Theme Wednesdays!

Starting at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, settle in for an evening of discovery as Nature, NOVA, NOVASciencenow and others explore related themes!

 July 8: Apes and More

7 p.m. – Nature: The Gorilla King

King among the mountain gorillas of Rwanda, Titus is one of only 700 of his kind alive today. Dian Fossey, the famed primatologist, was his first human contact, meeting and naming him in August of 1974, when he was just two days old. In the decades that followed, his surroundings have changed beyond recognition, and he has been orphaned, abandoned, surrounded by civil war, poachers, farmers, scientists, disease and new technology.

8 p.m. – NOVA: Ape Genius

The great apes - which include chimps, orangutans, gorillas and bonobos - seem to have rich emotional lives similar to our own. But just how smart are these animals? A new generation of investigators is revealing the secret mental lives of great apes; our evolutionary next-of-kin are turning out to be far smarter than most experts ever imagined.

9 p.m. – NOVAscienceNow: How Smart Are Animals?

How well can we understand what’s going on in the brains of non-human animals? Do our pets — like dogs — have the same feelings we do? How smart are animals really? Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts.

July 13: Marine Life

7 p.m. – Nature: Oceans in Glass

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is recognized as one of the most significant and spectacular aquariums in the world. Instead of exhibiting collections of animals, the aquarium presents entire habitats, virtual slices of ocean that include 30,000 animals and plants. But how does an aquarium work? There is one animal in particular whose presence is drawing attention – a great white shark.

8 p.m. – NOVA: Kings of Camouflage

Cuttlefish are some of the strangest animals on the planet. These shape-shifting creatures can hypnotize their prey, impersonate the opposite sex and even kill with lightning fast speed. More accomplished masters of disguise than any chameleon, they have a remarkable ability to change their skin color - even their shape - to blend into most any background.

9 p.m. – Jean Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures

Jean-Michel Cousteau travels with his son and daughter, Fabien and Celine, and team to the high Arctic to discover why some beluga groups are thriving and others are disappearing.

July 20: Ancient Civilizations

7 p.m. – Secrets of the Dead: Lost in the Amazon

A modern day quest to find the truth behind one of exploration's greatest mysteries: What happened to famed adventurer Col. Percy Fawcett who went looking for a city of gold — the Lost City of "Z" — in the Amazon in 1925 and disappeared in the jungles of Brazil forever? The myth becomes reality!

8 p.m. – NOVA: The Great Inca Rebellion

The first NOVA/National Geographic Television special goes to an impoverished suburb of Lima, Peru, to excavate an ancient cemetery crammed with mummies. In a truly startling find, some corpses differ from all the rest. The forensic evidence may be a decisive clue that helps explain a long-standing mystery about the Spanish conquest of Peru in 1532.

9 p.m. – Secrets of the Dead: Aztec Massacre

Throughout recent times, historians have believed that when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Aztec territory in the 15th century, they were welcomed as returning light-skinned gods by the Aztecs, who put up little resistance to their conquest. But now, a new find outside of Mexico City is turning history on its head.

July 27: Dinosaurs and Friends

7 p.m. – NOVA: Lizard Kings

Though they may look like dragons and inspire stories of man-eating, fire-spitting monsters with long claws, razor-sharp teeth and muscular, whip-like tails, these creatures are actually monitor lizards, the largest lizards to walk the planet. And even though these bizarre reptiles haven't changed all that much since the dinosaurs, they are a successful species.

8 p.m. – NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs

How is it that dinosaurs managed to survive and even thrive in the gloom of the dark and frigid polar regions? This is one of today's most intriguing, little-known enigmas in paleontology. Now, a unique field expedition, covered exclusively by NOVA, will set out for Alaska's North Slope to defrost a jackpot of new fossil clues.

9 p.m. – American Experience: Dinosaur Wars

In the summer of 1868, paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh boarded a Union Pacific train for a sightseeing excursion through the heart of the newly opened American West. While most passengers simply saw magnificent landscapes, Marsh soon realized he was traveling through the greatest dinosaur burial ground of all time.

Learn more about Ken Burns' new film, prominently featuring Oklahoma – and how you can join the conversation.

The PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest 2011 is being coordinated by WNED-TV, Buffalo/Toronto (“WNED”).  WNED supports local station development for this year’s Contest until a national sponsor can be secured. The Contest traditionally runs from January through March, with the judging taking place in April. Local winner announcements should be made no later than May 31^st to allow for consistency The OETA Contest will run from January 10, 2011 through March 25, 2011. These contest rules are subject to modification by WNED.

Eligibility & Entry Guidelines

• Entrants must be in kindergarten, first, second or third grade.
• Children of employees of OETA, WNED, sales representatives, subsidiaries or parent companies, advertising/sales promotion agencies, and judges are not eligible.
• Only one entry per person will be accepted; all subsequent entries will be disqualified.
• Only single author stories qualify (no co-authored stories).
• Stories can be fact or fiction, and prose or poetry.
• Any failure to adhere to these Contest Rules may result in disqualification from the contest.
• No purchase is necessary.

Word Count

• Kindergarten and first grade stories must have a minimum of 50 words and a maximum of 200 words.
• Second and third grade stories must have a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 350 words.
• The word count includes “a,” “an,” and “the,” but not the words on non-story pages such as the title page or those that enhance the illustrations.
• Text must be printed or written legibly or typed.
• Children who cannot write may dictate their story to be printed, written legibly or typed.
• Text may be integrated into the illustration pages or on separate pages.
• Non-English text must be translated on the same page and the translation text must adhere to word count.
• Invented spelling is accepted.

 Format & Illustrations

• Stories must have at least 5 original, clear and colorful illustrations.
• Original art can include drawings, photographs, collages, and 3-D.
• Stories must be created on one side of the paper and numbered on the back of each page.

 Official Entry Form

• Each entry must include the official PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest Entry Form 2011, with the required signature of a parent/guardian (and, if appropriate, the optional signature of the sponsoring teacher), confirming that the story and art are original, and granting certain rights to the entry materials.
• The entry form must be complete and legible.

 Judging, Awards & Notification

Entries will be judged on originality, creative expression, storytelling and integration of text and illustrations. OETA - The Oklahoma Network will judge local submissions.  All decisions of the judges are final and not subject to appeal or review.  Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received at participating stations. Local prizes for the 2011 Contest are determined by OETA - The Oklahoma Network. Prize recipients must allow a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks from notification to delivery.  Prizes are non-transferable.

Return of Entries

The Contest administrators will make every effort, but are not required, to return entries only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope of an appropriate size. OETA and WNED are not responsible for late, lost, stolen, misdirected, damaged, mutilated, incomplete or illegible entries, or postage-due mail.

Rights Associated with Contest

Submission of the Entry Form constitutes permission for OETA - The Oklahoma Network and WNED to use the participants’ name, likeness, biographical information, information and materials contained in the Entry Form, photographs, and any statements or remarks made about the Contest in advertising and promotion without further compensation or permission, except where prohibited by law.  All entries, and any copyrights therein, become the sole property of OETA - The Oklahoma Network and WNED.  By entering, entrants agree to abide by the above stated rules, and warrant that their entry is their original work and does not infringe upon or violate rights of any third party, and grant to OETA - The Oklahoma Network and WNED the right to edit, publish, promote, and otherwise use their entry materials without permission, notice or compensation.  No royalties will be paid at this or any time.

By submitting an entry and Entry Form, each participant (and parent or guardian) assigns all right, title, and interest in and to the entry and Entry Form to OETA - The Oklahoma Network and WNED and warrants that the participant (and parent or guardian) have the authority to assign such right, title, and interest. In the event that any applicable law requires certain formalities to be fulfilled to effectuate such grant of rights, each participant (and parent or guardian) agrees to cooperate with OETA - The Oklahoma Network and WNED to achieve fulfillment of such formalities.

By submitting an Entry Form, each participant (and parent or guardian) agree to be bound by these Contest Rules.  Each participant (and parent or guardian) agrees to release and hold OETA - The Oklahoma Network and WNED, and their employees, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, representatives, subsidiaries, parent companies, or other affiliated companies harmless from any and all damages, losses, claims and liabilities arising out of participation in the Contest or resulting from acceptance or claiming of any prize hereunder.  OETA - The Oklahoma Network and WNED reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to terminate, suspend or otherwise cancel the Contest at any time.  Income and all other taxes are the responsibility of the prize recipient.  OETA - The Oklahoma Network and WNED are not responsible for any expenses incurred in connection with participation in the Contest.

Please Note: PBS member stations are permitted to use the PBS name and PBS KIDS GO! logo for this contest, but PBS does not produce or sponsor the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest.  PBS takes no part in the receipt or judging of entries and the awarding of prizes.  The PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest is operated entirely by WNED and your local station.

OETA-The Oklahoma Network will premiere two new educational programs - TV411 and GED Connection on Monday June 1 at 10 and 11 a.m. The programs fit perfectly with OETA's core mission to provide educational public television programming statewide.

PBS Kids programming has long been the gold standard for promoting literacy development in our young children and these new programs enable OETA to encourage and promote lifelong learning to Oklahoma adults interested in furthering their education. 

OETA appreciates the Oklahoma City Community Foundation's commitment to our community and is grateful that the organization recognizes and supports the power of television as a teaching tool. 

TV411
Premieres Monday June 1 and will air weekdays at 10 and 10:30 a.m. through July 31. Viewers can record TV411 for later viewing.

The Emmy Award-winning series offers practical, accessible literacy and life skills to adults. TV411 focuses on parenting, money matters and health. Lively video lessons teach practical math and writing, reading comprehension and include motivational interviews with popular personalities and adult learners.

GED Connection
Premieres Monday June 1 and will air weekdays at 11 and 11:30 a.m. through July 31. Viewers can record GED Connection for later viewing.

The series teaches skills and knowledge tested on the new GED exam. Subsequent programs prepare viewers in the areas of reading, writing, social studies, science and math using an engaging documentary style and demonstrations of people applying new skills in real life. Viewers also benefit from five programs on test-taking strategies and one on preparing for the essay.