As educators and students prepare for the new school year, it’s the perfect time for teachers like you to sharpen your instructional skills and refresh classroom routines using PBS LearningMedia.
PBS LearningMedia brings thousands of free, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lessons plans and more into the classroom. Explore exceptional resources and curated collections featuring PBS KIDS shows, award winning PBS and PBS Digital Studios 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 classroom-ready resources, planning kits, 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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Classroom-Ready Resources & Planning Kits
Teach Your Way collection | PBS LearningMedia
Grades PreK-5
Teach your way with this timely collection of flexible PBS KIDS resources, aligned to themes and skills for PreK-5th grade students. From exploring resources like video clips, interactive games, printables, self-paced professional learning opportunities, classroom posters and more, choose which you will integrate to support your young learners. You can also use the Teach Your Way calendar and teacher planner to integrate media in creative and developmentally-appropriate ways, all year long!
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.
Ethics in the Classroom collection | PBS LearningMedia
Grades 6-12
Are you talking with students about ethics? This wide-ranging collection covers everything from civic engagement, confronting bias, media literacy, and more.
Expanding Narratives Using Media: A Planning Kit | PBS LearningMedia
All Grades
This planning kit has resources, tips, and professional development opportunities rooted in skills supporting critical media literacy. Media literacy education emphasizes skills of inquiry and expression and empowers students to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage as active citizens. We hope these media-rich resources, lesson plans, and worksheets inspire you to engage your students with media analysis and media making in new ways.
Tips & Tools For 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.
Transforming Digital Lessons with On-Demand Resources | PBS LearningMedia Tutorials
Educator and former PBS Digital Innovator Kevin Cornell takes us on a spin through PBS LearningMedia and shares his favorite features, top tips for finding content that enhances student learning, and how the platform supports his professional development.
How to Search, Browse, and Filter Content | PBS LearningMedia Tutorials
In this short tutorial, learn how to easily find content on PBS LearningMedia. Explore the site’s keyword search, subject and topic-area browse pages, and the grade level browse pages and filter tools.
How to Use Lesson Builder | PBS LearningMedia Tutorials
The Lesson Builder tool allows you to add additional context and tasks to any media you’d like to share with your students. This 4-minute video guides you through the process of using the Lesson Builder tool.
How to Use Google Classroom | PBS LearningMedia Tutorials
Explore the various ways that PBS LearningMedia has integrated into Google Classroom. Learn how to create an account, import classes, and share content.
Local Opportunities & Classroom Connections
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 13-18 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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