Welcome to the latest installment of “What We’re Watching,” a weekly Paley Education@Home guide. During this unprecedented time, we are continuing to reach out to our community with tips and ideas for consuming media with kids! We know that screen time has increased and so we’re here to help. Each week we are highlighting a different theme that connects to selected programs for younger and older viewers, with related activities and resources.

Consuming media with your kids is a perfect jumping-off point to making media literacy a part of your everyday lives. Familiarizing yourself with the basics is a great first step. In case you missed it, you can view our first edition about media literacy best practices. We also recommend the National Association for Media Literacy Education’s Parents Guide—it’s a terrific introduction!

For connection details, please RSVP to eduny@paleycenter.org.

Now that Election Day is behind us, we are turning our focus to the origins of American democracy. It feels like more than ever, Americans are asked to consider what the framers of the Constitution wanted for our nation and how much weight those considerations should actually carry in 2020. It also happens to be the time of year that many students are studying Colonial history and the Revolutionary War. So let’s settle in with a nice cup of hot chocolate and get into our recommendations!

The Who Was? Show has a great concept—what if a sketch comedy show focused on historical figures? This clever approach gets young audiences interested in history by embracing humor, music, and dance. Each episode splits its time highlighting big moments in the lives of two different figures, in this case George Washington and Marco Polo, while also doing some fact-checking along the way! It’s a lot of fun and, hopefully, a bit of inspiration for even more historical research!

It may not be the best time for travel, but luckily George Washinton’s Mount Vernon estate has virtual exhibitions.

Animaniacs: “The Presidents Song / Don't Tread On Us / The Flame Returns” (Season 3, Episode 8)

Available to stream on Hulu

Available to stream on Starz

Does Hamilton need an introduction? Since premiering on the stage in 2015, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical has become a smash hit, a critical darling, and a cultural touchstone. When the filmed original cast performance was put on Disney+ earlier this year, it was a great reminder that American history should be constantly re-evaluated and re-contextualized. Young viewers will be entranced by the music and choreography, and hopefully find something in the story to spark their historical curiosity.

Make your own hip hop tracks using the LOC’s public audio collections

Recommended for Older Teens and Adults

Hamilton: History Has Its Eyes on You (2020), Available to stream on Disney+

Hamilton: Original Broadway Cast Recording (2015), Available to stream on Spotify

As always, if you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at eduny@paleycenter.org.

Happy viewing,

Rebekah Fisk, Director of Education

Caroline Quigley, Senior Manager of School & Family Programs

Photos—The Who Was? Show: Netflix; Hamilton: Disney+

We hope this inspires you to watch and learn together in a new way at home! The Paley Center is here for you and, now more than ever before, we would deeply appreciate your support. Please consider making a donation: