Science on TV: a Counterpoint to the Anti-science Movement

Kudos to the Science Channel, the Discovery Channel, the History Channel and the Animal Channel for their wonderful shows designed to explain science and technology to the general public. They are using modern advertising techniques to interest viewers in the topics, and modern educational and showmanship practices in informing the public during the programs.

Bottom line is the programs are fun to watch and chock full of information.

Some of my favorite themes are these:

>> I smile every time I hear and/or view the "missing link" commercial for the science channel website.
>> I have long believed that science fiction would assist the general public in understanding science and technology knowledge and issues.
>> Who would have believed that Meerkat Manor would have become such a hit soap opera?!

I hope that these programs will continue in production. Many can be viewed on DVD:










Visit the websites for schedules and some online videos.

Great Stuff at Link TV

Link TV
has some of the most emotionally draining documentaries around. It is wonderful in its educational value and stark in its grounding in reality. It is hard to watch for a day because the issues it covers are controversial that you become emotionally involved to the point of being stressed if you do not take action of some type: write a congressman, make a donation, volunteer your time, read more about it.

The website is a treasure trove of program abstracts, trailers to programs, and rss feeds.
Here is a set of offerings of interest to k-12 teachers and homeschoolers at the 7-12 levels, mostly. (Link TV also offers worldwide music of interest to all grades!)

• Get podcasts from Link TV.
• http://www.linktv.org/podcasts
• 
  
embedded players from Link TV:
• Earth Focus

• Explore

• Global Pulse

One of the Link TV sponsors offers this rss feed to world news:
Showcasing the most important news and views on human rights and development worldwide.
http://us.oneworld.net/article/feed/rss/18/

Do add these to your resources for teaching.