Using NewsHour Extra Worksheets

Overview: NewsHour Extra worksheets can help students follow along and identify key points in NewsHour science broadcast pieces.

Warm Up: Introduce the topic of the broadcast piece and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Hand out the worksheet and have students answer the questions as they watch the NewsHour segment.

Need a DVD of the science segment?: Write to science@newshour.org.

Story: In Pittsburgh, Robots Help Rebuild Struggling Economy, 4/23/08
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/jan-june08/robots_04-23.html

Worksheet Questions: (click here for printout)

1. What is special about the homes built by the company Blueroof technologies?

Blueroof technologies builds robotic homes that can "take care of" elderly or disabled residents.

2. What will the Stemmler family's house do if D.J. Stemmler's mother forgets to turn the water off?

The house will call D.J. Stemmler's cell phone to alert her .

3. How will Takeo Kanade's "smart home" help dementia patients?

The home will learn residents' day-to-day patterns -- like how to cook an egg -- and then intervene and remind the residents if they forget what they planned to do.

4. Why does Bill Thomasmeyer believe Pittsburgh is an ideal city to become a center for robotics research?

Because Pittsburgh's traditional steel industry was built on engineering, just like robotics research.

For more NewsHour Science Reports, go to www.pbs.org/newshour/science.

For more science lesson plans and worksheets, go to www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/science.