Source: https://www.calacademy.org/educators/flipside-science
A unique approach
This series is meant to create a transformational learning experience for students and their teachers by incorporating best practices for teaching environmental science and applying design thinking in the classroom. Flipside Science...
Inspires action with a positive, solution-oriented message. Flipside Science empowers students to make choices that positively impact their communities while teaching them about important environmental science concepts with engaging videos and design thinking challenges.
Teaches critical thinking. Students learn how to define problems, evaluate evidence, and decide what they think about environmental issues. They are empowered and inspired to engineer their own solutions to complex problems.
Fosters collaboration. Flipside Science gives students the opportunity to learn from their peers and work with others to solve problems collaboratively.
Acknowledges the complexity of environmental issues. This series connects humans to their environment and helps students understand that there are no easy nor singular solutions—environmental problems are complex.
Highlights youth voice. Flipside Science is hosted by high school students from the Academy’s own Youth Programs. Middle schoolers can relate to teen narrators as near peers, versus adult narrators.
Is easy to implement in the classroom. Free and available online, the series currently features three fully-developed teaching units. Student worksheets that accompany each lesson in the food and water units are available in English, Spanish, and both Simplified and Traditional Chinese. The short modular videos also allow flexibility in the use of distinct Flipside Science materials.
Flipside Science is a youth-powered series that tackles complex environmental topics and empowers viewers to make a difference.
Perfect for Teaching Human Impacts on Earth's Systems
Time: 30 minutes to several weeks
Grade: Designed for middle school, but applicable to high school
Focus: Food, water, and energy systems; ocean health; human impacts on Earth's systems (ESS3.C); engineering solutions (ETS1.A-C)
Flipside Science features media-rich units perfect for educators looking to engage their students in design thinking activities around environmental issues. This engaging and upbeat collection of videos, hosted by Academy youth, and associated lessons explores how local communities are addressing environmental problems with solutions ranging from vertical farming to greywater recycling. Check out the units on energy, food, water, and ocean health below:
Healthy Oceans
The ocean affects everyone. It provides important resources and recreational enjoyment to people around the world and is home to some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth: coral reefs. But the ocean's resources and biodiversity are under threat from human impacts. What are some local actions we can take to protect our global ocean?
Exploring Energy: Designing a Brighter Future
Energy is an important part of our everyday lives. We use energy to cook, get around, and send emails. In this unit, we'll explore the issues associated with fossil fuels and how people are coming up with innovative sustainable energy alternatives for a brighter future.
Our Hungry Planet: Food For a Growing Population
To feed our growing world, we need innovative solutions. In this unit, we'll explore environmental issues related to the food we grow and eat. We'll review key issues like food waste, urban farming, and diet, and learn how simple choices we make can impact our planet.
Fresh Solutions: Water Use and Conservation
Humans depend on water, and our need for this precious resource is growing alongside our population. How will we meet the needs of the future without harming the environment? In this unit, we'll explore key water issues, the water cycle, and some of the technology and techniques used to conserve water.
