Press Release from PBS KIDS GO!

New York, NY  --  As it kicks off its eighth successful season on PBS KIDS GO! (check local listings), the daily animated math series Cyberchase will engage kids in a whole new way with Lucky Star, an application for SMART Board interactive whiteboards.  Lucky Star, hosted by Jackie, a popular Cyberchase character, is a fast paced and exciting game show where students answer questions and compete for top scores.  The new app was unveiled by SMART Technologies and PBS KIDS on June 28 at the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) Conference in Denver, CO, where education and technology leaders demonstrate enhancing student learning through technology.

“As a PBS KIDS GO! series, Cyberchase has always developed content-rich, free resources for educators that extend the impact of the series.  The Lucky Star SMART Board app will surely provide an entertaining new way to engage kids in math and problem solving in the classroom,” says Sandra Sheppard, Cyberchase Executive Producer and Director of Children’s and Educational Programming at THIRTEEN.

In response to extensive research and evaluation with teachers, kids and math experts, Lucky Star combines a mix of age-appropriate math and problem-solving, while allowing kids to have fun competing for top scores – the first such interactive whiteboard app for a PBS children’s series.

The questions in Lucky Star’s game show format are designed to help students in grades 3 through 5 strengthen their skills in algebraic thinking, number and operations, geometry, measurement and more.  Students can play alone or in teams as they reason, collaborate, learn from mistakes and represent and test their ideas.

In addition, using assets from Cyberchase – kids’ favorite characters and props to keep the look and feel of the game show – teachers can create their own set of math problems tailored to specific curricular needs.

Nancy Knowlton, CEO of SMART Technologies, explains that “this highly motivational game takes best advantage of the touch screen interactivity of the SMART Board.  Students are encouraged to manipulate objects on screen and use a ‘Think Pad’ to represent their thinking as they solve problems and answer questions.”  She adds, “SMART is excited to be working with a respected educational media brand such as Cyberchase.”

The Cyberchase Lucky Star application for SMART Board interactive whiteboards can be downloaded now on the Cyberchase website at PBSKIDSGO.org/cyberchase/whiteboard or on the SMART Exchange™ website at exchange.smarttech.com.

Cyberchase – the only math series for school-age kids using broadcast, web, new media and educational outreach to impact millions nationwide – airs daily on PBS KIDS GO! across the country.  Check local listings at Cyberchase Online: PBSKIDSGO.org/cyberchase.  In the tri-state area, Cyberchase can be seen weekdays at 4:30 p.m. and 8 a.m. and Sundays at 8 a.m. on THIRTEEN, Saturdays at 12:30 p.m. on V-me, and weekdays at 7 a.m. on WLIW21.

Cyberchase is produced by THIRTEEN in association with Title Entertainment Inc. and WNET.ORG.  Executive producers are Sandra Sheppard, THIRTEEN’s director of Children’s and Educational Programming, and Frances Nankin.  Ellen Doherty is senior series producer.

Major funding for Cyberchase is provided by the National Science Foundation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Ernst & Young LLP and PBS.  Additional funding is provided by The Volckhausen Family.

About SMART
SMART Technologies, the global leader in interactive whiteboards, develops easy-to-use integrated products and services that improve the way the world works and learns. For more than 20 years, innovation and commitment to excellence have been at the core of our business. We help educators achieve better results with technology products that support student-centered learning. We help businesses become more productive with easy-to-use collaboration solutions that enable better results. Our success is driven by our deep commitment to and engagement with both the education and business communities.

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