Instructional Video2:14
Next Animation Studio

Fool's Paradise

12th - Higher Ed
Max is counting soda bottle caps, when Moon walks in and points out that he's been drinking a LOT of soda lately. Max says he's trying to collect 500 to participate in the soda company's raffle to win the Robo-Captain 4000, a limited...
Instructional Video1:30
Next Animation Studio

Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk

12th - Higher Ed
Max tells Moon he is thinking about joining the track team because he thinks he can run faster than any of the guys on the team. Moon tells Max if he's going to "talk the talk, he has to walk the walk," which means you have to do what...
Instructional Video1:15
Out of this Word

Strike While the Iron Is Hot

Pre-K - 5th
Max and Moon play baseball. Max is at bat and swings too late or not at all. Moon tells Max to “strike while the iron is hot,” which means to make the most of opportunity.
Instructional Video1:40
Out of this Word

Pull Someone’s Leg

Pre-K - 5th
Moon sees Max walking in circles around a chair, and asks what he is doing. Max says he has been having trouble staying awake, so his friend suggested a trick. Moon takes a look at the instructions his friend suggested, and realizes the...
Instructional Video1:35
Out of this Word

Golden Key Can Open Any Door

Pre-K - 5th
Max is mowing the lawn, when he sees Moon sitting on the porch and tries to convince her to help him. Even after showering Moon with compliments, Moon doesn’t fall for Max’s tricks. When Max offers to pay for Moon’s help, she asks if Max...
Instructional Video1:50
Next Animation Studio

When Pigs Fly

12th - Higher Ed
Max and Moon are flipping through a travel book, when Moon says that she would like to visit Europe someday. Max responds by saying that he'd like to go to Hawaii, and enjoy the plane ride by kicking back and taking a LONG nap. Moon...
Instructional Video1:15
Next Animation Studio

Hook, Line, Sinker

12th - Higher Ed
Max is watching a TV commercial about a magical potion that will make you live forever. Moon doesn't believe it and says that no one can live forever, but Max is still convinced. Moon tells him he's taking it 'hook, line, and sinker',...
Instructional Video1:00
Out of this Word

Last but Not Least

Pre-K - 5th
Max walks in on Moon practicing for a speech she will be delivering at school, and is upset that Moon only mentioned their parents at the end of the speech. Moon explains that “last but not least" means that the last thing is just as...
Instructional Video13:39
Oxford Comma

Life After Sports: Summary, Reading, and Analysis of John Updike's "Ex-Basketball Player."

9th - 12th
John Updike's most famous poem, "Ex-Basketball Player" explores the triumphs and failures of the town's former star athlete, Flick Webb. Not only does "Ex-Basketball Player" perfectly capture the all too common fallout from sports...
Instructional Video2:03
Next Animation Studio

Born With a Silver Spoon in Your Mouth

12th - Higher Ed
Max and Moon are on their way to Charlie's house for a party. Moon asks Max who Charlie is, and Max explains that he's a new classmate that just moved to the city a few months ago. When they arrive at the house, they see that it is much...
Instructional Video1:45
Next Animation Studio

Less is More

12th - Higher Ed
Max is excited to design a gaming chair with lots of features like giant speakers, special control holders and snack makers. Moon provides input by saying that she thinks "less is more", which means that keeping things simple is...
Instructional Video1:15
Next Animation Studio

Rings True

12th - Higher Ed
Moon waits outside a classroom for Max. All of a sudden, Max comes running up to tell Moon he got lost trying to find the building. At first, Moon doesn't believe Max, but then says his explanation "rings true," which means it's real or...
Instructional Video2:03
Out of this Word

Born With a Silver Spoon in Your Mouth

Pre-K - 5th
Max and Moon are on their way to Charlie’s house for a party. Moon asks Max who Charlie is, and Max explains that he’s a new classmate that just moved to the city a few months ago. When they arrive at the house, they see that it is much...
Instructional Video1:15
Out of this Word

Get Someone’s Goat

Pre-K - 5th
Max is playing a computer game when his screen freezes. Moon tells Max not having internet access “gets her goat,” too. Max thinks someone took a goat he didn’t even know Moon had. Moon explains that when you find something annoying, it...
Instructional Video1:40
Next Animation Studio

Pull Someone's Leg

12th - Higher Ed
Moon sees Max walking in circles around a chair, and asks what he is doing. Max says he has been having trouble staying awake, so his friend suggested a trick. Moon takes a look at the instructions his friend suggested, and realizes the...
Instructional Video1:20
Out of this Word

Salad Days

Pre-K - 5th
When Moon walks in on Max working out, Max explains that he’s been exercising and eating well to make it into the basketball team. He’s even had a salad for lunch every day of the week! Moon cracks a joke at Max, asking if these are his...
Instructional Video1:45
Out of this Word

Steals Your Thunder

Pre-K - 5th
Max tries to think of ideas for a school science fair project. He had one until a classmate overheard the idea and took it. Moon tells Max his classmate “stole his thunder.” We use the phrase to describe when a person takes credit for an...
Instructional Video1:30
Out of this Word

Cloud Nine

Pre-K - 5th
It’s a beautiful day outside, but Max is staring sadly out the window because he receive a poor mark on his science test. Moon tries to cheer Max up by pointing out a cumulonimbus cloud, often referred to as ‘cloud nine,’ which is a...
Instructional Video1:30
Out of this Word

Pull out All the Stops

Pre-K - 5th
Max blows up balloons to get ready for his best friend’s birthday. Max tells Moon he will also decorate the house and bake her a cake. Moon is impressed. She tells Max he’s “pulling out all the stops” to make sure she has a good birthday.
Instructional Video1:30
Out of this Word

Straight from the Horse's Mouth

Pre-K - 5th
Moon is at her desk studying when Max asks her whether or not there will be a test today. Moon tells him she heard it “straight from the horse’s mouth,” which means hearing something firsthand from the original source.
Instructional Video1:30
Out of this Word

Break a Leg

Pre-K - 5th
Max is nervous as he prepares to take the stage in a school play. Backstage, Moon wishes Max good luck by telling him to “break a leg.” Max freaks out because he imagines Moon wants him to literally break his leg.
Instructional Video1:00
Out of this Word

Put a Sock in It

Pre-K - 5th
Max sings loudly while Moon tries to read. Moon tells Max to “put a sock in it” and Max takes this literally.
Instructional Video1:40
Out of this Word

Achilles’ Heel

Pre-K - 5th
Max is struggling with his math homework. Moon encourages Max and tells him that she knows that math is his “Achilles’ heel”, which means a weakness, a skill that isn’t strong or something that makes you vulnerable.
Instructional Video1:30
Next Animation Studio

Back to Square One

12th - Higher Ed
Max tries to put back together his robot but can't seem to figure out what to do next. Moon tells him he's "back to square one," which means he has returned to his original starting point.