; Sean’s Year in Space: Sunspot acts strange when Mindy, Jet, Sean and Syndey use a solar panel to try to improve energy efficiency; Sean is excited about NASA’s Year in Space program. Length: 30 Minutes
WXXI PBS Kids 24/7 & Live Stream | Saturday, Apr. 6 at 06:30 pm
Eye in the Sky; Total Eclipse Block Party: Bad weather threatens Sean’s first sleepout with his Space Scouts troop; the kids prepare a total eclipse song and dance. Length: 30 Minutes
WXXI PBS Kids 24/7 & Live Stream| Sunday, Apr. 7 at 06:30 pm
Activities:
Ready, Jet, Go! Solar Eclipse Clip & Song
Ready, Jet, Go! Solar Eclipse Block Party Activities
Nature Cat: Total Eclipse of the Sun
Freezin’ in the Summer Season; Total Eclipse of the Sun: Dark clouds threaten Nature Cat’s annual Summer Fest, which includes the Summer Fest Sprinkler Frolic, a bike ride and a kickball game; Hal is afraid of the total eclipse of the sun. Length: 30 Minutes
WXXI-TV & WXXI-TV Livestream | Monday, Apr. 8 at 12:30 pm & again at 4:30 pm
Curious George: George’s Dark Day
Curious George: George’s Dark Day; Leaf Raker: George and the Man with the Yellow Hat are excited to view the solar eclipse, but George accidentally leaves their eclipse viewing glasses behind; Bill teaches George the art of leaf-raking. Length: 30 Minutes
WXXI-TV & WXXI-TV Livestream | Monday, Apr. 8 at 01:00 pm
WXXI PBS Kids 24/7 & Live Stream | Monday, Apr. 8 at 11:00 am
NOVA: The Great American Eclipse
Scientists prepare new experiments to study the solar eclipse. Length: 60 Minutes
WXXI World | Sunday, Apr. 7 at 08:00 pm
WXXI-TV & WXXI-TV Livestream | Wednesday, Apr. 10 at 04:00 pm
More Activities:
PBS KIDS Solar Eclipse Digital Kit for PreK-2nd grade (from WXXI Education)
Solar Eclipse Games and Activities from NYS Libraries
Connect to PBS LearningMedia for Space Resource Collections & Solar Eclipse Resources
Space Collection: Resources organized by grade levels. (K-2) (3-5) (6-8) & (9-12) Note particularly the Solar Eclipses Lessons & Interactives for 6-8 and 9-12 Bringing the Universe to America’s Classrooms: Engage K–12 students with phenomena and science practices using this collection of supplementary digital media resources created by GBH in collaboration with NASA. The resources align with key NGSS Earth, space, and physical science disciplinary core ideas. To ensure that science content is accessible for all students, supports are included for students with disabilities or who are English learners; many resources have Spanish translations.
Eclipses: CrashCourse
See the Great American Eclipse Video (From 2017)
Nature Cat: Songs, Videos & Activities
Play games and watch full episodes of Nature Cat on https://pbskids.org/naturecat
“Nature Cat,” a series for children ages 3 to 7, follows Fred, a house cat who dreams of exploring the great outdoors. Once his family leaves for the day, Fred transforms into Nature Cat: “backyard explorer extraordinaire!” He can’t wait to get outside for a day of nature adventures and bravery! There’s just one problem: he’s still a house cat with no instincts for nature! With the help of his animal friends, Nature Cat goes on action-packed adventures full of nature investigation and humor, all while inspiring children to go outside and experience nature.
WXXI Favorite Activities:
- Activity: Create Your Own DIY Pond Viewer
- Activity: Make Sun Prints
- Activity: Make Your Own Fruit Leather Snack
- Online Game: Play the game Hal’s Big Dig
- Article: Encouraging Kids To Enjoy with Nature with All Their Senses
- Activity: Create a natural toolbox
- Learning Resources: Explore the Nature Cat PBS LearningMedia Collection
See Games, Activities and Videos from the Nature Cat Series at PBS KIDS
Learn more about the series, articles, activities and games at PBS KIDS for Parents: Nature Cat Show Page
Nature Cat Videos Playlist
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Space Education Resources: (K-12)
WXXI Education has pulled together educational support resources related to learning about Space for K-12.
Connect to PBS LearningMedia for Space Resource Collections & Solar Eclipse Resources
PBS KIDS Solar Eclipse Digital Kit for PreK-2nd grade (from WXXI Education)
Solar Eclipse Games and Activities from NYS Libraries
Space Collection: Resources organized by grade levels. (K-2) (3-5) (6-8) & (9-12) Note particularly the Solar Eclipses Lessons & Interactives for 6-8 and 9-12 Bringing the Universe to America’s Classrooms: Engage K–12 students with phenomena and science practices using this collection of supplementary digital media resources created by GBH in collaboration with NASA. The resources align with key NGSS Earth, space, and physical science disciplinary core ideas. To ensure that science content is accessible for all students, supports are included for students with disabilities or who are English learners; many resources have Spanish translations.
Eclipses: CrashCourse
Space Time: A PBS LearningMedia Collection for 6-12
Space Time PBS LearningMedia Collection: Join astrophysicist Matt O’Dowd on a journey through the deepest, darkest, coolest corners of the universe. Math, physics, and astronomy can’t get much bigger than this.
On the acclaimed PBS Digital Studios series Space Time, Matt explores the outer reaches of space, the craziness of astrophysics, the possibilities of sci-fi, and anything else you can think of beyond Planet Earth. Visit the series home on YouTube for new weekly episodes and challenges that prompt your classroom to think differently about physics and push the rules of space and time to the limit.
NOVA: The Great American Eclipse
Scientists prepare new experiments to study the solar eclipse. Length: 60 Minutes
See the Great American Eclipse Video (From 2017)
SciGirls Resources
SciGirls is a show for kids ages 8-12, showcasing bright, curious, real tween girls putting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to work in their everyday lives. In each half hour episode you’ll meet a new group of girls, whose eagerness to find answers to their questions will inspire your children to explore the world around them and discover that science and technology are everywhere.
See the Season 7 Trailer:
Check out the SciGirls websites:
- PBSLearningMedia SciGirls Collection
- PBS KIDS for Parents SciGirls Page for Articles & Activities
- SciGirls on PBS KIDS for games, videos and activities
- SciGirls YouTube Channel for Video Playlists:
- SciGirls en Español:
Engineering & STEM Challenges
Are you sharing STEM challenges with your students? Creating maker or tinker days? Here’s a list of resources, by grade level, focused on engineering and STEM challenges.
Engineering and STEM design challenges are great opportunities for students to shine – there are many roles for all different kinds of learners, there are lots of opportunity for problem solving, students can work independently and collaborate, and they work great with same-age and mulit-age groups.
Engineering is a process of developing solutions to problems. Engineers use creativity, problem-solving skills, and knowledge of technology, math, and science to design and build products, machines, and structures for a better world. They explore why and how things work, and try to figure out how to make things work even better. STEM & engineering design challenges do the same.
Engineering & STEM Challenges:
Preschool – 2nd Grade
- Pigeon Perch – video & lesson
- Ramp & Roll – video & lesson
- Build a Wall – video & lesson
- Sort It Out – video & lesson
- Tower Time
- Show Time
3rd – 5th Grade
- Ecosystem Challenge
- PBS Nature – Polar Bear Slip & Slide, Adapted to Survive, Super Senses
- Daring Design Challenge
- Bird Feeder
- Fetch! Physical Science Challenges
6-8th Grade
- Design and Build a Tangle-free Headphone Holder
- Making a Hovercraft
- Designing a Paper Bridge
- Design Squad Challenges
9-12th Grade
What is the Engineering Design Process?
The Engineering Process: Crash Course Kids
The Engineering Design Process: A Taco Party
Engineering Design Process Explainers
The Design Process Explained on PBS LearningMedia
Engineering Resources
A project-based learning unit for middle school science classrooms focused on developing solutions for negative impacts of plastics on the environment. In this NGSS-aligned unit, students use the engineering design process to define a problem, brainstorm solutions, develop prototypes and iterate on their designs. The project culminates with students producing videos about their solutions to share with the community. Connect to Engineering for Good
A one-stop shop of STEM and digital making resources that focus on the problem, technology, or process behind object creation. Teachers can use the collection, which is categorized into design, how to (DIY), arts and crafts, robotics, and engineering subtopics, in conjunction with hands-on activities to further this initiative. Like the Maker Party, this collection is designed to encourage hands-on engagement in science, technology, engineering, math, and the arts.
Connect to Makers
Teaching Engineering in New York is a collection of resources that shows real-world applications of engineering concepts and practices and is correlated to New York State Science Learning Standards (NYSSLS). These media-rich resources and accompanying support materials cover disciplinary core ideas from ecosystems to energy. Use the resources to help your students gain a stronger understanding of how the engineering design process seamlessly melds with science concepts from life, earth, and physical sciences. Connect to Teaching Engineering in NY
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Design Squad: Inventing Green Resources
Design Squad’s mission is to get kids excited about engineering and inventing. For years Design Squad, the award-winning PBS KIDS program and website, has created activities, videos and clubs that aim to make engineering and invention accessible and fun for kids. Now, Design Squad is tackling a new content area: inventing for a sustainable future. We want to get kids thinking about how engineering and invention impacts environmental sustainability and how new inventions can help tackle environmental problems.
Design Squad Global Inventing Green is the latest addition to the Design Squad family of resources that challenges youth to brainstorm solutions that can help people with things such as lack of food, clean water, renewable energy, affordable energy, and ocean and land
pollution. These resources use the same core tenants found in the other Design Squad materials such as:
- Every child should and can participate in engineering and invention.
- Engineering and invention are most meaningful when kids have the opportunity to solve real problems faced by real people.
- Failing is to be embraced as a step that all engineers and inventors take in the Design Process.
- Students should have the opportunity to lead their own learning process with guidance from an educator.
- Hands-on learning experiences based on an open-ended problem lead to more successful experiences with engineering and invention concepts.
In the Design Squad Global Inventing Green Club PBS LearningMedia collection, the is objective: help kids build an environmental sustainability mindset when inventing. Design Squad wants kids to work to solve environmental problems with invention as well as learn to bring sustainability practices to the process of inventing. This includes thinking about material choices, where an invention goes once it has outlived its usefulness, and how an invention is powered.
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