• About Assignment: The World •

Program Information | Program Segments |
Obtaining ATW | Meet the Staff | Feedback

• ABOUT ATW >> PROGRAM INFORMATION

The world is getting smaller. Advances in technologies allow us to travel the globe in search of information. Television and computers bring the events of the world into our homes. The stories of events from around the world are literally at our fingertips. These advances make it even more imperative that our children have an understanding of the world around them...socially, politically and economically.

Assignment: The World: A weekly 15-minute news program targeted at fourth through eighth graders, ATW is the nation's longest-running instructional television program. Local broadcast of ATW began in 1959. It is carried on public television stations across the United States. Assignment: The World (ATW) is a children's current events program designed to be used in the classroom. It is a fast-paced, interactive program that covers the top news stories of the week from around the world. ATW helps its viewers to understand the world around them and how events in other countries can and do effect their lives. Instant pop quizzes, clues in the news and issue questions offer interactive opportunities for the student to test their comprehension, improve their research skills and practice writing exercises while viewing the series.

Teachers are encouraged to build a lesson plans around current events and use ATW to bring those events into their classrooms. The pop quizzes, clues in the news and issue questions all encourage its viewers to actively participate in the program. It is a fast-paced news program, not unlike the nightly news you might see on your local station or on the network and cable channels.

ATW uses a traditional anchor as the chief provider on information. The program is written and presented with the target audience in mind. Expectations and editorial decisions will not underestimate the knowledge and experiences of today's viewer. Events from around the world are beamed into homes minutes after they happen. ATW offers children the opportunity to get some of these same events in a manner fitting their educational curriculum and experiences. Each news story will be supported by video obtained through traditional news services. Each school year, ATW produces 36 new shows offered each weeks to classrooms and students across the U.S.

•
© 2003 WXXI-TV/ Assignment: The World. All Rights Reserved.