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PBS KIDS's new show Carl the Collector features the first main character with autism in a PBS KIDS series. In this show, Carl and his friends—both neurodivergent and neurotypical—collaborate, play, and discover what makes each of them unique.
Carl the Collector airs Thursday, Nov. 14. A special screening event will take place at the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library from 1:30-3:00pm on Sunday, Nov. 10 in Bismarck, ND. We'll watch a few episodes, then make our very own vests, like Carl's soon-to-be-iconic one. More information available here.
With generous support from the ND Department of Public Instruction, and guidance from the ND Autism Center and Sanford Health, we've created collections of our own. Carl's Classroom Crates are boxes full of classroom materials designed to address the needs of neurodiverse students that are free for schools to order and keep. We've developed four distinct "crates," for a multitude of uses. Below, you can see the "Communication" crate.
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Within 24 hours, all 60 crates we built were reserved! For updates on future developments, as well as other Education Department happenings, check out our Facebook Community. In the meantime, visit our webpage on the Crates here. | |
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Prairie Public and the North Dakota Historical Society invite you to a free day of activities centered on "Leonardo da Vinci", a new, two-part, four-hour documentary directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon.
The morning, starting at 10am, focuses on children's activities, like a hands-on arts activity centered on the Mona Lisa for preschoolers, an exploration into the innovative engineering side of da Vinci for K-5 kids, and a 12-minute, kid-friendly preview of the documentary.
The afternoon programming, particularly suited for adult audiences, starts at 2pm, with a 30-minute screening of a preview of the documentary. This will be followed by a panel discussion at 2:30pm moderated by Prairie Public News Director Dave Thompson, on da Vinci's connection with nature and how it influenced his work in both art and science.
For more information, go here.
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Native American Heritage Month Resources | |
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November is Native American Heritage Month, and PBS LearningMedia has something for everyone. Please note that although these resources are matched to particular grade ranges, they can be used with students of any age.
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For early elementary schoolers, you've got resources from some of our most beloved shows, like Molly of Denali and Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. Then, author Kevin Nobel Maillard reads his book Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story out-loud, which is followed by an activity in which viewers make fry bread out of Play-Doh (or equivalent).
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A few choice collections include Sovereign Innovations and Indigi-Genius, which showcase Indigenous innovations and how they've played a role in culture and history throughout the years. There's also Native America and The American Buffalo, two programs produced in part by PBS that cover Indigenous history, that both have substantial collections.
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Finally, there's the latest season of A People's History that focuses on social issues faced by Indigenous Peoples. There is currently one episode on PBS LearningMedia on the personal and societal fallout of the boarding schools Indigenous children were forced to attend. That being said, the entire season is free to watch, sans support materials, here.
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Standing Rock Literacy and Media Day | |
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On October 24, Prairie Public facilitated the annual Literacy and Media Day at Standing Rock Community School in Fort Yates, ND. There were three components:
- All elementary and middle school students recieved a free book.
- High school peer mentors came to the elementary school and read the above mentioned books to elementary schoolers in their classrooms.
- High schoolers were interviewed about what advice they'd give to their elementary school selves. Students simultaneously learned about operating a camera, interviewing techniques, and how to properly light a subject for the camera.
Additionally, we had a table at the Community Fair, where we talked to teachers about our services like PBS LearningMedia and the Learning Express, and handed out prizes of all sorts to everyone who spun our Prize Wheel of Destiny.
Check out the news story KFYR did on our time out there! Some pictures of our activities can be seen below.
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Two-Thumbs Up: Top Picks to Watch/Record from
the Arts and Cultural Programming Block
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From 5-7am, Prairie Public airs the "Arts and Cultural Programming" block of TV shows. Below are three selections specifically for educators. | |
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Two agriculture-focused programs are up first.
Market to Market is analysis of the agriculture market by experts. Topics include global and local trade, new technologies, and current events and how they affect the agriculture industry, like the recent dockworker strike, for example.
America's Heartland takes a personal look at the hardworking folks of the agriculture industry. Farmers share their stories, their concerns, and their use of emerging practices in the field. Like Prairie Mosaic, this is a magazine-style show, so multiple features are covered in a single episode.
Both of these shows are also on PBS LearningMedia! Check out their pages here and here. Economics, career opportunities, American History, and environmentalism are just some of the topics you can find in these two collections.
Market to Market airs Saturdays-only from 11/02 to 11/30 at 5:00am.
America's Heartland airs Saturdays-only from 11/02 to 11/30 at 5:30am.
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On Reconnecting Roots, host Gabe McCauley takes you on a time-traveling field trip across American History, exploring the origins and development of aspects of American life and culture, from bourbon to firefighting. The cherry on top? It's really funny!
Reconnecting Roots airs weekdays all month long at 6:00am.
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Prairie Mosaic: Our program featuring shorts about the arts, culture, and history of the Northern Plains region. This month, join us on a journey through seasons 12-15. Highlights include: "Warriors in The North," an arts program that helps veterans heal through self-expression; "The First Bobcat," a look into the origins of the titular vehicle that originated in Rothsay, MN; and "On the Edge of the Wind: Native Storytellers and the Land," a new exhibit at the Heritage Center in Bismarck, ND.
Check out Prairie Mosaic on PBS LearningMedia here.
Prairie Mosaic airs weekdays at 6:30am.
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