American History for Kids
Dear Contributor,
Since 2001, Find the Fun Productions has based its media work on the principle that learning American history is essential for the well-being of our children and our nation. With this goal in mind, Howard Egger-Bovet has emerged as the leading producer of American history media for kids. His experiences as a notable children’s American history book author, radio personality, classroom teacher, theatrical performer, and musician have taught him that we must first reach children if we are to teach them about America’s past. With this critical need of children in mind, Find the Fun Productions has developed a unique interactive media approach called the Reach then Teach Method. We cannot expect present-day children to openly embrace the past and to want to know about American history unless they realize that looking back at the lessons of history is not a waste of their time; and that the past is relevant to their lives here and now.
To help children develop this important understanding about the world they live in, Find the Fun Productions blends theatrical and interactive educational formats that create strong connections between the past and the present. We employ a diverse range of educational constructs including original songs, puppetry, theatrical vignettes, animation, humor, drama, and critical thinking questions—all designed to engage the diverse learners found in every classroom and in every home.
Now more than ever, it is critical that history teachers and families have interactive instructional materials, and that learners are presented with educational media that engages them quickly and effectively. As students strive to pass math, science, and language arts exit-skills tests in today’s classrooms, less and less time is allocated for teaching American history at the elementary-school level, leaving middle school teachers and parents with an overwhelming challenge.
“There is a disturbing imbalance in the mission of public education,” says the report by the American Youth Policy Forum and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. “The recent preoccupation of the nation with reshaping academics and raising academic performance has all but overpowered a task of equally vital importance—educating our young people to become engaged members of their communities as citizens.”
“We’re quite concerned that if students do not get the basic skills in social studies in grades K-6, the result will be students entering high school with very little background information in any of the social studies subjects,” says Mr. Garcia, a professor of social studies education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
With every production, Find the Fun Productions strives to find even more effective ways to reach children as no other media can. Our first production titled American Colonies/American Revolution, directed by the Academy Award winning director Bert Salzman, led to The Civil War: American Against American, which implemented a unique and innovative interactive, critical-thinking question format. One California teacher describes the experience with her students as “the interactivity of the videos has made one of the greatest differences. No other media has allowed me to involve my students while they learn, providing such positive results.”
Our most recent production, The American Constitution: Bundle of Compromises is intended for middle school audiences and is designed to produce even better results and greater student understanding in order to meet this critical yet overlooked need in US education. The American Constitution: Bundle of Compromises (covering the Magna Carta, the Great Awakening, the Articles of Confederation, the US Constitution, and key working elements of the American Federal Government) has been produced almost entirely in-studio with award-winning Images in Motion Media.
In addition to its notable original music, high-energy theatrical format, and an ensemble of gifted actors, it employs informative animation and cutting-edge puppetry designed and operated by the award-winning Images in Motion Media. Lastly, with FTFP’s new interactive/manipulative educational techniques, students will be given the tools to interact and truly learn rather than sit passively. Winner of 2 Telly Awards, rave reviews and an endorsement by Kids First!, the stunning, award-winning results of The American Constitution: Bundle of Compromises makes the next evolution of Find the Fun Productions educational media even more effective at reaching students.
To contribute, all donations can be made with a credit card by calling 415.558.2151 or by a check sent to Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC). Contributions are $100-$1500, $2000-$5000, $6,000-$10,000,$10,000-$20,000, and $25,000 and above. Please note Find the Fun Productions on the memo portion of the check.
MAILING ADDRESS:
BAVC
Attn: Fiscal Sponsorship
2727 Mariposa St., 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA. 94110
Historically yours,
Howard Egger-Bovet