WGBH Podcasts

I watched the video podcast 'What is a Planet?". The video was a short excerpt from the Nova scienceNOW episode titled "10th Planet". In the video, the definition of a planet is discussed. Up until August 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognized nine planets in our solar system. Now, however, more and more astronomers are challenging this tally. Many believe that there may actually be 10-12 planets in the solar system. One of these astronomers is Mike Brown of CalTech. He along with his colleagues discovered a 10th "planet", which they named UB313. This caused an uproar in the astronomical community since there was no solid definition of the term "planet". Many astronomers disagreed upon the factors that should be met in order for a body to be deemed a planet. After much debate, the IAU came up with four standards that would determine if a heavenly body could be called a planet. A planet must be a body that orbits around a star, be round in shape, have a mass that exerts gravity, a have cleared its neighborhood. These standards caused the 9th planet, Pluto, to be downgraded to a dwarf planet. Neptune is also in danger of being downgraded since it has not cleared its neighborhood. As more research is done on the planets, the statutes that qualify a body as a planet will continue to change.

I feel that these educational podcasts could be very helpful to me in my classroom. When textbooks are published, they contain information that is viable up until the publication date. When dealing with subjects such as science, it is possible for certain theories to develop and change in a short period of time. These podcasts will allow me to stay updated with current events and in turn incorporate this knowledge into my lessons.

I also believe that the podcasts will serve as learning tools for my students. It is much easier for a student to understand a concept if they are able to see it applied to real life. Educational programs like Nova take the material printed in textbooks and presents it in a fashion that catches the attention of students. The videos can help the students visualize what they are learning and also encourage the students to ask questions and perhaps desire to learn more on the subject.