Comments on: Skeptical Books For Children – Part Five http://podblack.com/2009/10/skeptical-books-for-children-part-five/ Science, Superstitions and Skeptical Life Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:18:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: podblack http://podblack.com/2009/10/skeptical-books-for-children-part-five/comment-page-1/#comment-43124 podblack Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:08:17 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1651#comment-43124 Sci Fi, in my opinion? Not that dissimilar to any other fictional text. There are plenty of fiction texts with dodgy use of not only science, but history, economics, arts, et al. The fact that it's still labelled 'fiction' should be a good indicator to us all. What's more important? Encouraging literacy in general and supporting via scaffolding what good science there is - or burning books with a 'OMFG TWILIGHT IS SOOOOO BAD FOR THE YUNG-UNS [....but didn't you collect Virginia Andrews books when you were younger??]' attitude. ;) Sci Fi, in my opinion? Not that dissimilar to any other fictional text. There are plenty of fiction texts with dodgy use of not only science, but history, economics, arts, et al. The fact that it’s still labelled ‘fiction’ should be a good indicator to us all. What’s more important? Encouraging literacy in general and supporting via scaffolding what good science there is – or burning books with a ‘OMFG TWILIGHT IS SOOOOO BAD FOR THE YUNG-UNS [....but didn't you collect Virginia Andrews books when you were younger??]‘ attitude. ;)

]]> By: Adelle http://podblack.com/2009/10/skeptical-books-for-children-part-five/comment-page-1/#comment-42436 Adelle Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:24:42 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1651#comment-42436 This is a lot of information on what I thought was a fairly straight-forward topic. So, there's still no real judgment on whether sci fi is detrimental to education? I knew that there was studies on how Dungeons and Dragons weren't as bad as people thought, but was fairly under the impression that most sci fi was just entertainment alone with the occasional science topic thrown in by the few who care about accuracy. Thanks for the links! This is a lot of information on what I thought was a fairly straight-forward topic. So, there’s still no real judgment on whether sci fi is detrimental to education? I knew that there was studies on how Dungeons and Dragons weren’t as bad as people thought, but was fairly under the impression that most sci fi was just entertainment alone with the occasional science topic thrown in by the few who care about accuracy. Thanks for the links!

]]> By: Desiree http://podblack.com/2009/10/skeptical-books-for-children-part-five/comment-page-1/#comment-42382 Desiree Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:25:14 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1651#comment-42382 I feel like I was just visited by the research fairy. And instead of the expected "quarter under the pillow", she left me the code for the bank vault. Brilliant post, fantastic information. Thanks so much! I feel like I was just visited by the research fairy. And instead of the expected “quarter under the pillow”, she left me the code for the bank vault.

Brilliant post, fantastic information. Thanks so much!

]]> By: AndyW http://podblack.com/2009/10/skeptical-books-for-children-part-five/comment-page-1/#comment-42379 AndyW Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:04:01 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1651#comment-42379 Recently I found a way to use a sci fi movie in a class on science. I was running a unit on space in a grade 4 class that was equipped with an interactive whiteboard. I had set the children the task to research particular topics and then present their findings to a grade 2 class who were also studying space. One student gave a talk on asteroids, so to introduce his talk I played the Millenium Falcon asteroid chase scene from Stars Wars V on the big screen, to help make the point that our asteroid belt is not as crowded as they make it to be in the movies. I can also vividly remember when I was ten my cousin pointing out to me the fallacy of the hearing sounds of the spaceships flying around in Star Wars. I think that, for children, discovering that a movie is wrong can help them discover and remember that which is correct. Recently I found a way to use a sci fi movie in a class on science. I was running a unit on space in a grade 4 class that was equipped with an interactive whiteboard. I had set the children the task to research particular topics and then present their findings to a grade 2 class who were also studying space. One student gave a talk on asteroids, so to introduce his talk I played the Millenium Falcon asteroid chase scene from Stars Wars V on the big screen, to help make the point that our asteroid belt is not as crowded as they make it to be in the movies. I can also vividly remember when I was ten my cousin pointing out to me the fallacy of the hearing sounds of the spaceships flying around in Star Wars. I think that, for children, discovering that a movie is wrong can help them discover and remember that which is correct.

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