Science Videos in School

When I was in school, having a film during class was a treat. Usually it was because the regular teacher was out, but sometimes films were used to augment curriculum. 

These days, videos are a staple in our culture. YouTube has experienced logarithmic growth. Teaching methods also use video more as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts especially benefit from video. Videos are able to show an experiment that would take too long in one class period or are too dangerous to demonstrate. 

I love the University of Nottingham videos on each of the elements in the Periodic Table. They are fun and offer examples of each element, their uses, and often a reaction. I also enjoy the Symphony of Science videos like "We Are Star Dust" by Neil DeGrasse Tyson that I've pinned with many other educational videos to my Cool Science Videos Pinterest board. Check it out and share some of your favorites.

If you're a teacher, I have Pinterest boards for Science Education, Science and Nature, Space and NASA, Robots, and Architecture and Design, to name a few. I use Pinterest as an online, visual filing system for cool websites, articles, concepts, and images. Stop by if you are exploring Pinterest and say hello.
Go science!

Hunting the Elements

Did you catch the NOVA Science program Hunting the Elements last week? I learned that calcium is really a silver-colored metal. Who knew? It combines with phosphate in bone and carbonate in sea shells to get that familiar white color. If you want to see metallic calcium as well as calcium in different compounds, check out this University of Nottingham video on calcium. http://www.periodicvideos.com/videos/020.htm
And for more little known facts on elements, check out the Hunting the Elements PBS link. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/hunting-elements.html
There is also a "Name That Element" game to test your chemistry knowledge. A different question is posted every day. Try it! http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/name-that-element.html

Periodic Table Gets 3 New Elements

On November 4, 2011 the Periodic Table officially announced 3 new named elements. Elements 110, 111 and 112 have been named darmstadtium (Ds), roentgenium (Rg) and copernicium (Cn). [It's about time Copernicus got more applause.] Check it out here.

Periodic Table of Videos

Have you seen the Periodic Table of Videos created by some folks at the University of Nottingham? Each element has a brief video about it. Of the videos I watched. I liked potassium (K) and tungsten (W). Off to see more now...