What's New and Notable in the MC

We have several new Science DVD's that have just been added to our collection. Glaciers: Alaska's River of Ice (call number DVD 551.312 GLA) allows students to join the US Geological Survey as they explore the world of glaciers. Students will learn about the location of the world's glaciers, the formation of glacier ice, the glacier ecosystem, and much more. The running time for this award-winning DVD is approximately 90 minutes. While searching for a photo of the DVD, I did come across the USGS website that is full of resources for science education. Go to http://education.usgs.gov/

It's here, and I just saw the Oprah show on this movie yesterday--An Inconvenient Truth (location DVD 363.738 GOR)! Running time for this DVD is approximately 60 minutes. We have the DVD--and my mind just runs rampant with the teaching possibilities. I picture showing the DVD to a class, and then,students could use a digital camera to take pictures of local evidence to support some of the tenets in the film (such as increased flooding). They can use Photo Story to make a slide show of their evidence. Or, have students search the Internet for evidence, photos, or videos that refute An Inconvenient Truth and prove or disprove the theory that the movie is "junk science". (NSTA choose to refuse free copies of the DVD being distributed to members). Certainly, the movie could serve as a springboard for a great debate! While these are surely a really simplified ideas, I am betting you folks can come up with a technology rich unit on this movie that is even better. To see more about the film, check out the NPR story on the film at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5441976

Pair the showing of An Inconvenient Truth with the showing of Global Warming: the signs and the Science, (location: DVD 363.738 PBS)a PBS DVD, and have students write a brief essay comparing and contrasting the viewpoints of the two. Which one sells its message more effectively? What are the sources for information the DVDs use? How are the alike or how are they different? Which one is more scientifically based? Does the narrator (Al Gore vs. Alanis Morissette) make a difference in the message delivery? or, explore the PBS lesson on Global Warming at http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/globalwarming.htmlJust let your mind Rock n' Roll!