Earth Science 6: Astronomy Beyond the Solar System

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P R O G R A M S

1. LIFE AND DEATH OF A STAR

Ignited by the power of the atom, burning with light, heat and wrath, stars are anything but peaceful. They collide, devour each other, and explode in enormous supernovas.

2. INVISIBLE UNIVERSE REVEALED 

Twenty-five years ago, NASA launched one of the most ambitious experiments in the history of astronomy: the Hubble Space Telescope. In honor of Hubble's landmark anniversary, NOVA tells the remarkable story of the telescope that forever changed our understanding of the cosmos. But Hubble's early days nearly doomed it to failure: a one-millimeter engineering blunder had turned the billion-dollar telescope into an object of ridicule. It fell to five heroic astronauts in a daring mission to return Hubble to the cutting edge of science. This single telescope has helped astronomers pinpoint the age of the universe, revealed the birthplace of stars and planets, advanced our understanding of dark energy and cosmic expansion, and uncovered black holes lurking at the heart of galaxies. Join NOVA for the story of this magnificent machine and its astonishing discoveries.

Earth Science 5: Astronomy in the Solar System

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P R O G R A M S

1. METEOR STRIKE 

Scientists hunt for debris from the 7,000-ton asteroid that crashed in Russia, searching for clues to its origin and makeup; a review of past explosions, from Tunguska to the asteroid that extinguished the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

2. FINDING LIFE BEYOND EARTH Part 1: ARE WE ALONE? 

Scientists are on the verge of answering one of the greatest questions in history: Are we alone? Finding Life Beyond Earth immerses audiences in the sights and sounds of alien worlds, while top astrobiologists explain how these places are changing how we think about the potential for life in our solar system. We used to think our neighboring planets and moons were fairly boring—mostly cold, dead rocks where life could never take hold. Today, however, the solar system looks wilder than we ever imagined. Powerful telescopes and unmanned space missions have revealed a wide range of dynamic environments—atmospheres thick with organic molecules, active volcanoes, and vast saltwater oceans. This ongoing revolution is forcing scientists to expand their ideas about what kinds of worlds could support life.

Earth Science 4: Tectonics, Volcanoes, and Earthquakes

Earth Science 4: Tectonics, Volcanoes, and Earthquakes on Teachers Pay Teachers

P R O G R A M S

1. COLLIDING CONTINENTS 

The history and a projection of the future of the Earth's land masses caused by continental drift is explained by the theory of plate tectonics.

2. How Earth Made Us | How the Earth Changed History

Professor Iain Stewart examines the role of geology in the history of mankind in this documentary program. Each of the classical elements plays a role - for instance, he points out that mankind has been drawn to fault lines for centuries, since this is the best place to find minerals, oil, soil suitable for farming, etc. But with these riches comes great danger, of course, since locating communities on the fault lines makes them vulnerable to earthquakes. Subsequent episodes review the cycle of freshwater, the force of the wind, and fire both as a source of energy and a terrifying force of nature. From crystal caves in Mexico to holes in the Iranian desert and a mysterious lake in Oregon, Stewart travels the globe to hammer his point home.

Earth Science 3: Climate Change and Human Impact

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P R O G R A M S

1. BEFORE THE FLOOD

A look at how climate change affects our environment and what society can do to prevent the demise of endangered species, ecosystems and native communities across the planet.

Using his celebrity status to draw attention to the problem of global warming, one of the most important and pressing issues of our time, actor and United Nations Messenger of Peace, Leonardo DiCaprio, travels the globe to witness firsthand the effects of an impending environmental disaster. By visiting ancient melting glaciers and leveled Indonesian tropical forests, DiCaprio unearths an urgent situation and the world's dependence on fossil fuels, going as far as to visit President Obama himself for an in-depth interview. But, can this crusade inspire the climate-change deniers?

Earth Science 2: Atmosphere and Weather

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P R O G R A M S

1. OUR ATMOSPHERE

In the empty blackness of space, surrounded by hostile planets and freezing vacuum, planet Earth is an oasis of life. And all because of our protective cocoon of gas. This blanket of air shapes everything we see on Earth. It protects, insulates, and sustains us. It carries water around the globe and shields us from cosmic impacts and killer radiation. It’s time to uncover the invisible wonder that is our atmosphere.

Earth Science 1: Science, Mapping, and Water

Earth Science 1: Science, Mapping, and Water on Teachers Pay Teachers

P R O G R A M S

1. SECRETS OF THE PSYCHICS

Can psychics predict the future? Many people seem to think so. Others argue that, in most cases, so-called psychic experiences are really misinterpretations of events. In this episode of NOVA, magician and confirmed skeptic James Randi challenges viewers to weigh the evidence for and against the existence of psychic phenomena.

How Earth Made Us | How the Earth Changed History

BBC · 2010 · Presenter: Iain Stewart

Professor Iain Stewart examines the role of geology in the history of mankind in this documentary program. Each of the classical elements plays a role - for instance, he points out that mankind has been drawn to fault lines for centuries, since this is the best place to find minerals, oil, soil suitable for farming, etc. But with these riches comes great danger, of course, since locating communities on the fault lines makes them vulnerable to earthquakes. Subsequent episodes review the cycle of freshwater, the force of the wind, and fire both as a source of energy and a terrifying force of nature. From crystal caves in Mexico to holes in the Iranian desert and a mysterious lake in Oregon, Stewart travels the globe to hammer his point home.

How Earth Made Us | How the Earth Changed History on Teachers Pay Teachers

E P I S O D E S

1. DEEP EARTH | Beneath the Crust 
In this first episode, Iain explores the relationship between the deep Earth and the development of human civilisation. He visits an extraordinary crystal cave in Mexico, drops down a hole in the Iranian desert and crawls through 7,000-year-old tunnels in Israel.

His exploration reveals that throughout history, our ancestors were strangely drawn to fault lines, areas which connect the surface with the deep interior of the planet. These fault lines gave access to important resources, but also brought with them great danger.

Our Planet

Netflix · 2019 · Narrator: David Attenborough 

Share the wonder of the extraordinary place we call home. Utilizing the latest technology Our Planet was filmed entirely in Ultra High Definition in over 50 countries. From exotic jungles to the deepest seas, open your eyes to the connections we all share.

Just some of the buzz for Our Planet:

'Our Planet' Is A Remorseful Call To Arms [NPR's Fresh Air - 26 April 2019]

Staggering, Marvelous Our Planet Is the Nature Show We’ve Been Waiting For [Variety - 9 April 2019]

Our Planet Is a Beautiful but Punishing Glimpse of Earth’s Worst-Case Scenario [Vulture - 25 April 2019}

Our Planet on Teachers Pay Teachers

E P I S O D E S

1. ONE PLANET 
The habitats that make up our planet are connected and reliant upon each other. The astonishing diversity of life on earth depends on these global connections. Witness the planet's breathtaking diversity—from seabirds carpet-bombing the ocean to wildebeests eluding the wild dogs of the Serengeti.

2. FROZEN WORLDS 
Our poles are some of the earth's last remaining wildernesses. And yet just as we are beginning to understand these extraordinary places, they are changing fast. On the unforgiving frontier of global warming, polar bears, walruses, seals and penguins find their icy Edens in peril.

Conceptual Physics Alive!

Arbor Scientific · 1991 · Presenter: Paul Hewitt

Master teacher Paul Hewitt teaches noncomputational Conceptual Physics. Observe Hewitt teach in a classroom with real students, using engaging demonstrations and artwork.

Years ago, I found myself serving jury duty during my unit on waves. I had the substitute show the Mechanical Universe episode on waves, and a Conceptual Physics Alive episode on waves. When I returned, I asked my students which video they preferred. To my surprise, they preferred Hewitt's videotaped classroom lecture over the slickly produced television program. That's not to take anything away from the massive accomplishment that is The Mechanical Universe. Rather, it speaks highly of Hewitt's extraordinary ability to connect to students.

Conceptual Physics Alive on Teachers Pay Teachers

SETS AND EPISODES

Set 1: Motion
1. INTRODUCTION
Author Paul Hewitt describes the perspective taken in the Conceptual Physics program and offers a preview of things to come. The program begins with a description of how the video series came to be. Enjoy the clips from the “old days” going all the way back to 1974!

2. LINEAR MOTION 

In this lecture, Paul Hewitt describes the relationship between distance, speed, and time for objects moving at constant speed. He then discusses how accelerated motion is different. Lastly, he shows how to determine “how fast” and “how far” for objects in free fall.

3. VECTORS AND PROJECTILES 

In this lecture, Paul Hewitt reviews uniform motion and accelerated motion. He then combines those ideas to explain the nature of projectile motion. 

 

Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World

PBS BBC · 2018 · Narrator: Patrick Stewart

Take a mind-blowing journey through human history, told through six iconic inventions that modern people take for granted, and see how science, invention, and technology built on one another to change everything.

This series spotlights the history of engineering, which aligns nicely with the NGSS emphasis on engineering. While Patrick Stewart narrates, there is refreshing representation among the various presenters who appear throughout the series.

Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the Word on Teachers Pay Teachers

E P I S O D E S

1. THE TELESCOPE 
Episode 1 tells the story of the development of the telescope, from a stone-age observatory to the space-based telescopes of the future.

Scholars Derrick Pitts (The Franklin Institute), Brett Salmon & Dan Coe (Space Telescope Science Institute), Fabio Silva (Bournemouth University), Shelley James (Glass Artist), Jim Al-Khalili (University of Surrey), Binh Danh (San Jose State University), and Lindsay Smith Zrull (Harvard Observatory) tell us the story of the telescope.

It entails long-abandoned Stone Age dolmens once used as celestial calendars, how Venetians made glass transparent, the optics of a medieval Persian camera obscura, a Dutch lens maker’s wartime breakthrough and a Venetian math teacher’s advancement of it, a Parisian invention improved by a spilled bottle of mercury, a team of women known as human computers who were armed with fly spankers, an athlete-turned-astronomer working high above Los Angeles, and telescope in space that will allow us to see as far as physics will allow.

Episode 1 "breakthrough celebrities" include Galileo Galilei, Edwin Hubble, Henrietta Swan Leavitt, Louis Daguerre, Hans Lippershey, and Ibn al-Haytham.

The Mechanical Universe: College

Annenberg CPB · 1987 · Presenter: David Goodstein

The Mechanical Universe...and Beyond is a critically-acclaimed series of 52 thirty-minute videotape programs covering the basic topics of an introductory university physics course. The series was originally produced as a broadcast telecourse by the California Institute of Technology and Intelecom, Inc. with program funding from the Annenberg/CPB Project.

Each program in the series opens and closes with Caltech Professor David Goodstein providing philosophical, historical and often humorous insight into the subject at hand while lecturing to his freshman physics class. The Mechanical Universe contains hundreds of computer animation segments, created by Dr. James F. Blinn, as the primary tool of instruction. Dynamic location footage and historical re-creations are also used to stress the fact that science is a human endeavor. 

The series has been broadcast as a telecourse over the PBS television network and can still be seen on many PBS stations. The Mechanical Universe is arguably the most successful attempt to date to use video technology in the presentation of rigorous physics instruction.

Index of all episodes of The Mechanical Universe: College Editions and High School Adaptations.

The Mechanical Universe on Teachers Pay Teachers

EPISODES

1. INTRODUCTION

This preview introduces revolutionary ideas and individuals from Copernicus to Newton, and links the physics of the heavens and the earth.

2. THE LAW OF FALLING BODIES

Galileo's imaginative experiments proved that all bodies fall with the same constant acceleration.

3. DERIVATIVES

The function of mathematics in physical science and the derivative as a practical tool.

4. INERTIA

Galileo risked his favored status to answer the questions of the universe with his law of inertia.

One Strange Rock

National Geographic · 2016 · Presenter: Will Smith

One Strange Rock is the extraordinary story of Earth and why it is special and uniquely brimming with life among a largely unknown but harsh cosmic arena; astronauts tell the story of Earth through a unique perspective. The camera work is stunning and includes sweeping vistas, detailed close-ups, and dynamic drone footage. One Strange Rock is hosted by Will Smith and astronauts Chris Hadfield, Nicole Stott, Jeffrey Hoffman, Mae Jemison, Leland Melvin, Mike Massimino, Jerry Linenger, and Peggy Whitson.

The people involved in the story speak in their native languages. Subtitles appear, but there are no voice-overs. The authenticity is powerful.

This series examines the interplay between earth science and biology. It’s an essential for the NGSS course, The Living Earth. But it can work in other courses, too.

A "second season" of One Strange Rock appeared in 2021. It's called Welcome to Earth.

One Strange Rock on Teachers Pay Teachers

E P I S O D E S

1. GASP 

Astronaut Chris Hadfield reveals the unlikely and unexpectedly interconnected systems that allow life on our planet to breathe. Shooting locations include Ethiopia, Brazil, Norway, Peru, Thailand, and the International Space Station. 

2. STORM 

Ever wonder how our planet got here? It was born in a cosmic storm. The violence could have destroyed us, but instead it made us. Shooting locations include Mexico, Morocco, India, Switzerland, Quebec, Zambia, the North Atlantic, and the International Space Station. 

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

National Geographic · 2014 · Presenter: Neil deGrasse Tyson

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, is a thirteen-part American science documentary television series released in 2014. The show is a follow-up to the 1980 television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which was presented by Carl Sagan is considered a milestone for scientific documentaries. This series was developed to bring back the foundation of science to network television at the height of other scientific-based television series and films. The show is presented by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who, as a young high school student, was inspired by Sagan. 

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey on Teachers Pay Teachers

E P I S O D E S

1. STANDING UP IN THE MILKY WAY
Tyson opens the episode to reflect on the importance of Sagan's original Cosmos, and the goals of this series. He introduces the viewer to the "Ship of the Imagination", the show's narrative device to explore the universe's past, present, and future. Tyson takes the viewer to show where Earth sits in the scope of the known universe, defining the Earth's "address" within the Virgo Supercluster. Tyson explains how humanity has not always seen the universe in this manner, and describes the hardships and persecution of Renaissance Italian Giordano Bruno in challenging the prevailing geocentric model held by the Catholic Church. To show Bruno's vision of the cosmic order he uses an animated adaptation of the Flammarion engraving, a 19th century illustration that has now become a common meme for the revealing of the mysteries of the Universe.

The episode continues onto the scope of time, using the concept of the Cosmic Calendar as used in the original series to provide a metaphor for this scale. The narration describes how if the Big Bang occurred on January 1, all of humankind's recorded history would be compressed into the last few seconds of the last minute on December 31. Tyson concludes the episode by recounting how Sagan inspired him as a student as well as his other contributions to the scientific community.

Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak

Netflix · 2020

In Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak, we meet the heroes on the front lines of the battle against influenza and learn about their efforts to stop the next global outbreak.

Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak on Teachers Pay Teachers

E P I S O D E S

1. IT HUNTS US 
In this introduction to life on the front lines, doctors in the U.S. and Asia battle the flu, and researchers race to develop a universal vaccine.

2. PANDEMIC IS NOW 
Vaccine debates rage while health-care workers inoculate against the Ebola virus in Congo and influenza in detainee camps at the U.S.—Mexico border.

3. SEEK, DON’T HIDE 
Worldwide, scientists test animals and their handlers for emerging viruses. In the U.S. and India, doctors work long hours caring for flu patients.