Because of time constraints, the lack of great earth science videos, and short student attention spans, I have been using video clips more and more in my classes. I use them to introduce topics, review ideas, or stimulate student thought. Below are some ideas that have worked well for me.

• MEN IN BLACK: At the end of the movie there is a great sequence that starts with Will Smith standing in New York City. The camera then rapidly pulls away, showing the earth, then the solar system... and eventually an alien that picks up the earth which is actually just a marble...its an old science fiction theme..it has many forms..sometimes its that the planets and starts are just atoms in some large creature. Whichever, this is a great way to start a discussion!

• CONTACT: Similar to Men In Black, the opening of the movie has a great sequence showing the relative scale of the universe and the earth's place in it. Great intro to astronomy.

• ARMEGEDDON: I love the opening sequence showing small asteroids slamming into the space shuttle. Good way to start a unit on meteors and such

• DANTES PEAK: I thought this was a good movie, geologically speaking. I wouldnt show the whole thing..the part I recommend is in the beginning when they are fleeing the erupting volcano and there are molten bombs coming down everywhere. Good way to start a volcano unit

• CAPRICORN I: This was a great movie (even if OJ was in it) about the first manned landing on the Planet Mars. I start the video right when the astronauts began their first EVA on Mars. I let it go for about 5 minutes, right up to the part where you see that the Mars landing is actually being staged in a television studio. I stop the tape and ask the question: How do we know that the Apollo astronauts really landed on the moon ? Couldn't the entire lunar landing have been faked ? I use this as an introduction to lunar geology and what we've learned from studying moon rocks. It works great because most students have never even heard of the movie

• THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE: Play the movie from the part where the Captain is called to the bridge and told about a submarine earthquake. Continue right up to where the tsunami flips over the ship. I stop the tape and then ask the question: "What's wrong with this move ?" I use this as a review of my oceanography section on waves. Of course, waves dont break until they reach shore, and the ship was in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea

• SUPERMAN: In the first movie, after a nuclear missile hits the San Andreas Fault and causes a massive earthquake which buries Lois Lane and kills her, Superman gets ticked off, slows the earths rotation, stops it, and then has it rotate in the opposite direction. This of course makes time go backwards, he then makes it rotate the correct way once Lois is safe. I show this 5 minute segment as a way of reviewing rotation and revolution, their causes and consequences

• THE RIVER WILD: When I begin erosion, I want to capture their interest. I start by showing the short 5 minute segment of the movie when they run the big rapids. Its a great springboard for discussions on stream velocity, gradient, etc.

• TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA: Play the part where the giant squid attacks the nautilus, up to where Captain Nemo gets dragged under. Its a good introduction to the oceans. Most students think its fantasy, and they flip when they find out giant squid do exist

• FROM THE EARH TO THE MOON: Galileo was rightThis episode is all about how the Apollo astronauts were trained to be geologists. This is one of the few times that I actually show the entire movie. It is awesome !!