PBS Wisconsin Education’s digital series The Look Back returns for a third season, continuing its exploration of Wisconsin’s history through artifacts and the stories they tell.

Designed for learners in grades 4-9, the series is hosted by Wisconsin-based historians who share artifacts, ask questions, visit archives and local history museums, tell the story of their findings and make connections to our lives today. Each video concludes with prompts to extend learning in the classroom.

This season, two early episodes highlight connections between Wisconsin and the founding of the United States nearly 250 years ago:

• “Sovereignty and Silver: Midwest Allies in the Revolution” explores how a British peace medal presented to a Menominee chief highlights multinational involvement in the American Revolution.
• “George Washington in Wisconsin? From Canvas to Icon” uncovers how a copy of a 1796 portrait of George Washington, held by the Wisconsin Historical Society, became an early and important link between Wisconsin and the new nation.

Both episodes were made possible through PBS LearningMedia, thanks in part to a grant from the The Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Family Foundation.

“For season three, we’re really excited to keep expanding our areas of inquiry into Wisconsin history,” said education producer David Boffa. “Two early episodes help situate this region within the context of the American Revolution. Later episodes will look at everything from parmesan cheese to the story of Little Golden Books. Our hope is to show students that anything can be a rewarding object of study when you're thinking like a historian.”

The Look Back is available now at pbswisconsineducation.org/lookback.

The series was made in collaboration with the Wisconsin Historical Society, University of Wisconsin–Madison Libraries, UW-Madison’s Rebecca M. Blank Center for Campus History, Wisconsin educators and learners, and museums around the state.

Funding for The Look Back is provided by the Timothy William Trout Education Fund, a gift of Monroe and Sandra Trout, the Eleanor and Thomas Wildrick Family, the Focus Fund for Education and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.

PBS LearningMedia, a partnership between PBS and GBH, is a transformative digital media platform for PreK-12 educators, providing free access to thousands of media-centric classroom resources from PBS member stations and esteemed partners. PBS LearningMedia delivers a dynamic mix of national and locally relevant content – including videos, interactives, lesson plans, teaching tips, and primary sources – that elevates classroom teaching and brings learning to life. Designed with teachers and subject matter experts, classroom resources are aligned to state and national standards and are compatible with the tools teachers use most, such as Google Classroom. Learn more at pbslearningmedia.org.

PBS Wisconsin is a service of the Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

PBS Wisconsin is a place to grow through learning on WHA-TV, Madison; WPNE-TV, Green Bay; WHRM-TV, Wausau; WLEF-TV, Park Falls; WHLA-TV, La Crosse; and WHWC-TV, Menomonie-Eau Claire.

-END-