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Sid the Science Kid

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Sid the Science Kid
GenreChildren's television series
Created byJim Henson Company
Opening themeSid the Science Kid
Ending themeSid the Science Kid (instrumental)
Country of originUnited States United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes40
Production
Executive producerJim Henson Company
Running time30-minutes
Original release
NetworkPBS Kids
ReleaseSeptember 1, 2008 –
present

Sid the Science Kid is a half-hour PBS Kids series that debuted on September 1, 2008. The computer generated show is produced by Jim Henson Productions and KCET in Los Angeles, California using the Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, which allows puppeteers to voice digitally animated characters in real time.[1] Production began in the fall of 2007 with 40 half-hour episodes of Sid the Science Kid having been ordered. The series debuted on PBS Kids on September 1, 2008[2], with a two-year on-air commitment.[3] The original working title for the series was "What's the Big Idea?" and the central character, Sid, was originally named Josh.[4]

Premise

The main character in the show is Sid, an "inquisitive youngster" who uses comedy to tackle questions kids have about basic scientific principles and why things work the way they do. He tries to answer questions and solve problems with the help of his classmates (Gabriella, Gerald, and May), Teacher Susie, and his family (his mother Alice, his father Mort, his Grandma and his baby brother Zeke). In "Hello Doggie", Sid adopts a dog from the animal shelter (which he names Philbert).

The conceptual content of Sid is based in national science learning standards, cognitive learning theory, and on the preschool science curriculum, Preschool Pathways to Science.[5]

Each week's episodes are built around a single scientific theme or concept. The first week (episodes 1 - 5) focus on scientific tools and concepts (such as charts, observation, estimation, and measuring). The second week (episodes 6 - 10) focuses on changes and transformation (including decay, growth, freezing and melting, and the effects of heat). The third week (episodes 11 - 15) focuses on the senses (including touch, smell, sight, and hearing). The fourth week (episodes 16 - 20) focuses on health. The fifth week (episodes 21 - 25) focuses on simple machine. The sixth week (episodes 26 - 30) focuses on backyard science. The seventh week (episodes 31 - 35) focuses on weather. The eighth week (episodes 36 - 40) focuses on the human body. The Friday shows are designed to review, reinforce and summarize the central concept of the week.

One recurring segment, "Good Laughternoon", features the kids opening panels in a brightly-colored playground structure and telling jokes. The format and set borrow heavily from the closing "joke wall" of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, but for a pre-school audience and Sid would end the segment by saying, "Now that's funny!" along with a pre-recorded laughter from his toy microphone. Other recurring segments include "what's the big idea?", a problem that Sid has with anything that has to do something with the problem; Breakfast Time, when either Alice or Mort teaches Sid something that has anything to do with the problem; The Sid Survey, the segment where Sid asks questions to Gabriella, Gerald, and May; Rug Time, where Sid shows his friends and his teacher something with the problem; The Super Fab Lab, where the scientists do the lab along with live-action class; Playtime;Singing with Susie Backseat Driving with Grandma; Scientist in the House!, when Sid solves the problem and/or plays with his family; and "Sid's Super-Duper-Ooper-Schmooper Big Idea!", where Sid would think about what will he do to solve a problem like the one he had from each episode. Sometimes, Sid would have his play date with Gabriella after school making it "Two Scientists in the House!".

Characters

Sid

He is about 4 years old and wants to be a scientist when he grows up. Sid is the most practical character on the show and is often portrayed as a very supportive friend. He wants to know everything about everything. He seems to enjoy to sing and dance, too. He is a well-noted observer, and possibly the brightest of the group. His daily day consists of playing in his room, coming up with a question-asking people about his question, studying his question in school, going home, and presenting his 'Super-duper-ooper-schmooper Big Idea!'

Gabriela

Gabriela is also 4 years old, and the most composed character of the group. Unlike her friends, Gabriela is the most sensible character and often comes up with the most reasonable jokes during Good Laughternoon. She is the most authoritative figure of the quartet, often being the leader of the group activities. She is usually the one to propose playing Pretend, always opting to be the mommy. She is believed to have climbed higher on the jungle gym than anyone else of the group, and can allegedly read (albeit evidence toward this is negligible). Sometimes , she comes over to Sid's to have a play date with him (episodes such as "My Ice Pops" and Sid's Rainy Play Date ). It was revealed in the episodes The Bug Club, My Ice Pops, My Mushy Banana, and The Perfect Pancake that she is Sid's best friend.

Gerald

Gerald is Sid's airheaded, vivacious good friend. He is 4 years old and distinguished by an unusual tuft of hair on his head and remarkably reddened skin. He often stalls at the start of Rug Time, attempting a very appreciated light-humored gig. He has a dog, a Jack Russell terrier called Chester. Though his behavior suggests a dim mind on his part, he is a very valued character of the quartet, perhaps the most vivid character of the group, often being the life and soul of activities. A running gag is that he is always trying to be funny, but fails miserably.

May

May is Sid's glasses-clad Chinese friend, marked by her striped stockings and fairness. May is 4 years old and the most sentimental character of the group. She is very polite and is characterized by her charming, courteous ways. May often sympathizes with everyone and everything, appreciating even inanimate things like decayed pumpkins and brown, mushy bananas. In the eponymous episode as Sid asks whether she would ever eat a mushy banana, she replies, "Aw, he probably thinks no one likes him. Yes! Yes I would definitely eat him and be his friend!" In The Perfect Pancake when Sid recalls his father's burnt pancakes, she suggests that the oven might be angry. May has a tabby cat called Mooshu. While her conduct is quite silly at times, May is exceptionally smart, often performing at peak excellence in school.

Susie

Susie is the teacher at Sid's school. She begins the day with "Rug Time" where she summons the children to sit in a circle and asks them if they have anything to share with the class or talk about. (Usually the topic brought up is what was discussed during "Sid's Survey" and what Sid was thinking about eariler in the day.) She also conducts the experiments with her class. She sings to the children during the "Singing With Susie" segment at the end of the school day.

Episodes

Tools and Measurements
1. The Sticker Chart
2. The Rolie Polie
3. Enough with the Seashells!
4. The Whale Episode
5. Super Science Tools!

Changes and Transformations
6. My Mushy Banana
7. My Shrinking Shoes
8. My Ice Pops
9. The Perfect Pancake
10. No More Changes!

Senses
11. The Itchy Tag
12. What's That Smell?
13. Grandma's Glasses
14. Too Much Noise!
15. All My Senses

Health
16. A Brush With Teeth
17. I Want Cake
18. The Big Sneeze
19. Must See TV
20. Sid's Health Day

Simple Machines
21. The Broken Wheel
22. My Slide
23. Sid's Amazing Invention
24. The Tree House
25. Climb, Ignatz, Climb!

Backyard Science
26. Hello, Doggie!
27. Home Tweet Home
28. The Dirt on Dirt
29. Don't Forget the Leaves!

Weather
31. Sid's Rainy Play Date
32. Special Sunny Dad Day
33. Sid's Holiday Adventure
34. The Wind Did It
35. Sid the Weatherman 36. Rain rain Goaway. The Body
36. Special Mom Day Meal
37. Do not Eat Junk Is good?
38. Sid's Amazing Lungs
39. How Did My Dog Do That?

Funding

Cast

Crew

References

  1. ^ "The Jim Henson Company's 'Sid the Science Kid' Comes to Home Video Through NCircle". Thomson Reuters. June 2, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
  2. ^ The Jim Henson Company and KCET in Production on Sid the Science Kid for PBS Kids
  3. ^ Brandolution named licensing agent for US. & Canada for The Jim Henson Company's newest preschool series "Sid the Science Kid".
  4. ^ Henson Prepares to Ask "What's the Big Idea?"
  5. ^ Sid the Science Kid - Educational Philosophy

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sid_the_Science_Kid&oldid=317680922"