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Power Up Your Teaching Practice with PBS LearningMedia and Mountain Lake PBS

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by Logan Brody • Published on • Last modified on
Education

As educators and students prepare for the new school year, it’s the perfect time for teachers to sharpen their instructional skills and refresh classroom routines using PBS LearningMedia.

PBS LearningMedia brings thousands of free, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lessons plans and more into the classroom. Explore exceptional resources and curated collections featuring PBS KIDS shows, award winning PBS and PBS Digital Studios series, local content from Mountain Lake PBS, and self-paced professional development offerings. With a growing library of short how-to videos and tutorials on everything the platform has to offer, using PBS LearningMedia has never been easier.

Check out a curated selection of classroom-ready resources, planning kits, and helpful tutorials, tips, and tools to make the most out of PBS LearningMedia below. Then keep scrolling for professional development opportunities and unique classroom experiences—from CTLE credit offerings for teachers to guided classroom tours of the station—all from Mountain Lake PBS.

Jump to article sections:

Classroom-Ready Resources
PBS LearningMedia Tips & Tools
Local Opportunities

Classroom-Ready Resources & Planning Kits

grades Pre K-5

Teach Your Way Collection | PBS LearningMedia

Teach your way with this timely collection of flexible PBS KIDS resources, aligned to themes and skills for PreK-5th grade students. From exploring resources like video clips, interactive games, printables, self-paced professional learning opportunities, classroom posters and more, choose which you will integrate to support your young learners. You can also use the Teach Your Way calendar and teacher planner to integrate media in creative and developmentally-appropriate ways, all year long!

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grades 3-12

Mountain Lake PBS Collections | PBS LearningMedia

Explore curated collections from Mountain Lake PBS that connect video clips from fascinating local documentaries, like “Return to Auschwitz” and “A Wild Idea,” to classroom-ready activities, teaching tips, and more. Discover the people, culture, and environment of the Adirondacks, Champlain Valley, and beyond with additional resources from our award-winning magazine series, Mountain Lake Journal.

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grades 6-12

Expanding Narratives Using Media: A Planning Kit | PBS LearningMedia

This planning kit has resources, tips, and professional development opportunities rooted in skills supporting critical media literacy. Media literacy education emphasizes skills of inquiry and expression and empowers students to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage as active citizens. We hope these media-rich resources, lesson plans, and worksheets inspire you to engage your students with media analysis and media making in new ways.

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grades 6-12

Digital Studios Collection | PBS LearningMedia

Explore teacher-curated picks from PBS Digital Studios, with short videos that spark curiosity, illuminate big ideas, and just might inspire your students to create their own media!

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Tips & Tools For Using PBS LearningMedia

Get the most out of PBS LearningMedia with helpful articles, tips on easy-to-use features, and more! Check out the entire PBS LearningMedia Tutorials Collection or visit specific resources from the curated list below.

Get Started Using PBS LearningMedia | PBS LearningMedia Tutorials

Educator and former PBS Digital Innovator Kevin Cornell takes us on a spin through PBS LearningMedia and shares his favorite features, top tips for finding content that enhances student learning, and how the platform supports his professional development.

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Are You Filtering PBS LearningMedia Resources by Standards Yet? | PBS Teachers' Lounge

All PBS LearningMedia resources are aligned to national and state curriculum standards. Follow these simple steps to learn how you can quickly filter PBS LearningMedia resources by teaching standards.

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How to Favorite Content and Create Folders | PBS LearningMedia Tutorials

This short tutorial will show you how to “favorite” or save content for later use, how to create folders with saved content — similar to media playlists, and finally, how to share those folders with students, colleagues, and parents.

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How to Use the Lesson Builder Tool | PBS LearningMedia Tutorials

The Lesson Builder tool allows you to add additional context and tasks to any media you’d like to share with your students. This 4-minute video guides you through the process of using the Lesson Builder tool.

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Local Opportunities & Classroom Connections

Take advantage of unique local offerings for educators and students all year round with Mountain Lake PBS – the public media station for the Adirondacks, Champlain Valley, Montreal and everywhere in between!

Professional Development Workshops

Make the most out of PBS LearningMedia with in-person or virtual professional development workshops hosted by Mountain Lake PBS. Learn how to integrate PBS LearningMedia videos, lesson plans, interactives, and curated collections in your classroom. All workshops are free of charge and offer CTLE credit.

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all grades

Field Trips to the Mountain Lake PBS Station

Give your classroom a behind-the-scenes look at television and media production. Learners of all ages from the Adirondacks, Champlain Valley, and Montréal can take a guided tour of the Mountain Lake PBS studio, meet and greet with staff members, and engage in a variety of hands-on experiences.

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Self-Paced CTLE Credit Offerings

Enhance your teaching practice with enriching local content while earning CTLE credit. Mountain Lake PBS is a NYSED-approved provider for CTLE requirements, offering opportunities for educators to earn CTLE credit hours by viewing documentary films and successfully completing associated surveys.

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grades 9-12

Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival

Mountain Lake PBS is proud to celebrate creativity and amplify youth voices across our region through film and digital storytelling with the annual Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival. Participation is free and open to students aged 14-18 in NY, VT, and QC. Students and teachers can access free filmmaking tutorials, classroom resources, and workshops run by professional filmmakers. Winners are announced at an end-of-school year Red Carpet Showcase with cash prizes and video supplies going to the top three films!

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