Big Bird, with Lily and Elmo.
Sesame Street: Big Bird Looks at the World (芝麻街: 大鸟看世界, Zhima Jie: Da Niao Kan Shijie) is a Chinese Sesame Street co-production which premiered on the Ha Ha Channel on December 22, 2010. The fifty-two episode 11-minute series features Big Bird and Elmo, and introduces a new character, a tiger cub named Lily, who loves martial arts and learning to read. It is a follow-up to China's previous Sesame Street co-production Zhima Jie.
The series promotes scientific discovery and the characters will try to search answers to questions such as: "Why do birds fly?" or "Why are polar bears white?"
The series was a success in China with 400,000 preschoolers and nearly one million mothers with young children watching in the first two months.[1] The show won the 2011 Hugo Award for its 'innovative and outstanding' contribution to the world of television.[2]
In 2012, it was announced that there would be a second Chinese-language program, Fun Fun Elmo.
Format[]
Before each episode, there are segments that features Elmo and some children engaging in a science-based craft activity that viewers can do at home. Science-based crafts include creating a bird feeder from a juice carton, making a rain stick, and writing a secret message with lemon juice. These segments are to encouraged children and parents to engage in scientific inquiry and exploration in their everyday lives.
Each episode is triggered by a question that the Muppet characters have when they notice something about the world around them. Within each episode, two live-action films provide in-depth information and real-world visuals. One of these live action films features a hands-on activity that relates to the question raised. A second live action film presents additional information and insight on the topic at hand. These segments are designed to extend the science knowledge and to bring it to life.[3]
At the end of each episode, there is a song that the Muppet characters and children sing relating to the topic of the episode.
Sources[]
- Landreth, Jonathan. "Sesame Street Ready to Return to China", The Hollywood Reporter. December 15, 2010.
- "New children's series Sesame Street's Big Bird Looks at the World to debut on Ha Ha Channel this month", Sesame Workshop press release. December 15, 2010.
- ↑ Sage Journals "Science learning in early years: Effects of the Chinese television series Big Bird Looks at the World" by Yeh Hsueh, Zongkui Zhou, and Katherine Kitzmann, July 18, 2017
- ↑ Center for Universal Education at Brookings "Sesame Street: Combining Education And Entertainment To Bring Early Childhood Education To Children Around The World" by Christina Kwauk, Daniela Petrova, and Jenny Perlman Robinson, July 2016
- ↑ New Children’s Series “Sesame Street’s Big Bird Looks at the World” To Debut on Ha Ha Channel"