Sid the Science Kid

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Sid the Science Kid (also known as Jim Henson's Sid the Science Kid) is an American half-hour CGI animated series that aired on PBS Kids from September 1, 2008 to March 25, 2013, with a total of 68 half-hour episodes produced over two seasons. The computer generated show is produced by The Jim Henson Company and then-PBS member KCET in Los Angeles, California using the Henson Digital Puppetry Studio. The show is produced by motion capture which allows puppeteers to voice digitally animated characters in real time. Production began in the fall of 2008 with 42 half-hour episodes of Sid the Science Kid having been ordered. The series debuted on PBS Kids along with Martha Speaks on September 1, 2008, with a two-year on-air commitment. The original working title for the series was "What's the Big Idea?" and the central character, Sid, was originally named Josh.

KOCE, the current primary PBS member for the Los Angeles area, began co-producing the show after KCET disaffiliated with PBS on December 31, 2010.

Video Sid the Science Kid

Premise

The main character in the show is Sid, an "inquisitive youngster" who uses comedy to tackle questions kids have about basic scientific principles and why things work the way they do. He tries to answer questions and solve problems with the help of his classmates (May, Gerald, and Gabriela), Teacher Susie, and his family (his mother Alice, his father Mort, his Grandma Rose and his baby brother Zeke). In "Hello Doggie," Sid's Grandma adopts a dog from the animal shelter (which she names Philbert - voiced by Bruce Lanoil, motion captured by Daisy the dog).

The conceptual content of Sid is based in national science learning standards, cognitive learning theory, and on the preschool science curriculum, Preschool Pathways to Science.

Each week's episodes are built around a single scientific theme or concept. The first week (episodes 1 - 5) focus on scientific tools and concepts (such as charts, observation, estimation, and measuring). The second week (episodes 6 - 10) focuses on changes and transformation (including decay, growth, freezing and melting, and the effects of heat). The third week (episodes 11 - 15) focuses on the senses (including touch, smell, sight, and hearing). The fourth week (episodes 16 - 20) focuses on health. The fifth week (episodes 21 - 25) focuses on simple machines. The sixth week (episodes 26 - 30) focuses on backyard science. The seventh week (episodes 31 - 35) focuses on the human body. The eighth week (episodes 36 - 40) focuses on weather. The Friday shows are designed to review, reinforce and summarize the central concept of the week.

One recurring segment, "Good Laughternoon", features the kids opening panels in a brightly colored playground structure and telling jokes. The format and set borrow heavily from the closing "joke wall" of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, the Groaning Wall from Square One TV, and "locker jokes" from You Can't Do That on Television, but for a pre-school audience and Sid would end the segment by saying, "Now that's funny!" along with a pre-recorded laughter from his toy microphone. Other recurring segments include "What's the big idea?", a problem that Sid has with anything that has to do something with the problem; Breakfast Time, when either Alice or Mort teaches Sid something that has anything to do with the problem; The Sid Survey, the segment where Sid asks questions to May, Gerald, and Gabriela; Rug Time, where Sid shows his friends and his teacher something with the problem; The Super Fab Lab, where the scientists do the lab along with a live-action class; Playtime;Singing with Susie;Backseat Driving with Grandma; Scientist in the House!, when Sid solves the problem and/or plays with his family; and "Sid's Super-Duper-Ooper-Schmooper Big Idea!", where Sid would think about what will he do to solve a problem like the one he had from each episode. Sometimes, Sid would have his play date with Gabriela or May after school making it "2 Scientists in the House!"

Maps Sid the Science Kid

Characters

Sid (motion captured by Misty Rosas, voiced by Drew Massey) wants to be a scientist when he grows up. Sid is the most practical character on the show and is often portrayed as a very supportive friend. His special item is a toy microphone with four different colored electric buttons. When pressed, the blue button plays the recorded laughter of people, the yellow button plays the recorded applause, the red button makes a cow noise, and the white button records echoes. He wants to know "everything about everything". He enjoys singing and dancing as well. He is a well-noted observer, and possibly the brightest of the group. His daily activities consist of playing in his room, coming up with a question, asking people about his question, studying his question in school, going home, and presenting his 'Super-duper-ooper-schmooper Big Idea!' It's implied that Sid has a crush on Gabriella. Sid's mother is of African descent and his father grew up Jewish as noted in the Hanukkah/Christmas/Kwanzaa episode. Sid is half African American and half Jewish.

May (motion captured by Dana Michael Woods, voiced by Julianne Buescher) is one of Sid's best friends, marked by her striped stockings and fairness. She is shown to have terrible eyesight (maybe myopic) and in one episode makes a parody of Velma Dinkley in Scooby-Doo. She is the most sentimental character of the group. She is very polite and is characterized by her charming, courteous ways. May often sympathizes with everyone and everything, appreciating even inanimate things like decayed pumpkins and brown, mushy bananas. In the eponymous episode as Sid asks whether she would ever eat a mushy banana, she replies, "Aw, he probably thinks no one likes him. Yes! Yes, I would definitely eat him and be his friend!" In The Perfect Pancake when Sid recalls his father's burnt pancakes, she suggests that the oven might be angry. May has a Manx cat called Mooshu. While her conduct is quite silly at times, May is exceptionally smart, often performing at peak excellence in school. May is Asian American.

Gerald (motion captured by Alon Williams, voiced by Victor Yerrid) is Sid's airhead, vivacious best friend. He often stalls at the start of Rug Time, attempting a very appreciated light-humored gig. He has a dog, a Jack Russell terrier called Chester. He is a very valued character of the quartet, perhaps the most vivid character of the group, often being the life and soul of activities. A running gag is that he's always trying to be funny, but fails miserably.

Gabriela Cordova (motion captured by John Munro Cameron, voiced by Alice Dinnean-Vernon) is yet one of the three best friends Sid got. Unlike her friends, Gabriela is the most sensible character and often comes up with the most reasonable jokes during Good Laughternoon. She is the most authoritative figure of the quartet, often being the leader of the group activities. She is usually the one to propose playing Pretend, always opting to be the mommy. She can allegedly read. Sometimes she comes over to Sid's house to have a play date with him. She has an older brother named Mateo. It's implied that Gabriella has a crush on Sid. Gabriella is Spanish American.

Susie (motion captured by Sonya Leslie, voiced by Donna Kimball) is the Mexican-accented teacher at Sid's school. She begins the day with "Rug Time," where she summons the children to sit in a circle and asks them if they have anything to share with the class or talk about (usually the topic brought up is what was discussed during "Sid's Survey" and what Sid was thinking about earlier in the day). She conducts the experiments with her class. She sings to the children during the "Singing With Susie" segment at the end of the school day. Susie is Mexican American.

Mort (motion captured by John Munro Cameron, voiced by Victor Yerrid) is Sid's father. Mort works in construction and often relates Sid's observations to his work experiences. In the Hannukah/Christmas/Kwanzaa episode it reveals that Mort is Jewish.

Alice (motion captured by Sonya Leslie, voiced by Alice Dinnean-Vernon) is Sid's mother who drives him to school each day. Alice is a website designer and children's computer game developer (Episode 58 "The Amazing Computer Science Tool!). Her name is probably an allusion to her voice actress. Alice is African American .

Rose (Sid's Grandma) (motion captured by Dana Michael Woods, voiced by Julianne Buescher and Donna Kimball) is Sid and Zeke's grandmother, Alice's mother-in-law and Mort's mother she likes to tell Sid stories about herself when she was younger while driving home from school. In the episode Getting a Shot it's revealed that Rose works as a nurse and gave Sid's preschool class vaccinations. Rose is Jewish American.

Dr. Rosalinda Cordova (motion captured by Michelan Sisti, voiced by America Ferrera) is a research scientist at the Science Center that the children often visit, and the mother of Gabriela. She helps to explain the various exhibits at the center and how they relate to the school lessons the children are having. On occasion, she will visit the children in their schoolroom and teach alongside Teacher Susie. She is very proud of her daughter Gabriela. Rosalinda is Spanish American.

Zeke (motion captured by Alon Williams, voiced by Donna Kimball) is Sid's baby brother, he's 10 months old. Just like his older brother, Zeke is half African American half Jewish.

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Episodes

Season 1 (2008-2009)

Tools and Measurements

1. The Sticker Chart (charts) September 1, 2008

2. The Rolie Polie (observation/magnification) September 2, 2008

3. Enough with the Seashells! (estimation) September 3, 2008

4. The Whale Episode (nonstandard measurement) September 4, 2008

5. Super Science Tools! (Tools and Measurements Review) September 5, 2008

Changes and Transformations

6. My Mushy Banana (decay) September 8, 2008

7. My Shrinking Shoes (growth) September 9, 2008

8. My Ice Pops (reversible transformation/Ice) September 10, 2008

9. The Perfect Pancake (irreversible transformation/Heat) September 11, 2008

10. No More Changes! (Changes and Transformations Review) September 12, 2008

Senses

11. The Itchy Tag (texture/touch/feel) September 22, 2008

12. What's That Smell? (smelling) September 23, 2008

13. Grandma's Glasses (sight/vision) September 24, 2008

14. Too Much Noise! (hearing) September 25, 2008

15. All My Senses (Senses Review) September 26, 2008

Health

16. A Brush With Teeth (dental hygiene) October 20, 2008

17. I Want Cake (healthy food groups) October 21, 2008

18. The Big Sneeze (germs) October 22, 2008

19. Must See TV (exercise/fitness) October 23, 2008

20. Sid's Health Day (Health Review) October 24, 2008

Simple Machines

21. The Broken Wheel (wheels) February 9, 2009

22. My Slide (inclined planes) February 10, 2009

23. Sid's Amazing Invention (levers) February 11, 2009

24. The Tree House (pulleys) February 12, 2009

25. Climb, Ignatz, Climb! (Simple Machines Review) February 13, 2009

Backyard Science

26. Hello, Doggie! (animal communication) February 16, 2009

27. Home Tweet Home (animal homes) February 17, 2009

28. The Dirt on Dirt (dirt/soil/mud) February 18, 2009

29. Don't Forget the Leaves! (leaves) February 19, 2009

30. The Bug Club (Backyard Science Review) February 20, 2009

The Body

31. Special Mom Day Meal (stomachs) May 4, 2009

32. I Have Muscles Where? (muscles) May 5, 2009

33. Sid's Amazing Lungs (lungs) May 6, 2009

34. How Did My Dog Do That? (bones/skeletons) May 7, 2009

35. Now That's Using Your Brain (brains) May 8, 2009

Weather

36. Sid's Rainy Play Date (rain/thunder/lighting) September 14, 2009

37. Special Sunny Dad Day (sun/hot) September 15, 2009

38. Sid's Holiday Adventure (snow/cold/ice) September 16, 2009

39. The Wind Did It (wind) September 17, 2009

40. Sid the Weatherman (Weather Review) September 18, 2009

Season 2 (2010-2012)

Force and Motion

43. Slide to the Side (friction) October 4, 2010

44. That's the Way the Ball Bounces (elasticity) October 5, 2010

45. Ignatz's Inertia (inertia) October 6, 2010

46. Sid's Super Kick (force) October 7, 2010

Light and Shadow

47. Let There Be Light (light) November 8, 2010

48. Discovering Darkness (dark) November 9, 2010

49. Shadow Smile (shadows) November 10, 2010

50. A Rainbow Every Day! (rainbows) November 11, 2010

Environmental Systems

51. Where Did The Water Go (water) April 18, 2011

52. Clean Air (Air/Trees) April 19, 2011

53. Reused Robot (Recycling/Trash) April 20, 2011

54. Save the Stump (Habitats) April 21, 2011

Technology and Engineering

58. The Amazing Computer Science Tool! (computers) December 6, 2011

59. The Big Cheese! (research) December 7, 2011

60. Sid Wings It! (flight) December 8, 2011

61. Sid Engineers a Solution (engineering) December 9, 2011

Living Things

64. Sids Pet Project (pets/responsibility) January 23, 2012

65. Sleep? Who Needs It?! (sleep) January 24, 2012

66. Seed the Science Kid (seeds/life cycles) January 25, 2012

67. The Reason Sid's Sneezin (allergies) January 26, 2012

Season 1-2's Specials (2009-12)

Season 1

41. Getting A Shot: You Can Do It! (vaccination) October 26, 2009

Season 2

42. No School Sing-Along Special (Sing-Along/Music) June 21, 2010

55. Sid's Backyard Campout (Camping) June 20, 2011

56. Halloween Spooky Science Special (Halloween: Spiders/Bats/Skeletons/Cats) October 17, 2011

57. I Want to Be a Scientist! (Wildlife biologist/Robotics engineer/Chemist/Astronaut) December 5, 2011

62. Get Up and Move! (Body Movement) January 6, 2012

63. Rock n Roll Easter (Rocks) April 3, 2012