For our latest episode of The Planning Period, Matt explains a little more about what the Michigan Learning Channel is, how we connect educators and families to PBS resources, and what our goals are for our ongoing work. Of course, we also have resource snapshots like a tour of another interactive Women’s History Month resource, a media challenge idea, a fun hands-on activity and ideas for National Nutrition Month, and an exciting sneak peek at our annual Summer Learning Program!

Sneak Peek: Summer Learning Program

Each summer, we run an 8-week learning program featuring educational shows and hands-on activities. Our printed activity books have been used in summer schools, camps, and libraries across the state. These books will be available soon for free download, but you can pre-order now! Visit michiganlearning.org/summer for details and watch the episode to see some printer’s proofs of this year’s books!

Women’s History Month Resources

This week, we’re showcasing PBS LearningMedia’s Women’s Suffrage collection, which features interactive resources and lesson ideas. One of our favorite strategies? Using resource collections to build lesson plans that fit your instructional goals. Check out this engaging collection to explore multimedia activities for your students.

Media Challenge: Interactive Learning Experiences

Encourage your students to create interactive projects celebrating women’s history! Here’s how:

Identify local monuments, murals, or landmarks dedicated to women’s contributions.

Gather media elements—photos, videos, and audio—to tell their story.

Build an interactive experience and host a gallery day to share and discuss their work.

What We’re Watching

30 Days of Clay Food

We love the 30 Days of Clay playlist from the Ann Arbor District Library! In the episode this week, Matt learns how to make a clay taco and thinks through how this hands-on activity can inspire inquiry, learning, and discussion about nutrition, food, history, and culture.

Big Cats, Small World

World Wildlife Day may have passed, but we’re spotlighting PBS NATURE’s Big Cats, Small World this week. It’s a stunning documentary, and there are classroom resources available, including short clips, articles, and activities on the NATURE website.