Title: Super Why!: Season 2, Episode 2, Bedtime for Bear & Other Stories: Webby in Bathland
Producer: PBS (Wendy Harris, Janice Walker, Alexandra Cassel, Phillip Stamp, Sarah Wallendjack, Angela Santomero, Samantha Freeman Alpert, Steven Demure, Beth Stevenson, Kellie Dalton)
Year: 2011
Length: 25 minutes
Rating: TV-Y
Description: This episode of Super Why! begins with one of the characters, Wonder Red, not understanding why her Grandma said her hands were dirty after she ran them under water. To answer this question Super Why, Wonder Red, Alpha Pig, Princess Presto, and Woofster the dog use the power of reading. The group of friends jumps into the book Webby in Bathland to find the “super story answer”. By the end of the episode, the team discovers that the super answer for how to get rid of germs/wash hands is bubbles. When Wonder Red once again attempts to wash her hand, this time with soap and water, her hands are clean enough to eat lunch.
Review: Super Why! engages young students similar to how Dora the Explorer does by asking the viewer questions and getting them involved in the investigation. Each member of the group of friends in this TV show has a certain reading power, for example, Wonder Red has spelling power and Woofster has picture power. This concept reinforces the strategy of teaching emergent readers that reading is a superpower that requires multiple skills and collaboration. This episode, in particular, follows the team as they investigate how to get rid of germs, which teaches the students that simply running their hands under water is not enough to get rid of germs.
Thirty Second Intro:
Clip of Red’s First Hand Washing Attempt:
Core Integration
Since this episode explores the importance of washing hands as well as the power of reading, language arts is already integrated into the episode. However, to further engage the students in reading the RL.K.9 Common Core Standard can be addressed. Super Why! is a good resource for teaching students other health topics, particularly those related to socio-emotional health. For example, the eleventh episode of season one teaches young learners how to treat friends. To meet the standard, the students could compare and contrast the adventures of the Super Why team in both episodes. The students could individually write or draw what the team learned in both episodes. Then, as a class, we could create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the episodes.
Health Standards
NHES 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
PHW1.2.2: State why hygiene is important to good health.
PHW1.2.3: Identify the benefits of personal health care practices such as washing hair and bathing regularly.
PHW1.2.4: State the steps for proper hand washing.
HBO 2: Practice appropriate hygiene habits.
NHES 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.
PHW2.2.3: Identify relevant influences of media and technology on personal health and
wellness practices and behaviors.
PHW2.2.4: Describe positive influences on personal health and wellness practices and behaviors.
NHES 5: Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.
PHW5.2.1: Identify situations that need a decision related to personal health and wellness
(e.g., washing hands before eating; wearing sun protection; brushing teeth daily).
PHW5.2.3: Explain the potential positive and negative outcomes from personal health or
wellness related decisions.
PHW5.2.4: Describe when help is needed and when it is not needed to make a personal
health or wellness related decision.
NHES 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.
PHW7.2.1: Identify personal health and wellness practices that reduce or prevent health
risks.
Core Integration Standard
RL.K.9: With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.
RL.K.3: With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.