Enrichment Archives - Page 2 of 4

Science Videos for Kids: Physics

April 8, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Remember back in school and the teacher would roll in the audio/visual cart and you knew you were going to spend the next hour watching an educational film? I loved those days! Especially when they were about science. I was quite sure I was going to be an astronaut. Obviously that didn’t go as planned.

Now students can get nerdy just about anytime they want thanks to the seemingly endless supply of science videos for kids on YouTube. Most of these are better than the ones I remember from my 5th grade days. But not all.

My daughter, like most kids her age, loves science and right now physics fascinates her. Probably because of Angry Birds. Unfortunately, science lessons in the elementary grades are sometimes a little thin and if you’ve got a gifted kid who’s not in school yet – you’re probably struggling to keep up. We satisfy her inner geeky girl with some favorite YouTube science channels on physics.

Science Videos on Physics

Minute Physics
This is a popular YouTube channel and for good reason. Henry Reich earned physics and math degrees from Grinnell College in 2009 and a master’s in theoretical physics from the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. Now he churns out about one 3-4 minute weekly video explaining the mysteries of physics.

The info in the below video totally works. Thanks, Henry.

Physics Girl
A graduate of MIT, Dianna Cowern can explain physics so that fifth graders can understand. Seriously. She won the 2014 Flame Challenge put on by Alan Alda and the Center for Communicating Science. Below is her winning entry describing color to 11-year-olds.

Yep, I like having my daughter watch another girl explain science. With ice cream.

Sixty Symbols
Brady Haran is a journalist from Australian now in Nottingham, United Kingdom. While working for the BBC he started posting videos to YouTube of scientists describing their work. Now he’s working on his many YouTube channels full-time. Sixty Symbols videos are usually about 8-15 minutes long and feature scientists describing their research.

These videos are probably better for kids, and adults, with a little longer attention span.

Veritasium
Veritasium is a play on Veritas, meaning truth in Latin, and -ium, which the name of many elements end in. Hence, Dr. Derek Muller has created an element of truth. I like it.

Dr. Muller knows what he’s doing. He has a PhD in physics education research from the University of Sydney with a thesis, Designing Effective Multimedia for Physics Education. He even gave a TedTalk on creating effective educational science videos.

These are just physics videos but you’ll find plenty of physics included on this channel.

SciShow Physics
Ok, so technically this isn’t a YouTube channel but a playlist on the SciShow channel. Don’t get me wrong, you can get absolutely lost in all the science-y goodness on this channel but we’re just talking physics here.

The good folks at SciShow have kindly created this playlist. Thanks, guys!

This is just a drop in the bucket –
share in the comments where you find your favorite science videos!

Filed Under: Musings Tagged: Enrichment, science, videos

3 of the Best Kid Movies You May Have Missed

February 18, 2015 · 3 Comments

I love movies. Maybe I should say films because that sounds more cultured. Whatever. I’m not kidding myself, I’m not that cultured.

I love going to the movies and munching on Sno Caps, the best movie candy (not film candy) of all time. I know you probably don’t agree with that opinion but I stand by it. It’s an escapism that I don’t get to take advantage of often enough.

Miyazaki Movie Marathon

There are some movies I go to just because of who the director is or who the actors are. I trust Martin Scorsese. Meryl Streep rarely lets me down. I would never think of missing a Daniel Day-Lewis movie. Although it does seem like I really should call his movies films.

Benedict Cumberbatch is quickly becoming my new must see actor.

The same goes for animated movies. It’s much less embarrassing to go see them now that I have a child but I admit to having seen Toy Story on a date. Loved the movie but the date was a bust.

Just like finding books that are challenging enough for a gifted child yet still age appropriate, finding the best kid movies can be tough. In the past we’ve looked to some of the Hollywood classics but we still love children’s movies.

When Pixar has a new release my daughter and I grab the Sno Caps and settle in for a couple of hours. For the record my favorite is Wall-E and hers is Finding Nemo.

You may not have heard of another cinematic favorite of ours. Hayao Miyazaki, the Japanese animator whose movies are simply magical. I remember seeing Ponyo for the first time and feeling transported. I’m not used to having cartoons making me feel that way.

Each one of his movies is old-school handcrafted animation with little or no CGI. They’re created in the Japanese anime tradition and are immediately recognizable from the usual animated movies at the multi-plex.

You should check them out. You can find them on Amazon (nope – these are aren’t affliate links).

These are three of his best kid movies and our personal favorites.

Ponyo – aimed at younger kids but older kids will enjoy it as well. Perfect for those who love the sea and ecology.

My Neighbor Totoro – friendship tale. Incredible imagery.

Princess Mononoke – for kids that can handle epic battle scenes.

So, grab the Sno Caps and enjoy your Miyazaki movie marathon!

What are your favorite animated movies that we may not have seen?

Filed Under: Musings Tagged: Enrichment, Fun, movies, parenting

Seven Interesting Things About ~ Alan Turing

February 15, 2015 · 1 Comment

Did a quick read of Common Sense Media’s review of the Imitation Game and despite the recommendation for kids at least 13 I took my nine-year old daughter.

As a parent of a gifted child I love sharing movies with her about people she can relate to. The movie’s about a geeky guy who got bullied in school and went on to basically win the war and save thousands of lives. Definition of a hero and pretty good guy.

She (me too!) is a Benedict Cumberbatch fan thanks to Sherlock. She also likes codes so this seemed like it would be a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Alan Turing

The movie provides opportunities for conversation ranging from bullying, wartime ethics, and how movies may play fast and loose with facts in order to tell a better story.

We came home and of course she wanted to know more about Alan Turing.

Here are seven interesting things we learned.

The second most influential Princeton alumni of all time. He came in second behind only President James Madison. High praise.
He was at Princeton the same time Albert Einstein was at the Institute for Advanced Study which was housed on the campus.
Turing studied at Cambridge University and elected a fellow at the young age of 22.
Developed the Turing Test for machine intelligence assessment: if an observer cannot tell whether they are interacting with a human or machine, the machine is intelligent.
The computer room at King’s College at Cambridge University is the Turing Room.
The Association for Computing Machinery gives the annual Turing Award to “an individual selected for contributions of a technical nature made to the computing community”. An announcement in November 2014 that the funding for the Turing Award increased to $1,000,000 and is provided by Google. Wow!
Suspected of having Asperger’s Syndrome.