Join author and disability rights advocate Rebecca Alexander as she meets the founders and educators of Protactile, a language based solely on touch. Historically, DeafBlind people have been limited to using interpreters to communicate. With Protactile, one-on-one and group conversations are not only possible, but they also allow for deeper and more meaningful connection. From American Masters.
On-Demand
Searching for Timbuctoo On-Demand:
This film tells the little-known story of a Black settlement, established in the wilds of upstate New York. It brought together a group of ardent abolitionists willing to risk their fortunes, their families, and their futures to destroy slavery.
In 1846, in an effort to level a blow against racism, wealthy New York landowner and well-known abolitionist leader, Gerrit Smith, gave away 120,000 acres of wild land to nearly 3000 African-American men so that they could have the right to vote in the State of New York. His ‘scheme of justice and benevolence’ helped establish a Black settlement that brought together a diverse group of black and white abolitionists –including a struggling sheep farmer named John Brown — committed to ending slavery.
What Smith could not know is that his plan would also lead one man to the brink of insanity; send another to the gallows, and help hurtle the nation towards a catastrophic civil war. Searching For Timbuctoo reveals the hidden history of this long lost community and follows an archaeology team trying to unearth it.
One Way or Another On-Demand:
In this 100th episode, tellers share how dealing with challenges showed them strengths they never knew they had. Brandon bridges the gap between their deaf grandma and a police officer using ASL; an allergic reaction turns Sara’s vacation upside down; and Jeff takes on Mt. Kilimanjaro for cancer research. Three storytellers, three interpretations of ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, hosted by Theresa Okokon. Stories from the Stage: One Way or Another
Concrete Gridiron On-Demand:
Follow the Buffalo team as they navigate their inaugural season and discover a lifelong purpose in adaptative sports. In 2021, a wheelchair football league launched nationwide. Discover the first wheelchair football league in Buffalo, NY that is a part of the national league, which is made up of athletes living with disabilities.
Work It Out Wombats Videos, Games, and Songs
Play games and watch full episodes of Work It Out Wombats: https://pbskids.org/wombats
Work It Out Wombats!™, a PBS KIDS® animated series for preschoolers and kindergartners, follows the adventures of a playful trio of marsupial siblings—Malik, Zadie, and Zeke—who live with their grandmother (named Super!) in a fantastical treehouse apartment complex. The Treeborhood is home to a diverse and quirky community of neighbors, who just happen to be wombats, snakes, moose, kangaroos, iguanas, fish, tarsiers, and eagles! With an educational focus on computational thinking, Work It Out Wombats! introduces children to a creative way of thinking that helps them solve problems and complete tasks in more organized ways, using a toolkit of skills from computer science.
Where to Watch:
- WXXI Kids 24/7 Channel on TV 21.4/Cable 1277 (or 1278)
- WXXI Kids website Live Stream or PBSKIDS.org and the PBS KIDS free Video App. (Download)
- PBS KIDS YouTube channel
Work It Out Wombats PBS KIDS for Parents Page: Articles & Activities & Games
Work It Out Wombats PBS LearningMedia Collection
Work it Out Wombats Podcast, join your favorite Wombats on eight super fun podcast playdates! The Work It Out Wombats! Podcast invites YOU, the listener, to join Zadie, Zeke and Malik as they sail a pirate ship through the Crashing Cliffs, fly to the sky in a make-believe Cloud Ship, enjoy a spooky campout, and build a super-strong fort that NO wind can blow down. You won’t just be listening to the fun, you’ll be having fun – singing, dancing, jumping, clapping, making, and creating right alongside your favorite Wombats. The Work It Out Wombats! Or watch on PBS KIDS YouTube Channel
Watch on PBSKIDS.org or the PBS KIDS YouTube Playlist or the PBS KIDS Video App for Full Episodes and Songs
The Sun Queen On-Demand
Unsung scientist Mária Telkes dedicated her career to harnessing the power of the sun.
For nearly 50 years, chemical engineer and inventor Mária Telkes applied her prodigious intellect to harnessing the power of the sun. She designed and built the world’s first successfully solar-heated modern residence and identified a promising new chemical that, for the first time, could store solar heat like a battery. And yet, along the way, she was undercut and thwarted by her boss and colleagues — all men — at MIT. Despite these obstacles, Telkes persevered and, upon her death in 1995, held more than 20 patents.
She is now recognized as a visionary pioneer in the field of sustainable energy. An unexpected and largely forgotten heroine, Telkes was remarkable in her vision and tenacity — a scientist and a woman in every way ahead of her time. Her research and innovations from the 1930s through the ‘70s continue to shape how we power our lives today. Produced and directed by Amanda Pollak, produced and written by Gene Tempest, and executive produced by Cameo George. Available to watch through 4/3/2026.
Goin’ Back to T-Town On-Demand
American Experience presents Goin’ Back to T-Town. Goin’ Back to T-Town tells the story of Greenwood, an extraordinary Black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that prospered during the 1920s and 30s despite rampant and hostile segregation. Torn apart in 1921 by one of the worst racially-motivated massacres in the nation’s history, the neighborhood rose from the ashes, and by 1936 boasted the largest concentration of Black-owned businesses in the U.S. Available through 2/7/2024.
Zookeepers: I Can Be What?!
Behind the scenes at a zoo can be wild and crazy! Join Jen to find out what it takes to be a zookeeper – hint: sometimes you have to clean up poop.
Have you ever gone to the zoo and wondered who is taking care of all of the animals? Someone has to feed them, clean up their enclosures and even train them for check-ups. In this episode, our host Jen meets three zookeepers and learns about the different skills, education and science behind a career taking care of amazing animals.
Watch the Lynx Keeper: Behind the scenes at a zoo can be wild and crazy! Join host Jen as she spends the day with Zookeeper Kellee. One of her jobs is taking care of the Canada lynx, a big cat that can make a big mess!
![What? Host Jen Indovina stands outside a zoo cage holding a shovel ready to learn about zookeeping with lynx](https://www.wxxi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ZK_Kellee_YT-1024x576.jpg)
Watch the Giraffe Keeper: On her next adventure, host Jen meets another Zookeeper who works with animals 3 times her size! These young Masai giraffes require a lot of training but Zookeeper Azarra knows what it takes to keep these animals healthy and safe.
![What? Host Jen Indovina learns about giraffes and their zookeepers. She is pictured with a giraffe](https://www.wxxi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ZK_Azarra_YT-1024x576.jpg)
Watch the Reptile Keeper: The last zookeeper Jen meets on her journey is Nick. He takes care of the reptiles in the zoo and shows Jen a few of the animals in his care. They even get to take an iguana for a walk.
![Jen Indovina interviews a Reptile Keeper at the zoo.](https://www.wxxi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/zookeeper-ICBW-1024x576.jpg)
Support Materials
Use the resources below to help keep your kids learning – asking questions, learning new words, and exploring connected resources!
Discussion Questions
- What are some ways that you use your senses every day?
- How do you take care of your body to stay healthy?
- What foods are part of your diet?
- What questions would you ask a zookeeper?
- Do you like animals? Why or why not?
- What part of a zookeeper’s job looks hard? Fun? Messy? Smelly?
- What animals make good pets? Not so good pets?
- What are some ways that you can help protect animal habitats?
More Animal & Zookeeper Resources
These resources are from public media partner organizations – they’re educational, trustworthy, and will help you and your child learn more.