Documentary Guides

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American Experience: Tesla Worksheet (2016)

$3.00
American Experience: Tesla (2016) is a biographical look inside the mind of one of America’s greatest inventors. Nikola Tesla is best remembered for ma

American Experience: Tesla Worksheet (2016)

$3.00

American Experience: Tesla (2016) is a biographical look inside the mind of one of America’s greatest inventors. Nikola Tesla is best remembered for making alternating current the standard by which we power modern society. But this documentary also looks into his business dealings, scientific speculations, numerous electrical patents, and futuristic dreams that made him a scientific prophet, years ahead of his time. This documentary also looks into his eccentricities and his ungrounded imagination which fueled his greatness but was also the cause of his downfall.

 

America’s Tsunami: Are We Next? Worksheet (2005)

$4.00
America’s Tsunami: Are We Next? (2005) is an in-depth documentary investigating the causes and human impact of the December 26, 2004 Indonesian tsunami

America’s Tsunami: Are We Next? Worksheet (2005)

$4.00

America’s Tsunami: Are We Next? (2005) is an in-depth documentary investigating the causes and human impact of the December 26, 2004 Indonesian tsunami that killed over 250,000 people. The accompanying video guide contains 46 questions. They are predominantly higher order thinking questions, but there are some basic questions thrown into the mix. This documentary conceptually explores the scientific underpinnings that lead up to the tsunami, the massive destruction and impact it caused, and how the findings from this tsunami could impact future preparation plans.

This documentary is best suited for the following high school classes: geology, ecology, environmental science, and oceanography. Scientific concepts mentioned include plate tectonics, water displacement, natural disasters, wave dynamics, wave propagation, fault lines, seismic activity, deep ocean exploration, and the Cascadia fault line. There are some graphic images of dead bodies shown, so please address this with the students first. Nothing too graphic, but a word of warning none the less.

 

 

An Inconvenient Truth Worksheet (2006)

$4.00
An Inconvenient Truth (2006) is Al Gore’s environmental documentary chronicling the impact humanity is having on the environment. Even though the docum

An Inconvenient Truth Worksheet (2006)

$4.00

An Inconvenient Truth (2006) is Al Gore’s environmental documentary chronicling the impact humanity is having on the environment. Even though the documentary was made by a politician, I left out any biased political references on the documentary guide and stuck to the scientific and environmental messages. The documentary makes a strong case for human-influenced climate change using solid scientific facts, logical argumentative points, and solid unbiased reasoning. It also explores and debunks the misinformation often presented when talking about global warming or climate change. The documentary guide has a total of 44 questions. It consists of mostly higher-order thinking questions, with some more basic questions included. This documentary explores scientific concepts including pollution, climate change, global warming, the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, carbon dioxide levels, trend lines, glacial melt, severe weather events, climate vs weather patterns, educated populace, and moral issues concerning climate change. The documentary is well-suited, but not limited to, the following classes: ecology, environmental science, or the humanities.

Blue Planet Worksheet (1990)

$3.00
Blue Planet (1990) is an ecological documentary filmed originally in IMAX. It was filmed using footage from the space shuttle flights, which lends to an

Blue Planet Worksheet (1990)

$3.00

Blue Planet (1990) is an ecological documentary filmed originally in IMAX. It was filmed using footage from the space shuttle flights, which lends to an inclusive view of humanity’s impact on the planet. It is interesting how we view the planet a single unified organism when our perspective changes to that from space. The documentary does not get very technical as to the scientific explanations for human induced climate change, but it does present the concepts in an easy to understand manner. This would be a good documentary to show from grades 6 through 9. Higher order thinking questions dominate the guide, but there are some basic fact questions scattered in as well. The best use for this film would be as an introductory explanation to climate change, geography, and how the two relate to the evolution of life on Earth. It also shows the fragility of life and what makes it so special to our planet in the cosmos.

COSMOS Episode 1: Standing Up in the Milky Way Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 1: Standing Up in the Milky Way (2014) is a remake of the classic Sagan series from the early 80s. The series has been thoroughly refreshe

COSMOS Episode 1: Standing Up in the Milky Way Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 1: Standing Up in the Milky Way (2014) is a remake of the classic Sagan series from the early 80s. The series has been thoroughly refreshed and updated for a new generation of learners, eager to see the Cosmos through fresh eyes. COSMOS is the story of us. It’s about how we got here as explained by the quantitative, unbiased powers of science. In the ship of the imagination, host Neil DeGrasse Tyson explores the fundamental questions humanity has about our evolution, our discoveries, our fate, and the meaning of our place in the universal scheme.

COSMOS Episode 2: Some of the Things that Molecules Do Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 2: Some of the Things that Molecules Do (2014) continues the exploration of our human origins through the eyes of science. This episode ex

COSMOS Episode 2: Some of the Things that Molecules Do Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 2: Some of the Things that Molecules Do (2014) continues the exploration of our human origins through the eyes of science. This episode explains the origins of species by means of natural and artificial selection. It also looks at the origin and evolution of life from the microscopic to macroscopic scale. Neil DeGrasse Tysons explores the possibility of life on other worlds, even in our own solar system!

COSMOS Episode 3: When Knowledge Conquered Fear Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 3: When Knowledge Conquered Fear (2014) traces the rise of modern science during the time of the enlightenment. The transformation from a

COSMOS Episode 3: When Knowledge Conquered Fear Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 3: When Knowledge Conquered Fear (2014) traces the rise of modern science during the time of the enlightenment. The transformation from a religious explanation for the workings of the cosmos to a scientific-based paradigm is told with exquisite detail through the development of the personal friendship between Isaac Newton and Edmund Halley. This episode shows the true predictive powers of science as opposed to mysticism and pseudoscience.

COSMOS Episode 4: A Sky Full of Ghosts Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 4: A Sky Full of Ghosts (2014) links our scientific progress and understanding to our human need to find meaning in our existence. Neil De

COSMOS Episode 4: A Sky Full of Ghosts Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 4: A Sky Full of Ghosts (2014) links our scientific progress and understanding to our human need to find meaning in our existence. Neil DeGrasse Tyson guides us through this journey by explaining that optical phenomenon, like illusions or “ghosts,” can also be analyzed through the eyes of science, giving us a more complete understanding of the reality surrounding us. He links Einstein’s understanding of light and gravity to show us that it is possible to infer the existence of objects we cannot see—like black holes!

COSMOS Episode 5: Hiding in the Light Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 5: Hiding in the Light (2014) gives an in-depth explanation of the fascinating phenomenon of light. Neil DeGrasse Tyson traces our earliest,

COSMOS Episode 5: Hiding in the Light Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 5: Hiding in the Light (2014) gives an in-depth explanation of the fascinating phenomenon of light. Neil DeGrasse Tyson traces our earliest, first ponderings of light in ancient China through modern spectroscopy and the phenomenon of dark matter. He artfully links world-wide cultural contributions over the centuries concerning light to create an immersive story-line that holds a student’s attention. Yes, this is actually possible!

COSMOS Episode 6: Deeper, Deeper, Deeper Still Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 6: Deeper, Deeper, Deeper Still (2014) relates our understanding (and subsequent interpretation) of reality to our rather limited perspect

COSMOS Episode 6: Deeper, Deeper, Deeper Still Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 6: Deeper, Deeper, Deeper Still (2014) relates our understanding (and subsequent interpretation) of reality to our rather limited perspectives of scale. Neil DeGrasse Tyson reveals reality from a subatomic scale to the entire known universe. He tells the story of evolutionary processes that work on different levels of size and scale. Tyson links the deep relationship the atoms we are made from with their creation from the ashes of stars that exploded before the sun was even formed.

COSMOS Episode 7: The Clean Room Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 7: The Clean Room (2014) links civilization’s impact on the environment to our abilities to make drastic changes in the way our society

COSMOS Episode 7: The Clean Room Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 7: The Clean Room (2014) links civilization’s impact on the environment to our abilities to make drastic changes in the way our society’s consumerism functions. Neil DeGrasse Tyson uses lessons from Ancient Rome to examine the impact of toxic material in the environment and our society. He also tells the dramatic story of Pat Patterson who, at great personal cost, used scientific research to change laws regarding the use of lead in gasoline.

COSMOS Episode 8: Sisters of the Sun Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 8: Sisters of the Sun (2014) explains the vital role a group of Harvard women had in developing the first star catalog. This is a great ep

COSMOS Episode 8: Sisters of the Sun Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 8: Sisters of the Sun (2014) explains the vital role a group of Harvard women had in developing the first star catalog. This is a great episode showing that even in a male-dominated field, women have the same expertise and capabilities as their male counterparts. Because of Annie Jump Cannon (who was also deaf) and Cecilia Payne, we know that stars are made of mostly hydrogen and helium.

COSMOS Episode 9: The Lost Worlds of Planet Earth Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 9: The Lost Worlds of Planet Earth (2014) teaches us how to read the autobiography of the earth. Neil DeGrasse Tyson explains that to read

COSMOS Episode 9: The Lost Worlds of Planet Earth Worksheet (2014)

$3.00

COSMOS Episode 9: The Lost Worlds of Planet Earth (2014) teaches us how to read the autobiography of the earth. Neil DeGrasse Tyson explains that to read this book, we must understand the relationship between the atoms, elements, geophysics, biochemistry, and time. This episode is great for a biology, geology, chemistry, or an environmental science class, since it delves deep into the relationship between the biological evolution of life and the geologic and environmental conditions necessary over many time periods.

COSMOS Episode 10: The Electric Boy Worksheet (2014)

$3.00
COSMOS Episode 10: The Electric Boy (2014) gives us an in-depth look into the contributions of Michael Faraday, whose experiments paved the

COSMOS Episode 10: The Electric Boy Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 10: The Electric Boy (2014) gives us an in-depth look into the contributions of Michael Faraday, whose experiments paved the way for many of the scientific advancements in the latter part of the 19th and early 20th Century. Neil DeGrasse Tyson gives us the journey of a young boy born into poverty, whose passionate scientific curiosity about electricity turned him into one of the most famous scientists of his time.

COSMOS Episode 11: The Immortals Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 11: The Immortals (2014) examines the tenacity of life, the possibility that the seeds of life can spread from planet to planet or between

COSMOS Episode 11: The Immortals Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 11: The Immortals (2014) examines the tenacity of life, the possibility that the seeds of life can spread from planet to planet or between solar systems, and the likelihood that we might one-day be able to communicate with an advanced form of alien life. The episode arcs through the full gamut of possibilities and limitations for life to sustain itself, spread to other worlds, and survive the dangers of deep-space travel. Neil DeGrasse Tyson describes the panspermia theory and gives a scenario wherein galaxies could be viewed as “world-making machines,” laying out the necessary foundations for life to arise as the galaxy goes through its own galactic evolution over the course of billions of years.

COSMOS Episode 12: The World Set Free Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 12: The World Set Free (2014) is a great environmental wake-up call for the citizens of earth. Neil DeGrasse Tyson effectively demonstrate

COSMOS Episode 12: The World Set Free Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 12: The World Set Free (2014) is a great environmental wake-up call for the citizens of earth. Neil DeGrasse Tyson effectively demonstrates the parallels of the runaway greenhouse effect that occurred on Venus (and the hellish conditions it produced) and what we are currently doing to the earth. Tyson presents solid, scientific evidence to support his claims. But does humanity have the will to take the steps necessary before it is too late?

COSMOS Episode 13: Unafraid of the Dark Worksheet (2014)

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COSMOS Episode 13: Unafraid of the Dark (2014) wraps-up the COSMOS series by exploring the constant fight between intelligence, compassion, and understan

COSMOS Episode 13: Unafraid of the Dark Worksheet (2014)

$3.00

COSMOS Episode 13: Unafraid of the Dark (2014) wraps-up the COSMOS series by exploring the constant fight between intelligence, compassion, and understanding, versus the darker side of the human condition, manifested by fear, ignorance, and brutality. Neil DeGrasse Tyson connects the path to salvation through the application of the principles of science to facilitate reasoning and a societal enlightenment. In the end, any journey of societal growth starts with the individual. Individual choices, based on sound reasoning and rational thought, help to form a grass-roots movement, whereby ignorance and fear slowly start to give way and lose their appeal. This is the main message the COSMOS series endeavors to relay. This final episode delivers that message right on-time.

Einstein Revealed, Part 1 Worksheet (1996)

$3.00
Einstein Revealed, Part 1 (1996) is a detailed look into Albert Einstein’s personal life. Part 1 of this NOVA special chronicles his life from birth un

Einstein Revealed, Part 1 Worksheet (1996)

$3.00

Einstein Revealed, Part 1 (1996) is a detailed look into Albert Einstein’s personal life. Part 1 of this NOVA special chronicles his life from birth until about age 26, just after he published his Theory of Special Relativity while working as a Swiss patent clerk. It gives a fascinating look into Einstein’s formative years, his dislike of formal schooling, and his first marriage to Mileva. The documentary artfully combines the interplay between his scientific passions and emotional drives that paint a complex picture of the man whom many regard as the greatest scientist of the 20th century. The actor portraying Einstein does a very convincing job. More than a few of my students actually thought it WAS Einstein in the documentary! All of the 21 questions on this documentary video guide are higher-order in nature. Questions relating to physics are conceptual in nature, with no computations required. Scientific concepts discussed include special relativity, the nature of time, the stretching of space, and the ether.

Einstein Revealed, Part 2 Worksheet (1996)

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Einstein Revealed, Part 2 (1996) is a detailed look into Albert Einstein’s personal life. Part 2 of this NOVA special chronicles his life from about th

Einstein Revealed, Part 2 Worksheet (1996)

$3.00

Einstein Revealed, Part 2 (1996) is a detailed look into Albert Einstein’s personal life. Part 2 of this NOVA special chronicles his life from about the age of 26, just after he published his Theory of Special Relativity, until his death in 1955. This part of the documentary delves into his ambitious nature, addiction to scientific work, development of theoretical ideas, growth as an individual, struggles and triumphs (both personally and professionally), his disbeliefs of quantum mechanics, and his final quest for a unified field theory. All of the 20 questions on this documentary video guide are higher-order in nature. Questions relating to physics are conceptual in nature, with no computations required. The scientific concept discussed is, chiefly, general relativity.
The running time for Part 2 is roughly 54 minutes.

Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking: Aliens Worksheet (2011)

$3.00
This episode examines the plausibility of life on other worlds, how it might evolve, and what it might look like. Hawking takes the audience on a 13.8-bi

Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking: Aliens Worksheet (2011)

$3.00

This episode examines the plausibility of life on other worlds, how it might evolve, and what it might look like. Hawking takes the audience on a 13.8-billion-year journey examining our own origins, describing the conditions necessary for life to evolve, and then hypothesizes the likelihood of it happening elsewhere in the universe.

Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking: The Story of Everything Worksheet (2011)

$4.00
The title says it all—this is the journey from where the universe started to how we believe it could end. But this is not a religious creationism story

Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking: The Story of Everything Worksheet (2011)

$4.00

The title says it all—this is the journey from where the universe started to how we believe it could end. But this is not a religious creationism story. This story is brought to us by the awesome powers of science, which employs quantified knowledge obtained over hundreds of generations. There are few more qualified than Stephen Hawking to explain this grand journey of how the cosmos started and how it might end. Students just need to sit back and watch. (And fill in the documentary guide!)

Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking: Time Travel Worksheet (2011)

$3.00
Hawking delves deep into the concept of time travel, but artfully keeps the conversation interesting and understandable fo

Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking: Time Travel Worksheet (2011)

$3.00

Hawking delves deep into the concept of time travel, but artfully keeps the conversation interesting and understandable for the students. He uses a logical and scaffolded approach to explain what can sometimes be considered a counter-intuitive and difficult-to-follow concept.

Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial Worksheet (2007)

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Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial (2007) is a NOVA documentary examining the age-old discussion of evolution versus creationism and its place in

Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial Worksheet (2007)

$4.00

Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial (2007) is a NOVA documentary examining the age-old discussion of evolution versus creationism and its place in the modern classroom. This thought provoking video examines both sides of the argument, as presented before a federal judge, examining what evolution is, what intelligent design is, and if it violates the separation between church and state laws. Both sides present their case, call their witnesses, and endeavor to draw a clear distinction between what belongs in a science classroom and what does not.

This documentary would be an excellent showing during a biology class, history class, philosophy class, psychology class, or a humanities class. The topics discussed are universal to the human condition.

Of the 43 questions on this documentary video guide, the overwhelming majority are higher-order in nature, with only a scattering of lower-level types. But if the students are paying attention, they can answer them all.

The concepts discussed include evolution, Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, creationism, the concept (and implications) of a creator, intelligent design, an intelligent designer, the separation of church and state, the Scopes monkey trial, the tree of life, natural selection, transitional fossils, genetic mutations, chromosomal mutations, irreducible complexity, and the wedge strategy.

Origins: Back to the Beginning Worksheet (2004)

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Origins: Back to the Beginning (2004) is a NOVA documentary, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, that takes the viewers all the way back to he instant of crea

Origins: Back to the Beginning Worksheet (2004)

$3.00

Origins: Back to the Beginning (2004) is a NOVA documentary, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, that takes the viewers all the way back to he instant of creation—the Big Bang. The story, from then to now, is told using the language of science. Tyson examines the accumulated evidence, from the Hubble Constant to the cosmic background radiation, and pieces together the 13.8-billion-year-old story in about 55 minutes.

This episode would work well with biology, physics, physical science, astronomy, or astrophysics classes. But keep in mind that the questions are entirely conceptual, no math is needed for this video guide. Of the 32 questions on this documentary video guide, the overwhelming majority are higher-order in nature, with only a scattering of the lower-level types.

The concepts discussed include: the steady state theory, electromagnetic wave frequency, cosmic microwave background radiation, the COBE satellite, 1964 Bell Lab researchers, matter distribution in the early universe, the W-Map, element formation through nuclear fusion, supernova element formation, the Pillars of Creation, spectroscopy, and the Hubble Deep Survey.

Origins: How Life Began Worksheet (2004)

$3.00
Origins: How Life Began (2004) is a NOVA documentary, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, examining the rise of life on earth. In the video, Tyson strings tog

Origins: How Life Began Worksheet (2004)

$3.00

Origins: How Life Began (2004) is a NOVA documentary, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, examining the rise of life on earth. In the video, Tyson strings together the best scientific evidence available into a tapestry chronicling the conditions for life to arise, the biochemical mechanisms by which it replicates, and the role natural selection plays in evolution. This documentary would be an excellent showing for the following classes: biology, astronomy, geology, history, and chemistry. Of the 40 questions on this documentary video guide, the overwhelming majority are higher-order in nature, with only a scattering of lower-level types. The concepts discussed include: spontaneous generation, extremophiles, cyanobacteria, biochemical interactions for life, elements needed for life, the Stanley Miller experiment, asteroid impacts, amino acid formation, impact energy and peptide formation, cellular replication, DNA, hydrothermal vents, photosynthesis, UV radiation, stromatolite colonies, and a functioning biosphere.

Origins: The Earth Is Born Worksheet (2004)

$3.00
Origins: The Earth Is Born (2004) is a NOVA documentary, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, examining the history of the earth from its infancy up to the pre

Origins: The Earth Is Born Worksheet (2004)

$3.00

Origins: The Earth Is Born (2004) is a NOVA documentary, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, examining the history of the earth from its infancy up to the present. Even though this is from 2004, the visuals have aged extremely well. The cg is still impressive, even by today’s standards. The clarity of Tyson’s presentation is impeccable, making it easy to understand for the students. For example, Tyson condenses the entire history of the earth into a 24-hour day, giving a timescale the kids can relate to. The documentary gives a scientific explanation for the world we see today. It also helps us see, through the eyes of science, ourselves as a species as well. This documentary would be an excellent showing for the following classes: astronomy, astrophysics, physics, geology, biology, and history. Of the 33 questions on this documentary video guide, the overwhelming majority are higher-order in nature, with only a scattering of lower-level types. The concepts discussed include planet formation, plate tectonics, magnetic fields, solar system formation and dynamics, asteroid impacts, radiocarbon dating, magnetic pole movement, the solar wind, moon origins, chemical analysis of zircons, and spectroscopy.

Origins: Where Are the Aliens? Worksheet (2004)

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Origins: Where Are the Aliens? (2004) is a NOVA documentary, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, that examines the science behind the search for extraterrestr

Origins: Where Are the Aliens? Worksheet (2004)

$3.00

Origins: Where Are the Aliens? (2004) is a NOVA documentary, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, that examines the science behind the search for extraterrestrial life, what it might look like, and techniques used to find extra solar planets. Neil DeGrasse Tyson explains that life might not look like we see in the movies and that, based on scientific finding, life could theoretically arise in the most extreme of environments. He also discusses the Drake equation, modifying some of the variables to get a better understanding of just how often life might arise in the galaxy and if that life could lead to civilizations with the ability to communicate between the stars.

This documentary would be an excellent showing for the following classes: biology, astronomy, astrophysics, and physical science. Of the 39 questions on this documentary video guide, the overwhelming majority are higher-order in nature, with only a scattering of lower-level types.

The concepts discussed include: biodiversity, evolution, the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence, SETI, the Frank Drake equation, indirect viewing techniques, star wobble, red and blue shifted light, liquid water and life, Europa, intelligent life and evolution, asteroid impacts, and mass extinctions.

Showing all 27 results