DragonflyTV facts for kids

Quick facts for kids DragonflyTV
Created by	Twin Cities Public Television
Starring	Eric Artell, Michael Brandon Battle, and Mariko Nakasone
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	7
No. of episodes	72
Production
Running time	30 Minutes
Production company(s)	Twin Cities Public Television
Distributor	PBS Distribution (Public television/international) Storrs Media/Telco Productions (Commercial television)
Release
Original network	PBS Kids (January 19, 2002–October 10, 2004) PBS Kids Go! (October 11, 2004–May 30, 2010) Broadcast syndication
Original release	January 19, 2002 (2002-01-19) – December 20, 2008 (2008-12-20)

DragonflyTV was an exciting science education TV show. It was made by Twin Cities Public Television. The show was on PBS Kids from 2002 to 2008. You could still catch reruns until 2009.

The show was special because it used a "real kids, real science" idea. This meant that actual kids did cool science experiments and investigations. It even helped create another great science show called SciGirls.

Exploring Science with DragonflyTV

DragonflyTV was all about showing how science is everywhere. Kids on the show explored different science topics. They did experiments, built things, and observed the world around them.

Meet the Hosts

For the first four seasons (2002-2005), the show was hosted by Michael Brandon Battle and Mariko Nakasone. Later, for seasons 5-7, Eric Artell took over as host. These later seasons also worked with science museums to bring even more amazing science to viewers.

Season 1 (2002): Starting the Investigations

The first season of DragonflyTV introduced viewers to hands-on science. Kids explored many different topics.

• Robots and Movement: Teams designed and tested robots for competitions. Others looked at how different martial arts moves affected their bodies.
• Wheels and Speed: Motocross racers and skateboarders experimented with how body position and wheel size changed speed and control.
• Nature and Animals: Kids observed animal behavior, like dog intelligence and otter grooming. They also explored how rivers affect rock size and how terrain impacts surfing waves.
• Flight and Weather: Investigations included how wing designs affect model airplanes and how to build tornado models to understand storms.
• Everyday Science: Episodes also covered how solar cars work, how leaves change color, and how hot-air balloons fly.

Season 2 (2003): Deeper Dives into Science

This season continued with kids doing real science. They showed different ways to investigate things. This included doing experiments, engineering new designs, and carefully observing.

• Sports Science: Kids explored how to avoid dizziness in figure skating and how muscle power affects soccer kicks. They also looked at how boat speed impacts waterskiing stunts.
• Building and Design: Investigations included how snow can keep you warm by building shelters. They also tested different building materials for strength.
• Forces and Motion: Episodes showed how arm positions affect skiing spins and how different rocket designs change how high they fly.
• Human Body: Kids explored how to avoid dizziness, which sunscreens work best, and if physical activity helps memory.
• Ecosystems and Animals: Investigations included studying salmon populations, turtle nesting habits, and why certain plants grow in specific places. They also looked at how sea lions' diets affect their behavior.
• Technology and Sound: Kids compared GPS to compasses for navigation and explored how music beats affect dancing. They also measured sounds in busy places.

Season 3 (2004): New Challenges and Discoveries

Season 3 brought more exciting science challenges. Kids continued to investigate a wide range of topics.

• Adventure Science: Rafting teams measured river flow, and ski jumpers used GPS to study different jumping styles.
• Engineering Marvels: Kids built their own hovercrafts and boats from milk cartons. They also designed and tested bicycle helmets.
• Wind and Weather: Investigations included how kite designs affect flight and how to build wind tunnels to test car aerodynamics.
• Forensics and Health: Kids used detective skills to gather evidence at a "crime scene." They also studied how pets might help lessen pain and how germs spread.
• Animal Communication: Young riders investigated how horses communicate using ear positions. Others observed penguin behavior at an aquarium.
• Space and Astronomy: Kids sent snacks into orbit to see how they'd be as space food. They also made models of moon craters and launched weather monitors on model rockets.

Season 4 (2005): Science in Action

This season continued the "real kids, real science" approach. Kids explored energy, friction, and animal behavior.

• Energy and Motion: Fencers investigated the energy in their moves. Martial arts athletes learned how different moves challenged their bodies.
• Engineering Solutions: Kids fine-tuned bike tire studs for icy lakes and modified robots for competitive edges.
• Animal Behavior: Investigations included how different rabbit breeds perform in challenges and how wolf pack behavior works.
• Friction and Sound: Kids explored how curling stones move on ice and how noisy communication affects volleyball performance.
• Human Body: Divers used high-speed cameras to study how body positions reduce splash. Ski jumpers examined modern versus old jumping styles.
• Simple Machines: Kids designed and built a trebuchet, a type of catapult. They also found the best gear ratio for racing karts.

Season 5 (2006): Science Across the USA

In this season, DragonflyTV teamed up with science museums across the United States. Kids visited famous science spots and did investigations related to those places.

• Pittsburgh: Kids explored why bogs preserve things and designed roller coasters at the Carnegie Science Center.
• Dallas & Fort Worth: Fossil detectives dug for tiny fossils. Others found the "sweet spot" on a baseball bat.
• Los Angeles: Kids compared fish in aquariums to those in the wild. They also designed efficient model sailboats.
• Minneapolis & Saint Paul: Inspired by music, kids created their own instruments. Others explored how electrical signals help prosthetic arms work.
• New York: Luge team members investigated gravity to improve their timings. Kids also explored how plants and animals live together in a rainforest exhibit.
• Phoenix & Tucson: Kids learned about construction techniques and explored which creatures make the Saguaro cactus their home.
• San Francisco: Kids walked fault lines to learn about earthquakes. They also created interactive art installations inspired by light and color.

Season 6 (2007): More Adventures in Science

The journey continued in Season 6, with kids exploring science in new and exciting locations.

• Alaska: Kids studied glaciers using old photos and modern equipment. They also investigated tree growth rates in the world's largest temperate rainforest.
• New Mexico: Kids learned about hot air balloons and participated in a balloon festival. Others explored caves and helped band cave swallows.
• North Carolina: SciGirls compared biodiversity in different types of wetlands.
• Montana/Yellowstone: Kids dug up dinosaur bones and figured out their age. Others investigated why some areas in Yellowstone have geysers.
• New England: Kids built dynamic sculptures for a chain reaction event. They also investigated water pressure and created a gravity-powered fountain.
• The Deep South: Kids explored "garbology" (the study of trash) and learned about swamp habitats preferred by alligators.
• Hawaii: Kids learned about lava flow at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. They also swam with sea turtles and helped assess their readiness for release.

Season 7 (2008): The World of Nanotechnology

The final season focused on nanotechnology. This is the science of extremely tiny things, often at the atomic or molecular level. Kids learned how this amazing science affects our world.

• Size and Scale: Kids explored how big a billion is and how small a billionth is. They searched for examples of tiny objects and even tried to "see" a nanometer.
• Structure of Matter: Investigations included how carbon nanotubes make hockey sticks stronger. Kids also learned why butterfly wings are so colorful, discovering it's due to their tiny structures.
• Small is Different: Kids found out why flour dust can be explosive, learning about surface area. They also discovered how tiny gold and silver particles create different colors in stained glass.
• Forces at the Nanoscale: Kids explored how geckos can climb so easily, learning about the special tiny hairs on their feet. They also investigated why water beads up on some plants, due to tiny "nano hairs" on their leaves.
• Applications: Kids learned how scientists use "self-assembly" to make things at the nanoscale. They also explored how nanotechnology helps regenerate nerves and bones.
• Nanotechnology and Society: Investigations included how nano-iron can clean up contaminated water. Kids also looked at whether nanosilver in socks, used to kill bacteria, could affect the environment when washed.