EDU Hero

WQED Education is bringing the classroom — and the fun  to you! Watch and learn with our collection of stay-at-home videos full of stories, activities, cooking, and more!

Teachable Moments

Season 1

Books & the Pursuit of Dreams

Children's Literacy expert Dr. Nosakhere Griffin-El finds power in books, especially in helping youngsters explore their dreams for the future.
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Intro to Jazz

One cool component of jazz is "composing on the fly," says Howie Alexander, artistic director of the Afro-American Music Institute. You need to listen and practice every day.
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Painting with Nature

Make a beautiful painting - with just the materials you find at hand outside! Amber and Lydia from the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy show us how to draw using outdoor objects!
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An Active Adventure

Can you follow instructions to get to Fen and Ivy’s house for a tea?  Let’s Move Pittsburgh’s Sarah Cullo from Phipps Conservatory gives us some strenuous and fun activities that get us to our destination.
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Signing the Alphabet

There are many ways to recite the alphabet -- and in this Teachable Moment, Delaney Gara, shows us how to do it with our hands.
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Your Voice Tells a Story

Pittsburgh Festival Opera singer Emily Gallagher gives us a "melodious" lesson on the many ways you can use your voice!
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Coding Step by Step

Stem Coding Lab Program Director Jason Hivner explains what the term "algorithm" means. He uses an "algorithm" to teach his partner to complete a simple task.
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Acting Out Your Feelings

Jim Scriven from the Pittsburgh CLO Academy explains how to use all your emotions in an acting game called, "These pretzels are making me thirsty."
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A Thyme-ly Lesson

Gardener Boaz Frankel shows us common herbs found in our gardens and explains some more unusual uses.
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Make a Dance

Attack Theatre dance company members Sarah Zielinski and Allison Popieski show us how to choreograph a dance that reflects our own personalities.
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Collage Creations

Nora Peters, director of the Millvale Community Library turns catalogs into colorful, original pieces of art by creating collages.
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Your Voice, Your Vote

It’s all about choices: Joe Harmon, a civics teacher at Redbank Valley High School, teaches us how to prepare to vote by using the game “Cast Your Vote.” The more you learn, the better informed you are!
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A Photography Lesson

Charlene Foggie-Barnett, community archivist at the Carnegie Museum of Art, shows us how to take exciting family portraits. Charlene takes her hints from Teenie Harris -- one of Pittsburgh's top photographers who chronicled the Black community for decades.
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Staying Fit Indoors

Take common items around the house and transform your home into a sports arena. Mike Schall, a phys-ed teacher from the Bethel Park School District, shows us how to use items for sport, while staying fit and having fun!
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What's Up? Finding Polaris

Science communicator Ralph Crewe takes us on a trip "up". In this Teachable Moment, "Up" is the night sky and Ralph teaches us how to always locate Polaris, the North Star.
Stars & Space Activity

A Tangram Puzzle

Do you like stretching your mind? How about a neat way to learn shapes AND construct dozens of different puzzles? Try making a Tangram with help from Integrative Media Artist and TEKStart owner Shimira Williams.
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How to Draw a Rabbit

Cartoonist Joe Wos takes you through the process of drawing a rabbit, using only a few letters of the alphabet!

Cartoon Academy Videos and Resources

Building a Survival Shelter in your Backyard

Lo Zemanek, an educator with Venture Outdoors, shows us how to build a survival shelter using materials scattered around outside like sticks and leaves. And even if there isn't enough to build one for a human being, you could still create one for a furry little stuffed animal!
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Searching for Critters

Are there are exotic critters in your backyard? Andrea Redinger is a biology teacher “extraordinaire” at Greensburg Salem High School. Mrs. Redinger, AKA Mrs. Frizzle, gives us a “hands-on” look at two exotic critters that can be found in her classroom, and encourages you to look for other wild life in your own backyard.
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A Paper Workout

Can a piece of paper hold up a stack of books? Melissa Unger, South Fayette Elementary School STEAM teacher, gives it a try. Basic concepts like building and distribution of weight are demonstrated in this fun lesson that can easily be done at home.
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Create an Obstacle Course

Amanda Stein, a summer camp counselor at South Hills Interfaith Movement, builds an obstacle course in her driveway using chalk and some items she found around her house.
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Learning to Sort

Will Tolliver Jr., Early Learning Expert and PBS Kids Early Learning Champion, takes a walk outdoors to find and gather natural materials.
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Science and Slushies

Jasmine Hamilton, a middle school science teacher at Propel McKeesport demonstrates a cool scientific phenomenon using a bottle of water and a homemade freezer.
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Home Alphabet Lesson

Joe DiLucente and Susan McKeever, from the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit, select a letter of the alphabet and then find things around their homes that start with that letter.
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History and Street Names

Joe Welch, North Hills Middle School American History and Social Studies teacher, shows how a neighborhood walk observing street name signs can lead to a history lesson.
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Family Style

WQED Education is your classroom at home, even in the kitchen!

Ice Cream

Sam and Sofia teach you how to make a fun, simple - and most importantly - TASTY homemade ice cream dish!

Breakfast

Our favorite kitchen due is back, and up early, to make two delicious breakfast snacks with you!

Snacks

Sam and Sofia show you how to make two of their favorite quick and tasty treats!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Some foods are just good for the soul. And with that in mind, Sam & Sofia are back with their spin on a comfort food classic!

Pasta Fagioli

Our favorite kitchen duo, Sam and Sofia, are back! And this time, Sofia is preparing Pasta Fagioli!

No-Knead Bread

We know you'll absoutely love this no-fuss, no-knead bread recipe! Download Recipe  

Reading & Activities

Enjoy these fun stories and activities that you can try at home from our team and your favorite PBS Kids characters!
We're so excited about the 2020 Summer Reading Program from our partners, ACLA Youth Services!

ACLA Summer Series | Encouragement Jar

Enjoy this amazing video from Miss Liz and learn about historical figures and how to make an encouragement jar!

ACLA Summer Series | Xylophone

Enjoy this amazing video from Miss Liz and learn all about sounds, notes, and pitch and make an amazing water xylophone!

ACLA Summer Series | Hummingbird Feeder

Learn about super powers and nature while you make your own hummingbird feeder!

ACLA Summer Series | Bubbles

Learn all about super powers and science with this hommade bubble activitiy!

ACLA Summer Series | Geometric Mod Art

Learn all about shapes (geometry) through art and imagination like Peg + Cat!

ACLA Summer Series | Bioluminescence

Learn about bioluminescence with Liz from WQED Education!

ACLA Summer Series | Moon Rocks

Enjoy this amazing video from Miss Liz and learn all about the moon!

ACLA Summer Series | Chinese Rattle Drum

Join Liz as she makes this toy that originated in China, became popular and is still used today!

Reading Wednesday | Stumped

Liz is back to read you a 2018 Writer's Contest winning story from our friend Connor, followed by a fun activity!

Reading Wednesday | The Sun and the Moon

Hear a story from our friend Rocco - a 2017 Writer's Contest winner - and learn how to make your own moon journal!

Reading Wednesday | Beautiful Bella

Liz K. reads you a wonderful story about a very kind butterfly. You can even make your own beautiful butterfly!

Nature Cat Activities

Cathy C., Director of Education Programs, has a fun, educational activity that you can do at home with your little ones!

Marble Run Craft

Watch as WQED EDU's Gina, Vin, and Mark the Engineer figure out how to make their marbles RUN!

Reading Wednesday | Grandma Pig's Pizza

Liz K reads a story written by Nikolai, a 2014 Writer's Contest winner, followed by a recipe for trail mix!

Reading Wednesday | Henry's First Itch

Hear a wonderful story written by our good friend, Elly- a winning story from the 2015 WQED Writer's Contest.
 

Reading Wednesday | Super Magnet

Liz. K. is reading an award-winning story from our 2018 Writer's Contest! Followed by a fun magnet activity!

Chinese Rattle Drum

Make a Chinese rattle drum with Liz from WQED Education!

Reading Wednesday | Blades the Skate

WQED EDU team member, Liz K., reads this delightful Pittsburgh story followed by a complimenting, fun activity!

Backyard Bird Feeder

Bri M., from WQED EDU, with the help of her daughters, walk you through creating a bird feeder from upcylced materials from around your house.

Encouragement Jar | Xavier Riddle

Xavier, Brad, and Yadina visit the Secret Museum where they travel back in time to meet inspirational figures when they were children, like Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play Major League Baseball.

PBS Kids Encouragement Jar Activity
Xavier Riddle website
Hero Maker, online game​
Jackie Robinson video clip​

Xylophone | Cat in the Hat

The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That explores all different science and engineering topics through crazy adventures.

PBS Kids Xylophone Activity
Cat in the Hat website
Sound-a-palooza, online game​

Sound and vibration, video clip​

Hummingbird Feeder | Wild Kratts

The Kratt Brothers love observing and learning about all kinds of animals and their creature superpowers.

PBS Kids Hummingbird Feeder Activity
Wild Kratts website

Hummingbird Powers video clip​
Animal Match, online game​

Bubbles | Hero Elementary

Meet the super students of Sparks’ Crew – Lucita Sky, AJ Gadgets, Benny Bubbles, and Sara Snap – have at their disposal the Superpowers of Science to help them figure out solutions.

PBS Kids Bubble Mix Activity
Hero Elementary website​
Color in Sparks crew​

Geometric Mod Art | Peg + Cat

Peg and her sidekick Cat go on lots of adventures together, which always involves using LOTS of imagination and a messy funny crisis they must somehow solve.

PBS Kids Geometric Art Activity
Peg + Cat website

All About that Shape, video clip
Magical Shape Hunt, online game

Bioluminescence | Splash and Bubbles

Some creatures have the ability to make their own light, like fireflies and glowworms. They are bioluminescent.

PBS Kids Glow in the Dark Water Activity
Splash and Bubbles website
Gallery of bioluminescent animals​
Color your own bioluminescent fish​