Reviewed by Ramona Jolliffe-Satre
5/6 science teacher
Planets and Storms is a two-video set that provides an interesting integration of weather and planetology for future-minded students. Students will be challenged to relate past and present weather on Earth to future explorations of Mars and Jupiter. These two videos would be a good teaching tool for Earth science instructors who are ready to go beyond the basics.
Weather on Mars combines historical events on Earth and our new understanding of the Red Planet. After a description of the “dust bowl” of the 1930s, the video relates current research on dust devils in the Mojave Desert and on Mars. Students will be captivated by footage of scientists testing out astronauts’ suits in simulated conditions that include 200-mph winds.
Weather on Jupiter compares the red spot found on Jupiter to thunderstorms and hurricanes on Earth. The limited success of NASA's Jupiter probes means that scientists do not have much direct information from the planet, so they rely more on generalities and lab simulations. The video relates the thunderstorms on the plains of Kansas to the lightning strikes on Jupiter, and Central American hurricanes to the red spot.
Teacher guides for the videos are included, with discussion questions, vocabulary, National Science Education Standards, related Internet sites, and post-viewing activities. The guides also provide time codes for pausing the video at key concepts to reinforce learning, and the Discovery School website features additional readings and ideas for projects. One bonus is the videos' coverage of potential career paths that may be overlooked in typical textbook materials.
The videos are designed for grades 6 through 12, and require some previous exposure to weather concepts such as temperature, humidity, and air pressure. Younger students (grades 5-8) will find the visual presentation thought-provoking, too, since they relate what we observe on other planets to experiences on Earth. Even my seven-year-old enjoyed the visual presentation of weather phenomena such as dust storms, thunderstorms, and hurricanes.
Review posted on 9/16/2002
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