https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pqc8wiy8Qo&feature=youtu.be

Programming Highlights

Reconstruction: America After the Civil War, Episode 1
Monday at 11:00 a.m. PST on KCET
The years following the Civil War were almost equally hopeful and violent. As four million African Americans gained their deserved freedom and got the chance to build new lives … racist white resistance flourished. Learn more about the “second American revolution” that came as a result. Tune in or watch now.

Animal Babies: First Year on Earth, Episode 1 Monday at 1:00 p.m. PST on KCET
Join the animal babies from Africa to Sri Lanka to Iceland in their first three months of life as they learn to understand their surroundings and take their first steps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68n0u5vit3A

Inside Animal Minds: Bird Genius | Nova Monday at 2:00 p.m. PST on KCET
Who are you calling a bird brain? Did you know birds have impressive brains that have mastered the ability to make and use tools, solve complex problems and even plan for the future? Watch to meet the amazing Muppet, a cockatoo with a talent for picking locks; 007, a wild crow on a mission to solve an eight-step puzzle for the first time ever; and Bran, a tame raven who can solve a puzzle box so quickly that his performance has to be captured with high-speed photography.

A More or Less Perfect Union, A Personal Exploration by Judge Douglas Ginsburg: A Constitution in Writing Monday at 2:00 p.m. PST on KLCS
Examine the struggles and compromises in the creation of the document that protects our liberties. Constitutional experts, “Framers,” and everyday Americans weigh in on the rule of law, the branches of government, and the debate over originalism. Tune in or watch now.

Freedom Writers: Stories from the Heart Monday at 3:00 p.m. PST on KLCS
You’ve probably seen the movie starring Hillary Swank, but did you know it’s based on a book written by professor Erin Gruwell and her students? Watch to follow the real Gruwell as she fights to change her students’ lives in fraught 1994 Long Beach, a racially divided community filled with drugs, gangs and homicides. Tune in or watch now.

At-Home Learning Tips

Make Make Creativity a Fun Family Affair
While many of us are spending much more time with our families during the times of social distancing, don’t let that squeeze the fun out of family time. Dedicate a night to embrace your inner creativity as a team. Throw a themed dinner party inspired by your child’s favorite book, make collages and use them as postcards for friends, or complete the “Recreate a Work of Art” challenge by impersonating your favorite work of art and snapping photos. Check out more ideas on finding new ways to be creative together as a family here.

Daily Programming

Monday on KCET

Monday on KLCS

Additional Resources

Breaking Barriers: Reconstruction
Explore the Smithsonian’s collections of photographs, primary source documents, portraits, lesson plans and articles to get a greater sense of what African Americans had to do to overcome racial, economic, and political barriers during Reconstruction.

How the 15th Amendment Came to Los Angeles
At four o'clock on the morning of April 12, 1870, dozens of explosions echoed through the dark and empty streets of Los Angeles. The booming noise might have startled the town's horses and roused some of its residents, but this wasn't the sound of violence. It was the sound of freedom. The amendment gave black Angelenos the right to vote, but the county clerk at first refused to register them anyway ... why? Read on to find out.

Baby Elephants are So Clumsy! | First Year on Earth | BBC Earth
Newborn elephants are the biggest babies on earth, in more ways than one. Watch to find out why.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1sgoddBMqs
African Elephant
Did you know elephants are some of the few animals that recognize themselves in a mirror? Read to learn more about elephants like Safina and her family, including how they form bonds, the threats to their survival and what can be done to keep them safe.

Bird Season on Anacapa Island (Photos/Video)
Take a virtual ferry to Anacapa Island to be transported into a scene from inside the pages of "National Geographic," the month of June on Anacapa Island. Those with ornithophobia, beware!

The Los Angeles River, a Surprising Oasis for Birds
Did you know the Los Angeles River and its environs are home to a wealth of wildlife, including some majestic birds that thrive along the river banks? If you live nearby, take advantage of this fact to do a little bit of birdwatching on your daily walk— respecting social distancing, of course. If you don't, make it a virtual birding trip!

The Constitution: How Did it Happen?
Did you know that America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn’t regulate commerce, or print money? Read on to find out how Alexander Hamilton changed that.

How California Teacher Erin Gruwell Inspired a Generation of Writers
Erin Gruwell took a job student teaching at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California in 1994. Over the next four years, she found she changed not only her own life but also those of the 150 students that passed through her classroom. Learn more about how she accomplished that and what she's up to now.