Betsy's Kindergarten Adventures
Encyclopedia
Betsy's Kindergarten Adventures is a slice of life cartoon
intended for young children. The show premiered on January 19, 2008 on most PBS Kids
stations, but currently does not air. The show follows a girl named Betsy as she starts out her school years. The series premiere shows Betsy facing the uncertainty of her first day of school and the adjustments she must make as she meets her new teacher and classmates, encounters unfamiliar rules and routines, and finds herself in an entirely new environment. Subsequent episodes show Betsy's excitement and sense of adventure as she adapts to the new experiences of kindergarten.
This show is similar to other PBS Kids shows like Caillou
and Clifford the Big Red Dog
that cater to an audience of children under the age of five.
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
intended for young children. The show premiered on January 19, 2008 on most PBS Kids
PBS Kids
PBS Kids is the brand for children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States founded in 1993. As with all PBS programming, PBS Kids programming is non-commercial. It is aimed at children ages 2 to 10...
stations, but currently does not air. The show follows a girl named Betsy as she starts out her school years. The series premiere shows Betsy facing the uncertainty of her first day of school and the adjustments she must make as she meets her new teacher and classmates, encounters unfamiliar rules and routines, and finds herself in an entirely new environment. Subsequent episodes show Betsy's excitement and sense of adventure as she adapts to the new experiences of kindergarten.
This show is similar to other PBS Kids shows like Caillou
Caillou
Caillou is a Canadian children's television show based on the books by author Christine L'Heureux and illustrator Hélène Desputeaux. Many of the stories in the animated version began with a grandmother introducing the story to her grandchildren, then reading the story about the book...
and Clifford the Big Red Dog
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Clifford the Big Red Dog is an American children's book series first published in 1963. Written by Norman Bridwell, the series helped establish Scholastic Books as a premier publishing company....
that cater to an audience of children under the age of five.
Characters
- Mrs. Carl O'Connor (voiced by Sally StruthersSally StruthersSally Ann Struthers is an American actress and spokeswoman, best-known for her roles as Gloria Stivic on All in the Family, for which she won two Emmy awards, and as Babette on Gilmore Girls.-Personal life:...
), the kindergarten teacher - Mr. Carl O'Connor (voiced by Kevin ClashKevin ClashKevin Jeffrey Clash is an American puppeteer and voice actor whose characters include Elmo, Baby Sinclair, Clifford, Splinter and Hoots the Owl...
, Fred StollerFred StollerFrederick "Fred" Stoller is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and voice artist, best known for his frequent guest starring as Gerard on the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond...
, and Tom KennyTom KennyThomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on...
), the kindergarten teacher's husband - Bus Driver Bob (voiced by Fred WillardFred WillardFred Willard is an American actor, comedian, and voice over actor, best known for his improvisational comedy skills. He is known for his roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentary films This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration as well as...
), the loyal bus driverBus driverA bus driver, bus operator or omnibus driver is a person who drives buses professionally. Bus drivers typically drive their vehicles between bus stations or stops. They often drop off and pick up passengers on a predetermined route schedule. In British English a different term, coach drivers, is... - Mr. Richard Warner (voiced by Tom BosleyTom BosleyThomas Edward "Tom" Bosley was an American actor. Bosley is best known for portraying Howard Cunningham on the long-running ABC sitcom Happy Days. He also was featured in recurring roles on Murder, She Wrote, and Father Dowling Mysteries...
), the principal at Lakeshore Elementary School - Farmer Thomas Warner (voiced by Jorge DiazJorge DiazJorge Diaz is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at Texas A&M-Kingsville.Diaz also played for the Dallas Cowboys....
), Richard Warner's brother and the owner of Warner FarmFarmA farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
s - Betsy's motherMotherA mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
(voiced by Bess ArmstrongBess ArmstrongElizabeth Key "Bess" Armstrong is an American film and television actress.-Life and career:Armstrong was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Louise Allen , who taught at Bryn Mawr, and Alexander Armstrong, an English teacher at the Gilman School...
), a homemakerHomemakerHomemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping or household management...
who takes care of her daughter Betsy and her baby son Kevin. She is a stay-at-home mother and does not seem to have any outside job. - Betsy's fatherFatherA father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
(voiced by Richard Steven HorvitzRichard Steven HorvitzRichard Steven Horvitz, sometimes credited as Richard S. Horvitz, Richard Horvitz, or Richard Wood, is an American actor and voice actor best known for his work as the voice of the original Alpha 5 in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo, and Power Rangers Turbo, as Raz in Psychonauts,...
), an airplane pilot who speaks to Betsy in "airplane-talk." He appears to be the family's sole breadwinner. - Betsy (voiced by Daveigh ChaseDaveigh ChaseDaveigh Elizabeth Chase is an American actress, singer, and voice over artist best known for playing Rhonda Volmer in the HBO series Big Love, Samara Morgan in The Ring and Lilo Pelekai in Lilo & Stitch.-Early life:Chase was born Daveigh Elizabeth Chase-Schwallier in Las Vegas, Nevada, but her...
), the title character of the show - Scott (voiced by Richard Steven HorvitzRichard Steven HorvitzRichard Steven Horvitz, sometimes credited as Richard S. Horvitz, Richard Horvitz, or Richard Wood, is an American actor and voice actor best known for his work as the voice of the original Alpha 5 in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo, and Power Rangers Turbo, as Raz in Psychonauts,...
), a smart boy with glasses who is very interested in scienceScienceScience is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe... - Billy (voiced by Nancy CartwrightNancy CartwrightNancy Campbell Cartwright is an American film and television actress, comedian and voice artist. She is best known for her long-running role as Bart Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons...
), who enjoys playing in the dirtSoilSoil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
and is Betsy's best friend - Molly (voiced by Vicki LewisVicki LewisVicki Lewis is an American film, stage, television and voice actress best known for her role as Beth in the NBC sitcom NewsRadio.-Personal life:...
), an elitistElitismElitism is the belief or attitude that some individuals, who form an elite — a select group of people with intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or other distinctive attributes — are those whose views on a matter are to be taken the most seriously or carry the most...
girl - Sarah (voiced by Cree SummerCree SummerCree Summer Francks , best known as Cree Summer, is a Canadian actress, musician and voice actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as college student Winifred "Freddie" Brooks on the NBC sitcom A Different World...
), a girl who excels at nearly all sports - Kenji (voiced by Nancy CartwrightNancy CartwrightNancy Campbell Cartwright is an American film and television actress, comedian and voice artist. She is best known for her long-running role as Bart Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons...
), an intelligent boy who enjoys dancing - Maria (voiced by Cree SummerCree SummerCree Summer Francks , best known as Cree Summer, is a Canadian actress, musician and voice actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as college student Winifred "Freddie" Brooks on the NBC sitcom A Different World...
), a quiet and artArtArt is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
istic girl - Kevin (voiced by Nancy CartwrightNancy CartwrightNancy Campbell Cartwright is an American film and television actress, comedian and voice artist. She is best known for her long-running role as Bart Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons...
), Betsy's babyInfantA newborn or baby is the very young offspring of a human or other mammal. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days after birth...
brother - Newton (voiced by Kath SoucieKath SoucieKatherine Elaine Soucie is an American voice actress. She is sometimes credited as Kath Soucie, Katherine Soucie, Kath Souci, Kath E...
), who shares similar interests to Scott and Kenji - Gracie (voiced by Kathryn MullenKathryn MullenKathryn "Kathy" Mullen is an actress, voice actress, and puppeteer most closely associated with Jim Henson projects. She began performing on The Muppet Show in its third season, primarily as Gaffer the Backstage Cat...
), Betsy's family's dogDogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in... - Kitty (voiced by Pam ArcieroPam ArcieroPam Arciero is puppeteer and voice-over artist who portrays Oscar the Grouch's girlfriend, Grundgetta, on Sesame Street.-Career:Arciero earned her Master's in Puppetry from the University of Connecticut....
), Betsy's family's catCatThe cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests... - Sydney (voiced by Anthony Asbury), the pet salamanderSalamanderSalamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
that belongs to Mrs. O'Connor's kindergarten class
Settings
- Albright's department storeDepartment storeA department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
where Molly hangs out and Betsy bought her mother a hair pin for $1.75; she earned that money by selling lemonadeLemonadeLemonade is a lemon-flavored drink, typically made from lemons, water and sugar.The term can refer to three different types of beverage:... - Warner Farms - where the principal's brother raises livestockLivestockLivestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
- Lakeshore Elementary School - Betsy's school where she attends kindergartenKindergartenA kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
- Lakeshore Elementary School's libraryPublic libraryA public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
where students borrow books for a week - the school yard of Lakeshore Elementary School - it has served as a place to hold Mrs. O'Connor's carnivalCarnivalCarnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
as well as a place for the kindergarten students to play during recess - Betsy's house - where she lives with her stay-at-home mother and her airplane pilot father
- Lakeshore http://www.pbskids.org/betsy/meet7.html - where Betsy, her friends, and family live
- the museumMuseumA museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
where Betsy and her school friends went to in the first episode
Season one
- "How It All Began" ; "Lost and Found" (Series Premiere)
- "The Farmyard Field Trip" ; "Betsy's Green Thumb"
- "Boots, Boots, Boots" ; "Team Player"
- "Camping Out" ; "The Tooth Chart"
- "The Spy Who Taught Me" ; "Show and Tell"
- "Betsy Buys a Vowel" ; "Follow These Directions"
- "Frisky Business" ; "Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow"
- "Borrowed Time" ; "Happy Earth Day"
- "Tickets, Please" ; "Have You Got the Time"
- "Growing, Growing Gone" ; "The Treasure of the Sierra Betsy"
- "Introducing the Post Office" ; "A Berry Sore Stomach"
- "Lyrtle the Turtle" ; "The Great Gingerbread Man Mystery"
- "Molly's First Bike Ride" ; "An Awfully Frightening Lightning"
- "Newton the New Kid" ; "A Colorful Encounter"
- "A Whole Lotta Hot Air" ; "The Fire Department"
- "Responsibillities" ; "Rules of the Road"
- "To Tree or Not to Tree" ; "Something Fishy"
- "The Police Department" ; "A Visit From the Doctor"
- "Homework Rules" ; "Bread and Butterflies"
- "All Washed Up" ; "Mrs. O' Connor's Space Rangers"
- "Manners Please" ; "Mystery at Lakeshore Farm"
- "Big and Little" ; "Computer Fun"
- "Making Instruments" ; "Dinosaur Dynasty"
- "When I Grow Up" ; "Tell Me a Story" (Season Finale)
Funding
- The Arthur Vining Davis FoundationsThe Arthur Vining Davis FoundationsThe Arthur Vining Davis Foundations are a group of charitable foundations established by American industrialist Arthur Vining Davis, onetime Alcoa president and Florida land developer.-History:...
- United States Department of EducationUnited States Department of EducationThe United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
- National Science FoundationNational Science FoundationThe National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
- Corporation for Public BroadcastingCorporation for Public BroadcastingThe Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
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