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Thinkabout

Season 1 · 60 episodes · Sep 17, 1979

  1. Thinkabout season 1 episode 1 still

    Episode 1

    Finding Alternatives: Why Bother?

    Sep 17, 1979

    Kelly researches and gathers information to write a book report on George Washington Carver. She imagines his life and considers different possibilities and ideas about his work.

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    Episode 2

    Finding Alternatives: Brainstorming

    Sep 17, 1979

    The school janitor comes up with a plan to stop students from painting in the halls and to make sure they clean up any mess they create.

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    Episode 3

    Finding Alternatives: Blockbusting

    Oct 1, 1979

    Different people try blockbusting by testing their ideas and visualizing the problem to find new solutions.

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    Episode 4

    Finding Alternatives: You Can Remember

    Oct 8, 1979

    On his first day at work, Pete tries hard to remember everything he’s learned as he begins his newspaper route with Erica.

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    Episode 5

    Estimating and Approximating: Estimating

    Oct 15, 1979

    The Shenandoahs use estimating and approximating to figure out how they can beat the other team in the canoe race.

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    Episode 6

    Estimating and Approximating: Approximating

    Oct 22, 1979

    The students use estimating and approximating as they work together to put their school play on stage.

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    Episode 7

    Estimating and Approximating: Using Estimating and Approximating

    Oct 29, 1979

    The kids and their grandmother use estimating and approximating to figure out which supplies they need to buy to help warm up the house.

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    Episode 8

    Estimating and Approximating: Find Your Guide

    Nov 5, 1979

    Mary, Bill, and Priscilla use different words and clues to help them find their guide.

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    Episode 9

    Giving & Getting Meaning: What's the Meaning?

    Oct 29, 1979

    Alfie has a communication problem with Jack about meeting him at the field until a man tells Alfie about communication about the way to give and get meaning.

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    Episode 10

    Giving & Getting Meaning: Meaning is More than Words

    Nov 19, 1979

    Alfie has a communication problem with Jack about meeting him at the field until a man tells Alfie about communication about the way to give and get meaning.

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    Episode 11

    Giving & Getting Meaning: Remember the Audience!

    Nov 26, 1979

    Chuck, Ginger, and Herbie create a movie for Mr. Callahan called All Around the World to help the audience remember what they’ve learned.

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    Episode 12

    Giving & Getting Meaning: But What Does It Mean?

    Dec 3, 1979

    Kathy and Diane share and interpret the meaning of the letter and the newspaper article, then compare their ideas to the story.

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    Episode 13

    Giving & Getting Meaning: The Bigger Picture

    Dec 10, 1979

    Danny runs away from home and takes a bus to another city, where he begins to think about the bigger picture and what his choices really mean.

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    Episode 14

    Giving & Getting Meaning: Where Are You Coming From?

    Dec 17, 1979

    At prep school, Coulter, Hansen, and Blake share and interpret the meaning behind their teacher asking to see them after class, both about their grades and about working on a story about the school.

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    Episode 15

    Challenge #1: Time Capsule: Make a Present for the Future

    Dec 24, 1979

    A time capsule is uncovered in the desert, and the kids explore its contents to learn about the past, understand the present, and imagine the future.

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    Episode 16

    Collecting Information: What Do I Know?

    Dec 31, 1979

    A boy finds a lost puppy in front of the building and starts gathering information to figure out where it came from. Meanwhile, two girls begin searching for the missing puppy, and eventually, they’re the ones who find him.

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    Episode 17

    Collecting Information: Where Should I Go?

    Jan 7, 1980

    Marty and Pete see a red glowing object in the sky. Marty goes to the library to find information inside the encyclopedia about UFO's, Him and Pete and gather objects to collect information about UFOs.

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    Episode 18

    Collecting Information: What Should I Do?

    Jan 14, 1980

    The kids complain about the school meatloaf and decide they want a change. They talk with Ms. Caldwell, the dietitian, to discuss new lunch options. After collecting information and sharing their ideas, they help get the lunch menu changed.

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    Episode 19

    Collecting Information: There are Ways to Remember

    Jan 21, 1980

    Cathy does Tai Chi in the park, and She forgets her notes on the bus stop and remembers how to do Tai Chi for her presentation.

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    Episode 20

    Classifying: Classifying Objects

    Jan 28, 1980

    Sam, his sister and his parents are having a garage sale to raise money and move, they classified and organize objects in the right column.

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    Episode 21

    Classifying: Classifying Information

    Feb 4, 1980

    Leora classifies information does a report about the Walker hotel and interviews Mr. Stark about the history of the hotel.

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    Episode 22

    Classifying: Stereotyping People

    Feb 11, 1980

    Lisa treats and labels her grandmother as old when she is in mean to her and treats her unkindly at home after being released from the hospital for a broken arm.

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    Episode 23

    Classifying: There Are Many Ways to Go

    Feb 18, 1980

    Heather, Leah and Kathy tell the interviewer about understanding a plan to solve a problem by doing things in a different way.

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    Episode 24

    Finding Patterns: People Patterns

    Feb 25, 1980

    Ricky learns about people patterns inside the classroom, and He does a people pattern on a old man inside the apartment building.

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    Episode 25

    Finding Patterns: Communication Patterns

    Mar 3, 1980

    Roger meets a deaf girl student named Jackie, He don't know sign language, so He learns sign language by Communicating Patterns to communicate with her at the school dance.

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    Episode 26

    Finding Patterns: Cultural Patterns

    Mar 10, 1980

    Chiquita goes to Mexico to learn her family's Cultural Patterns.

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    Episode 27

    Finding Patterns: Nature's Patterns

    Mar 17, 1980

    Susan visits her uncle, aunt, and cousin in town, and she and her cousin Howard spend the afternoon exploring nature’s patterns as they search for fish in the pond.

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    Episode 28

    A Challenge: Search for the Unknown

    Mar 24, 1980

    Scientists travel to northern Scotland to investigate the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, known as “Nessie.” Along the way, locals share stories and sightings, describing a mysterious creature that many believe resembles a prehistoric dinosaur.

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    Episode 29

    Generalizing: Drawing Conclusions

    Mar 31, 1980

    A boy is preparing to move to London, England. His father explains the pattern to him, and he later asks Mrs. Stokins for more information about life in England.

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    Episode 30

    Generalizing: Checking Conclusions

    Apr 7, 1980

    Angie explores what it would take to start a music group for the community talent show, hoping it could lead to a record deal.

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    Episode 31

    A Tip: Practice for Success

    Apr 14, 1980

    Jack doesn’t know how to play tennis, so Lindsay and Stephanie teach him. He practices consistently until he becomes skilled at the sport.

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    Episode 32

    Sequencing & Scheduling: One Step at a Time

    Apr 21, 1980

    Barbara, Rudy, and their family work together to plan and schedule the details for their grandfather’s birthday celebration.

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    Episode 33

    Sequencing & Scheduling: Plan Ahead

    Apr 28, 1980

    The kids work together to sequence their ideas and summarize their plan for designing a Loch Ness monster to place in the lake.

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    Episode 34

    Sequencing and Scheduling: Calm Your Jitters!

    May 5, 1980

    Nancy is nervous about giving a presentation at her old school, especially because her former teacher, now the principal, will be there.

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    Episode 35

    Using Criteria: What Are They?

    May 12, 1980

    Woody explains the criteria he uses to evaluate a baseball pitch, while Debbie shares the criteria she uses as a dancer, and even applies them when choosing a card for her mom. In class, the students discuss what “criteria” means and how to use it.

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    Episode 36

    Using Criteria: Where Do You Get Them?

    May 19, 1980

    Larry uses his criteria to ask the automotive experts what makes a good car. Later, his friends Mike and Ed ask him to judge which of them has the better car.

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    Episode 37

    Using Criteria: How Do You Change That?

    May 26, 1980

    Betsy, a basketball player, uses her own criteria to decide who should be the team captain. Now she has to choose, will she vote for Ellie or May?

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    Episode 38

    A Challenge: Design a Language

    Jun 2, 1980

    Two girls watch a deaf man communicate through sign language with the help of his interpreter in their classroom. Inspired, they visit a school for the deaf to learn signs themselves and later watch him use sign language on television.

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    Episode 39

    Reshaping Information: Symbols

    Jun 9, 1980

    Leah uses symbols as clues, while Burt, Faye, Jack, and Jody read and examine different symbols to help choose a name for their baseball team.

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    Episode 40

    Reshaping Information: More Than You Think

    Jun 9, 1980

    Alex gets a job at a carnival as a fortune teller, and he starts thinking about and reshaping what he knows to understand what a fortune teller really does.

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    Episode 41

    Reshaping Information: Summarizing

    Jun 16, 1980

    Jess summarizes his ideas by writing them down and gathers information from his friends to help him get a job as a cashier at a sporting goods store.

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    Episode 42

    Reshaping Information: Maps and Models

    Jun 23, 1980

    The Westside Wranglers use maps and models to figure out how to get their moose head back up on the wall.

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    Episode 43

    A Tip: Get Ahead with Goals

    Jun 30, 1980

    Leon enters a bike race so he can push himself toward his goals and chase a victory.

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    Episode 44

    Judging Information: Should I Believe It?

    Jul 7, 1980

    Sue decides to become a newspaper writer after she evaluates the information about aliens supposedly invading the town of Duncan.

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    Episode 45

    Judging Information: What's Important?

    Jul 14, 1980

    Jamie and Christy visit Sir Gordon’s castle, where they examine and judge the important information surrounding his death.

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    Episode 46

    Judging Information: What's Enough?

    Jul 21, 1980

    Bobby rides his bike to the until it gets stolen, He blames Eddie for taking his bike, He tries to get enough information to see who stole his bike.

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    Episode 47

    Judging Information: Point of View

    Jul 28, 1980

    Michael goes to Cedarville Park to explore different points of view about the automobile strike.

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    Episode 48

    Judging Information: Persuasive Techniques

    Aug 4, 1980

    Wes asks Allen to play football, but Allen turns him down because he has to go to practice. The other boys criticize Allen, calling him a nerd and making fun of his persuasive techniques, especially since he’s now in high school.

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    Episode 49

    A Tip: Make a Deal with Yourself

    Aug 11, 1980

    Duncan makes a deal with himself as he practices guitar for his audition at the country jamboree. Andrew also makes a deal with himself, he commits to showing up to work on time.

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    Episode 50

    Communicating Effectively: Styles of Communication

    Aug 18, 1980

    Bill, Donna, and Gunnar use their different communication styles to take people’s orders at the restaurant.

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    Episode 51

    Communicating Effectively: Planning a Presentation

    Aug 25, 1980

    The kids plan a school presentation to teach everyone about the importance of getting pets vaccinated.

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    Episode 52

    Communicating Effectively: Making a Presentation

    Sep 1, 1980

    Shannon, a Navajo girl, prepares a presentation for the annual speech contest about her heritage. As she practices, she learns the skills of oral delivery, body language, and eye contact to strengthen her presentation.

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    Episode 53

    Communicating Effectively: Making Your Point!

    Sep 8, 1980

    Flash doesn’t get picked for the basketball squad, so he tries to impress the coach—showing off his skills, promoting himself, and making his case right there on the court.

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    Episode 54

    Communicating Effectively: Making It Come Alive

    Sep 15, 1980

    Heather is a ballerina, and she writes a term paper about becoming one when she grows up—bringing her dream to life through her writing.

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    Episode 55

    A Challenge: Make Something New

    Sep 22, 1980

    Sophie talks about being creative, and the kids join in by discussing how they can make something new.

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    Episode 56

    Solving Problems: One Thing Leads to Another

    Sep 29, 1980

    Margie and Janet are babysitting when things get a little mixed up. Realizing they can do better, they start their own babysitting service to earn money. They even figure out how to get their own phone so they can keep the business going, until everything suddenly goes awry.

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    Episode 57

    Solving Problems: A Matter of Time

    Oct 6, 1980

    Susan takes two of her nieces and their friends to Lake Nedar, but their trip takes a sudden turn when they become involved in a plane crash. The plane catches fire, and Susan is injured in the chaos.

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    Episode 58

    Solving Problems: There's Always a Risk

    Oct 13, 1980

    A girl repairs the scanner so she can check out the plane crash involving Colleen, Roxanne, Cathy, and their Aunt Susan. Roxanne and Cathy take a risk when they decide to walk to a nearby town for help.

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    Episode 59

    Solving Problems: Hanging in There

    Oct 20, 1980

    A search begins for three girls and a woman after their plane crashes. News reports cover the unfolding situation, and helicopter crews eventually locate them and carry out the rescue.

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    Episode 60

    Plan a City of the Future

    Oct 27, 1980

    The kids share and discuss their ideas for planning a city of the future.