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Thinkabout

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First Aired:September 17, 1979
Seasons:1 season
Episodes:60
Status:Ended

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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Seasons & Episodes

Finding Alternatives: Why Bother?

E1Finding Alternatives: Why Bother?

15m

Sep 17, 1979

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

E2Finding Alternatives: Brainstorming

15m

Sep 17, 1979

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

E3Finding Alternatives: Blockbusting

15m

Oct 1, 1979

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

Finding Alternatives: You Can Remember

E4Finding Alternatives: You Can Remember

15m

Oct 8, 1979

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

E5Estimating and Approximating: Estimating

15m

Oct 15, 1979

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

Estimating and Approximating: Approximating

E6Estimating and Approximating: Approximating

15m

Oct 22, 1979

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

Estimating and Approximating: Using Estimating and Approximating

E7Estimating and Approximating: Using Estimating and Approximating

15m

Oct 29, 1979

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

E8Estimating and Approximating: Find Your Guide

15m

Nov 5, 1979

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

Giving & Getting Meaning: What's the Meaning?

E9Giving & Getting Meaning: What's the Meaning?

15m

Oct 29, 1979

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

E10Giving & Getting Meaning: Meaning is More than Words

15m

Nov 19, 1979

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!

E11Giving & Getting Meaning: Remember the Audience!

15m

Nov 26, 1979

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?

E12Giving & Getting Meaning: But What Does It Mean?

15m

Dec 3, 1979

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

E13Giving & Getting Meaning: The Bigger Picture

15m

Dec 10, 1979

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?

E14Giving & Getting Meaning: Where Are You Coming From?

15m

Dec 17, 1979

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 about the school.

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

E15Challenge #1: Time Capsule: Make a Present for the Future

15m

Dec 24, 1979

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?

E16Collecting Information: What Do I Know?

15m

Dec 31, 1979

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 eventually, they’re the ones who find him.

Collecting Information: Where Should I Go?

E17Collecting Information: Where Should I Go?

15m

Jan 7, 1980

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 information about UFOs.

Collecting Information: What Should I Do?

E18Collecting Information: What Should I Do?

15m

Jan 14, 1980

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 and sharing their ideas, they help get the lunch menu changed.

Collecting Information: There are Ways to Remember

E19Collecting Information: There are Ways to Remember

15m

Jan 21, 1980

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

E20Classifying: Classifying Objects

15m

Jan 28, 1980

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

E21Classifying: Classifying Information

15m

Feb 4, 1980

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

Classifying: Stereotyping People

E22Classifying: Stereotyping People

15m

Feb 11, 1980

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

E23Classifying: There Are Many Ways to Go

15m

Feb 18, 1980

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

E24Finding Patterns: People Patterns

15m

Feb 25, 1980

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

E25Finding Patterns: Communication Patterns

15m

Mar 3, 1980

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

E26Finding Patterns: Cultural Patterns

15m

Mar 10, 1980

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

Finding Patterns: Nature's Patterns

E27Finding Patterns: Nature's Patterns

15m

Mar 17, 1980

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

E28A Challenge: Search for the Unknown

15m

Mar 24, 1980

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 mysterious creature that many believe resembles a prehistoric dinosaur.

Generalizing: Drawing Conclusions

E29Generalizing: Drawing Conclusions

15m

Mar 31, 1980

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

E30Generalizing: Checking Conclusions

15m

Apr 7, 1980

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

E31A Tip: Practice for Success

15m

Apr 14, 1980

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

E32Sequencing & Scheduling: One Step at a Time

15m

Apr 21, 1980

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

Sequencing & Scheduling: Plan Ahead

E33Sequencing & Scheduling: Plan Ahead

15m

Apr 28, 1980

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!

E34Sequencing and Scheduling: Calm Your Jitters!

15m

May 5, 1980

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?

E35Using Criteria: What Are They?

15m

May 12, 1980

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 class, the students discuss what “criteria” means and how to use it.

Using Criteria: Where Do You Get Them?

E36Using Criteria: Where Do You Get Them?

15m

May 19, 1980

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?

E37Using Criteria: How Do You Change That?

15m

May 26, 1980

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

E38A Challenge: Design a Language

15m

Jun 2, 1980

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 themselves and later watch him use sign language on television.

Reshaping Information: Symbols

E39Reshaping Information: Symbols

15m

Jun 9, 1980

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

E40Reshaping Information: More Than You Think

15m

Jun 9, 1980

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

E41Reshaping Information: Summarizing

15m

Jun 16, 1980

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

E42Reshaping Information: Maps and Models

15m

Jun 23, 1980

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

E43A Tip: Get Ahead with Goals

15m

Jun 30, 1980

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

Judging Information: Should I Believe It?

E44Judging Information: Should I Believe It?

15m

Jul 7, 1980

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?

E45Judging Information: What's Important?

15m

Jul 14, 1980

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

Judging Information: What's Enough?

E46Judging Information: What's Enough?

15m

Jul 21, 1980

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

E47Judging Information: Point of View

15m

Jul 28, 1980

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

Judging Information: Persuasive Techniques

E48Judging Information: Persuasive Techniques

15m

Aug 4, 1980

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 techniques, especially since he’s now in high school.

A Tip: Make a Deal with Yourself

E49A Tip: Make a Deal with Yourself

15m

Aug 11, 1980

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

E50Communicating Effectively: Styles of Communication

15m

Aug 18, 1980

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

Communicating Effectively: Planning a Presentation

E51Communicating Effectively: Planning a Presentation

15m

Aug 25, 1980

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

Communicating Effectively: Making a Presentation

E52Communicating Effectively: Making a Presentation

15m

Sep 1, 1980

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 contact to strengthen her presentation.

Communicating Effectively: Making Your Point!

E53Communicating Effectively: Making Your Point!

15m

Sep 8, 1980

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

E54Communicating Effectively: Making It Come Alive

15m

Sep 15, 1980

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

E55A Challenge: Make Something New

15m

Sep 22, 1980

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

E56Solving Problems: One Thing Leads to Another

15m

Sep 29, 1980

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 to get their own phone so they can keep the business going, until everything suddenly goes awry.

Solving Problems: A Matter of Time

E57Solving Problems: A Matter of Time

15m

Oct 6, 1980

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 injured in the chaos.

Solving Problems: There's Always a Risk

E58Solving Problems: There's Always a Risk

15m

Oct 13, 1980

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 nearby town for help.

Solving Problems: Hanging in There

E59Solving Problems: Hanging in There

15m

Oct 20, 1980

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 rescue.

Plan a City of the Future

E60Plan a City of the Future

15m

Oct 27, 1980

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

Storyline

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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