Media+Resources

=This page contains information about Science Education Media Resources=

General Science
[|http://www.nclark.net/Biology#Games] (media resources) allie white This link was a forum of sites that connected to many other websites with webclips to show movies that correlated with certain subject matters. Although it was a nifty idea having one place and on location for all of these media resources, I still felt that there could have been more resources. Some links for example link up with the Scientific American. This website is filled with up to date informative movie clips. I really liked how high level the information was. ([])

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Science Discovery channel reviewed by (Joseph Konopinski) This channel is phenomenal! I watch it all the time because it has how the earth works, beyond the wormhole, how it’s made, how the universe works, wonders of the universe, are we alone, dark matter, mutant planet and more. This TV channel offers multiple shows that deal with new aged and present/future science. The CGI and ideas are mindboggling. This channel is very educational for most of the shows, and they are very accurate with a variety of famous guests.

In this edition of Science it contained aurora effects to smoke inhalation from cigarettes. This journal would be great for students who had to do some type of research project. i can see after being a subscriber for a year you can build up a library that can be then turned into an assignment with your class.Having this information on hand can be a real asset to you classroom. Also i was intrigued by the article about new guineas last colonies before they were colonized by modern day humans. I chose that article because i thought it would be interesting and it was. It went back like 50000 years and how this islands habitat hasn't changed because it was to small and isolated. This resource was very informative. Great for chemists and bio majors. E and S majors so so. I guess it would depend on the issue.
 * Science**, from AAAS (reviewed by Matt Sieminski)

**Animal Planet Most Extreme** (reviewed by Taylor Hartey) The Animal Planet has a Most Extreme series. Animal Planet is a part of the Discovery Channel. This series is great for kids of all ages, but especially secondary classes. The show focuses on a specific (extreme) animal features and ranks ten animals, some examples of shows are: Most extreme; fighters, moms, dads, jumpers, survivors, builders, ext. The show also has a human segment where it compares the ability of humans to the animals. I like the way the material is broken-down. It’s not too much material for children to remember. Each show is only 30minutes which is perfect to watch during class and still have time for a worksheet and/or discussion. The language is right on the level of the student, it’s very easy to understand. I would recommend this series in the classroom for general information, increase motivation, or to activate prior knowledge.

Bill Nye Videos (reviewed by Sal-Lee Patti)

Bill Nye is a scientist that produced many videos for students. Bill Nye has videos for Life Science, Earth and Space, Physics and Chemistry. He teaches concepts in wacky ways to motivate students. This is a great resource to get students motivated and activate prior knowledge in the beginning of a chapter or unit. He does experiments and teaches science concepts in ways that students would not think is science. You may think, that Bill is too kiddish for the upper grades, but sometimes even honors students need a good laugh and may understand a concept better if they see it in a different way.

Life Science and Biology
This would be mostly useful for a life science class, but PBS publishes a variety of TV shows and videos that allow knowledge of wildlife and a lot of information about life in general is integrated into the videos. One of the TV shows they sometimes show is zoboomafoo which discusses a variety of different animals and the viewer gets an idea of the various parts of wildlife out there. They also through these shows can see things like different biomes and learn a lot about ecology.
 * PBS Videos** (Reviewed By Heather Malin)

The New york Times has a particular section on science. The front page give the most popular topics, comes from a wide range of topics. The website also contain science video that are a resource for the future when I am in the classroom. The article can be broken up into two main group, environmental articles and article on space. The science section is not the only topic you can find article that are on science. Each topic can be broken down into different sections.This resource can be used for videos for class or a source to find article to use in a jigsaw method of cooperative learning. Here is the link to find the new york times http://www.nytimes.com/pages/science/index.html.
 * New York Times**(Reviewed By Ryan Kelleher)

On the National Geographic website, there is a link that takes you to their video selection. In this selection you can watch videos from NatGeo TV and other short videos on wildlife. Students can also find news related videos and there is even a section for kids where you can find videos geared towards younger students. This could be very useful when teaching lessons on wildlife and different animals and how their characteristics. There is a wide selection of videos that are all informative. The link for the site is []
 * National Geographic** Video (Reviewed by Josh Egner)

The New York Times Science section has a large amount of current science articles on a wide range of subjects. Some of the subjects include articles/videos/audios on glacier melt, quantum computer research, the Hubble telescope, conservation of the yellow-legged frog, atomic bomb film study, amazon drought and a copy of Darwin's "On The Origins of Species". This site is truly 'multi-media' to help apeal to different types of learners. The articles are indepth and many of them go into **how** science is done not just the conclusions. I can think of many ways that this site could be utilized in the science classroom, as a reserach source for many type of lessons. Discovery Health Channel Videos (reviewed by Tamara McCombs)
 * New York Times Science** section (reviewed by Bob Verdon)


 * Discovery Health Channel** videos feature many of the shows aired on the Discovery Health Channel, many of which would be very appropriate for use in a Biology classroom, and even more so for teaching a Human Anatomy and Physiology or Forensic Science class. Some of the videos even come with lesson plans already designed for teacher to build around them. Mystery Diagnosis, Mystery ER, and Dr. G Medical Examiner are all excellent and very informative shows. Many of the segments are short enough to be shown in just part of class so an entire day's worth of activity doesn't have to be taken up by watching the video. In an Anatomy and Physiology class I observed at Pocono Mountain East, the teacher used the Mystery Diagnosis series often on Fridays and had students answer questions about the video. They had class discussions on things like what makes diagnostics so challenging and how doctors can sometimes be wrong. Many of the questions were designed to make students think critically and they enjoyed it! The videos help students to see how the things they are learning can be applied.

I reviewed Discover Magazine has my media resources. The magazine is broken down into different categories you can look through for different articles. The categories include: health and medicine, mind and brain, technology, space, human origin, living world, environment, physics and math. The magazine articles are about new discoveries and fun science facts and activities. They are written on an adult level though I think most high school students will be able to understand the articles. The magazine has articles on new technology and interesting things going on in science across the fields. I think it would be a good resource for any science discipline and would allow students to see how science is being used around the world everyday.
 * Discover Magazine** (reviewed by Rachael Shearouse)

I reviewed the online collection of National Geographic videos. This collection included 56 featured videos on the topics of animals, environment, for the kids, news, movies and music videos. The videos are all free and easy to access. You can also get these National Geographic Movies online and possibly from rental stores. These movies cover a wide range of topics and are of great quality. They are very informational and are at a level that the students can understand them. They would be very useful to enhance the information that is being presented by the teacher. I would highly recommend them and think they would be a very good media resource for a biology classroom.
 * National Geographic** Videos (Emily Detter)

Chris Torres: **Discovery.com** (appropriate for all sciences) I chose to review the Discovery Channel’s website because I have followed this channels programming for many years. Being that my concentration is Biology, I focused on videos about different biological topics. The website had a very large collection of videos ranging from archeology to videos about survival. Another thing I liked about the website was that it had a TV schedule as well as a listing of daily programs as well as any special event type of shows that is coming up. Another thing I liked was the option to filter subjects so you can see everything the website has to offer on specific topics. Another benefit to using Discovery is it is very closely linked to other websites like Animal Planet and Discovery Health fir example. I would definitely use this website in my classroom as an additional source of info where it is appropriate.

United Streaming/**Discovery Education** (reviewed by Jamie Huber) United Streaming is part of Discovery Education and is a website run by the Discovery Channel. The website consists mostly of science related video content that is appropriate for use in the classroom. Videos can be found searching by subject or grade level, and/or just by searching the site with a key word search. Most of the videos available are video clips or entire episodes of science related topics that appear on the Discovery Channel or on PBS. For example, you can access any episode of Planet Earth via this website without purchasing the DVD. Some of the videos not only cover the content that you are looking for, but also include a review of the video in the form of questions that the students can answer for comprehension purposes. I like the fact that the videos are all suitable for classroom use and have no advertisements that one might encounter if using a site like youtube to show a video. Their is no worries of questionable content that might arise before or after showing a video. This website does require a membership, but most schools already possess memberships for their faculty. I do believe a membership can be acquired through ESU.

This series created by the BBC and the Discovery Channel, targets the general population in an attempt to bring the wonder and beauty of the natural world to people's homes. This 11 part series touches on every major biome on Earth. It includes many never before filmed clips, such as a bird of paradise's mating dance. The DVD's are expensive to buy, however the videos are available on United Streaming. They are very useful, because the language is simple since it is meant for the general public. In addition, they are very useful in the classroom as an introduction to practically any topic in the life sciences, including life in general, animals, biomes, and conservation. I would highly reccomend using this resource.
 * Planet Earth Series** (Reviewed by Bob Podlinski)

The **Science Channel** (Website) by Kristin D'Arienzo I reviewed the website of the science channel, which is a branch off of the same company that created the discovery channel. This website is useful for all sciences, with links for videos, games, blogs, newsletters, quizzes etc. The games are very interactive while also being educational so they are very useful tools in the classroom. There are also many videos that highlight key parts of the shows they air on the science channel. These videos are relatively short and cover majority of the important information needed so they would also be very useful in the classroom, especially for students who don't have any interest in science. Along with what is available on the website from its television shows aired on tv, there are many links to outside site that provide much more information on many topics.

American Scientist is the bimonthly science and technology magazine that has been in publication since since 1913 by the non-profi research society known as Sigma Xi. Each of the bi-monthly issues is composed of a number of recent research topics in a variety of scientific fields. The articles published in this magazine generally require a good background in science and a thirst for scientific knowledge. I am certainly not posting this media source for use within the context of any science level classroom but rather as a means for challenging or motivating students who tend to be interested in scientific inquiry. The magazine is a good read for anyone truly interested in a broad spectrum of scientific fields. The website for the magazine can be viewed by clicking on the following link. []
 * American Scientist** Reviewed by: Justin Tice

**National Geographic Videos** by Joe Pereira I reviewed National Geographic videos. The videos are full of information about all types of topics. It has a few sections of videos. One section focuses on animals and insects, another focuses on environmental issues such as energy, global warming, going green and tips about going green. Another section is geared toward kids it has videos about pets, history of science and even a section in Spanish. They do a really good job of setting up sections that are visual pleasing and have a ton of good videos. http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/?source=sem_esv_G2100&esvcid=S1290970381_ADOGOB_AGI3968617_CRE5753682797_TID340019091_RFDd3d3LndlYmNyYXdsZXIuY29t&gclid=CJyw7LeXxKUCFcNM4AodqTxmYg

“**Life**” by Discovery Channel. Reviewed by Shannon Jones [] Not only does the series “Life” share a lot of information in a beautiful majestic way, but the website also provides games and interactive means to learn more. The series is great because it is captivating and provides a lot of information on a lot of topics. The episodes include; challenges of life, reptiles and amphibians, mammals, fish, birds, creatures of the deep, hunters and hunted, insects, plants, and primates. These episodes can be used in a wide variety of content areas and the entire episode can be viewed or it can be broken down into segments to prove a single concept.

**Animal Planet** Reviewed by Amber Anderson Animal Planet is a very good resource for documentaries on animals and the environments they inhabit. This station is viewable from any cable carrier and is always accessible. In addition to providing information on various animals, they take in-depth looks at the environment and effects that impact such. I would utilize this television station for any lesson regarding animals or the environment.

This DVD set of four episodes of this discovery channel show stunning computer generated imagery of human bodies performing complex tasks from driving a police car during a high speed to pursuit to playing football. The episodes focus on different critical functions of the human body- strength, brain power, sight, and sensation. The computer generated imagery, depicting the action of specific body systems, gives students a chance to observe the wonder of the human body in action, which is highly motivating. One disadvantages of this resource is that it does focus on several specific systems, and is therefore not a comprehensive coverage of anatomy and physiology, but would make an exciting addition to lessons.
 * Human Body: Pushing the Limits DVD Set (available from the Discovery Channel Store)** Reviewed by Brooke Lininger

**Physical Science, Chemistry and Physics**

Flinn Scientific eLearning videos: http://elearning.flinnsci.com/Topics.aspx (Brittany Baccaro) This resource is a collection of videos that use demonstrations and real life applications to teach chemistry. When you first view the website, there are many topics that are taught in chemistry. You start by choosing a topic by clicking on it. Within each topic, are packages and within these packages are demonstrations and explanations that connect the important concepts involved in the topic. For example, I clicked on the topic Chemical Bonding. In this topic are packages for "Polar vs. non-polar compounds", "covalent, metallic, and ionic bonding", "Intermolecular Forces", "Hydrogen Bonding", "Molecular Geometry", and "Transition Metal Complex Ions". Each of these packages have explanations and very interesting demonstrations. These videos are great to show your students demonstrations when you don't have the resources. They are also great because they are interesting and fun to watch. The only issue is you have to buy viewing passes to be able to access these videos. I think buying the viewing passes would prove to be beneficial to your students and to your schools budget. It is a safe way to view demonstrations as well as clean and cost effective in the sense that you save money because you don't have to buy the supplies.

I chose this form of media because it was what drove my interest to be a science teacher. I felt like Ms. Fizzle the main character did a good job in making science both fun and educational. In the classroom I plan on having the students read the books first so the can get a feel for what the will be learning about that will lead in the lesson or unit the class is doing. Once they read the book and are finish doing the lesson I will the videos as wrap up sessions to reinforce the subject matter. The books and videos have the same titles and important information that are simliar but the content and presentation vary between the two different formats of media.
 * Magic School Bus** Books and Videos (Kassi Brady)

Trina Carito: **Myth Busters** a show on the discovery channel. A show on the Discovery Channel called myth busters is a great media resource which can be easily accessed, via you tube, in the classroom. This show stars two scientist brothers who try to prove or disprove scientific myths. Many of their experiments have to do with chemistry and physics, but there are also many biology topics. Aside from showing your students these video clips, this would be a good format to introduce labs, which could reproduce the myth busters' results. Also, you could have students come up with their own idea to prove or disprove in a scientific way. According to ACS, the myth busters apply the scientific method to each case they attempt. Here is an example of the myth busters show, where the brothers attempt to prove that mentos dropped in soda can cause an explosion. They use the idea of nucleation (a chemistry idea) to tackle this case http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjbJELjLgZg&feature=channel.

**The Great Courses** – [|Teaching Company] Videos (Thomas Kotch) The videos from The Teaching Company are high-quality, lecture format courses taught by some of the top professors in the country. Their selections span the academic gamut and one can choose courses from disciplines ranging from religion and philosophy to particle physics. Their science selections offer tremendous courses in astronomy, physics, biology, earth science, and chemistry. The level of course can range from qualitative surveys to more in-depth quantitative presentations. Customer reviews are helpful in evaluating the presentation, the instructor, or format. Normally presented in a multi-DVD or CD format, a complete course can be up-to 36 hours of instruction. Also, a study guide is included with each course. Full transcripts are available for an additional charge. An example of a course description can be found [|here]. While these courses are primarily designed for the lifelong learner, there are series specifically geared toward high school audiences. One the other hand, motivated high school students will benefit from any of these offerings.

Whitney Twining- **Kitchen Chemistry** (Discovery Channel) Kitchen Chemistry is great resource for connecting chemistry to a student. Heston Blumenthal is the person who take you through his kitchen and shows his ideas. He is a world class chef and uses chemistry to cook. The website and show deal with the science behind cooking and how it effects what we taste. It deals with the chemistry side of taste and flavour facts, molecular gastronomy, kitchen myths, kitchen chemicals, science in the kitchen, and something called the fat duck. The fat duck is a restaurant that is focuses more upon the chemistry of cooking and eating. For example, they are now figuring out that your brain can actually taste something before you eat it. All of these topics are discussed on the website and in the shows. It is extremely interesting to see all of the chemistry involved with food, eating, cooking and tasting. They look at the kitchen as a big laboratory with experiments happening all the time. The website is:http://www.yourdiscovery.com/science/kitchen_chemistry/molecular_gastronomy/index.shtml

Earth and Space Science
The BBC is a public service broadcaster. They provide news and information in 27 different languages; have 10 national TV channels, and 10 national radio stations. There are more than enough series and shows produced by BBC to cover all academic disciplines; however the ones I enjoy have to do with Earth Science. One of my favorites is titled The Wonders of the Solar System. This documentary shows how the chaotic beginnings of the solar system worked out to form the universe as we see it today. This documentary also shows how our planet is connected with the rest of our solar system. This series uses the latest scientific knowledge and images taken by probes, rovers and telescopes currently in space. The series I like the most by BBC is titled Earth the Biography. This series combined computer generated animation with satellite imagery to examine how naturally occurring phenomena and events have shaped the Earth throughout the ages. The five episodes include--"Volcano," "Atmosphere," "Ice," "Oceans," and "Rare Earth”. All episodes provide valuable and entertaining information that relates directly to Earth Science. The quality of BBC’s DVD’s are good and the shows are very interesting, however there is no way to view the shows on BBC’s website. The only way to show the films in class would be to actually purchase the DVD that you wanted to show. This may be a downside when compared to other media resources that allow full videos to be shown without purchasing the DVD.
 * BBC Science- www.bbc.co.uk ** (reviewed by Bryan Freeman)

**NOVA and NOVA Science Now – PBS** (Reviewed by Jim Bratcher) Both of these programs are excellent resources for a variety of science topics from anthropology to space science and technology. Both programs are produced by WGBH, the public broadcasting affiliate in Boston. Although they are very similar in content, the two programs differ in format; NOVA typically focuses on a single subject for an entire hour, while NOVA Science now is presented in a news magazine format that covers several topics in shorter (5 to 15 minute) segments. Both programs present scientific discoveries and research that is often highly technical in simple, plain language that is easy to understand aided by stunning videography and graphics.

What makes these programs especially useful for teachers is the dedicated “Teachers Domain” website which provides standards-based lesson plans, teacher’s guides, downloadable video clips, interactive simulations and classroom viewing guides organized by 16 different subject areas. NOVA has been on PBS for 37 years, so there are literally thousands of useful topics available. I highly recommend this program for anyone interested in teaching or learning about science.

NOVA airs Tuesday evenings at 8PM Eastern time on most PBS stations. The NOVA/NOVA Science Now Teacher's Domain can be found at []

**BBC Science** (Life, planet earth, blue planet, life of mammals, birds, life in the undergrowth, Life in the freezer, Life in cold blood, the private life of plants, the trials of life, the living planet) by Sir David Attenborough. Don Detwiler The BBC Nature department has produced an unparalleled collection of documentaries covering topics that would be very valuable for class topics covering animal behavior, biology, ecology, community interactions, predator prey relationships, climate shift, evolution, biogeography, anthropology, and even wildlife film making techniques. Their recent series planet earth and life are critically acclaimed and provide a wonderful mechanism for making these complex interactions real to students because they can first hand see organisms in the wild that they would have no opportunity to see anywhere else. Sir David Attenborough is a knowledgeable and clever narrator who clearly understands the biology he is describing as opposed to reading a script. I find that excerpts from all of these series livens the lesson and provide a change of pace that students enjoy. Additional information can be found at [] As this site is controlled by the BBC the educational value of the website is based on English standards and does not provide much teacher directed content, however there is plenty of useful material in the form of clips and audio information available for download.

I reviewed this magazine called Science, from AAAS. This is the world's leading journal of original scientific research, global news, and commentary. The actual edition i reviewed was from October 1st. This edition focused more on our solar system and the universe and gives alot of interesting and good information. Has alot of good images throughout the magazine as well including rendition of the Kepler-9 system in which two Saturn-size planets transit the same star. Some great pictures of stars planets and galaxies ect. This Science magazine is a weekly magazine with each week with new interesting information about different topics. It is free to register but then to subscibe cost money to receive full access to all science content since 1880. Seems like subscribing to this magazine would be worth all of the great and useful information you would recieve by doing so.
 * Science**, AAAS (reviewed by Steven Beautz)