Thinkabout
Thinkabout
TV ShowEnded

Thinkabout

1979
1 season
60 episodes
KidsFamily

Thinkabout, "a cooperative project for acquiring skills essential to learning", was an instructional program for children, produced in 1979 by the Agency for Instructional Television, in association with various contributing television stations in the United States and Canada. It was distributed to PBS and educational stations across the US and Canada as late as the mid-to-late 1980s. The sixty programs produced were aimed for fifth and sixth grade students to understand their learning process in topics as varied as language arts, mathematics, study skills, as well as thinking skills. Thinkabout was funded by various state and local agencies, with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, one of very few CPB-funded programs not distributed by PBS.

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Cast

Seasons

  • Finding Alternatives: Why Bother?

    1.Finding Alternatives: Why Bother?

    17-09-197915m

    Kelly researches and gathers information to write a book report on George Washington Carver. She imagines his life and considers different possibilities and ideas about his work.

  • Finding Alternatives: Brainstorming

    2.Finding Alternatives: Brainstorming

    17-09-197915m

    The school janitor comes up with a plan to stop students from painting in the halls and to make sure they clean up any mess they create.

  • Finding Alternatives: Blockbusting

    3.Finding Alternatives: Blockbusting

    01-10-197915m

    Different people try blockbusting by testing their ideas and visualizing the problem to find new solutions.

  • Finding Alternatives: You Can Remember

    4.Finding Alternatives: You Can Remember

    08-10-197915m

    On his first day at work, Pete tries hard to remember everything he’s learned as he begins his newspaper route with Erica.

  • Estimating and Approximating: Estimating

    5.Estimating and Approximating: Estimating

    15-10-197915m

    The Shenandoahs use estimating and approximating to figure out how they can beat the other team in the canoe race.

  • Estimating and Approximating: Approximating

    6.Estimating and Approximating: Approximating

    22-10-197915m

    The students use estimating and approximating as they work together to put their school play on stage.

  • Estimating and Approximating: Using Estimating and Approximating

    7.Estimating and Approximating: Using Estimating and Approximating

    29-10-197915m

    The kids and their grandmother use estimating and approximating to figure out which supplies they need to buy to help warm up the house.

  • Estimating and Approximating: Find Your Guide

    8.Estimating and Approximating: Find Your Guide

    05-11-197915m

    Mary, Bill, and Priscilla use different words and clues to help them find their guide.

  • Giving & Getting Meaning: What's the Meaning?

    9.Giving & Getting Meaning: What's the Meaning?

    29-10-197915m

    Alfie has a communication problem with Jack about meeting him at the field until a man tells Alfie about communication about the way to give and get meaning.

  • Giving & Getting Meaning: Meaning is More than Words

    10.Giving & Getting Meaning: Meaning is More than Words

    19-11-197915m

    Alfie has a communication problem with Jack about meeting him at the field until a man tells Alfie about communication about the way to give and get meaning.

  • Giving & Getting Meaning: Remember the Audience!

    11.Giving & Getting Meaning: Remember the Audience!

    26-11-197915m

    Chuck, Ginger, and Herbie create a movie for Mr. Callahan called All Around the World to help the audience remember what they’ve learned.

  • Giving & Getting Meaning: But What Does It Mean?

    12.Giving & Getting Meaning: But What Does It Mean?

    03-12-197915m

    Kathy and Diane share and interpret the meaning of the letter and the newspaper article, then compare their ideas to the story.

  • Giving & Getting Meaning: The Bigger Picture

    13.Giving & Getting Meaning: The Bigger Picture

    10-12-197915m

    Danny runs away from home and takes a bus to another city, where he begins to think about the bigger picture and what his choices really mean.

  • Giving & Getting Meaning: Where Are You Coming From?

    14.Giving & Getting Meaning: Where Are You Coming From?

    17-12-197915m

    At prep school, Coulter, Hansen, and Blake share and interpret the meaning behind their teacher asking to see them after class, both about their grades and about working on a story...

  • Challenge #1: Time Capsule: Make a Present for the Future

    15.Challenge #1: Time Capsule: Make a Present for the Future

    24-12-197915m

    A time capsule is uncovered in the desert, and the kids explore its contents to learn about the past, understand the present, and imagine the future.

  • Collecting Information: What Do I Know?

    16.Collecting Information: What Do I Know?

    31-12-197915m

    A boy finds a lost puppy in front of the building and starts gathering information to figure out where it came from. Meanwhile, two girls begin searching for the missing puppy, and...

  • Collecting Information: Where Should I Go?

    17.Collecting Information: Where Should I Go?

    07-01-198015m

    Marty and Pete see a red glowing object in the sky. Marty goes to the library to find information inside the encyclopedia about UFO's, Him and Pete and gather objects to collect in...

  • Collecting Information: What Should I Do?

    18.Collecting Information: What Should I Do?

    14-01-198015m

    The kids complain about the school meatloaf and decide they want a change. They talk with Ms. Caldwell, the dietitian, to discuss new lunch options. After collecting information an...

  • Collecting Information: There are Ways to Remember

    19.Collecting Information: There are Ways to Remember

    21-01-198015m

    Cathy does Tai Chi in the park, and She forgets her notes on the bus stop and remembers how to do Tai Chi for her presentation.

  • Classifying: Classifying Objects

    20.Classifying: Classifying Objects

    28-01-198015m

    Sam, his sister and his parents are having a garage sale to raise money and move, they classified and organize objects in the right column.

  • Classifying: Classifying Information

    21.Classifying: Classifying Information

    04-02-198015m

    Leora classifies information does a report about the Walker hotel and interviews Mr. Stark about the history of the hotel.

  • Classifying: Stereotyping People

    22.Classifying: Stereotyping People

    11-02-198015m

    Lisa treats and labels her grandmother as old when she is in mean to her and treats her unkindly at home after being released from the hospital for a broken arm.

  • Classifying: There Are Many Ways to Go

    23.Classifying: There Are Many Ways to Go

    18-02-198015m

    Heather, Leah and Kathy tell the interviewer about understanding a plan to solve a problem by doing things in a different way.

  • Finding Patterns: People Patterns

    24.Finding Patterns: People Patterns

    25-02-198015m

    Ricky learns about people patterns inside the classroom, and He does a people pattern on a old man inside the apartment building.

  • Finding Patterns: Communication Patterns

    25.Finding Patterns: Communication Patterns

    03-03-198015m

    Roger meets a deaf girl student named Jackie, He don't know sign language, so He learns sign language by Communicating Patterns to communicate with her at the school dance.

  • Finding Patterns: Cultural Patterns

    26.Finding Patterns: Cultural Patterns

    10-03-198015m

    Chiquita goes to Mexico to learn her family's Cultural Patterns.

  • Finding Patterns: Nature's Patterns

    27.Finding Patterns: Nature's Patterns

    17-03-198015m

    Susan visits her uncle, aunt, and cousin in town, and she and her cousin Howard spend the afternoon exploring nature’s patterns as they search for fish in the pond.

  • A Challenge: Search for the Unknown

    28.A Challenge: Search for the Unknown

    24-03-198015m

    Scientists travel to northern Scotland to investigate the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, known as “Nessie.” Along the way, locals share stories and sightings, describing a myster...

  • Generalizing: Drawing Conclusions

    29.Generalizing: Drawing Conclusions

    31-03-198015m

    A boy is preparing to move to London, England. His father explains the pattern to him, and he later asks Mrs. Stokins for more information about life in England.

  • Generalizing: Checking Conclusions

    30.Generalizing: Checking Conclusions

    07-04-198015m

    Angie explores what it would take to start a music group for the community talent show, hoping it could lead to a record deal.

  • A Tip: Practice for Success

    31.A Tip: Practice for Success

    14-04-198015m

    Jack doesn’t know how to play tennis, so Lindsay and Stephanie teach him. He practices consistently until he becomes skilled at the sport.

  • Sequencing & Scheduling: One Step at a Time

    32.Sequencing & Scheduling: One Step at a Time

    21-04-198015m

    Barbara, Rudy, and their family work together to plan and schedule the details for their grandfather’s birthday celebration.

  • Sequencing & Scheduling: Plan Ahead

    33.Sequencing & Scheduling: Plan Ahead

    28-04-198015m

    The kids work together to sequence their ideas and summarize their plan for designing a Loch Ness monster to place in the lake.

  • Sequencing and Scheduling: Calm Your Jitters!

    34.Sequencing and Scheduling: Calm Your Jitters!

    05-05-198015m

    Nancy is nervous about giving a presentation at her old school, especially because her former teacher, now the principal, will be there.

  • Using Criteria: What Are They?

    35.Using Criteria: What Are They?

    12-05-198015m

    Woody explains the criteria he uses to evaluate a baseball pitch, while Debbie shares the criteria she uses as a dancer, and even applies them when choosing a card for her mom. In...

  • Using Criteria: Where Do You Get Them?

    36.Using Criteria: Where Do You Get Them?

    19-05-198015m

    Larry uses his criteria to ask the automotive experts what makes a good car. Later, his friends Mike and Ed ask him to judge which of them has the better car.

  • Using Criteria: How Do You Change That?

    37.Using Criteria: How Do You Change That?

    26-05-198015m

    Betsy, a basketball player, uses her own criteria to decide who should be the team captain. Now she has to choose, will she vote for Ellie or May?

  • A Challenge: Design a Language

    38.A Challenge: Design a Language

    02-06-198015m

    Two girls watch a deaf man communicate through sign language with the help of his interpreter in their classroom. Inspired, they visit a school for the deaf to learn signs themselv...

  • Reshaping Information: Symbols

    39.Reshaping Information: Symbols

    09-06-198015m

    Leah uses symbols as clues, while Burt, Faye, Jack, and Jody read and examine different symbols to help choose a name for their baseball team.

  • Reshaping Information: More Than You Think

    40.Reshaping Information: More Than You Think

    09-06-198015m

    Alex gets a job at a carnival as a fortune teller, and he starts thinking about and reshaping what he knows to understand what a fortune teller really does.

  • Reshaping Information: Summarizing

    41.Reshaping Information: Summarizing

    16-06-198015m

    Jess summarizes his ideas by writing them down and gathers information from his friends to help him get a job as a cashier at a sporting goods store.

  • Reshaping Information: Maps and Models

    42.Reshaping Information: Maps and Models

    23-06-198015m

    The Westside Wranglers use maps and models to figure out how to get their moose head back up on the wall.

  • A Tip: Get Ahead with Goals

    43.A Tip: Get Ahead with Goals

    30-06-198015m

    Leon enters a bike race so he can push himself toward his goals and chase a victory.

  • Judging Information: Should I Believe It?

    44.Judging Information: Should I Believe It?

    07-07-198015m

    Sue decides to become a newspaper writer after she evaluates the information about aliens supposedly invading the town of Duncan.

  • Judging Information: What's Important?

    45.Judging Information: What's Important?

    14-07-198015m

    Jamie and Christy visit Sir Gordon’s castle, where they examine and judge the important information surrounding his death.

  • Judging Information: What's Enough?

    46.Judging Information: What's Enough?

    21-07-198015m

    Bobby rides his bike to the until it gets stolen, He blames Eddie for taking his bike, He tries to get enough information to see who stole his bike.

  • Judging Information: Point of View

    47.Judging Information: Point of View

    28-07-198015m

    Michael goes to Cedarville Park to explore different points of view about the automobile strike.

  • Judging Information: Persuasive Techniques

    48.Judging Information: Persuasive Techniques

    04-08-198015m

    Wes asks Allen to play football, but Allen turns him down because he has to go to practice. The other boys criticize Allen, calling him a nerd and making fun of his persuasive tech...

  • A Tip: Make a Deal with Yourself

    49.A Tip: Make a Deal with Yourself

    11-08-198015m

    Duncan makes a deal with himself as he practices guitar for his audition at the country jamboree. Andrew also makes a deal with himself, he commits to showing up to work on time.

  • Communicating Effectively: Styles of Communication

    50.Communicating Effectively: Styles of Communication

    18-08-198015m

    Bill, Donna, and Gunnar use their different communication styles to take people’s orders at the restaurant.

  • Communicating Effectively: Planning a Presentation

    51.Communicating Effectively: Planning a Presentation

    25-08-198015m

    The kids plan a school presentation to teach everyone about the importance of getting pets vaccinated.

  • Communicating Effectively: Making a Presentation

    52.Communicating Effectively: Making a Presentation

    01-09-198015m

    Shannon, a Navajo girl, prepares a presentation for the annual speech contest about her heritage. As she practices, she learns the skills of oral delivery, body language, and eye c...

  • Communicating Effectively: Making Your Point!

    53.Communicating Effectively: Making Your Point!

    08-09-198015m

    Flash doesn’t get picked for the basketball squad, so he tries to impress the coach—showing off his skills, promoting himself, and making his case right there on the court.

  • Communicating Effectively: Making It Come Alive

    54.Communicating Effectively: Making It Come Alive

    15-09-198015m

    Heather is a ballerina, and she writes a term paper about becoming one when she grows up—bringing her dream to life through her writing.

  • A Challenge: Make Something New

    55.A Challenge: Make Something New

    22-09-198015m

    Sophie talks about being creative, and the kids join in by discussing how they can make something new.

  • Solving Problems: One Thing Leads to Another

    56.Solving Problems: One Thing Leads to Another

    29-09-198015m

    Margie and Janet are babysitting when things get a little mixed up. Realizing they can do better, they start their own babysitting service to earn money. They even figure out how t...

  • Solving Problems: A Matter of Time

    57.Solving Problems: A Matter of Time

    06-10-198015m

    Susan takes two of her nieces and their friends to Lake Nedar, but their trip takes a sudden turn when they become involved in a plane crash. The plane catches fire, and Susan is i...

  • Solving Problems: There's Always a Risk

    58.Solving Problems: There's Always a Risk

    13-10-198015m

    A girl repairs the scanner so she can check out the plane crash involving Colleen, Roxanne, Cathy, and their Aunt Susan. Roxanne and Cathy take a risk when they decide to walk to a...

  • Solving Problems: Hanging in There

    59.Solving Problems: Hanging in There

    20-10-198015m

    A search begins for three girls and a woman after their plane crashes. News reports cover the unfolding situation, and helicopter crews eventually locate them and carry out the res...

  • Plan a City of the Future

    60.Plan a City of the Future

    27-10-198015m

    The kids share and discuss their ideas for planning a city of the future.

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