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One Love Foundation

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Autumn Adventures: FableVision's 2022 Back-to-School Guide

Back to School

After a sunny and spectacular summer vacation, returning to school or starting school for the first time can be scary. Whether your family traveled, relaxed, spent time outdoors, or simply had a different schedule, it takes time to shift back to your school and fall routines. To help your children combat the “school scaries” and enjoy the fall, we’ve compiled a list of resources to ensure that they have a fantastic year full of educational and engaging learning. 

International Dot Day

Empower kids to make their marks by celebrating International Dot Day on September 15-ish. Based on FableVision’s Co-Founder and New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot, International Dot Day encourages kids to connect and collaborate as they re-discover the power and potential of creativity in all they do. This year, join Peter at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City or watch the livestream of the event. September 15 doesn’t work for you? Here’s a little secret: you can celebrate Dot Day whenever you want! 

UCAR’s SkySci for Kids

As we gradually add sweaters, scarves, and fuzzy hats to our wardrobe, check out UCAR’s SkySci for Kids to learn about weather, climate, and sky science. With humor, bright colors, and a clear breakdown of topics, FableVision-made animated videos and minigames featuring Yolanda the palm tree, Jeff the yeti, and Snacks the dog will teach kids about tornadoes, hurricanes, heat waves, and more. Visit the website to encourage your child to fight climate change.

Cyber Fashion Challenge

Another great way to fight climate change – upcycling! Based on Cyberchase’s season 13 episode “Sustainable By Design,” born-accessible Cyber Fashion Challenge, created in partnership with FableVision, The WNET Group, PBS KIDS, and Bridge Multimedia, teaches 6-8-year-olds about avoiding fast fashion and encouraging the creative reuse of materials. Practice counting and shape identification by creating a sustainable fashion line for Fabio DeZine.

Museum of Science “EiE Families” Website

Spark your child’s interest in engineering and computer science by checking out the Museum of Science “EiE Families” microsite, built by FableVision, with interactive features to support STEM learning at-home and on-the-go. Play Bye Bye Bug and create a way to lead a ladybug to safety, or explore the other activities, in both English and Spanish. Bonus: if you’re in Boston, take a field trip to the Museum of Science to see science in action.

“Our State and the Nation: A Georgia Studies Course”

History fanatics – we have a treat for you. FableVision created a host site for Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB)’s online textbook, developing an online experience for eighth-grade students. In the revamped George history course, students can examine images, define vocabulary words, watch videos, and go on virtual field trips from the classroom or the comfort of their homes. 

Pinna Original Yes No Audio Adventures

One of the best parts of fall? Halloween! Immerse yourself in spooky season by answering yes or no to questions in Escape the Haunted House, a Pinna Original Yes No Audio adventure, produced by FableVision’s audiyo-yo. Listeners are the main characters as they interact with the show and create their own story. If your kids aren’t fans of haunted houses, they can listen to Escape the Marshmallow Dream Forest or Escape the Sinking Ship. The 5-minute, voice-activated audio adventures provide a perfect, creative outlet during car rides, before bedtime, and more.

Boston vs. Bullies Academy for Internet Champions

Join Bobby the Badger and his friends Ivy, Jordan, and Felix to score a touchdown, make a basket, and hit a home run with The Sports Museum’s bullying-prevention game. As kids continue to use the internet at younger ages and run into in-person and online bullying, Boston vs. Bullies Academy for Internet Champions, created by FableVision, helps kids navigate tricky situations, make smart choices online, and combat bullying. Learn how to stay safe by checking out the free game.

“Friendlets” Animated Shorts

Besides stopping bullying, children should also see the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships to avoid abuse, love better, and find true friends. Created in partnership with One Love Foundation, “Friendlets” animated shorts showcase familiar, humorous scenarios to help elementary-aged kids understand the importance of communication and appropriate responses in healthy friendships. Visit One Love’s Education Center for the shorts and associated resources.

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Spreading the Love: One Love Foundation and FableVision Showcase Healthy Friendships in New “Friendlets” Animated Shorts

Episode 1: Cafeteria Conflict

One Love Foundation was founded in memory of Yeardley Love, a young woman who lost her life due to relationship abuse. The organization educates young people about healthy and unhealthy relationships, empowering them to identify and avoid abuse and learn how to love better. Its curriculum includes resources for middle school, high school, and college audiences, including videos, workshops, and peer-to-peer discussions.

One Love wanted to expand its videos to a younger audience as childhood friendships define the types of relationships we have in the future. The way we treat friends and friends treat us manifest into future friendships and relationships. 

To start their healthy friendships curriculum during a formative age, One Love partnered with FableVision to create five 45-second animated shorts to set an early example of healthy friendship behaviors.

Each episode sets up a familiar scenario between two friends and follows the same structure: a negative friendship interaction with “That’s Not Love” displayed, then the tape rewinds and the same scenario resets in a positive way, with “That’s Love” displayed. Through relatable scenarios, the animations focus on different themes of friendship, including isolation, belittling, honesty, independence, kindness, responsibility, respect, and equality.

By creating familiar, humorous scenarios with colorful, abstract, non-human characters, FableVision and One Love aim to help elementary-aged children understand the importance of communication and appropriate responses in healthy friendships.

Episode 2: Carnival FOMO

“I’m excited about this project because we had a diverse, inclusive design process to appeal to a wide range of children,” says Christina Kelly, Lead Artist at FableVision. “With the abstract, gender-neutral characters, we wanted kids to find personal relevance from the situations—maybe they’re crushes, maybe they’re friends. We also included subtle nods to diversity throughout the backgrounds, like adding a Pride flag in the cafeteria or a crutch in the bedroom. Through the designs, we hope that kids will connect to the videos and take away the messages about love.”

As a studio that seeks to promote inclusivity and love, FableVision is proud to partner with One Love to help children develop happy, healthy friendships. Read on for more information.

A Closer Look Inside:

Episode 1
Topics covered: Isolation, Belittling, Honesty, Equality
A classic cafeteria conundrum—what happens when you want to sit with your best friend only, but your best friend wants to sit with a group? Zain and Amaru figure out how to communicate their feelings and where to sit so that everyone is happy.

Episode 2
Topics covered: Volatility, Trust, Possessiveness, Independence
While playing video games, Ehko realizes that Kazu and Amaru went to the carnival without them, and they accuse Amaru of lying and having other friends. In the redo, Amaru has a chance to explain their perspective, and Kazu can think about how to respond.

Episode 3
Topics covered: Intensity, Comfortable Pace, Betrayal, Kindness
What do you do when your friend invites you to spend a long weekend together, but you need some alone time? Zain and Amaru find the perfect balance for their weekend.

Episode 4
Topics covered: Guilt, Fun, Deflecting Responsibility and Accepting Responsibility
Kazu finds an unflattering picture of themselves online that Zain posted, and accuses Ehko of sending that picture to Zain. Ehko rejects Kazu’s concerns by saying it’s not a big deal. In the redo, Ehko and Kazu work together to find a solution to this problem. 

Friendlets Episode 5 Still

Episode 5
Topics covered: Sabotage, Manipulation, Respect, Healthy Conflict
When your and your friends’ opinions differ, it’s easy to yell your thoughts into a void without listening to your friend. Ehko and Amaru figure out how to discuss their perspectives on healthy eating and resolve their differences for a science project.

To help identify what is love and what is not love, watch the episodes and participate in the workshops through One Love's Education Center.

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FableVision Studios’ Top Moments of 2021

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It was the second year of the pandemic but in many ways 2021 brought us hope. Producing “stories that matter, stories that move” has never been more important. 

We’re so lucky to have our incredible staff, friends, partners, and clients who collaborated with us on amazing educational animation, videos, games, and interactive projects. We can’t wait to continue working with you (spoiler alert!) from our new space! As we look forward to FableVision’s new chapter in 2022, here’s a look back at our top moments from 2021.

1. Award Winners
We are honored to represent unique, creative, and educational projects. Thank you for your recognition!

2. Amazing Partners
We’re happy to work with current and new clients for immersive and educational collaborations. Here are just a few partnerships that we wanted to thank.

3. Thought Leadership
We love sharing our insights and learning from other experts at conferences. Here’s where we presented this year.

Peter H. Reynolds - Education Exchange Keynote

4. Newsworthy Collaborations
Here’s how more people had the chance to learn about our projects.

5. Seasonal Banners
We welcome each season with beautiful banners created by our artists. We hope you love them just as much as we do! Doesn’t our winter one help us end 2021 on an especially cozy note?

Spring banner designed by FableVision Production Designer Julie Oliveira

Summer banner designed by FableVision Production Designer Julie Oliveira

Fall banner designed by FableVision Lead Artist Christina Kelly

Winter banner designed by FableVision Production Designer Julie Oliveira

6. New Studio on Newbury Street!
As 2021 was FableVision’s 25th anniversary, we’re celebrating with the studio’s new location in one of Boston’s most iconic districts—Newbury Street! The original wood floors, vintage skylight, and spacious roof deck with beautiful Boston views will inspire us and give us that extra boost to continue creating wonderful projects together. We look forward to working with you and inviting you to our new home.

Thank you for following us in 2021. We can’t wait to make 2022 even better!

New Office

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Some of Our Favorite Resources in the Age of Social Distancing

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As many of us prepare for another few weeks of social distancing, FableVision staffers have filled our time with walks, cooking, dancing, crafting, and, of course, storytelling. Looking for some suggestions for activities you and your family can do together? We’ve gathered another list of some of our favorite resources for while we’re physically apart. 

For a list of Distance Learning resources (although there are some resources on this list that fit that bill as well), check out our other blog here.

Stay safe!

Yards for Yeardley: a virtual MOVEment from One Love Foundation

Feeling restless? Move for a good cause! Yards for Yeardley is a virtual movement organized by One Love, a foundation dedicated to educating young people about healthy relationships. In honor of the 10th anniversary of Yeardley Love’s death, One Love invites you to walk, run, dance, or get even more creative about how you want to move in order to help create a world where we know how to love better. Register online to pledge the number of yards you’ll move by May 3!

Go Wild! With Ranger Rick from National Wildlife Federation - available for free for a limited time!

Get a taste of the outdoors while you’re cooped up inside! Learn all about animals and wildlife in Go Wild! With Ranger Rick, a FableVision-developed app from the National Wildlife Federation. Answer trivia questions, play games, and hear some jokes while hanging out with your favorite raccoon buddy Ranger Rick.

Sesame Workshop’s Caring for Each Other Resources

In times like these, it’s important to keep caring for one another. Sesame Workshop’s Caring For Each Other initiative provides numerous resources for parents and children to cope with stress and continue playing, laughing, and learning together—with help from some familiar friends on Sesame Street!

WGBH’s Distance Learning Center

With so many incredible learning resources out there, it can be overwhelming to find ones that work best for you or your child. WGBH’s Distance Learning Center has gathered a collection of free, quality digital resources from PBS LearningMedia and other PBS programming that can easily be filtered by grade level and subject. 

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Hold a concert in your living room with BSO at Home

Putting together a soundtrack for your new stay-at-home routine? Look no further than the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s free collection of daily performances and behind-the-scenes videos. With new music every morning, BSO at Home will keep you tapping along to the beat with their live performances, backstage views of what it’s like to be in the orchestra, and inside looks into how orchestra members are spending their time at home.

GoNoodle: mindful movement for homes and classrooms (and current at-home classrooms)

Turn screen time into active screen time with GoNoodle! GoNoodle’s free videos and games—made with input from child development experts—promote movement and mindfulness in kids, from dance parties to yoga sessions. 

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Listen to a podcast, story, or song from Pinna

You don’t need a daily commute to keep listening to quality content! Pinna provides audiobooks and podcasts of all genres for kids 3-12. Pinna is extending its free trial period to 60 days. Use promo code PINNA4KIDS to receive your 30 extra days of listening.

The Family Dinner Project offers food, fun, and conversation

We’re not the only ones #stressbaking right now. Food is a great way to bring people together, and it’s now more important than ever to spend time at the dinner table with your family. Check out The Family Dinner Project’s FableVision-designed website for great recipes, family activities, and conversation starters! They also compiled their own stuck-at-home guide, which you can find here. And if you’re on a dessert-making spree, why not try this recipe for banana chocolate chip mug cakes or host your own virtual dinner party for family and friends?

Rock out with Fender

Do you dream of being a rockstar? A pop star? Or do you just have a guitar lying around? Fender is offering three months of free guitar, bass, and ukulele lessons online. Learn how to play your favorite songs at your own pace with Fender Play’s video lessons.

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