What does the rotation of a chicken egg and the international space station have in common? Give up? It all comes down to physics. Both are governed by the same fundamental principles of rotational inertia and angular momentum. It’s just one of the ways kids can learn basic STEM concepts at home, using everyday items.
Now, a new PBS series is making science and engineering more accessible — and relatable — to students across the country.
Shalaunda Reeves
“Chip Kids,” co-created by Shalaunda Reeves, an assistant professor of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching in the Department of Theory and Practice (TPTE). and Joanna Millunchick, dean of the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering at Indiana University, is a short-form educational video series designed to connect classroom learning with real-world STEM applications. Produced locally by East Tennessee PBS, the show travels to schools and research sites nationwide, exploring how microelectronics and engineering concepts show up in everyday life.
“We wanted to create an experience where kids could see how what they’re learning in school translates into the workforce,” said Reeves. “STEM shouldn’t feel distant, it’s already part of students’ lived experience.”
Each episode focuses on experiments that can be done with common household or classroom materials. “When I was growing up watching Mr. Wizard, he had things I didn’t have — dry ice, lab gear, all that,” Reeves recalled. “We want Chip Kids to feel different — accessible, fun, and something anyone can try at home.”
The first season of Chip Kids featured five- to seven-minute episodes exploring how microchips are made, developed in partnership with GlobalFoundries. The newly launched second season, supported by Micron Technology, expands to 10- to 12-minute episodes exploring how chips actually work, from the basic science behind them to their significance in the global supply chain.
“During COVID, when chip shortages shut down whole industries, we realized how critical this technology is,” Reeves said. “The U.S. designs most of the world’s chips, but we don’t yet have the workforce to build them here. That’s where this kind of education comes in.”
Beyond students, the series has found a surprise audience: teachers. The production team received feedback from educators who wanted longer, more in-depth content they could use in class or professional development.
“We call it ‘just-in-time resources’ for teachers,” said Reeves. “They might be reviewing a topic like lithography or semiconductors and use Chip Kits Kids to refresh their understanding.”
Episodes are available for free on PBS LearningMedia, ensuring that access to STEM education remains open to all.
“That’s why the PBS model works for us,” said Reeves. “We don’t want this behind a paywall. If we went to Netflix, sure, we’d get the money, but we’d lose accessibility and that’s the whole point.”
Currently, Chip Kids has aired through 11 PBS partner stations nationwide, appearing in one-minute educational interstitials that run between PBS Kids programming. Many stations have also hosted Chip Kids-themed STEM events at local schools and libraries.
The show’s enthusiastic following includes both students and educators as well as the series’ host and emmy award nominee,, Aaliyah Alia Pope, a fourth-grade STEM teacher from Little Rock, Arkansas, who brings her infectious curiosity to every episode. Pope’s large social media presence (over half a million followers across TikTok and Instagram) has helped Chip Kids reach classrooms far beyond its PBS affiliates.
“Kids love it — my own kids love it,” Reeves laughed. “And teachers have been amazing. We didn’t expectappreciate them to be our biggest champions.”
Now, Chip Kids is expanding through new partnerships. Working with the EDGE Consortium, a collaboration of 12 universities including the University of Tennessee, Indiana University, Dartmouth, Brown, UC Berkeley, and others — the team is launching Chip Kids Ambassadors. These college engineering students will bring STEM demonstrations into K–12 classrooms, providing hands-on activities and near-peer mentorship.
“Teachers are overwhelmed,” Reeves said. “This program gives them support. They can watch how students respond, how ambassadors explain things, and then feel more confident implementing STEM themselves.”
With the growing interest in domestic chip manufacturing and technology careers, Reeves sees Chip Kids as more than a show — it’s a movement to build a future-ready workforce.
“Think about how Jurassic Park inspired a generation of paleontologists or NCIS inspired forensic scientists,” she said. “If kids see someone like them doing STEM — even on TV — they’ll start to imagine themselves there too.”
For now, Reeve’s goal is simple: expand Chip Kids’ reach and keep it free. “We want everyone, anywhere, to be able to learn something — whether you’re a kid, a teacher, or just curious about how the world works,” she said.
Episodes and resources are available online at PBS LearningMedia and through participating PBS stations nationwide.