Sid the Science Kid

Sid the Science Kid
First aired	September 1, 2008
Last aired
Network	PBS
Seasons	2
Episodes	64
(more information)

Sid the Science Kid is an original preschool television produced by The Jim Henson Company. The show features real-time computer-generated puppets, brought to life with the Henson Digital Performance Studio. Production began in the fall of 2008 with 42 half-hour episodes of Sid the Science Kid having initally been ordered; a special vacination episode was produced in the fall of 2009; and a second season, comprising of 13 additional episodes, begin airing in fall 2010. The series debuted on PBS Kids on September 1, 2008, with a two-year on-air commitment.

The main character in the show is Sid, an "inquisitive youngster" who uses comedy to tackle questions kids have about basic scientific principals and why things work the way they do. He tries to answer questions and solve problems with the help of his classmates (May, Gerald, and Gabriela), his teacher (Susie), his parents (Mort and Alice), his paternal grandmother and even his baby brother (Zeke).

Content and Structure

The conceptual content of Sid the Science Kid is based in national science learning standards, cognitive learning theory, and on the preschool science curriculum, Preschool Pathways to Science.

Each week's episodes are built around a single scientific theme or concept. The first week (episodes 1 - 5) focus on scientific tools and concepts (such as charts, observation, estimation, and measuring). The second week (episodes 6 - 10) focuses on changes and transformation (including decay, growth, freezing and melting, and the effects of heat). The third week (episodes 11 - 15) focuses on the senses (including touch, smell, sight, and hearing). The Friday shows are designed to review, reinforce and summarize the central concept of the week.

One recurring segment, "Good Laughternoon", features the kids opening panels in a brightly-colored playground structure and telling jokes. The format and set borrow heavily from the closing "joke wall" of Rolan and Martin's Laugh-In, but for a pre-school audience. Other recurring segment include The Sid Survey, Rug Time, The Super Fab Lab, Susie sings, and Sid's "super-duper-ooper-schmoper" big idea.

Episodes and Cycles

See Sid the Science Kid episodes

Tools and Measurement The Sticker Chart The Rolie Polie Enough With the Seashells! The Whale Episode Super Science Tools Transformation and Change My Mushy Banana My Shrinking Shoes My Ice Pops! The Perfect Pancake! No More Changes! Senses The Itchy Tag What's That Smell? Grandma's Glasses Too Much Noise! All My Senses Health A Brush With Teeth I Want Cake The Big Sneeze Must See TV Sid's Health Day Simple Machines The Broken Wheel My Slide Sid's Amazing Invention The Tree House Climb, Ignatz, Climb Backyard Science Hello Doggie Home Tweet Home The Dirt on Dirt Don't Forget the Leaves The Bug Club

Human Body Special Mom Day Meal I Have Muscles Where? Sid's Amazing Lungs How Did My Dog Do That? Now That's Using Your Brain Weather Sid's Rainy Play Date Special Sunny Dad Day Sid's Holiday Adventure The Wind Did It Sid the Weatherman Force and Motion Slide to the Side! That's the Way the Ball Bounces Ignatz's Inertia Sid's Super Kick! Light and Shadows Let There Be Light Discovering Darkness Shadow Smile A Rainbow Every Day Environmental Systems Where Did the Water Go Clean Air Redused Robot Save the Stump Technogly The Computer Amazing Science Tool The Big Cheese Sid Wings It Sid Engineers a Solution Specials Getting A Shot: You Can Do It! No School Sing-Along Special Sid's Backyard Campout Halloween Spooky Science Special I Want to be a Scienist Get Up and Move Rock n Roll Easter

History and Development

Early show title with then-star "Josh"

Sid the Science Kid was developed by Halle Stanford and Jim Lewis. The initial concept was to create a show to teach science concepts to pre-school kids. The series went into production in the fall of 2007.

Jim Lewis discussed his role in the creation of Sid the Science Kid in a 2008 interview, stating:

“	I was the first guy in. I worked with an executive at Henson, someone I've worked with for years, Halle Stanford. They had an idea there for a science program – basically a pre-science, I forget what the exact term was, but it was to teach science concepts to pre-school kids... My involvement in that was I helped developed the show. I basically got it up to the point where it was sold to KCET, which is the public television station in Los Angeles... When they actually wanted to go into production, I realized I'm too old for this, I don't want to be a show runner – it's a lot of work. So I found someone that Halle and I had both worked with, Bradley Zweig, an enormously talented writer whose worked on a variety of things, I'm sure you can look up on imdb. He's very funny and has just the right sensibility and he's a lot younger than me, and more willing to work brutal hours for the 18-months it takes to do that kind of thing. And he ran the show and executive produced it with Brian and Lisa and Halle. And I wrote a few scripts, you know, and I feel part of it's my baby – but they deserve all the credit.	„
— Jim Lewis

The original working title for the series was "What's the Big Idea?" and the central character, Sid, was originally named Josh.

Sid's personality was originally based on executive producer Halle Stanford's son Max.

The initial conceptual designs for the characters were completed by Elanna Allen, while Creative Supervisor Peter Brooke ensured that the original concepts and designs were maintained when translating into the 3D world of the Henson Digital Performance Studio. Brooke sculpted detailed maquettes of the characters to help translate the designs into 3D.

Character maquettes sculpted by Peter Brooke

Awards and Honors

In 2009, Sid the Science Kid was awarded the Parents' Choice Award and was called "Recommended Television for the spring of 2009" by the organization.

In May 2009 it the nominees for th 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced. Sid the Science Kid is nominated in two categories - "Outstanding Children's Animated Program" and "Outstanding Achievement in Main Title and Graphic Design". The winners will be announed at a ceremony on August 30, 2009.

The series was nominated by the Television Critics Association for a TCA Award in "Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming."

Credits

See Sid the Science Kid credits

Cast

• Sid: Drew Massey / Misty Rosas
• May: Julianne Buescher / Dana Michael Woods
• Gerald: Victor Yerrid / Alon Williams
• Gabriela: Alice Dinnean / John Munro Cameron
• Mort: Victor Yerrid / John Munro Cameron
• Alice: Alice Dinnean / Sonya Leslie
• Zeke: Donna Kimball / Alon Williams
• Susie: Donna Kimball / Sonya Leslie
• Philbert: Bruce Lanoil / Daisy the Dog
• Dr. Rosalinda Cardova: Kristin Charney / Michelan Sisti

Crew

• Executive producers: Brian Henson, Lisa Henson, Halle Stanford, Bradley Zweig
• Producer: Chris Plourde
• Writers: Bradley Zweig, Jim Lewis, Eric Shaw, Corey Powell, Joe Purdy, Craig Bartlett, Will Shepard, Elise Allen
• Song writer: Mike Himelstein
• Directors: Brian Henson, Hugh Martin, Allan Trautman, Katy Garretson, Dean Gordon, David Gumpel
• Story editors: Craig Bartlett, Joe Purdy

See Also

• Sid the Science Kid episodes
• Sid the Science Kid characters
• Sid the Science Kid songs
• Sid the Science Kid merchandise
• Sid the Science Kid promotions
• Sid the Science Kid website

External Links

• Official Website
• Henson.com - "Sid the Science Kid" About
• "Sid the Science Kid" episode list