For programs 9-12 from Under the Yellow Balloon, a variety of topics are covered which include boats, phones, newspapers and maps.
Produced in the 1980s by Dr. Sandra Thomas, Under the Yellow Balloon was televised in schools and focused on a single subject in each episode. The program was nationally syndicated to PBS stations.
Visit the Summer of Nostalgia for more children and teen programs from the South Carolina ETV tape vault.
Ships A’Sail
The episode "Ships A’Sail" covers boats and ships, their difference, and the different kinds of them. It explains that a typical difference between ships and boats is their size, with ships typically being the larger ones. It also focuses on a few specific types of boats and ships, such as canoes, aircraft carriers, sail boats, and tugboats. For each type, it explains how they work and what they are typically used for.
The Phone Isn’t Working
The episode "The Phone Isn’t Working" covers phones and phone companies, as well as what they do and how they work. It starts with a young boy who finds out his family’s phone is dead, and how he cannot contact his friend to let him know he can go to the game tomorrow. Fortunately, a woman from the local phone company comes to repair the phone and teaches the young boy how phones work and what phone companies take care of.
Making A Newspaper
The episode "Making A Newspaper" focuses on newspapers and the process of how they are made. It introduces a group of young children who want to host a pet show but lack enough members of their club to do so. Due to this, they brainstorm ideas on how to spread the word out of their club, and they decide that a newsletter/article would be the best way to do so. One of the children’s grandfather decides to help and teaches them how a newspaper office works.
Where are We?
The episode "Where are We?" focuses on maps, how they work, and how they are made. It introduces a young girl who is struggling to complete her homework that requires her to create a map from her house to school, because she does not understand how maps work and how to create one. She ends up falling asleep and has a dream where a fairy godmother teaches her how to use a map, so that she can leave “The Lost Forest,” and wake up and finish her homework.
