With National Poetry Month just around the corner, here’s a little poem:

Spring now upon us, so we’d like to stop and say,
That Martha’s celebrating poetry in a fantastic way.
New episodes are coming soon, new promos feeding now,
If we can assist you, simply tell us how!

BILLY COLLINS SPEAKS/MILO’S READING BUDDY

Episode #401:  Monday, April 2 at 2:30 p.m.

Billy Collins Speaks – Billy Collins writes great poems about dogs, and Martha thinks she knows why. Obviously, the former poet laureate must be a canine himself! When Martha meets Billy Collins she’s in for a few surprises…as is he. Vocabulary: (E) poem, poet, prose, imposter, metaphor(ically).
Milo’s Reading Buddy – When Milo reads in front of other people he gets nervous. T.D. has the perfect, confidence-building solution: a Reading Buddy! The whole gang gets excited about helping Milo. Maybe too excited. Can Milo find the Reading Buddy who’s perfect for him? Vocabulary: (E) fluent, struggle, apprehensive, interject, nervous.

VERB DOG, WHEN ACTION CALLS!/MARTHA’S ADVERB ADVENTURE

Episode #402: Tuesday, April 3 at 2:30 p.m.

Verb Dog, When Action Calls! – Struck by a falling book of five-hundred-and-one English Verbs, Martha instantly becomes – Verb Dog! Using her unique superpower to control people with verbs, Martha sniffs out trouble and defends the town from evil. Vocabulary: (E) verb, amublate, elevate, descend, (un)petrify.
Martha’s Adverb Adventure – Weaselgraft and Pablum have a new invention that is sure to make them rich again. The Adverbalizer activates adverbs – giving the user the ability to make things happen completely, sloppily, instantly… Of course T.D. orders one… immediately! Vocabulary: (E) sloppily, instantly, immediately, completely, adverb.

RETURN OF THE BOOKBOTS: THE CASE OF THE MISSING WORDS, PARTS 1 & 2

Episode #405: Wednesday, April 4 at 2:30 p.m.

Return of the Bookbots: The Case of the Missing Words, Part One – The Bookbots are back and faced with a new nemesis: The Announcer. Armed with the power to bring nouns from books to life, the Announcer is wreaking havoc on Wagstaff City. Can our heroes utilize their semantic savvy to stifle this rampaging rapscallion? Vocabulary: (E) noun, remove, term, insert, announce(r).
Return of the Bookbots: The Case of the Missing Words, Part Two – The Announcer is still at large and has put the city into grammatical peril. Fortunately, the Bookbots have discovered a secret weapon: adjectives. Equipped with this new linguistic leverage, our heroes may just be able to save their beloved city from their phonological foe. Vocabulary: (E) oath, adjective, define, modify, weightless.

Posted on March 26th, 2012

Leading up to Earth Day, KLRU will present four weeks of “Explore the Outdoors” themed programming from popular series including WILD KRATTS, DINOSAUR TRAIN, THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!, and CURIOUS GEORGE. Premieres include new episodes from WILD KRATTS, THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!, CURIOUS GEORGE and a new Earth Day themed episode of ARTHUR, airing Monday, April 16.  On Friday, April 20 (the Friday before Earth Day), KLRU will also present a special line-up of environmentally-themed programs to gear kids up to celebrate Earth Day. Themed weeks include:

WILD KRATTS “Backyard Adventures Week”
March 26-30 at 4 p.m.

This special week features five episodes all about venturing outside to explore the wonders that are as close as your own backyard. The week concludes with the premiere of a new episode, “Flight of the Pollinators,” on Friday, March 30, which explores the amazing delivery system of plants and their animal partners.

DINOSAUR TRAIN “Nature Trackers Week”
April 2-6 at 9:30 a.m.

This encore presentation of four “Nature Trackers” episodes of DINOSAUR TRAIN includes “Stargazing on the Night Train/Get Into Nature!,” “Shiny and Snakes/Tiny Flowers,” “Buddy Explores the Tyrannosaurs/Rainy Day Fight” and “That’s Not a Dinosaur/Tiny’s Garden.” The storylines follow Buddy, Shiny, Tiny and Don as they make their own discoveries in nature.

The episodes encourage kids to get outside, get into nature and make their own discoveries.

THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! “Nature’s Know-How Week”
April 9-13 at 8:30 a.m.

The Cat, Nick and Sally go on a variety of outdoor adventures this week, including journeys to Drippety Dry Desert and Splishy Splashy Pond.  Two new episodes premiere: “Super Cleaner Uppers/Itty Bitty Water” on Monday, April 9, and “Amazing Eyes/Water Walkers” on Thursday, April 12.

ARTHUR “Prunella the Pack Rat/What’s in a Name?”
April 16  at 3 p.m. (repeating April 20 at 3 p.m.)

Prunella the Packrat – Prunella saves everything – ticket stubs, quizzes from second grade, pencil stubs, broken shoe laces…you name it and it’s in her closet! Can Arthur help her break her packrat habits in time to put together the display for the school’s Earth Day fair? Or is Prunella doomed to drown in her clutter? What’s in a Name? – Binky find out that his real name isn’t Binky, it’s… Shelley?!! He’s certain he will have to leave town – or at least school – having this silly name. Until his mom tells him the story of his ancestor, Shelley Barnes, the greatest circus owner of his time…

CURIOUS GEORGE “Explore Your World Week”
April 16-20 at 8 a.m.

During this special week, everyone’s favorite monkey dabbles in a range of activities – from radio DJ-ing, to painting, to building a home for a squirrel.  The week includes three premiere episodes – “DJ George/Curious George Paints the Desert” on Monday, April 16, “No Knowing Gnocchi/Here Comes the Tide” on Wednesday, April 18, and “Junky Monkey/Jumpy Warms Up” on Friday, April 20.

Online and Mobile Resources for Families

KLRU and PBS KIDS are increasingly serving children wherever they live, learn, and play – online, on mobile devices, on TV, and in the classroom. Kids can continue their environmental exploration online at PBSKIDS.org/outdoors to find environmental and outdoor themed games, activities and videos and on mobile through the PBS KIDS Video App for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

PBS Parents will provide resources for parents to explore the outdoors with their own families on PBSParents.org/outdoors. The site will provide activities from the on-air episodes, listings for PBS KIDS”Day in the Park” events, and ideas and resources that Central Texas families can use to explore the outdoors any time.

Posted on March 22nd, 2012

Postcards from Buster has great new online resources! The just released international episodes – Chile and India – are now available to watch online, along with Buster’s previous trips to China, Italy, and Egypt. The Postcards from Buster website has also been updated with educational resources and a new web game called “Buster’s International Game Show” (or the “BIG Show,” for short).

Educational Materials
There’s a new Teacher’s Guide for the Postcards from Buster international specials. Designed especially for third graders, the activities in the Teacher’s Guide work side-by-side with the episodes now available online. View the guide here.

Web Game
Buster and Arthur fans, look at the new interactive and educational web game “Buster’s International Game Show.” Hosted by Buster himself and loaded with over 400 questions, it is designed to teach AND quiz kids about food, religion, pastimes, the Arts, history, daily life, and more! Test your skills on the Postcards from Buster website.

Posted on March 19th, 2012

Will WordGirl defeat the Learner or get beat by her own moves? Find out in a NEW episode on Friday, March 23rd at 3:30 pm

(repeating, Thursday, March 29 at 3:30 p.m.)

Episode: #410
THE LEARNER – Using his talent to see things once and learn them immediately, The Learner is able to steal the giant Santa Tortuga diamond from Ms. Von Hoosinghaus. When WordGirl arrives to save the day, all of her moves are thwarted by The Learner, who has been studying her every move. Will she come up with a new move or will The Learner get away with the diamond? Vocabulary Words: Suffix, Misjudge.

MR. BIG’S DINNER AND A SCAM – Mr. Big uses a mind control machine to convince an audience that his dinner theater show is a masterpiece worthy of big bucks, when in reality, it’s the farthest thing from that. WordGirl must destroy the mind control machine and expose Mr. Big before he is able to empty the audiences’ pocketbooks. Vocabulary Words: Embellish, Leery.

Posted on March 16th, 2012

WILD KRATTS “Predator Week”
Monday-Friday, March 19 – March 23
4-4:30 p.m.

Wild Kratts: Predator Power DVD
will be available on March 20

#137: Stuck on Sharks
Martin and Chris are on a mission to uncover the secret life of the mysterious Great White Shark. They use Aviva’s incredible Remora Rocketsub to “stick with” a female shark and soon learn that the giant predator of the sea actually has lots of challenges to contend with and that she could help them discover something that no one has ever seen before – the birth of Great White shark pups. But when Gourmand sniffs around looking for ingredients for his Shark Fin Soup recipe, the Wild Kratts team must help rescue their new friend.
Animals Featured: Great White shark, Orca, Sea lion, Wrasse fish
Never Before or Rarely Seen Wildlife Moments: Orca attacking a Great White shark; Great White at a “cleaning station”

#125: Mimic
While exploring why some animals mimic the looks of others, Martin and Chris encounter a cheetah cub and its mom.  But before they know it, evil fashion designer, Donita Donata, ‘cat-naps’ the startled mom right in front of their eyes.  The Wild Kratts team springs into action on a rescue mission before Donita adds the momma cheetah to her new fall line. Martin discovers that the cheetah cub  has unexpected powers of mimicry,  and it’s ability to mimic the ferocious honey badger  – is the key to foiling Donita and protecting the cheetah.
Animals Featured: Cheetah, Honey badger, Black mamba
Never Before or Rarely Seen Wildlife Moments: Cheetah cub mimicking a Honey badger and discouraging predators from coming too close.

#134: Little Howler
Chris and Martin are unpacking from an adventure and are surprised when a Wolf pup pops out of their bags. They have no idea where the little guy came from and must retrace their steps in order to return him back to his pack.  They experience that  wolves are a very social animal with a close pack structure and frequent visual and audio communication among individual members.  With this knowledge and wolf-powered Creature Power Suits the bros are able to fend off a hungry cougar and finally return the pup to his wolf pack.
Animals Featured: Wolf, Cougar, Raven
Never Before or Rarely Seen Wildlife Moments: Wolf and Cougar face off

#140: Raptor Roundup
Martin and Chris  challenge themselves to ID as many hawks, eagles, owls, falcons and vultures as they can.    But the evil endangered species chef, Gaston Gourmand has his own plan for the raptors and has been capturing them all in his quest to find the tastiest bird wing.  Will the Wild Kratts team succeed in rescuing the raptors before they become Gourmand’s next gourmet delicacy?  They’ll have to use everything they know about classification and birds of prey  – to round up the raptors and return them to where they belong – living free and in the wild!
Animals Featured: Owl, Hawk, Falcon, Eagle, Vulture
Never Before or Rarely Seen Wildlife Moments: A secretary bird hunting the venomous black mamba snake.

#101: Mom of a Croc
Chris and Martin are determined to prove to Aviva that there’s more to crocodiles than their reputation as scary brutes. They use an egg disguise, created by the young inventor, to infiltrate a crocodile nest for an insider’s look at the challenging journey of the infant crocs.  They also discover the importance of heat in the life cycle of the croc and that heat can even move from one object to another by a process called conduction.
Animals Featured: Nile crocodile, Hippopotamus, Monitor lizard, Soft-shelled turtle
Never Before or Rarely Seen Wildlife Moments: A glimpse inside a developing crocodile nest; the maternal care of a mother croc for her babies; an amazing crocodile and hippo encounter

Posted on March 12th, 2012

Hey You Guys!
Jessica and Marcus need your help!

Electric Company’s Prankster Planet is a world that spans online, broadcast and print, each enriching the others. Here, the show’s live-action characters embark on learning adventures in a series of 12, two-minute, cartoon mini-episodes.
Beginning Monday, March 19, 4:30-5 p.m on KLRU

The adventures don’t end onscreen — 12 multi-game online “missions” continue episode storylines. Kids can create cartoon avatars of themselves and work with the characters to solve problems just hinted at during the show.
Play the game.

Finally, a workbook reinforces the curriculum of the online and broadcast experience, helping to make the learning last.
Click here for the educator’s guide.

Posted on March 12th, 2012

If you missed the new episodes of Season 15 which launched October 2011 — TUNE IN!

Monday, March 5, 3-3:30 p.m.
Buster tries to track down his secret admirer in “Buster’s Secret Admirer,” while James lets new-found power goes to his head in “The Last King of Lambland.”

Tuesday, March 6, 3-3:30 p.m.
Binky gets caught doing the uncoolest of all the uncool things in the world – holding his mom’s hand in “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” And in “Whistling in the Wind,” the Tibble Twins learn they aren’t exactly the same when Timmy can’t whistle quite like Tommy.

Thursday, March 8, 3-3:30 p.m.
Muffy and friends learn how to survive without using money in “Cents- Less” and Buster learns that others’ privacy is something to honor and respect in “Buster the Lounge Lizard.”

Monday, March 12, 3-3:30 p.m.
Muffy and friends learn how to survive without using money in “Cents-Less” and Buster learns that others’ privacy is something to honor and respect in “Buster the Lounge Lizard.”

Posted on March 5th, 2012

Friday March 2nd, 8-10 a.m. & 1-3 p.m.
repeats: Saturday, March 3rd, 8-10 a.m.
Sunday, March 4th, 6-8 a.m.

What better way to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday than a 2-hour marathon of The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, featuring two BRAND NEW episodes.

Posted on March 1st, 2012

Do you and your kids like George? Do you and your kids like to dance? Do you and your kids like to record yourselves dancing? If the answer to all three questions is “yes,” you should consider sending an entry to the Curious George Dance Contest! Go to the link to download the Curious George theme song, then shoot a 60-sec. video of your child doing his/her best monkey dance! All uploads are due April 2, then from April 16-30, there will a public vote to choose the winners.

The official contest web page is now curiousgeorgedancecontest.com — home to all contest information including how to enter and official rules. The Grand Prize winner’s entry will be featured on a Curious George Home Video DVD. The Grand Prize winner and all nine finalists will receive “Curiosity Kits” including Curious George books, DVDs, and other merchandise.

Posted on February 27th, 2012

SUPER HERO… or SUPER BULLY?

One-Hour “The Rise of Miss Power” Special!
Starring Jane Lynch as the voice of Miss Power!
Premieres Monday, February 20 @ 3:30p.m!

There’s a new super hero in town! Miss Power has come to Earth from outer space to teach WordGirl everything she knows. But is Miss Power really a sper hero? Besides using her super strength and super speed to defeat villains, Miss Power has another secret weapon: using mean words against others. WordGirl would rather not use her words harshly, but afer giving it a shot, she feels empowered! Soon, everyone starts wondering “what has gotten into WordGirl?” When WordGirl experiences Miss Power’s bullying ways herself, she gets belittled and stripped of her super hero star. Will WordGirl be able to defeat Miss Power without sinking to her level?

Posted on February 20th, 2012