PBS Launches LearningMedia for the Common Core Standards

Multimedia Lessons for Grades PreK-16

In addition to educational games, audio clips and interactive online exercises, at least half of the content consists of short video lessons produced specifically for classroom use. Free registration as a teacher, media specialist, homeschooler or other informal educator allows users to download, share and review resources appropriate for preschool through college level. In the fall of 2011, PBS LearningMedia will offer a premium service to schools and other educational organizations, which will include student assessment tools and usage tracking features.

Core Curriculum Resources

The Common Core State Standards for grades K-12 are expected to be implemented in the majority of states nationwide by 2014. PBS LearningMedia helps educators build curriculum to meet national standards because content is organized and searchable by grade level, subject and benchmark topic.

For example, WNET New York Public Media contributed a video about keeping pigs as pets with an accompanying lesson plan that can be adapted to English language arts for grades 3-12. It's searchable by checking boxes for grade level 3, English language arts and reading. The Common Core Standards set the goal for third grade readers to be able to identify the main idea in a story. After students watch the fun video clip about potbelly pigs, they can fill out the worksheet that's provided to note the main idea and supporting details. Third graders who are learning to write opinion pieces may even write reasons why pigs do or do not make good pets.

From Frozen Lakes to Chocolate Trees

Middle and high school students studying global warming can find out what iced over lakes in Wisconsin have in common with cacao trees in the Brazilian rainforest. A science class can explore an interactive graph illustrating seasonal trends for ice cover on Lake Mendota in Wisconsin and interpret how it stayed frozen for fewer days in 2010 than in 1850. The Wisconsin Educational Communications Board provided these data, as well as suggestions for individual and group projects.

That unit can be followed by an analysis of environmental solutions to warming climate trends by using 'How Chocolate Can Save the Planet,' an audio clip by NPR (National Public Radio). High school students may be surprised to learn that chocolate trees can help slow down global warming by naturally reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

These are just a few examples of the engaging educational resources found on the PBS LearningMedia platform. For non-English speakers, content is available in Spanish, French, Arabic and Navajo.