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CYBERCHASE Launches Month-Long Super CYBERCHASE Science TV/Web Event in February 2006 on PBS KIDS GO!; Uses CYBERCHASE's Signature Style to Show How Math Can Unlock and Explore Science Ideas and Create Original Science Projects

Posted on: Monday, 7 November 2005, 09:00 CST

The National Academy of Sciences recently urged the U.S. government to take decisive action and better educate children in the critical areas of math and science, warning that our economic security is at stake. With that urgency in mind, CYBERCHASE launches Super CYBERCHASE Science, a TV/web event for February 2006, happening daily on PBS KIDS GO! (check local listings). The month-long event links 20 encore episodes of the award-winning math-mystery cartoon to online resources that show kids how math can be used to explore science. The episodes will be supported online by a wealth of materials for children, parents and teachers, including Project Starters to encourage children to use math to bolster their science explorations and exciting games that tie-in to the broadcast. Super CYBERCHASE Science features four theme weeks: 1) How Things Work, 2) Measuring Up, 3) Making Predictions, and 4) Puzzling Patterns.

"In the world that our kids will be living in, the winners will be the problem solvers, those who can understand a world shaped by math and science," said Michael Templeton, mathematics content co-director for CYBERCHASE. "Staying ahead of the curve in math and science is key to our children's future and to our nation remaining competitive with the rest of the world."

According to executive producer Sandra Sheppard, "Super CYBERCHASE Science uses television and the Web to help kids see math and science together as a way of managing their world. These episodes show our viewers how experimentation and problem solving are keys to discovering exciting solutions. The online Project Starters will inspire students to use the math concepts in creating their own original science projects."

The National Engineers Week Foundation will distribute CYBERCHASE Math in Science & Engineering Activity Guides and other CYBERCHASE information from Fall 2005-Winter 2006 to volunteer engineers and engineering students to help mentor thousands of K-6th grade students nationwide. Leslie Collins, executive director of the National Engineers Week Foundation, says, "We share a common goal with CYBERCHASE of seeking to educate kids in how they can make real world connections with math. Our partnership with CYBERCHASE is helpful for our outreach, because the younger you can get the math and science message to children, the sooner you can engage them in those areas and eventually direct them to engineering careers."

Also gearing up to make the links between math, science and engineering, Intel Corporation will use the CYBERCHASE Math in Science & Engineering Activity Guide with their partners in both formal and informal education and at public events to engage children in learning mathematics. Affiliates of Girls Inc., Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Children's Aid Society, and other after-school groups, libraries, museums and science centers across the nation are also "gearing up" to tap into the power of CYBERCHASE's programs and engaging multimedia activities with this new initiative.

At CYBERCHASE Online (pbskidsgo.org/cyberchase), Super CYBERCHASE Science will let viewers experience ideas they've seen on TV. Featuring a wide range of online games and printable activities that engage users in math-in-science explorations, the online elements will include:

-- Project Starters - Based on daily on-air science themes, 20 Project Starters will inspire kids to try math-related science projects at home and school.

-- A New CYBERCHASE: The Quest Adventure - A brand-new science-themed adventure will be added to CYBERCHASE: The Quest, the popular online immersive game. In this game, players will have to save cybersite EcoHaven, the animal reserve of Cyberspace, from Hacker's clutches.

-- Web/TV Tie-in - On-air spots will prompt kids to watch the shows, then go online to solve puzzles that tie-in to the shows. If they get the right answer, kids can unlock a special reward in the new CYBERCHASE: The Quest adventure. Puzzles will roll out on a weekly basis, encouraging kids to watch all month long.

-- Send It - Kids will be invited to submit stories about their favorite science projects to be published online in the CYBERCHASE Club.

-- Parents and Teachers - CYBERCHASE Online's extensive Parents and Teachers section will bring together valuable resources to help children explore the math-in-science connection, including special tips for helping kids with science projects. The new CYBERCHASE Math in Science & Engineering Activity Guide will also be downloadable with fun science projects, lesson plans, tips and graphics to help educators and afterschool providers to create fun and inspiring activities and events.

Super CYBERCHASE Science will also be supported by a national online advertising campaign, publicity outreach, promotional on-air spots for PBS stations and tie-ins with national outreach partners.

CYBERCHASE is produced by Thirteen/WNET New York and Nelvana Limited in association with Flying Minds. Sandra Sheppard, Thirteen's director of children's and educational programming, is executive producer.

Major funding for CYBERCHASE is provided by the National Science Foundation, PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding is provided by The Intel Foundation and The Volckhausen Family. Corporate funding is provided by Intel Corporation.

Further details about CYBERCHASE including this complete press release are available in the Thirteen Online Pressroom: thirteen.org/pressroom.

Source: Business Wire

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