Episodes

Recently, I have been creating a YouTube channel called Science360 - Beyond the Sky. This comes on the heels of my podcast Science360 (this one obviously), a book I wrote called Beyond the Classroom and many, many blog posts found on the Teach Better...

Last year on this day, I featured Britt Buirs (go find that one). But this year, I've selected Lilly Woodbury. I first recorded this episode in September of 2020 and I have always felt this is one of my favourite episodes. Lilly's articulate way of...

How far outside the box are you willing to take your classroom? How about far enough that you enter a virtual world, where your students use their own avatar to manipulate the concepts you're teaching. This is what Jennifer Brown does in her math...

I've known BJ since he was a grade 9 student in my science class. I knew there was something special about him back then because he gained international attention by challenging the system over a flag. Seriously, look it up. But every tech...

In the summer of 2021, I had the fun opportunity to be on the Out of the Trenches podcast with Dana Goodier. We had a great chat about teaching, but then Dana gave me this glorious chance to talk space! She asked me, "what do people get wrong about...

In this episode, I take a swing at the way we teach science. To me, it is a subject that needs a major shake up. There is just too much going on in the world today that demand a new understanding of scientific principals to continue with the status...

There has been a lot of research and speculation on what that star was and if it really was a star at all. In this episode, I explain the common understanding of the Heaven's at the time of Christ and what they thought they saw in the night sky. I...

This is a very informative talk with Zack Rago, star of the Netflix film Chasing Coral. We talk about his education and what motivated him to pursue a Ph.D. degree in marine science in Hawaii. But it shouldn't come as a big surprise that there was an...

In this episode, you will hear the results of a library research day attended by two Grade 6 and 7 classes from a nearby elementary school. I hosted over 50 of them in our high school library where we taught them about online resources, file sharing,...

Craig Leeson is an international film-maker/journalist/adventurer and director of the Netflix film "A Plastic Ocean". He joined me for this episode to discuss his perspective on the state of plastic pollution, climate, COP26 and the future of our...

In this episode, I have to admit...I kind of ramble on a bit. It really is me thinking through these big issues of energy, transportation, climate, resources. But really, I think everybody should sit and ramble in their own minds about these things...

Paul Rosolie is an Amazon conservationist, author and rain forest educator. His story found in his book "Mother of God" is a must read, but if you like to get to know the author first, then check this out. Paul and I talk about how he got his...

In this episode, you will hear from Bob Hansen, who is the pacific rim coordinator of WildSafeBC. Bob was described to me as the "bear expert" of the west coast of Vancouver Island and as I spoke with him, I found this to be true. If you find yourself...

If you've ever wondered what you're seeing in the night sky as you lie on the dock or in a hammock in the backyard, then this episode is for you! I take you on a summer sky star-hopping adventure, as we identify stars and constellations, starting in...

Katie is a wholistic nutritionist and a personal trainer. Her approach to wellness does not mean eliminating entire food groups or spending hours on the tread mill. She trains her clients to lead balanced lives, to eat whole foods and to exercise...

Dr. Doug Allen is an economist at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC. He has done an extensive analysis of the research from around the world on the policy of lockdown during the pandemic. His conclusions are startling. It may seem obvious that...

Back in the summer of 2018, I was kayaking in Johnstone Strait on the north coast of Vancouver Island. Being passionate about education and the oceans, I took the chance to teach my fellow kayakers about the plight of the oceans. I edited it and...

One of my goals for this podcast is to give teachers some material that they can use in their classroom. This episode will teach you how to run an experiment where your students can calculate the power of the Sun. It's a simple procedure but with huge...

This is a recording I did in the spring of 2020. I chose to replay it because Britt Buirs is one of my favourite scientists who deserves a spotlight on International Women's Day. Reality is she deserves the spotlight any day: a former student of mine,...

In this episode, I attempt to demonstrate the relationship between music and learning by teaching a lesson while switching up the background music. The challenge for the listener is to determine the effect these music styles had on your ability to...

This is a jam-packed episode, all about Mars! So you better be ready with a notepad or just enjoy listening. I hit a lot of stuff here! If you are a student who studies astronomy, maybe a person who just enjoys learning about space OR A TEACHER...

One of my goals of this podcast is that it can be used by teachers as a resource. By learning here, you can go into your classroom and teach something new and fascinating. In this episode, I chose to explain several things about the Moon. By...

This conversation, I believe, is essential among academics. The reason is because when it comes to science, if we really think about it, to believe that the universe sprang by chance, solely through the laws of physics, is actually a faith-based...

I wanted to follow up with my last episode with Professor Orlando Rojas of the BioProducts Institute at UBC. Although his work is cutting edge and sincerely driven by the desire to switch off of fossil fuels for the sake of our planet, I was a little...