You’ve no doubt heard of the “strong female character,” a woman or girl of action who can take charge of a situation, save the day, and often subvert the expectations of others in the process. We at Infobase want to see all girls grow up to become strong female characters of their own, and so we’re highlighting both fictional characters and great women in history you can watch and learn more about with our products, including Just for Kids streaming media for public libraries and Learn360 streaming media for K–12 schools and districts.
All video titles are available on Learn360 and Just for Kids worldwide unless otherwise noted. We have included searchable item numbers for each title for your convenience.
D.W., Francine, and Muffy (Arthur)
Arthur’s spunky, preschool-age kid sister D.W. can be a handful (especially to her big brother!), but she’s also creative and brave. Watch D.W. Aims High (Item #276787) where she aspires to be the first person on Mars.
In the Arthur series from PBS (Item #154509), you’ll also meet Francine and Muffy. Francine loves sports and music. Muffy is the wealthiest girl in town, and, while she can be a bit snobby, she is also friendly and confident. Watch Muffy run in a classroom election and Francine stand up to her new nosy next-door neighbor in The Election/Francine Goes to War (Item #279091).
Subscribers:
Watch D.W. Aims High on Just for Kids or Learn360.
Watch The Election/Francine Goes to War on Just for Kids or Learn360.
Rosie (Rosie’s Rules)
Rosie Fuentes is an inquisitive five-year-old Mexican-American girl just beginning to learn about the baffling and thrilling world beyond her family walls. Do you know you can’t mail your cat to Mexico? Rosie does now, and it’s one of her “Rosie’s Rules!” Kids ages 3 to 6 will learn this and other wowmazing things as Rosie, her cat Gatita, and her whole family have supertastical adventures together in Rosie’s Rules from PBS (Item #290431). Subscribers, watch The Catrina Mystery/The Lucky Dragon Dance (Item #291832) on Just for Kids or Learn360. (Available in the United States.)
Chrysanthemum
In this story narrated by Meryl Streep (Item #83311), meet Chrysanthemum, a little mouse who thinks her name is absolutely perfect until she starts school and all the kids make fun of her. School Library Journal says this video from Weston Woods’ Children’s Picture Books series is “…(an) exceptional video that every library will want to own.” Subscribers, watch Chrysanthemum on Just for Kids or Learn360. (Available in the United States and Canada.)
Alma (Alma’s Way)
Have you ever wished that you could pause life long enough to figure out the answers to your problems? Well, six-year-old Alma Rivera does that every day! Alma is a proud, confident Puerto Rican girl living in the Bronx alongside her family, friends, and neighbors. Alma’s Way (Item #282020) from PBS helps young viewers discover their own unique voice and find solutions to challenges. Subscribers, watch Alma meet Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and umpire her friends’ kickball game in Justice Sonia and Judge Alma/Justice Sonia and Umpire Alma (Item #290440) on Just for Kids or Learn360. (Available in the United States.)
Chelsea (Chelsea’s Chinese New Year)
Enjoy learning all about Chinese New Year as Chelsea celebrates with her family in Chelsea’s Chinese New Year from Vooks (Item #279692). Last year, she fell asleep too early, but this year, she wants to stay awake for all the fun! Subscribers, watch Chelsea’s Chinese New Year on Just for Kids or Learn360. Includes a lesson plan.
Molly of Denali
Meet Molly Mabray, a curious and resourceful Alaska Native girl! Molly helps her parents run the Denali Trading Post in the fictional village of Qyah, Alaska. Join Molly, her dog Suki and her friends Tooey and Trini on their daily adventures, from fishing to building snow forts! PBS’ Molly of Denali (Item #280760) helps children ages 4 to 8 learn how to use informational texts to solve problems. Subscribers, watch the episode Sassy Ladies on Ice (Item #280765) to meet the Sassy Ladies of Saskatoon—a group of elderly women who love skiing and snowshoeing—as they go in search of a glacier they saw 30 years ago on Just for Kids or Learn360. (Available in the United States.)
Strong Girls and Women from Great Literature
Middle and high school students can find plenty of strong girls and women in the classics. Available on Learn360, the Literature Classics series from Makematic (Item #285508) discusses characters including Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz (Item #285523), Emma from Emma (Item #285530), Mary Lennox from The Secret Garden (Item #285509), Elinor and Marianne from Sense and Sensibility (Item #285511), and Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy from Little Women (Item #285526). Learn360 subscribers, watch this series now!
SciGirls
Available on Learn360 and Just for Kids, PBS’s SciGirls (Item #154608) is a show designed to encourage girls to explore fields in STEM. Animated hosts Izzie and Jake face a new challenge every episode, and bright, curious, real tween girls put science and engineering to work in their everyday lives. Watch Akina and friends dive into underwater robotics at the U.S. Naval Academy in Aquabots (Item #154609), Elin and her best friends design a safer shoe for walking on Minnesota’s icy winter streets in Mother Nature’s Shoes (Item #154610), and more. (Available in the United States and Canada.)
Subscribers:
Watch Aquabots on Just for Kids or Learn360.
Watch Mother Nature’s Shoes on Just for Kids or Learn360.
Sarah E. Goode
In Sweet Dreams Sarah from Vooks (Item #279721), learn the true story of Sarah E. Goode, who was among the first African-American women awarded a U.S. patent, from her childhood as a slave to the day she received that letter from the U.S. Government Patent Office. Subscribers, watch Sweet Dreams Sarah on Just for Kids or Learn360. Includes a lesson plan.
Laura Wheeler Waring
Laura Wheeler Waring discovered an entire rainbow within the beautiful shades of brown she painted. Learn about this great American artist in Beautiful Shades of Brown from Vooks (Item #279688), which subscribers can watch on Just for Kids or Learn360.
Samantha Peszek
Samantha had a BIG dream! Being an Olympian meant she had to be the very best, or so she thought…. Learn about Samantha’s story in Little Girl Big Dream: The Story of Olympian Samantha Peszek from Vooks (Item #279708), which subscribers can watch on Just for Kids or Learn360. Includes a lesson plan.
Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, and Dolley Madison
Can anyone change the world? These presidential women thought so—and they’ve got the life stories to prove it. Learn about them in Courageous First Ladies Who Changed the World from Vooks (Item #279694), which subscribers can watch on Just for Kids or Learn360.
…And Many More Influential Women in Learn360
Did you know Learn360 has an entire Topic Center about influential women? Found in the Social Studies category, the Learn360 Influential Women Topic Center features editorially selected videos, printables, and interactive content on remarkable women in history and today for grades 3–12. Learn about Amelia Earhardt, Antonia Pantoja, Greta Thunberg, Barbara Jordan, Malala Yousafzai, Abigail Adams, Susan B. Anthony, Maya Lin, and more. Learn360 subscribers: Log in today to check it out!
Subscribers, log into Learn360 or Just for Kids today to watch these videos now!
Not a subscriber? Why not take a FREE trial?
See also:
- FREE infographic: Inspiring Women of Science & Technology: Yesterday and Today
- Learn about Women in Native American Society and More
- Celebrate Women’s History Month by Recognizing These Historic Women in STEM
- Celebrate Black History Month with Infobase
- How Do You Get to Sesame Street™? Via Learn360 and Just for Kids!
- Celebrate the Arts with Infobase
- Take Your Young Patrons to Doggyland with Just for Kids!
[Hero image source: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com]
