Grades 5-12, College, Adult
Directed by David Shulman
Produced by BBC and The Open University
DVD Purchase $39
US Release Date: 2002
Copyright Date: 2002
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-096-0
Subjects
Biology
Chemistry
Critical Thinking
Earth Science
Geography
Life Science
Marine Biology
Natural Resources
Oceans and Coasts
Physical Science
Russian/Slavic Studies
Science
Technology
Society
Technology
Awards and Festivals
Gold Plaque, Chicago International Television Awards
Rough Science DVD Disc 3
Episodes 107-110 of the entertaining science series. All shot on the island of Capraia in the Mediterranean.
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"ROUGH SCIENCE may be the most fun anyone ever had learning science." St. Louis Post Dispatch |
Disc 3 contains the following episodes:
107. MEDITERRANEAN MYSTERY - Swapping their high-tech labs for a disused prison, five scientists are ferried to a mystery Mediterranean island where they must pool their collective wits. There are exploding bottles, failed experiments, and the occasional difference of opinion - at the same time as some genuine eureka moments. Can they work out their exact latitude and longitude, manufacture an insect repellent from scratch, and improvise a radio from an old saucepan?
108. SIMMERING SHUTTERBUGS - Our scientists have calculated where they are on the globe, but can they now master a series of science-based challenges designed to enhance their existence, using just the natural resources of the island? Can they improvise a low-tech camera and film, make a compass, and dye a flag? Seawater, seaweed, and urine prove to be indispensable ingredients, but tempers begin to flare as things don't quite go to plan.
109. POWER SUPPLIES - In this episode, Jonathan Hare and Mike Leahy go head-to-head in a race to generate power, while Mike Bullivant and Anna Lewington set about building a pharmacy. They extract and dispense a string of natural remedies, including an antiseptic made from myrtle and olives, and an anti-flatulent from fennel seeds - to combat one of Mike Leahy's less appealing habits!
110. SUSTENANCE AND SAYONARA - Wrapping up their spartan stay on an isolated Mediterranean island, the scientists face the ultimate challenge - can they use their science skills to put food on the table? Mike Bullivant experiences an epic struggle to make soap, while Vanessa Griffiths improvises toothpaste from seaweed, seashells, and mint.
The other two DVD discs in the series are:
DISC 1
101. All Mapped Out
102. Bugs and Barometers
103. Time and Transmitter
DISC 2
104. Feel the Heat
105. Sun and Sea
106. The Science of Celebration
Reviews
"This entertaining series...succeeds in making science fun and accessible."
"Thanks to a genuine sense of purpose and a refreshing lack of condescension, ['Rough Science'] works beautifully."
"ROUGH SCIENCE may be the most fun anyone ever had learning science."
"An intelligent variation of the 'Castaway' theme."
"I wish they'd had 'Rough Science' when I was in school."
"ROUGH SCIENCE dares to be genial and collegial, operating on the assumption that intellectual stimulation is not an exclusionary game... ROUGH SCIENCE resembles a 'Survivor' for smart people."
"The episodes are remarkable; they realistically show the false starts and problems scientists encounter...Because so many students watch 'reality television' in their spare time, ROUGH SCIENCE will be a high-interest supplement to the curriculum. It would be a great review or extension resource, and it would also be a perfect lead-in to design projects where groups of students are assigned similar tasks. The series demonstrates the application of basic principles in biology, chemistry, Earth science, and physics, so teachers will find many applications in middle and secondary programs."
"This show helps viewers learn that we all solve problems."
"The premise of the show is that . . . knowledge will . . . rub off on the viewers while they are being entertained."
"We...are very pleased with our students' responses to the different episodes...The students are encouraged to see that there is real application to some of the abstract ideas in physics...[Rough Science] is an excellent series, a great educational tool."
"[Rough Science] is a breath of fresh air...entertaining and educational. And perhaps the best advertisement for science as a career for curious people...Rough Science shows science 'in the raw' and setting it in a remote island location strips the scientists of the lab coats, test tubes and urge to speak in tongues. The program gets to the root of why science is interesting, and that's not something that we civilians get to see too often. Highly recommended."