Tag Archives: science

Top Five Videos to Teach Sounds in Nature

May 23, 2013, 9:45 am • Posted by Nancy Yamamoto
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Thinkstock.com

Thinkstock.com

When you hear crickets chirping or birds tweeting, do you wonder what it all means? From orcas and shrimps to beetles and chimpanzees, every species communicates verbally or non-verbally to transmit information to others. The cues could signal courtship and mating, the approach of predators, territorial boundaries, a food source, or pure joy. To the untrained human ear animal communication may be indistinguishable. The following digital media resources shed light on the research experts have been uncovering on the way some animals hear and communicate.

ANIMAL HEARING
This video segment explores the night time worlds of the desert fox and the barn owl, whose heightened sense of hearing allows them to travel and find food while most other animals lie low and wait for daylight. Footage from NOVA: "Mystery of the Senses: Hearing."

GUESS HOW WHALES HEAR!
What does the ocean sound like to a whale? How do whales hear? Dr. Darlene Ketten of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution really wanted to know. This video segment reveals how one marine biologist learns how cetaceans hear and what they hear. Understanding this information may help save these important creatures against noise pollution caused by human activity.

SOUND WAVES LISTENING TO ORCAS
Orcas are an icon of the Pacific Northwest, stirring a mix of fascination, awe and affection. Thousands of people come to the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound just to catch a glimpse of the Southern Resident orcas that call these waters home. By using underwater microphones, or hydrophones, scientists record the acoustic environment of the killer whales to track their communication and gain a deeper understanding of how human-made noise affects them.

PRAIRIE DOG CALLS
In this video from DragonflyTV, Julian and Sabrina think one of the funniest exhibits at the zoo is the prairie dogs. They're always busy yipping and yapping, but that got them wondering if they just make noise or if they are communicating. Do prairie dogs make different kinds of barks? Julian and Sabrina create sound spectrum snapshots of prairie dog barks to explore animal communication.

BIRD CALL QUIZ
Birds have different calls to communicate to each other. Test your ability to distinguish between the calls. In this interactive activity figure out which are songs, which are companion calls, and which are alarms.

For more great science videos, visit pbslearningmedia.org .

Filed under: K-5 Science, PBS LearningMedia, Science, Uncategorized
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BAYMN FEST 2013 -- June 1 & 2

May 2, 2013, 3:01 pm • Posted by Matthew Williams
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BAYMN FEST

On June 1 & 2, the Bay Area Youth Media Network (BAYMN) in partnership with KQED will present BAYMN FEST, a free two-day interactive showcase of media produced by young folks ages 12-24, hosted at the San Francisco Public Library. Through screenings, workshops, a transmedia gallery, a makerspace, parties and networking opportunities, BAYMN FEST will be a place for young artists to share their work, meet their peers, acquire new tools, make their voices heard—and win cool prizes and media-making tools! It is a unique opportunity for youth, educators and the general public to celebrate the work of talented young media makers. We hope you will join us and be inspired.

We received over 300 youth-produced videos through our call for entries in a variety of categories including Science, Technology, & Innovation; Arts & Expression; and Social Justice & Community Engagement; and we have put together an exciting series of shorts programs that will screen throughout the weekend.

This event is open to the public. For educators, we encourage you to schedule time for your students to come and participate… or if you are out of school for the summer, to organize a group of young folks to attend. This event will be a great opportunity for young folks to connect with their peers who are passionate about making media, and it will give you the chance as an educator to immerse yourself in the youth media movement, network with other educators and even acquire some new skills. This festival is funded by Adobe Youth Voices and The AT&T Foundation.

To attend to this event, you must RSVP here -- www.baymnfest.eventbrite.com Below is a breakdown of the festival schedule, workshop schedule, and film program. Please reserve a spot for one of our workshops by filling out this form. Be sure to reserve spots for any or all of the days. And don't forget about the BAYMN BASH reception on the evening of Saturday, June 1! And it's all FREE!

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Filed under: Bay Area Youth Media Network, Community Voices, Youth Media Festivals
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Do Now #74: Earth Day

April 13, 2013, 9:17 am • Posted by Andrea Swensrud
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photo restored by Royce Blair/Flickr

To respond to the Do Now, you can comment below or tweet your response. Be sure to begin your tweet with @KQEDEdspace and end it with #KQEDDoNow

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Do Now

Do you make it a regular practice to care for the environment? If so, what do you do? If not, why?

Introduction

The first Earth Day celebration was held on April 20, 1970. Its founder, Senator Gaylord Nelson, developed the idea over a seven-year period after he realized that political leaders were not making environmental issues a priority. Senator Nelson began a massive grassroots effort among his colleagues and in local communities. Twenty million people participated in the first Earth Day. They became part of a change that continues today.

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Filed under: Do Now, Do Now: Science, Science
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Do Now #73: An Acidic Ocean For All?

April 10, 2013, 6:47 am • Posted by Matthew Williams
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California Academy of Sciences

California Academy of Sciences

To respond to the Do Now, you can comment below or tweet your response. Be sure to begin your tweet with @KQEDEdspace and end it with #KQEDDoNow

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Do Now

Why does ocean acidification matter? What role can you play?

Introduction

Over the past one hundred years or so, the ocean has absorbed the carbon dioxide (CO₂) released into the environment from burning fossil fuels. Absorbing these emissions makes our oceans more acidic. This change in the ocean’s pH level is called ocean acidification. As the pH levels change, we face increasing threats to our ocean health, marine life and even our economy (i.e. industries such as fisheries and tourism).

One of the most harmful effects of ocean acidification is a decrease in marine organisms’ ability to grow structures like skeletons and shells. Corals are especially under attack; higher acidity slows their growth and makes their skeletons weaker. Since coral reefs are home to at least a quarter of all marine species, losing such a habitat would have drastic effects for our global food chain.

Though ocean acidification is a relatively new topic of discussion for scientists, it has caught the attention of several groups around the world to speak and act in support of our oceans. In an article in Scientific American, Virginia Gewin writes, “Washington State, a leading U.S. producer of farmed shellfish, has launched a $3.3-million, science-based plan to address this growing problem for the region and the globe.” There are other actions and studies taking place in the scientific community as well. The Science Daily writes that at Stanford University, scientists are seeking the sea urchin's secret to surviving ocean acidification.

How much of a threat does ocean acidification have on our ecosystem and food chain?

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Filed under: Do Now, Do Now: Science, Science
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Stop Motion Animation and Scientific Transformations

March 11, 2013, 9:45 am • Posted by Kristin Farr
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stop motion

A group of educators recently completed a KQED workshop, stop motion animation in the elementary classroom. Our focus was on creating stop motion animation films to demonstrate scientific concepts and transformations. While some teachers used animation to represent plant growth and weather patterns, others created videos for use in other subject areas, such as Spanish and video production classes.

Stop motion animation is an artistic activity that can be applied to many subject areas, and is a hands-on way to introduce students to how animation and films are created. It also requires a low level of technology and can be done simply using digital cameras or mobile phone cameras, and free editing software.

Check out our teachers' videos below, and send an email to ArtsEd@KQED.org to learn about future educator workshops on stop motion animation.

Filed under: Arts, K-5 Science
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The Billion Dollar Question: How Will Immigration Reform Affect Adult Education?

February 20, 2013, 10:18 am • Posted by ESL Insights
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By Lori Howard

Business and labor leaders are showing support for an immigration reform bill proposed by a bipartisan group of U.S. senators which would affect approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants who already live in the U.S. The reform being discussed includes the “Dream Act” which would create an expedited path to citizenship for young people who were brought to the U.S. as children, if they attend college or serve in the military. It is believed that fixing the immigration system will, among other things, boost the economy by documenting these young people and allowing and encouraging them to attend college and possibly work in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. Major companies and organizations like Microsoft, Intel and the National Science Teachers Association, support the plan since there are more jobs than qualified applicants in these areas.

All the talk of educating undocumented immigrants seems to focus on the 65, 000 who graduate from American high schools each year.  But what about the adults?  Supporters of this immigration reform plan hope it will also offer adults a comprehensive path to citizenship, as well as educational and employment opportunities.  The last immigration reform bill, IRCA (The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986), offered legal residency to undocumented immigrants with an option to pursue full citizenship after five years.  It also provided billions of dollars for English and citizenship education so that applicants could learn about basic U.S.history and government, and be able to speak, read, and write simple English—all requirements for citizenship.

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Filed under: ESL Insights, Post-Secondary ESL
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Do Now #62: A Love of Science

February 6, 2013, 11:12 pm • Posted by Andrea Swensrud
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Credit: NASA JPL

Credit: NASA JPL

To respond to the Do Now, you can comment below or tweet your response. Be sure to begin your tweet with @KQEDEdspace and end it with #DoNow62

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Do Now

What do you love about science? Why is it interesting to you?

Introduction

There are numerous fields of science--everything from astronomy to biology to physics to climate science. And there are new fields of science, like nanotechnology, that didn't exist 50 years ago. Scientists can study tiny particles or huge ecosystems. They may use telescopes, microscopes, SCUBA gear or rock climbing gear. They may work in a laboratory, in a submersible, on a spaceship or in the jungle. They may study something down the street or on the other side of the world.

How do scientists get interested in doing science? Why do they do what they do? There is excitement in making discoveries and solving problems, in looking at data and finding patterns that answer questions. Some scientists want to make the world a better place for humans by finding cures to diseases, creating technological solutions or making our lives safer and more efficient. Some are interested in exploring the unknown and figuring out how things work. Other scientists seek answers to how humans are impacting the earth. Most all scientists are interested in sharing their knowledge with others.

What about science most interests you? What do you love about science?

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Filed under: 6 -12 Science, Do Now, Science
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In the Classroom: A SLANT Approach to Learning at the Paul Revere School

January 31, 2013, 10:55 am • Posted by Matthew Williams
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SLANT

Cynthia Vasquez teaches her Pre-K students at the Paul Revere School in San Francisco with the methodology of learning through play. Her approach is influenced by a group of teachers from the San Francisco Unified School District's SLANT (Science, Literacy, Arts, and Technology) program where she explores ways of integrating each of these disciplines into her students' learning objectives.

In this installment of In the Classroom, Ms. Vasquez has selected the unit of study "things that roll (or do not roll)" and we see her students explore this theme in a variety of playful activities derived from their curiosity and desire to learn through play.

Although many Pre-K learning models emulate play, Ms. Vasquez argues that this approach can serve students at all grade levels where they become more active, following their curiosity and inquiry to perhaps stimulate a growth in academic achievement and an interest in becoming life long learners.

See the video below:

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Five Resources for Soaring to Space

January 9, 2013, 9:41 am • Posted by Almetria Vaba
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Space exploration allows for an interdisciplinary moment between science and social studies. Use these 5 PBS LearningMedia resources to add richness and depth to your lessons.  PBS LearningMedia has thousands more classroom-ready media to enhance classroom learning.

1.  Hubble’s Expanding Universe Video(4:14) Grades:  6-12

Use this video and accompanying support material to spark astronomy fascination among your students featuring a view into Edwin Hubble’s discoveries: galaxies outside of our own and the constantly expanding universe.

2. Building Curiosity: Rover Rocks Rocker-Bogie Video (2:00) Grades: 9-12

Use this NASA video to show a behind-the-scenes view of how NASA engineers designed Curiosity to be sturdy but light and to be highly maneuverable and stable. Curiosity is NASA’s Mars rover that will, over a 23-month mission, collect and analyze Martian soil and rock samples.

3.  Mass vs. Weight: Introduction Video (5:42) Grades: 6-12

In this video from NASA's Teaching From Space initiative, two astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) describe mass and weight and the differences between the two. Embedded animations and demonstrations support the video's learning goals and are highly entertaining.

4. Life on Mars? Video (2:59) Grades: 6-12

With this video and additional support material, invite your class to ponder the mysteries of water on Mars. Assess the clues and learn the facts behind the discovery of ice on the red planet. Delve into the question: Could evidence of life exist in buried ice?

5. Gabriela Talks to an Astronaut Video (2:10) Grades: Pre-K-1

Use this video to how your young students how astronauts train and what astronauts do. Your class will learn directly from an astronaut engineer who helps build and fix things in space.

 

Filed under: PBS LearningMedia
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Do Now #56: Concussions in Sports

January 8, 2013, 9:57 pm • Posted by Andrea Swensrud
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To respond to the Do Now, you can comment below or tweet your response. Be sure to begin your tweet with @KQEDEdspace and end it with #KQEDDoNow

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Do Now

Should professional and amateur sports have stricter rules to prevent injuries like concussions? Why or why not? Please provide a suggestion that could tackle this issue.

Introduction

Concussions are not rare occurrences in contact sports, such as football. And this is not only for the pros, but for college, high school and even younger athletes. An article in the New York Times reports that half of all high school football players have had at least one concussion and 35 percent have had two or more. With about 1.3 million high school football players in the U.S., that adds up to a lot of concussions.

A concussion is an injury to the brain, caused by a traumatic blow to the head, or rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head, often from a hit. Concussions can be hard to diagnose because a doctor can't "see" a concussion like an x-ray can show a broken bone. Doctors have had to rely on patients reporting symptoms, which include loss of consciousness, loss of memory, difficulty thinking or concentrating, dizziness, headaches and nausea. For most people, recovery from a concussion happens in 7-10 days, but, for others, some symptoms can last months or years. For youth, concussions may be especially damaging because their brains are still developing. And scientists believe that there are cumulative long-term effects from enduring multiple concussions.

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Filed under: 6 -12 Science, Do Now, Science
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