Showing results by narrator "Maria Pendolino" in All Categories

Finn is bored! She is stuck inside with her family because of the cold weather. While she tries to convince her family to go to the zoo, her brother tries to teach her about global warming. When Finn is skeptical, her father decides to take the whole family to the zoo to teach them about greenhouse gases and their effect on Earth.

Have you ever heard of a bug hotel? There are some insects that help plants by spreading pollen and improving the soil, but they don’t always show up in every garden. To help encourage them to move in, some gardeners build little houses for them!

Mariel is a young girl who is struggling with her identity. As a Chinese-American being raised by her adoptive Latino family in Miami, she doesn't understand who she really is. All of the other kids make fun of her but Mariel feels connected to her Latino culture. After a trip to China, where she was born, Mariel learns about her Chinese heritage. Seeing the orphanage and all the children who are still up for adoption allow Mariel to be happy with her life. She is finally able to accept who she really is—a "Florida chica china by the way of Fujian!"

Did you know there were several women and girls who worked as spies during the Civil War? Thanks to the voluminous hoop skirts and petticoats they wore, their clothing made it very easy to hide messages and smuggle them to the soldiers. Take a look at some of the women who served as Civil War spies!

During the rainy season in the marshlands, Alligator has almost nothing to eat. When the dry season comes, Alligator digs a hole in the pond and waits for the animals to return. Without Alligator and her hole, there would be far fewer animals living in the marsh.

Have you ever wondered what happens to your food when you drop it on the ground? Do you ever wonder why your toy doesn’t break when it falls to the ground? This story helps you learn about the different experiments that scientists have conducted over the last few decades to see what happens when something is dropped! From raindrops to pennies, this story answers any questions you might have about dropping things. You will finally be able to answer the question of whether the "5-second rule" really works!

Can you imagine having to sit still for 30 minutes just to have your picture taken? Or having to send film away to be developed? Technology has come a long way since then! Listen to learn about photography inventions like flashbulbs, Kodak and Polaroid cameras, and more!

When the henhouse becomes haunted by a ghost, it's up to one brave chicken named Carmenella to get to the bottom of things. The farmer doesn’t understand her, and the cat doesn’t want to get involved. Carmenella wants to sleep in the nice warm henhouse instead of outside. What will she do to fix this dilemma?

Would you believe that two NASA scientists used a baby toy to inspire their design for the next generation of space explorers? Listen to learn about how Adrian Agogino and Vytas SunSpiral designed the SUPERball Bot and what their plans are for the future.

Have you ever seen a rhino do the rumba? Join the rhinos as they dance the night away in this silly animal rhyme! How long will they be able to keep dancing before they get too tired?

Click and Jane’s clubhouse is a mess! Follow along as they think of some fun craft projects to clean it up with the rest of the gang and learn things about building and measuring with different tools, like a hammer and a saw!

The idea that physical exercise is good for men and women alike is something we take for granted today, but people didn’t always believe this was true. There was a time when exercise was not considered proper or healthy for women. Thanks to athletes like Annette Kellerman, women have come a long way since then.

How will a dog who can't fly, swim, talk, or sing win the title of Best Dog in the Universe? When Sam makes a sign declaring that her dog, Rufus, is the best dog in the universe, she has no idea that it will cause such a stir. Aliens from all over the galaxy want her dog so they can win the top prizes in the Omniversal Dog Show.

How would you survive a meteor impact? Learn about the different ways some plants and animals survived the meteor that killed all the dinosaurs! Do you think you could adapt as well as these tough creatures?

Cable-stayed bridges are one of six main types of bridges built around the world. Learn about the Zakim Bridge in Boston and try the activity to see how cable-stayed bridges are so strong. Can you guess how strong a cable-stayed bridge is?

Have you ever watched a race car take a pit stop? Learn about all of the different jobs members of the pit crew have. The pit crew does everything from change the tires of a race car to refilling the gas tank, all faster than you can count to ten!

If you’re looking for a great invention, look no further than your bathroom or kitchen! Did you know that the first flushing toilet was invented four thousand years ago? Or that a melted chocolate bar sparked the discovery of the microwave? Learn about these great inventions and more!

Auto racing is all about aerodynamics. Racecars use two different forces, lift and drag, to fly around the track. Find out how the cars use these forces, and then “fly” your own racecar with a fun experiment!

Have you ever wondered how tall and long bridges are built? Learn about three different bridges and try the activities to learn about how strong bridges, like the Golden Gate Bridge, are made.

Patterns are an important and often beautiful part of our world. One such pattern is a tessellation, or a series of shapes that is arranged in a manner that repeats itself with no gaps. Learn how to make your own tessellation with a fun craft!