Summary
A full single-segment episode (~15 min). The kids find what they think is a list ranking them from smartest to least, and they become obsessed with their 'place' -- until they learn the school doesn't rank students at all, because labels give people the wrong idea. A story about self-worth and not comparing yourself to others. Free on the official PBS KIDS YouTube channel.
Viewer safety
All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Arthur stories open the door to talking about feelings, friendship and doing the right thing. Use these questions to talk about “Arthur's Numbers Nightmare.”
- Why do the kids get so worried about the list?
- Why does the school choose not to rank students?
- What makes someone valuable that a number could never measure?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: ranking, compare, worth, label, effort.
Try it: Write three things that make you 'you' that no test score could measure.