Our archived, live programs (20-60 minutes) offer long form exploration of a topic with single or multiple guests interacting with a student audience.  Click on a title below to view a sample video and its supplemental curriculum materials.

# of Current Videos:  240
233 are 20 to 60 minutes; 2 are less than 20 minutes and 5 videos are longer than 60 minutes

Humanities and Social Studies Samples

History in the First Person: Stories of the Civil Rights Movement–Sister Mary Antona Ebo
Take your study of the Civil Rights Movement to individuals who participated in the struggle. Hear from Sister Mary Antona Ebo, a legendary civil rights trailblazer who in 1946 became one of the first three African American nuns in the Sisters of Mary and in 1965 marched in Selma, Alabama.

A Child’s Life on the Frontier
Travel back in time to an 1820’s American frontier homestead and explore what daily life would be like for children on the frontier.

Celebrating International Friendship with Alberte Jensen and Emma Lewis
View this video to hear from Alberte Jensen and Emma Lewis.  Alberte is a foreign exchange student from Glumso, Denmark, and Emma is her host sister.  Learn about life in Denmark and what it’s been like to spend a year in America.  Find out about the excitement of hosting a foreign exchange student.  Celebrate how everyone’s life is changed when you meet people from other places and cultures.

The Power of Story in a Play
What does it take to write a play? Where do ideas come from? How are characters and plot points developed? And once those ideas get down on paper, how do they come to life in a theatre the first time the story is produced on a stage? Pursue answers to those questions and more as you hear from playwright Eric Coble and theatre director Julia Flood who are bringing to life the powerful story of Mr. Coble’s newest play for young audiences, “The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus.”

Behind the Scenes of a Live Television Program
Go behind the scenes to learn what it’s like to put on a live TV show. See the equipment and technology used and hear from producers, camera people, directors, and sound and lighting technicians.

Making Meaning of the First Amendment:  Freedom of Speech
View this archived video of our live program with Hon. Nannette Baker, Chief Magistrate Judge of the Eastern District Court of Missouri and Mary Beth Tinker of the landmark Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines.  Topics include:  definitions of types of speech, examples of free speech rights, how the courts balance free speech rights against other rights, laws, and policies, and a discussion of Tinker v. Des Moines and other landmark cases regarding students and free speech.

STEAM and STEM Samples

Explore! Invention
How do you create a new invention? What is the process like? View this archived program to learn directly from inventors. Meet Dr. Samuel Achilefu, professor at Washington University in St. Louis and inventor of “cancer goggles” that are changing the way surgeons are able to operate on cancer patients. And meet five St. Louis area middle school students who were honored at the White House Science Fair for their creation of an environmentally friendly process for Styrofoam recycling and an environmentally friendly adhesive.

Explore! Archaeology
Investigate the big picture question, “What does an archaeologist do?” as you interact with archaeologists who are currently working on a dig in Ireland. View video of the site. Learn about the tools they use and what they’ve found so far.

The Science Behind Explosives
“5..4..3..2..1…” That’s the sequence as experts at Bussen Quarry demonstrate how they safely and successfully blast the rock that is used to build America’s roads and bridges. Explore the science and planning involved in creating a safe and effective explosion.

Celebrate the Earth with Worms:  Decomposer Detectives
Learn from Maggie McCoy, Education and Volunteer Coordinator at the EarthWays Center of the Missouri Botanical Garden as she leads students through an investigation of a working vermicompost (worm) bin, talks about how vermicompost bins can be a part of sustainability in the home, and answers student question about the topic.

The Science Behind Roller Coasters
How does energy apply to the design of roller coasters? How do roller coaster designers and engineers use the hills, loops, curves, twists, and turns to take advantage of potential energy, kinetic energy, and dissipating energy to create a thrill ride like no other?  View this archived program and find out.  Jeff Havlik, a roller coaster architect, is our guest expert for this program.  To learn more about Jeff and the work he does, view a video about him here.

Arts and Arts Integration Samples

Inspire Your Heart with Art with Painter/Printmaker Byron Rogers
Painter, printmaker, and teacher at both Kirkwood High School and St. Louis ArtWorks, Byron Rogers joins us for Inspire Your Heart with Art.  He shares  examples of his prints and paintings; talks about what inspires his work; techniques, colors, and subject matter of his work; and the unique opportunities and challenges of his chosen medium.  He also shares his passion for art, how it changed his life, and how he believes it can change the lives of others too.

The Power of Story in First Person Performance
In her one woman play “Harriet Tubman: An American Hero,” Glynis Brooks brings to life one of the most important figures in American history.  During this program hear from Glynis as Harriet Tubman and also Glynis as writer and actress.  See an excerpt from the play.  Learn what it took to create the play.  Explore the questions:  How do you decide what events to include and what to leave out?  How do you create a mood and persona that honors the legacy of such an historic American? How do you create a voice for this American hero?

Inside the Artist’s Studio:  Afflicted–Producing the Play
What might have happened before “The Crucible” begins? “Afflicted: Daughters of Salem, Laurie Brooks’ compelling play for young audiences, takes on that question directly. Learn what it takes to stage such a play with the playwright, actors, and director.

Inside the Artist’s Studio:  Metalwork
Go inside the artist’s studio at Craft Alliance in St. Louis as your students learn from metals artist Hunter Creel. We explore the big questions: Where do ideas for art come from? How is inspiration transformed into a piece of art? How are metals used to create works of art? What techniques are available for the metals artist?

Inspire Your Heart with Art with Fibers Artist Gabrielle Corley
Gabrielle Corley loves fabric and all the cool things she can do with it as she weaves on her looms of various sizes to create all sorts of fiber arts pieces.  Learn what inspires her about art, how she creates her pieces, and get inspired yourself about what you can do with fabric.