Showing results by narrator "Maria Pendolino" in All Categories

The idea that physical exercise is good for men and women alike is something we take for granted today, but people didn’t always believe this was true. There was a time when exercise was not considered proper or healthy for women. Thanks to athletes like Annette Kellerman, women have come a long way since then.

Long ago a trickster rabbit cheated other animals in order to become more elegant. What happened when the other animals caught on? Find out in this tale from Uganda. The rabbit wants the fox’s tail, the fish’s scales, the bird’s feathers, and the leopard’s spots and greedily tosses away one feature for the next.

Click and Jane’s clubhouse is a mess! Follow along as they think of some fun craft projects to clean it up with the rest of the gang and learn things about building and measuring with different tools, like a hammer and a saw!

Auto racing is all about aerodynamics. Racecars use two different forces, lift and drag, to fly around the track. Find out how the cars use these forces, and then “fly” your own racecar with a fun experiment!

Have you ever seen a fractal? You probably have, and just didn’t know it! These repeating shapes can happen anywhere, whether in nature or in math—it’s easy to make one out of a series of lines and triangles! Follow along and make a fractal of your own in a fun craft.

Did you know that writing letters used to be the only way to communicate with people far away? Samuel F.B. Morse changed all of that when he invented the telegraph and Morse code! Using wires and electromagnetism, Morse found a way to communicate over long distances almost instantly. This new technology paved the way for the telephone, as well as the other methods of communication we use today!

Would you believe that two NASA scientists used a baby toy to inspire their design for the next generation of space explorers? Listen to learn about how Adrian Agogino and Vytas SunSpiral designed the SUPERball Bot and what their plans are for the future.

Join us as we go on a journey into the world of symmetry! Learn about the wonders of line symmetry—or reflection—as you create mirror images and watch how rotational symmetry works in this brief peek into this area of geometry.

Cable-stayed bridges are one of six main types of bridges built around the world. Learn about the Zakim Bridge in Boston and try the activity to see how cable-stayed bridges are so strong. Can you guess how strong a cable-stayed bridge is?

Can you imagine having to sit still for 30 minutes just to have your picture taken? Or having to send film away to be developed? Technology has come a long way since then! Listen to learn about photography inventions like flashbulbs, Kodak and Polaroid cameras, and more!

What happens when Holly the hedgehog wakes up early? Instead of spring, it’s still winter! With her friend Milton the mouse, Holly learns all the best things about winter. She finally gets to see that winter is not the nasty part of the year, but rather the best time of the year!

Claire Williams was born with one leg much smaller than the other, but she doesn’t let that stop her from playing sports, jumping on trampolines, or wearing high heels! Read about how Claire is living a full life with the aid of a prosthetic leg.

When the henhouse becomes haunted by a ghost, it's up to one brave chicken named Carmenella to get to the bottom of things. The farmer doesn’t understand her, and the cat doesn’t want to get involved. Carmenella wants to sleep in the nice warm henhouse instead of outside. What will she do to fix this dilemma?

Have you ever wondered how tall and long bridges are built? Learn about three different bridges and try the activities to learn about how strong bridges, like the Golden Gate Bridge, are made.

Have you ever seen a sea star before? They are the pretty star-shaped creatures that hang out at the bottom of the ocean. Learn about Sea Star as she finds and eats her favorite food, moves around the ocean floor, and regenerates her broken arm! Learn about these strange invertebrates and the unique lives they live.

Have you ever wondered why birds have beaks? They don't have hands like we do, so they need another way to help themselves. Learn all the ways birds use their beaks, and see how different birds have different types of beaks that allow them to catch their meals.

Olivia has been studying every day for the spelling bee at her middle school. She is sure she can beat her arch-rival, Nathan. When the bee finally arrives, will Olivia be able to out-spell Nathan? Will she find out that she and Nathan have more in common than just being good spellers?

Do you know what Braille is? Learn along with Click and Jane as they meet a blind mole in their public library. Together, they learn from the mole that Braille is a way that helps blind people read and write! With the mole, they begin to understand that people can use Braille to read with their hands. Help Click and Jane celebrate the diversity in the world as they interact with their new friend! Now, if only they could keep their other friend CeCe quiet in the library…

Have you ever gone birdwatching before? Learn about all the different birds that migrate to the Magee Marsh every spring! See all the kinds of birds that make their way to the same spot every year, like warblers, owls, and even ducks!

Mae Foster is a young girl who loves to code! She is super excited to join her school’s Coding Club but feels guilty about leaving her sick mother at home. Can she figure out a way to continue coding and help her mother at the same time?