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Show Schoolers, and Home J Dr. Daryl J. McCarty Executive Secretary Utah Education Association New TV program Get ready to read something good about television. One thing that's good about the tube is a new educational program for children, particularly those in the eight to twelve-year-old group. The name of the program is "3-2-1 Contact," and it explains science and technology in a light, informative way. The people who are producing this new show are the ones who brought you "Sesame Street" and "The Electric Company." The show will be aired at 6 p.m. each weekday on KUED (Channel 7) and at 4 p.m. on KBYU (Channel 11) beginning January 14. The "3-2-1 Contact" programs will have three young hosts who roam the world to explore nature and technology and to look in on scientists and technicians techni-cians at work in laboratories. Typical of the sites that will be visited are Miami's Scaquarium, the world's largest radio telescope in Puerto Rico, and Bronx Zoo, Utah's Dinosaur National Na-tional Monument, an oil super-tanker, and a salt marsh on Long Island Sound. The program uses concepts that upper-grade elementary students can easily grasp. For instance, one week's programs will be on "Big and Little," and their explorations will range from an elephant to life in a drop of water from one of Utah's dinosaur fossils to a flea circus. Purposes of this new show are to help children experience the pleasure of scientific exploration, familiarize them with scientific thinking skills, and help them to recognize science and technology as something that's open to their participation. Producers will be making classroom materials based on the television program pro-gram available to elementary teachers, so many educators may tie in their instruction in-struction with "3-2-1- Contact" programs. pro-grams. A feature of the show is called "The Bloodhound Gang," a group of kids who demonstrate the use of scientific reasoning in solving mysteries. Salt Lake teacher Grace Hiatt, who previewed the scries, says the "3-2-1-Contact" program may be one of the best things that happens on television for young people this year. |