K-5 Video Pod Cast - Solar Eclipses & What is a Plant?

As I began to search for topics provided by iTunesU in the Featured Provider, WGBH, K-5, Teacher Domain I discovered a couple that interest me. A clip about the Solar Eclipses was the first I chose. It explained what a solar eclipse is. An eclipse is the shadow of the moon on earth. The sun shines on both the earth and the moon, however the moon is smaller than the earth and only shadows a small portion. The areas that receive a full eclipse is referred to as the umbra. An area of a partial eclipse is referred to as a penumbra. The second explored the question, What is a Plant? In the clip the IAU definition of a plant is given. A plant must orbit a star, have enough mass to maintain gravity, must be round and must have cleared its neighborhood. This definition the was established in 2006 nullified Pluto as a plant instead it is considered a dwarf plant, because it has not cleared its neighborhood. This is due to the fact that Pluto crosses with Neptune, therefore not being cleared. However what is interesting is that Neptune has not cleared Pluto, so is Neptune a plant????Hmmmmm. Just something to ponder!

As educators information provided by these pod cast can be beneficial to both student and teacher. Through this technology students can experience enhanced learning experiences, while teachers advance their own teaching skills.

There is nothing better than the student to have the ability to actually see what is being taught. These pod cast allow the student to observe how and why. Just as the TV is influential in students so can pod casts. They desire to see instead of figuring it out. If the information is presented in a way for the them to better understand should not all educators grasp hold of such a influential tool, as pod cast and its FREE!

While doing research on these pod cast I stumbled across something interesting. You can visit www.google.com/sky click on solar system and actually see the plants as they lie in space. It's COOL!!!