February 11, 2010 (2010-02-11) – June 23, 2023 (2023-06-23)
SciGirls is an American live-action/animated children's television series that premiered on February 11, 2010 on PBS Kids Go!. It has a mix of live-action and animated segments. It is produced by Twin Cities PBS and builds on the "real kids doing real science" approach of DragonflyTV.
It is an educational outreach program for elementary school children based on proven best practices for: science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for girls. It was launched in February 2010 and produced by Twin Cities Public Television, the episodes are broadcast on most PBS stations and the project's website, SciGirls,[1] is designed to encourage girls to pursue STEM careers, in response to the low numbers of women in many scientific careers.[2][3] A sixth season themed around NASA been confirmed and completed, and it premiered on February 3, 2023.[4] The seventh and final season premiered three months later on May 26, 2023.[5]
Overview
Each episode depicts the STEM-themed activities of a group of middle-school girls including engineering a mini-wind farm, creating a turtle habitat, designing an electronic dress, and more. Additionally, women scientists and engineers mentor the girls, demonstrating that interest in STEM subjects can lead to a rewarding lifelong pursuit. The series is unified by two animated characters, Izzie and Jake, who emphasize how science and technology can help solve problems in everyday life. These characters also appear on the series website, integrated into the TV episodes.
When Izzie's new school club is a bust, she seeks help from the SciGirls. They teach her about evaluating habitats for turtles and she adapts the information to make her club more appealing.
1
2
"Puppet Power"
February 18, 2010 (2010-02-18)
102
Jake convinces Izzie that if she wants to become class President, she has to be taller. To accomplish this she looks to a group of SciGirls for inspiration as they create massive sized May Day Parade puppets with elaborate features.
1
3
"Dolphin Dive"
February 25, 2010 (2010-02-25)
103
Izzie finds herself unable to figure out Jake when he loses his voice. She turns to a pair of Scigirls who are observing and researching dolphin behavior, in the hopes of learning a new way to understand Jake by using the scigirls help
1
4
"Digging Archaeology"
March 4, 2010 (2010-03-04)
104
When Jake's lucky socks go missing before his science test, Izzie goes to the SciGirls for help! Their investigations into Native American archaeology inspire her to treat Jake's messy locker like a dig site.
1
5
"Horsing Around"
March 11, 2010 (2010-03-11)
105
The Sadie Hawkins dance is approaching and Izzie has to choose between two potential dates. She decides to model her selection process upon a series of SciGirls experiments designed to select the most ideal horse for an upcoming competition.
1
6
"Blowin' in the Wind"
March 18, 2010 (2010-03-18)
106
Concerned about the Earth's limited resources, when Izzie's laptop runs out of power she and the SciGirls investigate alternative power sources.
1
7
"High Tech Fashion"
March 25, 2010 (2010-03-25)
107
Izzie makes preparations for a triathlon, but realizes she isn't able to wear all athletic gear at the same time. Turning to the SciGirls, she learns how fashion and technology can be merged.
1
8
"Science Cooks!"
April 1, 2010 (2010-04-01)
108
Jake loves eating snack food rather than terrible tasting healthy food, much to Izzie's concern. Luckily she finds four SciGirls who are out to remake their favorite meals into healthier, appetizing versions for their families.
1
9
"Underwater Eco-Adventure"
April 8, 2010 (2010-04-08)
109
Izzie is confused when she is described as "the Most Unique Dresser" at school. To find out if she's being complimented or not she compares notes with two SciGirls studying biodiversity.
1
10
"Robots to the Rescue"
April 15, 2010 (2010-04-15)
110
Jake and Izzie attempt to catch Fang, his escaped pet mouse, with the aid of a remote controlled car with a camera. Fang bolts whenever the vehicle approaches, so they learn from a group of SciGirls how to make robots with better communicative skills.
1
11
"Going Green"
April 22, 2010 (2010-04-22)
111
After going through a huge amount Mighty Munchies containers, Jake and Izzie realize they have to take care of the mess. She follows three SciGirls who are designing new ways to reuse and recycle materials from their school's trash.
1
12
"Star Power"
April 29, 2010 (2010-04-29)
112
In a bid to help Jake distract a group of Talent Show judges with flashy lights, she tags along with a pair of SciGirls as they research light pollution.
Season 2 (2012)
This is the last season to air while Soup2Nuts was still active.
Season #
Episode #
Title
Original airdate
Prod. code
2
1 (13)
"Aquabots"
October 11, 2012 (2012-10-11)
201
Season 2 opens at the U.S. Naval Academy. Akina and friends dive into underwater robotics at the US Naval Academy, building a “Sea Perch” ROV to investigate artificial oyster reefs in Chesapeake Bay.
2
2 (14)
"Mother Nature's Shoes"
October 18, 2012 (2012-10-18)
202
Nature’s designs, from polar bear paws to penguin flippers, inspire Elin and her best friends to design a safer shoe for walking on Minnesota’s icy winter streets.
2
3 (15)
"Habitat Havoc"
October 25, 2012 (2012-10-25)
203
Budding naturalist Lea and her SciGirl pals investigate what the non-native Canary Island Palm does to San Diego habitats, comparing the palms to native trees.
2
4 (16)
"The Awesome App Race"
November 1, 2012 (2012-11-01)
204
San Francisco SciGirls shake things up, programming their own smartphone app to highlight the history and geoscience of the 1989 San Francisco Earthquake.
2
5 (17)
"Multitasking Mania"
November 8, 2012 (2012-11-08)
205
Can teens – juggling computers, smartphones, music, homework, and TV at the same time – multitask as well as they think they can? Alejandra and her friends find out.
2
6 (18)
"Insulation Station"
November 15, 2012 (2012-11-15)
206
Cold weather, hot science! SciGirls Greta and her 6th grade pals use passive solar heat and bubble-wrap insulation to warm up an ice shanty on a frozen Minnesota lake.
2
7 (19)
"Workin' It Out"
November 22, 2012 (2012-11-22)
207
Jekima and friends break a sweat in steamy South Carolina—hiking, playing soccer, dancing and doing yoga—all to find out, “what’s the best exercise for me?”
2
8 (20)
"Bee Haven"
November 29, 2012 (2012-11-29)
208
What’s the buzz in urban gardens? The SciGirls use math, mapping and data visualization to help a colony of bees thrive in a downtown Phoenix neighborhood.
2
9 (21)
"Pedal Power"
December 6, 2012 (2012-12-06)
209
Best friends Angela, Olivia, Margaret and Rebecca don welding masks and rev up power tools to engineer an ice cream-maker that’s powered by their bikes.
2
10 (22)
"Super Sleuths"
December 13, 2012 (2012-12-13)
210
At a forensics summer camp, super sleuths Emi and friends team up with real forensic scientists to solve the mysterious theft of the priceless ‘Queen of the Forest’ ceremonial mask.
Season 3 (2015)
This marks the first season to air after Soup2Nuts' closure, despite being still listed in the credits this season.
Season #
Episode #
Title
Original airdate
Prod. code
3
1 (23)
"Frog Whisperers"
April 16, 2015 (2015-04-16)
301
A decline in the amphibian population is investigated in the Season 3 premiere.
3
2 (24)
"Flower Power"
April 23, 2015 (2015-04-23)
302
The arrival of spring, and how it impacts flowers and plants, is investigated.
3
3 (25)
"SkyGirls"
April 30, 2015 (2015-04-30)
303
Three girls from Virginia team up with NASA scientists to compare clouds seen from the ground to satellite images.
3
4 (26)
"Butterfly Diaries"
May 7, 2015 (2015-05-07)
304
A video diary capture the metamorphosis of caterpillars into butterflies.
3
5 (27)
"Feathered Friends"
May 14, 2015 (2015-05-14)
305
Three Denver girls create a bird habitat in a city school garden.
3
6 (28)
"Terrific Pacific"
May 21, 2015 (2015-05-21)
306
A junior lifeguard and her friends study the health of the Pacific Ocean with marine scientists; and make a conservation video for beach visitors.
Season 4 (2018)
NOTE: Jake is absent for this season.
Season #
Episode #
Title
Original airdate
Prod. code
4
1 (29)
"Baile Digital/Digital Dance"
February 1, 2018 (2018-02-01)
401
A high-tech dance show features robotics and light-up dance costumes.
4
2 (30)
"Gallinas de Ciudad/City Chickens"
February 8, 2018 (2018-02-08)
402
Designing and building a chicken coop for an urban farm by recycling a donated structure into a new home where the birds can thrive.
4
3 (31)
"Escuadron Espacial/Space Squad"
February 15, 2018 (2018-02-15)
403
Texas SciGirls team up with NASA materials engineers to create water bottle insulators.
4
4 (32)
"Atletas Maravillosos/Awesome Athletes"
February 22, 2018 (2018-02-22)
404
Inspired by Olympic athletes, SciGirls in San Diego create a fitness boot camp.
4
5 (33)
"Mejorando Procesos/Process Power"
March 1, 2018 (2018-03-01)
405
SciGirls in Arizona design a streamlined service plan for a food bank to help high school students in need.
4
6 (34)
"Asombrosos Arboles/Terrific Trees"
March 8, 2018 (2018-03-08)
406
Exploring the benefits that big trees bring to ecosystems, and the differences between trees in the rainforest and the city.
Season 5 (2019–20)
Season #
Episode #
Title
Original airdate
Prod. code
5
1 (35)
"High Tech Tide"
December 12, 2019 (2019-12-12)
501
SciGirls in Florida unite with marine biologists to digitally track spotted eagle rays.
5
2 (36)
"Game Changers"
December 19, 2019 (2019-12-19)
502
Jolie and friends team up with professional game designers to create their own board game.
5
3 (37)
"Super Sensors"
December 26, 2019 (2019-12-26)
503
Inspired by NASA satellite cameras, SciGirls build and code their wildlife cameras.
5
4 (38)
"Cartoon Coders"
January 2, 2020 (2020-01-02)
504
The SciGirls create a computer action urging kids to take positive action.
5
5 (39)
"Code Concert"
January 9, 2020 (2020-01-09)
505
Britanee, Estrella, and Saabirrinn use code to turn music into a stunning visual display.
Season 6 (2023)
This season is titled "SciGirls in Space" and is listed as special on TPT's website.
NOTE: Jake is absent for this season.
Season #
Episode #
Title
Original airdate
Prod. code
6
1 (40)
"Dakota Stars"
February 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
601
Indigenous SciGirls learn how modern science connects to ancestral Dakota star knowledge.
6
2 (41)
"Making Space"
February 10, 2023 (2023-02-10)
602
SciGirls are on a mission to reduce the harmful effects of isolation during deep spaceflight.
Season 7 (2023)
All five episodes from this season were released online on May 26, 2023. This season is titled "SciGirls in the Parks" and is the final season.[7]
Season #
Episode #
Title
Original airdate
Prod. code
7
1 (42)
"Flashy Fireflies"
May 26, 2023 (2023-05-26)
701
Reagan, Kyra, and Jayden visit Congaree National Park and learn about its unique fireflies.
7
2 (43)
"Salamander Tales"
June 2, 2023 (2023-06-02)
702
Tennessee SciGirls explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park in search of salamanders
7
3 (44)
"Dragonfly Detectives"
June 9, 2023 (2023-06-09)
703
SciGirls on Lake Michigan's sandy shores collect dragonflies to monitor water quality.
7
4 (45)
"Awesome Alaska"
June 16, 2023 (2023-06-16)
704
Alaskan SciGirls, Gracie, Indigo, and Evie, explore their local parks for scientific data.
7
5 (46)
"River Rescuers"
June 23, 2023 (2023-06-23)
705
Characters
Izzie (voiced by Lara Jill Miller) is a 12-year-old girl with a constantly expanding assortment of interests. She also acts as the webmaster for the SciGirls website, which hosts a database of science videos following real-life SciGirls. This resource often comes in handy, because whenever Izzie encounters a tricky situation, she can zap herself into her computer and follow along with the girls' investigations. Afterward, she is easily able to design a solution to her dilemma.
Jake (voiced by Greg Cipes) has known Izzie since they were in preschool and has remained her closest friend. He usually meets up with Izzie at school, online, or around the town. Jake finds himself drawn into Izzie's scientific situations more often than not.[8]
Fang, Jake's pet mouse, can often be found helping Jake and Izzie on their STEM-filled adventures.
Alongside Izzie and Jake, each episode features a group of real girls (not actors) working alongside a woman STEM professional.
