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Project Descriptions

Bill Nye the Science Guy (TV Series)

February 1, 1997 - January 31, 2000 | Media and Technology, Public Programs, Informal/Formal Connections
KCTS, the public broadcasting station in Seattle, WA, is producing and distributing15 new half-hour episodes for the children's television series, Bill Nye the Science Guy. Topics being considered for these programs include: Caves Jungles Animal Behavior Entropy Home Demo Lakes and Ponds Felines Convection Smell and Taste Life Cycles Minerals Adhesives Atoms and Molecules Organs Comets, Asteroids, and Meteors The project also will include outreach to viewers, teachers, and parents by providing the following materials: A teachers kit to be distributed to 150,000 fourth-grade teachers nationwide Fifty thousand free copies of a printed parents' guide and 15-minuted video distributed through an off-air off and community partner groups Meet a Way Cool Scientist national print contest in which children will be invited to write and illustrate a profile of a scientist in their community Nye Labs Online, a Web site with series information, science topics, hands-on experiments, and an e-mail connection to Bill Nye and the production team Conference Presentations and workshops about the project's approach to science education for PBS stations, teacher groups, and the three partnering organizations, Girls Incorporated, the National Urban League, and the National Conference of La Raza Rockman Et Al will conduct a summative evaluation to extend the understanding of the show's impact on children's attitudes toward and understanding of science. It also will examine the size and composition of the in-school audience, and will assess the use and value of the outreach materials.

Funders

NSF
Funding Program: ISE/AISL
Award Number: 9614742
Funding Amount: 1584133

TEAM MEMBERS

  • Elizabeth Brock
    Principal Investigator
    KCTS Television
  • James McKenna
    Co-Principal Investigator
    KCTS Television
  • Erren Gottlieb
    Co-Principal Investigator
    KCTS Television
  • William Nye
    Co-Principal Investigator
    KCTS Television
  • Discipline: Chemistry | Ecology, forestry, and agriculture | General STEM | Geoscience and geography | Life science | Physics | Space science | Technology
    Audience: Parents/Caregivers | Elementary School Children (6-10) | Educators/Teachers | Museum/ISE Professionals
    Environment Type: Media and Technology | Broadcast Media | Websites, Mobile Apps, and Online Media | Public Programs | Community Outreach Programs | Informal/Formal Connections | K-12 Programs

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