This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
“Film is a powerful way to tell stories. … The right story, told well, can be engaging, informative, and memorable.” —Sean B. Carroll
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is adding four new films to its award-winning catalog of short science documentaries for the classroom.
If you are at the National Association of Biology Teachers 2013 conference in Atlanta today, you will be able to attend HHMI's Night at the Movies with Sean B. Carroll as he unveils the premiere of these four new films. (Lucky you! Wish I were there!)
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"Produced by leading documentary filmmakers and freely available on DVD, and to stream or download from HHMI’s BioInteractive website http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/hhmi-short-films, these short films are bringing some of the best and most important stories in science to very large numbers of students. “A key premise of the short classroom film effort is that the story-telling power of film combines with the teacher’s ability to prepare students for the key concepts in the film,” said Sean B. Carroll, HHMI vice president for science education and the films’ executive producer."
"HHMI’s series of short films for the classroom brings fascinating stories of science and scientists to students and teachers. The films aim to bring important scientific advances to life with concrete examples of how science works, how evidence is weighed and tested, and how conclusions are reached.
These compelling stories, in fields ranging from evolutionary biology and genetics to earth science, feature leading scientists and stunning locations around the world. Produced by HHMI’s BioInteractive team, each film runs for about 10 to 30 minutes, a length optimized for use in the classroom.
Importantly, each film is accompanied by a collection of supporting materials, including film guides, quizzes, hands-on activities, and lesson plans, that teachers use to increase the impact of the films in their instruction. Although the films are targeted primarily at the high school level, they have been popular with instructors from middle school through college.
The films and accompanying resources are available for download at BioInteractive.org. Short film DVDs can also be ordered for free through HHMI’s Order Materials page."
