Series

Nature Cat

39 episodes

Nature Cat and his friends spend 39 entries here on whatever is happening outside. Most are two- to five-minute clips built around one natural thing: clouds, fog, caves, mushrooms, soil washing away in wind and water, animals shedding fur as they grow. Mixed in are full 24-minute episodes carrying two stories apiece, and an hour-long movie special in which the gang wins back the pieces of nature a greedy king has carted off to decorate his castle. Several holiday clips carry no science at all and are filed as just-for-fun. All free on the PBS KIDS channel.

what this series covers

What Nature Cat covers

39 episodes in the library, tagged for Pre-K–3rd. Heaviest coverage: Science, For Fun and Social-Emotional Learning. Between them they line up with 18 distinct standards across 2 frameworks.

Episodes per grade

Pre-K: 6
K: 28
1st: 39
2nd: 39
3rd: 29

Episodes per subject

Science: 32
For Fun: 6
Social-Emotional Learning: 1

NGSS (Science) 17

2-LS4-1Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
2-LS2-1Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.
K-ESS2-1Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.
K-ESS3-3Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.
1-LS1-2Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.
2-ESS2-2Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area.

+ 11 more

3-ESS2-1Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.
1-ESS1-1Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
1-ESS1-2Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.
1-LS3-1Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.
2-ESS2-3Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.
2-LS2-2Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.
K-LS1-1Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
2-ESS2-1Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land.
3-LS2-1Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.
3-LS4-3Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
K-ESS2-2Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs.