The emphasis in Cursive Handwriting is on demonstration and practice of cursive letters and words. Direct instruction, letter animation, and graphics introduce letters and words that can easily be practiced by the students during and after the television lesson. Specific instruction is given for both right- and left-handed students on correct cursive writing, paper and pencil position, and posture. The letter formations shown in this series are basically similar to the Zaner-Bloser method of handwriting. The programs should be used in sequence.

Program of Studies
Writing: Writing Content, Writing Conventions, Writing Process, Writing Structure

Using humor and engaging examples, nationally known author and educator Barry Lane leads viewers through exercises to help them develop more creative writing pieces. These programs are designed for teachers to use in the classroom or to watch themselves for professional development.

Program of Studies:
Writing: Writing Content, Writing Process, Writing Structure, Writing Conventions
Technology: Research, Inquiry, Problem-solving/Innovation

Write Ideas is a series of 10 short video exercises designed to spark children’s imagination and help them find clever, enticing ideas to write about. Poet and host Aleda Shirley spent a career teaching creative writing to young people in the south, including the Jefferson County Public School System. This KET-produced series is a compact, video version of the successful techniques she used.

KY Program of Studies:
Writing: Writing Content, Writing Process, Writing Structure, Writing Conventions

Between the Lions opens up a world of literature and learning for children aged four to seven. Each episode centers on a book or other written material that Theo and Cleo and their cubs, Lionel and Leona, and their friends discover in the library. Some of their friends are Click the Mouse, the library’s cyborg communications expert; Cliff Hanger, a swashbuckling comic book hero who escapes from sticky situations through quick thinking and literacy skills; Tiger Words, a multi-talented sports figure who plays with vowels and consonants instead of golf balls and tees; Martha Reads and the Vowelles, a rhythm and blues group that sings only vowel sounds; and the stalwart knights of “Gawain’s World” whose jousting matches create words instead of wounds.

Scheduling Note: The distributor does not allow block feeds of this series.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

The content of this series is based on careful selection of the best available books for children. The rationale is straightforward: Children become involved in good literature by reading books with intrinsic value and interest. The programs are great motivators for children to obtain the books.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Speaking, Listening, Observing

Complementing the primary-level language arts curriculum, this series shows how folk and fairy tales promote active listening, sharpen comprehension skills, and extend vocabulary. Their simple, direct plots provide superb examples of structure, organization, and chronological sequencing and can be used to help students develop logic skills. The stories can be a springboard for teaching the analysis skills such as thinking critically, interpreting information, and predicting results. Teletales also can enhance the various social studies, as distant lands and distant times are brought near.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

This KET-produced series features Appalachian, African-American, and Native American stories told by master storytellers.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Arts and Humanties: Humanity in the Arts
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

Cover-to-Cover is a reading motivation series designed for today’s 3rd- and 4th-grade students. Each program gives a “taste” of a book through two readings in which scenes and characters are colorfully illustrated by artists. A cliffhanger ending piques students’ interest and promotes reading.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Intrepreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

Each year, Kentucky schoolchildren select the winners of the Bluegrass Awards by voting for their favorite recently published books. The three new Reading Room programs for 2005/06, produced by KET, promote the books on the latest list for grade levels 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. They are designed to motivate reading and discussing books by getting kids excited about rating the books they like best.

The list of books for this year, as well as past years’ winners and master lists and more information about participating in the awards project, can be found on the web site.

Each year, Kentucky schoolchildren select the winners of the Bluegrass Awards by voting for their favorite recently published books. The three new Reading Room programs for 2005/06, produced by KET, promote the books on the latest list for grade levels 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. They are designed to motivate reading and discussing books by getting kids excited about rating the books they like best.

The list of books for this year, as well as past years’ winners and master lists and more information about participating in the awards project, can be found on the web site.

Read On: Cover-to-Cover is relevant to today’s 4th and 5th graders while building on the style and charm of the past Cover-to-Cover series. Like those series, Read On uses “cliffhangers,” music, and narration to bring stories to life. However, there is a new emphasis on multicultural stories, computer graphics, and other contemporary production techniques.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

American versions of classic folktales are featured in the live-action film adaptations of From the Brothers Grimm. Each program has a different historic American setting chosen from authentic locations around the Virginia countryside. The series stimulates interest and understanding of folk literature and presents the classic folktale in an accessible format.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Arts and Humanities: Humanity in the Arts
Technology: Inquiry and Research; Research, Inquiry/Problem-solving and Innovation
Speaking, Listening, Observing

Host John Robbins introduces each book (one or two per program), and the narration takes viewers up to a crucial point in the story. Students must read the book to learn the ending. The goals are to introduce 5th and 6th graders to a variety of exciting and well-written books, stimulate the desire to read, broaden each student’s reading experience, expand reading abilities, and instill the simple enjoyment of leisure reading.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Speaking, Listening, Observing

Kentuckian George Ella Lyon, author of more than 20 books for children and adults, answers questions from students in this KET production, which originally aired live in May 1997. Topics include where story ideas come from, how being a Kentuckian influences her writing, writing strategies, techniques for crafting dialogue, and the relationship between words and pictures in children’s picture books.

Program of Studies
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Arts and Humanities: Humanity in the Arts
Writing: Writing Content
Speaking, Listening, and Observing