A Guide for Educators to Support the Weekend Morning TV Series TO EDUCATORS AND PARENTS "The All New Captain Kangaroo"—A Guide for Educators is designed to help educators and parents locate the educational components of each episode. The Storybook Corner section (page 4) includes a list of storybook titles that Captain Kangaroo will read throughout the CAPTAIN KANGAROO season—all of which tie into the theme of each episode. The grid (pages 14-15) will allow the Presented by Saban Entertainment, CURRICULUM AREAS reader to view the theme, manner/civility Inc., in association with Reading Music, Art, Science, lesson, educational goal Is Fundamental® and The America Reading and Language Arts and learning objective, Reads Challenge AGE LEVELS as well as the focus of Ages 2-5 the Nature/Animal and & Storybook Corner he Captain is back! Captain Kangaroo, GRADE LEVELS segments, for each beloved icon of children's programming Pre-Kindergarten, episode. Tand television figure with whom millions Kindergarten of kids grew up, returns to usher a new gener­ * "The All New ation into a new millennium. EDUCATIONAL GOALS Captain Kangaroo" "The All New Captain Kangaroo" blends • To promote self-esteem, will trigger meaningful the best of the original show with new educa­ cooperative, pro-social classroom discussions tional goals and characters to create a fun, behavior and a positive "The All New Captain Kangaroo" or activities that are exciting and educational TV experience. attitude. airs weekly nationwide on Saturday sure to build and Veteran actor John McDonough, who has • To introduce the impor­ or Sunday morning. strengthen character. spent over 20 years in children's theater, tance of literacy to See page 16 to find "The All New Teachers can use including touring preschools and emergent readers. Captain Kangaroo" in your area. some of the activities kindergartens, is the new Captain Kangaroo. listed in the guide McDonough's extensive experience, innovative LEARNING OBJECTIVES "The All New Captain Kangaroo"— to individual shows imagination and commitment to instilling a • To help children establish A Guide for Educators may be (pages 5-13) and love of learning in his young audience will a sense of the world by downloaded from the World Wide additional resources to Web at http://www.kidsnet.org. surely enrich his development of the role—and helping them claim supplement their own "The All New Captain Kangaroo." a place in their social, educational curricula. Each episode is structured around a particu­ emotional and physical environment. "The All New Captain Kangaroo" qualifies lar theme that is important to preschoolers and • To empower youngsters with a love of as educational/informational (E/I) under the their parents. The show generously uses music reading and a rich use of language that is current FCC regulations to the and effective humor—slapstick, sight gags and guaranteed to broaden their listening and Children's Television Act. wordplay galore—to propel the worthwhile speaking vocabularies. messages. A team of respected educators have • To heighten young people's awareness identified developmental learning objectives, of the world around them. targeted at two- and three-year-olds and four- and five-year-olds, which will help parents and preschool educators enhance the educational opportunities in each show. Manners and acts of civility are modeled in episode as well. Sometimes the Captain speaks directly to the kids at home—nothing didactic, just gentle reminders about not interrupting and other nearly forgotten niceties. The notion of using words to resolve conflicts is seamlessly woven into several story lines, as are issues involving self-esteem, cooperation and pro-sc behavior. An A-Moose-ing Array of Characters Every episode of SEARCHING FOR At the Treasure House, the treasure isn't "The All New Captain buried. It's inside every one of the wonderful Kangaroo" contains characters who live and play there. a Nature/Animal segment, each of which • Captain Kangaroo—The warm and jovial is carefully chosen and Captain is full of wonderful surprises. But he developed to promote the theme of that show. can also teach children important lessons These special segments are filmed about cooperating, sharing and having a at Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay, or positive self-image. His delightful storytelling Sea World of Florida and feature one of talents will help make reading FUN! two animal experts new to the Treasure House family Margo McKnight • Mr. Greenjeans—In simple and entertaining and Chuck Cureau. These Find It at the Treasure House ways, fun-loving and imaginative Mr. Nature/Animal segments will expose Greenjeans introduces gardening and conser­ children to interesting, new vation to children. animals, encourage further study about he Captain's home, the colorful and wildlife and the environment and magical Treasure House, is as much a part • Mister Moose is always looking for an T educate kids about the need to of the show as all the fun and whimsical char­ opportunity to moose-ter up a laugh— preserve and protect the world acters who live there. It is a place for FUN that especially with knock-knock jokes or ping- around them. will capture the imagination of all young pong baths! He is often the subject of many children. It is also a familiar place where valuable lessons that children can learn right Teachers have found that routines and structure can help a child feel along with him. implementing nature study within a safe. Configured like a typical home, children curriculum can heighten a child's interest in all will see many familiar elements—such as a • Bunny Rabbit never talks out loud, but this subject areas. Children love animals! What staircase, a closet, bookshelves and a desk. bespectacled bunny uses expressive body better way to grasp and sustain their attention? Unique to the Treasure House are: language and gestures to show what's on his mind—and it's usually carrots! Children will K" Educators and parents may want to extend the • The Moose Counter, in the center of the learn much about the nonverbal signals we Nature/Animal segments with thematic units Treasure House, is a "home base" for the all send by seeing the way Bunny Rabbit on the fascinating animals profiled through­ Captain and his friends, where they often communicates. out the season or by visiting a local zoo meet to chat or interact in the course of or an aquarium. The segments can also each episode. • Joey the Kangaroo is a curious young segue into other areas such as art kangaroo with a knack for inventing new and music. • The Treasure Tree grows right in the things. While her inventions are not always center of the Treasure House, a sure sign successful, Joey's considerate spirit and that this house is no ordinary home. A big considerable energy and drive will inspire hole in the Treasure Tree's trunk is the young children to give new things a try. perfect hiding place for surprise birthday gifts or other objects—and especially for Grandfather Clock sleeps most every hour of Bunny Rabbit. the day—but wakin g him can be a fun and effective way to get children involved in the fantastical world of If copied onto colorful the Treasure House. paper and mounted in the Grandfather Clock classroom. Grandfather can be counted on Clock's rhymes can help for a FINISH-MY- teachers to reinforce RHYME that articu­ certain learning objectives, lates an important such as telling the truth, lesson for children. being tidy or being polite. Copernicus P. Digit—This all-new animated character is a brainy messenger who intro­ duces children to the amazing potential of computers and the Internet. Digit doesn't always have the answers, but he always Captain Kangaroo laughs at Grandfather Clock's knows where to find them. F1NISH-MY-RHYMF. Captain Kangaroo and animal expert Chuck Cureau Margo McKnight and Chuck Cureau are Storybook Corner—Children will learn animal experts who introduce children to "The All New Captain Kangaroo's" collabora­ that when Captain Kangaroo moves to the interesting, new animals during the Captain's tion with Busch Gardens and Sea World offers window seat, they can count on him reading excursions to Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay or children an exciting view into the world of a wonderful story. It's sure to be educational Sea World of Florida. As members of the nature, while educating them about wildlife and fun for everyone—because the Captain is Treasure House family, Margo and Chuck and conservation. one of the best storybook readers around! often visit the Treasure House to lend a hand. The Treasure Chest, found near the Moose Counter, is home to Copernicus P. Digit and SeaWlTrlcL his computer monitor. BUSCHGARDENS Opposite page: "The All New Captain Kangaroo" cast (from left to right): Margo McKnight, Chuck Cureau, Mr. Greenjeans, Bunny Rabbit, Captain Kangaroo, Joey the Kangaroo and Mister Moose. STORYBOOKS BY EPISODE Episode # Q Happy Birthday, Danny and the Dinosaur! by Syd Hoff. HarperCollins, 1995. Q George Shrinks by William Joyce. HarperCollins, 1985. O Nutcracker Noel by Kate McMullan. Captain Kangaroo's Storybook Corner HarperCollins/Michael di Capua, 1993. STARTS KIDS ON A LIFE OF LEARNING AND LANGUAGE Q If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Jofie Numeroff. HarperCollins, 1991. Q The Gingerbread Boy by Richard Egielski. ne of the most powerful elements of "The child more frequently. As the first-ever "RIF HarperCollins, 1997. All New Captain Kangaroo" is its emphasis Ambassador," Captain Kangaroo will travel on reading and learning through words. across the country to share ideas about how to Q Addie Meets Max by Joan Robins. Educators nationwide are seeing that the help a child develop a love of reading and how HarperCollins, 1985.