Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 18:09:16 -0800 (PST)
From: Gene Thompson <gthompso@ccsf.cc.ca.us>
To: Pinhole Listserv <pinhole@exploratorium.edu>
Subject: chemistry movies
In-Reply-To: <348CA3BD.2E6@ix.netcom.com>
I'm stuck and looking for suggestions. I like to show commercial movies
in my science classes for their high interest factor and the bridge they
offer between what's studied in class and the real world. This is no
problem in Physical Science or Integrated Science -- there's lots to
choose from, but I've only come up with 2 ideas in chem and I'm getting a
little tired of both of them.
The obvious one is the Gorn eposide from the original Star Trek -- the one
where Kirk has to make gunpowder and a gun from scratch. The not-so-
obvious one is The Wizard of Oz, which has b&w and color film making, the
1st actor to play the Tin Woodsman who almost died from the metals in his
make-up, the special effects in the Wizard's Palace which were all
chemical, the witch who dissolves like an ionic compound, etc.
Can anyone out there think of any other likely chem movies? If it's all
biochem, it'll be too hard for my students (1st year chem). Nuke films
are easy to find, but the good ones are all depressing. Any suggestions?
Ellen Koivisto
gthompso@ccsf.cc.ca.us
George Washington High School
San Francisco