Science 360

Hello, and welcome to another episode of "Science 360" the podcast where we explore the wonders of the universe, all aspects of science (360 degrees...full circle...get it?) and the brilliant minds that bring them to light. 

I'm your host, Tim Stephenson, and today I have a very special guest joining us from the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Our guest today is Todd Gonzales, the Director of Education at the observatory. Todd is here to share with us the rich history and groundbreaking discoveries made at Lowell Observatory. We'll delve into the story of Percival Lowell, the visionary who founded the observatory, driven by his fascination with Mars and his desire to determine if there was any life there.

We'll also discuss the construction and significance of the iconic Clarke Telescope, and the fascinating tales of how Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were discovered.

Additionally, we'll touch on the incredible contributions of Vesto Slipher, whose work provided the first evidence that our universe is expanding.

For any teachers tuning in, get ready for a wealth of information about our solar system that you can bring back to your classrooms. So, without further ado, let's welcome Todd Gonzales to the show.

This is part 1 of a 2-part series with Dr. Julia Huggins. In this episode, I sit down with Julia, a recent PhD graduate in biogeochemistry, to explore the fascinating world of forest microbes. Julia explains how these microscopic organisms create intricate networks that connect plants and trees, playing a crucial role in the ecosystem.

She emphasizes that understanding these connections can serve as a valuable lesson for junior science students, illustrating the interconnectedness of all life forms and the foundational role microbes play in nature.

Julia also shares her educational journey, recounting her path from high school through undergraduate studies and eventually to her PhD. Her story is one of determination and curiosity, as she carved out her unique path in the field of biogeochemistry. Her passion for microbes developed over time, and she now sees them as the cornerstone of natural processes, highlighting their importance not just in forests but in the broader context of environmental and biological sciences.

Joining the discussion is Chris Janzen, our school librarian, who helps set the stage for the episode by discussing the educational value of long-form podcasts for teachers. Chris points out that such in-depth discussions can provide teachers with a rich resource for enhancing their curriculum and engaging students with real-world scientific concepts.

This episode not only delves into the science of microbes but also offers insights into how educators can utilize podcasts as a dynamic tool for learning and inspiration.

Please take the time to rate, review and share this podcast with your friends and colleagues

Dr. Helene Hill was a research scientist who did excellent work. What was working against her though was that she was doing her work at a time when men dominated the field and discriminated against women.

Now at the age of 95 and working on writing her second book, Dr. Hill plans to release her memoir titled The Crying Window, to tell her story of purpose and persistence in the face of prejudice. Already a published author, Helene released a book (available on Amazon) titled Hidden Data: The Blind Eye of Science, telling the story of becoming a whistle-blower when she noticed falsified data in government-funded research

This is a story that can inspire women in science to stay the course, and a wake-up call to men to recognize the significant contributions to science that women make every day.

Within this conversation are stories of idealistic naivete, fond remembrance of teachers who inspired and life experiences that altered the course of Helene's career. Hers was a life of a dedicated love of science, a high sense of justice and a pursuit of truth within research. 

This is a reminder of the special privilege we have to listen to the wisdom that can only come from experience. And in this case, it was the experience of doing what was right in the massive face of opposition. 

Read more about Dr. Helene Hill's story at http://www.helenezhill.com/

Welcome to today’s episode, where we have an extraordinary guest, Peter Byck, the director of the upcoming documentary "Roots So Deep." Peter’s journey from Kentucky to California, where he attended Cal Arts for film school and spent over 15 years in the Los Angeles film industry, is nothing short of inspiring.

His work took a pivotal turn after witnessing the impact of "An Inconvenient Truth," which led him to explore solutions to climate change through his documentary "Carbon Nation."

Peter dives deep into the realm of regenerative agriculture in his latest project. He vividly recalls the early days of his research, where he realized that while there was significant focus on the destruction caused by conventional farming practices—like soil erosion from growing corn and the environmental toll of feedlots—no one was studying the potential of healthy, regenerative systems. This epiphany set him on a path to investigate how adaptive grazing can restore soil health rapidly, much faster than traditional methods suggest.

In 2013, a series of meetings with various scientists—rangeland specialists, bird ecologists, entomologists, and microbiologists—led Peter to Arizona State University. Here, he received a grant to unite these experts in a collaborative effort to study sustainable farming practices. The enthusiasm and eagerness of these scientists to break away from their institutional silos was palpable. Their collective research laid the foundation for "Roots So Deep," which examines the profound impact of adaptive grazing on farms in the Southeastern United States.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Watch the documentary at rootssodeep.org
Follow on Instagram @carboncowboys

Recently, I've been approached by colleagues about various issues they've found or heard about. I appreciate that they come to me to see what I think. This is what a collegial workplace should look like.

One came and brought up the topic of wellness through cold plunging. Another brought up concerns about how AI will affect our classes. I constantly get challenged over the debate between electric and gas-powered cars. Still, another brought up the issue of cloud seeding.

I decided to share some thoughts around these topics (although I left out the cloud seeding part of the recording...maybe another time). I've always said that as teachers, we need to be ready with informed answers because we want to encourage our students to ask questions. I never want to shut down a good question nor placate it with a minimalist answer or simply tell them to go find out for themselves. I like to employ the "teach" part of my job title.

So here is a brief rundown on three of these topics from my point of view. I hope you think through YOUR answer to these issues. If you have opinions or knowledge that differs from mine, please reach out at astrostephenson11@gmail.com and let's dialogue and allow me to learn from you.

My greatest desire for this podcast is to show you, the teacher, how teaching can be. In its purest sense and in the light of First People's Principles of Learning, there is generally one in the room who is about to lead a discussion on a particular topic. But it is not shared without great respect for the ones listening, offering up the opportunity to differ, interpret, analyze and question.

And when it comes to space, inevitably there will be questions asked that you don't know the answer to. But every time this happens, allow it to add to your knowledge bank so that if it comes up again in the future, you're ready.

So this may be a discussion about the Moon, but it is more than that. It is as teaching should be: multiple people involved in a respectable conversation, delving deeper and deeper into a topic. I hope you notice and can think of ways that this conversation could lead into activities of inquiry, presentation by the students, group-lead gallery walks involving art and science and history, filled with opportunities to express a newfound and, indeed, profound understanding of this heavenly body we call the Moon.

Where could your lesson go next? What planet or star or galaxy do you want to learn about to lead further lessons and explorations of space? If you allow the teacher mind to go wild, the possibilities are endless.

Here are two new twists...firstly, I'm the one getting interviewed on this episode, and secondly, it's my wife asking the questions!

Yes, I invited Sheryl to turn the mic on me after I was inspired to do so when my guest from episode 88 said she was curious about why I got into teaching. That was Marika Cullis-Suzuki so be sure to check that episode out.

This episode is a bit of an experiment. I hypothesize that behind every great podcaster is an even greater spouse. I'd love to do this sort of episode regularly. I'm not oblivious to the fact that there have been many times when I thought I was saying something intelligent, only to have Sheryl shed so much more light on it! I guess we all need someone in our lives to point out that we don't know it all.

Please connect with me to let me know if you want Sheryl to come on with me regularly. You can email me and give me some feedback on this:

astrostephenson11@gmail.com

As usual, please rate, review and subscribe on Apple or Spotify to help with the algorithms.

What if teaching was less about tradition and more about breaking the rules? What if teaching put less emphasis on predetermined learning outcomes and standardized tests and more emphasis on discovery and inquiry?

What you would have would be an educational system that inspires, that evokes meaning and puts the learner first, even over the dusty lesson plans that would have fit right in if they were delivered 20 years ago.

This is the mind of Dr. Ross Laird, a post-secondary educator, an educational consultant and a progressive thinker who forges ahead with the right kind of change, even in the face of resistance from the mainstream institution of school. A man after my own heart.

Ross was preaching to the choir in this conversation. And I hope you'll join us for the next chorus, because as I like to say, teaching really can be this way.

But let's let Ross explain. He speaks so well and his evidence-based points are so well made.

Please find more of his work at https://www.rosslaird.com where you will find his blogs, articles and his Tedx talk.

I'm also going to link to my book "Beyond the Classroom". We talk about the section of the book where I wrote about Ross after his visit to my school over 15 years ago.

You can get in touch with Ross and have him come to your school for a brilliant pro-d if you email him at ross@rosslaird.com

Be sure to check out more episodes of Science 360 such as my discussion with Dr. Marika Cullis-Suzuki where we discuss the intrinsic value of scientific knowledge and how important it is to inspire our students with the wonder of nature. Or how about a discussion about AI with Dr. Tim Dasey. There are lots of conversations that will amplify what you do at school and in your science classroom.

Please rate and review and subscribe on your favourite podcasting platform.

What an exhilarating experience hosting Dr. Sarika Cullis-Suzuki, the host of The Nature of Things, the world's longest-running science show for over 60 years!

A cornerstone in science communication, it's now entering a new era on the CBC Gem app, offering modern content to enhance your science lessons. Make sure to explore the show for a fresh perspective that can invigorate your science curriculum.

Sarika, a passionate science communicator and planet advocate, stresses the vital role of educators, emphasizing our impact on climate awareness. Together, we affirm that education is paramount, but action starts today.

Infuse knowledge, hope, and action into your science classes, drawing inspiration from Sarika's infectious energy. This episode will reignite your excitement for the classroom, fueling your dedication to teaching science.

Tune in and let's collectively drive change in science education!

Dive deep into the oceanic realms as Science 360 brings you this riveting episode. Join me, Tim Stephenson in an engaging conversation with Dr. Isabella Reeves, a pioneering researcher delving into the genetic fabric of orcas.

Discover how her groundbreaking analysis links orca pods worldwide to a common ancestry, unveiling the intricate history of these marine dynasties. Hear the story of Old Tom, an orca that assisted whalers 100 years ago.

This episode is your backstage pass to the fascinating world of orca genetics and how it connects to your classroom. Get ready for a whale of a time as science takes center stage.

Connect with Isabella at the Cetacean Research Centre, Southern Shark Ecology Group, College of Science & Engineering, Flinders University, Australia.

X: @bellaa_reeves
LinkedIn: Isabella Reeves
Email: isabella.reeves@flinders.edu.au

Jo-Anne St. Godard has had a circular economy mindset for decades. A simple Google search and you will see that Jo-Anne has been advocating for an economy that relies less on extraction and new goods from raw materials, and moreso on repurposing existing materials into a second, third and fourth life. A regular guest on news reports, a speaker at conferences and lobbying the government for a more responsible, lower carbon emitting, circular economy.

Now as the Executive Director of the Circular Innovation Council of Canada, Jo-Anne is one of Canada's leaders in the shift away from consumerism, and is a strong advocate for adding value to what has traditionally been "thrown away".

If you listen to enough of my episodes, you will know by now that I am right there with Jo-Anne. There is no "away", the planet cannot continue to be humanity's garbage can and the oceans our toilet. There are enough materials already made that with some planning and foresight, we can cut down on our selfish use of Earth's resources and make use of what we already have.

I also beleive that the path forward in all of this is education. I'm a teacher and quite possibly you are too. I use my platform to raise awareness and instill a "stop and think" approach to the behaviours of extract, manufacture, transport, use, break, toss and repeat. The solution to all of this is educating the young people and empowerin them with the opportunity to imagine and create the future that they want to grow up in.

Please follow the work of Jo-Anne St. Godard via the website:
https://circularinnovation.ca

This is a wide-ranging conversation covering topics such as Newtonian physics, the Copernican revolution, life in space, genetics, the interconnectedness of life and teaching. It kept coming back to teaching and the type of education we should be bringing to the classroom.

This conversation can affect the way you teach. It can refocus you on a modern approach to education and dare I say, what really matters. And, what really matters first and foremost is our relationships with the students, followed by our relationships with the curriculum, and getting to the heart of learning through stories that connect the brain to the heart…and it’s in that place that lasting learning takes place. It's there that students begin to learn, not because they have to but because they want to.

It was a pleasure and a privilege to speak with Dr. Gleiser. Be sure to check out all these links to his website and publications and socials and also to his latest book, which will soon be in my school’s library.

Website: https://marcelogleiser.com
YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3fqH16afbPKHx7ABOyQ0soOWyy0RlUOP&si=l5nfcWPscnzHajJj
Twitter: @MGleiser
Instagram: @Gleiserofficial
Blog series: https://bigthink.com/13-8/
Templeton page: https://marcelogleiser.com/media-templeton-prize
Templeton prize website: https://www.templetonprize.org

When my student, Peter, approached me about being a guest on my podcast, I wondered what we would talk about. However, I'm glad we recorded because what we have here is golden. Yes, a lesson in language, but more than that, a lesson in grit, passion, pursuit of knowledge and independent learning.

This episode will leave you amazed at what a young person can accomplish. If you know people like Peter, be sure to give them the platform they deserve to share the wisdom that lingers just beneath the surface.

Scott is committed to advancing nature-based solutions that benefit people and the planet.

His current work and experience has resulted in an inspiring and dynamic network that seeks solutions to the complex environmental challenges of our times. He work closely with various levels of government, industry, universities and non-profits to coordinate and amplify these efforts. In concert with a talented team at Ocean Wise, he designs, scales and optimizes solutions that have concrete benefits to people and the planet.

Scott was selected as the North American civil society representative for the third and fourth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), in Nairobi, Kenya. He also recently completed his Executive MBA at the Smith School of Business at Queen's University in early 2020.

Scott is fortunate to have worked and lived across Canada and internationally over the last decade. This has provided Scott with the unique opportunity to contribute to and lead an incredible variety of teams with different values, worldviews, and skill sets.

Connect with Scott via email: Scott.Bohachyk@ocean.org

Oceanwise: https://ocean.org

Scott’s department at Oceanwise: https://ocean.org/climate-change/seaforestation/

Education resources including the SeaDome: https://ocean.org/learn-explore/education/

Oceanwise for teens: https://ocean.org/learn-explore/youth-programs/youthtosea/

Oceanwise for young adults: https://ocean.org/learn-explore/youth-programs/ocean-bridge/

Dr. Tim Dasey knows how to push educational buttons, and let me be clear, this is a good thing!

I found this out as I recorded this episode and listened to Tim’s theories on how schools need to evolve. These theories come from a 30 year career in AI development at MIT. Now compelled to ‘rattle the cage” and “poke the bear”, Tim is attempting to nudge educators into what I would call “hard but essential” conversations about what we’re teaching and how it needs to evolve.

In his book Wisdom Factories, Tim says that AI in the classroom isn’t going to be the biggest challenge—it will be preparing students for an AI work world.

Wisdom Factoriesasks “What if the fundamentals of schooling don’t fit the AI era?” Tim’s premise is that AI will be the work experts, so humanity has to supply the wisdom. This requires upending a century of educational dogma.

Dr. Dasey reckons with an unavoidable conflict—schools currently spend most of their energy teaching students to do what AI does best. The solution for schools and work is to focus on wisdom skills like critical thinking, creativity, relating, and teaming. These complement AI, not compete with it.
Learning wisdom can only be done well, he says, with a new educational model that’s nearly upside down from the current one—a model that changes the curriculum, teaching, and even the structure of schooling.

In this episode, Tim speaks extensively on experience, play, meta-knowledge, and multidisciplinary curricula as being the new fundamentals to be taught in schools.

Connect with Tim:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timdasey
Website: https://www.timdasey.com
Email: daseyconsulting@gmail.com

Buy his book, Wisdom Factories: https://a.co/d/1tdwqcL

Bryce Coon and Emily Walker head up the education team at EARTHDAY.ORG which firmly believes that every learner in every school worldwide should receive fully integrated, assessed climate and environmental education with a strong civic engagement component.

Bryce joins as the Associate Director of Climate Education, while Emily joins as the Education Coordinator. As Associate Director of Climate Education, Bryce plays a central role in crafting the organization's overarching goals and roadmap to increase climate literacy worldwide. Moreover, Bryce is instrumental in driving the efforts dedicated to the climate and environmental literacy campaign, working year round to cultivate a nationwide movement aimed at bolstering climate literacy across various educational institutions, ranging from k-12 schools to universities, trade schools, and graduate schools.

As Education Coordinator, Emily plays a vital role in bolstering the growth and diversity of EARTHDAY.ORG’s education partners. She also conducts in-depth research and assists in the development and continuation of curricula, web resources, and supporting materials for Earth Day 2024. Furthermore, she keeps a close eye on federal, state, and local initiatives in the key policy areas EARTHDAY.ORG is dedicated to, ensuring the organization remains informed and actively engaged in advocating for impactful educational policies.

Prior to joining EARTHDAY.ORG, Bryce and Emily both dedicated their careers to education and climate literacy. For more than a decade, they have used their roles as educators to find opportunities to incorporate climate education into various courses and encourage youth climate advocates in the classroom. Outside the classroom, Bryce participated in various international fellowships where he studied climate education and policy in Asia, Europe, and Oceania, while Emily used her passions to promote sustainability through environmental literacy initiatives with park authorities.

EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day (1970), EARTHDAY.ORG is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day actions each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. Learn more at earthday.org.

This episode is becoming one of my favourite recordings. I think the reason is because, through this discussion with Dr. Berger, I feel like I've gotten to know Albert Einstein like I never have before. Or maybe it's because as a result of my new connection to Gary, I am now the proud recipient of his brilliant book! As I descibe it, it's as much a work of art as it is a pictorial biogrpahy of Einstein.

As a science teacher, I subscribe to the theory that the work of a scientist becomes better if I know something about the scientist. It's like knowing the personal side of your favourite singer or football player. With a backstory, I am far more likley to enjoy watching the game or listening to the song.

Students today need this sort of connection. They're connected in every other aspect of their lives, so let's make learning science come alive by connecting them to people like Albert Einstein. Just think of the names we mention all the time: Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, Galileo...but who were these people and what motivated them? I make it my goal to teach these aspects of science to my students and I hope you do too.

Here is a link to purchase Gary's book:
https://www.amazon.ca/Einstein-Man-Mind-Hanoch-Gutfreund/dp/8862087845/

And for interest sake and because all proceeds from the book are being donated to the
Albert Einstein Archives at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, here is a link to that as well:
http://www.albert-einstein.org

Greg Hammer, MD, is a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine.

As a pediatric anesthesiologist and an intensive care physician he cares for children and their families during very stressful times.

Burnout is on the rise. This is a problem we cannot afford to ignore. The rising costs of burnout are staggering. Health care professionals AND teachers, sacrifice their health, happiness, and relationships.

Fortunately, there is a solution. Dr. Greg Hammer created GAIN Without Pain so that health care professionals AND teachers can prevent burnout and reclaim happiness.This proven path toward personal resilience can be implemented by anyone, anywhere, in just a few minutes a day. Increased resilience could save your practice, your students, your marriage - or even your life.

GAIN Without Pain is a four-step process toward happiness. GAIN is an acronym for Gratitude, Acceptance, Intention, and Nonjudgment.

"As physicians (AND teachers), we owe our patients(students) two things…our time and our skill. We do not owe our patients (students) our lives.” - Joseph D. Wassersug, MD, bestselling author

Dr. Hammer frequently speaks around the world to share his expertise and philosophy. Greg's website: www.GregHammerMD.com
Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/7TFzdPT

We held an Environmental Conference at my school on Earth Day this year. This was a conference totally organized by the students, which I attended.

Unbeknownst to me, while they were organizing this conference via video chats every Friday after school for weeks, they also formed an organization called Langley Youth Environment Action Network. They even made an Instagram account (see link below).

During the opening hour, they had ice breaker activties that included a round table discussion on what each person's greatest environmental quest would be. I sat and listened and knew that it had to be recorded.

Their's is a message that globally, the people need to hear. But it is a message that locally, teachers need to hear. This is your audience, these are your students, hear what it is that they are thinking about and what they want to learn more about.

The world is changing faster than ever and it worries me that schools are changing the slowest. So try this simple test...if your classroom and your lessons and strategies were the same ones you used 20 years ago, or were used on you as a student 20 or more years ago...it's time to change it up. Students today are far too aware, far too connected, far too passionate to be treated as if it's 2003 still. To me, that is the greatest message coming out of this episode.

Reach out to me on Twitter: @astrostephenson or email: astrostephenson11@gmail.com and let me know your thoughts on this theme I'm stating. I'd love to know the thoughts of the greater mass.

And find this student group on Instagram: @lyean.sd35

Lauren MacLean lives in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada, with her two young toddlers and an energetic puppy. She is a full time elementary school teacher where she takes her learners outdoors to explore, learn, and play each and every day.

She is the author of the best selling children’s picture book, Me and My Sit Spot and the host of the Mentoring Nature Connections podcast. Let’s get outside and get our hands dirty!

Resources:

Soaring Eagle Nature School: https://soaringeaglenatureschool.org/
Kamana Naturalist Course from Wilderness Awareness School: https://wildernessawareness.org/articles/the-sunset-of-kamana/
Me and My Sit Spot: English Version
Me and My Sit Spot: French Version
Me and My Sit Spot for Early Learners: Early Learner Version
Green Teacher
Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network (CBEEN)
Nerdy About Nature

Sanjay Sharma MD (Harvard University), MSc, FRCS, MBA is a retinal specialist who is a professor of ophthalmology at Queen’s University.

He is an internationally renowned eye surgeon, and has treated over 250,000 patients. Dr. Sharma is a clinician-scientist who has published over 300 scientific papers which have been cited over 10,000 time. He's the author of 3 textbooks, and I'm now proud to host him on Science 360!

An innovator at heart, he has launched a series of digital platforms, including MEDSKL – a leading medical education platform that now reaches medical students from over 400 universities. And now he has introduced PREMEDSKL because high school students wanted something to help them prepare for their dream of becoming a doctor.

This is a fascinating story of adaptation, innovation and creative thinking. Dr. Sharma and I have very similar philosophies of education, which is always fascinating, especially when we hold vastly different roles on opposite sides of the country. Except when you really stop to notice, although people are hailing from different backgrounds, at the heart, our differences diminish. And our aim to assist young people in finding success in their aspirations is one and the same.

Tell your students about PREMEDSKL!!
https://www.premedskl.com
Connect with Dr. Sanjay Sharma on LinkedIn
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/sanjaysharmamd

I would consider listening to this episode in one of two ways: either at a time when you can take it all in at once, or in junks over a period of time. The reason is because I believe this episode represents the essence of what I consider to be the sort of scientific education needed in high schools today, and I really want you to concentrate and even "read between the lines" on this one.

You see, education will be most effective if it is linked to something that is tangible, meaningful and relevant. It has to have the potential to affect our students' emotions, to draw them into a deeper understanding of the science that we're teaching them.

Between the lines, you'll find that what we teach regularly and routinely on a day to day basis, actually has meaning to the health and well-being of our planet. The oceans are the great regulator of our ecosystem and framing science lessons and tasks within that, will connect our students to something bigger than themselves, that they will want to get to know better.

But further, all of our lessons should have something to tie knowledge to meaning. I've said to my students that if it doesn't have a meaning that I can explain, then I simply won't bring it to class. That's my pledge to my students. But it's also my responsibility as a teacher to find that meaning. And this episode brings meaning, to me, and hopefully to you too.

Check out these links to some of the work of my students but also the work of Ove:

50 Reefs: https://www.50reefs.org
Catlin Seaview Survey: https://youtu.be/wpZKGP9P8v0
Catlin website: https://www.catlinseaviewsurvey.com
My students' ocean research documentary: https://youtu.be/7mKcs_3LHpg

James Maynard publishes The Cosmic Companion, a multimedia news outlet covering astronomy and space exploration from around the globe.

Growing up, science and art were always encouraged in the house, and James quickly fell in love with reading the works of Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, and other science writers. Carl Sagan’s masterwork, Cosmos, was a turning point for James, who wore out several copies of the book as he read and re-read the masterpiece.

In January 2018, James Maynard launched The Cosmic Companion, providing unique, in-depth news about space and astronomy to the general public. Today, he lives in Tucson, Arizona, with an adorable and intelligent family, including his lovely wife, Nicole, and Max the Cat.

His writing experience covers newspaper, radio, television, and online news services.

Currently, he is writing The Cosmic Companion, covering astronomy news stories as they happen. These stories are carried on Amazon Alexa, and Medium.com, where he has been named a top writer in the space and science categories.

Connect with James:
https://thecosmiccompanion.net
LinkedIn

I always tell my students that school's greatest purpose is to tell you the questions, NOT the answers. If a student has studied cosmology, they have become an interesting person that can now engage in some brilliant conversations and ask probing questions. I try to demonstrate that in this episode.

I'm not going to tell you that you now know cosmology or understand the Big Bang. But you do know the major players, and the timeline and sequence of events that lead us to this understanding.

Continue to dig deeper, ask more questions and pursue knowledge. What I've provided you here in this series is just scratching the surface. But now you know where to start scratching.

Notice that I left this episode off with a final thought that seems to beg some more information. Let me know if you want to hear the bonus episode that may explain something about the last comment I made here.

As always, you can find me at astrostephenson11@gmail.com or on Twitter: @astrostephenson

The CMBR discovery was the reason Penzias and Wilson won the Nobel Prize. It truly was that year's greatest scientific discovery. And to think that Robert Dicke was actively looking for it at the same time as their accidental discovery is one of the greatest scientific twists of fate!

I did another episode on the Big Bang. I'll link to it here:
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/48420126

Have a need to ask about this or discuss it further? Email me at astrostephenson11@gmail.com
or Twitter me at @astrostephenson

At times I feel that this "intro" to cosmology is almost TOO intro! It's hard to do justice to the complexity of a century of inquiry in just a few minutes. But these episodes are really designed to lead you to the main "players" in the game. And the story of the universe in the 20th century is not told without mentioning Lemaitre and Hoyle.

If you ask your students who the biggest opponent to the theory of the Big Bang was, they likely will say the church. That is actually incorrect. The biggest opponent was the scientific community because the main idea was that the universe was STATIC and unchanging. The person leading that parade was Albert Einstein who told LeMaitre that his math was fine but his physics was atrocious!

Einstein, LeMaitre and Hubble all met together to discuss their repsective ideas of the universe, and eventually Einstein realized that the data was correct and the universe IS expanding. He referred to his cosmological constant as his biggest blunder, because he had formulated it to counteract the possibility that the universe was in motion.

Truly one of the greatest scenes in scientific history would have been that epic conversation between these three great scientists. Maybe have your students act it out and re-enact that pivotal moment in our understanding of the universe.

Here we go with part 4! I hope you're learning a lot and that the discussion is prompting you to dig deeper and explore this fascinating field of cosmology.

A parsec (a term used incorrectly by Hans Solo in Star Wars - A New Hope) is a unit of distance, not time. The word comes from the contraction of two other words...parallax and arcsecond. You see, we need a unit larger than a light year to start to understand the magnitude of the universe and the distance between the stars. Indeed, 1 parsec is equal to 3.26 light years!

Questions? Email me at astrostephenson11@gmail.com or Twitter @astrostephenson

This is a tricky concept to grasp when hearing about it for the first time. I'll again point out that the same clip can be found on my YouTube channel, Science 360 - Beyond the Sky. It contains visuals that may make it easier:
https://youtu.be/HkNTA7zX-u0

Be sure to check out the inquiry questions below that video.

I'd also like to point out that the discovery of the Cepheid Variable star is generally attricbuted to Henrietta Swan Leavitt. This audio I did made it sound like Hubble made the discovery. He did USE them but only because of the work of Leavitt.

This is the second in the 7 part series on Cosmology, designed to help you, the teacher, feel better and more confident in bringing this topic to your science classes.

The video verison of this episode can be found on my YouTube channel, Science 360 - Beyond the Sky:
https://youtu.be/mH5rxx_E1_c
Be sure to click "Show more" for lots of inquiry questions you could use with your students on this topic.

I apologize for the sound quality.

And let me know if these are helping you prepare to teach astronomy to your classes. My email is astrostephenson11@gmail.com

This is part 1 of a 7 part series on cosmology. I've put this together as a teacher resource, for anyone out there who is asked to teach about the Big Bang Theory, the origin of the universe, modern cosmology...but just doesn't know where to start.

This lesson is also on my YouTube channel linked here:
https://youtu.be/-bOLkAOjsi8

If you click "show more", you will find several inquiry type assignments that you could give to your students. Browse through my YouTube channel for all kinds of space related videos and dozens of inquiry questions to help you teach astronomy.

Here I introduce a 7 part series that is designed to teach you, the teacher, a few things about the Big Bang Theory and what we might call modern cosmology for high school.

I'm often asked for teaching strategies or class assignments for astronomy. But I'm much more inclined to teach you about the subject and then allowing YOU to determine how to teach it. This is what I call the joy and the privilege of being a teacher: you GET TO customize it for your class. So if you're just a little nervous about the concept and lack confidence in your understanding, then this series can help. But then go have fun teaching it in a way that best suits your class!

Subscribe to the podcast to be sure to catch all 7 parts in the series. Plus check out all the other episodes and see if there are topics that will help you teach other science concepts as well

Dr. Chutko is a professor of Environmental Science at the University of Saskatchewan. He teaches courses in Environmental Systems, Weather and Global Climate Change. And he doesn't limit himself to the university either, but regularly gets out to the elementary schools to see if he can answer their questions on this difficult and complex topic.

This is a "sciencey" discussion but extremely interesting. We cover lots of topics including evidence of human involvement in climate change by analyzing carbon isotopes, how the planet and the Sun could be a part of the puzzle and then some of the social and economic fallout that comes with switching from fossil fuels.

There is a lot here that can really help any teacher who needs some scientific support in bringing the lessons of climate change to their classes. By listening to this conversation (and maybe taking notes!), any teacher could go into their class feeling ready to lead a rich and meaningful AND relevant discussion.

And these discussions are essential to bringing about solutions to the global challenges we have as we transition from an older energy source to a new and cleaner one. This can be done, but education is key. So let's get informed, let's do our best to connect the lessons to something of great significance and let's shape the future by staying up to date and involved.

Connect with Dr. Chutko: krys.chutko@usask.ca

Think chemistry is boring? Think again! Dr. Colleen Kelley has created a chemistry comic book
series filled with colorful characters and exciting storylines that translate complex chemistry into animated mysteries. Her comics and unique imagination have turned the Periodic Table into a playground of chemical adventure and have allowed elementary school students to master concepts often taught at the college level.

Dr. Colleen Kelley is the Creator and Founder of Kids’ Chemical Solutions
(www.kidschemicalsolutions.com) which is a comic-book based chemistry curriculum intended for kids ages 8 – 108.

Her journey as a chemist began at The University of Richmond where she received her B.S. in Chemistry. She fell in love with the world of discovery and research and wanted to continue explore more chemistry.

She headed to Penn State University and dashed through graduate school receiving her Ph.D. in chemistry at the age of 24. She was having so much fun doing chemistry research that she accepted a Chateaubriand Postdoctoral Fellowship in Strasbourg, France with Nobel Prize winner Jean-Marie Lehn.

Colleen was a first-generation college student who kept following her flow of having fun doing
chemistry research. Fast forward 30 years later to the tail-end of her career teaching chemistry in higher education, Colleen finds herself captivated by the question, “Why do my students think chemistry is SO hard?”

Dr. Kelley now conducts her research in Chemical Education to uncover this mystery. What she has discovered is that learning chemistry is very much like learning music. Both disciplines are dependent on the interpretation of symbols and the development of fluency with these symbols. We know that the best time to learn music is between ages 6 – 10 when the brain has the plasticity to make the neural connections necessary. We NOW know,
through Dr. Kelley’s research, that this is also the best time to learn chemistry.
Dr. Kelley is now teaching in 4th and 5th grade classrooms in Arizona using her chemistry comic book series. The kids are excited and embracing learning through this platform.

What’s next? “My WHY is to make learning chemistry fun, accessible, and inclusive so that it becomes a ‘normal’ part of a child’s education.”

Connect with Colleen:
Twitter: @kids_chem
LinkedIn: Colleen Kelley, Ph.D.

Maria Vamvalis is a doctoral candidate and instructor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of Toronto) where she is researching climate justice pedagogies that nurture learner well-being. She is a former public school educator who continues to support teacher education and teacher professional learning.

Maria has worked with diverse not-for-profit organizations engaged with the intersections of transformation, education and systems change.

The underlying paradigm? We just aren’t in a healthy, sustainable relationship with the land or each other…

I’d like to start by saying that this episode is a mindset episode. By listening right through to the end, I feel that this discussion I had with Maria WILL affect what you do in your classroom.

I first got to know Maria through my own personal network of educators who put climate education in the spotlight. And having been in many conversations I’ve had with Maria, I came to realize that besides climate change and climate crisis, there’s something else she taught me about called climate justice. Her research focuses on the profound impacts of climate change and the affect it has and will have on young people, namely our students. One of the clear messages coming out of her research is that today’s youth want a different education. They want schools to focus on the major themes of this era of climate change and help them prepare for what comes next.

The way Maria describes this process in this discussion is that teachers need to enact a wholistic approach, engaging students in critical inquiries, where learning is a series of imaginative and creative discoveries. The curriculum isn’t something that is just covered, but is the starting point that can lead students to find creative spaces, allowing them to try and test new ideas.

Maria even goes on to say that ecological collapse IS our curriculum and you now what? I agree with her 100%. This is not the time to dance around an issue. Climate change is real, the evidence makes the headlines every day, and the schools are the place we will find the solutions and the new way of thinking as we learn to unlearn a colonial and extractive mentality towards the land that our society has held for long enough.

And within all of this is the beautiful message that Maria brings about how the individualistic nature of personal advancement, must give way to a collaborative and respectful group mentality where the collective is greater than the sum total of the parts. Caring for each other can lead to caring for the land, our future relationship with the land and the blessing we have to be part of such an interconnected and dynamic equilibrium.

I hope you enjoy my discussion with Maria and I hope that it moves you to teach with the child’s total well-being in mind.

Links for Show

Naomi Oreskes, Merchants of Doubt: https://www.merchantsofdoubt.org/

Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00278-3/fulltext

Karen Barad: Meeting the Universe Halfway
https://www.dukeupress.edu/meeting-the-universe-halfway

Natural Curiosity: The Importance of Indigenous Perspectives in Children’s Environmental Inquiry
https://www.naturalcuriosity.ca/

Relational Systems Thinking: That’s How Change is Going to Come, from Our Earth Mother
https://jabsc.org/index.php/jabsc/article/view/577

Basic Call to Consciousness
https://goodminds.com/products/basic-call-to-consciousness-1981

Climate Education Reform BC
https://www.climateeducationreformbc.ca/

Kari Grain – Critical Hope
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/690768/critical-hope-by-kari-grain/

This Book Will Save the Planet: A Climate Justice Primer for Activists and Changemakers
https://www.quarto.com/books/9780711268890/this-book-will-save-the-planet

The Link Between Climate Justice and Racial Justice
https://climateanalytics.org/blog/2020/black-lives-matter-the-link-between-climate-change-and-racial-justice/

Unleading for Climate Justice Podcasst
https://www.yorku.ca/edu/unleading/podcast-episodes/leading-for-climate-justice/

Hospicing Modernity
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/675703/hospicing-modernity-by-vanessa-machado-de-oliveira/



Connect with Maria
on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mvamvalis
on Twitter: @MariaVamvalis

How do you take a solid background in engineering and design; combine it with creativity in writing, art, and music; and use it to solve the problems you see in education and environmentalism? If you’re Bobby Donohue, then you make a cartoon about boneheads, of course. And it seems to be working.

When his two kids were little, he realized he wanted to do his part to make sure he was leaving them a planet that was in better shape than he found it. So he created Planet Bonehead to inspire and empower a new generation of master stewards for our one and only planet Earth.

He introduces kids to the amazing advancements and optimism he sees in environmental science and green technology.

Links to Bobby's work:

Planet Bonehead: https://planetbonehead.com/ (FREE to join)

Work with me to share your environmental work, OR to sponsor teachers: https://fuelblue.com/

Kids & Greentech Podcast: https://planetbonehead.com/kgt

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbydonohue/

Sandy Marie Bonny is a writer, visual artist, and earth scientist (PhD 2007, UAlberta; MSc 2002, UAlberta; BSc 2000, UBC) whose creative practice is grounded in interdisciplinary perspectives and engages the storied media of paper, pigment, and stone.

Her writing has appeared in academic and literary journals and anthologies, including The Shape of Content—Creative Writing in Mathematics and Science (2008) and Coming Attractions 11 (2011); as well as two book-length publications, The Sometimes Lake (stories, 2012) and Yes, and Back Again (novel, 2015). Sandy is an advocate of interdisciplinary and multi-vocal literacies and believes in the power of story to connect, teach, and motivate personal agency for listeners of all ages.

She has brought science, stories, and students together for over 20 years in roles coordinating, developing, and delivering community-based STEM outreach programs and post-secondary STEM access and equity initiatives, alongside graduate studies, university teaching, and creative work.

Sandy currently leads the USask College of Arts and Science Indigenous Student Achievement Pathways (ISAP) and STEM Access Initiative team, which welcomes First Nations, Inuit and Métis students to the University of Saskatchewan (USask) with academic and co-curricular programming that builds confidence, knowledge and skills.

Sandy is a non-Indigenous member of Saskatchewan's Treaty 6 community in the homelands of the Métis people; she lives and works in Saskatoon.

Links to Sandy's pages/media:
https://www.sbonny.com/
https://artsandscience.usask.ca/profile/SBonny

Links to Sandy's books:
Thistledown Press
The Sometimes Lake https://thistledownpress.com/product/the-sometimes-lake/
Yes, and Back Again https://thistledownpress.com/product/yes-and-back-again/

Links to articles mentioned in the episode:
Hadzigeorgiou, Yannis, et al. "Teaching about the importance of trees: A study with young children." Environmental Education Research 17.4 (2011): 519-536. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13504622.2010.549938

What We Believe But Cannot Prove; Science in the Age of Certainty
https://www.amazon.ca/What-Believe-but-Cannot-Prove/dp/0060841818

Firestein, Stuart. Ignorance: How it drives science. OUP USA, 2012. https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=SrK7iS3E8nAC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=ignorance+how+it+drives+science&ots=I5TBHXSkU1&sig=9hE0WlcAUbtUG1ckxxKHRL2G1uM&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=ignorance%20how%20it%20drives%20science&f=false

Phillips, Jonathan. "Storytelling in Earth sciences: The eight basic plots." Earth-Science Reviews 115.3 (2012): 153-162. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012825212001249

This was a really neat discussion as it centred on something that I’ve never directly thought about. However, it is something that I’ve noticed and that is soundscapes. I’ve never referred to sounds as a soundscape, but after talking with Tara-Lynne, it makes total sense. The sounds that make up our surroundings, coming from both nature and urban settings, constitute the sonic diversity that makes up our soundscape.

Tara-Lynne blends her academic training with art, being influenced by what she calls her indigineity. Her research into the acoustic ecology highlights our relationship to sound: sounds that bring people together, that tell a story of their history, sounds that draw us into a relationship with the land.

Having received a degree in Fine Arts from the University of the Fraser Valley, followed by a second degree in Global Development, Tara-Lynne was dissatisfied with what she saw in western culture, placing so much emphasis on economic gain and colonialism at the expense of the land. So she set off to Nairobi with the hopes of a cultural experience that would allow her to continue her research into the significance of sounds and the wholistic wellness that it can bring.

We discuss soundscapes as it relates to school. She describes soundwalking, and I love the way she points out the difference in sounds of feet on pavement versus feet on grass. It demands an ability to use descriptive language, but most importantly it requires an awareness of your present space, something those in a busy culture don’t allow time for. She theorizes on the modern sensory input of a fast-paced, 15 second sound byte TikTok world to the structure of school, which can’t keep up to that frenzied and eclectic online world. Are sounds used as a crutch to calm to mind, do students feel anxiety if forced to endure sensory deprivation?

Speaking from Nairobi, listen for the sounds of the birds singing outside Tara-Lynn’s window. I felt that they were teaching us their own lesson with their words of wisdom, asking us to listen carefully.

What’s the soundscape in your classroom? Do you intentionally bring your students to a place to notice the sounds? Is there acoustic complexity in your teaching practice and have you allowed it to be part of your students experience? These are interesting questions that I’ve not thought a lot about in the past, but as we spoke, I realized how much I had thought about sounds without realizing it.

Connect with Tara-Lynn:
Instagram, YouTube and TikTok: @sinewaves.and.sunsets
Website: www.flythekite.com

I had the chance recently to sit down with Scott Bohachyk. He’s the Youth Director at Oceanwise which is a non-profit conservation organization inspiring action to conserve our oceans. They describe themselves as an organization whose vision is a world in which oceans are healthy and flourishing, bearing in mind of course that its the ocean that gives us the air we breathe and the wonder of life.

Scott has built a global network that includes governments, industry, universities and non-profits all in the name of solutions to the complex environmental challenges of our time. His focus areas recently have been an ocean free of plastic, sea forestation and the changing arctic. His work within these teams is creating programs that have empowered over 500,000 people each year to protect and restore the ocean.

Scott is directing an Oceanwise program called Waves of Change which includes a travelling presentation with an inflatable dome that students go in and get an immersive visual experience of the under water world.

I’m so glad that there are people like Scott who are bringing this critical information to students. At one point in this discussion, I raise the point that when a teacher finds themself saying that a particular lesson is so important or that students need to know this or that, my challenge is to ask themself with critical care…is it really that important or do they really need to know that? There are aspects of science that I believe ARE in the category of NEED to know, and ARE so important. The science of ocean chemistry and the atmospheric changes brought on by energy production require education and awareness if in fact we want our students to be equipped with the knowledge and skills that can bring us back into an equilibrium with nature.

The traditional science curriculum should reflect the changing world we live in and there are wonderful ways to adapt it to a more modern application. One of the first things teachers should do then is equip themselves with the knowledge and understand what’s going on. And Scott Bohachyk may be your starting point. This is what I would call a “mindset” discussion. There is lots here to get you thinking and hopefully spur your teaching on to include lessons about the health and potential future state of our oceans.

Find Oceanwise at https://ocean.org

Wow! This one has a lot of information in it. We get into all kinds of things about space and teaching astronomy. You may want to take notes!! If you like space, want to learn more OR if you teach science with an astronomy unit, then this one is for you!

There was enough in here that I felt it would be a good idea to include a vocabulary list so that you could reference it, as I'm sure Bill or I used words that might be unfamiliar.

So here's the list:
Synodic Period - the time it takes to complete one orbit or revolution relative to the position of the Sun
Ecliptic - the line that connect the Earth and the Sun. All planets orbit the Sun approximately on the plane of the ecliptic
Spectrometer - an instrument that measures a wavelength of light emitted by any source
Mare - the latin word for sea. Used to describe the dark areas on the Moon because ancient astronomers thought they were oceans (Plural: Maria)
Occultation - when one celestial body crosses in front of or behind another
Homogeneous - used to describe anything that is the same throughout
La Grangian Point - a point between two objects where their respective gravities cancel out and you don't fall towards either
Infrared - the radiation responsible for heat. Has a wavelength slightly longer than visible light
Redshift - the optical observation whereby lightwaves are stretched to a longer wavelength because the light source is moving away from you
Sidereal Period - the time to rotate or orbit relative to the background stars. Generally it is shorter than synodic time because the Sun is moving and the stars don't appear to, simply because they are so far away
Elliptical orbit - all objects orbit the Sun in an orbit slightly non-circular. An Ellipse is like a circle that is flattened somewhat
Regolith - this is what we call Moon dirt
Artemis - the mission that is responsible for returning humans to the Moon and then eventually to Mars
Planisphere - a tool used by astronomers to identify stars and constellations above Earth. Click the link to make one and/or check your phone's App Store and download an interactive version
https://in-the-sky.org/planisphere/pdfs/planisphere_50N_en.pdf

Connect with Bill by email for class visits, either virtual or in person, at
bill@canadianplanetariums.com

Find lots of astronomy resources on my YouTube channel:
Science360-Beyond the Sky

In this episode, rather than interviewing a teacher from our school, I read a blog I wrote for the Teach Better Team. I'm sharing it as a word of encouragement and maybe a touch of "I needed that". I hope you have a wonderful summer and here's a few thoughts to kick it off.

Science 360 Episode 54 - Burning Bright, Not Out
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Ua8IGz2INiLStxp6EwBPJ?si=1eb7c518951e4eaa
Earthy Chats Episode 13
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6f8I4ehCN6Q0aZRWmotrm2?si=85c74ac841ae4d7e
Teach Better Team
https://www.teachbetter.com/blog/

One of the wonderful things about the PLN is getting to expand your horizons and meet teachers from all sorts of places. It was through connections, largely coming out of my work with the Teach Better Team, that I "met" Becky and Holly. Being super impressed by their work, as viewed through Twitter and Teach Better blogs and Becky's book, they seemed like a natural fit to have on the podcast.

But speaking to them for selfish reasons and my own personal enjoyment were not the only reasons I set this up. I wanted to hold this conversation up as an example of how teaching ought to be. Full of love for the subject, getting a thrill out of learning new things yourself, and finding joy in bringing the relevance and meaning and purpose to our students. I knew that these would take centre stage in a conversation with Becky and Holly and I was not disappointed.

Let me encourage everyone to find your "team". Being strong on your own in the classroom is not a sign of strength and reaching out to find energy from others is not a sign of weakness. I love listening to these two and speaking with them and finding commonalities in the way we teach. I hope you can relate to our conversation and that this episode helps you where you are at. And reach out to any of us, because we would actually love to have you join us in more of this sort of stimulating conversation.

Find Becky's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Expedition-Science-Empowering-Learners-Exploration/dp/1951600827/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1NZX9STYONJNI&keywords=expedition+science&qid=1652056830&sprefix=expedition+science%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-1

Becky is on Twitter at @schnekser
Holly is on Twitter at @hollyastuart

One thing we can all use right now is a comforting conversation about stress (is that an oxymoron?) and stress management strategies. The comforting part is that the strategies are not actually that difficult. Jess LeBlanc explains why.

The world we live in can be very stressful. From locally born issues such as family and work, our students and school settings...to global issues of politics, conflict, pandemics and climate change. But we are in this together and through community, Jess points out that great comfort will come. Her motto is Let's Burn Bright, Not Out.

Here are some of the links you need to check out:
Jess's website: https://www.jessleblanc.com
Her course offerings: http://www.embodiedliving.ca/stressecourse
Jess's work with Dr. George Slavich: www.lifestresstest.com
Ross Reid's work: https://www.youtube.com/c/NerdyAboutNature
Ross's latest podchat venture: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/nerdy-about-nature/id1616723640

In this episode, I discuss the highs and the lows, the pros and the cons, the areas for growth for schools with my guest, Callum Neily. Callum is a grade 12 student in my school and if you listen long enough, you will hear that he is an asset to our building. Likely he could be an asset win any building.

Once we establish our conversation and theme, we really get to thinking about what school could be like. We realize that every aspect of society is changing at light speed, but schools are lagging behind. We decide that there may be legitimate reasons for that, but those shouldn't stop us from being agents of change.

We also see that schools have changed during the pandemic, but it's the rate of change compared to other aspects of society that is most noticeable. I hope this episode challenges the way we "do" school. Thanks Callum for being part of the driving force towards a better education for all of us.

Find Callum on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk_vcsTMb97FRDgaiUGJllg/featured

And check out his latest venture to connect like-minded youth: https://wecoapp.org/Home

This is a re-run of my first interview on Science360, from back in the spring of 2020. I've been re-listening to a few of these and I really feel they hold a lot of value, but most of my listeners won't have heard the older episodes.

In this talk, Chris explains the whole life cycle of the salmon, an integral species to the Pacific Northwest. He describes their relationship to the whole ecosystem and how human interactions have had a negative effect on their viability.

I am a strong believer that education should be highly relevant, informative and worth remembering. This topic, explained by Chris, is all of that. It's what I try to provide on this podcast. You've heard of salmon, probably eaten some, but can you speak confidently about it with your students? I hope after listening to this, you will be able to.

Recently, I have been creating a YouTube channel called Science360 - Beyond the Sky. This comes on the heels of my podcast Science360 (this one obviously), a book I wrote called Beyond the Classroom and many, many blog posts found on the Teach Better website.

Why do I do these things? That's what this episode is about. But it's also about why everybody should be adding to the body of knowledge so we can all benefit from your expertise.

Here are the podcasts that I mention in the episode. I'm not linking to them because not everyone uses Apple and/or Spotify and they are all easy to find with a simple search:

The Rich Roll podcast
The Tim Ferris Show
The Jordan Harbinger Show
Singularity Radio
Future Positive
Exponential Wisdom
Gravity Assist
A Bit of Optimism
The Dave Burgess Show
The Adam Welcome Podcast
Lasting Learning
Fresh Air at Five
Teachers on Fire
The Chey and Pav Show
The Good News, Brad News Podcast

Others not mentioned but worth listening to:
The Science Pawdcast
From Earning to Learning

My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAn8Je8wqnTYGj6GNvai02g
My Blogs: https://astrostephenson11.wixsite.com/beyond-the-sky/resources-1
My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=65073927

Last year on this day, I featured Britt Buirs (go find that one). But this year, I've selected Lilly Woodbury. I first recorded this episode in September of 2020 and I have always felt this is one of my favourite episodes. Lilly's articulate way of expressing complex issues surrounding the climate, the health of the oceans, sustainability and good, healthy living is just so impressive.

I would recommend following Lilly on Social accounts and read some of her blog posts on lillywoodbury.com...and happy International Women's Day!

Please rate, review and share this episode and others on Science360.

How far outside the box are you willing to take your classroom? How about far enough that you enter a virtual world, where your students use their own avatar to manipulate the concepts you're teaching. This is what Jennifer Brown does in her math classroom. She uses a curriculum developed by Prisms of Reality (link to their website below) to teach her students about algebra. This requires wearing a headset and "leaving" the room to enter a virtual space. Would you be willing to let your students do this? To discover and control their environment in order to learn and gain mastery over graphs and equations? This is a bold move, but I predict that this is one of many, many more classrooms that will be teaching this way. They say that cell phones of the 2000s and the advent of the smart phone will be as VR goggles will be as we move through this decade into the 2030s. Hold on teachers, it's going to get wild and sooner than later!

Check out the work of Prisms of Reality at their website:
https://www.prismsvr.com

I would also suggest you check out a book by Jaime Donally called The Immersive Classroom available on Amazon. Find her on twitter: @JaimeDonally

I've known BJ since he was a grade 9 student in my science class. I knew there was something special about him back then because he gained international attention by challenging the system over a flag. Seriously, look it up.

But every tech question I had, BJ had the answer. As I watched him over the next couple of years, I knew this was a special individual. He started to explain to me the ins and outs of cryptocurrency and I thought teachers need to know something about this. But I have to admit, I conduct this interview and still wonder what it all means. But I did, in fact, learn several things and gained an insight into the way our world is heading. And I always think that it's not just my world, but it's also the world my students are heading into. We all need to speak the language of the ages to come and BJ can help you with that.

Take it in and replay it a couple of times as this interview is complex. And don't forget, my guest today is 17 years old! This is the age we live in, everybody. Get ready.

Find BJ on Twitter: @figmasimp

In the summer of 2021, I had the fun opportunity to be on the Out of the Trenches podcast with Dana Goodier. We had a great chat about teaching, but then Dana gave me this glorious chance to talk space! She asked me, "what do people get wrong about space?" and off I went.
I asked Dana for the audio because I wanted to share my answer with my audience on Science 360. So this is a clip from that talk.
It's more than just space though. As much as I want to help teachers teach about space, I also want to inspire creative education where we recognize that our students are heading into an incredible world where there is much work to be done. So as the episode unfolds, I give my take on why we have a responsibility to teach to their future.
So I guess this episode is about the past, that is the origin of the universe, but it's also about the future, which is what we can influence every day as a teacher. So, ready to take some notes? Hit play!

Find Dana on Twitter: @danagoodier
Find the podcast Out of the Trenches: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/episode-119-tim-stephenson/id1514020148?i=1000539933493

In this episode, I take a swing at the way we teach science. To me, it is a subject that needs a major shake up. There is just too much going on in the world today that demand a new understanding of scientific principals to continue with the status quo.

I give some examples from elementary grades and high school grades of science topics that cannot be taught the same way anymore. I give practical examples of how it could be taught and focus in on the result, which in my experience, is students who are motivated, driven by purpose and seeking deeper understanding.

All of this requires the teacher to be learning too! And always thinking of ways to bring meaning to science. I even give an example of the rock cycle and how if Ii were to teach it, that's how I would do it. And it wouldn't be by using rock charts and memorizing words.

Are you ready to be challenged to think differently about the way you teach? This episode could possibly "rock" your socks, but when the whole world is changing, it's our responsibility to change along with it.

Reach out to me on twitter (@astrostephenson) if you have thoughts or ideas about what you hear. And leave me a rating and a review on the podcast platform you listen to. I like 5 stars :)

There has been a lot of research and speculation on what that star was and if it really was a star at all. In this episode, I explain the common understanding of the Heaven's at the time of Christ and what they thought they saw in the night sky. I touch on many aspects of the history of astronomy, from Pythagorus through Newton and Einstein. But sometimes you have to do that to get the whole perspective. And when it comes to something such as this, where science and religion intersect, I believe it takes a bit more care to give it its fair share. I offer up my perspective at the end, and I hope that it influences the way you think about the stars.

This is a very informative talk with Zack Rago, star of the Netflix film Chasing Coral. We talk about his education and what motivated him to pursue a Ph.D. degree in marine science in Hawaii. But it shouldn't come as a big surprise that there was an event when he was in high school that spurred him on to this love and fascination with the oceans and in particular, the coral reefs.

If you teach high school biology or chemistry, this episode will teach you a lot of practical applications of the content you've always delivered. But with what you hear in this episode, you can now frame your teaching around something that will connect your students to the natural world, a place where they will have an emotional attachment. So be ready to take notes!!

If you haven't seen the documentary Chasing Coral on Netflix and Youtube yet, be sure to watch it. It is a film with stunningly beautiful underwater scenes yet heart wrenchingly horrific scenes of what's going on beneath the ocean's surface due to human influence. And Zack is central to the whole story. You can get to know him here.

Chasing Coral - https://youtu.be/aGGBGcjdjXA
School Resources - https://www.chasingcoral.com/in-the-classroom/

In this episode, you will hear the results of a library research day attended by two Grade 6 and 7 classes from a nearby elementary school. I hosted over 50 of them in our high school library where we taught them about online resources, file sharing, collaboration and content creation in print and audio.

I gave the students several topics to pick from for their research. So in this episode, I reflect on the process, we then listen to the students' recordings, and I follow up with some comments. My final analysis is process over product wins the day. The content they produced was good, but the process to arrive at that content was fantastic.

Don't be afraid to let students have the time needed to process. I know you could get them there faster, but the quality of the result depends on a slow simmer sometimes. So listen and be impressed by what these students cooked up.

Craig Leeson is an international film-maker/journalist/adventurer and director of the Netflix film "A Plastic Ocean". He joined me for this episode to discuss his perspective on the state of plastic pollution, climate, COP26 and the future of our planet.

Craig has another film coming out on IMAX in March '22. It's called "The Last Glaciers" and highlights the reality of climate change by filming on location of some of the world's largest glaciers, from the alpine summit of the Alps to the Antarctic and Greenland. This will be a very important documentary containing essential information for educators.

You should follow Craig and all that he is involved with on the social media platforms. And why should you? Because he is providing riveting and relevant information that needs to be brought to the classrooms of the world. Our climate issues won't fix themselves. They need motivated, curious and educated young people to emerge from the schools inspired and equipped to make a difference and bring about change. I'm proud to be an educator with the opportunity to effect change on the planet and affect the future through my students. Craig Leeson does the same through film. Our goals are one and the same: with knowing comes caring and with caring comes change.

Find Craig on Instagram:
@therealcraigleeson
@thelastglaciers

Find Craig on Twitter:
@CraigLeeson

In this episode, I have to admit...I kind of ramble on a bit. It really is me thinking through these big issues of energy, transportation, climate, resources. But really, I think everybody should sit and ramble in their own minds about these things and engage in conversation with others, in order to come to some very important conclusions.
Stick with me on this one. Let my thoughts affect yours. I don't need to "change your mind". I just want you to make up your mind on what could be one of the biggest global issues we face. Long after the pandemic, there will still be climate change issues that need to be addressed.

Paul Rosolie is an Amazon conservationist, author and rain forest educator. His story found in his book "Mother of God" is a must read, but if you like to get to know the author first, then check this out. Paul and I talk about how he got his education in spite of the school system and now is the author of two books. He operates an eco-tourism company in the upper Amazon of Peru called Tamandua Expeditions. Want to experience the Amazonian rainforest firsthand? Now you know who to call!

Paul swims with piranhas, hunts anacondas, has spent multiple nights alone in the jungle and is now on my podcast to talk about it. His message is clear...we know what to do to stop the destruction of Earth's ecosystems, so we just need to do it!

In this episode we mention several resources and I'll list them here:
Instagram accounts connected to Paul: @paulrosolie, @junglekeepers, @ageofunion, @tamanduaexpeditions, @darkgreen_film
Instagram accounts mentioned in the podcast: @johnemarriott, @therealcraigleeson, @tjwatt
Videos mentioned in the podcast: A Plastic Ocean (Netflix), In the Cross Hairs: The Road to Recovery for Alberta's Threatened Grizzly Bears by John E Marriott (YouTube)

In this episode, you will hear from Bob Hansen, who is the pacific rim coordinator of WildSafeBC. Bob was described to me as the "bear expert" of the west coast of Vancouver Island and as I spoke with him, I found this to be true. If you find yourself fearful of wildlife encounters, you should listen to Bob in this episode.

I wanted to bring this episode because as a resident of this magnificent west coast wilderness, I commonly hear people asking questions about bears in the mountains. Wanting to equip myself with a greater understanding, I started to ask questions of anyone I could find who knew more than me about bears. The result is that the more I learned, the less fear I had. Not that anyone wants to be face to face with a bear, but at least I understood their behaviour better, and this understanding will guide my behaviour when I encounter one.

Bob talks about WARP (Wildlife Alert Reporting Program) and encourages all back-country travellers to report any sightings of bear, cougar, or wolf. You can do so at 1-877-952-7277 or on your cell phone at #7277

The following links are mentioned in the podcast:
https://wildsafebc.com
https://warp.wildsafebc.com
https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/pacificrim

If you've ever wondered what you're seeing in the night sky as you lie on the dock or in a hammock in the backyard, then this episode is for you! I take you on a summer sky star-hopping adventure, as we identify stars and constellations, starting in the northern sky then swinging around to the south.

After listening carefully to this episode, you will be able to identify the major stars and constellations. Once you feel confident, my advice is to go share your new knowledge with someone else. Knowledge is meant to be shared, and knowing the stars is something everyone is interested in.

So get comfy in a reclining chair, grab a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate...plug in the headphones, and let me walk you through the stars.

If you have further questions about other space-related themes, or would like to suggest a topic for a future podcast, please connect with me via any of the following:

Twitter: @astrostephenson
Email: astrostephenson11@gmail.com
Website: www.astrostephenson.ca

Katie is a wholistic nutritionist and a personal trainer. Her approach to wellness does not mean eliminating entire food groups or spending hours on the tread mill. She trains her clients to lead balanced lives, to eat whole foods and to exercise because they love to, not because of guilt.

I like Katie's approach and I wondered what her thoughts were on how proper nutrition and movement affects performance in school. So I asked her to talk about these things as they relate to students in school.

Katie has evidence to suggest that students coming out of school are not equipped with the knowledge to lead them to a healthy and energized life. Many of her clients are unaware of what good eating habits are or how to exercise in a gym or on their own (other than some cardio). I tried to get her to talk about some recent research on epigenetics as it relates to nutrition and I loved her answer, which was don't over-complicate things.

In school, do we over-complicate things because we think that makes for good education? Or do we omit things that we shouldn't because we as teachers don't have a good grasp of it? Whatever the case may be, a brain won't work well in an unhealthy body.

Connect with Katie
Instagram: @katiemuller.pt

Listen to her podcast Strong and Beautiful on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Dr. Doug Allen is an economist at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC. He has done an extensive analysis of the research from around the world on the policy of lockdown during the pandemic. His conclusions are startling.

It may seem obvious that the benefit of lockdown is the prevention of death due to the virus. The cost may be felt in the economy, but it will be short-lived. Except neither of the those things are true, particularly on the cost side of the ledger. In this podcast, one of my longer episodes, Dr. Allen will highlight some costs that many will not have considered and that seems to include our political leaders.

Some may find this episode controversial, others may find it enlightening. However, it is important that in the world of education, we are willing to question, discuss and analyze based on facts. Sometimes this seems empirical, calculated and perhaps cold. But decisions like the ones we have lived with since March of 2020 can't be based on emotion and our society only advances when we listen, learn, think and grow.

Doug mentions a website and some other papers linked here:
https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus
https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w27719/w27719.pdf
http://www.sfu.ca/~allen/LockdownReport.pdf

Contact Dr. Allen:
allen@sfu.ca

Back in the summer of 2018, I was kayaking in Johnstone Strait on the north coast of Vancouver Island. Being passionate about education and the oceans, I took the chance to teach my fellow kayakers about the plight of the oceans.

I edited it and am using it for this week's podcast. This is World Ocean Week and I'd like anyone with the opportunity to teach, to use some of what you might learn here about the oceans and share with your students. This is critical information and as teachers, we have to be willing to inform and share what we learn in order to have a positive impact on the future.

I hope what you hear in this episode will help you teach your student about this critical topic...the health of our oceans.

One of my goals for this podcast is to give teachers some material that they can use in their classroom. This episode will teach you how to run an experiment where your students can calculate the power of the Sun. It's a simple procedure but with huge and fascinating results.

You will definitely want a pad of paper and you may need to hit the pause button a time or two. But once you have it worked out, this will become one of your favourite experiments to do with your science class. Also, it can be adapted to any level or grade.

Have fun and go measure the Sun!

This is a recording I did in the spring of 2020. I chose to replay it because Britt Buirs is one of my favourite scientists who deserves a spotlight on International Women's Day. Reality is she deserves the spotlight any day: a former student of mine, Britt went on to study at the University of Victoria and now lives and works in Ucluelet, BC where she is doing research into micro plastic pollution.

This is a great episode for young girls to listen to and be inspired to study the sciences just like Britt. Equally, it's a great episode for teachers to gain current and relevant science knowledge on a topic that is crucial to the future health of our oceans.

Connect with Britt on Instagram: @britt_buirs
Find her products on www.etsy.com/ca/shop/theoceangypsea

In this episode, I attempt to demonstrate the relationship between music and learning by teaching a lesson while switching up the background music. The challenge for the listener is to determine the effect these music styles had on your ability to focus, listen and learn from the "lesson".

This topic has been an interest of mine for years, going back to when my wife and I used music to help our own kids learn their school lessons. That was in the days of the Mozart effect.

Since then there has been a lot of research done and there is truly a connection between music and learning. I give some examples and even sing on old song that I still remember the lyrics to!

Also featured is music by Koresma. I got permission to use this music because I find it puts me in a mood where I'm relaxed and open to learning. I wonder if others may feel the same way.

Find Koresma on Apple Music and Spotify and on the website:
https://www.koresmamusic.com

This is a jam-packed episode, all about Mars! So you better be ready with a notepad or just enjoy listening. I hit a lot of stuff here!

If you are a student who studies astronomy, maybe a person who just enjoys learning about space OR A TEACHER who could use some information to bring to class, then this is the podcast for you.

Mars will always be in the news because it is our next great destination. And with a fascinating history filled with discoveries that point to the possibility of life, I think we will be learning about this planet for a long time yet.

This is one episode and there could easily have been three just on this topic. If you have questions about Mars or want to here more about it, email me a question at www.astrostephenson.ca

One of my goals of this podcast is that it can be used by teachers as a resource. By learning here, you can go into your classroom and teach something new and fascinating.

In this episode, I chose to explain several things about the Moon. By listening, a teacher may be more equipped to go into class and teach new concepts about the Moon. Now there may be a need to listen to it a few times to catch everything, and you may need to take notes and look a few things up. But this will get you going and give you some ideas of what you could research further.

This is how I learned to be an astronomy teacher. I listened to others and then went off and did more research. I hope this episode helps you feel more confident to teach about the Moon!

This conversation, I believe, is essential among academics. The reason is because when it comes to science, if we really think about it, to believe that the universe sprang by chance, solely through the laws of physics, is actually a faith-based position. And I have never been one to roll my eyes at the suggestion that there is design in the creation of the universe.

I wanted to have a conversation with someone about this and I knew that Mark Clark had to be that person. As lead pastor of the Village Church and author of two books on apologetics, I knew Mark would have insights into the age-old conflict that seems to exist between science and religion.

Anyone in the field of education knows that students will challenge the facts and assumptions of the great thinkers and disciplines. So knowing that this will happen, why not include it as part of your intellectual preparation. Rather than dismiss it quickly and unequivocally, study it and be prepared for a thoughtful discourse on the very thing that billions of Earthlings consider true.

This conversation will remind teachers that there is more to knowing your content area. We teach people, real people, who have thoughts and ideas of their own. Embrace them for who they are, accept their convictions, and celebrate our similarities and differences. That would be my advice coming out of almost three decades of teaching high school science.

Mark Clark on twitter: @markaclark
The Problem of Science: https://youtu.be/0DwVIxtYj08

I wanted to follow up with my last episode with Professor Orlando Rojas of the BioProducts Institute at UBC. Although his work is cutting edge and sincerely driven by the desire to switch off of fossil fuels for the sake of our planet, I was a little concerned about the potential pressure this will add to BC's forests.

So I did a little research and grabbed a few stats off of some government websites. Then I asked for some commentary by a respected conservationist, Ross Reid. and got his take on using our forests for the manufacture of biofuel to be shipped to European and Asian markets for energy.

I think this 20 minute episode will bring a lot of thinking to a science teacher's classroom to consider, debate and research further. When it comes to energy and the economy, there are no easy answers. But I am grateful for people like Professor Rojas and Ross Reid for their thoughtful discussion and urging to move us away from a dependency on fossil fuels.

BioProducts Institute: https://bpi.ubc.ca
Nerdy About Nature with Ross Reid: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLba3-S08_eD3vTCrPPbeGA
BC Ministry of Forests: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/
Professor Andrew Friedland: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/dc-wns061113.php
Ed Hawkins: http://www.met.reading.ac.uk/~ed/home/index.php
The Narwhal: https://thenarwhal.ca/bc-pacific-bioenergy-old-growth-logging-wood-pellets/
Global News Report: https://globalnews.ca/video/7402923/environmentalists-cry-foul-over-logging-for-biofuel-company

In this episode, I interview Professor Orlando Rojas of UBC's BioProducts Institute. This is a facility researching the many ways biomass, particularly cellulose from tress, can become not only the next great energy source, but also fabrics, filters and biodegradable materials that can replace plastic.

Prof Rojas is a Canada Excellence Research Chair and I found him to be extremely engaging, passionate about finding a path to a sustainable future and a very good teacher. It was so great to hear him talk about scientific concepts that are discussed in a high school science class. It reminds me as a science teacher of the things that I should be emphasizing. Not just chemical or biological facts, but the way these things can be the solution to many of our world problems.

This talk reminds me to not just teach science but to bring it alive by showing how it is applied to global issues. The idea of using biomass to meet our energy needs, eliminating a dependence on oil is rich with possibilities but tied to the already stressed forest resources. So understanding of the basic science followed by discussion and a healthy debate, may lead to great ideas and passionate solutions.

It would be awesome to see some of our students end up at the BioProducts Institute to further this work. In a changing climate and deteriorating environment, science teachers have an obligation to inspire our students to join people like Prof Rojas in this great work!

www.bpi.ubc.ca

Why haven't we heard from other intelligent civilizations across the cosmos? Is it just too big? Separated by distances too great? Or is something greater that bears some thought? The Great Filter.

This would be a barrier that perhaps all advanced civilizations would ultimately evolve towards. It would present a filtering system that would end their advancement and could be the reason we have never heard from them. They just aren't there anymore!

Is this the direction we here on Earth are heading? Of course, nobody knows, but is an subtle warning that may be worth considering.

I hope that this sparks your own curiosity and for teachers, I hope this is material that you can use in your classroom to ignite great discussion and further inquiry.

Each year in January, the Earth makes it's closest approach to the Sun. But that seems odd because it happens in the coldest and dreariest month of the year!

So this episode will give an explanation of this unusual aspect of Earth's orbit. Towards the end, I also give an interesting bonus fact about the Sun's special place in the sky in the month of January.

If you have any questions you'd like me to feature, connect with me on Instagram and Twitter @astrostephenson or on my website: www.astrostephenson.ca

I'm publishing a short clip here just as a promo for this podcast for 2021.

This podcast will be great for teachers. It can be a way to learn new things about space or the environment and lots of other topics...BUT...it can also be something that teachers can use with their students to spark conversation, introduce a topic or maybe inspire them to create their own content.

I'm looking forward to '21 and all the possibilities it holds for all of us in the field of education. If you'd like to contact me regarding topics you'd like to see or just to talk about teaching, you can do so through my website www.astrostephenson.ca

Please consider subscribing and sharing this podcast to any and everyone! Have a great day...

Tim

As we approach the end of 2020, I've been reflecting on my podcast Science360. I have some fun plans for the coming year that include a number of "shorts" and some great interviews lined up. I'll be covering topics like cosmology and the stars, climate change and the glaciers, future tech and the internet of things and special guest from the National Geographic lined up!

Today's episode is perhaps a taste of some of the things to come. As an avid podcast listener myself, I have developed preferences in what I listen to. I'm going to apply some of those preferences to this podcast in the new year. I think it's going to be great!

In this episode, I reference the Instagram account @pictureorganicclothing and the film they produced called Made In Voyage. I loved the message at the end of the film, basically stating that life isn't made in a moment, but in the collection of moments of life. So I copied it out and I've read it here.

Have a listen...replay it a couple of times...let the message sink in...apply it to your life.

I'll be adding to this podcast in the new year. It will be fresh, it will be listenable, it will be fun and it will be informative, thought-provoking and even insightful. I'm looking forward to it...I hope you are too!

Click the subscribe button and maybe add a review and a rating. I'd appreciate that...Tim

Made In Voyage:
https://youtu.be/nUGhtuV42Vo

This episode is the final in a three part series where I had my students record an audio of some aspect of the universe. This is after we have learned a lot of different things about space and this was their chance to be the "teacher".

This episode focuses on cosmological issues like dark energy, the expanding universe, the Drake equation, and telescopes used for sensing the vastness of the cosmos.

These students WILL teach you something and I am very impressed by the work they did for this series. I hope you enjoy what they have to say. Remember to keep looking up at the stars!

Patrick is an incredibly intelligent agriculturist working in Chiang Mai Thailand with an organization called Echo. He works with local farmers to assist them with modern farming techniques, training on sustainable practices and introduces viable crops to help them maintain their farm's productivity.

Patrick got his undergrad and graduate degrees in America as he is originally from Louisiana. But he was raised most of his youth on the island nation of Mauritius. Having also spent some time in Southern Africa, Patrick is very aware of the multitude of cultures, each having unique needs.

Patrick loves to work with people and uses his university education to put himself in places where he can support others and serve them at their place of need. It really is a great story of how he puts others needs before his own, and what is so unique about him is he is using his science platform as a way to help others.

He has great insights, just as you would expect from someone who has travelled the world the way he has. In this episode, Patrick tells us of the agricultural needs of the farmers, some of the innovative ways they are finding solutions towards sustainability and offers up advice on how others can find their own passions.

It's been said that he who serves the most, reaps the most. Patrick is a great example of this as he uses his education and scientific knowledge with a servant attitude.

Instagram: @trailstales
Echo: https://echonet.org
Study in Thailand: https://isdsi.org

In this the second of a three part series, I asked my astronomy students to record a two minute explanation of some aspect of space. In this episode, the theme is stars.

This is a group of grade 11 and 12 students who are getting their senior science high school credit by learning about space. Although they are representing their knowledge in lots of different ways in class, I felt that using this electronic and public medium would be a great experience for them...and maybe spur them on to continue to add to the global "body of knowledge" on their own, with their own topics.

I really appreciate their efforts here to incorporate. some research, knowledge and sometimes a bit of fun as they talk about the stars. Enjoy!

As a teacher, we are always looking for ways for our students to express their knowledge. I have always felt that the best way to firm up in your mind the things that you have learned, is to talk about it and better yet, teach it!

So I asked my students to pick a topic they have learned in class (choice), research a bit more about it (life long learning), and prepare a two minute "lesson" to record for this podcast (communication).

I got such a wide variety of topics that I decided to group them by theme, and this episode's theme is the solar system. This is their first forage into the world of podcasting and I hope that for some of them, it won't be their last. You will hear that some of them have a real knack for this and likely would make a great podcaster themselves. I'm looking forward to the future to see what else they can create. This may be the first step to a long and enjoyable journey.

In the meantime, listen to some of my students speak on a few topics about...the solar system.

I first came across Ross Reid on Instagram and his account @NerdyAboutNature. I loved learning about the trees and the natural ecosystems from a funny, kind of quirky guy who just seemed to know so much!

I invited him on my podcast and I'm so glad I did. Such insight and a true admonition to connect with nature. He urges the school system to get back to the "poetic beauty of science" and to make it real for everyone. He says the way we communicate science needs to draw people in, instead of scare them off, as science is apt to do.

Ross always refers to the Pacific Northwest as Cascadia. I asked him about that and he explained in depth why we need to think of the land as a whole being, of which we are a part. But in order to benefit from nature, we need to start from a place of humility, recognizing that the land is not ours to build another parking lot on. Rather it is a resource that if managed properly, will sustain us, just as it did the First Nations peoples for 1000s of years.

Ross details a beautiful metaphor of a tree, whereby it's resilience through all circumstances can be likened to our lives. That through the successes and struggles of life, we can find our own individual beauty, just as the tree does in the forest.

This episode is the sort that will make us want to connect to nature, it will make us want to rethink our place in nature and will make us want to be thankful for all that nature does for us.

Follow Ross on Instagram and YouTube at @nerdyaboutnature and as he says "smash him some likes and follows".

https://www.rossjreid.com

Lilly is one of a growing number of people I've come to know and respect who now reside on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Lilly combines an incredible knowledge of environmental issues with formal education, a passionate desire to effect change, and an incredible ability to communicate so clearly her mission and love for the planet.

Lilly is the manager of the Pacific Rim chapter of Surfrider and takes every chance she can to speak to people about the state of the planet, the climate issues, plastic pollution and any other topic that is a concern to our future on Earth.

People like Lilly need to be heard. Her message is poignant yet down to Earth. Young people in schools today need to spend time listening to what she has to say. If enough of them do, we can all have hope for cleaner, more sustainable future. Please share this one widely...it's that good!

Follow Lilly on Instagram: @lillywoodbury

In this podcast, I talk with Vanessa Jones and Natalie Cook, two recent university grads who are doing research into the effects of climate change in suburban Burnaby, British Columbia. I always find it inspiring to hear stories of young people who, while getting a good education, meet people along the way that influence and change their direction towards finding their mission in life.

Both of these researchers studied under Dr. Dave Clements at Trinity Western University. Dr. Clements has been a guest on Science360, and his connections were able to land the funding for this research in the City of Burnaby. Now with their research wrapping up, both look forward to further studies...Vanessa doing graduate research into invasive plant species at UVic and Natalie in GIS at BCIT and dendrochronology at UBC. And if you don't know what those are, neither did I! But Natalie will explain it to you. Enjoy...

This is the second part of my interview with Christian Knudsen, a Mars One candidate to make a one way voyage to Mars. Because of that experience, Christian understands the nuances of space flight better than most. He describes in this episode the issues to be dealt with in making a 6-8 month trip to Mars, the psychology, the health risks, and the issues of landing safely and setting up a colony. He also describes details of terraforming Mars for a comfortable human presence.

This is very fascinating stuff and you will learn a lot about what it takes to get to Mars.

Christian is a tech expert with great insight into space exploration from his time training to be on the Mars One mission. This was a privately funded mission to put a community on Mars, pushing the envelop of exploration further than publicly funded NASA could do. Presently, that mission is on hold so Christian is working in the tech sector in Germany, while taking every opportunity he can to share his knowledge, hoping to inspire the next generation of space travellers.

This is a two part series. The first part deals with general themes of education, the Mars One background, Christian's insight into launch and space travel and thoughts on the Falcon Heavy and crewed Dragon launches of Spacex.

Gain the wisdom of someone who has been inside the space industry. Follow Christian on social media:

Twitter: @MrMonster911
Tedx Talk: https://youtu.be/hB7JlJtFCsE

Read more about the Mars One mission at www.mars-one.com

Rachel studies Geography and Anthropology at UVic. Having worked as a Parks guide, she has become very knowledgeable about the ocean and in this episode, shares a vast array of ocean literacy. From the intertidal zone to the salmon forest, with insight into First Nation's relationship with the west coast. You will learn a lot and your next visit to the coast will be much more interesting once equipped with the knowledge Rachel shares.

Enrique is a student I taught in Summer Session. We met and connected on many areas of similar interests. I had no idea at the time though, of the incredible story that lead him and his family out of El Salvador and into Canada. Held at gunpoint and thinking this was the end, the family survived the ordeal and re-located to Canada. Now today a student at UBC, Enrique speaks with poise and insight on topics ranging from what life was like in a rural country with no internet, to how AI and Informatic Engineering may help lead a world out of a pandemic. Both teachers and students alike will find enormous value in hearing this interview!

Alys is passionate about the oceans. Coming from rural northern England, she has found her place in Tofino, BC, where she works as a kayaking guide and an employee at Surfrider. A university degree in languages, she was inspired to pursue her passions after travelling throughout Europe and South America, ending up on the west coast of Vancouver Island to do this important work of educating kids in schools and the general public about how they can help us move towards a cleaner and healthier ocean.

Surfrider (www.pacificrim.surfrider.org) is an international organization that works closely with The Ocean Legacy (www.oceanlegacy.ca) to collect and re-purpose plastic in the circular economy.

Danika Strecko is the education coordinator for Oceanwise, a branch of the Vancouver Aquarium. Her main goal is to raise ocean literacy among students so that they can be part of the solution to the issues facing the oceans. Danika uses both online resources/virtual meetings as well as tour groups that visit the aquarium to educate the public. The resources referred to are available at www.ocean.org. Danika also refers to the importance of citizen science and uses the example of a series of underwater cameras set up by the Ocean Network (www.oceannetworks.ca) where anyone can monitor the sealife and contribute to the scientific work. This episode will inspire any student to want to study the oceans more, and any teacher to give them that opportunity!

Britt, one of my former high school students, now a marine biologist is the living blueprint of my ideal human. Using her world travels to really find her true passions in life, Britt returned to university to get a degree in marine biology and now uses her love of science and art to raise awareness about plastic pollution, specifically microfibres.

See Britt's art at brittbuirs.com, follow her Vancouver Island lifestyle on Instagram at @theoceangypsea. Britt also references a solution to microfibres called the Lint LUV-R By environmentalenhancements.ca, an invention of Nova Scotian Blair Jollimore. She will also be doing research with exxpedition.com.

Dr. Clements teaches at Trinity Western University in Langley, BC. He is an expert in invasive species, and a wealth of knowledge on all topics concerning the health of our natural world. In this episode, Dr. Clements speaks about invasive plants and animals in the Pacific Northwest, in Hawaii and why it matters. This very interesting talk will leave you noticing the plants in your surroundings and help you realize why interfering with nature by our ruthless invasion of land and sea, leaves us vulnerable to loss of species and viral pandemics.

Today's episode was recorded for the Covid19Ed podcast, designed for younger students to learning new things during a time of social distancing. But this one involves a lot of math! You will also need supplies including a pencil, some paper, a ruler, a calculator, some pencil crayons and even a measuring tape. Listen carefully how mathematics describes the solar system, how we used math to discover two major objects (a planet and the largest asteroid). For fun, I also threw in a mini lesson on the Goldilocks zone, where planets are not too hot and not too cold, but just right! Enjoy...this one will make you work for it!!

In this episode, I interview Bill Burnyeat. Bill is a wealth of knowledge as you will hear. There is really no topic of space that Bill can't speak to. From star clusters, to the Moon, a historical perspective of astronomy...he even relates the Sun's activity to climate change. This is 42 minutes of non-stop astro-geeking and you're going to find it very interesting. This won't be the last time I have Bill on the show.

In this episode, I sit down with Adrian Midwood and we discuss the role of education in everything from plastic pollution, oceans, climate, covid and more. I highlight some of my most valued educational theories and give examples of some of the great work done by my students. The key take away is the missional approach today's students have towards their education. If it means something, they will change the world!

This episode was recorded on the shores of Johnstone Strait, on the coast of British Columbia. Throughout, you can hear the waves of the ocean lapping up as I teach a group of kayakers about the link between climate change and ocean acidification. This lesson delves into some chemistry, some consequences of an acidifying ocean, but as always, I will leave you with an element of hope.

In this episode, also pre-recorded for my colleagues podcast called Covid19Ed, I teach young people about the story behind the environmental movement, I link it to the Apollo era, and I describe some activities that middle school or younger audience members can do. I finish by describing some actions that we can all take when dealing with the health of Earth. I play a short excerpt from Greta Thunberg's TED talk which is available at https://www.ted.com/talks/greta_thunberg_the_disarming_case_to_act_right_now_on_climate_change?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

In this episode, I interview Chris Hall, a naturalist/conservationist, working at Trinity Western University. Chris describes the life cycle of the salmon, the connection of the salmon to the ecosystem of the Pacific Northwest and how climate change is affecting it's behaviour.

In this episode, I describe how I got interested in space as a young boy. Then I give a description of how to draw a basic star map for the Northern Sky in March. This was recorded for a friend's podcast (Covid19Ed Podcast) intended for a younger audience isolated at home during the Covid crisis. I sum up with a reference to Carl Sagan's story of Contact and where we can find intelligent life.