Scientastic! facts for kids

Scientastic! is a fun TV show for kids aged 8 to 13. It explores cool topics like science, health, and social issues. The show mixes live actors with animated parts. It's like a mystery show combined with real-life stories. They film it in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Real doctors and scientists are interviewed on the show. So far, two episodes have been released. The episode “Are You Sleeping?” won two Emmy Awards in 2015!

How the Show Started

The idea for Scientastic! came from John A. Pollock. He is a biology professor at Duquesne University. His goal was to help students learn more about science.

Professor Pollock worked with Planet Earth Television. Together, they made the first episode, "Sticks and Stones" (2010). Later, they created the episode “Are You Sleeping?” (2014). Both episodes were directed by Leo Eaton, who also worked on Zoboomafoo. Mike Erskine-Kellie wrote the stories.

The Story and Characters

The show's story follows a young girl who loves to explore science. She wants to learn new things and help people. In the first episode, she is a 12-year-old named Leah. Actress Lili Reinhart played Leah. In the next episode, “Are You Sleeping?”, she is 14 and named Cassie. Actress Gabrielle Phillips played Cassie.

Her younger brother joins her adventures. Cassie looks for clues at her local library. Then, she visits different museums, hospitals, and other places. She interviews real-life experts there. The show also uses 2-D and 3-D animations. These animations help explain things like anatomy (how bodies are built) and biology (how living things work). There are also short music and dance parts.

Many groups helped make "Sticks and Stones" and "Are You Sleeping?". These included the Regenerative Medicine Partnership in Education. Professor Pollock leads this group. The Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School (CAPA) also helped.

The First Episode: "Sticks and Stones"

The first Scientastic! episode is called "Sticks and Stones." It teaches about bones. You'll learn how bones are made, how they get food (nutrition), and how they heal. It also talks about how stem cells can help fix bones.

The story is about Leah (played by Lili Reinhart) and her friend Habiba. Habiba breaks her arm during soccer practice. Some bullies were rough with her. Leah wants to help Habiba feel confident again. So, Leah starts to investigate bones. She visits hospitals, museums, and research labs in Pittsburgh. She interviews doctors, scientists, and researchers. These experts are from places like UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. She also visits the National Aviary and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Leah's younger brother, Axel, films her investigations. Joseph Serafini played Axel. At the end, Leah uses Axel's videos to make a webcast. This webcast was shown on the show's website.

"Sticks and Stones" came out in May 2010. It first aired on September 2, 2010. It was shown on WQED-TV. This is Pittsburgh's PBS TV station.

The Episode: "Are You Sleeping?"

The Scientastic! episode “Are You Sleeping?” looks at what happens when people don't get enough sleep. It especially focuses on how lack of sleep affects learning and making choices.

In this episode, Cassie studies all night for a math test. But she still fails it! This makes her want to learn all about sleep science. She wants to help her family and classmates who are also tired. Cassie and her younger brother Dean interview experts. They visit the Pittsburgh Zoo, Phipps Conservatory, and Meadowcroft Rockshelter. They also visit a sleep lab at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

The episode also talks about a big discussion in the U.S. about school start times. Many people wonder if schools should start later. In 2013, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan talked about this. He said that starting school later makes sense. He also said that science supports this idea.

This hour-long episode aired in April 2014 on WQED-TV. It was also shared by American Public Television. More than 100 public TV stations across the U.S. showed it.

Awards and Funding

In 2015, Scientastic! “Are You Sleeping?” won two Emmy Awards! These awards were from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. It won for being a great Children/Youth/Teen Program. It also won for its Music Composition/Arrangement.

Scientastic! got money from several groups. These included UPMC Health Plan and the National Center for Research Resources. It also received funding from the National Institutes of Health and the United States Department of Education. The Pittsburgh Foundation also helped fund the show.