School

Conversations with parents, educators, and thought leaders on how and what our children should learn.

Matt Hobbs is a science teacher in the District of Colombia. We discussed what inspired Matt to study and teach science; the importance of keeping kids engaged; the sequence of learning sub-topics within science; recommended science books, podcasts, and museums; and the challenges of navigating a politicized science landscape. To see Matt’s comprehensive list of science ideas/resources/lessons for homeschoolers and after-schoolers, send an email with SCIENCE in the subject line to: schoolconversations@gmail.com.

Science podcasts:

Huberman Lab

Bret Weinstein’s Dark Horse Podcast

Science podcasts for kids:

Wow in the World

Brains On!

Recommended science books:

Why Science? by James Trefil

Varieties of Scientific Experience by Carl Sagan

When Plague Strikes by James Cross Giblin

Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio by Peg Kehret

Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

The Story of Science by Joy Hakim

Books that address the changing political/science landscape:

Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt

The Righteous Mind by Johnathan Haidt

The Illusion of Evidence-Based Medicine by Jon Jureidini and Leemon B. McHenry

Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker

Science Museums in the greater D.C. area:

Maryland Science Center in Baltimore, MD

National Air and Space Museum – Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA

National Air and Space Museum in D.C.

National Museum of Natural History

Science documentaries on PBS:

NOVA

Plastic Wars

The Polio Crusade

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/polio/

Vaccines: A Short History of Living Longer

https://www.pbs.org/video/vaccines-huvzkv/

Ken Burns Presents: The Gene

Sinking Cities

The Fabric of the Cosmos

Cancer: The Emperor of all Maladies

COVID-19 related resources:

Latest VAERS data

Panel of 14 experts discuss COVID-19

Dr. Tess Lawrie discusses the data on COVID-19 vaccines and treatments