Media Item: Bill Nye the Science Guy Water Cycle Episode

Title:
Bill Nye the Science Guy: Water Cycle

Bibliographic Information:
Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPJYPo2qhOM


Weekly Requirement:
Media Item

Plot Description:
Bill Nye the Science Guy is a children's show about science featuring scientist and educator Bill Nye explaining scientific concepts to children. In this particular episode Bill Nye teaches students about the Water Cycle through various songs, demonstrations, experiments, and lessons. Nye explains the steps of the cycle, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection through various vignettes and dialogues along with his experiments. The results is a hilarious and informative lesson about the water cycle and how it all works.


Quantitative Reading Level:
N/A


Qualitative Analysis:
This informational video is minimally complex. The purpose of teaching the water cycle is explicitly stated. The structure of video is of minimal complexity with simple visual demonstrations of the cycle. The language of the video is everyday English and with simple complexity. The language of the scientific concepts does add some complexity. The knowledge requirements are somewhat complex because several scientific concepts are introduced that viewers might not know without prior subject knowledge.


Content Area:
Earth Science 


Maine Common Core Content Area Standard:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3
Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.6
Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.


Curriculum Suggestion:
This is a great lesson to teach elementary school age children about the water cycle. Science teachers can show it to them to explain weather patterns such as rain as well.