Some Assembly Required

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Science series is smart, but lacks extra spark.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this educational series offers simple-but-educational scientific explanations about how everyday products are assembled and mass-produced in factories and workshops around the country. Many of these products are familiar/known brands, like Les Paul guitars and Burt's Bees lip balm. The series will probably be appealing to kids interested in the sciences or those who simply like to know about how things get made.

  • The series features informative explanations about how various products are created and mass produced throughout the United States. The scientific explanations are simplified and intended to educate more than entertain. Most factory managers are male and Caucasian, but factory workers are both male and female and from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.
  • Not applicable.
  • Not applicable.
  • Not applicable.
  • Features specific, branded products like Les Paul guitars and Burt's Bees lip balm. Includes some brief discussions about how popular these products are.

What's the story?

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED is an educational series that shows how everyday products are created and mass produced for the consumer public. In each episode, humorist Brian Unger and University of Virginia physics professor Lou Bloomfield work alongside people on factory floors in order to learn how to make items like guitars, lip balm, and hurricane-proof windows. The pair shows how the featured products are created from start to finish, while offering some historical background and scientific explanation about how each thing works.


Is it any good?

 

While the series is very informative, it lacks some of the spark needed to make it fun viewing for kids who don't already get a kick out of science. Its focus on almost every step of the product-assembly process sometimes makes it a little tedious. But the uncomplicated scientific explanations give interested tweens and teens a real chance to learn the physics behind how the products we use every day actually work.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about how television can promote science and learning. What did you learn from the show that you didn't know before? How can TV shows geared toward educating the public be informative while also being interesting and fun? Families can also discuss how the different products they use everyday are made. What things do you use that make you wonder how they were created? How could you find out more about them?


This review was written by Melissa Camacho

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This review was written by Melissa Camacho
Topics:science and nature
TV rating:TV-G
Network:Discovery Channel
Cast:Brian Unger, Lou Bloomfield
Genre:Educational

This review was written by Melissa Camacho
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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