PBS and NPR Resources
PBS
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and it's predecessor, National Educational Television (NET), have been creating educational television programming since 1954.
Here here you will find links to resources you might realize were available from PBS, as well as resources from National Public Radio (NPR).
PBS Learning Media
PBS has a separate site dedicated to learning resources for the K-12 community.
PBS LearningMedia provides over 100,000 videos, images, interactives, lesson plans and articles for educators, including both free and paid content.
PBS LearningMedia for Students is a teacher-managed environment that allows students to create their own learning experiences by engaging directly with content, including project-based learning and flipped lesson plans.
PBS LearningMedia Professional Development offers professional development designed to help teachers. Resources include free video tutorials, webinars on instructional technology, and research-based graduate-level courses. Most districts allow teachers to apply these courses towards continuing education credits.
NPR: Education
Unlike other resources indexed here, the NPR Education page indexes interviews, talks, and content from recent NPR programs of interest to teachers and parents.
Recent topics have included Charter Schools, empowering low-income students, STEM, developing healthy relationships, student-police interactions, discrimination and the future of education.
PBS Newsletters
PBS hosts a series of newsletters providing updates on all things PBS. Of special interest to teachers will be ...
- PBS Previews
- information on programs airing the following week and new episodes available at PBS Video,
- PBS Parents
- with parenting tips, timely articles, kid-friendly recipes, interactive games from PBS KIDS, and
- Black Culture Connection
- celebrating back history all year round with films, timely discussions, live events and educational resources.
Technology at Home
Looks at how things clanged in the last century (1900-1999). While the main resource requires Shockwave – a Flash like plugin no longer in use – this page outlines some of the big changes over 100 years.
Can your students come up with other changes over the last 100 years? How about guesses as to what things will be like 100, 50 or even 20 years in the future?
Science Friday
Science Friday on NPR stations covers the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies. Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.
In addition, you'll find award-winning digital videos, original web articles, and educational resources for teachers and informal educators.
Dragonfly TV
DragonflyTV PBS features real kids doing their own science inquiries. Topics might include "how rapids affect a river ride", "how do horses use their ears to communicate", or "how can skating turns be speedy, steady and in control".
Look at the PBS site for ideas for your local or regional educational channel's web site. Putting together even a simple web site can greatly enhance the value of your local educational programming.
