Resources for Military Families!

Dear Teachers, Facilitators, and Caregivers,

The Electric Company—the educational TV show and Web site featuring a cool cast of characters with amazing literacy superpowers—is powered by words! So, who better than The Electric Company kids themselves to help kids find the right words to express themselves…and find their own superpowers?

With The Electric Company, extends its reach beyond with materials for six- to nine-year-old children. And now there are The Electric Company resources specifically designed for a very special group—kids in military families.

Today, military families are demonstrating an extraordinary level of heroism. Dedicated service members, their spouses, and their children are experiencing new and different challenges through deployments that are both lengthier and more frequent. And while military families are strong and resilient, multiple deployments have a tremendous impact on the families, particularly those with young children.

We hope you and the children in your care enjoy these literacy- and resilience- building resources! The Electric Company Web Site Feel the Power of Words! The Electric Company Web site extends curriculum goals in an interactive platform, fueled by the power of the characters. Children interact with the By reading and interacting with resources including content of The Electric Company on every page of the site. Each game the magazine, The Electric Company Web site, the focuses on a different phonics goal learned in the episodes, while zaps (hidden stickers) and the video SmashUps reinforce vocabulary. Motivation Military Families Near and Far Web site, the lesson plans, is enforced throughout the site through creative self-expression activities, and the show itself, children and families can: videos, points and prizes earned playing games, and involvement in the site-wide character challenge. See image number • tap into the power of communication; • develop resilience and communication skills; After-School Learning • deal with frustrations and challenges; Turn on the fun with literacy- and math-based lesson plans. In these guides, • develop problem-solving skills and perseverance; you’ll find a variety of easy-to-do activities, games, and tips that bring literacy • become better able to express emotions and ideas; to life! All the materials in the guide build on and extend the goals of • express complex reactions to challenging The Electric Company. They’re all about having fun—using language and words circumstances and transitions; as powerful means to a rewarding end. See image number • build an important sense of connection within the family; and • learn concrete, engaging ways to support one another. And, all the while, they’ll be immersed in literacy learning! TRY Electric Resources Attach your This! photo here! The Magazine Write a caption that In these pages, the members of The Electric Company share coping strategies tells what you were for challenging situations in their everyday lives. There’s a writing or drawing really thinking. activity to get kids thinking; writing about; and, ultimately, talking about their Suggest to families that they try some own feelings—building self-expression skills. There’s also a fun learning activity of these bonus creativity challenges: that gets kids interacting with the concept presented on each page and a • Find a photo of yourself. Write a caption “Your Turn” section with simple tips, strategies, and activities for kids and that tells what you were really thinking. families to try together. See image number • Take a family portrait—under the table. Military Families Near and Far Web Site Just show legs! This free site functions a lot like a social networking site. It allows children and • Find a place for a feeling that needs a place. parents to stay connected—and communicate—during times of tremendous Put a feeling word on a sticky note and choose change and uncertainty. It’s a place where families can connect with each other a spot to put it. It can be a private space or a when distance makes communication difficult. Families can create a network public one. where they can share and post messages to each other, create artwork, upload photos, and record video and audio. See image number Sesame Workshop’s Military Families “Near and Far” initiative

• reduce the level of anxiety children may experience during homecomings  after multiple deployments. • help families with ways to cope with multiple deployments. • help young children gain an age-appropriate understanding of a parent’s  injury by including them and the entire family in the rehabilitation process. • reassure children that they are loved and secure and that, together with  their families, they can learn new ways of being there for one another  and have hope for the future.

Check out the numerous multimedia resources available online at: familiesnearandfar.org sesameworkshop.org/initiatives/emotion/tlc

And for all things The Electric Company, including tons of resources for teachers, go to: pbskids.org/electriccompany .org/teachers/electriccompany pbs.org/parents/electriccompany