When Carl Met George / D.W. Swims with the Fishes
From Arthur · 2010
Summary
Two stories (~27 min). In "When Carl Met George," George becomes friends with Carl, a boy on the autism spectrum, and learns how to understand and include a friend who sees the world a little differently. In "D.W. Swims with the Fishes," D.W. faces her nerves on a trip to the aquarium. Free on the official PBS KIDS YouTube channel.
Viewer safety
Carl is a boy on the autism spectrum; the episode warmly models understanding and including a friend who experiences the world differently.
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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 “When Carl Met George / D.W. Swims with the Fishes.”
- What does George learn about how Carl likes to communicate and play?
- Why might everyday things, like loud noises, feel different for Carl?
- What is one kind way to make a new friend feel welcome?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: autism, understand, include, patient, friend.
Try it: List two things that make a good friend. Circle one you can do this week.