Planet Bonehead

K-Gr 6—Bad dog J.P. Rothbone has an evil plan. He'll make millions by polluting the water supply thus forcing people to keep buying his "one-use" filters. Boo-Hiss! Fortunately our heroes—the Boneheads—come to the rescue. They get stranded on a desert isle after a three-hour cruise, and it's the very island where J.P has his infamous pollution machine. They thwart his plan and all ends well in this animated segment. The live-action sections teach about the importance of water; its uses, properties, and states; and the water cycle. There is also a brief discussion about animal life in the water. Photographs show third-world countries where tainted water is a significant health risk, and there's a short promotional video about Water Missions International and its goal to provide water filtration for these communities. A song about water conservation is included. This program is a bit of a mish-mash. There are pop-culture references that not all young viewers will understand—from Gilligan's Island to movie references to melodrama and more. The animated segments are silly and lack focus. The factual information about water is solid and interesting. The promotional video segment doesn't blend in well. This would be a useful addition to water science units, with the understanding that the silliness must be filtered out to make this program educationally "potable."—Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA