POVPOV's Borders P.O.Vabout P.O.V.'s Borders
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about POV's Borders

about POV's Borders

P.O.V.'s Borders is a Web-only series on PBS Online. A showcase for interactive storytelling, the series asks about the borders in our lives, both literal and metaphysical. The first episode of P.O.V.'s Borders deals with the theme of migration. The second episode of P.O.V.'s Borders will be premiering in the Fall of 2003. Sign-up for the P.O.V. newsletter and get updates about Episode 2.

The series will include:

Border Stories

"Leaving Elsa," is a ten-week interactive drama, which follows the lives of three teenagers from the US-Mexico border. The three were each given a digital camera and during the course of 10 weeks documented their lives in their own words and images. Produced by Bernardo Ruiz, "Leaving Elsa" looks at three young lives as they embark upon their greatest border crossing yet — leaving home. Go there >

Border Snapshots

Snapshots are short digital meditations on the idea of borders. Some Snapshots have been commissioned by P.O.V., like "Visible Border" by media artist, Alex Rivera. Other Snapshots will come from you — site visitors. Submit your video, poems, music or stills about the borders in your life. A selection of these will be featured on the site. Go there >

Border Journey

Journey is a digital glimpses of migrant life and education. Following the success of La Boda, filmmaker Hannah Weyer created Escuela, a portrait of Liliana Luis — a teenaged member of the Luis family. Journey is adapted from Escuela (recently featured on P.O.V.) and follows the Luis family through a year's cycle of migration. This feature has quizzes, background and questions accompanying the episodes, and targets educational use. Go there >

Border Talk

During the first episode of P.O.V.'s Borders in the fall of 2002, featured guests talked with you about the significance of borders in our world. You submitted questions or thoughts, we passed them along, and the guests responded on the site. We've collected all the dialogues here, so read and enjoy! You can also use the Talkback section to discuss Leaving Elsa, Journey, Snapshots, or anything else you'd like to address. Go there >

Border Cams and Games

We've collected links to games, interactive experiences, and WebCams as a fun way to think about borders. Some of these look at the border in a literal way, some will take you to places and worlds for the very first time. Have fun!

For Teachers and Librarians

Use these discussion questions and lesson plans to present P.O.V's Borders to your middle school or high school class. The Art as Symbolic Journalism lesson plan encourages students to explore how art can sometimes be a better tool for analyzing and interpreting the world than strictly factual or journalistic approaches. The discussion questions help teachers use Leaving Elsa in the classroom. Librarians can find out how to partner with P.O.V. in the For Librarians area.

 

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