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New: But Why Learning Guides

Find our new learning guides as a PDF or Google Slide with each episode.

But Why is here to help with your education goals! We've created learning guides to complement our recent episodes. After listening to an episode, use the learning guide to deepen your child(ren)'s understanding of what they've learned. You can find our learning guides at the top of our episode pages. We also have transcripts and some episodes are supplemented with coloring pages, experiments or recipes!

Our learning guides were created with students in kindergarten through grade three in mind (ages 5-9) but may be appropriate for other ages.  Our learning guides can be downloaded as a PDF for easy printing, or you can click "Google Slide" to send a copy of the learning guide to your (or your students') Google account. Students will then be able to add their thoughts in the text fields or use the Scribble tool to draw on the slide. (The Scribble tool is available in Google Slides under the "Line" drop down menu.)  

Our learning guides were designed to meet Common Core standards. Here is a handy list of available guides by category:

Literacy and Comprehension Guides

Why are pandas black and white? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why do flowers bloom? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How much does the moon weigh? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why is Russia Invading Ukraine? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How does the wind blow? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

What would you invent? Ideas from Kids Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why do seasons change? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How are babies made? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Do skyscrapers scrape the sky? Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript

How do squirrels climb trees? Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript

What's The Cleverest Thing A Hippo Can Do? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Is It Ever OK To Break A Rule? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why Do We Compete? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

What's Your Idea To Clean Up The Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why Are Mammoths Extinct? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

What Are Robots Doing On Mars? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

What's A Screaming Hairy Armadillo? How Animals Get Their Names Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why Do Dogs Have Tails? Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript | Coloring Page | Dog Breed Quiz | Answer Key

Why Do Cats Sharpen Their Claws? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Coloring Page | Transcript  

Why Do Ladybugs Have Spots? Do Dragonflies Bite? Listen | PDF | Google Slide  | Transcript

Why Do Cookies Taste Better With Salt? And Other Cooking Questions Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript  

How Does Slime Work? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript | Puffy Slime Recipe | Experiments  

Why Do Lions Roar? Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript | Coloring Page  

Ice, Ice, Baby: Why Is Ice Slippery? ListenPDF | Google Slide | Transcript  

How Do Meteorologists Predict The Weather? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript  

How Do Mussels Get Their Shells? Listen |PDF | Google Slide | Transcript | Ship In Bottle Plans  

How Do Circuits Work? Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript  | Watch On Facebook Live  

How Are Noodles Made? Listen|PDF | Google Slide | Transcript | Video  

What Do Mosquitoes Do In Winter? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript  

Why Are Boys Boys And Girls Girls? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript  

What Happens When A President Is Impeached: Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Vaccines, Masks and Handwashing: A Coronavirus Update Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Explaining Coronavirus To Kids, And The Science of Soap Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Science and KWL Guides

How Do Apple Grow? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How Deep Is the Ocean? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why Do We Wear Clothes? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why Are Fireworks Bright? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How Do You Whistle? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How Are Rocks Formed? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Cool Beans: How Coffee And Chocolate Get Made Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript

Why Are Cactuses Spiky? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why Do Whales Sing? Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript

Why Can't Kids Vote? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why Do Baby Teeth Fall Out? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

What Happens To The Forest After A Fire? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

What Is Electricity? ListenPDF | Google Slide | Transcript | Watch On Facebook Live

Why Do People Have Nightmares? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why Do Trains Run On Tracks? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How Is Paper Made? ListenPDF | Google Slide | Step By Step | Transcript

How Do Earthquakes Happen? Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript

How Do We Taste Food? Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript

Why Am I Afraid Of The Dark? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript | Coloring Page

Why Aren't Babies Just Little Adults? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Story and Creative Guides

What is climate change? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why are some people left-handed? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why do pigs oink? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

What is the biggest number? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How did people keep food cold in olden times? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How are images chosen for coins? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why is the hearts a symbol of love? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why is it a shot? Kids' questions about COVID vaccines Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript

Why Do Americans Use The Word 'Soccer'? Listen| PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Who Invented Money? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

What If I'm Scared To Start School? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Are Seeds Alive? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How Are Words Added To The Dictionary? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why Are Whales So Big? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How Do You Make Ice Cream? Listen |PDF | Google Slide | Recipe | Transcript

Where Does The Sky End? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Are Llamas Ticklish? And Other Silly Questions Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript | Coloring Page

How Do We Fall Asleep? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Do Animals Get Married? Listen | PDF | Google Slides | Transcript | Coloring Page

Why Are Some Words 'Bad'? ListenPDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Why Do We Have To Go To School? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Are Unicorns Real? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript | Coloring Page

Are Jellyfish Made Of Jelly? Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript| Coloring Page

Hopes And Dreams For 2021 From Kids Around The World Listen | PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Live Episodes

In spring 2020, But Why also aired a series of hour-long call-in programs on VPR in collaboration with Vermont's Agency of Education. The Agency created lists of supplemental learning resources and ideas for each of these episodes.

But Why Live: Bats and Beavers Listen | Resource List  | Transcript

But Why Live: Poetry Listen | Resource List  | Transcript

But Why Live: Space Exploration Listen | Resource List  | Transcript

But Why Live: Words and Language Listen | Resource List  | Transcript

But Why Live: Kid Press Conference with Governor Phil Scott Listen | Resource List  | Transcript

But Why Live: Trees Listen | Resource List  | Transcript

But Why Live: A Discussion About Race and Racism Listen | Resource List  | Transcript

But Why Live: A Musical Celebration Listen | Resource List | Transcript

But Why is here to support families and teachers in your educational journies. If you have suggestions or ideas for us please share them! Write to us at questions@butwhykids.org!

 

Melody is the Contributing Editor for But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids and the co-author of two But Why books with Jane Lindholm.
Jane Lindholm is the host, executive producer and creator of But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids. In addition to her work on our international kids show, she produces special projects for Vermont Public. Until March 2021, she was host and editor of the award-winning Vermont Public program Vermont Edition.
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