ELA

Get ready for “toad-al” fun with Bill Nye and the “Amphibians” episode. Frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians (worm-like animals that have backbones) are all amphibians, animals that spend part of their lives in water and part on land. Amphibians are slimy. Amphibians are cold-blooded that means their body temperature changes with the temperature outside.

Learning about science can be hard work, but simple machines can make it easier. Let Bill Nye push and pull you around ramps, levers, screws, and pulleys.

Introduces one of the world's first action-adventure stories. Looks at Greek myths and The Odyssey's lessons of morality. Scholars and critics discuss the impact of The Odyssey on Western literature, as well as the now-familiar heroic traits first seen in Homer's characters.

Inspired by the atrocities committed during World War II, William Golding wrote "The Lord of the Flies" to address the issue of child murderers. As in any gang culture, the boys in the novel gravitate to a leader to gain a sense of identity and protection.

An overview of Henry David Thoreau's Walden looks at the simple story and deeper messages. A discussion of the symbolism in Walden and Thoreau's life at Walden Pond lead to Thoreau's influences on Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement. Activists work to preserve Walden Pond and Thoreau's inspirational teachings for later generations.

Introduces the main characters and story of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel. Discusses the American Dream, background information about the time period and author, and poses pre and post-viewing discussion questions to viewers.

Presents an overview of the life and times of Mark Twain, the enduring appeal of Huck Finn, life on the Mississippi, the controversy surrounding the book, and an analysis of the work and its influence on American literature.

Introduces the famous novel by Stephen Crane and through archival photographs and experts, gives background information about the author and the time period in which he wrote. Discusses the impact that Crane made on Literature.

Introduces the characters and story of the novel written by Erich Maria Remarque and considered by some to be the greatest anti-war novel of all time. The program uses archival photographs and actual footage of the battlefront as it exposes the horror faced by soldiers in the trenches.