How does Mystery Science choose lesson content?

When we decide which topics to cover in our lessons, we consider many factors. One important factor is what questions children are actually interested in and are having their teachers send us! Many times these questions stem from the conversations children hear around them, which also means they often will be about topics relevant to current world events.

It's normal for these discussions--whether on TV or radio, or even in conversations between adults that kids overhear--to happen at an adult level, and assume a context that elementary-age children don’t have.

Our goal with all of our content is to help children understand these discussions and the questions that arise from them, at a level that makes sense to them. We do this by showing them evidence from history and science, gathered from reputable sources, in a simplified way that is accessible to children ages 5-10.

We truly hope this is a helpful resource to teachers or parents who want to discuss these topics, and of course, as a teacher or parent, you’ll have the context to know whether or how it makes sense to bring these topics up in class.