With the new year just beginning it’s the perfect time to set new goals and refresh classroom routines. Start off strong by exploring high-quality resources on PBS LearningMedia tailor-made for Pre-K through 12th grade students and teachers.
PBS LearningMedia brings thousands of free, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lessons plans and more into the classroom. There you can discover exceptional resources and curated collections featuring PBS KIDS shows, award winning PBS series, local content from Mountain Lake PBS, and self-paced professional development offerings. With a growing library of short how-to videos and tutorials on everything the platform has to offer, using PBS LearningMedia has never been easier.
Check out a curated selection of brand-new classroom-ready resources and collections, and helpful tutorials, tips, and tools to make the most out of PBS LearningMedia below. Then keep scrolling for professional development opportunities and unique classroom experiences—from CTLE credit offerings for teachers to guided classroom tours of the station—all from Mountain Lake PBS.
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Tips For Teachers Using PBS LearningMedia
Get the most out of PBS LearningMedia with helpful articles, tips on easy-to-use features, and more!
10 Hacks For Making the Most of out PBS LearningMedia | PBS Teachers Lounge
Learn what expert PBS LearningMedia users — teachers and PBS LearningMedia team members — shared about their go-to, timesaving, and value-add hacks with this PBS Teachers Lounge article.
What Does Creativity Look Like in the Brain? | Your Brain
Grades 6-12
Ready to unlock your creativity? Explore how “letting go” may actually boost creative thinking! This video excerpt from NOVA: Your Brain dives into the science behind spontaneity and creativity. Perfect for sparking discussions about the brain’s structure and how we can access our most creative selves.
Teacher-Guided Tour of PBS LearningMedia | PBS LearningMedia Tutorials
Refresh your knowledge in the new year! PBS Digital Innovator All-Star Jason Lineberger shares tips for how to make the most of using PBS LearningMedia in your classroom.
Diverse Resources & Collections to Use With Students
Weather Hunters collection
Grades PreK-2
Have your students watched the new PBS KIDS series Weather Hunters yet? This accompanying collection of hands-on classroom resources will bring the excitement of the show into your lessons and help your students explore clouds, wind, fog, and more through fun, inquiry-based activities. Use this collection to spark curiosity, build student observation skills, and inspire your young scientists to see how weather and climate shape lives, communities, and our world.
Reading Rainbow Stories collection
Grades K-5
Take a look, it’s in a book! Watch and listen as cherished books—like “Little Nino’s Pizzeria”, “Stellaluna” and “Tar Beach”—are read aloud in the classic Reading Rainbow television series. Discover activities, art projects, writing prompts and more based around the featured books and their themes.
Mountain Lake PBS collections | PBS LearningMedia
Grades 3-12
Explore curated collections from Mountain Lake PBS that connect video clips from fascinating local documentaries, like “Return to Auschwitz” and “A Wild Idea,” to classroom-ready activities, teaching tips, and more. Discover the people, culture, and environment of the Adirondacks, Champlain Valley, and beyond with additional resources from our award-winning magazine series, Mountain Lake Journal.
Craft in America collection
Grades 3-12
Use this collection of lessons, video clips, and images to explore America’s creative spirit seen through the language and tradition of the handmade. Students will learn about the artists, origins, and techniques of the American craft.
Ken Burns in the Classroom | The American Revolution collection
Grades 6-12
Bring one of history’s most transformative eras to life with media-rich classroom resources inspired by the new PBS film series, The American Revolution. Explore commonly taught topics — including life in the British colonies, causes of the Revolution, key events, key figures and ideas, and the lasting legacies that shaped the nation. These resources will address themes raised in the film, including freedom, opportunity, democracy, and the global nature of the conflict, and are designed to build students’ critical thinking skills, their ability to think in terms of cause and effect, and their ability to analyze primary sources.
Connect Your Classroom With Local Opportunities
Take advantage of unique local offerings for educators and students all year round with Mountain Lake PBS – the public media station for the Adirondacks, Champlain Valley, Montreal and everywhere in between!
Professional Development Workshops
Make the most out of PBS LearningMedia with in-person or virtual professional development workshops hosted by Mountain Lake PBS. Learn how to integrate PBS LearningMedia videos, lesson plans, interactives, and curated collections in your classroom. All workshops are free of charge and offer CTLE credit.
Field Trips to the Mountain Lake PBS Station
All Grades
Give your classroom a behind-the-scenes look at television and media production. Learners of all ages from the Adirondacks, Champlain Valley, and Montréal can take a guided tour of the Mountain Lake PBS studio, meet and greet with staff members, and engage in a variety of hands-on experiences.
Self-Paced CTLE Credit Offerings
Enhance your teaching practice with enriching local content while earning CTLE credit. Mountain Lake PBS is a NYSED-approved provider for CTLE requirements, offering opportunities for educators to earn CTLE credit hours by viewing documentary films and successfully completing associated surveys.
Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival
Grades 9-12
Mountain Lake PBS is proud to celebrate creativity and amplify youth voices across our region through film and digital storytelling with the annual Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival. Participation is free and open to students aged 14-18 in NY, VT, and QC. Students and teachers can access free filmmaking tutorials, classroom resources, and workshops run by professional filmmakers. Winners are announced at an end-of-school year Red Carpet Showcase with cash prizes and video supplies going to the top three films!
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