Wisconsin Public Broadcasting will continue the incorporation of a science strand into "Get Real!," their television series for children 8-12 year old. The series presents positive images of children involved in, and succeeding in, a variety of areas. The stories are field-produced; and kids are involved on-screen and off as hosts, reporters, subjects of stories, as interns during production, and as sources of story ideas. The series is broadcast on both public and commercial stations and receives multiple repeats. The science and technology strand: connects science concepts to children's known experiences and activities and tells stories about kids involved in science-related activities; models and reinforces positive attitudes towards, and involvement in science and technology and affirms the value of children's ideas, and the importance of asking why?; and reinforces viewers' active connection to the science content by making suggestions for projects to get involved with, and by encouraging children to discuss and question their knowledge of science and the world around them. In this third season of the series, the producers will expand coverage of the series to five additional states adjoining Wisconsin. They are convinced they can do this without losing the local interest and participation of local institutions which has been a great factor in attracting and holding viewers. James Steinbach, the creator, original producer, and executive producer of "Newton's Apple," will be the co-PI with overall responsibility for the project. The series is produced in the three Wisconsin Public Television studios -- in Madison, Green Bay, and Menomonie -- and, therefore, can find and produce stories which reach out into a wide geographic area.
Quest Productions is producing and testing the pilot phase for a series of weekly television programs entitled, Doing It. The series which is targeted at six to ten year olds is co-production with KCTS, the producer of Bill Nye the Science Guy in Seattle, will focus on science and technology-oriented themes by introducing viewers to men and women who develop and apply science and technology in their everyday lives. In each program, two young "explorers" will journey to a place in the real world that fascinates them and, with an adult guide, explore the inner workings of the particular site and how science is involved in what the person does. An additional character, a young woman named Howzit Work, will serve as a role model for the process of figuring out how and why things work. Each episode will end with a Doing It at Home segment which feature an activity or investigation selected from one of the activities designed by the GEMS project at the Lawrence Hall of Science. Ancillary material designed to encourage child/parent involvement is science include a Doing It booklet, and Internet Home Page, and a CD-ROM. The PI and Senior Producer will be Bill Jersey. His children's TV credits include 3-2-1 Contact, Sesame Street, and Bi-Lingual Children's Television. Pierre Valette, who helped develop and produce the pilot for Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? is the creator of the project and will serve as Project Director. The Executive-in-charge of Production at KCTS is Elizabeth Brock, one of the developers of Bill Nye the Science Guy. The Senior Science Consultant is Ted Ansbacher, former Director of Exhibits at the New York Hall of Science. Evaluation will be conducted by Barbara Flagg. They will work closely with an advisory team of formal and informal science educators.
KCTS has received support for the production and outreach for the second season of 'Bill Nye the Science Guy.' Each program in the 39 program series will focus on a single science theme developed around two or three learning outcomes and is presented with a fast and colorful pace and style suited for today's generation of nine and ten year old viewers. The host, Bill Nye, joins viewers and guests as they explore science topics in his laboratories and in field locations. Children also will perform on-camera experiments in a home setting. In most shows, guest scientists and celebrities, selected to ensure a diverse representation, will be featured. Segments in the programs include: 'Check it Out' a small experiment performed in the lab or at home by child actors. 'Try This at Home' an experiment viewers may attempt at home after receiving instructions on the air. 'Way Cool Scientist' a scientist demonstrating his or her work as it relates to the topic of the program. 'Music Video Parody' video tailored to popular music genres such as rap or 'grunge' or pop music. 'Consider the Following' Bill presents a concept to the viewer in a one on one segment. 'Big Demonstration' Bill, in the laboratory, uses equipment to demonstrate an element of the theme. 'Celebrity Cameos' featuring both teen and adult celebrities with a high recognition factor. 'Fake commercials' like the music videos, humor ous parodies of advertising. Outreach for the second season will include a quarterly newsletter to be mailed to viewers homes. This eight page newsletter will include regular columns such as 'Ask Bill' and 'Try this at Home.' It will be designed to appeal to children ages 8 to 12 and will contain a column for parents. During the second season, at-home science kits will again be available to viewers. These free kits will enable children and their families to perform scientific experiments together at home. The video series will be produced by McKenna/Gottlieb Producers Inc. and KCTS Television and will be syndicated for broadcast by Buena Vista Television (the syndication division of Disney Productions). The second season also will be broadcast daily on PBS. This will give the series a presence on both public broadcasting and on commercial television in many markets. Buena Vista Television will provide $3,000,000 toward the production budget and PBS will provide $2,000,000 for production. KCTS is seeking a corporate underwriter to provide $1,000,000 for additional outreach and promotion. Elizabeth Brock of KCTS will be Executive in Charge of the project. Bill Nye is the principal science writer for the series as well as host of the series. The series producers will be Erren Gottlieb and James E. McKenna. These four people will serve as Co-PI's of the project. The advisory committee consists of scientists, science educators, evaluators, and curriculum developers. Members include: H. Prentice Baptiste, Arthur B. Ellis, Caroline Herzenberg, Gilbert S. Omenn, Senta A. Raizen, Matthew H. Schneps, Paul H. Williams, Carole Ann Kubota, and Sally Luttrell-Montes.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Elizabeth BrockWilliam NyeJames McKennaErren Gottlieb
The Exploratorium is developing the pilot for a Saturday morning science-oriented, live-action, film and animation, national network television series for teens aged 13 to 17. The half-hour show will present everyday science and the process of problem solving in a fast-paced, hip, and challenge-oriented format. Two teams, each of three teenagers, will compete in a series of challenges which require the application of common sense knowledge, observation, experimentation, and problem-solving strategies useful in science. The object is to demonstrate that real-world problem solving makes use of many skills and may have more than one solution. The Exploratorium will administer the project and will be responsible for the science content. Production will be done by Colossal Pictures, a San Francisco production studio experienced in animation and youth-oriented programming.
Children's Television Workshop is producing the second season of "CRO," an animated television series designed to bring informal science education to Saturday morning commercial television's large, demographically diverse audience of children. Each of eight new programs to be broadcast on ABC has the goals of: 1) entertaining six- to eleven-year-old viewers while increasing their familiarity with and interest in basic science and technology principles, 2) stimulating viewers' interest in science and technology by showing that they are not abstractions, but integral parts of daily life, and 3) convincing youth that discovering the workings of science and technology can be fun. In addition to the television series, CTW will develop and distribute a range of supporting materials. These include a twelve-page activity book; a four-color, four-page user's guide for informal science education leaders; two four- color, sixteen-page comic books that include puzzles, brain teasers, and simple experiments; an eight-panel activity poster; and inclusion of "CRO" material in 3-2-1 Contact magazine. Part of the distribution of these materials will be through CTW's partnerships with youth-serving organizations such as YMCA's , 4-H Youth Development Education, and Boys and Girls Clubs. The series also will be released on home video and CTW is considering development of an interactive product based on the series. Key staffing for season two will include Franklin Getchell who will continue from season one as co-principal investigator and Joel Schneider, who will replace Ed Atkins as the other co-principal investigator. Schneider will be responsible for content development of both the television series and of the ancillary materials. Jeffrey Nelson, formerly Executive Producer o f Square One TV, will join "CRO" as Executive Producer.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Joel SchneiderFranklin GetchellMarjorie KalinsJeffrey Nelson
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) will produce and distribute a half-hour science adventure show for weekly broadcast, primarily on commercial children's radio stations. The series, 'The Kinetic City Super Crew,' is targeted at children 8-10 years old with an emphasis on urban children, girls, minorities, and children with disabilities. The series of 92 programs also will be designed for family listening. The programs revolve around a drama led by child actors and include discussions with scientists and information for at-home experiments. The Co-Principal Investigators will be Jerry Bell and Gerald Wheeler. Bell is Program Director for Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education at AAAS and will be responsible for overall management of the project. Wheeler is Program Director for the Public Understanding of Science and Technology and will serve as the Science Content Director for the programs. There also will be a Science Content Team (consisting of Bell, Shirley Malcom and Andrew Ahlgren) that will work closely with Wheeler, the production staff, and the advisors to review show themes, scientists to be interviewed, overall content, and to serve as arbiters for questions related to their respective fields. Bob Hirshon will serve as Executive Produce/Project Director and John Keefe will be Senior Producer.
The Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. will produce four half-hour television specials which focus on kids testing and evaluating popular products. This "real world" approach can motivate children to learn science and mathematics concepts and to develop problem-solving skills in the process of tackling everyday consumer problems. The approach is particularly effective with youth who are not print-oriented, who watch a lot of television, and who may find "formal" science and mathematics inaccessible. Outreach materials for viewers and for use in formal classes will extent the impact of the project. The PI and Project Director will be Joyce Newman, Director of Consumer Reports TV. Susan Markowitz, who produced the successful pilot program will be Producer and Edward Groth, a biologist who serves as Consumers Union Associate Technical Director for Public Service Projects, will be the Senior Science Advisor. Susan Isenberg will be a major science education advisor. Ms. Isenberg is an IBM Education Fellow and consultant to a number of New York and New Jersey school districts. She has a B.S. in Science Education, an M.S. in Education, and has been a teacher for 25 years. This core group will work closely with in-house scientists and education experts as well as with an advisory committee established for the project.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Joyce NewmanEdward GrothSusan Markowitz
Research Communications Ltd. will develop research designs, measurement, and analysis techniques for the assessment of the impacts of informal science learning television programming and other media. Experts in the fields of psychology, science education, communications research, and evaluation and testing will develop methodologies and instruments to: better assess impact on attitudes, cognition, and behavior for specific audiences, take into account the idea that informal science learning may take a variety of forms, and better assess cumulative impacts of television and other media on informal science learning. The PI's for the project will be Valerie Crane, President of RCL, and Beth Rabin and Suzanne Carter, both on the RCL staff. Advisors would include experts in research on children's television programming such as Ellen Wartella and Keith Mielke, specialists in inquiry-based learning and formal and informal science curricula such as Matthew Schneps, and specialists in evaluation and testing such as Edward Chittenden.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Valerie CraneBeth RabinSuzanne Carter
WNET is conducting a six-month development phase to engage a lead mathematics consultant, an advisory committee, and producers to develop more fully the format, individual program content, and outreach components for a television-based project called Cyberchase, a multi-component project designed to excite, inspire, and involve 9-11 year olds in mathematics. The project currently is planned to include a weekly half-hour television series, a variety of educational print materials, and on-line activities. The series concept revolves around a multi-ethnic group of friends who are hooked on a riveting computer game call Cyberchase. At the start of the show, cast members are pulled into the computer and, with the program's viewers, become protagonists on intriguing missions that demonstrate real world applications of mathematics. A host confronts the players with challenges that must be met in order to progress onto the next adventure. During the planning phase, the project staff will bring scholars, educators, and programmers together in planning sessions to develop and refine program ideas and outreach strategies. The scope of work will include research in three primary areas: Program Content; Program Design (graphics, animation); and Interactivity, Multi-media, and Educational Outreach. The PI will be Ruth Ann Burns, Vice-President and Director of WNET's Educational Resource Center, and Executive Producer of the PBS Mathline Middle School Math Project. The Lead Math Consultant will be Carey Bolster, Director of the Middle School Math Project, a service of PBS Mathline. Sandra Sheppard, WNET's Director of Educational Video Services, will serve as Project Director and supervise all aspects of the research and development phase for the inter-related educational media components of the project. They will work with an advisory committee that includes Solomon Garfunkel, Iris Carl, Jimmie Rios, and Eve Hall.
National Public Radio (NPR) has been awarded a grant of $807,335 in declining amounts over a four year period for production of Science Friday, the weekly two-hour call-in radio show that deals with science topics. Over the four year period, NPR will make an increasingly larger commitment to the total budget of $1,763,768 until they assume total budgetary responsibility for the project in FY 2001. The series' goal is to make science easily accessible to the public and to help them realize the relevance of science and technology to everyday life. The format of the programs enables the public to engage in conversations with scientists and science educators to discuss contemporary science topics. Science issues anticipated to be included in future programs include: science and mathematics education, science literacy, science risk assessment and public policy, and the future of technology. In addition to the broadcast series, NPR will develop a web site for Science Friday which will distribute the radio series on demand via the Internet, bring Science Friday to cities and rural areas where the series is not broadcast, create live Internet chat groups where listeners can meet to discuss the program, provide sound bytes and audio files of guests, and create a "Science Day Book" which will be a calendar of events loaded with science opportunities for people in their own home towns. Science Friday also has established a joint project with Kidsnet, an established computerized clearinghouse for education through the media. Ira Flatow will continue as the series host and producer. Barbara Flagg of Multimedia Research has been engaged to assess the audience impact of the project.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Kevin KloseWilliam BuzenbergBarbara Flagg
Talcott Mountain Science Center, in cooperation with the Urban Schools Learning Network (encompassing a variety of state, regional and national partners), seeks $698,141 in National Science Foundation funds under the Informal Science Education Program for a three year national model for increased minority interest and participation in Informal Science Education Program for a three year national model for increased minority interest and participation in informal science education. The title of this partnership is Project PROMMISE )Promoting Role Model Minorities in Science Education). Over the next three years, Project PROMMISE will produce and broadcast at least 30 distance learning programs for thousands of secondary level students in urban and disadvantaged communities throughout the U.S. These Project PROMMISE broadcasts will bring distinguished minority and women scientists, explorers, astronauts and other figures in touch with urban young people through interactive video programming. Broadcasts will be preceded and followed by hands- on informal science education activities. The project also will broadcast national career exposure, exploration, and mentoring programs to better inform urban minority students of academic and career enrollment in secondary and post-secondary math, science and technology studies and cultural isolation by urban students, teachers and urban informal science education institutions. Major national partners for reform and pre- college minority enrichment are participating in the project, including the Edna McConnell Clark Middle School Change Network, the Museum Satellite Network, PIMMS at Wesleyan, the CT Pre- Engineering Program (CPEP). Private sector support has been gained from United Technologies, CIGNA and Union Carbide.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Donald LaSalleGlenn CassisDaniel Barstow
Award-winning Scholastic Productions, Inc. proposes to produce 39 fully animated, half hour television programs, based on the successful children's science book series, The Magic School Bus. We are seeking funding for the initial three seasons (13 episodes per season) which will be produced over a four year period. Designed as an informal science education series for PBS, it is targeted primarily for 6-9 year-olds, with special attention given to reaching girls and minority children. The series has clear science pedagogical goals: 1) to motivate children to further science study, 2) to present science facts, concepts and systems, and 3) to inspire positive attitudes towards science and education for students and teachers. Throughout the production, audience research and field testing will ensure that the programming is effectively meeting these goals. The series features a remarkable teacher, Ms. Frizzle, who takes her class on equally remarkable field trips. While other teachers may go to a museum, Ms. Frizzle leads her class onto a yellow school bus that shrinks (along with its students) to the size of a cell to journey through the human body, rocket into outer space, or travel into the eye of a hurricane. Thus, the series makes science tangible and relatable for an audience of children who are still concrete thinkers. We will create a broad outreach program, utilizing the publishing and distribution resources of Scholastic Productions' parent company, Scholastic Inc., (the largest publisher of children's materials in the English-speaking world), and other targeted organizations. Through viewer guides, series publicity and promotion, magazine editorials, community and after-school programs, we expect to reach a large and culturally diverse audience, including minorities frequently not served by PBS.