The Voyage of the Mimi

The Voyage of the Mimi is a thirteen-episode American educational television program depicting the crew of the ship Mimi exploring the ocean and taking a census of humpback whales. The series aired on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and was created by the Bank Street College of Education in 1984 to teach middle-schoolers about science and mathematics in an interesting and interactive way, where every lesson related to real world applications. The series was also released on VHS and as a LaserDisc collection. In August 2014, the series was released in digital form via iTunes U. Format After a segment of a fictional adventure in the first part of each episode, a corresponding "expedition documentary" taught viewers something scientific relating to plot events in the previous episode of the show. For example, there is an episode where the plot is about obtaining drinkable water, and over the course of the episode, the viewer is also given lessons about condensation, heat, and the three states of matter. Each lesson has accompanying student and teacher handouts or worksheets. Four software modules are available that covered topics and skills in navigation and map reading, computer literacy and programming, the elements of ecosystems, and the natural environment of whales. The Voyage of the Mimi was shot in Marblehead, Massachusetts with some scenes being shot on Dyer Island, Maine. It marked Ben Affleck's television debut role.