Thinkabout, "a cooperative project for acquiring skills essential to learning", was an instructional program for children, produced in 1979 by the Agency for Instructional Television, in association with various contributing television stations in the United States and Canada. It was distributed to PBS and educational stations across the US and Canada as late as the mid-to-late 1980s. The sixty programs produced were aimed for fifth and sixth grade students to understand their learning process in topics as varied as language arts, mathematics, study skills, as well as thinking skills. Thinkabout was funded by various state and local agencies, with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, one of very few CPB-funded programs not distributed by PBS.
CreatorsRobert D. B. Carlisle, Edwin G. Cohen
Finding Alternatives: Why Bother?
Sep 17, 1979
Kelly researches and gathers information to write a book report on George Washington Carver. She imagines his life and considers different possibilities and ideas about his work.
Finding Alternatives: Brainstorming
Sep 17, 1979
The school janitor comes up with a plan to stop students from painting in the halls and to make sure they clean up any mess they create.
Finding Alternatives: Blockbusting
Oct 1, 1979
Different people try blockbusting by testing their ideas and visualizing the problem to find new solutions.
Finding Alternatives: You Can Remember
Oct 8, 1979
On his first day at work, Pete tries hard to remember everything he’s learned as he begins his newspaper route with Erica.
Estimating and Approximating: Estimating
Oct 15, 1979
The Shenandoahs use estimating and approximating to figure out how they can beat the other team in the canoe race.
Estimating and Approximating: Approximating
Oct 22, 1979
The students use estimating and approximating as they work together to put their school play on stage.
Estimating and Approximating: Using Estimating and Approximating
Oct 29, 1979
The kids and their grandmother use estimating and approximating to figure out which supplies they need to buy to help warm up the house.
Estimating and Approximating: Find Your Guide
Nov 5, 1979
Mary, Bill, and Priscilla use different words and clues to help them find their guide.
Giving & Getting Meaning: What's the Meaning?
Oct 29, 1979
Alfie has a communication problem with Jack about meeting him at the field until a man tells Alfie about communication about the way to give and get meaning.
Giving & Getting Meaning: Meaning is More than Words
Nov 19, 1979
Alfie has a communication problem with Jack about meeting him at the field until a man tells Alfie about communication about the way to give and get meaning.
Giving & Getting Meaning: Remember the Audience!
Nov 26, 1979
Chuck, Ginger, and Herbie create a movie for Mr. Callahan called All Around the World to help the audience remember what they’ve learned.
Giving & Getting Meaning: But What Does It Mean?
Dec 3, 1979
Kathy and Diane share and interpret the meaning of the letter and the newspaper article, then compare their ideas to the story.
Giving & Getting Meaning: The Bigger Picture
Dec 10, 1979
Danny runs away from home and takes a bus to another city, where he begins to think about the bigger picture and what his choices really mean.
Giving & Getting Meaning: Where Are You Coming From?
Dec 17, 1979
At prep school, Coulter, Hansen, and Blake share and interpret the meaning behind their teacher asking to see them after class, both about their grades and about working on a story about the school.
Challenge #1: Time Capsule: Make a Present for the Future
Dec 24, 1979
A time capsule is uncovered in the desert, and the kids explore its contents to learn about the past, understand the present, and imagine the future.
Collecting Information: What Do I Know?
Dec 31, 1979
A boy finds a lost puppy in front of the building and starts gathering information to figure out where it came from. Meanwhile, two girls begin searching for the missing puppy, and eventually, they’re the ones who find him.
Collecting Information: Where Should I Go?
Jan 7, 1980
Marty and Pete see a red glowing object in the sky. Marty goes to the library to find information inside the encyclopedia about UFO's, Him and Pete and gather objects to collect information about UFOs.
Collecting Information: What Should I Do?
Jan 14, 1980
The kids complain about the school meatloaf and decide they want a change. They talk with Ms. Caldwell, the dietitian, to discuss new lunch options. After collecting information and sharing their ideas, they help get the lunch menu changed.
Collecting Information: There are Ways to Remember
Jan 21, 1980
Cathy does Tai Chi in the park, and She forgets her notes on the bus stop and remembers how to do Tai Chi for her presentation.
Classifying: Classifying Objects
Jan 28, 1980
Sam, his sister and his parents are having a garage sale to raise money and move, they classified and organize objects in the right column.
Classifying: Classifying Information
Feb 4, 1980
Leora classifies information does a report about the Walker hotel and interviews Mr. Stark about the history of the hotel.
Classifying: Stereotyping People
Feb 11, 1980
Lisa treats and labels her grandmother as old when she is in mean to her and treats her unkindly at home after being released from the hospital for a broken arm.
Classifying: There Are Many Ways to Go
Feb 18, 1980
Heather, Leah and Kathy tell the interviewer about understanding a plan to solve a problem by doing things in a different way.
Finding Patterns: People Patterns
Feb 25, 1980
Ricky learns about people patterns inside the classroom, and He does a people pattern on a old man inside the apartment building.
Finding Patterns: Communication Patterns
Mar 3, 1980
Roger meets a deaf girl student named Jackie, He don't know sign language, so He learns sign language by Communicating Patterns to communicate with her at the school dance.
Finding Patterns: Cultural Patterns
Mar 10, 1980
Chiquita goes to Mexico to learn her family's Cultural Patterns.
Finding Patterns: Nature's Patterns
Mar 17, 1980
Susan visits her uncle, aunt, and cousin in town, and she and her cousin Howard spend the afternoon exploring nature’s patterns as they search for fish in the pond.
A Challenge: Search for the Unknown
Mar 24, 1980
Scientists travel to northern Scotland to investigate the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, known as “Nessie.” Along the way, locals share stories and sightings, describing a mysterious creature that many believe resembles a prehistoric dinosaur.
Generalizing: Drawing Conclusions
Mar 31, 1980
A boy is preparing to move to London, England. His father explains the pattern to him, and he later asks Mrs. Stokins for more information about life in England.
Generalizing: Checking Conclusions
Apr 7, 1980
Angie explores what it would take to start a music group for the community talent show, hoping it could lead to a record deal.
A Tip: Practice for Success
Apr 14, 1980
Jack doesn’t know how to play tennis, so Lindsay and Stephanie teach him. He practices consistently until he becomes skilled at the sport.
Sequencing & Scheduling: One Step at a Time
Apr 21, 1980
Barbara, Rudy, and their family work together to plan and schedule the details for their grandfather’s birthday celebration.
Sequencing & Scheduling: Plan Ahead
Apr 28, 1980
The kids work together to sequence their ideas and summarize their plan for designing a Loch Ness monster to place in the lake.
Sequencing and Scheduling: Calm Your Jitters!
May 5, 1980
Nancy is nervous about giving a presentation at her old school, especially because her former teacher, now the principal, will be there.
Using Criteria: What Are They?
May 12, 1980
Woody explains the criteria he uses to evaluate a baseball pitch, while Debbie shares the criteria she uses as a dancer, and even applies them when choosing a card for her mom. In class, the students discuss what “criteria” means and how to use it.
Using Criteria: Where Do You Get Them?
May 19, 1980
Larry uses his criteria to ask the automotive experts what makes a good car. Later, his friends Mike and Ed ask him to judge which of them has the better car.
Using Criteria: How Do You Change That?
May 26, 1980
Betsy, a basketball player, uses her own criteria to decide who should be the team captain. Now she has to choose, will she vote for Ellie or May?
A Challenge: Design a Language
Jun 2, 1980
Two girls watch a deaf man communicate through sign language with the help of his interpreter in their classroom. Inspired, they visit a school for the deaf to learn signs themselves and later watch him use sign language on television.
Reshaping Information: Symbols
Jun 9, 1980
Leah uses symbols as clues, while Burt, Faye, Jack, and Jody read and examine different symbols to help choose a name for their baseball team.
Reshaping Information: More Than You Think
Jun 9, 1980
Alex gets a job at a carnival as a fortune teller, and he starts thinking about and reshaping what he knows to understand what a fortune teller really does.
Reshaping Information: Summarizing
Jun 16, 1980
Jess summarizes his ideas by writing them down and gathers information from his friends to help him get a job as a cashier at a sporting goods store.
Reshaping Information: Maps and Models
Jun 23, 1980
The Westside Wranglers use maps and models to figure out how to get their moose head back up on the wall.
A Tip: Get Ahead with Goals
Jun 30, 1980
Leon enters a bike race so he can push himself toward his goals and chase a victory.
Judging Information: Should I Believe It?
Jul 7, 1980
Sue decides to become a newspaper writer after she evaluates the information about aliens supposedly invading the town of Duncan.
Judging Information: What's Important?
Jul 14, 1980
Jamie and Christy visit Sir Gordon’s castle, where they examine and judge the important information surrounding his death.
Judging Information: What's Enough?
Jul 21, 1980
Bobby rides his bike to the until it gets stolen, He blames Eddie for taking his bike, He tries to get enough information to see who stole his bike.
Judging Information: Point of View
Jul 28, 1980
Michael goes to Cedarville Park to explore different points of view about the automobile strike.
Judging Information: Persuasive Techniques
Aug 4, 1980
Wes asks Allen to play football, but Allen turns him down because he has to go to practice. The other boys criticize Allen, calling him a nerd and making fun of his persuasive techniques, especially since he’s now in high school.
A Tip: Make a Deal with Yourself
Aug 11, 1980
Duncan makes a deal with himself as he practices guitar for his audition at the country jamboree. Andrew also makes a deal with himself, he commits to showing up to work on time.
Communicating Effectively: Styles of Communication
Aug 18, 1980
Bill, Donna, and Gunnar use their different communication styles to take people’s orders at the restaurant.
Communicating Effectively: Planning a Presentation
Aug 25, 1980
The kids plan a school presentation to teach everyone about the importance of getting pets vaccinated.
Communicating Effectively: Making a Presentation
Sep 1, 1980
Shannon, a Navajo girl, prepares a presentation for the annual speech contest about her heritage. As she practices, she learns the skills of oral delivery, body language, and eye contact to strengthen her presentation.
Communicating Effectively: Making Your Point!
Sep 8, 1980
Flash doesn’t get picked for the basketball squad, so he tries to impress the coach—showing off his skills, promoting himself, and making his case right there on the court.
Communicating Effectively: Making It Come Alive
Sep 15, 1980
Heather is a ballerina, and she writes a term paper about becoming one when she grows up—bringing her dream to life through her writing.
A Challenge: Make Something New
Sep 22, 1980
Sophie talks about being creative, and the kids join in by discussing how they can make something new.
Solving Problems: One Thing Leads to Another
Sep 29, 1980
Margie and Janet are babysitting when things get a little mixed up. Realizing they can do better, they start their own babysitting service to earn money. They even figure out how to get their own phone so they can keep the business going, until everything suddenly goes awry.
Solving Problems: A Matter of Time
Oct 6, 1980
Susan takes two of her nieces and their friends to Lake Nedar, but their trip takes a sudden turn when they become involved in a plane crash. The plane catches fire, and Susan is injured in the chaos.
Solving Problems: There's Always a Risk
Oct 13, 1980
A girl repairs the scanner so she can check out the plane crash involving Colleen, Roxanne, Cathy, and their Aunt Susan. Roxanne and Cathy take a risk when they decide to walk to a nearby town for help.
Solving Problems: Hanging in There
Oct 20, 1980
A search begins for three girls and a woman after their plane crashes. News reports cover the unfolding situation, and helicopter crews eventually locate them and carry out the rescue.
Plan a City of the Future
Oct 27, 1980
The kids share and discuss their ideas for planning a city of the future.
